Skip to main content

Full text of "The history and antiquities of the city of Bristol;"

See other formats 


,-»-r^r:«.^ 

IMi 

1  -  ■ 

:     BsiiriVk 

m 

IK 

f^Bisyoii 

\\A>v^  >'wsj(s=r'  *// 

W^ 

ff:^ 

MW 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


J      HE 


TORY 


AND 


ANTIQUITIES 


OF       THE 


CITY  of  BRISTOL; 


COMPILED    FROM 


Original  Records  and  authentic  Manuscripts, 

In  public  Offices  or  private  Hands  ; 
Illuftrated    with    COPPER-PLATE    PRINTS. 

By     WILLIAM     BARRETT,     Surgeon,     F.  S.  A. 


I/' 


//^ 


BRISTOL:        ,    ; 

Printed  by    WILLIAM    PINE,    in    Wine-Street  ; 


And  fold  by  G.  Robin-son-  and  Co.  London;  E.  Palmer,  J.  B.  Becket,T.  Mjlls,  J.  Norton,  W.  Browne, 
W.  BuLGiN,  and  J.  Lloyd,  Bookfdkrs  in  Bnjlol ;  and  by  Bull  and  MfiVLtK,  in  Bati, 


'  in/  l^C 


CoUega 
Library 


TO     THE     RIGHT     WORSHIPFUL  ^ 

Levi    Ames,    Efq;    Mayor ; 

The  Worfhipful  the  Aldermen,  and  Common 
Council  of  the  City  of  BRISTOL. 

G  ENTLEME  N, 

TO  you  is  the  History  of  Bristol  with  propriety 
infcribed,  to  which  you  have  a  natural  and  pecuHar 
Claim.  By  public  Spirit,  Virtue  and  Loyalty,  your 
predeceffors  procuring  Liberties  and  ample  Privileges  by 
Charters  from  our  Kings  and  Queens  raifed  this  City  to 
an  high  rank  in  the  nation,  and  by  the  fame  their 
iucceflors  have  exalted  it  to  the  dignity  of  being  the 
Second  City  in  the  kingdom. 

Reformed  as  it  is  in  its  Police,  enlarged  in  the 
number  and  extent  of  its  Buildings,  and  increafed  in  its 
Trade  and  Opulence,  may  it  long  flourifh  by  your 
vigilant  and  a6live  Care,  by  the  great  Credit  and 
Reputation  of  its  Merchants,  and  the  Virtue  and 
Industry  of  the  Citizens;  and  by  ufmg  the  natural  local 
advantages  of  improving  its  Port  and  Harbour  to  the 
utmoft,  may  the  Honour  be  yours  of  compleating  its 
Grandeur,  that  Ships  may  refort  hither  more  and  more 
from  every  Quarter  of  the  Globe,  and  the  Commerce 
and  Profperity  of  the  City  continue  to  advance  to  lateft 
pollerlty. 

J  have  the  honour  to  be, 

Worjhipful  SIRS, 

Your  7710/1  obliged  and  obedient 

Humble  Servant, 

S'.^.M^X  WILLIAM  BARRETT 


[   V   3 


R        E        F        A        C        E. 


T  TOW  the  Hiftory  of  Briftol,  fo  long  expelled,  is  at  length  offered  to   the 
-*■  -*•   public  the  reader  may  be  curious  to  know.      Twenty  years  have  elapfed 
fince  colleftions  for   the  defign  were    fought   for  with   great  afJiduity  and  no 
fmal!  expence,  and  fome  progrefs  made  in  compiling  it,  and  even  the  copper- 
plates were  engraved  for  the  work  in  folio  ;  but  the    author,  engaged   in    a 
bufinefs  that  commanded  all  his  time  and  attention,  receiving  no  encouraf^e- 
ment  to  proceed,  and  finding  there  was   more  likelihood  for  him,  "  oleum  et 
operam  perdere,"   fat    down   contented  with  his  firfl;  lofs  and  wholly  defifted 
from  the  undertaking,  locking  up  his  papers  for  feveral  years,  intending  to 
leave  them  to  one  of  more  leifure  and  to  a  time  more  aufpicious  and  favour- 
able to  the  undertaking.      Retiring  from  bufinefs  into   the   country  and  often 
confined  by  the  gout,  he  thought  he  fliould  find  fome  amufcment  in  this  lite- 
rary employ,  and  refumed  the  long  intermitted  tafk,  that  he  might  leave  it 
in  a  lefs  unfiniflied  ftate  to  be  compleated  and  publifhed  hereafter.     At  this 
time  a  worthy  Do£tor  of  one  of  our  univerfities,  defervedly  efteemed  by  all 
for  his  fingular  humanity   and  friendly  difpofition,  vifited   him    and   warmly 
folicited  him  to  proceed  with  the  work  and  publifii  it  himfelf  in  his  life-time  ; 
for  pofihumous  works  were  often  neglected,  feldom  executed  to   the  author's 
mind,  and  not  unfrequently  loft.      In  a  letter  afterwards  he  ui'ged  the  matter 
■with  great  earneflnefs,  and  moff  generous  tender  of  his  friendfhip,  concluding 
with  the   following  fpirited  expreffions,    which  he  applied   to   this   occafion. 
"  Hominem  te   durum   et   pene  crudelem,  qui   tam   infignes  libros  tam   diu 
teneas.     Sine  per  ora  hominum  ferantur,  &c.      Ouofque    tibi  et    nobis  invi- 
debis  ?  Tibi   laudem,  nobis   maximam   voluptatem.      Magna   etiam   longaque 
expeftatio   efl   quam   frulirari   adhuc   et  differre   non  dcbcs.  —  Habe    ante 
ocuLOS    MORTALiTATEM  !      Dcfiuc   fludia   tua   infinita  ilia  cunctatioiic  frau- 
dare,  quas  cum  modum  excedat,  verendum  efl,  nc  inertiae  etdefidias  vel  etiam 
timiditatis   nomen  accipiat."      This    added   a    fpur    to    irrefuluti«n,  and   the 
"  habe  ante  oculos  mortalitatcm"   made  an  impreffion  irrefiftable,  applied  to 
one  in  a  declining  ftate  of  health  and  years.      In  a  word,  the  work  was  imme- 
diately refumed  and  profecuted  without  intcrmifTion,  and  then  offered   to  the 
public,  who  have  liberally  patronized  it,  as  the  lilt  of  fubfcribers  will  fhew, 

which 


vi  PREFACE. 

vhich  would  do  honour  to  any  work,  and  cannot  but  excite  in   the  author  a 
due  fenfe  of  gratitude. 

Some  readers  may  perhaps  be  furprized  at  the  length  of  tliis  Iliftory,  whilfl 
others  may   exprefs  their  wonder   at  its  being  comprized  in  one  volume  :  the 
former  may  think  it  unneceffary  to  defcend  to   minute   particulars,  whilfl   the 
latter  will  judge  every  thing  not  fully  related  and  every  authority  not  quoted 
in  the  original  words  an  omilTion.  —  The  author  has  endeavoured   to  fleer   a 
middle  courfe,  and  will  readily  give  his  reafons.     Had  he  been  more  brief, 
he  could  not  have  given  fo  much  information  about  the  religious  houfes,  the 
caflle,  and  their  governors,  their  antiquities,    nor  of  the   manners   of  thofe 
times ;  nor  indeed  of  their  prcfent  flate.     The  reader  muft  have  contented 
himfelf  with  a  fuperficial  view  of  things,  fuch  as  his  own  eyes  and  obferva- 
tion  might   have  prefented  him   with,'  in   which   cafe  he  would  have  turned 
away  difplcafed   at  not  being  informed  more  than   he  knew  before.     On  the 
contrary,  if  he  had  been  more  prolix,  and  tranfcribed   at  length  the  feveral 
Latin  deeds  of  endowment,  original  authorities,  and   charters,  he  muft  have 
filled  a  large  folio  or  two  quarto  volumes.     The  learned  antiquarian  would 
receive  much  fatisfaftion  doubtlefs  in  perufing  the  aniient  deeds  and  authentic 
documents  in  the  original ;  but  as  all  fuch  are  long  and  tedious,  if  the  prin- 
cipal matters  contained  therein  be  noticed,  the  reft  would  unnecefTarily  fwell 
the  volume,  and  ferve  only  a  certain  clafs  of  readers:  and  therefore  though 
the  beginning  of  the  original   deed  is  often  given,  the  tranflation  follows  in 
Englifh  for  the  eafe  and  information  of  the  lefs  learned  reader ;  but  fometimes 
•where  the  deed   is  very  important  and  curious,  and  not  too  long,  the  whole 
is  given.     The  number  of  Latin  deeds,  that  might  with  propriety  have  found 
a  place  here,  is  fuch  as  alone  would  have  filled  a  volume.     They  were  col- 
lefl.ed  at  different  times,  the  greatefl  number  by  thelate  Mr.  Alexander  Morgan, 
(whofe  indefatigable  pains  and  induftry  in  this  way  for  many  years,  as  well  as 
Mr.  Haines's,  fhould  have  their  due  praife)  befides  others   tranfcribed  from 
Dugdale,  Stevens,  and  Rymer  ;  but  to   refer  to  them  and  to  abridge  others 
was  judged  to  be  in   general   fufficient,  though  to  avoid  deforming  the  page 
few  marginal  references  arc  fet  down,  but  the  great  ftorehoufe  of  Tanner  is 
conftanily    referred  to.      The  original   deeds    and    copies    colle£led   for  this 
Hiftory  have  been  procured  with  fo  much  labour,  it   would  be  a  great  lofs  to 
have  them  difpcrfcd,  after  the  extrafls  for  this  work  have  been  made  from 
them  ;  it  is  intended  therefore  to  lodge  them  in  fome  public  repofitory,  pro- 
bably  the  Briftol   Library.     ^Vhocver   confidcrs  well  the   time  and  trouble 
employed  in  making  fuch  a  collodion,  will  readily  agree  to  the  propriety   of 
fuch  a  iTieafure.  As 


PREFACE. 


Vll 


Astothofe  manufcripts  of  Rowley,  now  firft  publiflicd  ;  whatever  judgment 
be  formed  about  them,  they  are  here  faithfully  tranfcribcd,  that  by  producing 
all  the  evidence  the  judicious  reader  may  be  enabled  the  better  to  form  his 
opinion  concerning  that  controverfy. 

Before    I   conclude  I   muft   add,    that  by  a  manufcript  in  Corpus  Chrifti 
college  library,  Cambridge,  CCCCV.  p.  26.  cntituled  "  Conflitutiones  Villa; 
Briftollias,"   (which  I  did  not  receive  till  the  lad  flieet  of  this  work  was  printed 
off)  it  appears,  among  other  curious  particulars,  how  they  were  enabled  to  build 
ihe  old  bridge,  which  I  have  faid  "  no  where  appears,"  fee  p.  79.  "  Petunt 
burgenfes  fibi  reflitui  pontem  Avenae.&c."  i.  e.  "  The  burgelTesalfo  defire  that 
the  bridge  of  Avon  be  reftored  to  them  and  the  rents  upon   the  bridge,  which 
bridge  they  and  their  anceftors  built  new  from  the  brink  orftream  (filo)  of  the 
water  at  their  own  charges  together  with    the  alms  of  the  faithful,  and  have 
fupported  until  this  day,  and  are  ready  perpetually  to  fupport  it  ;  and  in  aid 
of  fupporting  it  they  have  erefted  certain  rents  upon  the  fame  bridge  ;  and  for 
the  Indulgence  of  thofe  who  help,  and  prohibition  of  thofe  who  would  deduft 
from  it,  they  have  a  bull  of  Pope  Innocent  3d.  the  predecefTor  of  Honorius  and 
Gregory.     They  alfo  defire  to  be  reftored  to  them  the  rents  of  a  certain  houfe 
and  ground,  which  they  bought  at  the  head  of  the  bridge  on  the  fouth  fide,  for 
which  they  have  the  charter  of  the  abbot  and  convent  of  Keynfham,  of  whom 
they  hold  the  faid  ground ;  and  alfo  have  the  confirmation  of  King  John  con- 
cerning the  faid  ground,  upon  which  great  part  of  the  faid  bridge  is  founded 
and  fupported." — They  fay  alfo,  '•'  that  out  of  the  profits  of  the  guild  merchants 
and  of  the  town  they  fupport  eight  bridges,  the  pavement  or  pitching,  five  con- 
duits of  water,  the  Key  (Kayam)  before  the  flrips,  and  the  public  officers;  and 
that  the  murage   is  expended  only  in  inclofing  and  fortifying  the  town  and 
fuburb,  for  which  it  was  granted;  and  that  no  waggon,  no  packhorfe,  no  man, 
fhall  unload  his  burden,  without  firft  paying  the   cuftom  to  the   prepofitor, 
(nifi  cuftumetur  ad  prepofitum,)  &c." 

Though  there  is  no  date  to  this  curious  manufcript,  it  muft  be  about  the 
year  1314,  for  they  defire  therein  "  to  choofcamayor  and  bailiff's  whom  they 
know  will  be  more  ufeful  and  faithful  to  their  Lord  the  King,"  who  were  chofen 
in  that  year. 

The  author  having  thus  endeavoured  to  fulfil  his  engagements  to  the 
public  muft  now  take  his  leave,  requefting  the  candid  reader's  favour  to  excufc 
all  omiflions  and  errors ; 

Ouos  aut  incuria  fudit 
Aut  humana  parum  caveat  natura. 


ERRATA. 

Page  i8,  line  19,  for  unlikely  read  unlike  to, 

20,  1.  17,  for  Tacitor  r.  Tacito. 

37)  '•  35)  f"""  po""  ^,  porro  ;  ioT pacaverat  r.  paraverat, 

68,  1.-9,  for  j'n  r.fx. 
wj.  1.  25,  for  were  r.  rvai. 
164,  1.  27,  for  1131  r.  1311. 
321,  1.  1,  dele  "  Hinton  and." 

381,  1.  27,  dele  markofreferenceovcr"/in(;ry,"and  place  it  over"ycK«</e</,"  '•»• 
429,  rote,  for  eruptit'c  r.  eruption  on, 
433,  1.20,  ioi  charged  r.  changed. 
556)  '•  37)  for  1  Sept.  r.  i  March, 
571,  1.  29,  for  handards  x.Jlandards. 


Diredions  to  the  Binder  where  to  place  the  Plates. 

1.  The  large  Plan  of  the  City  to  front  the  title-page. 

2.  The  Roman  Camps  to  face  p.  18. 

3.  The  old  Plan  of  the  City  to  face  p.  51. 

4.  The  fecond  Plan  of  the  City  to  face  page  57. 

5.  The  Hotwells  to  face  p.  92. 

6.  The  Cathedral  and  Crane  Views  to  face  p.  87. 

7.  The  View  of  Vincent's  Rock  to  face  p.  94. 

8.  The  Exchange.     The  print  to  be  cut  in  the  middle. 

9.  The  front  to  face  p.  140,  the  back  to  follow  it. 

10.  The  Bridge  to  face  p.  g6. 

11.  The  oldCaftle  to  face  p.  196. 

12.  Ditto  to  face  p.  200. 

13.  The  Cathedral  to  face  p.  246. 

14.  Abby  Gate  Iloufe  to  face  p.  287. 

15.  Ichnography  of  the  Cathedral  to  face  p.  292. 

16.  View  of  the  Cathedral,  &c.  to  face  p.  294. 

17.  CoRer's  Monument,  to  face  p.  299. 

18.  St.  Mark's  Church  to  face  p.  344. 

19.  St.  James's  Church  to  face  p.  383. 

20.  Religious  Device  on  a  Tomb  to  face  p.  400. 
ci.  All  Saints  Church  to  face  p.  438. 

22.  ColQon's  Monument  to  face  p.  444. 

23.  Views  of  the  Exchange  to  face  p.  460. 

24.  The  Back  View  to  face  p.  461. 

25.  Chrift  Church  and  the  High  Crofs  to  face  p.  4C4. 

26.  Coopers'  Hall  to  face  p.  505. 

27.  St.  Stephen's  Church  to  face  510. 

28.  Merchant's  Hall  to  face  p.  516. 

29.  Rcdcliff  Church  to  face  p.  574. 

30.  The  Fac  Simile  of  Rowley's  Manufcript  to  face  p.  637. 


C     ix     J 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


His  Royal  Highness    PRINCE  WILLIAM. 


TH  E  Right  Rev.  die  Lord  Bifliop  of  St. 
Afaph. 
John  Acland,  Efq; 
Mr.  Acraman. 

Mr.  Gawin  Alanfon,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Edu'.  Aldridgc,  Vicar  of  North  Petherton, 
Mr.  Richard  Aldridge,  Briaol. 
Mrs.  Aldridge,  ditto. 
Mr.  Samuel  Allen,  ditto. 
Mr.  James  Allen,  architeft,  ditto. 
Mr.  John  Allen,  organift,  ditto. 
Levi  Ames.   Efq;  Mayor  of  Briftol,  2  copies, 
Mr.  M.  Ancrum,  Briftol. 
Mr.  J.  P.  Anderdon. 

John  Anderfon,  Efq;  Alderman,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Thomas  Andrews,  ditto. 
John  Archer,  Efq;  Welford,  Berks, 
Mifs  Archer. 
Mr.  Edward  Alh. 
John  Audry,  Efq;  Notion,  Wilts. 
Mr.  Aaron' Auftin,  Briftol. 

B 

Earl  of  Berkeley,  2  copies. 

The  Right  Rev.  the  Lord  Bifhop  of  Briftol, 
2  copies. 

The  Right  Rev,  the  Lord  Bifliop  of  Bath  and 
Wells, 

Lord  Belgrave. 

The  Hon.  George  Berkeley,   2  copies. 

Mr.  A.  B.  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Backhoufe,  Fellow  of  Bennet  Col- 
lege, Cambridge. 

Dr.  Bain,  Phyfician,  Hotwells,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Slade  Baker,  Briftol. 

Jeremy  Baker,   Efq;  ditto. 

John  Baker,  Efq;  ditto. 

Samuel  Baker,  Efq;  Dundrv. 

Rev.  Sackville  Spencer  Bale. 

Mr.  Balme,  F.  C.  Magdalen  Col.  Cambridge. 

C.  W.  Bampfylde,  Efq;  Hcftercomb,  Somer- 
fetfliire. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barford,  Fellow  of  Eton  College. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barker,  Mafter  of  Chrift  College, 
Cambridge, 

Dr.  Barnes,  Mafter  of  PeterHoufe,  Cambridge, 

Vv'illiam  Barnes,  Efq;  Redland. 

Mr.  Anthony  Barrett,  Notion,  Wilts. 

Rev.  W.  T.  Barrett,  Reaor  of  High  Ham, 
Somerfetftiire. 

Mr.  Samuel  Barry,  Biiilol.  , 

John  Bairy,  Efq; 


Sir  Francis  Baftet,  Bart.  M.  P. 

Mr.  Thomas  Batchelor,  Briftol. 

Thomas  Bathurft,  Efq;    Lidney  Park, 

William  Battcrflsy,  Elq; 

Mr.  Benjamin  Baugh,   Briftol, 

Mr.. Robert  Bavley,   CUftoiv 

Mr.  William  Baylis,  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Bayly,  attorney  at  law,  ditto. 

Zachaiy  Bayly,  Efq;  Widcomb,  Bath. 

Mr.  Thomas  Baynton,  Briftol. 

MelTrs.  Bazleys,  ditto. 

Dr.  Beadon,  Mafter  of  Jefus  Col.  Cambridge. 

James  Bccket,  Efq;  CoUeftor   of  Salt  Duties, 
Briftol. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Becket,  bookfeller,  ditto,  3  copies, 

Jofeph  Beck,  Efq;  ditto,  2  copies. 

Mr.  Thomas  Bedoe,  ditto. 

Mr.  James  Bcnce. 

Mr.  H.  Bengough,  ditto, 

Mr.  John  Bennett,  ditto. 

Bennet  College  Cambridge  Library. 

Benyon,  Efq;  F.  C.   St.  John's   College, 

Cambridge. 

Mr.  John  Pain  Berjew,  apothecary,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Mr.  Berjew,  Vicar  of  All  Saints,  ditto, 
James  Bernard,  Efq; 

Dr.  Bidle,  Phyfician,  Windfor. 

Mr.  Matthew  Biggs,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Edward  Bird,  ditto. 

Mr.  John  Birtill,  ditto. 

Rev.  Wiliam  Blake,  Vicar  of  Stockland. 

Mr.  Richard  Blake,  Briftol. 

WiUiam  Blake,  Efq; 

Mr.  Thomas  Blagdon,  ditto. 

Mrs.  BliiTet,   Clifton. 

Mr.  Bond,  Caius  College,  Cambridge. 

Rev.  Mr.  Borlafe,  Regiftrar  to   the  Univerfity 

of  Cambridge. 
Rev.  Jonathan  Boucher,  Epfom. 
Mr.  Bowden,  wine-merchant,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Mr.  Boycott,  Caius  College,  Cambridge. 
Mr.    Bradford,    Fellow    of    Bennet   College, 

Cambridge. 
Mr.  Nehemiah  Bradford. 
Edward  Bricc,  Efq;   Briftol. 
Nathaniel  Brice.  Efq;  ditto. 
Matthew  Brickdale,  Elq:  M.  P.  for  Briftol. 
Richard  Bright,  Efq;  Briftol. 
Lowbridge  Bright,  Efq;  2  copies, 
Briftol  Library  Society. 
Briftol  Education  Society, 

Mi.  Broderip, 


X 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


Mr.  Brodrip,  apothecary,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Robert  Brodrip,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Broughton,  Rcftor  of  St.  Peter's, 

ditto. 
Mr.  James  Brown,  ditto. 
Mr.  Henry  Brown,  ditto. 
Mr.  F.  Brown,  Surgeon,  ditto. 
Mr.  Wm.  Biowne,  bookfeller,  ditto,  3  copies, 
Jacob  Bryant,   Efq;  Cvpcnham,  Bucks. 
Mrs.  Ann  Bryan,  Briftol. 
Rev.  John  Bull,  ditto. 
Daniel  Bull,  Efq;  Calnc,  Wilts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Bull,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Francis  Bull,  ditto. 
Mr.  Thomas  E.  Bull,  ditto. 
Mr.  William  Bulgin,  ditto. 
Hon.  Mrs.  Bulteel. 

Mr.  Daniel  Burges,  attorney  at  law,  Briftol. 
John  Berkley  Burland,   Efq; 
Mifs  Townly  Buiy. 
Robert  Bufli,   Efq;   Briftol. 
Mr.  George  Bufli,  merchant,  ditto. 
Mr.  William  Bufli,  ditto. 
Dr.  Bufick,  Harwood   Profcftbr  of  Anatomy, 

Cambridge, 
Rev.  Mr.  Bywater,  Magdalen  Col.  Cambridge, 

C 

Earl  of  Clarendon, 

Earl  Camden, 

Mr.  Thomas  Cadell,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Dr.  Camplin,  ditto. 

Rev.  William  Camplin,  ditto. 

Rev.  JoJin  Camplin,  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Cafberd,  ditto. 

Mr.  John  Caftelman,   Surgeon,   ditto. 

Mr.  "Robert  Caftle,  ditto. 

Mr.  G.  Cattcot,  ditto. 

John  Cave,  Efq;  ditto,  2  copies, 

Stephen  Cave,  Efq;  ditto, 

Mr.  William  Cave,  junr.  ditto. 

Mr.  Thomas  Cave,  ditto. 

Dr.  Samuel  Cave,   Phvfician,  at  Liftjon. 

Mr.  John  Chandler,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Chamberlayne,  \'ic.  Provoft  of  Eton 

College, 
Mr.  Thomas  Chamber,  Briftol, 
Mr,  Edward  Pye  Chamberlain,  ditto, 
Robert  Claxton,  Efq;  ditto, 
Mr,  John  Chi  vers,  ditto. 
Mr.  John  Clark,  ditto. 
Rev,  Thomas  Clark,  Henbury, 
Mr,  Peter  ClilTold,  ditto, 
Mrs,  Clayficld,  ditto. 
Mr.  Edward  RoUe  Clayfield,  ditto, 
Mr.  Charles  Morgan  Clayficld,  Oxford. 
William  Coatcs,  Efq;  ditto. 
Rev.  Dr.  Coleman,  Maftcr  of  Bcnnct  College, 

Cambridge. 
James  Coles,  Efq; 
Robert  Coleman,  Efq;   Briftol, 
B.  F,  Coleman,  Efq;  ditto. 


Mr.    Collier,    Profeflbr  of    Hebrew,    Trinity 

College,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Robert  Collins,   Briftol. 
Thomas  Collinfon,  F^fq;  London, 
Rev.  Alexander   Colfton,  \'icar  of  Henbury, 

Gloceftcrfhire. 
Mrs.  Colfton,  Filkins,  Oxfordfhire. 
Rev.  John  Collinfon,   Long  Afhton,  4  copies. 
Mr.  Collins,  Briftol, 
Rev.  Thomas  Cockayne,  Stapleton. 
Rev.  Dr.  Cooke,  Provoft  of  King's  College, 

Cambridge. 
Mr.  John  Court,  BriftoL 
Mr.  "William  Court,  ditto. 
Mr.  Charles  Court,  ditto. 
Mr.  John  Cox,  ditto. 
Samuel  Cox,  Efq;  ditto. 
H.  Hippifley  Cox,  Efq;  Stone  Eafton. 
Rev.  Mr.  Cranke,  Fellow  of  Trinity   College, 

Cambridge. 
Mr.  John  Crocker,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Dr.   Croflman,  Reftor  of  Monkton,  So- 

merfetfhire. 
Mr.  Richard  Cruttwell,  Bath, 
F.  C,  Cuftj  Efq;  Lincoln's  Inn, 

D 

Rev.  James  Dallaway,  Trinity  College,  Oxford, 

Rev.  Dr.  Dampicr,    Dean  of  Rochefter, 

Heniy  Dampier,  Efq;  Middle  Temple, 

Mr,  Thomas  Danfon,   Briftol, 

Mr,  William  Daniel,  ditto, 

John  Daniel,  Efq;  ditto. 

Thomas  Daniel,  Efq;  ditto,  2  copies. 

Mr.  Edward  Daniel,  ditto, 

Thomas  Darch,  Efq; 

George  Daubeny,  Efq;  Alderman,  ditto. 

John  Daubeny,   Efq;  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Davics,  Head  Maftcr  of  Eton  School. 

Mr.  John  Davics,    Briftol. 

Rev.  Edward  Davis,   Prebendaty  of  Llandaff. 

Mr.  Davis,  Fellow  of  Trinity  Coll,  Cambridge. 

Francis  Dawes,  Efq;  St,  Peter's  Coll,  Camb, 

John  Dcverell,   Efq;  Cliflon. 

"Mr,  William  Dibdin,  Briftol, 

Mrs.  Mary  Dimfdalc. 

William  I3inwoody,   Efq;  Twidee. 

Mr,  John  Dowell,  Briftol. 

Mr,  William  Dowcll,  ditto, 

Lieut,  Col,  Robert  Donkin. 

Lieut.  Rufane  Shawe  Donkin. 

Mr.  Henry  Durbin,  Briftol. 

Mr.  William  Dyer,  apothecary,  ditto. 

Mr.  W.  Dyer,  ditto. 

Mr.  William  Dymock, 

Dr.  Duck,  ditto, 

Mr.  D>kcs,  F.  Com.  Magdalen  College,  Camb, 

Dr.  Archibald  Drummond,  Ridgeway,  Glocc- 

fterfliire. 
Dr.  Colon  Drummond,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Dr.    Drurv,    Head  Mafter  of   Harrow 

School,  '  Right 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


XI 


Right  Rev.  Lord  Bifhop  of  Exeter. 

Hon.  John  Elliott.  Pembroke  Hall,  Cambridge- 

Hon.  EdwMrd  James  Elliott,  ditto. 

Right  Rev.  Bifhop  of  Elphin,  at  Cambridge. 

Mr.  T.  Eagles,    Briflol. 

Rev.Mr.  Eafterbrook,  ditto. 

Goodenough  Earl,  Efq;  Pitminfter,  Somerfet. 

Mr.  George  Eaton,  Briftol, 

Edinburgh  Univerfily  Libraiv. 

Alexander  Edgar,  Efq;  Alderman,  Briflol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  ditto. 

Samuel  Edwards,  Efq;  ditto. 

Mr.  J.  Edye,  ditto. 

Ifaac  Elton,  Efq;  Stapleton. 

Rev.  Abraham  Elton,  Clevedon  Court, 

Abraham  Elton,  Efq; 

Mr.  William  Elton,   Briftol. 

Mr.  Philip  Elliott,  ditto. 

Mr.  J.  K.  Efcott,  ditto. 

Rev.  J.  Prior  Efflin,  ditto. 

Mr.  William  Evans,  ditto, 

Mr.  H.  F.  Evans,  ditto. 


Dr.  Farr,  Phyfician,  Taunton. 

Dr.  Farmer,  Mailer  of  Emanuel  Col.  Camb. 

Mr.  Thomas  Farley,  merchant,  Worcefter, 

Mr.  Samuel  Fear,   Briftol. 

William   Fellows,    Efq;    F.  Com.    St.  John's 

College.  Cambridge. 
Rev.  Mr.  Fifher,  Cains  College,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  George  Fiflier,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Thomas  Flower,  ditto. 
Rev.  Thomas  Ford,  L.  L.D.  Reftor  of  Melton 

Mowbray,  Leicefterfhire. 
Mr.  Patrick  Foreham,   Briftol. 
Rev.  Mr.  Foftcr,  at  Eton. 
Samuel  Franklyn,   Efq;   Barrifter  at  Law. 
John  Freeman,  Efq;  Letton,  Herefordfhire. 
Mr.  William  Fripp,  Briftol. 
Mr.  William  Fr\',  ditto. 
Mrs.  Anna  Frv,  ditto. 
Mr.  Edmund  Fr)-,  London. 
Mr.  Jofepii  Storr  Er}',  Briftol, 
Mr.  Samuel  Fn,-,   ditto. 
Mr.  Jofeph  FuiTel,  ditto. 

G 

Samuel  Gallon,  Efq;  Birmingham. 

Rev.  Edmund   Gappcr,  Charlton  Adam,    So- 

mcrfctfhirc. 
Mr.  James  George,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Hugh  George,  ditto. 
Sir  Philip   Gibbcs,    Bart.    Hilton  Park,    near 

Woolvcrhampton. 
Mr.  "William  Gibbons,  Briftol, 
Nathaniel  Gifford,  Efq;  ditto. 
Mr.  H.  Gillam,  ditto. 

Dr.  Glvn.v,  Clobcry  Phyfician,  Cambridge. 
Dr.  Glynn's  Friend,  anonymous. 


Mrs.  Ann  Goldney,  Clifton,  3  copies. 

Mr.  Samuel  Gomond,   Briftol. 

Henry  Goodwin,  Efq;  Clifton,   2  copies, 

Peter  Goodwin,  Efq;  Charlton,  2  copies. 

Rev.  Thomas  Goodwyn,  Vicar  of  Pitminfter. 

Rev.   Thomas   Goddard,  Vicar   of  South  Pe- 

therton  and  Clevedon,  Somerfctfhire. 
Rev.  Mr.  Goodall,  of  Eton. 
Mr.  Jof.  Goodale,   Briftol. 
Milncr  Goftip,  Efq;  Thorp  Arch,  Yorkfliire. 
Rev.  Dr.  Gooch,  Prebendaiy  of  Ely. 
Rev.  Dr.  Gordon,  Prebendary  of  Lincoln. 
John  Gordon,    Efq;  Briftol. 
William  Gordon  Efq;  ditto. 
John  Gore,  Efq;  Barrow  Court,  Somerfetftiire. 
Edward  Gore,  Efq;  Kiddington,  Oxfordfhire. 
Mr.  Thomas  Griffiths,  Briftol. 
Rev.    Mr.   Gregory,   F.    C.   of   Trinity   Hall, 

Cambridge. 
Rev.  Mr.  Grefly,  Reclor  of  Allcr,   Somerfet. 
Mrs.  Graves,  reliftof  the  late  Admiral  Graves, 
Mr,  Kingfmill  Grove,  Thombury. 

H 

Lord  Flov.ard,  of  Walden,  Eflex. 

John  B.  Hale,  Efq;  Alderly,  Glocefterlhire. 

Mr.  J.  Williams  Harding,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Richard  Hale,  ditto. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Hall,  ditto. 

Mr.  G.  W.  Hall,  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Hallam,  Dean  of  Briftol. 

Edmund  Trowbridge  Halliday,  Efq; 

Mr.  Thomas  Hanmer,  Briftol. 

Dr.  Hardwick,  Sodbury. 

Rev.  James  Hardwick,  L.  L.  B.  Vicar  or  Ty- 

thcrington,  Glocefterfhirc. 
Rev.  Mr.  Hart,  St.  George's,  Kingfwood. 
Edward  Harford,  Efq;   Briftol. 
Jofeph  Harford,  Efq;  ditto. 
Charles  Jofeph  Harford,  Efq;  ditto. 
Charles  Harlord,  Efq;  ditto. 
Mark  Harford,  Efq;  ditto. 
Samuel  Loyd  Harford,  Efq;  ditto. 
Mr.  Richard  Swymmer  Harford,  ditto. 
J.  Scandrel  Harford,  Efq;  ditto. 
John  Harmer,  Efq;  Penpark. 
Thomas  Harris,  Efq;  Alderman,  5  copies. 
John  Harris,  Efq;  Sherifl' of  Briftol. 
Mr.  W.  Harris,  Deputy  Chamberlain  of  ditto. 
Mr.  James  Harris,   Briftol. 
James  Harvey,  Elq;  ditto, 
jvlr.  Jofeph  Haflciiis,  ditto. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Ilaythorn,  ditto. 
Mr.  Rich.  Hawkefwcll,  Chamberlain  of  ditto, 
Richard  Haynes,  Efq;  Wick,  Glocefterftiirc. 
Capt.  Thomas  Haines,   Briftol. 
Jol,  Haynes,  Elq;  Clone,  Ireland. 
Rev.  Dr.  Head,   Ma ftcr  of  Rugby  School, 
Rev.  Mr.  Heath,  of  Eton. 
Rev.  Dr.  Heath,  Fellow  of  Eton  College, 
Sir  Ifaac  Hciird,  Garter  King  of  Arms. 
2  Dr. 


xu 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


Dr.  William  Heherdcn.  PhvPician,  London. 

Mr,  T.  Hellicar,  Briftol. 

Mr.  JolephHcUier,  Dundn,'. 

Anthony  Henderfon,  Efq;  Briftol. 

Mr.  William  Henley,  ditto. 

Mr.  C.  Hcincman,  ditto. 

Mr.  Thomas  Hetling,  ditto, 

William  Hicks,  Elt]:  Bitton, 

Mr.  Jcr.  Hill,  junr.  Briftol. 

Mr.  William  Hill,  ditto, 

Mr.  Richard  Hill,  ditto. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Hill,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hill,   Relident  at  the  Englifh  Faftory 

at  Lifbon. 
T.  C.  Hippifley,  Efq;  Briftol. 
Henry  Hobhoufe,  Efq;  Hatfpcn,  Somerfet. 
Thomas  Hobhoufe,  Efq;  at  the  Temple. 
Mr.  Robert  Hodgfon,  Briftol, 
Mr.  William  Hooper,  ditto. 
Rev.  D.  Horndon,  ditto. 
Mifs  Howard,  Levcnham,  Lincolnfliire. 
Mr.  Matthew  Howell. 
Mr.  James  Hughes,  attorney,  Briftol. 
Mr.  John  Humphries,  ditto. 
Mr.  Hughes,  ditto. 
Mr.  James  Hunt,  Liverpool. 
Mr.  Hunter,  Fellow  of  Sydney  Col.  Cambridge, 

I 

Mr.  Walter  Jacks,  Briftol. 

Dr.  John  Jacob,  Phyfician,  Salifbuiy. 

Mr.  Jacob,   Fellow  of  King's  Col.  Cambridge. 

Jefus  College  Library,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Jof.  James,  Briftol. 

St.  John's  College  Library,  Cambridge. 

Rev.  Mr.  Johnes,  Briftol,  2  copies. 

Mr.  William  Jones,  ditto. 

Mr.  James  Jones,  ditto. 

Mr.  Johnrton,  Vice  Provoft  of  King's  College, 

Cambridge. 
Dr.  Jowell,   King's   Profcffor   of    Civil   LaM', 

Trinity  College,   Cambridge. 
]amcs  Ireland,   Efq;   Briflington. 
Rev.   Dr.  Ireland,   Reftor  of  Chrift   Church, 

Briftol. 

K 
Mr.  Kcene,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Kelfon,  ditto. 
Rev.   Mr.    Kerrich,    Prefident  of    Magdalen 

College,  Cambridge. 
Rev.  Dr.  Keys,  Dean  of  Lincoln. 
Mifs  King,  Nafli  Houfe,  Wraxal. 
Mr.  Henry  King,  Alvefton,  Glocefterfhire. 
Mr.  H.  King,  junr.  Briftol. 
King's  College  Library',  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Jacob  Kirby,   Briftol. 
Samuel  Knight,   Efq;  Cambridge. 


Right  Rev.  Lord  Bifhop  of  Landaff. 
Right  Rev.  Lord  Bifliop  of  Lincoln, 


Mr.  Lambert,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge, 
William   Gore    Langton,   Efq;  Newton    Park, 
Somerfetfliire. 

Mr.  William  Lane,  of  Cork. 

Rev.    Dr.   Langford,    Under  Mafter   of   Eton 
School, 

Rev.   Charles   Lee,  Mafter  of  Briftol    Gram- 
mar School. 

Mr.  John  Lcdyard,  Melkfliam,  Wilts, 

Mr.  John  Lewlly,  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Lewellin,  ditto, 

Mr.  William  Lewis,  ditto.  * 

Mr.  John  Lewis,  ditto. 

Mr.  H.  Link,  ditto. 

Lady  Lippincott,  Stoke  Bifliop,  Glocefterflilrc. 

Mr.Lockier,   Briftol. 

Mr.  Jofcph  Llovd,  Briftol.  3  copies. 

Mr.  Jofcph  Lock,  Briftol.' 

'  Lumbe,  Efq;  Cambridge,  2  copies. 

Mrs.  Lonfdale  Linton,  Cambridge, 

Mr.  Low,    Surgeon,  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Robert  Lucas,  ditto. 

Dr.  Abraham  Ludlow,  Ph)lician,  Briftol. 

W.  P.  LuncU,   Efq;  ditto. 

James  Fownes  Luttrell,  Efq;  Somerfctniirc. 

M 

Mr,  John  Maddick,  Briftol, 

Dr.  Mahony,  Hotwells,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Manfcl,  Public  Orator  of  Cambridge 
Univcrfity. 

Mr.  John  Marks,  Tetbury. 

Mr.  Martin,  Profeftor  of  Botany,  Sidney  Col- 
lege, Cambridge, 

Rev.  Mr.  Maftcrs,  Reftor  of  Landlcach. 

T.  J,  Matthias,  Efq;  Scotland  Yard,   London. 

The  Hon.  T.  Maude,  F.  Com.    of  St,  John's 
College,   Cambridge. 

Mr.  Jofcph  Maurice,  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Maxfc,  ditto. 

Mr.  Andrew  Maxfc,   ditto. 

Mr.  Matthew  Meafe,  ditto. 

Mr.  Thomas  Meafe,  ditto. 

Mr.  Merrick,  attorney,   Briftol. 

Mr.  Merril,  bookfeller,  Cambridge, 

Mr.  William  Meyler,   Bath. 

Mr.  Diederick  Mcyeroff,  Briftol. 

William  Miles,  Efq;  Alderman,  ditto. 

Jeremiah    Mills,  Efq;  Harlcy-ftrcet,  London, 
2  copies. 

Mr.  Thomas  Mills,   Briftol. 

Mifs  Virtue  Mills,  ditto. 

Dr.  Milncr,  Mafter  of  Queen's  College,  Cam- 
bridge. 

Rev.  ]ohn  Milton,  Briftol. 

Dr.  Moncrieff,  Phyfician,  Briftol, 

Mr.  Thomas  Morgan,  attorney,  ditto. 

Mr.  John  Morgan,  ditto. 

James  Morgan,  Efq;  ditto. 

John 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


XIll 


John  Morgan,   Efq;  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Morgan,  ditto. 

Mr.  Peter  Morris,  junr.  ditto. 

Mr.  John  Mortimore,  ditto. 

James  Morris,  Efq;  Cambridge. 

Lady  Moftyn,  Kiddington,  Oxfordftiire. 

Mr.  James  Mofs,   Briftol. 

Mr.  James  Mounlfher,  ditto. 

Samuel  Munckley,  Efq;  ditto. 

N 
Mr.  John  Nailor.  Briftol. 
Mr.  Thomas  Nafh,  ditto. 
Sir  Stephen  Nafh,   Knight,  ditto. 
Rev,  Dr.  Nafh,  Bevere,  Worcefterfhire. 
Rev.  Mr.  Nafmith,   Bennet  Col.  Cambridge. 
Richard  Nelmes,  Efq:  Briftol. 
Rev.  James  New,  Reftor  of  St.  Philip's,  ditto, 
Mr.  Newton,  Fellow  of  Jefus  Col.  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Edward  Nichols,  Briftol. 
Mr.  John  Padmore  Noble,  Surgeon,  ditto. 
Rev.  Dr.  Norbury,  Fellow  of  Eton  College. 
Mr.  North,  Caius  College,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Norcrofs,  Pembroke  Hall,  ditto. 
Mr.  Norton,  bookfeller,  Briftol,  6  copies. 
Mr.  Onefiphoiiis  Norman,  ditto. 
Mr.  Norrisj  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 

O 

Mr.  Okes,  Surgeon,   Cambridge. 
Rev.Mr.Olderfhaw,  Emanuel  Col.  Cambridge. 
Mr.  William  Oldham,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Jer.  Olborne,  attorney,  ditto. 


The   Right  Hon.  William  Pitt,   Chancellor   of 
the  E.xchequer,  M.  P.  for  Cambridge,   &c. 

Right  Rev.  Lord  Bifhop  of  Peterborough, 

Hon.  Mr.  Percival,   Lincoln's  Inn. 

Mr.  John  Page,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Arthur  Palmer,  ditto, 

Mr.  James  Palmer,  ditto. 

Mr.  Henry  Palmer,  ditto, 

Mifs  Palmer,  ditto. 

Thomas  Partridge,  Efq;  Cotliam,  ditto. 

Mr.  William  Parfons,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Parkinfon,  Fellow  of  Clirift  College, 
Cambridge. 

Mr.  Henry  Pater,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Thomas  Patty,  ditto. 

Rev.  Samuel  Peach,  Eaft  Sheen,  in  Surr)'. 

Mr.  Richard  Pearfon,  Briftol. 

Pembroke  Hall  Library,  Cambridge. 

St.  Peter's  College  Librarj',  ditto. 

Mr.  John  Peters,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Peckard,  Maft«r  of  Magdalen   Col- 
lege, Cambridge. 

Dr.  Pennington,  Phyfician,  ditto. 

Edward   Phcllips,    junr.    Efq;    M.  P.    for   the 
county  of  Somcrfct. 

Mr.  Thomas  Pierce,  Briftol, 


Mr.  William  Pine,  Briftol,    12  copies. 

Mr.  Edmund  Pitts,   Burcomb,  Wilts. 

Richard  Plaifter,   Efq;    Briftol. 

Dr.  James  Plomer,   Phyfician,   ditto. 

Mr.  Nicholas  Pococke,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Porter,   Cambridge. 

Mrs.  Porter,  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Powis,   Prebendary  of  Briftol, 

Onefiphorus  Power,  Efq;    Briftol. 

Richard    Pottinger,      Efq;     Burlington-ftreet, 

London. 
John  Powell,   Efq;  Briftol. 
Mr.  Profter,   ditto. 
Mr.  John  Pumel,  junr. 

R 

Mr.  William  Rackfter,   Biiftol. 

Mr.  G.  Rackfter,  ditto. 

Mr.  Raine,  Fellow  of  Trinity  Col.  Cambridge, 

Mr.  William  Randolph,   Briftol, 

Rev.  F.  Randolph. 

Mr.  John  Rawlins,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Robert  Ready,   Reftor  of  Bufcot,    Berks. 

Rev.T.  Rcnell,   P'rebendar)-  of  Winchcfter. 

Mr.  Thomas  Reynolds,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Richard  Reynolds,    ditto. 

Hon.  Richard  Rider,  Lincoln's  Inn. 

Dr.  Thomas  Rigge,   Phyfician,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Rimbron,  ditto. 

Mr.  Archibald  Robe,  ditto. 

Mr.  Thomas  Roberts,   ditto, 

Mr.  Samuel  Rogers,  ditto. 

Mr.  James  Rogers,  ditto. 

Mr.  G.  Rogers,  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Robbins,  ditto. 

Mr.  Joleph  Rogers,  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Roberts,  Provoft  of  Eton. 

William  Roberts,  Elq;  Wandfworth. 

Sir  James  La  Roche,  Bart.  Briftol, 

Mr.  John  Roach,  ditto. 

Mr.  James  Room,  ditto. 

G.Rofe,  Efq;  M.  P.  Weftmlnfter,- 

Mr.  Edward  Rolfer,  Briftol. 

Mr.  John  Rudhall,  ditto. 

Mr.  John  RulTel,  Wraxal. 

Mr.  Thomas  Rutter,  Briftol. 


James  Sadler,  Efq;  Briftol. 

Mr.  George  Salway,  ditto. 

Edward   Sampfon,  Efq;    Hcnbuiy,    Glocefter- 
ftiire,   2  copies. 

Mr.  Thomas  Saunders,  Briftol. 

Mr.  Sandiver,  Surgeon,  Newmarket, 

Rev.  Mr.  Savage,  Eton. 

James  Scarlet,  Efq;  F.  Com,  of  Trinity   Col- 
lege, Cambridge. 

Rowlcs  Scudamorc,  Efq;  Briftol. 

Mr.  Seagcr,  attornev,  ditto, 

Mr.  ScwarJ,  ditto. 

Rev. 


XIV 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


Rev.  Samuel  Seyer,  Redland. 

Mr.  Seymour,   Briftol. 

Mr.  T.  bhapland,  ditto. 

Mr.  Jofcph  Shapland,  ditto, 

Mr.  Alexander  Sheddcn. 

Re\'.  Mr.  Shipton,  ditto. 

Mr.    Shepherd,    Provoft  of  King's     College, 

Cambridge. 
MifsWall  Shelford,  Cambridgeniirc. 
Mr.  Robert  Simpfon,  Briftol. 
Rev.  Richard  Symes,  Rcflor  of  St,  Werburgh, 

ditto. 
Mr.  Samuel  Simmons,  Newland,   Gloceflerfh. 
Denham  Skeat,   L.  L.  D.  Henbury. 
Henry  Skirme,   Efq;   Lincoln's  Inn. 
Rev.  Dr.  Jofcph  Aivvell  Small,  Minifter  of  St. 

James's,   Briftol,   2  copies. 
Sir  John  Smith,   Sydling,  Dorfet. 
J.  \Vildboar  Smith,  Trinitv  Col.  Cambridge. 
Mr.  Smith,   Fellow  of  John's  Col.  Cambridge. 
Robert  Smith,  Efq;  Clifton, 
Jofcph  Smith,   Efq;   Briftol. 
Rev.   Dr.    Smith,     Mafter  of    Caius    College, 

Cambridge. 
Mrs.  Smith,  of  ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Smith,    Biddeford,    Dcvonfhire. 
Partridge  Smith,   Efq;    Weftholme. 
Mr.  Smith,  Surgeon,   Briftol. 
Sir  John  Hugh   Smyth,  Bart.  Afhton   Court, 

Somerfetftiire. 
Lady  Smyth,  ditto. 
Thomas  Smyth,  Efq;    Stapleton, 
Hugh  Smyth,  Efq;  ditto. 
Mr   Robert  Southcy,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Thomas  Southev,   ditto. 
Samuel  Span,   Efq;    ditto. 
Francis  Spilfbury,  Efq;  London, 
Rev.  Mr.    Spry,     \'icar    of  Bedminfter,     &c, 

cumRedcliff,    Briftol. 
William  Stephens,  Efq;  Broad-ftrect,  London. 
G.  Stevens,  Efq;  Flampftead. 
Mr.  James  Stevens,  Briftol. 
Mr.  William  Stephens,    ditto. 
Rev,  Lewis  Stephens,  Reftor  of  Scmly,  Wilts, 
Mr,  Edward  Stephens, 
Rev.  Mr.  Stevenfon,  Eton. 
Robert  Steward,  Elq;  F.   Com.  of  St.  John's 

College,  Cambridge. 
Rev.  Edw.  Stillingftect,  of  Kcll.*ield,  Yorkftiire. 
Mr.  T.  Stock,  Briftol, 
Thomas  Stratton,   Efq;  ditto. 
Thomas  Strong,   Efq;    F.  S.  A. 
Mr.  William  Studlcy,    Briftol, 
Rev.  Dr.  Sumner,   Eton. 
V  r.  James  Sutton,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Walter  Swayne,  ditto. 
J,  Symmon<ls,   Efq;   Profcffor  of  Modern  Hif- 

tory,  Cambridge, 
Mr,  John  Symmons,  Surgeon,  Bath, 


Rev.  Mr.  W.  Tandey,  Briftol. 

Mr.  J.  Mayo  Tandey,  ditto. 

Mr.  Tew,  Fellow  of  Eton  College, 

Mr.  Thackeray,  Surgeon,    Cambridge, 

Mr.  Thomas  Thomfoii. 

Mr.   George  Thynnc,    F.   Com.  of  St,  Johii's 

College,  Cambridge, 
F.  Thrufton,   Efq;   Wefton,  Norfolk. 
James  Tobin.  Efq;   Briftol. 
Mr.  Richard  Tombs,   ditto. 
Mr.  John  Townfend,   Surgeon,  ditto, 
Richard     Greaves    Townly,     Fulborn,     Cam- 

bridgefhire. 
Sir  John  Trevillian,  Bait.  Member  for  Somcr- 

fctfhire. 
Trinity  College  Libraiy,  Cambridge. 
Sir  Thomas   Trollop,   Bart.     F.    Com.   of   St, 

John's  College,  Cambridge. 
Mrs.  Margaret  Tucker,   Briftol, 
Mr.  Philip  Debell  Tucket,  ditto. 
Martin  Tunftall,   Efq; 
Rev.  Dr.  Turner,  Mafter   of  Pembroke  Hall, 

Cambridge. 
William     Turner,    Efq;      Belmont,    Wraxal, 

3  copies. 
Rev.  John  Turner,  Archdeacon  of  Taunton. 
Edmund  Turner,  junr.  Efq;  F,  R,  and  A,  S, 

Panton  Place,  Lincolnftiire, 
John  Tyler,  Efq;  Redland. 
Thomas  Tyndall,  Efq;  BriftoU 
Richard  Tyndall,  Efq;  ditto, 
John  Tindale,  Efq;  ditto, 

V 

•  Hon.  John  Villers,  Efq;  F,  Com.  of  St.  John's 

College,  Cambridge. 
Richard  Vaughan,  Efq;  Briftol, 

W 

Mr,  John  Wadham,  junr,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Daniel  W'ait,  ditto. 
Sir  William  Wake,   Bart. 
Mr.  Walefbry,  F.  Com.  Trinity  Col,  Camb, 
Mr,  Walford,  Caius  College,  ditto. 
Mr,  John  Waring,  Briftol, 
Mr.  F,  Ward,   attornev,  ditto, 
Walter  Waftficld,  Efq;  Cliippenham. 
Mr,  Edward  M'atkins,    Stoke  Bifhop, 
William  Weare,  Efq;  Briftol. 
J.  F.  Waare,   Efq;  ditto. 
Mr.  Francis  Weaver,  ditto, 
Mr,  William  Webb,  ditto. 
Mr.  John  Weeks,  ditto. 
Mr.  Walter  Wcllick,  ditto. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Were,  ditto. 
Mr.  Henry  Whatley,  ditto. 
Rev.    Mr.  John  Wheeler,  Upper   Grofvenor- 
Itreet,  London, 

Thomas 


SUBSCRIBERS. 


XV 


Thomas  Whilhead,  Efq;  Ilambrook. 

Mr.  Thomas  Whitehead,   Biillol. 

Mr.  James  Whitakcr,  ditto. 

Mr.  Whitchurch,   Surgeon,   at  Backwell,    So- 

merletfhirc. 
Mr.  Whitmore,  Fellow  of  St.  John's  College, 

Cambridge. 
H.  Whitmarth,  Efq;  Bats  Place,  near  Taunton. 
Rev.  Mr.  Wylde,  Yatton,  Somerfetfliire. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Whittuck,   Briftol. 
Rev.  George  Wilkins,  Reftor  of  St.  Michael's, 

ditto.  ' 

Mr.  William  Williams,  ditto. 
Mr.  Luke  Wilmot,  ditto. 
Mr.  Thomas  Willis,  ditto, 
Mr.  T.  Wiltdiire,  ditto. 

Wm.  VVilberforce,  Efq;  Member  for  Yorkfliire. 
Mr.  James  Windey,   attorney,    Briftol. 
Sir  William  V\  inne,  Doftors  Commons. 
Mr.  John  Winpenny,  Briftol. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Winpenny,  ditto. 


Mr.  John  Winwood,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Woolafton,  Fellow  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege,  Cambridge. 

Leighton  Wood,   Efq;  Briftol. 

Mr.  Abel  Wood,  ditto. 

Thomas  Woodall,  Efq;  ditto. 

George  Woodroofc,   Efq;  Lincoln's  Inn, 

Mr.  John  Woodward,   Briftol. 

Mr.  Matthew  V\'organ,  ditto. 

Samuel  Worrall,  Efq;   Clifton. 

Samuel  Worrall,  junr.  Efq;  Town  Clerk  of 
Briftol. 

Mr.  Matthew  Wright,  Briftol. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wyatt,  Fellow  of  Pembroke  Col- 
lege,  Cambridge. 

Y 
Mr.  Yeatman,  Surgeon,  Briftol. 
Ch.  Ifaac   Yorke,    Efq;   F,  Com.  of  Queen's 
College,  Cambridge. 


ADDITIONAL    SUBSCRIBERS. 


LORD  Eufton,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 
Lord  Heniy  Fitzroy,  ditto. 
Hon.  Dudley  Rvder,  M.  P.  )  ^      ,    .  ,     „■ 
Hon.  PhiHp  Yorke,  M.  P.    \  Cambndgeflnre. 
Dr.  John  Hey,  Norrifian  ProfefiTor  of  Divinity, 

Sidney  College,  Cambridge, 
Mr.  Edwards,  of  Norfolk. 
Mr.  Wilkinfon,  ditto. 
Mr.  Johnfon,  ditto. 
Rev.  Dr.  Grape,  ditto. 
Lord  Ongley,  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 
William  Hall,  Efq;  ditto. 
H.  F.  Mills,  ditto. 


C.  L.  Dundafs,  Efq;  ditto, 

R.  N,  Ogle,  Efq;  ditto. 

T.  Clapham,  Efq;  ditto. 

H.  J.  R.  Soame,  Efq;  ditto. 

Auguftus  Cavendifli,  Efq;  ditto; 

Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinfon,  ditto. 

Rev.  Dr.  Lort,   F.  R.  and  A.  S. 

Francis  Fownes  Luttrel,  Efq;  London. 

Mr.  William  Hare,  jun.  Briftol. 

Mrs.  Mary  Were,  Wellington. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Atlay,   Briftol. 

Mr.  David  Lewis,  ditto. 

Ml-.  Hyatt,  Attorney  at  Law,  Shepton-Mallet. 


CONTENTS. 


[    xvii    ] 


O       N       T       E       N       T       S. 


Chap.    I.  ^~\  F  Briftol  in  general  :  its  origin,  names  and  antiquity,  page  7. — 
^^   of  the  Abone  of  Antonine,  Roman  coins  1 3 — Roman  camps  1 8 
— Iter  to  Caer-Went  from  Bath  24,  &c. 

Chap.  II. — Of  the  city  in  the  Saxon  and  Norman  times, Turgot's  account  of  it 
31 — Anglo  Saxon  Earls  Lords  of  it  35 — on  Saxon  coining  by  Turgot 
37 — coins  of  Harold,  W.  1.  and  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  &c.  ftruck.  at 
Briftol  40 — Mr.  Canynges  cabinet  of  ancient  monuments  by  Rowley  44 
— of  the  city  in  W.  1.   H.  2.  3.  times  &c.  46. 

Chap.  III. — Defcription  of  the  city  as  firft  laid  out,  plan,  ground  plot  51 — 
river  Froom  52 — rife  and  progrefs  of  the  Avon  53 — walls,  gates  &c.  54 — 
middle  ftate  of  the  city  and  plan  57 — religious  houfes  58 — hermitage  of 
St.  Brendan  with  the  form  of  flnitting  up  in  it  for  life  61 — chapels,  hofpi- 
tals,  chantries  62 — of  making  the  Quay  66 — of  the  Bridge  73 — chapel 
on  it  79 — view  of  the  old  Bridge  80. 

Chap.  IV. — Of  the  city  in  its  prefent  improved  ftate  82 — of  floating  the  {hips 
ahvays  87 — of  Hungroad  and  Kingroad  89,  90 — of  the  Hotwells  91,  92 — 
of  the  Xew  Bridge  96 — number  of  houfes  100 — conduits  101 — markets 
&c.  102 — bounds  of  the  city  105 — defcribed  in  Latin  verfe  113. 

Chap.  Y. — Of  its  civil  government  and  officers  114 — wards  119 — choofing 
mayors  120 — city  revenues  126,  140 — church  livings  128 — crown  rents 
bought  off"  132 — charity  loan  money  136 — annual  charities  138 — of  bur- 
geffes  of  Parliament  and  writs  142 — lift  of  Members  149. 

Chap.  VI. — On  the  trade  of  the  city  164 — Canynges  trade  170 — Cabot's 
voyage  171,  172 — exemption  from  the  power  of  the  Admiralty  175 — 
Guy's  fettling  Newfoundland  177 — ancient  guild  of  merchants  179 — 
Merchants'  Society  incorporated  181 — Severn  its  rife  183 — glafs  trade  and 
diftillery  &c.  bad  effefts  of  fpirituous  liqnors  185 — trade  calculated, 
number  of  lliips  and  cuftoins  186,  190. 

c  Chap. 


XVlll 


CONTENTS. 


Chap.  VII. — Of  the  cafilc,  early  founded  192 — rebuilt  by  Robert  Earl  of 
Glocefler;  plan  by  Rowley;  Wm.  of  VVorcefter's  account — Leland's 
194,  199 — Lord  Wardens,  and  fong  to  Ella  202,  203 — Britrick  205 — 
Godfry  of  Coutance  206 — Robert  Earl  of  Glocefler,  his  chara8.er  209, 
210 — caRle  in  the  crown  and  grant  of  the  conflablefliip  213 — the  feveral 
Conflables  214 — Sir  Baldwin  Fulford  executed  220 — caftle  fortified  in 
C.  1.  time  225 — taken  by  Prince  Rupert  228 — by  Fairfax  230 — articles 
of  capitulation  237 — Prince  Rupert's  vindication  238 — cleared  241 — the 
ordnance  on  the  line  245. 

Chap.  VIII. — Of  the  abby  ofSt.  Augunin,poemon  Fitzhardyng  founder  246 — 
Lords  of  Berkeley  top.  257 — its  endowment  and  grants258 — form  of  elect- 
ing the  abbot  259 — abby  in  difordcr  and  vifited  261 — abbots  266 — 
diffolution  270 — deeds  272. 

Chap.  IX. — Of  the  biflioprick,  diocefe  Sec.  278 — H.  8.  deed  of  ereftion 
279 — churches  in  the  diocefe  280 — cathedral  and  officers  283 — defcribed 
288 — abby  gate  287 — church  rebuilt  289 — ichnography  292 — ^monuments 
295 — endowment  308 — of  the  biflioprick  314 — of  the  dean  and  chapter 
319 — bifhops  327 — deans  339. 

Chap.  X. — Church  of  St.  Mark's  343 — monuments  347 — Gaunts  hofpital 
353 — founders  357 — benefactors  364 — maffers  372 — diffolution  373 — 
O.  Eliz.  hofpital  376  &c. 

Chap.  XL — Church  of  St.  James  and  priory  379 — its  fite  381 — minifters 
388 — monuments  390 — benefa£lors  393 — Francifcan  friery  339 — Domi- 
nican 400 — almflioufes  402 — infirmary  403. 

Chap.  XII. — Of  the  church  of  St.  AuguRin  the  Icfs  405 — Carmelite  friery 
412 — Colffon's  hofpital  414 — Redmaids  hofpital  415. 

Chap.  XIII. — Of  the  church  of  St.  Michael  416 — Magdalen  nunnery  426 — 
St.  Bartholemew's  hofpital  428 — by  Rowley  429 — grammar-fchool  432 — 
Fofter's  almflioufe  434 — Colflon's  almflioufe  435. 

Chap.  XIV. — Church  of  All-Saints  &c.  437 — Colflon's  monument  and  bene- 
faftions  444 — of  the  houfe  and  fraternity  of  Kalendaries  449 — Exchange 
built  and  opened  459. 

Chap.  XV. — Chrifl-Church  464 — of  the  High  Crofs  473 — of  the  church  of 
St.  Owen  475 — fraternity  of  St.  John  476. 

Chap. 


CONTENTS.  xix 

Chap.  XVI. — Church  of  St.  Werburgh  479 — reSlors  481 — monuments  482. 

Chap.  XVII. — Church  of  St.  John  and  St.  Lawrence  487 — Guildhall  493- 

Chap.  XVIII. — Church  and  parifh  of  St.  Nicholas  494 — rebuilt  495 — monu- 
ments 498 — church  of  St.  Leonard  506 — BriRol  library  508. 

Chap.  XIX. — Church  and  parifli  of  St.  Stephen  509 — monuments  514 — 
Merchants'-Hall  516 — almfhoufe  and  fund  for  decayed  feamen  5 17. 

Chap.  XX. — Church  of  St.  Peter  518 — Newgate  523 — St.  Maryport524 — 
by  Rowley  525 — monuments  526. 

Chap.  XXI. — Of  the  church  and  parifh  of  St.  Phillip  528 — endowment  of 
the  vicarage  529 — Barftaple's  or  Trinity  almflioufe  536 — St.  Lawrence 
hofpital  538 — St.  George's  church  in  Kingfwood54o — Kingfwood  chace 

541- 

Chap.  XXII. — Church  and  parifh  of  Temple  541 — by  Rowley — the  vicar- 
age purchafed  544 — Auguflinian  friery  553 — Dr.  White's  hofpital  554 — 
Colflon's  fchool  555 — St.  Paul's  fair  556. 

Chap.  XXIII. — Church  and  parifh  of  St.  Thomas  Sec.  557 — St.  Thomas 
market  565. 

Chap.XXIV.— ChurchandpariniofSt.MaryRedclifF566— Rowley'slifeofSir 
Simon  de  Burton  568 — Wm.  Canynges  569,  571 — his  gift  to  friers  minors 
572 — church  defcribed  573 — Hogarth's  paintings  575 — monuments  580 
&c. — St.  John's  hofpital  594 — RedclifF  fchool  596 — St.  Catherine's 
hofpital  598 — Parliament  of  Sprites  by  Rowley  600. 

Chap.  XXV. — Great  benefa£lors  to  the  city  and  their  feveral  endowments  610. 

Chap.  XXVI. — Eminent  Briftol  men  624 — Wm.  Canynges  and  pedigree 
626 — letters  to  and  from  Rowley  632 — poem  of  "  Anent  a  Brooklet"  & 
fac  fimile  637 — Chatterton's  letters  to  Mr.Walpole  639 — his  death  G^-j  &c. 
— Archbifhop  Matthews  652 — Bifhop  Thomas  653 — Mr,  Col flon 65 4  tS:c. 

Annals  of  the  city  &c.  659. 


THE 


[   1   ] 


Of    BRISTOL    in    General. 


CHAP.       I. 

Of  Us  ORIGIN,  N  A  M  E  S,  an^  A  N  T  I  O  U  I  T  Y. 

THE  Great  JEHOVAH,  "  who  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  to 
dwell  upon  the  earth,  and  determined  the  bounds  of  their  habitation," 
affigned  to  man  at  firft  this  one  employ,  with  labour  to  till  the  ground  in 
which  he  was  placed. — Thus  we  find  patriarchs  and  peoj)le  engaged  in  agri- 
culture only  and  the  palloral  life,  till  increafing  they  went  off  in  tribes  to  feek 
more  diftant  habitations ;  and  mutual  wants  requiring  mutual  affiftance,  vari- 
ous occupations  became  neceflary  ;  new  countries  producing  new  commodities 
were  inhabited,  and  a  commercial  intercourfe  by  barter  and  exchange  was 
foon  eftablilhed  betwixt  them. 

The  borderers  on  the  great  rivers  and  fea  coafts  employed  themfclves  in 
fi filing,  which  naturally  produced  a  race  of  feamen  ;  and  probably  laid  the 
foundation  of  fea  voyages,  to  which  the  iflands  when  peopled  feem  by  fituation 
to  have  been  neceflarily  addicted. 

The  ifland  of  Britain  received  its  firft  colony  from  G a u l  ;  and  Caefar 
upon  his  invading  it  found  it  full  of  inhabitants,  who  made  a  bold  refiftance  : 
but  as  he  did  not  penetrate  far  into  the  country,  his  account  muft  be  very 
imperfeft  —  though  the  Roman  conqueft  of  it  afterwards  laid  the  foundation 
of  its  civilization.  The  rough  manners  of  the  natives  became  more  polilhed  ; 
their  wandering  courfe  of  life  more  fixed  and  fettled;  camps  were  laid  out  and 
fortrcfles  erefted  with  greater  fkill ;  arts  and  arms  began  to  flourifh  ;  their 
paftoral  employment  to  be  negleQed  for  more  ufeful  occupations  and  traffic  ; 
which  brought  together  into  focietics  the  difperfcd  inhabitants,  and  towns 
arofe  and  cities  were  built  for   them  to  live   together   united   under  a  civil 


government. 


The 


C     2     ] 

The  firft  rife  of  ancient  places  and  the  early  period  in  vhicli  they  became 
diftinguifhed  as  Vills,  Towns,  Burghs,  or  Cities,  it  is  always  difTicult  with  exa£l- 
ncfs  to  afcertain  :  and  the  greater  the  antiquity  of  the  place,  the  more  intri- 
cate and  perplexed  mufl  our  refearches  into  its  original  necefTarily  be.  I  fhall 
endeavour  to  trace  this  city  back  through  the  obfcurity  of  remote  times,  to 
remove  the  vague  conjeftures  of  fome,  and  adopt  the  cleareft  account  of  it 
that  can  be  derived  from  the  beft  authorities  and  rational  inveftigation. 

BRISTOL,  though  fome  writers  will  not  allow  us  to  boaft  of  its  antiquity, 
through  prejudice  or  too  fuperficial  enquiry,  may  yet  juftly  lay  claim  to  a 
very  early  origin  :  its  natural  advantages  of  fituation,  its  two  rivers,  its  eafy 
communication  with  the  main  ocean  by  its  channel,  and  with  the  inland  parts 
of  England  and  with  Wales  by  the  rivers  Avon  and  Severn,  its  convenience 
and  fecurity  for  defence,  invited  our  Britifh  anceftors  to  fix  their  feat  here  in 
the  earlieft  times  under  the  name  of  Cacr  Brito,  or  Briton,  i.  e.  the  Britijh 
City,  nigh  to  and  juft  under  the  Roman  city,  or  ftation  Abone,  at  Clifton  and 
Rownham  Hill,  at  the  time  of  the  Romans  governing  this  ifland,  and  during 
their  refidence  in  this  neighbourhood  at  their  camps  there,  which  appear  vene- 
rable in  their  ruins  at  this  day. 

Gildas,  about  the  year  580,  gives  us  a  very  particular  account  of  28  citie? 
that  adorned  this  nation  ;  and  Nennius,  about  the  year  620,  gives  us  the  cata- 
logue of  them,  and  mentions  Cacr  Brito  as  one  of  the  28,  famous  in  ancient 
times.  Bede,  who  died  734,  aged  59,  fays  in  like  manner,  "  Britannia  erat,  &c." 
i.  e.  "  Britain  was  famous  in  ancient  times  for  28  moft  noble  cities,  befides 
"  caRlcs,  both  furnifhed  with  gates  and  ftrong  bolts,  walls,  and  towers." 
Henry  of  Huntingdon,  in  1148,  copying  from  Nennius,  gives  us  Caer  Briflow 
for  Cacr  Brito.  —  But  Mr.  Cambden,  though  he  acknowledges  its  Britifli  name 
Caer  Brito,  yet  very  contradiflorily  fays,  "  It  rofe  in  the  dcclcnfion  of  the 
"  Saxon  government,  fince  it  is  not  any  where  taken  notice  of  before  the 
"  year  of  our  Lord  1063,  when  Harold,  as  Florence  of  Worcefler  has  it,  fct 
"  fail  from  BriRow  to  invade  Wales."  That  this  excellent  antiquary  was 
deceived  in  his  opinion,  and  that  Briftol  was  a  very  ancient  and  renowned  place 
contrary  to  what  he  has  intimated,  will  be  made  appear  in  the  progrefs  of  this 
Hiflory.  The  filcncc  of  the  monkifli  writers  can  at  befl  be  no  proof  of  its  late 
rife  ;  for  according  to  the  confined  miflaken  notions  that  then  prevailed,  thofe 
places  alone  which  could  boaft  the  moft  early  cftablifhment  of  monafteries,  the 
moft  rich  and  fplendid  endowment  of  religious  houfes  are  chiefly  celebrated  in 
their  writings,  and  claim  particular  notice  or  attention  from  them ;  while 
places  of  trade  and  commerce  were  little  noted  or  mentioned. 

The 


[      3      ] 

Tlie  authority  of  Mr.  Cambdcn  has  unhappily  fo  influenced  fucceedin^ 
antiquaries,  that  they  fecm  all  to  have  copied  his  error  and  refted  in  his 
authority.  But  his  allowing  Cacr  Brilo  in  the  ancient  catalogue  of  Britifli 
cities  to  be  Brijlow,  and  yet  immediately  afterwards  giving  it  fo  late  an  origin 
as  the  very  decline  of  the  Saxon  government  here,  fliews  fuch  overfight  and 
inaccuracy  as  can  feldom  be  imputed  to  this  great  author,  whofe  indefatigable 
induftry  and  extenfive  knowledge  enabled  him  to  produce  fuch  a  work  as  the 
Britannia.  The  eafiefl  folution  to  be  given  of  this  feeming  contradiftion 
in  Mr.  Cambden  is,  that  he  meant  it  made  no  very  confpicuous  figure  in 
the  annals  of  hiftory,  rofc  to  no  great  pitch  of  honour  as  a  feat  of  war  or 
port  of  commerce,  [emerfijfe,)  emerged  not  out  of  a  kind  of  obfcurity  in  thofe 
refpecls  till  towards  that  period  ;  being  probably  induced  to  think  fo  by  a 
paffage  he  might  have  feen  in  Leland's  manufcript,  though  feldom  quoted  by 
him,  who  (in  Cygn.  Cant.)  fays,  "  Vtnla  Belgarum  (meaning  Briftol)  was  not  a 
"  large  city,  it  was  increafed  by  the  Saxons." 

Though  the  chroniclers  make  no  very  early  mention  of  it,  being  fituated 
out  of  the  road  of  moft  of  the  military  operations  of  thofe  days;  yet  that  it  was 
altogether  an  unnoticed  place  both  as  to  Religious  and  Secular  matters  cannot 
be  conceived,  fince  Mr.  Cambden  himfelf,  in  his  Somerfetfliire,  takes  notice, 
that  "  Jordan,  the  companion  of  St.  Auguftin,  had  his  oratory  and  burial 
"  place  here,  and  his  pulpit  of  flone,  faid  to  be  in  the  old  hofpital  of  Bartho- 
"  lomew:"  But  Leland  better  defcribes  it,  "  at  St.  Augulline's  Black 
"  Channons  ;  extra  mcenia,  ibique  in  magna  area  facellum,  in  quo  fepultus 
"  eft  S.  Jordanus,  unus  ex  difcipulis  Auguftini  Anglorum  Apoftoli;"  the 
monaftery  itfelf  afterwards  erefted  here  being  called  after  the  name  and  dedi- 
cated to  St.  Auguftin,  probably  in  commemoration  of  that  event. 

Neither  can  it  be  fuppofed  with  the  leaft  fliadow  of  rcafon,  that  Harold  and 
Swain  were  the  firft  of  note  that  ever  took  ftiipping  here,  though  none  may  be 
mentioned  before  them  in  our  chronicles,  as  its  port  muft  have  been  ever  fo 
convenient  for  voyages  into  Ireland  and  paffage  into  Wales.  —  Anderfon  in- 
deed fays,  in  his  Hiftory  of  Commerce,  printed  1764,  vol.  1.  p.  19  and  86, 
"  Briftow  is  reckoned  by  Gildas  among  the  fortified  and  eminent  cities  of 
«  Britain  fo  early  as  the  year  430  ;"  (though  he  has  not  mentioned  the  page  in 
Gildas;)  "  and  that  it  exifted  as  a  town  or  fort  in  the  fifth  century,  notwith- 
"  ftanding  the  affertion  of  Mr.  Cambden  to  the  contrary ;  and  again  that  it 
"  was  a  place  of  account  in  the  fifth  century  when  the  Romans  left  Britain." 

It  will  be  fhewn  hereafter,  that  upon  the  retreat  of  the  Romans,  and  the 
fubverfion  of  their  great  cities  at  Caiirleon  and  Caerwcnt,  the  Britons  in  great 

A  2  numbers 


C      4      ] 

numbers  pafling  the  Severn  back  again  to  Briftol,  occupied  the  town  here 
in  the  room  of  thofe  deftroyed  ;  as  this  was  by  nature  a  fecurer  Ration,  and  out 
of  the  road  of  thofe  invafions  and  tempefts  that  have  fallen  heavy  on  other 
ground,  nor  fubjcft  to  fudden  furprifes,  furrounded  as  it  is  by  the  Avon  and 
Froom.  —  And  when  afterwards  the  Saxons  came  and  difpofTeffed  them,  thefe 
enlarged  it,  and  foon  rendered  it  a  moft  flourifhing  place  and  port  of  trade,  to 
the  great  decay  of  Chepllow  and  other  places,  which  never  fince  have  recovered 
their  trade. 

But  there  is  an  ancient  Britifli  name  which  they  feem  to  agree  it  had  at  firft. 
Can  Oder  Nante  Badon  :  Leland  fays,  "  Briflol  in  early  ages  was  probably 
"  called  the  city  Odera,  and  that  Nante  Badon,  i.  e.  in  the  vale  of  Bath,  was 
"  added  to  it,  becaufe  Bath  was  but  eleven  miles  diftant  from  it;"  and  then 
he  makes  this  remark,  that  "  Nante  fignifies  a  valley  in  which  a  river  flows, 
"  I  fliould  therefore  read  it  Nante  Avon  from  that  river,  which  may  be  con- 
"  jeflured  from  a  place  in  Antonines  Itinerary,  called  Abone,  or  Avone,  the 
"  name  of  a  city." 

The  original  authority,  befides  Leland,  for  Caer  Oder,  is  not  known : 
Humphry  Lhuyd  is  cited  by  Ortelius  for  it,  who  fays  in  Thefaur.  Geograph. 
1587,  (under  Venia  Belgarum.)  "  Ptolomaso  &  Antonino  Britannias  Infulas 
"  Oppidum,  quod  Humphridus  (fcil.  Lhuuydus)  fcribit  Britannice  Caer  Oder 
"  yn  Nante  Badon  &:  Anglice  Briftou  vocari :  Briftollium  hoc  nominant 
"  Juniores  Latini.  Cambdenusdicit  banc  Belgarum  Ventam  hodie  Winchefler 
"  vocari :  idem  Ventam  Icenorum  Caifler  interpretatur.  Ventam  habet  Beda 
"  quoque,  quam  Saxonice  Wintancefter  nominatam  fcribit.  Venta  Silurum 
*'  Antonino  Britanniae  urbs  eft,  quam  Cambdenus  &  Humphridus  Caerwent 
"  appellari  aiunt." 

The  city  "  Caer  Brito,  Britodunum,  Briflol  or  Briftold,"  fays  Baxter, 
p.  187,  "  was  by  the  Britons  called  Caer  Oder,  Civitas  Limitis,  a  frontier  city  ;'* 
and  5^0/ and  Stow  he  makes  to  be  p.  220,  "  a  place,  a  feat  or  city."  This 
agrees  very  well  with  its  fituation  as  a  frontier  town  of  defence  for  the  Britons 
before  they  were  driven  into  Wales  their  laft  refuge,  and  for  the  Mercians  or 
Weft  Saxons  afterwards. 

We  need  not  wonder  at  our  want  of  an  explicit  account  of  the  Britifh  cities, 
(which  though  called  Britifli,  yet  if  not  Roman,  were  certainly  built  by  their 
means,  and  under  their  proteQion  ;)  for  Gildas  himfelf  acknowledges,  "  Libri 
"  Britanni  combufli  fuerunt,  &c."  i.  e.  the  books  of  the  Britons  were  burnt, 
"  and  it  came  to  that  pafs,  through  the  Roman  Governors  and  Propraetors  left 
"  here,  that  whatever  Britain  had  of  copper,  filver  or  gold,  was  marked  with 

the 


[      5      ] 

"  the  image  of  Czefar:"  Leland's  remark  upon  which  is,  hoc  verum  videiur, 
"  this  feems  to  be  true,"  —  But  whatever  credit  is  given  to  the  names  of  the 
Britifli  cities  mentioned  by  thefc  early  writers,  or  whether  rightly  afcribed  to 
certain  cities,  now  flourifliing  or  arifing  from  them  or  not,  yet  that  their  fird 
original  was  from  the  Roman  ftations  near  to  them  feems  fcarce  queftionable: 
and  moft  of  the  Britifh  cities  of  note,  if  not  founded  by  the  Romans,  yet  after- 
wards through  them  foon  increafed  in  number  and  elegance.  Some  indeed 
contend  that  the  Britons  towns  and  ftrongholds  at  firfl;  were  nothing  but  fpots 
of  ground  furrounded  with  trees,  felled  down  and  fccured  with  a  ditch  and 
rampire,  according  to  Caefar's  and  Strabo's  account,  and  their  temples  were 
groves  confecrated  by  the  Druids. 

Dr.  Stillingfleet  obferves  with  great  probability  indeed,  that  the  twenty-eight 
Britifh  cities  mentioned  in  Nennius  and  Gildas,  are  to  be  underftood  of  the 
Roman  times,  and  were  certainly  Roman-Britilh,  ariling  out  of  their  Rations 
or  camps  in  the  neighbourhood  of  fuch.  —  And  Dr.  Stukely  in  his  account  of 
Richard  of  Cirencefter,  fays,  "  that  Nennius  and  Gildas  name  twenty-eight 
"  moft  famous  cities  in  Britain,  which  the  excellent  Archbifliop  Ufher  has 
"  commented  upon;  and  though  the  catalogue  is  different  from  Richard's,  yet 
"  he  is  confirmed  in  calling  Verulam  a  municipium,  which  in  Nennius  is  called 
"  Caer  Municip."  But  it  is  very  clear  that  the  Romans  had  many  cities  that  might 
lie  out  of  their  general  road  or  traO;,  unnoticed  either  by  Antonine,  Nennius, 
Gildas  or  Richard:  the  laft  indeed  plainly  confeffcs  it  in  cap.  7.  de  Situ 
Britannias. 

"  Atprcekr  allaias  modo  Urles,  &c.  i.  e.  Befides  the  cities  here  produced,  let 
"  no  one  haftily  believe  that  the  Romans  had  not  more  in  Britain  ;  for  I  have 
"  only  mentioned  the  more  famous  cities :  for  who  can  doubt  but  that  thefe 
"  Lords  of  the  whole  earth  chofe  at.their  will,  and  claimed  to  themfelves  many 
"  other  places  which  they  knew  convenient  for  their  purpofes,"  adding  this 
remarkable  exprefTion,  "  plerumque  alias  in  caftris  quae  condiderant  ipfi, 
"  degebant ;"  that  "  for  the  moft  part  they  otherwife  lived  in  the  camps  which 
"  they  had  founded." 

It  might  indeed  be  juftly  obferved,  that  out  of  twenty-eight  flouriniing  cities, 
which  were  famous  in  this  ifland  in  the  times  of  the  Britons  and  Romans,  it  is 
highly  probable  that  Briftol  fo  happy  in  its  fituation  by  nature,  [o  capable  of 
being  made  the  moft  defenfible  place  by  art,  was  one  of  the  number.* 

It 

•  Lcl.  Coll.  V.  3.  p.  250.  "  Civitatum  nomina  funt  hie  obfcure  &  confufc  pofita ;  muka  vclera 
prelermifa,  rccentiora  aliquot  adfcripta  :" — "  The  names  of  many  old  cities  are  oiinitcd,  andfome 
'•  new  ones  fet  down  in  tlic  catalogue  of  cities."— ll  is  no  wonder  then  thjit  Bj-UWl  %oviW  AO|f 
be  more  plainly  noticed  in  that  confufed  lift. 


[      6      ] 

It  mav  be  fi.rther  urged,  that  Briftow  is  but  an  eafy  alteration  of  the  name 
Brito,  and  that  it  feems  to  have  fufFcred  this  change  at  the  Saxon  conqueft,  as 
has  been  the  fate  of  moft  places  uhen  conquered,  the  name  being  Saxonized, 
and  afterwards  variouflv  modified  according  to  the  different  manner  of  fpclling 
and  fancy  of  the  chroniclers  of  early  ages;  fome  times  preferving  fomewhatof 
the  original  narnc,  at  other  times  transferring  it  into  their  language  wholly. 
Caer-Brito  fignified  the  painted  or  embellifhed  city.  The  Saxons  feemed  to 
have  regard  to  the  conftruftion  of  the  word  as  well  as  the  found  of  the  letters 
in  naming  it  Bright-Stow,  the  illuftrious  citv ;  and  received  it  with  little 
variation  of  found  of  the  original  word  in  their  own  fenfe  to  exprefs  a  town, 
whofe  agreeable  fituation  and  circumflances,  like  the  Callipolisof  the  Greeks, 
and  Clarence  of  the  French,  give  a  propriety  to  the  name.  Or  it  may  have 
received  the  name  Caer-Brito,  the  Britifh  city,  feparated  as  it  was  from,  and  fo 
called  in  diflinftion  to,  the  Roman  city  or  ftation  Abone  near  it:  Brit  in  the 
old  Britifh  fignifying  alfo  feparated,  and  Britain  the  feparated  place  or  ifle, 
according  to  fome. — Thus  the  orthography  of  the  word  Brito  might  pafs  into 
Bryflo,  Bryftoe,  T.  Ed.  Conf.  Bryghfto,  *Briftou,  Brightftoe,  Bricgftowe,  and 
Brigeftow,  early  in  the  Saxon  times:  in  1106  Brigftonjt  in  1 140  Briftowe. — 
By  Florence  of  Worcefter,  in  i]i4,  it  is  called  Bricftow.  By  Henry  of 
Huntingdon,  1148,  Brigeflou.  In  1 190,  in  King  John's  Charter,  when  Earl 
of  Morton,  now  extant  in  Latin  in  the  Chamber  of  Briftol,  it  is  throughout 
wrote  Briflallum  :  the  Normans  wrote  it  Briftoit  —  fo  in  the  old  French  deeds: 
fince,  by  Leland  and  moft  of  the  old  manufcripts,  Bryghtllowe :  but  the 
Saxons,  who  feem  to  have  impofed  this  name  of  Brycghflowe,  i.  e.  a  bright, 
illuflrious  place,  we  may  reafonably  prefume  found  it  in  tliat  flourifliing  con- 
dition, or  the  name  could  have  been  applied  with  no  fort  of  propriety,  unlefs 
wc  fuppofe  it  to  be  a  cafual  variation  of  Cacr  Brito,  its  old  original  name.  It 
might  indeed  have  the  name  of  Brigfton  from  the  Saxon  Bricg,  a  Bridge,  i.  e. 
a  town  with  bridges,  +  as  Bifhop  Gibfon  has  derived  it,  which  feems  well  enough 
calculated  for  the  peninfular  fituation  of  the  old  town,  Turrounded  almofl  with 
water,  which  had  great  need  of,  and  flill  hath,  of  bridges  to  preferve  a  com- 
munication 

*  Saxon  Chron.  p.  193,  230.  241.  and  in  II.  2.  time  called  Briftou  in  Mag.  Rotul.  31.  H.  2. 
Rot.  10.   119I.  7s.  5d.  de  exitu  Briftou  molcndinorum  &  Nundinarum. 

+  In  Atkyns's  Gloceftcrfhire,  p.  738,  where  we  find  the  church  of  St.  Peter  of  Brigfton,  and  tho 
tithe  of  the  rent  of  Brigfton  granted  to  themonaftery  of  Tewkefbury  in  1106,  in  a  charter  ofH.  1. 
to  that  houfe. 

%  That  the  etymology'  of  the  natne  of  Briftol  Ihould  be  a  little  uncertain,  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  being  the  cafe  of  all  cities  of  antiquity,  even  of  London  itfelf,  which  is  faid  to  be  derived  from 
the  Britilh  Lhong-dinas,  i.  c.  a  city  of  fliipsi 


[      7       ] 

munication  with  different  places  about  it ;  though  the  great  bridge  over  the 
Avon  till  a  later  date  \s-as  not  in  being:  * Bricg/lon  quaji  locus  poniis,  Bridge- 
Town  :  in  Doomfday-book,  and  in  the  ancient  charters  of  H.  2.  and  H.  3.  and 
in  other  public  atls,  where  we  might  expefl:  to  find  the  orthography  bed  pre- 
ferved,  it  is  moft  ufually  ftyled  Briftold,  Briftou  or  Briftol,  though  tlie  latter 
feems  to  have  been  moft  commonly  ufed,  and  is  now  adopted,  the  reft  among 
the  moderns  being  deemed  quite  obfolete. 

In  a  manufcript  charter  penes  me,  from  King  Edw.  Conf  a,  r.  9".  I  find 
it  wrote  Bryftoe  :  this  with  the  other  charters  will  be  inferted  hereafter,  in  the 
annals  for  the  refpeftive  year. 

Having  thus  fliewn  its  feveral  names,  and  how  the  original  name  Cacr  Brito 
mi<7ht  probably  have  been  altered  at  different  times,  yet  has  preferved  never- 
thelefs  the  found  of  the  original  in  fome  refpefts,  we  muft  not  omit  the  Roman 
name  Venta  Belgarum,  with  which  it  has  been  thought  by  fome  to  have  been 
diftinguifhed  by  that  military  people.  This  name  is  afcribed  to  it  by  Leland, 
Lambard,and  fome  others;  and  it  fcems  toagreewellwith  Ptolomy's  defcription 
of  fuch  a  city  lying  next  under  the  Dobuni  orGlocefterfhire:  but  Mr.  Cambden 
iscertainlyrightin  giving  to  Winchefter  this  name,as  the  Itinerary  of  Antonine, 
confirmed  by  Richard  of  Cirencefter,  plainly  and  indubitably  points  out. 
And  in  this  opinion  all  at  prefcnt  feem  to  concur,  how  widely  foever  they 
have  differed  about  placing  the  Abone  of  Antonine.  But  now  at  length 
this  may  with  equal  truth  be  afcertained.  It  was  here  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Briftol  the  Romans  fixed  this  their  ftation  Abone,  calling  it  after  the  name 
of  the  river,  on  the  banks  of  which  they  ereftedit;  and  it  certainly  became 
the  parent  of  the  city  of  Briflol  :  whether  it  ever  extended  its  borders  after- 
wards, and  took  in  all  the  heights  adjoining  even  to  Briftol  itfelf,  and  fo 
included  the  whole  under  one  name  Abone,  is  difficult  now  to  determine :  tlie 
city  was  certainly  dependent  on,  if  not  immediately  conne6led  in  one  with, 
the  Roman  ftation.  But  that  Abone,  the  Britilli  name  of  the  river,  gave 
name  to  a  city  on  its  banks,  is  highly  probable  and  very  common;  the  cities 
often  took  their  names  from  rivers,  and  arofe  as  often  out  of  the  ruins  of 
ancient  encampments  and  ftations  of  the  Romans   in  their  vicinity,  or   flou- 

rilhed  under  their  protection. 

Whether 

*  Bricg-Jiowt — either  Bright-flow  or  Bridges-flow,  fo  wrote  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  which 
fecms  to  be  a  derivation  more  plaufiblc,  and  a  name  it  at  fome  time  or  other  more  likely  had 
obtained  than  Burg-flowc,  or  Borough  Town,  as  fome  have  infmuaicd. 


[      8      ] 

Whether  the  city  Caer  Brito,  Caer  Oder  Nante  Badon,  or  rather  Nante 
Avon,  afterwards  by  the  Saxons  called  Brightftowe,  did  not  thus  take  its 
origin,  deferves  a  particular  enquiry. 

There  certainly  was  a  Roman  Ration  a  little  way  down  the  river  from  Briftol, 
and  the  Roman  coins  dug  up  at  Clifton  and  in  making  the  Sea-mill  dock,  and 
in  plowing  the  adjacent  fields,  point  out  their  ftation  here,  and  are  proofs  not 
to  be  doubted  ;  and  it  is  very  extraordinary  that  neither  Cambden,  Horfeley, 
Stukely,  nor  any  antiquary  has  fo  much  as  even  thought  of  this  ftraight  and 
and  neareft  pafTage  between  Bath  and  Caerwcnt ;  but  their  attachment  to 
Oldbury,  as  the  only  TrajeQus  mentioned  in  the  Itinerary  in  thefe  parts,  cer- 
tainly diverted  their  attention  from  it.  And  befides  the  Communication  of 
of  Roman  pofts  and  ftrong  holds  acrofs  the  Severn  here,  particularly  to  be 
defcribed  hereafter,  hiftory  will  afford  us  fomething  for  confirmation.  Tac. 
Annal.  lib.  12,  fays,  "  Oftorius  detrahere  arraa  fufpeftis,  cin£lofque  cafiris 
"  Sabrinam  &  Antonam  fluvios  cohibere  parat :"  i.  e.  "  Oftorius  took  away 
their  arms  from  thofe  who  were  fufpetled,  and  reflrained  thofe  on  the  rivers 
Avon  and  Severn,  by  furrounding  them  with  camps."  Hence  it  appears, 
that  Oftorius,  the  better  to  curb  the  Britons,  pofted  his  forces  on  the  banks  of 
the  Antona  and  Severn ;  *  and  having  before  defeated  the  Iceni,  who  not 
brooking  fome  indignity  had  taken  up  arms  for  the  liberties  of  their  country, 
he  afterwards  fell  upon  the  Cangi,  t  and  ravaged  almoft  as  far  as  the  Irifh  fea, 
which  could  be  no  other  than  the  fea  that  beats  on  the  AVcft  Country  coaft. 
From  hence  he  was  called  back  to  reprefs  a  fedition  of  the  Brigantes,  and  then 
paffed  into  the  country  of  the  Silures,  where  he  defeated  Caraftacus,  who 
had  politicly  tranflatcd  the  war  thither,  as  a  country  of  difficult  accefs  :  by 
this  feries  of  aftion  and  defcription  of  countries  which  Tacitus  gives,  it 
appears  that  the  Cangi  bordered  near  the  Severn ;  that  to  reftrain  them 
Oftorius  placed  garrifons  near  the  Severn  and  Antona,  which  was  a  river 
emptying  itfclf  into  the  Severn,  and  lay  equally  advantageous  for  placing  his 
foldiersasthe  Severn  did;  which  cannot  be  more  truly  affirmed  of  any  riverthan 
the  Briftol  Avon:  at  leaft  the  Avon  oppofite  toCaerwent  of  the  Silures  acrofs  the 
Severn  (where  they  had  fuch  ftrong  camps)  could  not  have  been  negleQed  by 
him  in  this  important  fervice.  — There  are  other  Avons  indeed,  one  particu- 
larly in  Warwickftiire,  to  which  fome  would  attribute  the  name  Antona,  and 

fome 

•  Horfcly,  p.  36,  fays  "  Sabrina  doubtlcfs  is  the  Scvcin.  And  Antona  muft  alfo  be  the 
'•■  Avon.     Some  wn'tc  the  ancient  name  Aufona,  and  the  anonymous  Rav.cnnas  writes  it  Abona." 

+  There  is  much  advanced  concerning  tlie  Cangi,  but  nothing  fatisfaflory.  It  is  clear  from 
the  ftor)',  however,  tlut  Oftorius  palfed  through  the  country  of  the  Cangi,  which  he  had  vvafled» 
Rhd  after  this  came  near  the  weftcm  coaft; 


c   9   : 

fome  to  the  river  Xen.  And  though  Mr.  Cambdcn  would  fecm  to  retract  and 
perfuade  himfelf  and  us,  that  Oftorius  blocked  up  the  Britons  betwixt  the 
Warwickfliire  Avon  and  the  Sabrina;  yet  it  is  not  probable  that  he  fixt  his 
ftations  and  encampments  there,  fincc  this  river  falls  into  a  higher  part  of  the 
Severn,  nor  could  the  Cangi,  if  of  Somerfetfliire,  be  afFcfted  by  them.  —  But 
the  alliance  of  the  Briftol  Avon  with  the  Severn  and  Irifh  fca  is  apparent ; 
and  Pliny,  {Nat.  Hiji.  lib.  iv.  c.  16.)  fpeaking  of  Ireland,  makes  it  thirty  miles 
from  the  Silures,  which  though  a  miftake  in  the  calculation  does  evidence, 
that  the  country  where  the  Sihires  inhabited,  on  the  other  fide  of  the  Severn, 
to  the  Weft  of  the  Oftium  where  the  Avon  difcharges,  was  efteemed  in  the 
Roman  account  as  bordering  on  or  defcending  towards  tiie  Irifli  fea :  the 
little  ifland  and  village  called  Scilly  in  the  Briftol  Channel  points  out  the  feat 
of  the  Silures,  though  others  place  the  Cangi  in  different  parts. 

But  the  name  of  Cangi  feems  ftill  to  exift  in  the  names  of  fome  places  in 
the  weftern  parts ;  Cainfliam,  Wincaunton,  and  the  Cannington  or  Canninp-- 
ham  marflies,  in  the  Saxon  chronicle,  which  were  the  marfhes  of  Somerfet- 
(liire.  —  Befides  thofe  places  mentioned  by  Cambden  as  preferving  in  their 
name  the  found  of  Cangi  in  Somerfetfliire,  to  which  the  Roman  army  was 
led,  {Tacit.  I.  iv.  Ann.  DuBus  ejl  ad  Cangos)  there  were  many  others  as  Con- 
gerfbury,  Cangfield,  Canford,  Caundell,  &c.  And  thefe  traces  of  the  Cancri, 
in  the  names  of  towns  of  Somerfetfliire  and  its  confines,  are  more  demon- 
ftrative  of  the  Cangi's  habitation,  on  confidering  that  there  is  no  town  nor 
parifh  in  Glocefterfliire,  Devonfliire,  &c.  that  hath  the  fyllable  Can,  or  Caun, 
or  Cang,  (or  Quan,  as  in  Ouantock)  in  it :  fo  that  it  is  highly  probable  the 
antient  inhabitants  of  thefe  weftern  parts  were  called  the  Cangi,  and  coins  of 
the  Roman  Emperors  have  often  been  found  here,  at  Conqueft,  Brent- 
Knoll,  &c.  Baxter,  Gloftar.  p.  38,  fays,  Ceangi  vd  Somerfetce,  &c.  "  tlie 
"  Ceangi  or  thofe  of  Somerfet  were  of  the  Belgae  in  the  time  of  Ptolemy,  for 
"  he  makes  Ilchefter  and  Bath  belong  to  them,"  and  p.  71,  "  the  Ceangi  were 
"  not  lefs  apt  for  war  than  the  ^^aftoral  life  they  followed :"  we  fee  that  the 
Danmonian  Cangi  or  of  Somerfet,  "  fortem  operam  in  Oftorium  Scapulam 
navavifte,"  performed  great  exploits  againft  Oftorius  Scapula;,  and  p.  74, 
"  thefe  Cangi  were  of  that  country  called,  from  the  Summer-feats  of  fhepherds, 
"  Somerfet,  of  which  Somerton  or  Summer  Town  was  very  old  and  the  chief." 

Thefe  military  works  and  difpofitions  of  fome  great  General  fo  nigh  Briftol 
then  feem  very  probably  to  have  been  made  here  by  Oftorius,  viz.  at  Clifton; 
on  Leigh  down  fcvcral,  efpccially  on  the  banks  of  the  Avon  and  Severn  ;  at 
Cadbury  camp,  and    near  Xaifh ;  and  at  Henbury,  Ahnondfbury,  Oldbury, 

B  Elbcrton, 


C        lO       ] 

Elberton,  and  Old   Abby,  on  the   Glocefterfliire   fide  ;  and  lower    down  in 
Somerretfliire,  at  Dolbery,  where  coins  have  been  dug  by  Mr.  Swimmer ;  at 
Worle-hill  and  Eafl  Brent,  where  on  Brent-knoll  coins  of  Severus  and  Trajan 
and  others  in  an  urn  have  been  found.     On  both  fides  the  river,  be  fides  the 
encampments  hereafter  defcribed  at  Rownham-hill  and  Clifton,  in  the  vicinage 
of  Briftol,  many  others  are  to  be  noted  at  the  lower  part  of  the  Avon,  parti- 
cularly at  St.  George's  and  Portbury,  which  in   Leland's  Itinerary  is  called 
Portchefler,  where  on  a  rifing  ground  are  evident  traces  of  a  camp  ;  alfo  near 
Shirehampton,  on  the  other  fide   of  the  Avon,  are  aggera  ftill  to  be  feen  as 
you  defcend  the  hilly  ground,  and  coins  have  lately  been  found  in  making  the 
the  new  road  in  Lord  Clifford's  park,  as  )ou  go  down  to  Shirehampton,  many 
of  which  are  in  my  poffcflTion.      Add  to  this,  fuch  a  regular  chain  of  camps  and 
entrenched  polls    for  fo  many   miles  in  view  of  the  Severn  and  near  to   it, 
are  no  where  elfe  to  be  met  with  in  the  courfe  of  that  river ;  which  fliews  the  fkill 
and  attention   of  the  Roman  General  to  fecure  thcfe  parts,  agreeable  to  what 
Gildas  fays,   p.  12,    f   16,    "  Quia  Barbarorum   irruptio   timebatur,    Turres 
(Caftra)  per  intervalla  ad  profpeftum  maris  collocant."      At  Snead-park,  and 
at  Sea-mills  and  its  neighbourhood,  might  be  the  place  of  their  great  refort 
and  principal  winter  flation,  and  in  the  river  Trim  the  Roman  gallies  and 
boats  were  fecured.       It  is  very  remarkable,    that,  allowing  Abone  of  the 
Itinerary  to  be  fituated  at  or  near  Briftol,  the  diftances  will  nearly  agree,  and 
the  Trajeftus  between  Caerwent  and  Bath  at  length  more  eafily  be  found.    And 
to  this  may  be  added,  that  fome  rofe-up  ground,  like  an  old  Roman  road, 
croffes  Durdham-down,  (where  a  coin  of  Conftantine  was  lately  dug  up)  looking 
towards  the  ftation  here  and  in  a  dire£l  line  with  it,  and  pointing  towards  Han- 
ham  in  the  high  road  to  Briftol   (near  which  road  an  urn  of  coins  was  found 
lately,  not  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Briftol)  and  Bath,  (Aquce  Solis  of  the  Romans). 
An  incontcftablc  proof  of  this  being  a  Roman  camp  nigh  Briftol  on  Clifton 
hill,*    may  be  brought  as  well  from  the  ditches  and  aggera  ftill  to  be  feen, 
as  from  Roman  coins  of  Nero,  Domitian,  Trajan  and  other  Roman  Emperors 
being  dug  up  there,  alfo  from  a  curious  Roman  urn  with  two  handles,  tiles, 
bricks    and  broken    potftierds  being  found  there,    when     Sir  Wm.    Draper 
levelled  the  ground  near  the  camp,  which  is  moft  advantageoufty  fituated  for 
the  purpofe :  "  All  Roman  encampments,  forts  or  ftations  were  generally  fet 
upon  hills,"  as  is  well  obferved  by  Burton  in  his  Comment  on  the  Itinerary. 
This  camp  with  others  at  no  great  diftance  and  in  view  was  placed  on  fuch  an 
high  afcent  to  defcry  an   approaching    enemy,    as  the  Romans  were  in   an 

enemy's 
*  Coins  v.'crc  found  in  digsjing  the  foundations  of  the  new  lioufcs  near  it,  in  1 783. 


C    »i    ] 

enemy's  country  ever  upon  the  watch,  and  at  the  fame  time  to  guard  the  river, 
as  the  river  was  a  guard  and  fecure  defence  to  them. 

A  particular  defcription  of  thefe  ftrong  camps  near  Briftol  may  be  necefTary 
to  give  the  reader  fome  idea  of  them.  And  we  find  they  were  not  unnoticed 
fo  early  as  the  year  1480.  In  a  manufcript  of  Wm.  Bottoner  in  Bcnnet 
college  librarv,  Cambridge,  (lately  printed  and  publifhed  by  the  ingenious  Dr. 
Nafmith  1778,)  there  is  the  following  defcription  of  Clifton  rocks,  on  the 
fummit  of  which  the  Roman  camp  was  fituated  :  Thus  in  Englifh,  "  At  the 
"  high  rock  of  Clifton  cliff,  which  begins  near  the  village  of  Rownham,  unto 
"  the  hermitage  and  camp  on  the  other  fide  of  the  waters  of  Avon  and  Frome, 
"  which  high  rock  begins  one  mile's  fpace  from  the  town  of  Briftol ;  and  the 
"  faid  rock  continues  in  its  height  for  a  mile  long  and  farther  towards  Rown- 
"  ham  road  for  laying  up  fhips.  And  the  faid  rock  contains  in  height  from 
"  the  water  of  the  Avon  and  Frome  60  brachia  (fathom)  viz.  from  the  firm 
"  land  to  a  certain  hermitage  whofe  church  is  founded  and  dedicated  to  the 
"  honour  of  St.  Vincent,  is  in  height  20  brachia,  and  from  the  faid  hermitage 
"  to  the  bottom  of  the  faid  river  are  40  brachia;  and  underftand,  that  a  bra- 
"  chium  contains  fix  feet  in  length. 

"  The  fortified  camp  upon  the  height  of  the  ground  not  diftant  a  quarter  of 
"  a  mile  from  Clifton  cliflF  is  faid  by  vulgar  people  to  be  there  founded  before 
"  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror  by  Saracens  or  Jews  by  one  Ghyfl: 
"  a  giant  in  the  land.  And  that  fuch  a  fortrefs  was  in  all  likelihood  founded 
"  there  in  ancient  times,  there  remains  to  this  day  in  a  great  circle  a  heap  of 
"  ftones,  great  and  fmall  fcattered  and  fpread  abroad.  It  is  very  wonderful 
"  to  behold  thefe  ftones  globularly  lying  in  fuch  order  and  in  a  great  circle, 
"  for  there  feems  to  have  been  a  very  ftrong  caftrum,  which  is  faid  to  have 
"  been  for  fome  hundred  years  pafl,  and  is  now  levelled  with  the  ground. 
"  And  it  therefore  is  an  ornament  and  honour  to  my  native  country  Briflol, 
"  and  to  the  county  of  Gloucellcr,  to  have  or  to  hear  of  the  foundation  of 
"  fuch  noble  fortrelfes  and  camps.  I  write  this  among  other  things  for  the' 
"  fake  of  commemorating  this  camp  or  fortrefs." 

By  the  above  extraft,  incorreft  and  vague  as  it  may  appear  to  be,  however 
we  learn  ;  that  the  camp  or  fortrefs  on  Clifton  rocks  did  not  cfcape  the  notice 
of  our  anceftors,  and  though  it  might  be  the  vulgar  opinion,  that  it  was  erected 
before  the  conqueft  by  Jews  or  Saracens,  yet  doubtlefs  the  learned  of  thofe 
days  certainly  knew  better,  later  difcoveries  have  proved  It ;  and  as  to  the 
height  of  the  rock  he  feems  to  have  been  pretty  exaft;  and  it  is  remarkable, 
that  the  place  of  the  hermitage  is  at  this  day  called  Giant's  hole,  and  is  about 

B  2  the 


[         ^2        ] 

the   cliRancc  here  fet  down  from  the  fummit   of  the  rock  or  firm  ground. 
There  are  flill  extant  the  like  Roman  camps  on  the  oppofite  fide  of  the  river 
to  Clifton,  at  Rownham-hill,  on  Leigh  down  in  two  places,  called  Stokeleigh 
and  Bowre-walls  now  a  wood,  a  deep  comb  or  valley  there  called  Stokeleigh- 
Slade  only  feparating  the  two,  which    have  both  the  advantage  of  the  like 
lofty  fituation  ferving  for  fpecula  or  watch  towers,  as  well   as  defence   and 
fecurity  againfl;  the  fuddcn  attack  of  an  enemy.     The  aggera   and  double 
ditches  are  there  ftill  to  be  feen,  and  they  appear  magnificent  and  venerable 
in  their  ruins,  and  a  ftronger  and  more  defenfible  fituation  could  no  where  be 
chofen.     The  height  of  the  rocks,   the   deep  intermediate  comb,  the   river 
below,  the  deep  fofs,  and  the  high   banks,    fhew  it  to  be   an  advantageous, 
fecure     and   well   chofen   flation,    capable  of    a    good   defence,    and   highly 
worthy  their  care  and  attention.     A  ford  or  vadum  there  over  the  Avon  com- 
municated with  both  camps  on  each  fide  of  the  river.     A  little  lower  down 
the  river  feems  to  have  been  placed  the   Caftra  Hyberna,   being  the  Roman 
winter  flation,  abundance  of  coins  having  been  dug  up  there  in  making  Sea 
mill  dock  in  the  year  1712.     They   alfo  met  with  a  fine  arched  gate  way 
under  ground  in  digging  out  the  dock  at  its  upper  part,  which  feems  to  have 
led  to  fome  principal  part,  and  the  rudera  of  buildings  deftroyed,  and  remains 
of  old  foundations  have  been  traced  up   the  adjoining  hilly  ground  next  the 
river  fide,  and  were  remarked  by  the  ingenious  mechanic  Mr.  Padmore,  who 
conduced  the  undcriakinsj :  and  in  a  field  called  three  acres  Roman  coins  are 
found  at  this  day,  and  are  turned  up  there  in  plowing  the  fields  called   Port- 
buries  or  Polburies.      It   is   remarkable,  that  under  Kingwefton  hill,  in  Lau- 
rence-wefton  near  the  river  was  a  common  field  called  Abonc  town  as  mentio- 
ned in  the  rental  of  Sir  Ralph  Sadlier,  dated  36  Hen.  8.  one  acre  in  Canipo 
Abone  town.     There  have  been  found  a  Vefpafian  of  a  large  fize;  alfo  coins 
of  ConRantine,  Conflance,  Galienus ;  one  of  Nero  thus  incribed,  Nero  Claud. 
Cajar.  Aug.  Germ.  p.  m.  T  R.  p.  Imp.  p.  p.  a  fine  head  with  a  radiated  crown  ;  on 
the  reverfe  5.  C.  a  ViBoria  Gradiva,  with  a  fhicld  in  the  right  hand,  infcribed  with 
S.  P.  Q^.  R.  this  was  picked  up  by  me  in  a  garden  adjoining  to  the  dock  in  1 768, 
and  in  a  field  called  the  three  acres  next  the  Avon  I  found  one  of  Conftance 
in  the  year  1775  :  and  in  Abel  Wantner's  manufcript  in  the  Bodleian  library 
it  is  faid  "  At  Pollbury  where  Trim  gocth  into  the  Avon,     much  coin  has 
"  been    found,     conjeftured    to     be    the     ancient     flation    of    the    Romans 
"  between  Bath  and  Avington,    mentioned  by  Antoninus  the  Emperor  in  his 
"  journal    book."        About     two    miles    diftant    from     thefe    and     in    view 
(jf  them   was  another   Roman    camp,    on  Blaze-hill  near  Ilcnbury  late  the 

feat 


[      13      ] 


feat  of  T.  Farr,  Efq;  who  ihcre  dug  up  great  quantities  of  coins  in  laying  the 
foundation  of  a  caflle-like  building  he  erefted  on  its  fummit,  which  commands 
a  mofl:  enchanting  profpecl  of  the  country  around,  of  the  Severn  and  the 
(hips  at  anchor  in  Kingroad,  and  of  the  veffels  paffing  up  the  river  to  Briftol. 
I  cannot  but  acknowledge  his  great  civility  and  readinefs  in  fending  me  the 
coUeftion  he  had  faved  out  of  the  whole. 

This  camp  at  Henbury,  a  manor  formerly  belonging  to  the  Bifhop  of 
Worceftcr,  who  had  a  park  here,  and  which  was  taken  from  the  Birtioprick 
and  granted  to  Sir  Ralph  Sadleir  i  Edw.  6,  was  of  large  extent,  with  a 
hicrh  vallum  and  double  fofs,  and  is  about  two  miles  diftant  from  Clifton 
camp  and  Sea-mills,  Another  at  Knoll-hill,  Almondfbury,  and  Over,  about 
two  miles  farther:  and  at  Old  Abby  a  few  miles  farther  was  another,  where 
a  curious  teflelated  pavement,  in  the  year  1787,  was  found  in  a  farmer's  yard. 

The  following  coins  were  found  at  Henbury,  in  the  year  1708,  by  Sir 
Simon  Harcourt,  from  an  autograph. 


Face  or  Obverse. 
Conjlanlinus  Magnus. 
Trajan  :  a  very  fair  medal  in  copper, 
of  a  large  fize. 

Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus. 

Vefpafian :  feveral  in  middle  fize  copper. 
Con/cavtius :  very  fair  in  fmall  copper. 

Ditto,  fmall  copper. 
Ditto. 

Licinius. 

Geia :   fmall  filver. 

Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus. 

Adrian:  large  copper. 

Trajan.  Faujiina. 

Antoninus  Pius. 

A  Britifh  gold  coin,  coined  at  Maiden 

or  Colchefter,  in  Eflex  ;  an  car  of 

corn  on  one  fide. 
CaHgula :  large  copper. 
Nero :  ditto. 


Reverse. 

Romulus  &  Remus. 

A  female  figure  fitting,  in  her  left  hand 
a  cornucopia,  in  the  right  the  rudder 
of  a  fliip,  fubfcribed  S.  C.  • 

A  female  figure  facrificing  on  an  altar, 
Salut.  Aug.  S.  C. 

A  large  altar,  fubfcribed  Revereniia. 

A  Mars  marching,  circumfcribed  Con- 
fer valio. 

Felix  Tempor^im  reparatio. 

A  caflle,  and  circumfcribed  Provident. 
Aug. 

Genio  populi  Romani. 

InviBus. 

A  funeral  pile,  S.  C. 

A  niip  with  feveral  figures. 

A  female  figure  captive,  Britan. 
A  horfe.  C.  A.  M.  O. 


Julian, 


[      14      ] 


Fac  e  or  Obverse. 
Julian,  the  Apoflate. 
Domitian :  middle  fize  copper. 
Ncrva. 
Ditto. 

Galienus ;  a  radiated  crown. 
Probus. 
D.  N.  Conjlam  P.J.  Aug. 


Reverse. 
Votii  X.  Mullii  XX. 

Two  hands  joined,  Exercituum  Concordia. 

Forluna  redux. 

A  doer,  Cos,  Aug. 

Lcetilia  Aug. 

Drawing  a  captive  out  of  a  den, 


The  following  coins  were  dug  up  at  Sea-mills,   1712. 


Imp.  Ccef.  Vefpafianus,  P.f.  Aug. 

Ditto. 

Imp.  Dioclefianus,  P.f.  Aug. 

Imp.  Ca-f.  Doviilianus  Aug. 

Imp.  Ccef.  Antoninus,  P.f.  Aug. 

D.  N.  Conflantinus,  P.f.  Aug. p.p. 


Concordia  Militum. 

A  temple,  in  the  Exergue,  Providenlia. 
A  fitting  figure. 

A  figure  holding  a  flower  in  her  hand. 
A  figure  holding  a  cornucopia. 
A  Man  transfixing  a  fuppliant  captive 
with  a  dart. 
The  following  were  dug  at  St.  Baze-hill,  Henbury,   1768. 
Imp.  Ccefar  Domili.  Aug.  Germ.  Cof.  xiii.     Virluti  Augii/li.   S.  C.  a  foldier  holding 
Cenf.Pcrp.p.p.  within  a  laurel  crown.        in  his  right  hand  a  dart,  in  his  left  a 

parazonium. 
Imp.  Ccef.  Domii.  Aug.  Germ.  Cof.  xi.     A  winged  female    figure,    or    Viftory, 
Cenf.  Perp.  p.  p.  holding  in  her  right  hand  a  fhield,  S.  C. 

Imp.  Ccef.  NervaTrajan  Aug.  Germ.  P.M.   T.R.Pot.Cof.'m.  p.p.  S.  C.  a  figure 
a  radiated  head.  fitting  with  a  ftaff,   between  two  cor- 

nucopias. 
Virtus  Romanorum. 
Pax  Aug.  a  female  figure  with  an  olive 

branch. 
A  fitting  figure,  in  her  right  hand  fhe 
holds  a  patera  to  a  ferpent  afcending 
from  an  altar. 
Imp. Cxf.AkBus P.f.  Aug. ar^dhtedhedid.  Virtus  Augujl.  Q.  C.  Navis. 
D.  N.  Magneniiiis  P-f.  Aug.  a  naked     Salus  D.  N.  Aug.  &  Cof.  a  monogram  of 
head.  the  name  of  Chrifl,    I.  M.  B.   in  a 

crofs  with  Alpha  and  Omega. 
Ir/tp.  C.  M.  Pojlhumus  P.f.  Aug.  ViBor.  Aug. 

Imp,  Ccef  Po/Ihumus  P.  /.  Aug.  A  figure  of  ^fculapius  with  a  ferpent. 

Imp. 


D.  N.  Gralianus  P.f.  Aug.  bright  filver. 
Imp.  Ccef.  Caraufius  P.  M. 

Crifpina  Augufa. 


[      15      ] 


Fac  E   or  Obverse. 
Imp.  Ccef.  Vefpafian.  Aug.  CoJ.  viii.  p.  p. 

Imp.  Antonin.  Aug.  Pius,  p.p.  Tr.p.  p. 
Cof.  iiii.  head  crowned  with  laurel. 
Magncntius  Nob.  Ccef.  a  naked  head. 


Reverse. 
S.  C.  an  eagle  with  his  wings  expanded 

fitting  on  a  globe. 
A  ftanding  figure,  holds  out  a  patera 

to  a  ferpent  rifing  from  an  altar. 
ViHor.  D.  D.  N.  N.  Aug.  6?  Co:/,   two 

Vi£lories  fuftaining  a  globe,  on  which 

is  Vol.  V.  Mult  X. 


Conjlantius,  Carauftus :  feveral  of  them 

with  their  infcriptions  worn  out. 
Valenlinianus :  feveral  of  them. 
Imp.  Nerva  CmJ.  Aug.  P.  M.  T  R.  P. 

CoJ.  Vn.p.p. 
Imp.  Claud.  Augujl. 
Urbs  Roma,   a  head  with  a  helmet : 

feveral  of  them. 
Marcus  Aurel.  Antonin.  Aug. 
Antoninus  Aug.  Pius,  p.  p. 
T.  R.Pot.  CoJ.  iii.  S.  C. 

Conftantinus,  Gratianus,  Conjlaniius,  and  many  other  coins  of  various  fizes. 


Securitas  Reipublicce. 
Forluna  Augu/li. 


A  wolf  fuckling  two  infants. 


A  Mars  marchinff. 


The  following  were  dug  up  at  Clifton  near  the  camp,  in  digging  the  foun- 
dation of  the  houfes  then  built  there,  in  the  year  1784. 


Dom.  Nojler  Conjlaniius  Aug. 


D.  N.  Valenlinianus  Aug. 
Conjlantius  Aug.  fmall. 
Conflantius  Nobis  Ceejar. 


Felicitas  Reipublicce,  a  Handing  figure  hold- 
ing in  her  right  hand  a  fmall  figure  of 
Viftory,  in  the  left  a  dart. 


Vitloria  Aug.  two  winged  figures. 
Gloria  Exercitus:  two  foldiers  with  fpears 
and  fhields;  in  the  middle,  two  mili- 
tary ftandards,  with  a  type  M.  R.  B.  T. 
An  armed  figure  :  — Jdes  Exercitus. 
The  Emperor  in  a  chariot  drawn   with 
four  horfes,  with  infcription,  Soli  in- 
viBo  Comili. 
Befides  thefe,  a  great  many  more  were  found  by  the  workmen,  and  embezzled 
and  fold  to  private  gentlemen.     A  few  Saxon  coins,  filver,  were  alfo  difcovercd, 
of  iEthelred,  with  Rex  Angl. ;  and  thefe  with  the  others  arc  now  in  mv  poffcffion. 

Thefe 


Dow.  Nojler  Conjantius  Aug. 
Conjlantinus  Pius  Aug. 


C     i5     ] 

Thefe  camps  at  Hcnbury,  or  Blaze-hill,  and  Almondfbury,  look  diieflly 
towards  the  greater  works  of  Abone  at  Rownham  and  Clifton-hill,  and  form 
one  grand  chain  of  fortification,  with  the  Severn  in  its  front ;  and  fignals  of 
an  approaching  enemy  might  be  communicated  to  cither  from  a  great  diftance. 
Blaze-hill,  feparated  as  if  by  art  from  the  down  adjacent  called  Kingfwefton- 
hill,  commands  a  full  profpeCl  of  the  Avon  and  Severn,  and  a  diftant  view  o£ 
Venta  Silurum,  Ifca  or  Caerleon,  as  well  as  of  all  the  Roman  flations  nearer  at 
hand,  and  was  the  molt  defcnfiblc  pofl  next  to  that  at  Clifton  and  Rownham- 
liills,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Briflol,  that  Oftorius  and  the  Romans  had. 

Bifliop  Stillingflect  fays,  p.  510,  that  it  was  the  Roman  cuftom  to  place 
their  garrifons  on  rivers,  as  a  fecurity  of  their  frontiers  againfl  the  enemv, 
which  was  the  occafion  of  towns  being  built  there,  called  by  them  Burgi,  i.  c. 
limitum  caftella,  as  Veignier  obfcrves,  "  cadles  on  the  borders :"  fo  that 
Briftol  fcems  to  have  been  a  burgus  on  the  borders,  called  by  its  moft  ancient 
name  Caer  Oder  Nante  Badon,  or  Avon  ;  a  name  that  has  puzzled  all  anti- 
quaries to  account  for;  and  the  authority  for  which  is  Leland  and  Lhuyd, 
though  tlie  reafon  for  the  name  is  not  mentioned  by  Cambden  or  them. 
Amidft  this  uncertainty,  if  one  might  be  allowed  to  guefs,  the  city  Oder  in 
the  vale  of  Bath,  or  on  tlie  Avon  (the  vale  ri\'cr),  might  not  improbably  have 
been  written  at  firfl  the  city  Ofter,  and  bv  dropping  the  Sibilant  letter  f,  not 
unufual  among  the  Britons  after  the  French,  the  name  Oder  (from  Ofterj  was 
by  them  formed  ;  and  fo  Oftorius,  the  Roman  Propra;tor  under  Claudius,  may 
have  dignified  Our  city  with  his  name  :  and  yVuft-pafTagc  over  the  Severn  is  in 
Doomfday-book  called  Auftre  Clive,  retaining  ftill  the  name  of  Oftorius  in  its 
found  without  the  Latin  termination;  a  proof  of  that  General's  having  afled 
much  in  thefe  parts. 

The  town,  as  well  as  the  camps  near  it,  could  not  but  come  under  the  Pro- 
prjetor's  government,  as  it  fell  thus  within  his  circuit  and  view,  and  might  with 
them  be  included  in  their  ftation  Abone,  though  aftimiing  afterwards  another 
name  :  the  new  modelling  it  fince  and  the  frefli  foundations  and  enlargements 
have  left  us  few  marks  of  its  ancient  ftate,  which  was  fo  much  altered,  as  was 
its  name  afterwards  by  the  Saxons. 

But  to  be  a  little  more  particular  on  thefe  veftiges  thcRornans  have  left  nigh 
Briftol,  their  camps  here  dcferve  a  defcription  at  large. 

The  Britons  no  doubt  on  the  firft  invafion  of  the  Romans  did  at  their  leifure 
and  on  prefling  occafions  prepare  many  ftrong  places  of  retreat  for  their  wives, 
children,  flocks  and  herds,  &c.  making  every  vigorous  ftruggle  for  their 
defence,  and  fortifying  at  intervals  all  the  heights  for  places  of  refuge.    Thefe 

afterwards 


C      17      ] 

aftenvards  being  fcized  by  the  Romans,  were  occupied  and  enlarged,  and 
greatly  improved  by  them  ;  the  Britons  having  fcarcc  ingenuity  enough  to 
ereft  fuch  camps  at  the  time,  the  grand  remains  of  which  arc  now  to  be  fecn. 
Hence  however  they  ftill  retained  the  Britifli  name  Abone,  hence  we  fee 
Britifh  coins  and  fome  Saxon  (as  they  afterwards  occupied  them)  found  toge- 
ther with  the  Roman  on  fome  odd  fliaped  camps  on  hills,  which  before  mofl 
probably  were  Britifli ;  (as  it  is  well  obferved  by  the  ingenious  Dr.  Nadi,  in 
the  hiftory  of  Worceflerfhire)  :  but  the  politic  Romans  more  (killed  in  the 
military  arts  left  no  advantageous  poll  unoccupied  or  unimproved. 

As  they  profecuted  their  conquefls  through  the  ifland,  they  edabliflicd 
forts  at  the  moft  convenient  places  for  their  greater  fecurity  ;  fome  for  the 
immediate  occafion  only,  whilft  others  were  erefted  into  ftationary  camps, 
efpecially  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  with  a  view  of  better  maintaining  their 
conquefts  and  fettlements,  and  of  uniting  and  readily  communicating  by  fuch 
a  chain  of  forts  with  their  countrymen.  No  fooner  were  the  Britifli  towns 
fubjeft  to  their  arms,  but  they  furrounded  them  with  forts  and  with  camps : 
Civitates-Praftdiis  el  CaJleUii  circumdatct,  fays  Tacitus,  c.  xx.  Ollorius  about  the 
year  of  Chrifl;  50,  extended  his  victorious  arms  upon  the  banks  of  the  Severn  : 
and  fecured  that  river  and  the  Avon  :  but  Julius  Frontinus  conquerd  the 
Silures  and  gave  name  to  the  via  Julia  or  Julia  Strata  of  Necham,  between 
Bath  and  Caerwent.  And  as  our  camps  at  Clifton,  Rownham,  and  Henbury  lay 
in  the  direft  road  to  the  country  of  the  Silures  and  Caerwent  on  the  other 
fide  of  the  Severn,  there  is  reafon  to  believe  this  ftation  was  formed  or  greatly 
enlarged  under  Ofl;orius's  government  here.  The  commanding  fpot  on  Leigh- 
down  and  Clifton-hill,  on  the  very  fummit  of  the  rock  on  each  fide  the  river 
being  chofen  ;  they  marked  out  the  compafs  of  the  intended  camps,  allotted 
a  convenient  area  in  each,  dug  out  the  four  foffes,  rofe  the  three  ramparts  or 
valla,  and  with  the  ftones  here  ready  at  hand,  conftruftcd  the  high  ftrong 
walls,  heaping  the  ftones  together  in  a  very  irregular  manner,  and  Hoping  it 
gradually  to  the  top,  from  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  at  the  bafe  to  two  or  three 
at  the  creft,  pouring  their  boiling  mortar  among  the  loofely  piled  ftones; 
which  being  thin  and  fluid,  infinuated  itfelf  into  the  many  openings  and 
hollows  of  the  work,  and  by  its  ftrength  bound  togetiier  all  the  irregular 
pieces  of  ftone  into  a  compaft  wall,  as  appears  evidently  at  this  day.  The 
fhape  of  the  hills  confined  them  to  a  conftruQion  and  form  nearly  circular.  * 
A  deep  and  hollow  valley  or  comb  (D)  alone  feparated  the  two  camps  on  the 

C  Leigh 

•  Vegctius  fays,  Interdum  RontinorumCaJlra  &c.  i.  e.  romctimcs  the  Roman  camps  were  fquaic, 
fomeiimcs  triangular,  Ibmctimcs  half  round,  as  the  nature  and  neccffiiy  of  tlic  ground  required. 


[      18      ] 

Leigh-fide,  and  ferved  as  a  pafTagc  down  to  the  river,  for  each  to  get  water 
for  their  ufc,  where  was  a  vadum  (E)  or  communication  over  a  fliallow  ford 
with  their  companions  at  Clifton  camp  (A)  ;  by  which  they  hud  the  command 
of  both  fides  of  the  Avon.  There  are  two  entrances  into  this  camp  at 
Rounham  hill  called  in  old  writings  *  Bowre  or  Bower-walls,  (B)  perhaps 
Burgh  or  Borough-walls  i.  e.  of  the  fort  or  burgus,  one  in  front,  the  porla 
pratoria,  the  other  at  the  fide  the  porta  Jiniflra,  the  back  part  and  right  fide  of 
it  joining  the  very  edge  of  the  precipice  next  the  Avon,  the  pona  decumana 
and  the  dextra  had  no  place  here.  At  Stokeleigh-camp  (C)  on  the  other  fide 
the  deep  comb  may  be  traced  two  openings  or  gate  ways  ;  and  on  the  right 
fide  appear  the  ruins  of  the /r^/ormw  (Fj  at  this  day;  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  area  and  rudera  of  the  building  fliewing  it  to  have  been  round,  encircled 
with  a  trench,  and  fituated  at  the  very  angle  of  the  two  concurrent  precipices, 
a  proper  and  fecure  place  for  the  citadel  of  the  garrifon  :  if  it  Mxre  not  the 
prcctorium,  which  is  fometimes  placed  on  one  fide  on  the  lofty  margin 
of  rivers,  it  might  be  a  facellum  or  facred  armoury  for  laying  up  the  vexiUa  or 
enfigns  of  the  feveral  cohorts  which  had  the  Aquilce  fimulacra  deorum  i3  Ima- 
gines principum  upon  them,  and  were  accounted  facred  by  the  Roman  foldiers  ; 
the  place  being  dedicated  it  is  likely  to  Mars fignifer  or  Mars  uUor,  not  unlikely 
Arthur's  oven  in  Gordon's  itinerarium  feplenlrionale. 

The  tremendous  height  on  the  rocks  on  which  thefe  camps  were  formed 
gave  the  Romans  a  vaft  advantage  of  defcrying  any  enemy  at  a  diftance  by 
land,  or  any  invafion  by  fea,  the  whole  countrv  around  and  the  Severn  being 
here  open  to  their  view.  And  a  fire  from  this  lofty  fite  ferved  as  a  beacon-  to 
alarm  all  at  their  diftant  camps,  at  Henbury,   Amefbury  and  parts  adjacent. 

The  importance  of  their  flation  here  is  fufficicntly  proved  by  the  high  and 
ftrong  walls,  treble  ditches  and  fences  with  which  they  are  fecurcd.  Art  and 
nature  joined  to  render  it  a  mofl  impregnable  fortrefs,  fecured  on  one  fide 
by  the  lofty  rock  and  precipice,  a  deep  comb,  the  river  below  with  a  fort  on 
the  other  fide  oppofite  the  comb,  and  on  the  other  by  lofty  ftrong  walls,  three 
deep  ditches  one  within  the  other.  Their  fituation  anfwered  every  purpofe 
and  advantage  for  a  defence-poft,  for  here  they  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  ufing 
their  baliftae  and  catapultae,  their  only  miffive  weapons  for  throwing  huge  ftones 
with  the  grcateft  force  from  thefe  heights,  which  muft  fall  with  the  greater 
weight  and  effeB ;  here  the  land  itfclf  was  more  defenfible  and  tenible ;  here 

they 

♦  In  Bower  latere  videtur  Burgus  Iter.  Tfio.  Gale  p.  6l.  The  vale  imdcr  and  in  view  of  this 
camp  is  called  liorough-Afhton  to  this  day.  The  word  chefter  or  burgh,  fays  Horfcly.  gives 
us  fojnc  help  in  fixing  a  Roman  flation. 


^»* 


^.Jf 


L * 


^ 


^i 


>  f  I  # 


<$^' 


}  >.» 


B 


'l-^i.-         f^:^'-^'  r>^^& 


1) 


'-:■  \.'i^V 


]_.  'j£^&'^^'''''^^^^;^^_^^ljilj-'  ■-■-  ^ 


'M^ 


Kriiutn   r/„ii/>.i  nil   l/i,    Rii'ir  Jvrii   ,il„;;    l/ir   Jinsl,>/  ff,>/u;lh 


\ 

\ 


O) 


[      ^9     ] 

they  had  a  full  view  of  their  enemy  and  an  army,  vefTels  or  fleets  at  a  diflancc, 
when  meditating  an  attack ;  here  by  being  on  the  narrow  arm  of  a  large 
navigable  river,  and  its  lowed  pofition  towards  the  Severn  and  fca,  they 
could  cut  off  all  navigation  by  an  enemy  and  keep  open  a  free  and  effedual 
commimication  with  their  friends  acrofs  Kingroad  to  Caerwent,  their  next 
fta:tion,  and  by  the  camps  being  double  and  on  oppofite  fides  and  facing  eacli 
other,  they  commanded  two  fides  of  a  fine  country,  and  could  from  at  lead 
one  of  them  annoy  any  veffels  or  boats  pafiing  under  them  or  near  the  banks 
of  the  river,  and  if  in  the  middle  of  the  ftream  at  full  tide  thev  could  eafily 
reach  them  by  a  double  attack,  and  difcharge  of  their  niifiives  from  each  fide 
of  the  river";  here  laftly  they  had  a  free  ufe  of  water  to  drink  &c.  and  at 
Sea-mills  a  good  and  fufficient  flrand  for  buildings,  &c. 

From  thefe  two  camps  Bower-walls  (B)  and  Stokeleigh  (C)  on  Leigh  down, 
a prxUnlura  or  fence  againft.  any  inroad  or  attack  upon  their  lines  is  to  be 
traced,  the  ranges  of  ftone  appearing  flill  for  fome  miles,  joining  in  one  from 
each  camp  at  the  top  of  the  comb,  then  proceeding  in  a  nearly  flreight  direc- 
tion toward  Fayland.  At  every  opening  towards  the  vales  and  at  every 
eminence  where  a  diftant  profped  of  the  country  around  and  of  the 
river  afforded  an  opportunity  of  defcrying  an  approaching  enemy,  there 
circular  watch-towers  were  raifed,  there  the  ruins  of  walls  croffing  the  fence 
and  outworks  for  garrifons,  &c.  ftill  appear;  the  ftones  ranging  in  that  man- 
ner loofe  above  ground  at  this  day.  This  fence  may  be  traced  all  the  way 
weftward  by  the  broad  high  ftony  bank  for  many  miles  Ikirting  the  hill,  front- 
ing the  fouth  and  extending  towards  Clevedon  and  Walton,  *  where  are  now 
traces  of  camps  marked  out  near  the  Severn,  which  feems  to  have  been  its 
bounds;  there  is  a  large  camp  now  compleat  called  Cadbury,  which  is  circular 
with  a  double  fofs  and  high  aggera,  and  under  it  near  Tickenham,  Roman 
coins  have  been  dug,  many  of  which  were  in  poffefllon  of 'he  late  Sir  Abraham 
Elton  of  Clevedon,  Bart,  alfo  three  urns  of  Roman  coins,  fome  of  Conftantine 
and  others  of  different  ages  were  dug  up  in  Nailfea  and  Ken-moor  not  far 
from  the  camp,  t    at  a  place  called  Nailfea-wall,    which    divides  Ken-moor 

C  2  and 

•  Gual  is  a  rampart,  from  thence  is  formed  Wall,  Bal.  Val.  in  the  name  of  towns,  as  Walton, 
a  rampart  town  or  place. 

+  Thefe  coins  are  many  of  them  now  in  the  poirefTion  of  Mrs.  Hinkes  of  Nailfea,  and  a  far 
greater  quantity  to  the  amount  of  fcveral  hundred  were  given  to  the  late  Sir  J.  Smith  of  Afhton- 
Court,  by  Mr.  Chattcrton,  father  of  that  Thomas  Chatterton,  who  has  occafioned  fuch  difputes 
relative  to  feme  ancient  poems  publilhed  under  the  name  of  T,  Rowley,  faid  by  liim  to  be 
copied  from  forac  manufcript  originals  once  in  his  father's  poirefTion,  ~  Sir  John  Hugh  Smith  Bart, 


[        20        ] 

and  Nailfea-moor.  There  are  vefligcs  alfo  of  a  circular  callrum  on  the 
brow  of  a  hill  oppofite  Nafli-houfe,  and  near  Fayland  Inn,  about  feventy  feet 
diameter  a  caftellet,  and  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  farther  eaftward  is  a 
fquare  fort  or  exploratory  turret  about  feventy  feet  fquare.  Thefe  were 
fortreffcs  or  cheflers  all  garrifoned,  attendant  on  the  principal  ftation  of 
Clifton  and  Abone,  and  the  old  roads  from  the  camps  on  Leigh-down  may  be 
ftill  traced  through  an  orchard  at  the  village  of  Leigh,  and  through  Leigh-wood 
down  to  the  river  Avon  at  Sea-mills ;  on  the  Banks  of  which  was  the  Roman  fum- 
mer  ftation,  occupying  the  heights  on  botli  fides  the  Avon  down  to  Sea-mills,  from 
whence  the  whole  with  great  propriety  was  called  Abone  :  —  a  ftation  which  for 
fccurity,  by  having  a  view  and  command  of  the  country  and  of  the  rivers  Avon 
and  Severn,  could  no  where  be  chofen  more  properly  by  this  military  and 
politic  people.  And  by  creeling  other  camps  at  Henbury,  Almonftjury,  &c. 
they  completely  fortified  the  Severn  and  Avon,  agreeable  to  Tacitus's  defcrip- 
tion  ;  who,  lib.  xii.  Ann.  fays,  "  the  General  Oftorius  prepares  to  difarm  the 
"  fufpefted  Britons,  and  to  keep  or  comprehend  the  rivers  Avon  *  and  Severn 
"  fenced  with  camps."  Baxter  fays,  in  GlofT.  "  Antona  Tacitor  dicitur  flu- 
men  Abona  quod  aquas  calidas  feu  Badixam  praeterfluit  etiamfi  plurimafuerunt 
per  univerfam  Britanniam  etfi  minoris  nota;." 

Thus  fuuated,  the  Romans  lived  in  garrifon  here  in  fummer,  and  in  winter 
chiefly  under  the  hills,  for  a  great  extent  of  country.  They  were  fecured  from 
any  invafion  from  the  Britons  on  the  South  fide  by  their  camps  and  fences  on  the 
hills,  with  the  river  Severn  in  the  front,  the  banks  of  the  Avon  on  both  fides,  and 
a  fruitful  vale  in  their  pofteftion,  guarded  by  little  agrarian  camps.  Here  they 
had  a  ready  fupply  of  water,  food  for  their  cattle,  and  corn  for  thcmfelves.  A 
(lone  with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  a  little  handmill-ftone  with  which  they  ufed  to 
grind  their  corn  is  ftill  preferved,  found  at  Stokeleigh  camp  ;  and  the  hilt  of  an 
old  fword  was  found  there.  As  this  was  the  direct  road  to  Caerwent  from  the 
Aquae  Solis  or  Bath,  fo  doubtlefs  there  muft  have  been  a  great  and  frequent 
communication  acrofs  the  river  Severn  at  this  place  with  the  ftation  at  Caer- 
went, after  the  conqueft   of  the  Silures,  &c.  by   Oftorius.      It  appears,  that 

the 

hath  many  of  thcfo  coins  at  prefcnt,  and  has  been  fo  obliging  as  to  communicate  fcvcral  to  the 
Author  of  this  Hiftory,  and  is  a  living  witnefs  of  Chatterton  the  father's  fpcaking  about  them, 
and  favingtliat  they  were  found  near  Ken-moor  ;  a  proof  of  his  having  fomc  tafte  for  antiquities. 
*  Aiijortim  Authort  Camdtno.  —  In  Britifh  language  Avon  is  frequently  contraftcd  into  Ann,  An, 
or  Un,  as  is  obfcrved  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whitaker,  in  his  elegant  Hiftory  of  Manchcftcr :  fo  that 
it  is  not  impiobable  that  the  Romans  formed  Antonam  from  Avon.  Horfely  calls  Antonam  the 
Avon  ;  and  p.  33,  fays,  "  Oftorius  we  find  with  his  army  upon  the  rivers  Severn  and  Avon, 
and  hereabouts  the  body  of  his  army,  for  the  moft  part,  fcems  to  have  lain." 


C       21        ] 

the  Britifh  towns  were  all  conne£led  with,  or  fuuated  nigh,  the  Roman  fta- 
tions,  as  before  obferved,  and  antiquaries  have  been  critically  nice  in  pointing 
out  their  connexion  and  fituation ;  except  thofe  towns  which  were  formed  into 
colonies  from  the  beginning,  and  tberefore  no  camps  attendant  on  them. 

Under  the  hill  of  Clifton,  nigh  to  their  ftation  Abone,  lay  Caer  Oder  nant 
Avon,  (Caer  Biito,)  or  Briftol,  not  a  mile  Eaft  from  and  juft  under  the  Roman 
camps.  And  Horfely  obferves,  p.  464,  "  a  Roman  ftation  may  be  at  a  mile 
or  two  diftance,  and  yet  the  town  may  have  arifen  out  of  its  ruins."  Lipfius, 
in  his  Commentary  on  Polibius,  lib.  v.  p.  9,  where  he  is  treating  of  the  Roman 
camps,  fays,  "  the  winter  camps  were  more  accurately,  and  with  greater 
■works  conftrucled  than  the  fummer ;  the  former  being  calculated  for  longer 
ftav,  and  more  necelTaries  therefore  required.  Thefe  were  ftationary,  and 
had  more  apartments  and  places  belonging  to  them,  as  a  place  of  arms, 
workfhop,  hofpital,  and  the  like  :  indeed  they  were  often  built  more  like 
towns,  efpecially  in  the  lower  times  of  the  empire,  and  where  there  were  con- 
tinual ftations  and  praetenturas  or  outworks  againft  an  enemy ;  fuch  are  on  the 
banks  of  rivers,  of  the  Danube,  Rhine,  and  Euphrates :"  and  then  he  adds, 
"  this  is  the  origin  and  birth  of  many  noble  towns  at  this  day," — "  hasc  ea  origo 
&  genitura  nobilium  aliquot  hodie  oppidorum."  And  an  excellent  obferva- 
tion  it  is,  which  leaves  but  little  doubt  of  the  city  of  Briftol,  as  well  as  many 
other  cities,  deriving  their  origin  from  the  camps  of  this  polifhed  military 
people  in  their  neighbourhood. 

It  is  alfo  well  obferved  by  Horfely,  in  his  ElTay  on  Antonine's  Itinerary, 
in  the  Britannia  Romana,  p.  393,  "  how  careful  the  Romans  were  to  have 
their  ftations  placed  near  a  river,  and  there  was  no  fituation  they  feemcd  fo 
fond  of  as  a  lingula,  near  the  confluence  of  a  larger  and  fmaller  river.  If  we 
run  along  a  military  way,  we  are  almoft  fure  to  meet  with  a  ftation  whenever 
we  meet  with  a  river,  at  any  reafonable  diftance  from  a  preceding  ftation."  — 
"  The  places  alfo  mentioned  in  the  Itinerary  feem  generally  to  be  caftra  ftativa, 
and  there  are  generally  rubbifh,  lime,  and  remains  of  buildings,  in  fuch  fta- 
tions as  thefe.  For  befides  the  fbrt  or  citadel,  garrifoned  by  Roman  foldiers 
or  auxiliaries,  there  was  ufually  a  town  adjacent)  which  in  all  likelihood  was 
moftly  inhabited  by  the  Britons." 

How  well  thefe  obfervations  of  Mr.  Horfely  agree  with  the  camps  at  Clifton 
and  the  city  of  Briftol  in  the  neighbourhood,  is  very  obvious  to  any  one  ;  nor 
is  it  an  improbable  conjcBure,  that  the  very  name  CacrBrito,  (the  Britifti  city,) 
might  at  firft  be  given  to  it  for  diftiiiftion,  as  inhabited  by  the  Britons,  under 
the  protefiion  and  government  of  ihc  Romans  in  their  ftation  near  it. 

Although 


[        22        ] 

Although  thefe  curious  remains  of  antiquity  are  within  a  mile  of  Briftol,  yet 
little  or  no  attention  has  ever  been  paid  to  them  hitherto  by  a  bufy  and  com- 
mercial people,  wholly  engaged  in  other  purfuits ;  and  what  is  more  to  be  ad- 
mired, they  have  been  paffed  by  unnoticed  by  Cambden,  Gale,  and  other 
^v'riters.  If  the  more  obvious  antiquities  fhould  be  fo  carelefsly  overlooked, 
it  is  no  wonder  the  fecret  whifpers  of  tradition  fliould  be  difregarded;  though 
fuch  traditions,  however  mixt  with  fable,  do  often  lead  to  the  difcovery  of 
truth.  Of  this  kind  is  the  following  llorv,  recorded  bv  Sir  Robert  Atkins  in 
his  Iliftory  of  Gloceftcr/liire. 

"  Before  the  port  of  Briftol  was  fettled  in  Frome  river,  there  feems  to  have 
"  been  a  difpute,  whether  a  place  called  Sea-mills  was  not  as  convenient  a  port 
"  as  the  other,  feveral  large  and  fmall  fliips  having  been  built  there.  This 
*'  occafioned  the  extravagant  fabulous  flory  concerning  St.  Vincent  and  Coram, 
*'  whom  the  flory  makes  to  be  mighty  giants,  and  that  they  contended  which  way 
"  the  rivers  Avon  and  Froom  fliould  vent  themfelves  into  the  Severn :  if  the  port 
"  of  Sea-mills  had  been  judged  more  convenient,  then  Coram  had  prevailed, 
"  becaufe  his  hermitage  was  at  Weflbury,  on  the  fide  of  the  brook  Trim,  which 
"  runs  to  Sea-mills.  But  the  port  of  Froom  being  thought  more  advantage- 
"  ous,  therefore  the  miracle  relates,  that  St.  Vincent  clave  the  rocks  afundcr, 
"  and  fo  gave  pafTage  to  the  rivers,  becaufe  thofe  rocks  derive  their  name 
"  from  a  chapel  there,  dedicated  to  that  faint." 

This  feems  to  take  its  rife  from  fome  reality,  and  may  have  truth  for  its 
foundation,  though  obfcured  by  fable  and  fuperftition.  The  Roman  coins, 
old  foundations  of  walls,  bricks,  tiles,  &c.  dug  up  here,  efpeciallv  in  making 
the  great  dock  at  Sea-mills,  fliew  it  to  have  been  a  place  inhabited  by  that 
military  people  ;  having  feveral  camps  (caflra  aefliva^  or  entrenched  polls  on 
the  high  hills  of  St.  Vincent  and  the  oppofite  rocks,  at  Henbury,  and  other 
places  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  Romans  in  time  having  defertcd  their 
Ration  of  Abonc,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Avon,  and  the  port  and  harbour 
here  in  the  river  Trim,  where  their  gajiies  for  pafTmg  over  by  water  to  Caer- 
went  their  next  ftation  lay ;  the  port  of  Briftol,  Caer  Nante  Avon,  (the  city 
in  the  vale  of  Avon  river)  flourifhed,  and  became  a  great  city  in  its  ftead : 
Coram,  the  ftrong  champion  of  the  river  Trim,  (or  the  flrong  warlike  Romans 
there)  no  longer  keeping  that  ftation ;  and  St.  Vincent  (or  the  civilized,  reli- 
gious, converted  Britons  under  his  patronage)  fettling  the  port  of  Briflol  at 
the  more  convenient  conflux  of  the  two  rivers,  the  Avon  and  the  Froom ; 
which,  in  thofe  times,  could  not  but  be  attributed  to  the  interpofition  of  a 
fuint,  who  had  a  chapel  and  hermitage  on  the  fummit  of  Clifton  rock,  (of 

which 


[        23        ] 

which  fee  before  William  of  Worcefler,  p.  13.)  But  it  would  add  greatly  to 
our  fuppofition  of  the  Aboneof  the  Romans  being  at  this  place,  iFit  fhould  appear 
upon  examination  that  the  Roman  road,  betwixt  Aquae  Solis  (Bath)  and  their  next 
ftation  Venta  Silurum  (Caerwent),  lay  in  this  direftion :  and  that  the  diflances 
of  the  miles  betwixt  the  two  flations  fhould  exaftly  anfwer,  both  in  Antonine's 
Itinerary  and  in  Richard  of  Cirencefter.  This  would  be  a  great  confirmation 
of  the  truth,  worthy  of  the  nicefl;  enquiry,  efpecially  as  that  Iter  xiv.  of 
Antonine  has  been  fo  much  difputed  :  —  &?  adhuc  fub  judtce  Lis  eft. 

Dr.  Stukely,  in  his  Itin.   Curios,  p.  144,  v.  1,  gives  the  fourteenth  Iter  of 
Antonine  thus  :    Ab  Ifca  ad  Callevam  M.  P.  c.  iii.  fie. 

Ifca  Leg.  11  Aug.     _     _     _     Caerleon. 

Venta  Silurum,     _     _     _     -     Caerwent,    -    ix  M.  P. 

Trajeclus,       _____     Oldbury,    -     ix  M.  P. 

Abone,     _-___-     Henbury,    -    ix. 

Aqiuv  Solis,    -     -     _     _     _     Bath,     _     -     vi. 

Verlucio,        _____     Hedington,      xx. 

Cunetio,  ------     Marlborough,    x. 

Spinas,    ______     Newbury,         xv. 

Vmdomia,      _____     Silchefter,    -      x. 

Calleva  AUrebatum,  _  _  _  Farnham,  _  xv. 
and  is  of  opinion  with  Dr.  Gale,  that  Trajeflus  and  Abone  are  tranfpofed.  It  is 
very  remarkable  he  makes  Abone  to  be  Henbury,  which  indeed  was  one  of 
the  camps  dependent  on  their  ftation  of  Abone.  —  Where  in  the  Itinerary  of 
Antonine  and  Richard  of  Cirencefter,  the  rivers  ad  Abone,  ad  Sabrinam,  are 
mentioned ;  the  Romans  might  have  only  ftrong  camps  by  thofe  rivers,  and 
before  the  towns  and  cities  were  fully  built ;  which  were  afterwards  raifed  by 
the  Britons  near  thofe  camps,  which  ferved  as  inns  and  defcnfible  pofts  to  the 
Romans  in  their  journies  acrofs  the  rivers  to  their  other  cities  or  ftations,  as 
obferved  by  the  judicious  Doflor,  in  his  obfervations  on  Richard  of  Cirencefter. 
It  is  mentioned  in  Somner  on  forts  and  pofts  (p.  38.)  in  Kent,  that  the  nume- 
rals in  Antonine  are  often  wrong,  and  not  to  be  relied  on  :  "  there  is  not 
♦'  much  heed  (fays  he)  t^  be  given  to  the  diftances  there,  being  (as  fome  have 
obferved)  often  miftaken  ;"  therefore  if  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  Iter 
be  well  known  and  fet  right,  the  intermediate  places  may  be  eafily  made  out 
by  camps,  coins  found,  or  Roman  remains,  as  well  as  by  rivers,  roads,  and 
fituation.  But  the  Doftor,  in  his  account  of  Richard  of  Cirencefter, 
makes  fome   alterations  in  the  names,    and  interprets  the  eleventh   Iter   of 

Richard 


[      24      ] 

Richard  thus.  —  From  Aqua?  Solis,  Bath,  by  the  JuHan-nreet  to  Menapia: 
thus  in  Richard,  Iter  xi,  Ab  aquis  per  viam  Julian  Menapiam  ufque  Sic. 

Ad  Abonam  M.  P.  vi.  Sabrinam  vi.  unde  Traje6lu  intras  inBritanniam  fe- 
cundam  et  flationem  Trajeftus  M.  P.  iii.  Yenta.  Silurum  ix.  ubi  fuit  Aaron 
Martyr;  Ifca  Sihirum  ix.  Tibias  Amni  M.  P.  vii.  Bovio  xx.  Nidoxv.  Leuca- 
rio  XV.  ad  Vigeffimum  xx.  ad  Menapiam  xix.  ab  hac  urbe  per  triginta 
M.  P.  Navigas  in  Hyberniam.  To  which  Dr.  Stukely  afTigns  the  following 
names. 

A^.  SoHs,        -     -     -     _     _     Bath. 

Ad  Alone  for  Ab  one,       vi.     -     Olland,  near  Kainfliam,  Gloccflerfliirc, 

Ad  Sabrinam,    -     -     vi.      -     Auft  upon  Severn. 

Stalio  TrajeBus,       -     iii.     -      Tydenham  or  Chepftow. 

Venla  Silurum,  7  .  ^  , ,  ,  „  . 

>     -     IX.     -     Caerwent,  Monmouthlhire. 


ix.     -     Caerleon. 


SlipeJidiaha, 

Ifca  Silurum,     1 
Colon,  leg  Aug.  j 

Tibia  Amnis,  -  -  vii.  -  CaerdifF. 

Bovium,      _  _  _  XX.  -  Cowbridge,  Glamorganniirc. 

Nidum,       _  -  _  XV.  -  Neath. 

Leucarium,  -  -  xv.  -  Loghor. 

"^^IlpidcZ"^]     -     '"''■     -     Narboth  caftle. 
Mcnapa,      -     _     _    xix.     -     St.  David's. 
To  make  this  agree  with   Antonine's  Iter  and  it  proves  Abone  in  that  is 
tranfpofed  and  fhould  be  placed  before  Trajeftus,  I  would  interpret  it  thus 
Aq.  Solis,        _     _     _     _     Bath. 

Ad  Abone,    _     _     vi.     -     To  the  ftation  at  Clifton  on  the  river  Avon. 
Ad  Sabrinam,    -     vi.     -     The  Severn. 
TrajeBus,      -     -     iii.     -     Portifhcad  camp  on  the  point. 
Staiio  TrajeBus,     ~     -     -     Sudbrook  fejuare  camp  the  place  of  landing  on 

the  other  fide  in  going  to 
Venta  Silurum     -     ix.     -     Caerwent.  • 

Here  the  fix  miles  at  Abone  is  demonftrably  a  wrong  numeral ;  it  fhould  be 
Jci.  which  exaftly  make  the  miles  the  fame  as  in  Antonine. 

The  diftance  from  Bath  through  Hanham  to  the  ftation  at  Clifton,  may  be 
reckoned  about  eleven  or  twelve  computed  miles :  and  the  other  intermediate 
diftances  agreeing  with  each  other,  we  need  not  be  too  curious  about  the 
names  of  the  flations  in  Richard's  time,  as  they  might   alter ;    but  both  the 

diftances 


[        25        ] 

diftances  and  ftations  agree  in  bringing  the  road  through  or  near   to  Briftol, 
in   fixing  one  at  Abonc    next  to  it,  and  proceeding  to  one  common   Tra- 
jetlus  and  fo  to  Cacrwent:  whether  any  likelier  places  proved   to  be  Roman 
by  fo  many  camps  coins  and  other  antiquities  can  be  found,  muft  now  be  fub- 
mitted   to    the   judgment    of  every    candid    enquirer.     Gale,    Horfely   and 
Stukely  take  us   to  Oldbury  on  the  Severn   as  the  only  Trajectus,  quite  a 
circuitous  road  in  no  refped  anfwering  to  the  order  of  the  places,    flill  lefs 
to  the  diRanccs,  nor  to  the  courfe  of  the  country,  to  which   the  road  tends. 
There  may  be  errors  in  the  numerals,  which  appear  too  clearly,  neither  is  ex- 
aBnefs  pretended  ;  but  we  cannot  err  as  to  the  right  road  pointed  out  in  both 
Itineraries,   and  as  to  the   beginning  and  end  of  the   Iter,    which  arc   plain 
enough.     Leland  indeed  fays  in   CoUeft.  Tarn  corruptum  eft  &c.    "  This 
Itinerary  of  Antonine  or  whofe  ever  it  be,  is  fo  corrupt,  as  to  require  fome 
Apollo  to  decypher  it,  for  many  names  are  mifpelt,  the  order  of  the  places 
and  numbers  inverted   and  vary  in  different  copies,  being  fet  out  of  their 
places."     This  granted,  it  muft  breed  ftrange  confufion  ;  but  if  we  are  certain 
as  to  the  beginning  and  end  of  an  Iter,  whatever  differences  there  may  be 
in  the  number  of  miles  or  order  of  the  places,  we  cannot  err  much  in  purfuing 
the  direft  road,  open  and  uninterrupted  as  it  is  with  hills ;    and  this  line  of 
road  can  no  where  be  fo  proper  and  eligible  as  through  the  Roman  camp  at 
Briftol  and  their  ftation  there  in  their  pafTage  over  to  Caerwent.     To  fuppofe 
with  Cambden  and  others,  that  Trajedus  meant  Oldbury,  or  Newenham  with 
Baxter,    and  Abone  to  be  Alvington  or  Avington,    can  have  little  fhew  of 
probability.     It  contradifts  the  order  of  places  fo  much,  it  does  not  in  any 
degree  coincide  with  the  diftances  fet  againft  each,    and  makes   fuch  unrea- 
fonable  allowances  in  the  computation  as  leaves  us  in  the  wildeft  uncertainty : 
abfolute  certainty  and  demonftration  muft  not  be  infifted  on  ;    but  it  may  be  left 
to  every  impartial  enquirer,  whether  in  general  thofe  are  not  moft  probably  the 
real  places  defigned  in  the  Itineraries  above,  where   the  diftances  are  in  the 
neareft  conformity  with  thofe  fet  down  ;  where  Roman  ftations  can  be  proved 
to  have  exifted,  even  now  to  be  traced  by  old  encampments  and  coins  found 
therein,  and  where  the  ftraiteft  road  to  the  place  lies.     But  to  go  from  Bath 
to    Oldbury   in  Gloceftcrftiire,  or  from   Abone  at  Clifton  thither  and  then 
over  the  Severn  to  Beachly  as  the  Trajectus,  and  fo  over  the  Wye  to  Cacr- 
went, would  be  fuch  a  diverfion  of  the  road  as  is  fcarce  credible. 

The  fourteenth  Iter  of  Antonine  may  be  explained  thus.  Iter  alio  Itinerc  ab 
Ifca  callevam  ufque  m.  p.  C.  iii. 

D  Ab.  Ifca, 


[      26      ] 

Af)  7/ca,      ---------      Carlcon. 

VcntaSiluntm,  M.  P.  ix.        _     _     _     _      Caerwcnt. 

TrajeBuSj  tranfpofed  for  Abone,  M.  P.  ix.  The  pafliigc  over  the  water,  or 

to  Portilhcad. 

Abone  M.  P.  ix.     -__--_     -  The  ftation  and  camps  at  Clifton. 

Aq.  Solis,  M.  P.  vi.    ______      Bath  xi. 

VerlucioneyM.  ?.  xv.        _____     Lacock,  where  and  at  Leckham, 

Naifli  Hill  and  Notton,  coins 
have  often  been  found. 

Cuneiione,  M.    P.  xx.       _____     Marlborough  on  the  Kennet. 

Spinis,  M.   P.  xv.       ______      Speen. 

Calkva,  M.  P.  xv.  _-___-  Silchefter  orWallingford. 
The  fum  total  prefixed  is  one  hundred  and  three  miles,  but  the  particulars 
amount  to  but  ninety  eight,  which  proves  the  numbers  to  be  erroneous.  If 
eleven  be  the  numeral  at  Aq.  Solis,  it  would  make  up  the  one  hundred  and  three 
miles  of  the  Iter,  and  it  would  come  very  near  to  the  true  diftance  betwixt 
Bath  and  Abone  at  the  Clifton  camp,  and  the  nine  miles  over  the  Severn  from 
Caerwent  would  be  as  near  the  truth  as  can  be  expcfted. 

Roger  Gale,  who  communicated  to  Mr.  Hearn  an  account  of  the  four 
Roman  Ways,  has  in  addition  to  that  letter  publiflicd  in  Leland's  Colleflanea, 
p.  275,  V.  6.  2  ed.  fome  obfcrvations  concerning  the  Wcftern  Avon  —  and 
fays  there,  "that  beneath  Glocefter  we  have  but  one  ftation,  Trajcflus,  at 
"Oldbury;"  —  but  quaere's,  "whether  the  old  names,  or  fitualion  of  their 
"  Rations  on  the  Weftern  Avon  are  yet  retrieved  by  us,  which  I  fufpcQ  muft 
"  be  left  to  time,  and  the  obfcrvations  of  thofe,  who  are  better  acquainted  with 
"  that  country  than  I  am,  to  determine."  —  This  is  no  lefs  candidly  than  judi- 
cioufly  remarked;  for  Trajc8us  at  Oldbury  has  been  ever  looked  upon  as  the 
only  Roman  ftation  here  by  Cambden,  &c.  yet  it  now  comes  out,  that  the  Ro- 
mans in  their  journies  into  Wales  or  Caerwent,  might  and  did  fix  other  ftations, 
particularly  this  at  Abone  and  Clifton,  on  the  banks  of  the  Avon,  near  which 
was  the  Trajeftus  in  a  ftrait  road  from  Bath  or  Aquae  Solis,  to  Caerwent, 
anfwering  nearly  as  we  fee  to  the  m.  p.  or  miles  fet  againft  each  in  Antonine's 
Itinerary,  which  no  other  Trajeftus  does.  —  Oland,  or  Oldland,  near  Han- 
ham,  though  no  traces  there  afcertain  it,  has  been  conjeftured  by  fome  to  be 
one,  about  nine  miles  from  Bath;  but  from  Abone,  Sea-Mills  or  Portifliead,  the 
Trajeflus  acrofs  the  Severn  about  nine  miles,  is  dired  to- Caerwent:  —  The 
other  Roman  way  from  Bath  to  Oldbury,  being  over  the  hilly  ground  of  Landf- 
down  pafting  near  Wick,  {Vicm,)  where  Roman  relicks  were  found  juft  under 

the 


[        27         ] 

the  hill  by  R.  Haynes,  Efcj;  —  fo  by  Pucklcchurch  to  Bury-hil!,on  thcFroom; 
whence  the  road  was  to  Almonfbury,  and  lo  And  or  Oldbury,  and  over  the 
Severn  to  Lydney,  where  is  a  great  camp,  (delineated  in  Archoeol.  v.  5.)  near 
the  borders  of  that  river  ;  and  fo  into  Herefordfliird,  &c. 

It  appears  hence  the  Romans  had  more  than  one  Trajeftus  acrofs  the  Severn  ; 
but  to  Caerwent  they  could  have  none  fo  convenient  and  direfl:  as  this  at 
Abone  near  Briftol:  —  if  they  crofTed  at  Aull  for  that  ftation  flrait  to  the 
other  fide  to  Beachly,  or  to  Tidcnham  on  the  fame  fhore,  they  mufl  have  had 
a  fecond  trouble  to  ferry  over  another  dangerous  and  rapid  river  the  Wye, 
where  Chcpflow  Bridge  now  flands,  or  mufl  have  failed  down  the  Severn  from 
Auft  fome  way  till  they  came  on  a  line  with  Caerwent,  many  miles  out  of  their 
direft  courfe. 

Horfely,  p.  469,  fays,  "  the  military  way  running  Eaflward  from  Caerwent 
is  large  and  remarkable  :  I  obfervcd  it  to  leave  the  high  way  to  Chepftovs', 
and  inclining  to  the  South  to  bend  its  courfe  towards  tl>e  Severn,  but  I  had 
not  opportunity  to  trace  it  to  the  fide  of  the  river.  —  The  name  Old  Paflage 
may  not  have  fo  diftant  a  retrofpeft  as  the  Roman  Trajeftus,  but  yet  I  con- 
clude from  the  courfe  of  the  military  way  which  I  obferved  myfelf,  that  the 
Roman  paffage  has  been  below  the  mouth  of  the  Wye,  and  I  fcarce  think  the 
landing  place  on  the  South  fide  can  be  near  fohigh  as  Oldbury,  though  this  is 
generally  fuppofedj  and  for  this  reafon,  Oldbury  has  got  the  name  of  Trajec- 
tus,  a  tranfpofition  of  names  being  now  more  generally  admitted."  —  Had  Mr. 
Horfely  continued  his  rout  on  the  military  way  to  the  bank  of  the  Severn, 
he  would  then  have  found  the  grand  camp  of  Sudbrook  to  be  the  ftation, 
where  they  croficd  the  Severn  to  Abone  the  other  fide  near  Briflol. 

It  is  worthy  of  obfervation,  that  the  little  river  Throggy,  on  the  bank  of  which 
lies  the  great  fquare  camp  Sudbrook,  opens  here  into  the  Severn,  in  a  direc- 
tion almoft  oppofite  to  the  Briftol  Avon  on  the  other  fide,  as  appears  on 
viewing  it  acrofs  Kingroad,  Pcnpoll  near  Shirehampton  rifing  to  the  view  very 
diftinft;  the  mouth  of  the  Throggy  forms  ftill  a  kind  of  pill  for  veffels,  and 
the  river  itfelf,  though  now  fmall  and  filled  up,  was  evidently  once  navigable 
up  to  the  city  of  Caerwent;  the  bed  of  the  river  ftill  appearing  open,  broad, 
and  deep  in  many  places,  fo  that  the  communication  with  the  Aquae  Solis  or 
Bath  and  the  Abone  near  Briftol  and  Caerwent,  was  dircft,  free  and  well 
guarded  ;  and  doubtlcfs  fucli  a  well  peopled  city  as  Caerwent  evidently  was, 
the  feat  of  Roman  arts  and  arms,  grandeur  and  luxury,  held  great  corrcfpon- 
dence  acrofs  the  Severn  with  the  other  ftations  and  commercial  intercourfc 
with  all  the  country  ihey  poftefTcd.  —  In  the  year  1777,  a  tcftclatcd  pavement 

D  2  was 


C        28        ] 

vas  difcovered  in  an  orchard  at  Caerwent,  about  21  feet  long  by  18  broad, 
'made  by  fmall  fquare  pieces  of  ftone  about  half  an  inch  or  more  fquarc,  inlaid 
in  an  elegant  form  in  waving  lines  and  twilled  chainlike  fhapes,  with  a  very 
large  rofe  in  the  center  of  the  floor,  fiirrounded  with  a  circle  charged  with  ten 
fmaller  rofes,  painted  with  four  colours,  red,  yellow,  white,  and  blue ; 
the  fide-wall  was  plaiftered  fmooth  and  painted  red.  It  fcems  to  have 
been  the  ftate  room  or  tent  of  the  Prefeft  of  the  Legio  fccunda  Aug.  an  infcrip- 
tion  on  a  flone  dug  up  here  was,  *'  Julia  EJJeunda  vixit  annos  xxxv. 

Upon  the  Romans  leaving  their  flation  here  and  at  Caerwent  and  Caerleon, 
and  upon  their  departure  from  the  ifland  of  Britain,  the  cities  and  manfions  on 
both  fides  the  Severn,  which  grew  up  and  flourifhed  in  peace  under  their  ftrift 
difcipline  and  government,  became  in  a  flate  of  confuGon,  being  terribly 
harraffcd  by  the  inteftine  divifions  of  the  Britons  themfelves,  and  afterwards  by 
foreigners  called  in  to  their  aid.  Caerwent  and  Caerleon  encompalfed  with 
brick-walls,  and  celebrated  for  their  lofty  palaces  and  temples,  Roman  baths, 
teffelated  pavements,  hypocaufla  and  theaters,  as  well  as  a  vaft  concourfe  of 
merchants  and  learned  men,  fell  under  the  general  calamity  :  the  firfl  dwindling 
into  a  place  of  no  note  but  for  the  coins  and  Roman  bricks  and  infcriptions  ftill 
dug  up  there,  the  latter  lying  buried  in  its  ruins,  and  ipfx  periertruina  ;  —  now 
it  cannot  be  fuppofed  the  petty  towns  in  their  neighbourhood,  Newport  and 
Chepftow,  which  rofe  on  their  ruins,  (being  alfo  as  much,  if  not  more  expofed,] 
fhould  receive  and  afford  a  fecure  retreat  and  afylum  to  the  numerous  inhabi- 
tants, as  well  merchants  as  others,  of  thefe  populous  cities,  which  mud  have 
had  then  the  greatefl.  commerce  and  free  trade  of  any  in  the  Weft  of  England, 
to  fupply  the  conveniences  and  luxuries  of  fuch  a  multitude  of  polifhed  citi- 
zens; —  no;  they  would  naturally  apply  to  places  and  ftations  of  greater 
fafety  and  well  adapted  to  trade ;  and  where  they  could  enjoy,  uninterrupted, 
a  free  navigation  and  fecurity  of  commerce.  It  may  therefore  be  believed, 
and  with  the  greatefl  probability  if  not  certainty,  that  they  immediately  fled 
from  their  diflurbed  condition  at  Caerleon  and  Caerwent,  and  Iranfportcd 
themfelves  direflly  acrofs  the  Severn  at  Kingroad,  to  Briflol,  then  a  city  alfo 
under  the  proteflion  of  the  Romans  at  Clifton  and  Leigh  in  its  neighbourliood; 
and  the  well-known  flation  of  the  Romans  here,  and  ufual  intercourfe  acrofs 
the  Severn,  pointed  out  to  them  the  propriety  of  their  choice,  and  the  fecurity 
they  fhould  enjoy  here  unmolelled. 

After  they  had  once  feated  themfelves  here,  and  the  Romans  had  left  their 
fortified  flation  at  Clifton,  the  Britons  confining  on  the  Severn  and  in  its  neigh- 
bourhood foon  flocked  hither  and  incrcafcd  the   eflablifluncnt  of  the  city:  — 

The 


C    29    ] 

The  colonies  the  Romans  had  at  the  camps  of  Henbury,  Almondfbury,  Old 
Abby,  Sodbuiy,  Hinton-Durham,  and  other  adjacent  places,  fupplicd  many 
inhabitants  that  did  not  follow  the  Romans,  but  contributed  to  the  fpecdy 
advance  and  population  of  the  city.  Briftol  is  juftly  reputed  to  be  a  fecure 
place  in  times  of  tumult  and  popular  commotions,  which  we  know  from  hiftory 
to  have  been  the  cafe  of  Britain  when  the  Romans  left  it,  as  appears  from  their 
complaints  fent  to  Rome  afterwards,  of  which  Gildas  gives  a  moft  pathetic  and 
lamentable  account. 

Where  then  could  the  merchant,  the  tradefman,  the  rich  or  the  poor  me- 
chanic, find  a  place  of  greater  fafety  in  fuch  times  than  Briftol,  not  liable  to  be 
fuddenly  furprifed  and  attacked,  the  Avon  being  its  guard  on  the  Somerfet  fide, 
and  the  Froom  winding  round  it  formed  it  into  an  ifland,  avery  natural  and  moft 
effeftual  defence ;  and  the  Severn  in  feme  refpeBs,  with  its  feveral  fortreftes 
and  entrenched  pofts,  formed  a  diftant  defence  and  barrier  on  the  North  and 
Weft  fide  ;  and  at  the  fame  time  by  its  free  communication  by  water  with  other 
places  and  the  fea,  was  the  beft  adapted  for  a  convenient  habitation  and  enjoy- 
ing all  the  advantages  of  commerce,  and  thereby  a  quick  fupply  of  every 
necefTary  of  life. 

Befides  what  has  been  advanced  of  the  Roman  camps  and  ftations  here, 
under  which  the  city  of  Briftol  rofe  and  flouriflied,  it  muft  be  added,  that  it 
is  highly  probable  that  military  people  occupied  the  very  hills  within  the  prc- 
cinfts  of  the  city  ;  —  as  experienced  Generals  they  would  pofiefs  themfelvcs  of 
all  the  heights  near  their  principal  ftations  —  accordingly  wc  find  Roman  coins 
have  been  dug  out  of  the  earth  on  St.  Michael's-hill,  within  the  citv,  bv 
Thomas  Tyndale,  Efq;  at  the  Fort,  when  he  formed  and  walled  in  a  large 
garden  there.  The  coins  were  of  Conftantine,  Conftantius  Gordian,  and 
Tetricus ;  —  and  in  the  field  behind  the  Montague  Inn  on  Kingfdown,  in  1780, 
■was  found  four  feet  deep,  a  coin  of  Conftantine,  with  the  following  infcription. 
Imp.  C.  Ccnjlantinus  p.  F  Aug.  a  laureated  head: — on  the  reverfe,  a  figure  of  the 
fun,  with  Soli  InviBo  Comili. 

But  both  St.  Michael's-hill  and  Brandon-hill  have  undcrfrone  fuch  altera- 
lions  by  time,  large  fortifications  and  entrenched  pofts  having  been  made 
there  in  later  days,  efpecially  in  the  great  rebellion  1641,  that  their  furfaccs 
have  often  taken  a  new  form,  and  the  appearance  of  the  ancient  entrenchments 
is  loft ;  and  every  veftige  of  Roman  antiquity  muft  neceffarily  be  deftroved 
and  effaced,  the  coins  found  being  now  the  only  proofs  of  their  having  once 
occupied  thefe  hills. 

As 


[     30     ] 

As  it  vas  then  from  the  Roman  camps  in  its  neighbourhood,  and  the  road 
betwixt  Bath  and  Caerwent  paffing  this  way,  Briftol  may  be  faid  to  have  dedu- 
ced its  firft  origin,*  the  Britons  living  there  under  their  proteClion  and  govern- 
ment. So  from  the  downfal  of  thofe  populous  cities  of  Caerwent  and  Caerleon, 
upon  the  retreat  of  the  Romans  from  Britain,  it  flourifhed  and  increafed  in  a 
moft  rapid  manner  by  a  great  acceflion  of  new  inhabitants  from  acrofs  the 
Severn  ;  who  foon  enlarged  its  commerce,  and  fupplied  thofe  conveniences 
and  luxuries,  with  which  the  numerous  and  polite  inhabitants  of  thofe  cities  in 
Wales  u  fed  to  be  fupplied;  and  upon  the  coming  of  the  Saxons,  who  afterwards 
occupied  the  ftrong  camps  and  ports  deferted  by  the  Romans,  (as  Saxon  coins 
dug  up  there  alfo  fhew,)  —  Briftol  we  fhall  find  foon  became  the  grand  feaport 
and  mart  of  the  Weft  Saxon  kingdom,  agreeable  to  what  Leland  has  faid  of  it, 
"  Aufla  eft  a  Saxonibus," — it  was  increafed  by  the  Saxons — who  ufually  built 
on  Roman  foundations,  and  occupied  places  deferted  by  them. 

If  it  fliould  be  farther  aflvcd,  at  what  particular  period  of  time  it  was  founded? 
To  anfwer  this  queftion  with  precifion  may  not  perhaps  be  in  any  one's  power, 
involved  as  it  is  in  fo  much  obfcurity,  and  difficult  from  the  remotenefs  of  the 
time,  it  can  only  be  faid  to  have  taken  its  rife,  beyond  doubt,  from  the  Roman 
ftation  Abone ;  growing  up  by  degrees  from  it,  and  at  laft  being  blended  with 
it,  while  the  Romans  ufed  to  pafs  the  Severn  to  Caerwent;  —  rifing  within  the 
century  after  the  birth  of  Chrift,  and  advancing  in  population,  trade  and  gran- 
deur from  that  time,  keeping  pace  with  the  Romans,  while  here,  and  after  their 
leaving  the  ifland,  increafing  by  a  vaft  acceffion  of  inhabitants  from  every 
quarter. 

CHAP. 


•  Though  I  fuppofe  this  to  have  been  the  firft  origin  of  the  city  of  Briftol,  it  is  not  to  be 
omitted,  that  there  is  a  truditionaiy  account  mentioned  alfo  by  Rofs,  Leland,  and  in  William  of 
Worcefter's  manufcripts  ;  and  a  manufcript  by  Ricaut,  in  the  Chamber  of  Briftol,  that  Brennus 
founded  Briftol ; — but  as  the  ftoiy  of  Brennus  and  Bcllinus  is  not  well  authenticated,  and  there 
is  little  hiftorical  evidence  for  it,  like  the  accounts  of  JefFeiy  of  Monmouth,  of  Brute  and  his 
Trojans  coming  hither,  deemed  all  equally  fabulous,  it  will  be  ncedlcfs  to  purfue  the  enquiry. 


[     31      ] 


CHAP.        II. 

(?/"  B  R  I  S  T  O  L  ?>i  ^^f  S  A  X  O  N  ani   N  O  R  M  A  N  Times. 

T  T  AVI  NG  inveftigatcd  the  origin  and  firfl  rife  of  the  city  at  the 
-■■  ■*-  Roman-Britifli  period,  I  proceed  next  with  the  Saxon  and  Norman 
accounts. 

A  manufcript  difcourfe  on  Briftol,  which  has  the  marks  of  great  antiquity, 
faid  to  be  wrote  by  Turgot,  a  Saxon,  in  Saxonnes  Latyn,  mud  be  acknow- 
ledged to  be  of  great  weight  ;  and  as  the  writer  lived  to  give  the  following 
account  of  Briftol  not  long  after  the  very  time,  in  which  Cambden  afferts 
Briftol  to  have  firft  rifen,  it  will  be  a  full  confutation  of  that  eminent  antiquarian. 
I  Ihall  add  the  fame  Turgot's  "  account  of  auncient  coynes  found  at  and  near 
Briftowe,  with  the  hyftorie  of  the  fyrfl  coynynge  by  the  Saxonnes,  alfo  an 
account  of  monumental  incriptions,  faid  to  be  done  from  the  Saxon  ynto 
Englylhe  by  T.  Rowlie."  This  Turgot  is  faid  to  be  a  Briftol  man,  was  prior 
of  Durham,  afterwards  Biftop  of  St.  Andrews  in  Scotland ;  he  writ  a  hiftory 
of  Scotland,  alfo  chronicles  of  Durham ;  annals  of  his  own  time,  and  the 
life  of  K.  Malcolm.  It  is  faid  he  wrote  alfo  a  Saxon  poem  called,  the 
Bloody  Battle  of  Haftynges. 

All  the  works  of  Turgot  have  never  been  publiflied;  efpecially  the  follow- 
ing curious  account  of  Briftol,  faid  in  a  very  old  manufcript  to  be  tranflatcd 
by  T.  Rowlie  out  of  Saxon  into  Englifti,  now  in  my  poffcftion.  Turgot  *  it 
appears  was  prior  of  Durham  in  1088,  having  fuccccdcd  his  preceptor  Aid- 
win  who  died  1087  in  that  priory,  and  was  confecrated  Bifliop  of  St.  Andrews 
in  1 108,  and  was  buried  at  Durham  feven  years  after   1115. 

"  Seft.  II.  of  Turgoteus.  —  Strange  as  it  maie  feem  that  there  were  Walks 
to  Radclefte,  yet  fulle  true  ytte  is  beynge  the  Walles  of  Brightrycus  pallace, 
&  in  owre  dales  remaincthe  there  a  fmall  piece  neie  Efelwynnes  Towre.  I 
conceive  not  it  coulde  befquare,  tho  rradytyonfo  faieth:  thelnhabitcrs  wythyn 
the  Walle  had  ryghte  of  Tolic  on  tiie  Ryvers  Severnc  &  a  part  of  Avon. 
Thus  much  of  Radclefte  Wallcs.      On  wliych   padage  of  Turgot,  T.  Rowlie 

fubjoins 

•  Lcland  in  Collfclan  V.  ii.  542,  538,  gives  an  account  of  Turgot  fiptodam  Cleruo  Turj^ctaJ 
tiktn  out  cf  a  manufcript  book,  of  the  Bifho|'S  of  Lindislaini. 


C    32    ] 

fubjoins  the  following  Emendal  or  Note:  —  Hence  myghte  be  the  reafonne 
W'hie  the  Indabiters  of  Radclcfte  callyd  much  of  the  River  Avon,  Sevcrne; 
becaufe  formerlie  reckoned  in  theyre  Tollege  with  the  Severne,  as  Inhabiter 
of  Radclefte  have  I  ufed  Severne  for  Abona  or  Avon,  &  accounted  Severne 
to  reeche  over  anenl  Radclefte  Strete. 

"  Seft.  III.  of  Turgotus.  —  Nowe  to  fpeake  of  Bryghtflowe,  yttes  Walles 
&•  Caftelle  beynge  the  fayrefl  buyldinge,  of  ytte  I   flialle  fpeake  fyrfte.     The 
pryncipale  Streets  meete  in  forme  of  a  Crofs,  &  is  a  goode  patterne  for  the 
Cityes  of  Chryftyannes.     Brightrycus  fyrft  ybuylden  the  Walles  in  fafliyon 
allmofle   Square  wythe  four   Gates  —  EUe  Gate,  Baldwynnes  or  Leonardos 
Gate,  Froome  or  the  Water  Gate  and  Nycholas  or  Wareburgha's,    fo  clepcd 
from  Wareburga  of  the  Houfe  of  Wulverus  Konynge  of  Mercia  (&  here  be 
ytte  noted  thatBrightftowe  was  fometymes  inne  the  hondes  of  the  Mercyesfome- 
tymeof  the  Weft  Saxonnes,  tyll  Bryghtricus  walled  ytte,  ande  fyxede  ytte  for 
ever  to  hys).     Thys  Wareburga  was  baptyzed  bye  Saynte  Warburgus,  8c  had 
a  Chyrche  ybuilte  to  her  by  the  Bryftowans  —  Almoft  arounde  the  Walles  was 
Watere  &  fowre  Brydges  or  fordes.     EUe  forde,  Santforde  or  Halleforde 
beynge  where  Tradition  fayes  Saynte  Warburgus  paffyd ;   Frome  Forde  &  Bald- 
wynnes's  Forde,  beynge  where  Tradytyonne  faies  Sayente  Baldwynne  fleen 
the  Danes  that  fled  from  Bultyngcatune.     The  Walles  have  fuffred  alteratyon 
fynce  Edward  Sonne  of  Alfrydus  Magnus  A.  D.  DIVC-XV.  *  ybuylden  the 
the  Walles  8c  newly  ybuylden  the  Caftle  —  beeynge  the  goodlyefte  of  the  five 
ybuilden  on  Abone  Bankes  8c  a  greete  checke  to  the  Danes :  he  caufed  the 
Gate   neare  Baldwynnes   forde  to   be  callyde  Baldwynes  before  Leonardes. 
The  Caflle  thus  ybuilden  ytte  was  yeven  in  fure  keepynge  to  Ella  a  Mercyan 
fynce  hee  routted  the  Danes  at  Watchette  wythe  hys  Bryftowans ;    and    at 
Wykewarre  with  hys  owne  Menne  and  thofc  of  Wykewarre,  at  Canyngan  8c 
Alluncengan  t  with  his  Bryftowans.      At  the  laftc  place  he  conquered  :  but  Eng- 
lande  payde  dearlie  for  the  Battle,  he  dyed  inBryftowc  Caftle  of  hys  Woundes. 
He  was  the  ftaye  of  the  Wefte  and  the  Guardyan  of  Glouceftre,  whyche  after 
hysDethe  was  pyteouOlie  facked — hee  gave  Name  to  Ellingham  ande  Eleceftre. 
Coernicus  fucceeds  in  the  Caftle,  but  was  not  fo  fortunate  as  hys  predecefToure, 
aRbrdyinge  ne  Helpe  to  others,  havyng  Employmente   enowe  to   kecpe  hys. 
owne.     In  his  days  were  Bathe  &  Glouceftre  brente :  the  pagannes  alFayled 
Briftow  ande    fome  entrynge   Coerne    commandynge   alle    the  fordes  to  be 
cutte,  whereby  all   the  Dacyans  whyche  entered  were  forflayne  or  drowned. 
Inne  his.  daies  and  the  reygn  of  Kynnge   Aedclftan   was  twayne  of   Coiners 
in  Bryghtftowe.     From  hym  faie  fome  came  Corne-Strcet  +  —  he  buildenanew 

Wareburgas 

915.        +  So  in  the  original.        :j:  Called  old  Corn-ftieet  in  anticnt  writings  I  have  fccn. 


* 


[     33     ] 

Wareburgas  Cbyrchc  and  added  thereunto  Houfcn  for  preefl.es.  He  was 
brave  and  dyd  his  beft  agaynfl  the  paganes.  After  hym  was  Harwardc,  who 
vas  fleyn  in  Redcleft  fyde  fyghteynge  againfte  the  paganes,  Whoe  "ottc  ne 
honoure  in  fighte  lofynge  three  Capytaynes  Magnus  Hurra  &  Olbrave  &: 
fleying  the  feeld  —  Then  Smallaricus,  Vincent  &  Adelwyn  —  then  Egwyn, 
from  whome  the  Street  Egwynne  Streete  was  ybuildennc.  Likewyfe  in  his 
tyme  was  the  greate  Earthquake;  manye  houfen  in  Bryftowc  fallene  downe 
&  the  Fyre  levyne  enfyrede  Radclef  Strete  —  Shortely  after  on  the  vyolente 
enfeefynge  of  the  Crownc  bie  Ethelrede,  an  Infurreftyon  happened  in  Bryght- 
ftowe  Avhych  Egwynne  appcafed.  After  him  Aylwardus,  Adelbryghte,  Am- 
ftuarde,  Algarre,  And  thenne  Leofwynne  Sonne  of  Godwynne  Erie  of 
Kente.  Upon  the  afcendynge  of  Edwarde  Confeffour  the  Natyon  was  all 
turnyd  French ;  ynne  the  nynthe  Yeere  of  the  reigne  of  Edwarde  beeyncrc 
m.  o.  xxxxxx.  Leofwynne  bye  thys  Charter  hadde  Bryflowe. 

Iche  Edwarde  Konynge,  Yeven  Bryftoe  Caftellynge 

Unto  the  keepynge,  Off  Leofwynne  de  Godwynne 

Of  Clytoe  K)-ndlynge  ;  Of  Ballarde  and  Battell 

Le  Bartlowe  *  for  Cattayle 

Alle  that  on  the  watters  flote.  To  take  Brugbote  ? 

Eke  at  ye  Stowe  of  Wickwarre  breme.  And  yttes  S)  Iver  Streeme 

Toe  take  Havenyche,  As  Eldermanne  of  Iche 

To  hys  owne  Ufe,  At  his  goode  Thewes 

Wytnefsowre  Marke  before  Ralph  Dunftan  8c  Egwyn 

Of  owre  reygne  and  Ealler  Month  Yeere  &Daie  nyne: 
Thus  had  hee  the  Cartel ;  &  hys  fadre  Broders,  &  the  Cityfens  of  Bryghtft^owe 
ande  Nobilytye  of  Kente  entered  ynto  a  folemne  League  agaynfle  the  Lon- 
doners, Who  were  almofte  alle  frenchmenne,  makynge  the  fayde  League  at 
Br)^ght(lowe.  Inne  M.  L.  i.  the  menne  of  Dover  &■  Kente  beynge  murdred 
by  the  Bullonyans,  Godwynne  Sc  his  Kcntiflimen  Harolde  Sc  the  Weftfaxons 
came  to  Bryftoe  to  Leofwynne,  Who  receevd  them  kyndly  ynto  hys  Caftelle 
Sc  fet  forwarde  wyth  them  to  Gloucefter  Sc  after  the  appoyntment  came  agayne 
to  Briftowe  but  throughe  treacheree  the  expedytyone  myfTede :  Whereupon 
Kynge  Harolde  Sc  Lcofwyne  came  wyth  Swayne,  Toftye,  Wolnothus  Sc 
Gyrthe  to  Bryghftowe  Sc  Shypped  for  Hybernia:  ande  nowe  bee  ytte  noted 
that  When  Gryffithc  Kyngc  of  South  wales  Sc  the  Irifh  pyrates  attack'd  them 
Leofwynne  ftroke  Galfride  Kurke  Capytaine  to  the  grounde  ande  toke  hym 
pryfoncr  leavyng  his  armie  Where  by  the  South  wajlians  retyrd  to  the  Coun- 

E  try 

*  Q.  If  Bcrklaw  or  Bartalaw  —  vid.  Spclman. 


[     34     ] 

try  withe  greete  lofTe,  Leofwync  entreated  Kurke  kyndlie  &  let  hym  dcparte 
to  Hibernie  Where  upon  he  invited  hym  to  Hybernie,  Whither  he  went 
with  280  Bryftowans." 

Such  is  the  account  of  our  city  Taid  to  be  given  by  Turgotus.  Whatever 
may  be  objeQed  to  the  authenticity  of  this  manufcript,  the  author  can  only 
fay,  it  has  the  marks  of  being  genuine,  and  is  faithfully  tranfcribed  from  the 
original  parchment,  not  without  great  difficulty  to  decypher  it,  on  account  of 
the  palenefs  of  the  ink  and  peculiarity  of  the  charafter. 

It  is  very  certain,  the  Saxons,  after  the  retreat  of  the  Romans  and  confe- 
quent  divifions  and  wars  of  the  Britons,  greatly  increafed  the  city  both  in 
extent  of  buildings  and  in  population,  and  made  it  a  place  of  greater  commerce 
and  refort  of  fhipping  than  it  had  ever  had  in  the  Roman-Britifh  times.  It 
lay  more  fecure  from  Danifli  invafions  by  its  inland  fituation,  not  to  be  ap- 
proached but  by  a  long  and  difficult  navigation  up  the  Briftol  Channel ;  and 
this  accounts  for  the  little  mention  made  of  it  by  our  hiftorians,  as  not  diftin- 
guiflied  in  the  Danifli  wars  :  though  they  tell  us,  the  Danes  came  as  far  as  the 
Holmes,  where  they  fuffered  a  defeat  and  famine.  Though  fomc  manufcripts 
infinuate,  that  this  city  did  not  cfcape  their  piracy  and  ravage. 

The  Saxons  diftinguilhed  Briftol  fo  early  with  their  notice,  that  Edward, 
ihe  fon  of  Alfred,  built  a  caftle  here  for  its  defence  ;  and  Alfred,  in  the  fifth 
year  of  his  reign,  is  faid,  in  Hollingfhead,  to  have  driven  the  Danes  from 
Exeter  to  Dartmouth,  where  they  took  fliipping,  and  difperfed  others,  "  fome 
of  whom  fled  to  Chippenham  and  fome  to  Briftol."  And  in  the  Chronologia 
Vila  Alfredi,  and  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  we  find  the  Danes  fpoiling  all  the 
country  on  the  Severn,  and  making  irruptions  into  various  parts  upon  it;  and 
there  is  no  reafon  to  believe  Briftol  to  have  wholly  efcaped. 

An  account  at  the  end  of  Langtoff's  Chronicle  by  Hearn,  vol.  ii.  p.  465. 
fays,  "  the  Danes  landed  near  Brent  in  Somerfetftiire,  but  were  put  to  flight, 
a  great  number  drowned  and  flain  by  King  Alfred,  and  others  efcaped  and 
fled  to  Woorle-hill,  where  they  fortified  themfelves,  &c."  There  is  to  be 
feen  at  this  day  on  the  faid  hill,  a  camp  of  wonderful  ftrength,  with  many  ag- 
gcra  ;  whether  Danifli,  or  not,  deferves  the  attention  of  the  curious. 

There  are  many  accounts  of  the  Danes  infcfting  Somerfetfliire,  which  about 
the  year  900  was  much  expofed  to  their  ravages,  and  greatly  haraffed  by  fre- 
quent invafions  of  them;  their  fliips  came  up  the  Briftol  Chaiuiel,  and  making 
defcents  on  the  open  and  defencelefs  towns,  fpread  terror  and  defolation 
wherever  they  came.  In  the  year  878  they  landed  near  Biddeford  with  thirty- 
three  fail  offhips,  and  wafted  the  countrv  with  fire  and  fword ;  but  they  were 

overcome 


[     35      ] 

overcome  by  the  victorious  Alfred,  their  captain  Hubba  and  1200  men  (lain, 
whom  they  buried  on  the  fliore  near  their  fliips,  and  the  phice  is  fince  called 
Hubbaftone.  "  In  the  915,  (favs  Stow)  a  great  navy  of  Danes  failed  about 
"  the  AV^eft  Country,  and  landed  in  divers  places,  taking  great  prevs,  and 
"  went  to  their  fhips  again.  The  King  Edward  fenior,  (the  fon  of  Alfred) 
"  for  ftrengthening  the  countr)',  made  a  caftle  at  the  mouth  of  the  Avon." — 
That  they  certainly  infefted  this  country  as  far  as  BriRol  Avon,  appears  fron\ 
the  Saxon  Chronicle.  "  And  the  Cyningc  ha?fde  funden  wyth  him  mon  fav 
"  with  on  futh-healfe  Saefrcnn-muthan  weftan  from  Wealum  Eaft  oth  Afa;ne- 
"  muthan,  &c."  i.  e.  "  In  the  year  918  King  Edward  thought  fit  to  difpofe 
"  his  army  at  the  South  part  of  the  mouth  of  the  Severn,  from  the  Weft  of 
"  Wales  towards  the  Eaft  to  the  mouth  of  the  Avon,  that  they  might  not  dare 
"  to  infeft  any  where  that  part  of  his  land  :  neverthelefs  they  withdrew  them- 
"  felves  privily  by  night  at  two  times,  once  in  the  eaftern  part  and  at  Watchet, 
"  and  another  time  at  Porlock.  But  they  were  conquered  both  times,  that 
"  few  remained  but  thofe  only  who  fwam  to  their  fliips.  Then  they  fet  down 
"  at  the  iflc  of  Bradanrelic,  (i.  e.  the  Flat  Holmes,)  till  they  were  in  great 
"  want  of  provifions,  and  many  periflied  with  hunger."  Henry  of  Hunlingdon, 
I.  V.  \i°  Edzvardifcnioris.  "  The  King  caufed  the  fliores  of  the  Severn,  on 
"  the  South  part  from  Wales  to  the  Avon,  to  be  guarded,  &c."  and  "  that 
"  it  was  at  the  ifland  of  Stepen,  or  Steep  Holmes,  they  fuffered."  Both  are 
not  far  diftant  from  each  other  in  the  Briftol  Channel  below  Kingroad,  wJiere 
the  Briftol  fliips  lie  at  anchor. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  kings  and  earls  of  Glocefter,  the  then  lords  or  thanes  of 
this  country,  long  held  this  city  under  their  proteftion  and  government,  and 
received  great  advantages  from  the  rents  and  profits  of  the  town.  Aylward 
Maew,  or  Sneaw,  was  lord  of  it  before  the  Conqueft,  mentioned  in  Leland's 
Itinerary.  He  was  a  Saxon  nobleman  of  the  grcatcft  rank  and  fortune, 
defcended  from  Edward  fenior,  (the  builder  of  the  caftle,  from  whom  he 
feems  to  have  held  Briftol  by  gift  or  inheritance.)  About  the  year  goo  he  is 
faid  to  be  vir  in  armis /Irenuus,  (Lei.  vol.  vi.  p.  82.)  a  man  of  great  prowcfs, 
and  "  Lorde  of  Brighteftowe,  and  founder  of  the  monaftcry  of  Cranbourne." 
His  fon  Algar,  with  his  wife  Algiva,  fucceeded  to  the  honour  of  Glocefter  and 
lordfliipof  Briftol  by  right  of  inheritance;  and  Briftricus,  the  fon  of  Algar, 
after  them.  He,  being  a  very  rich  man,  rcfided  much  at  Briftol,  and  diftin- 
guiflied  it  greatly. 

Briclric,  or  Brightick,  had  great  pofteftions,  is  called  in  Leland  viro  prccdi- 
vili;  he  tranflated  the  body  of  King  yEthelbert,  buried  privately  on  the  banks 

E  2  of 


C     35     ] 

of  the  river  Lugg,  to  Hereford.  There  is  an  Earl  Bri6lrick  mentioned  in  Leland's 
Collccl.  vol.  i.  p.  349,  the  brother  of  Edward  Streona  Duke  of  Mercia.  I 
have  in  a  manufcript  a  note  of  the  genealogy  of  Earl  Briftric,  from  BriQric 
King  of  the  Weft  Saxons.  Little  Froma  and  Cranbourn  three  hides  was  held 
(with  other  great  eftates^*)  by  our  Earl  Briftric,  T.  E.  C.  worth  12  1.  per 
ann.  :  the  name  in  Doomfday-book  is  fometimes  wrote  Brihtricus. 

That  Briftric  was  a  great  repairer,  founder,  or  improver  of  Briflol,  appears 
from  fome  Latin  verfes  taken  from  a  chronicle  of  Tewkfbury,  quoted  by 
Dugdale  in  Monafticon,   vol.  i.  p.  161. 

"  Atque  ego  Briftanus  ultimus  ante  conqueftum  Dominus 
Hoc  Templum  fundo  ;  mihimet  vere  corde  jucundo 
Briftow  conftruxi.  Honor Jiat  ut  Crucifixi." 

That  Brifclanus,  or  BiQanus,  means  Briftrift,  or  Bithric,  is  very  certain  from 
the  order  of  the  founders  here  recited.  Bri£tric,  or  Bightric,  was  a  name, 
quod  vcrfu  dicere  nequis,  unfit  for  Latin  verfe.  Briclric  being  a  founder  of  the 
church  of  Tewkfbury  and  at  Briftow  at  the  fame  timet  proves,  that  it  was  he 
probably  that  firft  annexed  a  cell  at  Briftol,  dedicated  to  St.  James,  toTewkft)ury 
abbey,  afterwards  attributed  to  Robert  Fitzha)mo,  a  Norman  knight.  — 
Aylward  above-mentioned,  in  the  time  of  King  Athelftan,  is  faid  in  Mr.  Lant's 
manufcript  to  have  been  a  principal  founder  at  Briftol,  which  indeed  received 
great  improvement  afterwards  from  moft  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  earls  of  Gloce- 
fter,  who  from  him  continued  lords  of  it :  it  became  afterwards  a  part  of  the 
honour  of  Glocefter,  and  the  caftle  here  the  caput  honoris  Glocejirur,  in  the  later 
Saxon  times. 

Thus  the  Saxons  having  driven  away  the  Danes,  and  expelled  the  ancient 
Britifti  inhabitants  of  this  city  from  their  native  feat  here  acrofs  the  Severn 
into  Wales,  the  Caer  Brito,  or  Briftol,  of  the  Britons  became  Saxonifed,  and 
the  place  wholly  in  their  pofieftion ;  and  the  Weft  Saxons  brought  into  fub- 
je8ion  all  thefc  parts.  And  as  they  could  not  fubdue  the  Britifti  fpirit  of  our 
Romanifcd  anceftors,  they  contented  themfclvcs  with  fixing  their  ftation  here, 
polTefling  themfelves  of  the  city  and  ftrong  Roman  camps  in  its  neighbourhood, 
(fome  Saxon  coins  in  my  pofteflTion  having  been  found  together  with  the 
Roman  coins  dug  there.)  They  ftrengthened  the  Saxon  government  here  by 
every  politic  ftep ;  and  by  walling  the  town  to  a  larger  extent  than  before,  and 
increafing  its  trade  and  (hipping,  it  foon  became  more  and  more  flourifliing, 

whilft 

*  Of  his  great  pofrcffions,  vid.  Annals  below. 

■t  In  an  old  grant  to  the  abby  of  Tewkfbury  the  rents  (coitus)  and  tythes  of  Brigcfton  is  men- 
tioned tQ  be  paid  to  that  abby.     Vid.  bu  Robcit  Atkins's  Hillory  cf  Gloceftcrniirc. 


C    zi    ] 

•whilft  Caerleon  and  Caerwent,  ancient  feaports,  loft  their  former  gran- 
deur, trade  and  importance,  and  from  famous  cities  dwindled  away  into 
obfcure  towns,  and  Newport  and  Chepdow  role  up   in  their  ftead. 

In  the  time  of  Edward  the  ConfefTor,  in  the  year  1051,  (1043  fay  fome) 
*  Harold  and  Leofwine  the  fons  of  Earl  Godwin,  are  mentioned  by  our 
hiftorians  to  have  been  profcribed,  and  that  coming  to  Briftol,  "  They  went 
"  aboard  a  fhip  that  tlieir  brother  Swayne  had  prepared  for  them  and  were 
"  carried  into  Ireland  :"  this  confirms  the  account  in  the  manufcript  hiftory 
of  Turgot  afore  mentioned  page  33,  where  the  matter  is  more  particularly 
defcribed.  In  1063,  Harold  then  Duke  of  Suftex  and  Kent  embarked  with 
his  forces  aboard  a  fleet  at  Briftowe  to  invade  Wales,  to  take  revenge  on 
Griffyth  King  of  Wales,  between  whom  and  Harold  there  was  a  great 
enmity,  t       .  • 

Coins  have  been  ever  looked  upon,  as  a  proof  of  the  dignity  and  antiquity 
of  the  place  where  they  are  found.  The  Roman  have  been  mentioned 
before ;  and  the  Saxons  have  alfo  left  here  traces  of  themfelves  by  their  coins. 

Here  I  fhall  have  recourfe  to  a  curious  coUeftion  of  coins  and  monumental 
ftones  mentioned  by  Turgot,  preferved  afterwards  in  the  cabinet  of  Mr. 
Canynge;  and  although  the  coins  themfelves  cannot  be  produced,  yet  an 
account  of  them  faid  to  be  "  drawen  from  the  cabinet  itfelf"  by  Thomas 
Rowlie  about  1460,  in  his  own  writing  is  flill  extant.  And  as  I  would  give  the 
real  and  genuine  account  of  thefe  coins  in  the  Tranflator's  own  words  from 
Turgot,  I  fhall  confine  myfelf  to  a  faithful  and  exaft  copy  from  the  original 
parchment  manufcript  as  follows,  in  which  the  ink  and  letters  by  time  were 
almoft  defaced,  and  leave  the  reader  to  judge  of  its  authenticity. 

"  Of  the  auntiaunte  forme  of  Monies  carefullie  gotten  for  Mayftcr  William 
Canynge  by  mee  Thomas  Rowieic." 

"  Greete  was  the  wyfdome  of  him  who  fayde  the  whole  worlde  is  to 
ne  one  Creature,  whereof  every  Man  and  Beafte  is  a  Member;  Nc  Manne 
lyveth  therefore  for  hymfelf  but  for  hys  fellow  creature.  Excellent  and 
Pythey  was  the  fayeing  of  Mr.  Canynge  that  Trade  is  the  foule  of  the 
worlde,  but  Monie  the  foule  of  Trade,  ande  alaffe  Monie  is  nowe  the 
foule  of  Manie.  The  age  when  Metallcs  fyrfte  paffcd  for  monie  is  unnoticed: 
As  Oxen  and  (heepe  is  thouglucn  to  have  beene  the  mode  cariie  Monie  or 

Change. 

•  Pono  HarolJus  &  Lcofwinus  filii  (Godwin!)  Briftowam  adeuntes  Navem  qiiam  fratcr 
Illorum  Suaniis  fibi  pa^av<;rat,  confccndcrunt  &  in  liibcrniam  tranfvcfti  fuciunt  —  Sim.  Dun. 
p.  185.  Haroldus  &  Leofvvinus  in  Hibcrniam  transiVctarunt  Chron,  Brompt  p.  9,J3  apud  x 
Script.     Stows  Annals  by  Horvcs.  p.  95.  96. 

+  Florent.    Wygoin.    Alfo  Turgot  before  p.  33. 


[     38     ] 

Change.  Butte  ytte  is  ftylle  more  difficyle  to  fyx  the  fyrft  tyme  of  ftampeying 
ytte.  Abrahame  is  fayde  to  have  yeven  Shekylls  bie  wavght :  An  Ebrewe 
Writer  faithe  that  in  the  Daies  of  Jofliua  the  Ebrewes  enftamped  theyre 
Monies  wythe  the  Symboles  of  the  Tabernacle  VefTylles,  butte  I  thynke 
the  fyrfle  enftampeyng  came  from  Hcathenne  Ammuletts,  whyche  were 
markyd  wythe  the  Image  of  theyre  Idolle,  &c  preefts  dyd  carrie  from  Houfe 
to  Houfe  begginge  or  rather  demaundynge  ofFeryngs  for  theyr  Idolle  —  The 
Ebrewes  who  fcorn'd  not  to  learne  Iiiyquytye  frome  theyr  Captives,  Sc 
vaynlie  thynkynge  as  in  other  thyngs  to  copy  other  Natyons  myghte  take  uppe 
thys  enfample  Ande  enfiamepynge  theyre  Monic  in  the  oulde  tyme  of  Jofue 
beyne  male  happe  one  of  the  Idolatries  mentyon'd  in  holie  wrete.  Examync 
into  antiquytie  &  you  wylle  fynde  the  folk  of  Athens  ftampyd  an  Owelette 
the  Byrde  of  Athene,  the  Sycylyans  fyre  the  Symbole  of  theyre  Godde  Vul- 
canne,  thele  of  ^Egvpt  a  couchaunt  Creeture  wythe  a  Lyonnes  Boddie  &  a 
Hawkes  heade  Symbole  of  theyre  Godde  Ofyris :  Butte  to  come  to  owre 
owne  Countrie  :  Oure  fyrfle  fathers  the  Bryttons  ufyde  yron  &  BrafTe  ryngs 
fome  round,  fome  fhapyd  like  an  Egge  :  Eleven  of  thefe  were  founde  in  the 
Gardenne  of  Galfrydus  Coombe  on  Sainfte  Mychaels  Hylle,  bie  theyre  dyf- 
pofitionne  in  the  grounde  feemed  to  have  been  ftrunge  onne  a  ftrynge,  Sc 
were  alle  marquede  on  Infyde  thus  M  Lykewyfe  is  in  Mayftre  Canynges 
Cabynet  an  Amulett  of  Brytifhe  Characters  peerced  at  the  Toppe.  Julyus 
Caefarres  Coynes  were  the  fyrfte  enftamped  Monies  yfede  in  Englande  :  after 
whomme  the  Bryttonnes  coyned  as  followes.  Tenantius  at  Cacr  Britoe, 
Cunobelyne  at  fundarie  places,  butte  notte  at  Caer  Brytoe.  Arvyragus  at 
Caer  Brytoe,  Mary  us  at  Caer  Brytoe,  BafTianus  at  Cacr  Brytoe,  Syke  was 
the  multitude  of  monies  bie  them  coyned  upon  Vyftoryes  8c  fykelyke  that 
neyther  anie  Kynge  tyll  Arthurres  tyme  coyned  quantity  of  Metalles  for 
anie  ufe  nor  dyd  Arthuree  make  monie  but  a  peece  of  Sylverie  toe  be  worne 
rounde  of  thofe  who  han  wonne  Honnour  in  Batelles.  *  Edelbarte  Kynge  of 

Kente 
*  Cambden  fays  Athelbred  fiid    coined   money  in   England,   the  penny  weighed   3d.  five 
pennies  made  a  fcilling,  48  fcillings  their  pound,  400  lib.  a  legacy  foi-  a  King's  daughter.     30 
pennies  a  macus,  mancufa  a  mark  of  filver,  mancaa  fquarc  piece  of  gold  value  30  pennies. 

But  the  Saxon  coins,  names,  weights  and  value,  arc  the  following  according  to  Mr.  Clarke's 
Connexion  of  Roman,  Saxon  and  Englifh  coins. 

Saxon  Gold  Coins. 
Mancus     -     .     -     -     .    v.'t.  54  gr.  6s.  of  their  money,   —     9s.     od.     of  ours. 
Half  Mancus       ....       ^j  3s,       ------       4s.     6d. 

Later  Mancus,  ora 

andAnglo  Saxon  Shilling      23        is,       -_...-      3s, 


[     39     ] 

Kente  was  the  fyrfte  Chryftenned  Kynge  &  coyner  in  Kent,  Clmulyn  or 
Ceaulynne  of  the  Wefte  Saxonnes,  Arpenwahus  of  the  Eafte  Angles, 
^thcldfrvde  of  the  north  Humbres,  And  Wulferus  of  the  Mercians.  The 
Piece  coynd  by  the  Saxonnes  was  clepen  pennyes  thryce  the  Value  of  our 
pennyes.  In  Adelftancs  rcygn  were  two  Coyners  in  Bryghftowe  Sc  one  at 
Wyckewarre  at  which  two  places  was  made  a  peece  yclepen  twain  penny. 

Golde  was  not  coyned  tyil  the  tyme  of  Edwardus  but  Byzantes  of  Conftan- 
tinople  was  in  ure,  fome  whereof  contayned  fower  Markas  or  Mankas  fome 
two,  fome  one  &  fome  lefs  and  more.  Robert  Roufe  Erie  of  Gloucefter 
had  hys  mynte  at  Bryftowe  Sc  coyned  the  bed  monie  of  anie  of  the  Ba- 
ronnes.  Henrie  Secundus  graunted  to  the  Lord  of  Briftowe  Caftle  the 
ryghte  of  Coynynge,  &  the  coynynge  of  the  Lord  wente  curraunte  unto  the 
Regne  of  Henricus  the  thyrde :  the  Coyns  was  onne  one  fyde  a  Rampaunte 
Lyonne  with  ynne  a  Strooke  or  bcnde  Sinyfter  &  on  the  other  the  arms  of 
Brightftowe. 

Eke  had  the  Maioure  lybertie  of  coyneyng  &  did  coyne  feveral  coynes, 
manie  of  whyche  are  in  mie  I'econde  rolle  of  monies  —  Kynge  Henricus  fext, 
offred  Mayllre  Canynge  the  ryghte  of  coynynge  whiyche  hee  refufed,  where- 
upon Galfridus  Ocamlus  who  was  wyth  Mayfter  Canynge  and  miefelf  con- 
cerning the  faide  ryghte,  faieth,  "  Naie  bie  St.  Pauls  CrofTe  hadde  I  fuch 
an  offre,  I  would  coyne  Lead  Sc  make  ne  Law,  hyndrynge  Hyndes  takyng 
it."  No  Doubte  (fayde  Mayfter  Canynge)  but  you'd  djfpend  Heaven  to 
gette  goulde,  but  I  dyfpende  Goulde  to  get  Heaven. 

This  curious  account  is  an  exa£l  tranfcript  from  the  writing  on  vellum, 
which,  having  all  the  external  marks  of  antiquity  to  give  it  the  credit  of  an 
original,  could  not  be  pafled  by,  however  readers  may  differ  in  their  opinions. 
If  genuine  and  authentic,  it  proves, 

ift.  That  befides  the  authorities  above  recited  for  the  Caer  Brito  of  Nen- 
nius  being  the  city  Briftow,  Britifli  money  was  coined  here  with  that  name 
infcribed,   though  hitherto  unnoticed. 

2d!v. 


Silver  S; 

ixor 

1  Coins. 

Shilling  at  5cl. 

. 

- 

112  gr.  5d. 

of 

their    money,     is.     id.  1 

of  ours. 

Ditto  at  4d. 

- 

- 

90          4d. 

lid.  i 

Thrimfa 

- 

- 

67          3d. 

-         -        .                 8d.  4 

Penny  or  Sceata 

- 

- 

22  J 

above  2d. ^ 

Ilelfling 

- 

- 

«'  d 

Copper. 
Styca  two  to  a  farthing. 


C      40      ] 

2dly.  That  coins  of  BafTianus  and  others  "  have  been  dolven  wythynn  its 
walles,"  befides  the  quantities  of  coins  of  other  Roman  Emperors,  which  have 
been  found  fo  frequently  very  near  it. 

3d!y.  That  many  coins  of  Saxon  Kings  have  been  thrown  up,  on  opening 
the  ground,  in  the  very  flreets  of  Briftol. 

From  all  this  the  antiquity  of  the  city  of  Briftol  is  fully  demonftratcd. 

Befides  the  coins  before-mentioned,  faid  to  be  coined  here  in  this  old  vellum 
manufcript,  there  were  others  certainly  dug  up  in  and  about  Briftol,  mentioned 
before,  feme  Roman,  fonie  Saxon:  and  in  another  manufcript,  penes  me,  writ- 
ten in  1708,  it  is  aflerted,  that  "  there  were  many  old  Britifli  coins  dug  up  at 
Briftol."  In  the  days  of  King  Athelftan,  fays  Roger  Hoveden,  it  was  de- 
creed, there  fliould  be  at  Canterbury  feven  monetaries,  viz.  four  of  the  kingj 
two  of  the  bifhop,  one  of  the  abbot ;  at  London  eight,  &c.  ;  and  at  Briftow, 
and  other  boroughs,  one. 

In  Camden's  lift  of  coins  we  find  one  of  Harold,  table  7,  of  Saxon  coins. 
No.  37;  the  reverfe  is,  "  Leofwine  on  BrightfloU;"  and  in  Sir  Andrew 
Fountain's  lift,  a  penny  of  Harold,  coined  at  Briftow  by  one  Leof,  a  mone- 
tary :  and  in  the  lift  given  by  Snelling,  wherein  are  the  coins  of  the  two  firft 
Williams,  I  find  thofe  of  Briftol  thus  defigned  : 

B  R  I  C. 
B  R  I  C  S  T  O  W. 
BRIGETSTOW. 
B  R  I  G  S  T  O  W. 
And  the  filver  penny  of  William  the  Conqueror,  in   Dr.  Ducarcl's  cabinet, 
reprefents  that  king  full-faced,  with  two  fceptres, 

Villevi  Rex  Anglorum.  Reverfe,  Leofwine  on  Brici. 
It  is  in  the  higheft  prefcrvation,  as  Dr.  Ducarel  himfclf  aftured  by  letter  the 
Author  of  this  Hiftory.  On  a  coin  of  Henry  ift.  it  is  called  Brifto,  and  on 
one  of  Edw.  ift.  Villa  de  Brijlo.  In  the  manufcript  of  Rowley  above,  it  is  faid, 
"  Robert  Roufe  Erie  of  Gloceftre  coyned  the  beft  money  of  any  of  the  barons ;" 
and  in  another  manufcript  is  mentioned  a  "  Briftow  tway-penny."  The  late 
learned  Prefident  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries,  London,  Dr.  Milles,  has  com- 
municated to  the  Author  the  following  obfervations  on  the  coin  of  this  Earl 
Robert.  "  The  coin  of  Robert,  in  which  he  is  reprefented  on  horfeback, 
was  fuppofcd  by  former  writers  to  belong  to  Robert  Duke  of  Normandy,  the 
Conqueror's  fon,  but  by  later  critics  adjudged  to  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  :  it 
has  the  following  infcription;  X  RODBERTUS  IV.  The  crofs,  which 
generally  precedes  thcfc  nummulary  legends,  is  placed  dire81y  before  the  firft 

letter. 


C     41      ] 

letter,  but  in  this  coin  there  is  a  confiderable  diftance,  owing  to  the  cap  of 
Robert  being  pointed  and  breaking  into  the  circle  of  the  legend,  feparates 
from  the  R,  and  makes  it  feem  to  follow  the  V;  which  made  Mr.  Colebroke. 
in  Archaeol,  vol.  iv.  read  it  "  Rodbertus  Dux  :"  but  this  would  rather  give 
it  to  Robert  Duke  of  Normandy  than  to  the  other.  The  circumflanccs  that 
feem  to  weigh  in  favour  of  its  being  a  coin  of  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  arc, 
that  all  the  great  barons  then  coined  money,*  that  Robert  (as  Rowley  fays) 
coined  the  befl  money  of  any  of  the  barons  ;  that  the  rcverfe,  which  repre- 
fented  a  crofs,  and  fome  fquare  and  fome  round  forms  in  the  place  of  the 
letters,  much  refemblcsthofeof  Euftace  and  Henry  2d.  ;  and  that  this  coin  was 
aftually  found,  with  fome  coins  of  thofe  princes,  at  or  near  Whitbv,  as 
Thorefby  fays,  p.  350.  Antiquities  of  Leeds."  Thus  Dean  Millcs ;  and 
though  Dr.  Ducarel  in  a  letter  to  me  aflerts,  that  "  there  are  none  of  the  old 
barons'  coins  that  hav^e  yet  reached  our  time,"  there  is  great  reafon  to  believe 
this  coin  of  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefler  to  be  rightly  appropriated  to  him. 

In  the  days  of  Edward  ift.  1272,  there  were  twelve  furnaces  at  York,  and 
twelve  at  Brill  ol,  and  more  in  other  great  boroughs,  for  melting  filver, 
in  order  for  hammering  and  flamping  perfeCl  monies ;  which  continued 
through  all  the  reigns,  till  about  1663.  His  coin  is  circumfcribed  with  the 
name  of  the  place  of  coinage,  as  Villa  Brijlolliot,  which  is  not  rare.  In  Henry 
the  fixth's  time,  there  was  a  mint  in  Briflol  for  coining  filver ;  the  place 
in  Peter-flreet,  near  the  Caftle,  (now  the  Hofpital  for  the  city  poor)  dill  re- 
taining the  name  of  the  Mint;  which  coining  in  Henry  the  fixth's  time  is 
alluded  to  in  Rowley's  manufcripts,  when  Mr.  Canynge  had  the  offer  of  the 
right  of  coining. 

In  42  Henry  8th.  were  coined  in  Briftol  teftoons,  groats,  half  groats,  and 
pennies,  with  Civitas  Bnjlollia;  on  the  rcverfe :  and  i  Edw,  6th.  there  was  a 
mint  at  Briftol 

The  following  coins  of  feveral  other   kings  bear  the   name  of  Briftol  upon 
them. — The  names  of  150  coiners  appear  on    the  pennies  of  William  the  ill 
and  2d,  ft  ruck  at  London,  York,  Winchefter,  Norwich,  Exon,  Briftow,  Sec. 
Henry  iftor  2d.      Penny  —  a  full  face  crowned,   in  the  right  hand  a  fceptre 
fleury,  in  the  left  a  mullet  of  five  points.  —  Rev.  Geraudon  Brijlow. 

F  Edw. 

*  As  proofs.  I  quote  the  following  from  Roger  Hovcdcn,  A.  1149.  Men.  Dux  Normanno- 
rum  fecit  novam  monetam  quam  vocabant  monctam  Ducis,  &  non  tantum  ipfc  fed  omnes  pclen- 
tes  tarn  epifcopi  quam  comitcs  &  barones  fuam  faciebant  monetam.  —  And  I  find  the  following 
in  William  Ncwbrigenfis,  b.  i.  ch.  22.  "  Domini  caftcllorum  in  Anglia  habcbant  fingvili  pcr- 
cuffuram  proprii  numifmalis  &  potcllatcm  regie  more  fubditis  diccndi  juris." 


[       42        ] 

Edw.  ift.      Penny  —  Rev.  Villa  Bripdie  22  gr.  j. 

Halfpenny — Rev.  Fi7/a  Br'JIoIke  11. 

Edw.  4th.     Cold  Angel  —  Ed.Di.Gr.  S^-c.  The  king  in  a  fliip  with  a  fquare 

flag  at  the  ftcrn,  on  which  is  the  initial  E.       on  the  other  fide  a  full  blown 

rofe,    under  which   is   the    letter   B.   for  Briftol,  the   place  of  coinage  ; 

weight  jg  gr. 

Edw.  4th.     Groat  —  Di  Gra.  Rex  Angl.et  Franc,  on  the   breafl  B.  marked  on 

both  fides  with  a  coronet.   Rev.  Villa  Brijloll. 
Edw.  4th.      Two-pence  —  DiG>ai.8cc.  Rev.  Villa  Brifow. 
Hen.  8th,  1545.     Teftoons,  Groats,  Half  Groats,  and    Pennies  —  with  Civiias 

Brijlollicc. 
Edw.  6th.     Penny  —  D.G.  Rofafme  fpina.    Rev.  CivUas  Brijloli^. 
Gul.  3d.      Half  Crown  —  Magn  Britt.  &c.    1696,  under  the   infcription  a  B. 
ftruck  at  Briftol  in  the  mint  there.      There  were  now   five  country  mints 
erefted  for  coining   bafe  money  and  filver   into  current  milled  money. 
There  Avas  brought  into  Briftol  of  hammered  money  and  wrought  plate  as 
much  as  made  in  weight  146,97702.  in  order  to  be  coined  there. 
There  has  been  dug  up  when   the  bridge  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt,  a  brafs 
coin  vitli  a  pope's  head  on  one   fide,  and   on   the  other  a  bridge  with  four 
arches,  as  big  as  half  a  cr  own— -Sixty  s  1 1 1 1.  pont.  Max.facri  cuUor ;  on  the  reverfe 

juft  over  a  figure  of  a  four  arch  bridge,  Cura  rerum  publicatum. And  another 

of  the  fize  of  a  large  fhilling,  with  a  Oueen  crowned,  perhaps  for  the  Virgin 
Mary,  fitting  on  a  throne  with  a  fcepter  in  the  right  hand,  with  Ave  Mana 
Gratia  plena  round;  and  on  the  reverfe,  a  crofs  fleury  with  a  quatcrfoil  in  its 
center  within  a  border,  with  a  double  line  in  fhape  of  a  quaterfoil,  infcribed 
on  the  outfide  edge  alfo  with  Ave  Maria  Gratia  plena. 

Whether  thefe  had  any  reference  to  the  building  of  Briftol  Bridge  of  four 
arches,  or  to  any  other,  is  left  to  farther  enquiry.  It  feems  to  confirm  the 
opinion,  of  the  abbots  and  religious  coining  monev,  called  Abby-moncy  in 
the  manufcripts  of  Rowley. 

While  upon  this  fubjefl  of  coinage,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  add,  that  it 
appears  the  mayor  and  aldermen  of  Briftol  were  authorifed,  by  the  privy  coun- 
cil, to  ftrike  farthing  tokens,  in  1594  :  but  the  ftriking  of  thefe  tokens  was  an 
abufe,  not  a  releafe  from  the  royal  authority.  And  in  Oueen  Elizabeth's  days 
the  magiftrates  of  the  cities  of  Briftol,  Oxford,  and  many  ftiopkeepers,  made 
tokens  of  lead  and  brafs  without  any  authority  which  they  often  refufed  to 
exchange:  an  order  was  fcnt,  dated  May  12,  1594,  to  the  mayor  and  alder- 
men of  Briftol,  from  the  lords  of  the  council,  to  call  in  all  tokens  ftruck  in 

that 


C     43      ] 

that  city,  and  that  no  private  trader  fhould  make  any  without  licence  from  the 
mayor.  In  1653,  there  was  a  copper  coinage  of  halfpence  and  farthings  b) 
private  perfons  till  1672,  when  the  king's  copper  coin  took  place.  One  fide 
of  the  coin  expreffed  the  name  of  the  place  or  city,  and  value  of  the  piece  ; 
and  the  other,  the  arms  of  the  city  ;  if  of  private  perfons  or  merchants,  their 
name  and  trade.  Briftol  farthings  are  ftill  common  to  be  met  with,  ncatlv 
executed.  On  one  fide,  the  arms  of  the  city;  on  the  other,  a  Brijlol  farlhing 
infcribed,  and  dated  1562,  1594. 

As  coins  dug  out  of  the  ground  have  been  ever  regarded  as  proofs  of  the  anti- 
quity of  a  place,  fo  have  monumental  flones  with  infcriptions.  If  any  credit  is 
to  be  given  to  old  parchments  w^ith  drawings  of  fuch  monumental  Hones,  with 
the  account  of  the  infcriptions  thereon  preferved,  fuch  can  be  produced  with 
the  name  of  Rowlie  affixed  to  them,  as  copied  from  Turgot.  Some  are  faid 
"  to  be  dolven  in  Bryftowe,  or  wythynnc  fliort  compafs  of  its  walles:  one  had 
"  this  infcribed,  Cynwdlinus  &  Wulferus  Mercia;,  &:  was  dolven  in  the  houfe  of  the 
"  Whyte  Friars,  ii  on  St.  Mychael's-hylle,  iii  on  Baldwynne's-hyll,  iv  in 
"  Hic-lane,  and  the  refte  in  feveral  hylles  Sc  lanes,  but  fome  wythyn  the 
"  walls  of  Baldwyn  and  Radcleve.  One  has  thys  :  Hie  jacet  Coenred  Epifcop. 
"  Selfeya,  A.  D.  DCCCCX.  :  another,  Tdlius  Sanclus  Epifcop.  Brighjlow  mort. 
"  xxvii  Mali,  DCXXXII.  This  was  the  CofFynne  of  Saint  Tellius,  preefte  of 
"  Romannus,  yclepen  the  learned  Byfliop  of  Roiachefler,  who  dyed  at 
"  Brightllowe.  Several  other  flones  wyth  infcriptions  and  mod  auntiaunte 
"  Monuments  were  preferved  in  the  Abbie  of  W'cflburie  by  Mr.  Canyngc. — 
"  One  flieweth  Caer  Brito  fuUe  playne,  and  was  dolven  on  St.  Michael's-hyll. 
"  Another  more  curyoufe,  where  Caer  Brito  may  be  fene,  was  dolven  on  St. 
"  Marie's-hyll.  There  were  drawings  of  other  ftones  dug  up  at  Brigftowe 
"  formerly  ;  fome  with  Saxon  fwords  or  feaxes,  and  Danifh  battle  axes,  but 
"  much  worn  out." 

To  this  account  of  coins  and  coinage,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  add  the  follow- 
ing account,  copied  from  an  old  manufcript  in  my  poflefTion,  ofthofefcarce  coins, 
monuments,  and  other  valuable  pieces  of  antiquity,  faid  once  to  have  adorned 
the  cabinet  of  a  very  wealthy  and  ingenious  merchant  of  Briftol,  the  worthy 
Mr.  Canynge ;  and  to  have  been  chiefly  collected  by  Thomas  Rowley,  prieft, 
of  the  fifteenth  century,  which  he   calls  his  Ve/lozu  Roll,   and  entitulcs  it. 


Fa  "  England's 


[      44      ] 

"  England's  Glorye  revyved  in  Mayftre  Canynge,  beynge  fome  Accounte 
"  of  hys  Cabynet  of  Auntyaunte  Monunrientes." 

"  To  prayfe  thys  Auntyaunte  Repofytorie  maie  not  bee  fo  fyttynge  yn  me, 
Seeynge  I  gotten  itte  mofte  ;  but  I  amme  almofte  the  onlie  Manne  acquainted 
wyth  alle  of  ytte :  ande  almofte  ytte  is  the  nioft  precyoufe  performaunce  in 
Englande.  The  fyrfl;  thynge  at  youre  Entrance  is  a  Stonen  Bedde,*  whyche 
was  manie  yeers  kepte  in  Towre  Errys,  and  belonged  to  Erie  Bythryck. 
Rounde  the  Cabynette  are  Coynes  on  greete  Shelfes  fetyvelie  paynfted.  The 
Coynes  are  of  Greece,  Venyce,  Rome,  Fraunce,  ande  Englande,  from  the 
Daies  of  Julyus  Caefar  to  thys  prefent,  confyftynge  of  Denarii,  Penys,  Ores, 
Mancas,  Byzantynes,  Holly  Land  Moneie,  of  whych  Penys,  Denarii  ande 
Twapenyes  there  are  coyned  ynne  Bryftoe  fourtie  Sc  nyne  of  dyffarante 
Sortes  ;  Barons'  Moneie,  Citie  Monie,  Abbye  Monie  to  befyde  the  coynes 
and  moneie  would  fyllc  a  rcdde  Rolle.  t  Goe  wee  thenne  to  the  oder 
thynges. 

The  Greete  Ledger+  is  a  Gemme  wordie  the  Crowne  of  a  Kynge  :  itte 
contayneth  the  Workes  of  Turgotte,  a  Saxonne  Monkc,  as  followes.  Battle 
of  Haftynge,  ynne  Anglo-Saxonne,  donne  moe  playne  bie  mee  for  Mayftre 
Canynge.^  Hyftoric  of  Bryghftowe,  ||  inne  Saxonnes  Latynne,  tranflated  for 
Mr.  C.  bie  mee.  Auntyaunte  Coynes,  with  the  Hyftorie  of  the  firft  Coyn- 
ynge  bie  the  Saxonnes,  done  from  Saxonne  into  Englyflie.      Hyftorie   of  St. 

— '■ Churche  of  Durham.      Alle  thefe  ynne  Latynne.      Lyfe  of  Byghtry- 

cus,  Kynge  of  the  Weft  Saxonnes,  and  Annales  from  hym  to  Byghthrycus  the 
Erie.  Alle  thye  ynne  Englyftie.  —  Neere  is  mie  unworthie  Rolles,  beeynge 
afynyfhinge  of  Turgotte**  to  the  Reygne  of  K.  Edwarde  the  — .      My  Volume 

of 

•  That  fuch  a  bed,  or  rather  bedftcad,  was  in  being  for  years  at  the  houfc,  in  Redclift- 
flreet,  where  Mr.  Canynge  dwelt,  has  been  affirmed  by  an  old  inhabitant  of  that  houfc. 

+  From  this  repofitory  (hen  were  derived  the  coins,  mentioned  in  p.  38.  in  the  little  cfTay  on 
coining. 

J  This  feems  to  be  a  dlflerent  book  from  thofe  Ledger-Books  named  in  the  will  of  Mr. 
Canynge,  which  the  late  Dean  Milles  juRly  fuppofed  to  be  Service-Books  for  the  ufc  of  the 
chaplains.  — This  was  a  Family-record  Book,  in  which  thc>'  entered  any  thing  curious  or  ufcful 
fo  be  prcfcrved,  and  in  which  they  read  for  their  entertainment :  mofl  families  formerly  had  fuch 
for  their  amufement. 

^  A  poem  has  been  publifhed  under  this  name.  Sec  Rowley's  Poems,  by  Dean  Milles, 
p.  40,  97.  Whether  the  whole  was  faitlifuUy  tranfciibcd  by  Chattcrton,  or  altered  by  him, 
may  admit  of  a  doubt.     \Vc  fee  here  there  was  fuch  a  poem  extant. 

II  This  is  the  fubjeft  of  the  purple  roll,  and  may  be  fccn  faithfully  copied,  page  32  of  this 
lliftory. 

*•  This  is  wanting.     It  is    remarkable,  he  writes   King  Edward  the  — ,  without   mentioning 


C      45      ] 

of  Verfes,  *  wyth  Letters  to  and  from  John  Lydgate.  My  owne  Hyflorye  of 
Moneies,  CoUedyon  of  Monymentcs,  t  &c.  Lykewyfc  the  verie  Lettre 
fente  bie  the  Lordes  Rychard  of  Yorke,  Warwyck,  &  Saryfburyc,  to  Kynge 
Henrie.  ;J;  Onne  one  Corner  yn  the  Cabynet  is  a  Syghte  mod  terryble,  bee- 
ynge  Inftrumentes  of  Warre,  raunged  in  fuche  Arraie  that  in  the  Lyghte  of  the 
Sunne,  or  the  comeynge  of  a  candle,  ytte  fhynethe  mofte  marvelloufe  to  be- 
houlde.  Ytte  ys  of  Bryttyfli  Swordes  and  Sheeldes,  whych  prove  the  Aunti- 
quitye  of  Armoureye,  beeynge  marqued  fome  wyth  an  Ivie  Leefe,  fome  wyth 
an  Oke  Leefe,  fome  wyth  a  Hare  or  Hounde,  and  fuch  lyke.  Roman  Speeres 
and  Bucklers,  lykewyfe  Blazonede,  but  all  of  the  fame  Charge.  Saxonne 
Swordes  or  Seaxes  ande  Sheeldes,  blazoned  wyth  a  CroIFe  patee.  Danyfh 
Battle  Axes  and  Sheeldes,  blazoned  wyth  a  Rafen.  The  Armour  and  lafte 
Teftamente  of  Roberte  Roufe,  Conful  of  Gloucefter.  §  The  Gawntlette  of 
Roberte,  Sonne  of  Wyllyam  the  Conquerour,  whych  hee  lefte  behynde  hym 
in  Bryftowe  Caftle.  Syrre  Charles  Bawdwynne  a  Fulforde,  commonlie  cleped 
Baudynne  Fullforde,  his  Bonde  toe  the  Kynge  Henrye  to  take  the  Erie  of 
Warwyke's  Lyfe  or  lofe  hys  hede,  whych  he  dyd  not  perfourme,  butte  loflc 
his  heede  to  Kynge  Edwarde.  j|     Thus  muche  for  the  Cabynette." 

Various  will  be  the  opinions  held  of  thefe  manufcript  accounts,  refpecling 
their  authenticity ;  they  may  probably  be  called  in  queftion  as  much  as  the 
poems  have  been,  publifhcd  under  the  name  of  Rowley.  It  might  however 
be  deemed  unfair  in  an  Hiftorian  to  have  concealed  what  the  public  have  a 
right  to  canvas,  approve  or  rejetl  as  they  may  judge  right.  —  They  are  here 
faithfully  tranfcribed  and  communicated;  and  are  fubmitted  to  the  judge- 
ment of  the  candid  and  ingenuous  reader,  either  to  receive  or  rejeft  them. 
The  Author  takes  it  not  upon  himfelf  to  determine  ;  but  pays  that  deference 
to  the  judgement  of  every  reader  of  abilities  and  candour,  as  to  leave  him  to 
form  an  opinion  of  it  without  interpofing  his  own.  Whatever  that  be,  the 
external  evidence  of  the  genuinefs  of  thele  manufcripts  was  fuch,  as  fully  to 

authorize 

him  as  King  Edward  the  4th,  being  a  zealous  I.ancaftrian,  as  appears  from  other  pa (Tjgcs  in  his 
Letters,  and  fo  not  acknowledging  Edw.  4th.  as  king. 

*  This  is  the  poem  on  Ella,  and  others  not  particularly  noted. 

+  Some  of  thcfe  are  probably  thofe  mentioned  before,  p.  38,  43. 

J  That  fuch  a  letter  was  fcnt,  our  chronicles  bear  witnefs. 

§  What  a  value  would  be  now  fct  on  thefc  Britifh  fliiclds  and  fwords,  and  Roman  fuears  and 
bucklers?  What  an  addition  even  to  the  Briiifh  Mufeum,  efpccially  the  armour  of  Robcil 
Roufe,  the  valiant  champion  of  his  day?  And  what  would  be  the  price  now  of  the  gauntlet  and 
lafl  teftamcnt  of  Robert,  the  Conqueror's  fon  ? 

II  Sec  tins  mentioned  in  Stowe's  Chronicle,  under  the  year  1461. 


[     46     ] 

authorize  liim  to  give  tliem  to  the  public,  whatever  fhall  be  infcr'd  from  the 
internal  evidence.  The  late  learned  Dean  Milles  has  already  laid  before  the 
public  in  his  elegant  edition  of  Rowley's  poems  with  notes,  every  thing  that  tends 
to  illuftrate  his  fiibjeft  and  develop  this  intricate  and  obfcure  affair,  and  place 
it  before  the  reader  in  a  proper  light,  and  ftriking  point  of  view,  to  all  which 
I  refer  ;  and  if  the  reader  adds  to  the  evidence  produced  by  him,  what  is  here 
advanced  from  the  vellow  and  purple  roll,  and  from  other  original  parchment 
manufcripts  under  the  name  of  Rowley  to  be  now  publiflied  in  this  work,  he 
will  then  be  able  to  form  a  juft  opinion  and  judgement  of  this  long  contefted 
fubject,  and  have  the  whole  evidence  before  him  to  direft  him  in  his  deter- 
mination :  but  "  adhuc  fub  Judice  Lis  eft."  Some  fay,  the  truth  may  be 
found  not  to  be  with  one  but  betwixt  the  two  contending  parties;  but  as  every 
one  will  form  an  opinion  of  his  own  in  all  fuch  difputes,  who  fliall  be  judge? 
Each  muft  after  weighing  all  the  evidence  judge  for  himfelf,  which  he  will 
now  be  the  better  enabled  to  do,  from  what  has  been  advanced  and  will  yet 
occur  in  the  courfe  of  this  work. 

But  whatever  credit  thefc  old  manufcripts,  and  ancient  accounts  of  coins 
and  monumental  ftones  relating  to  Briftol,  demand  from  the  judicious  and 
candid  reader  ;  yet  not  only  in  the  Saxon  but  alfo  in  the  Norman  times, 
and  later  writings  we  fliall  find  Briftol  making  a  ftill  more  confpicuous  figure 
in  the  hiftory  and  indubitable  records  of  thofe  days. 

In  the  time  of  W.  i,  it  appears  from  records  that  in  that  reign  the  inhabitants 
of  Briftol  were  ftiled  burgeffcs,  when    the  furvey  of  the    kingdom   called  * 
Dooms-Day  was  made  and  the  place  itfelf  confequently  a  Borough  ;  by  which 
is    meant  a   town   witii   limited   boundaries,    walled  or  not,    claiming  by  pre- 
fcription  or  by  grant  the  privilege  of  choofing  its  own  magiftratcs  or  gover- 
nors, for  the  better  regulation   of  trade  or   morals  under  proteftion   of  the 
Lord  of  the  fee,  from  the  Saxon  Beorghan  to  fence,  keep  in  fafety  &c.     And 
it  is  granted  the  ancient  burgh  and  city  differed  little  or  nothing  in  fignification. 
And  the  honourable  ftation  it   then  filled  in   this  kingdom,    appears  from  its 
being  rated  in   Doomfday-book  higher  than   any  city,  or  town  in  England, 
except  London,  York  and  Winchefter.     Robert  the  rhyming  Monk  of  Glo- 
ceftcr  reckons  Briftoe  among  the  firft  and  chief  towns  in  this  land  : 
"  The  furfte  lordes  and  maiftres  that  yn  yis  londe  wer, 
"  And  the  chyffe  tounes  furfte  they  lete  arer, 
"  London  &c  Everwyk,  Lyncolnc  Sc  Leyceftre 

"  Cocheftre  &  Cantcrbyrc,  Briftoe  &  Worceftre." 

About 
*  "  Beitunc  and  Briftow  paid  lo  the  King  no  marks  of  filvcr  and  the  burgeffcs  returned  that 
Bifhop  G.  had  33  marks  and  one  mark  of  gold." 


[      Al      ] 

About  the  conqiiell;  fay  fome,  were  built  divers  towns  to  guard  the  fron- 
tiers of  Wales,  Briftol,  GlouceAer,  Worcefter,  Shrewfbury  and  Chcfter; 
thefc  were  garrifon  towns  of  the  Marches  of  Wales:  Or  rather  were  ap- 
pointed fuch  from  their  fituation,  though  built  long  before.  The  Lords 
Marches  were  created  to  watch  and  ward  that  country,  and  were  to  be 
always  ready  to  march  againfl  the  Welfh. 

When  Briftol  was  exempt  from  the  Marches  of  Wales,  which  was  a  great 
trouble  and  expence  to  the  town,  will  appear  in  the  annals. 

In  ift  year  of  W.  2,  it  is  certain,  that  Godfrey  the  Bifliop  of  Conftance 
and  his  nephew  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  held  the  caflle  of  Briftol  then 
an  ancient  moft  ftrong  and  impregnable  fortrefs.  *  The  names  of  many  who 
were  governors  of  Briftol  and  its  caftle  in  the  Saxon  times  have  been  tranf- 
mitted  down  to  us,  fo  as  to  put  its  antiquity  quite  out  of  queftion. 

The  firft  chief  magiftrate  or  governor  of  Briftol  was  called  \  prepofitm  dt 
Brijlou,  under  the  cuftos  or  conftable  of  the  caftle  who  held  it  under  the 
Saxon  Earls  of  Glofter  ;  and  in  Edward  the  Confeftbr's  time. 

In  the  charter  of  King  John,  the  chief  officer  indeed  is  mentioned  in  the 
tranOation  under  the  name  oi  ^.  provoji  which  anfwcrs  io  prepofilor. 

It  thus  appears  that  Briftol  had  its  magiftrates  and  officers  or  governors  of 
its  own  long  before  it  was  erected  into  a  mayor  town  or  corporate  body.  In 
the  year  1066,  Harding  +  (whofe  name  now  is  in  the  infcription  over  the  gate 
way  in  College  Green)  the  anceftor  of  the  Berkeley  family,  being  a  magiftrate 
and  rich  merchant  of  Briftol,  held  Wheatenhurft  in  the  hundred  of  Whitfton 
Glocefterftiire  in  morgage  of  Earl  Britrick.  He  is  called  mayor  and  gover- 
jior  of  Briftol,  and  Leland  fays  "  he  removed  the  fraternity  of  Calendaries, 
(a  fociety  in  Briftol  exifting  before  the  conqueft)  to  the  church  of  All- 
Hallows,  which  before  were  at  Clirift  Church,  and  "  that  the  fchools  then 
ordained  by  thefe  Calendaries,  for  the  converfion  of  the  Jews  in  Briftowc 

was 

*  Sec  chapt.  of  the  caftle  below,  and  annals  for  that  year. 

+  Vid.  Doomfday-book  75,  in  Glocefter,  "  In  Sinefliovcde  hund.  Rogerius  fil.  Rad.  ten. 
"  manerium  quod  tcnuit  Seruuinus  p'pofitas  de  Briftou  dc  Rcge  E  &c."  Terra  Rogciii  filii 
Rad.  Noie  Cliftone  In  Sinefhovcdc  Hund.  Rogerius  fi.  Rad.  ten.  unum  Marcnnm  tj'd  tclnuit 
Seruuinus  p'pofitus  de  Briftou  de  rcge  E.  &  poterat  ire  cum  hac  tea  quo  volebat.  ncc  aliquam 
firmam  inde  dabat  —  Ibi  iii  hidsc.  In  d'nio  s't  iii  Car.  &  vi  Vill.  &  vl  bord.  cum  ii  Car.  Ibi 
iii  Servi  &  viii  ac.  p'ti.  Valet,  c  Solid.  Modo  lx  folid.  Suppofcd  to  relate  to  the  tithings  of 
Almondftjury  —  Rudder's  Gloccft.  p.   223. 

This  Serwin  being  prepofitor  of  Briftou  in  the  time  of  K.  Edward  the  Confeftbr,  flicws 
the  cliicf  officer  there  to  have  that  title,  which  name  continued  in  Henry  3(!s.  time,  \vbci\ 
tlicrc  were  a  mayor  and   two  prcpofitors. 

X  Aikins  Glocefterftiire,  p.  261. 


[      48      ] 

was  put  into  the  order  of  the  Calendaries  and  the  Mayor;"*  which  fhews  a 
governor  then  prefided  here  even  under  the  name  and  office  of  a  Mayor  lonp 
before  any  lifts  of  mayors  we  have  at  prcfent  do  begin. 

About  the  time  of  the  conqueft  Robert  Fitzhaymon  held  the  honor  of  Glo- 
cefter  of  which  Briftol  was  a  part,  and  he  then  received  the  rents  or  tythes, 
(Dccimas  de  E.xitibus  Briftolliae)  as  paid  to  the  Lord  of  Glocefter  then  and 
before,  and  he  gave  it  to  the  Abby  of  Tewkfbury  which  he  founded.  Henry 
2,  in  1144  was  educated  four  years  in  learning  at  Briftol,  as  will  appear  be- 
low in  the  chapters  on  the  cathedral  and  caftle.  In  the  reign  of  King  John 
one  Englard  dc  Cygoin  held  the  ferm  (firmam)  of  Brifto  for  the  account 
(compotum)  or  fine  of  145I.  which  Richard  the  burgefs  paid  for  him. 

In  t  1177,  23  Henry  2,  the  burgeffes  of  Briftou  render  an  account  of 
eighty  marks  for  Sturmis  the  ufurer  :  he  freed  it  in  the  treafury  and  was  quit. 
Jordan  the  dapifer  of  the  Earl  of  Glocefter  owed  fifty  marks  for  default. 
Mag.  Rotul  3  Gloft. 

In  the  30  year  of  Henry  2,  the  men  of  Briftou  paid  a  fine  of  50I.  to  have 
refpite  and  not  to  be  impleaded  without  the  walls  of  their  town,  till  the  King's 
return  into  England. 

In  1196,  7  Richard  1,  a  tallage  or  tax  was  laid  by  William  Biftiop  of 
Hereford,  Hugh  Bardolph  and  others  the  King's  Juftices  upon  the  King's 
manors  and  burghs.  The  burgeftes  of  Briftol  paid  200  marks  (133I.  6s.  8d.) 
and  for  the  fair  of  Briftol  10  marks  (61,  13.  4.) 

And  in  1225,  9  Henry  3,  the  burgefles  of  Briftol  accounted  to  the  King 
for  245I.  the  ferm  of  their  town,  the  King  having  demifed  the  town  to  them 
at  that  ferm,  fo  that  they  were  to  anfwer  for  two  parts  of  that  ferm  at  the 
feaft  of  St.  Michael,  and  for  the  reft  at  the  feaft  of  St.  Hillary,  faving  to 
the  King  for  ufe  of  the  Conftable  of  the  caftle  and  his  family  refiding  therein 
the  prizage  of  beer,  as  much  as  they  ftiall  have  need  of;  fo  that  the  burgeffes 
have  the  remainder :  and  faving  to  the  King  the  Bailiwick  (Baillia)  of  the 
Berton  of  Briftol  (Barton  Regis)  and  the  Chace  of  Brul  of  Kcinfliam  and 
of  the  Wood  of  Furches,  which  the  King  kept  in  his  own  hand. 

In  1201,  12  of  King  John  there  was  a  treafury  at  Briftol,  mentioned  in 
Maddox  hiftory  of  the  Exchequer,  p.  421  c.  2.  x.  and  about  that  time  the 
townspaidan  aid  for  the  King's  paflage  into  Ireland  :  X  "the  burgeflesofGIou- 

ccfter 

•  Leland,  V.  vii.  2  Ed.  p.  88— vid.  Little  red  book  of  Briftol,  manufcript  in  Chamber 
of  Briftol,  p.  88.  and  in  All  Saints  parifh,  the  chap,  below. 

+  Vid.  Maddox  hiftor)' of  Exchequer,  143.   228.  486.  &  alibi. 

}  Auxilium  Villarum  ad  pafTagium  Hybernia:,  Burgenfes  Gloceftria;  rcddunt  compotum 
dc  500  marcis  de  eodcm  :  Homines  de  Briftou  reddunt  compotum  dc  1000  marcis  dc  eodcm  :  Ho- 
mines dc  redclive  rcddunt  compotum  de  1000  marcis  de  eodcm  &c,    Maddox, 


C     49      ] 

"  cefter  render  an  account  (compotum)  of  500  marks  for  the  fame,  the  men  of 
"  Briftow  1000  marks  for  the  fame,  the  men  of  Redeclive  1000  marks  for  the 
"  fame.  In  the  treafury  were  237I.  6s.  8d.  and  Englard  de  Cigoni  had  225 
"  marks  to  put  into  the  treafury  of  the  king  at  Briftow.  The  men  of  the 
"  templars  of  Redeclive  render  account  of  500  marks  for  the  lame." 

King  John,  when  Earl  of  Moreton  only,  by  marriage  with  a  daughter  of 
William  Earl  of  Glocefter,  held  the  town  of  Briftol  as  part  of  that  earldom; 
and  after  he  came  to  be  king,  Briftol  became  vefted  in  the  crown,  and  the 
kings  of  England  ever  after  received  a  certain  annual  fum  for  the  ferm  of  the 
town,  as  the  earls  of  Glocefter  did  before  ;  Briftol,  as  mentioned  before,  be- 
ing part  of  that  earldom,  and  a  demefne  of  it. 

Thus  Hugh  Bardolph  (Magn.  Rot.  31ft  Henry  2d.)  renders  an  account 
(among  other  things  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Glocefter's  lands,}  of  119I.  7s.  5d. 
of  the  rent  of  Briftow,  and  of  the  mills,  and  of  the  fairs,  and  for  having  a 
houfe  at  Briftow,  3I.  os.  lod.  where  the  king's  rents  are  received,  and  for 
mending  the  tower  of  Briftow,  and  for  hiring  carpenters,  and  for  ftones  for 
the  mills,  and  for  repairing  the  houfes  in  the  manors,   13I.  os.  6d. 

So  populous,  flouriftting,  and  rich  was  Briftol  in  Henry  2d's.  time,  that  he 
greatly  favoured  it  with  his  bounty  and  royal  grants,  and  gave  it  charters,  and 
alfo  a  grant*  of  the  city  of  Dublin  (then  called  Devlin)  in  Ireland  to  inhabit, 
poflefs,  and  enjoy  ;  and  a  colony  from  Briftol  was  fent  thither  for  that  purpofe, 
who  were  to  have  the  fame  privileges  and  free  cuftoms  they  held  in  Briftol. 

In  1305,  King  Edward  ift.  taking  a  taillage  of  all  towns  and  cities  corpor- 
ate in  England,  Briftol  gave  him  400 1.  for  af  fine. 

And  in  the  45th  year  of  Edward  3d.  Rot.  40.  by  a  patent  letter  of  his  great 
feal  he  demifed  the  town  of  Briftol  to  Walter  de  Derby  and  Henry  Derneford 
for  one  year,  they  rendring  and  paying  the  funis  of  money  referved  in  the 
demife.  The  profits  of  the  town  confifted  in  houfes,  {hops,  cottages,  fheds, 
gardens,  mills,  pools,  tyne  of  the  caftle,  rents  landgable,  tolls,  pleas  of  court, 
cuftoms  of  the  fair  and  market,  and  other  rights  belonging  to  them ;  they 
held  it  in  the  fame  manner  as  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  Briftol  held  the 
fame  of  the  grant  of  late  Queen  Philippa,  the  garden  below  the  caftle  and  the 
garden  towards  the  Berton  only  being  excepted  ;  referving  all  royal  liberties 
in  the  faid  town,  and  others  of  old  belonging  to  the  caftle  of  Briftol ;  referving 

G  alfo 

*  A  copy  of  it  is  extant  in  Dr.  Lcland's  Hiftory  of  Ireland.  Alfo  in  Camden  is  the  following 
note  :  "  An  Englifh  colony  was  tranfplanted  from  Briftol  hither  (Dublin)  by  King  Hcniy  the 
*'  fccond,  giving  them  this  city  (which  perhaps  at  that  time  was  drained  of  inhabitants,)  in  thc(e 
"  words,  "  with  all  the  liberties  and  free  cuAoms  which  tliofc  of  Briftol  enjoyed."  From  that 
*'  lime  it  flourifticd  more  and  more,  &c," 


C    50    ] 

alfo  (muhura  bladi)  a  fine  of  corn  to  the  conftable  of  the  caftle,  for  his  own 
table  and  his  family's :  and  (Garneflura  in  caflro  predifto  ad  molendina  ejufdem 
Villa;  quictadeTheolonioindepr2Ellando)&-c.  They  were  to  pay  befides  for  that 
year  lool.  They  were  to  have  liberty  to  dig  the  king's  ground  ;  to  mend  the 
mill-ponds,  when  out  of  repair ;  and  to  pay  the  conftable  of  the  caftle  20"1. 
for  that  year  for  his  wages  for  keeping  the  caftle,  and  every  day  2d.  for  the 
wages  of  the  porter,  and  3d.  a  day  for  two  watchmen,  and  an  halfpenny  every 
night  for  their  wages,  and  to  pay  their  vail  week  after  week,  or  every  quarter, 
as  the  conftable  would  have  it :  and  to  pay  for  the  year  to  the  abbot  of 
Tewkft)ury  14 1.  10  s.  for  the  tenths  of  the  town  ;  and  to  the  prior  of  St.  James 
60s.  of  annual  rent  for  the  mill ;  and  to  the  cuftos  maritimus  (or  water-bailiff) 
1 1.  6  s.  8d.  (pro  roba  fua)  and  to  the  keeper  of  the  foreft  of  Kingfwood  every 
day  y^d.  and  to  bear  for  the  king  all  other  burdens,  expences,  dues  of  charity 
and  cuftoms,  fo  that  a  whole  lool.  remain  to  the  king:  and  to  keep  up  and 
repair  all  houfes,  gardens,  mills,  &c.  above-mentioned,  belonging  to  the  faid 
town  in  the  fame  good  order  they  receive  them. 

When  the  fame  King  Edward  3d.  ann.  r.  47,  made  Briftol  a  county  of 
itfelf,  and  granted  the  citv  feveral  franchifes,  it  was  "  provided  they  do 
"  anfwer  to  the  king  yearly  for  his  ferms  and  other  dues." 

In  the  5th  year  of  Edward  4th.  John  Cogan,  fheriff  of  Briftol,  paid  102 1. 
15  s.  6d.  charged  on  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  Briftol,  for  the  fee  farm  of 
the  king's  town,  to  Elizabeth  confort  of  King  Edward  4th.  fettled  on  the 
queen  for  her  life. 

In  the  great  roll,  2gth  Henry  6th.  Hugh  Withiford,  mayor  of  Briftol,  and 
commonalty  of  the  fame,  and  their  fucceffors,  ftood  charged  to  the  king  with 
102 1.  15  s.  6d.  per  annum,  for  the  town  of  Briftol  and  the  fuburbs  thereof,  the 
ditches,  gates,  flefti  ftiambles,  &c.  demifed  to  them  for  twenty  years,  which 
were  fettled  on  Queen  Margaret  by  the  king  for  the  term  of  her  life. 

But  the  city  was  releafed  and  exonerated  from  payment  of  thcfe  and  other 
fee  farm  rents  charged  thereon,  by  the  corporation  purchafing  them  of  the 
crown,  in  the  times  of  Charles  ift.  and  2d.  as  will  hereafter  be  made  appear. 

The  annals  of  the  city  will  alfo  hereafter  contain  more  explicit  accounts, 
early  records,  and  charters  of  Briftol,  from  which  may  be  deduced  a  full  rela- 
tion of  its  ancient  ftatc  and  public  tranfaBions. 


CHAP. 


C    51    ] 


CHAP.       III. 

A  PLAN  and  DESCRIPTION  0/  BRISTOL,  in  Us  Early  and 

Middle  State, 


IN  tracing  back,  the  antiquity  of  the  city  many  things  have  neceflTarily 
occured  already  in  tlie  courfe  of  that  inquiry,  defcribing  the  firft  and  early 
flatcofit,  which  fliall  now  be  farther  delineated  as  well  as  can  be  collcfted 
from  authentic  records  and  manufcripts,  from  old  plans,  and  from  confidering 
the  firft  fcite  and  ground  plot  of  the  town,  and  comparing  it  with  any  veftiges 
and  marks  that  ftill  remain. 

About  a  mile  from  the  Roman  camp  at  Clifton  or  ftation  Abone,  under 
the  hills  and  within  its  viev/  was  the  Britifh  town  (Caer  Brito)  firft  laid  out 
at  the  conflux  of  the  two  rivers  Avon  and  Froom,  with  which  it  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  furrounded  except  on  the  northern  part,  where  the  caftle 
was  afterwards  ereflcd.  The  ground  on  which  the  city  was  built  rifes  each 
way  to  the  center,  forming  a  pleafant  hill.  Having  pitched  upon  this  com- 
modious ftation  they  divided  it  into  four  ftreets,  walling  it  round  after  the 
banks  of  the  rivers  for  its  greater  fecurity  and  defence,  placing  a  gate  at  the 
end  of  each  ftrcct ;  and  being  converted  to  the  Chriftian  faith,  ere£ling 
'  churches  there,  and  a  crofs  in  the  center  where  the  ftreets  interfered  each 
other,  and  formed  a  crofs  an  emblem  of  their  Chriftian  profcffion.  Thus  a 
gate,  and  a  church  or  chappie  terminated  each  of  the  four  ftreets,  and  four 
churches  furrounded  the  crofs  at  the  center.  No.  1,  Baldwin's  afterwards 
Leonard's  gate.  No.  2,  St.  Nicholas  gate.  No.  3,  EUe  gate,  or  that  next 
the  caftle  fince  rebuilt  and  called  New  gate.  No.  4,  Froom  gate,  or  the 
Water  gate.  No.  5,  Piihay,  or  Aylward's  gate.  No.  6,  Defence  gate. 
No.  7,  Tower  gate.  No.  8,  St.  John's  gate.  No.  g,  St.  Giles's  gate.  No. 
10,  Sally-port  of  the  caftle.      No.  11,  Godfrey's  lodge. 

A  wall  embattled  on  the  top,  joined  and  inclofcd  the  whole,  though  as 
related  in  Turgott'smanufcript  account,  "  the  walls  and  gates  fufFered  altera- 
tion," yet  the  fliapc  and  fcite  of  the  city  in  general  muft  have  remained 
the  fame  and  ftill  continues  fo  to  this  day. 

G  2  The 


'f 


[      52      ] 

The  gradual  declivity  from  the  center  on  all  fides,  contributes  greatlv  to 
its  being  neat  and  cleanly,  every  fhowcr  wafliing  down  the  dirt  into  the  fub- 
jacent  rivers,  befides  affording  afterwards  the  advantage  of  making  thofe 
large  gouts  fo  convenient  to  this  day ;  through  which,  by  means  of  the  returning 
tide,  the  filth  of  the  city  is  difcmbogued  and  daily  ebbed  away  into  the 
Severn  fea  twice  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  river  Froom,  with  which  it 
is  chiefly  moted,  arifes  at  Dodington  and  Rangeworthy  not  far  from  Tet- 
bury  in  Glocefterfhire,  and  running  through  AEion  there  called  Loden,  and 
Hambrook  to  Stoke,  where  it  meets  a  fpring  from  Lord  Bottetourt's  park 
and  takes  the  name  of  Froom,  and  fo  to  Stapleton  and  clofe  under  the  north 
walls  of  the  city,  paffes  Froom-bridge ;  and,  before  the  prefent  quay  was 
dug,  held  on  its  courfe  *  through  the  fifli  market  and  Baldwin-ftreet,  built 
on  its  banks,  to  St.  Nicholas  port,  along  under  the  walls  of  the  town,  and 
there  it  emptied  itfelf  into  the  Avon  in  full  current ;  where  was  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  two  rivers :  it  drove  a  mill  erefted  for  the  ufe  of  the  town  called 
Baldwin's  crofs-mill,  jufl;  before  its  difcharge  into  the  Avon.  At  Blind-fteps 
there  feems  to  have  been  of  old  a  flip  or  paffage  leading  to  this  mill,  of  which 
there  are  fome  traces  remaining  ftill  in  a  cellar  at  the  corner  of  Baldwin- 
ftreet ;  where  are  three  old  ftrong  arches  on  each  fide  of  it  now  to  be  fcen, 
being  the  thoroughs  through  which  the  water  of  the  Froom  then  flowed,  that 
drove  the  wheels,  the  mill-houfe  being  erefted  over  them.  This  courfe  of 
the  Froom  is  not  only  proved  by  manufcript  and  authentic  records,  but 
by  a  whole  boat  having  been  of  late  years  found  in  digging  the  foundation 
for  a  houfe  in  Baldwin-flrect,  and  by  other  remains  of  fliipping  and  naval 
ftores  dug  up  there  formerly.  Nicholas-ftreet  being  the  bounds  of  the  old 
city  on  this  fide,  the  thick  old  city-wall  may  be  feen  there  in  many  places 
at  this  day,  as  it  may  alfo  in  Leonard's-lane,  embattled  ftill  at  the  top  next 
Giles's-gate  ;  —  where  being  continued  on  to  St.  John's-gate  along  Bell- 
lane,  in  which  once  was  a  church  dedicated  to  St.  Lawrence,  it  joined  the 
Tower-wall  in  Tower-lane,  which  with  a  ftrong  gate  in  its  middle  and 
another  at  its  upper  end  at  the  top  of  the  Pithay,  extended  into  Wine-ftrcct, 
called  alfo  Wynch-ftreet  ;  where  at  Defence-lane  it  joined  the  city-wall  on 
the  banks  of  the  Avon,  which  was  fortified  with  a  wall  round  to  St.  Nicholas 
gate; — It  was  called  Defence-lane,   or  Defcnce-ftreet,  in  all  old  deeds,  (and 

fince 

*  See  Annals  for  the  year  1 247.  —  alfo  the  plate.  —  There  is  in  a  manufcript  in  the  Chamber 
of  Briftol  called  Ryiaut's  Calendar,  a  coloured  drawing  or  view  of  the  city  about  1470  as  dcf- 
cribcd  above,  the  (Ireels  and  houfef  laid  out  in  form  of  a  crofs  with  a  gate  and  church  at  each 
end,  the  High-crofs  in  the  center,  and  four  chuichcs,  and  the  river  running  round  it. 


L     53      1 

Cnce  Dolphin-lane,  from  the  Dolphin-inn  once  there)  as  a  place  of  defence 
or  barrier  for  the  city  on  that  fide,  and  fecuring  it  againft  any  attempts  or 
infurretlion  of  the  foldiers  of  the  caftle,  as  defcribed  by  William  Worcefter, 
p.  236.  This  was  the  internal  wall  of  the  city,  added  for  the  greater  ftrength 
and  fecurity  ;  the  external  on  this  fide  being  conftrutled  on  the  very  bank  of 
the  Froom,  from  Froom-gate  to  Pithay-gate  and  Newgate,  there  joining  the 
caftle. 

On  the  north-eaft  fide  it  was  moted  with  a  little  arm  of  the  Froom  by  a  chan- 
nel made  by  hand  quite  round  till  it  met  the  Avon,  which  fkirted  the  city 
on  the  fouth  fide,  where  the  wall  was  continued  quite  round  the  caftle;  thus 
completing  the  fortification  of  the  city.  The  double  wall  that  was  built  at 
Tower-lane,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Froom  river,  is  a  proof  of  the  antiquity 
of  the  place,  and  of  its  being  augmented  from  time  to  time.  The  old  city  is 
faid  to  have  been  fortified  with  that  inner  wall,  by  Geoffry  Bifhop  of  Con- 
ftance  ;  or  it  was  by  him  repaired  and  enlarged,  when  he,  raifing  a  rebellion 
againft  William  Rufus,  chofe  it  for  the  feat  of  war,  as  will  hereafter  be  more 
particularly  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  the  caftle. 

Under  the  wall  above  defcribed  on  the  fouth  fide  ran  the  river  Avon,  (fo  cal- 
led from  Abone,  the  antient  Britifli  word  for  a  river,)  which  parts  Somerfetftiire* 
from  Glocefterftiire  ;  and  during  the  Saxon  heptarchy,  Briftol  was  reckoned  in 
thefe  two  counties  or  kingdoms  :  in  the  former  were  the  Mercians  feated;  in  the 
latter,  or  Redcliff  fide,  the  Weft  Saxons  :  and  it  was  by  late  writers  placed  by 
fome  in  one^  by  fome  in  the  other  county.  This  river  Avon  runs  through  Wilt- 
(hire,  rifing  nearTetbury  in  Glocefterftiire,  at  Kemble  and  Luckington  in  two 
ftreams,  which  join  at  Malmfbury  in  one,  and  pafs  through  Chippenham,  La- 
cock,  t  Melkftiam,  Bradford,  down  to  Bath  and  Briftol ;  and  receiving  a  branch 
of  the  Froom  at  the  Caftle,  and  the  whole  river  Froom  itfclf  formerly  near 
Nicholas-port  but  now  at  the  Quay,  glides  on  in  a  winding  courfc  by  Redcliff  till 
it  paflcs  the  city  and  the  rocks  of  St.  Vincent  below  it,  which  feem  as  if  cleft 

in 

*  Briftol  is  ever  mentioned  in  the  old  Parliament  rolls  to  be  in  Somerfetfhirc,  as  Redcliff 
really  was,  and  in  the  Weft  Saxon  kingdom  ;  —  a  proof  that  Redcliff  was  part  of  the  antient 
Caer  Brito,  and  not  of  late  rife  :  though  fome  manufcripts  fay,  William  Earl  of  Gloccfter 
annexed  Redcliff  to  Briftol. 

+  A  nunnery  there,  built  by  Ela  Counlcfs  of  Salifbury,  in  Snaihncad,  now  the  feat  of  John 
Talbot,  Efq.  Leland  fays,  '•  filver  money  was  dug  up  there  in  a  field  called  Silver-feld."  It 
.was  on  the  Roman  road,  called  by  Antoninc  Vcrlucio,  and  by  Richard  of  Circncefter.  There 
arc  now  the  remains  of  a  nunnery,  moft  compleat  of  any  in  England.  Ela  was  buried  1300,  in 
the  church  of  Ofcney  ;  (he  foinded  a  chapel  at  Rewly,  nigh  Oxford,  where  the  foundation 
ftone,  in  1705,  was  dug  up  with  the  name  of  Ela  upon  it,  and  is  pr'.li! ved  by  Hcain,  in  the 
Bodleian  Library.     Vid.  Ltlaml.  Itin.  p.  94,  v.  2. 


C     54     ] 

in  a  {lupcndous  manner  to  let  it  through,  and  about  fcvcn  miles  below  falli 
into  Kingroad,  or  the  Severn  fca.  Boats  of  burden  ufed  of  old  to  carry 
goods  from  Briftol  to  Bath,  until  the  river  was  obflruCled  by  wears,  mills,  &c. 
as  appears  by  Claus.  4  Edw.  1.  p.  1,  m,  4,  who  ordered  the  removal  of  them  > 
but  it  was  again  made  navigable  in  the  year  1727  :  fee  annals  for  that  year.— 
And  might  alfo,  in  the  opinion  of  many,  be  let  into  the  Ifis  at  Cricklade  by 
cutting  a  new  channel  for  a  few  miles,  and  thereby  a  navigation  be  efFeCled 
betwixt  the  firft  and  fecond  city  in  the  kingdom,  London  and  Briftol,  which 
was  oppofed  in  1656  by  the  corporation,  as  to  the  prejudice  of  the  city.— 
Some  fteps  have  of  late  been  taken,  by  the  merchants  of  Briftol,  towards  this 
great  work,  by  a  fcheme  for  extending  the  navigation  from  Bath  to  Chippen- 
ham ;  of  which  fee  annals  for  the  year  1767.  The  tide  in  the  river  Avon 
flows  up  as  high  almoft  as  to  Cainfham,  or  near  four  miles ;  but  after  that  the 
barges  go  againft  the  ftream,  and  are  drawn  along  by  men,  which  renders  the 
pafTage  fomewhat  tedious.  Bath  is  by  this  means  fupplied  with  timber,  deals, 
&c.  for  building,  wine,  cyder,  iron,  and  all  bulky  goods,  from  Briftol  at  a 
fmall  expence.  Leland  well  defcribes  the  rife  and  courfe  of  the  Avon,  Itin. 
vol.  ii.  f.  26,  and  f.  31,  and  "  enumerates  the  bridges  it  pafies  through  from 
"  Malmfliury,  viz.  Chriftine-Malford-bridge,  five  miles  lower;  Caifway-b ridge, 
"  two  miles  lower  ;  Chippenham,  a  right  fair  bridge,  about  a  mile  lower ;  the 
"  town  on  the  right  ripe  towards  London,  Rhe-bridge,  (in  the  parifh  of  La- 
"  cock,)  one  mile  and  a  half  lower;  Lacock-bridge,  one  mile  and  a  half 
"  lower;  Staverton-bridge,  four  miles  lower;  Bradford-bridge,  two  miles 
"  lower ;  Bath-bridge,  of  five  fair  arches,  five  miles  lower ;  Briftow-bridge, 
"  ten  miles  lower.  At  two  miles  above  Briftow-bridge  was  a  Commune  Tra- 
"  jcQus  by  bote,  where  was  a  chapel  of  St.  Ann,  and  here  was  great  pilgrim- 
"  age  to  St.  Ann."  —  It  is  in  the  parifh  of  Briflington,  and  fomc  old  arches 
remain  of  the  chapel  ftill  to  be  feen. 

Briftol,  being  fo  commodioufly  fituated  dt  the  confluence  of  two  fuch  rivers 
as  the  Avon  and  the  Froom,  could  not  fail  of  being  fupplied  with  water,  that 
neccftary  of  human  life ;  but  had  alfo  the  advantage  of  being  moted  round, 
for  its  greater  fecurity  by  their  united  ftreams,  which  with  the  embattled 
walls  and  caftle  muft  have  rendered  it  a  very  defenfible  city  againft  the  enemy 
in  thofe  early  times,  efpecially  as  the  whole  ground  plot  was  on  a  hill. 

In  thcfe  walls,  when  "  they  fuffered  alteration,"  were,  bcfides  the  four 
gates,  others  added.  The  old  gates  had  a  groove  in  the  fides  from  the  top  to 
the  bottom,  in  which  a  portcullis  (i.  e.  a  falling  door,  or  wooden  frame,  fliod 
Vith  ironj  fhaped  like  a  harrow,)  ^vas  let  down  for  the  better  defence  of  the 

citv. 


L      55      ^ 

city.  Thefe  gates  are  all  enumerated  and  defcribed  by  Leland.  "  Newgate 
'  (as  methynkyethe)  is  in  the  utar  \saulle  by  the  caftle,  and  a  chapelle  over 
itte  :    itte  is  the  pryfon  of  the  city.     St.  John's-gate,  a  churche  on  eche 

*  fyde  of  it ;  St.  John's  churche,  it  is  harde  on  the  north  fide  of  it,  and  there 
'  be  Cryptse.  St.  Giles's-gate  be  the  fouth-weft  of  the  Key,  where  Frome 
'  rennithe.     St.  Leonarde's-gate,  and  a  paroche  church  over  it.     St.  Nicolas- 

•  gate,  where  is  a  churche  cum  cryptis.  Thefe  be  the  inner  gates  of  the 
oulde  towne  cis  Sabrinam,  as  the  towne  ftandithe  in  dextra  ripa  defluentis 
Avonae." 

Befides  thefe  walls  and  gates,  there  were  others  called  by  Leland  the  ex- 
terna or  fecunda  maenia  urbis.  The  outward  wall  of  the  city  feems  to  have 
run  in  a  line  from  Froom-gate,  after  the  river  Froom  was  turned  into  the  Key, 
ftraight  along  the  Key,  where  was  a  tower  oppofite  the  Drawbridge,  to  Marfh- 
gate,  fo  round  by  King-ftreetto  the  Back-gate  in  Back-ftreet,  the  wall  there 
joining  the  Avon.  In  making  the  new  ftreet  1771  from  Corn-ftreet  to  the 
Key,  by  a  fubfcription  of  8000 1.  of  which  the  corporation  gave  2000 1.  they 
found  in  digging  the  ground  a  gout,  the  old  arched  gout,  once  the  bed  of  the  river 
Froom,  next  St.  Leonard's  church  ;  and  at  the  bottom  of  Clare-ftreet,  a  wall 
five  feet  and  a  half  thick  next  the  Key,  once  the  city  wall  here.  Thefe  walls 
were  built  when  the  city  enlarged  its  boundaries,  ranging  beyond  its  former 
limits.  Thus  Leland :  "  In  the  uttar  (outer)  walles  Marfch-gate  e  regione 
•*  Avonae."  Back-gate  is  alfo  intended,  but  through  a  flaw  in  Leland's  manu- 
fcript  is  not  named  there.  On  the  RedclifF  fide  he  fays  accurately  enough, 
"In  the  waulle  ultra  pontem  &  Avonam  be  two  gates,  Raddeclyffe-gate  and 
"  Temple-gate,  and  a  greate  tower  called  Tower-Harrys,  at  the  very  ende  of 
"  the  waulle  in  ipfa  ripa  Avonaj."  But  the  prefent  Temple-gate  is  of  a  beau- 
tiful and  neat  modern  flrufture ;  as  was  RedclifF,  now  taken  down.  Leland 
fays  of  the  wall,  "  that  certain  Bochers  made  a  fayre  peace  of  this  waull,  and  it 
"  is  the  higheft  and  ftrongefl:  of  all  the  towne  waulles." 

This  infular  fituation  of  the  city  obliged  them  to  erefl  feveral  bridges  to  the 
gates  that  led  out  of  it.  Froom-gate  of  old  was  a  grand  and  noble  flruQure, 
confiding  of  two  arched  ways,  adorned  with  the  heads  of  Brightrick  and 
Robert  Earl  of  Gloccfier;  and  the  bridge  flill  remains,  conftrutlcd  of  two 
folid  Gothic  arches,  with  (Irong  and  thick  piers,  as  the  cuflom  then  was.  — 
Through  Elle-gate,  now  Newgate,  was  the  common  high  road  into  Glocefler- 
fhire;  this  gate,  though  of  one  opening  or  palTage  only,  feems  to  confilt  of 
four  arches,  turned  one  within  the  other  at  different  times,  which  fliews  its 
antiquity :  and  had  a  figure  in  ftone  on  each  fide ;  one,  holding  in  his  hand  a 

kind 


[     56     ] 

kind  of  model  of  a  caftle-like  building,  reprcfents  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter, 
the  repairer  and  enlarger  of  the  caftle  ;  the  other,  having  a  cup  with  a  cover 
or  chalice  in  his  hand,  was  for  Godfry  Bidiop  of  Conftance,  who  built  fome 
of  the  walls,  and  fortified  the  caftle,  in  the  fecond  year  of  K.  W.  2d. — 
Below  this  gate  was  alfo  a  bridge,  ftill  remaining,  by  which  we  pafs  over  a 
branch  of  the  Froom ;  and  another  juft  below  it,  over  the  river  Froom  itfelf: 
through  the  firft  the  Caftle-mills  are  fupplied  with  water,  and  the  lafl  leads  us 
into  the  parifh  of  St.  James  or  Merchant-ftreet.  Farther  on  the  Wear  is  ano- 
ther, called  by  the  name  of  Ell-bridge*  or  of  Wear-bridge,  (mentioned  by 
Leland,j  "  harde  by  the  northe-eaft  parte  of  the  caRIc  of  Briilowe;"  he  adds, 
"  there  brekythe  an  arme  out  of  Frome,  a  but-fhot  above  Werebrydge,  and 
"  renithe  thrwghe  a  ftonc  bridge  of  one  greate  arche ;  and  there  at  Newgate 
"  the  other  parte  of  Frome,  reninge  from  Werebridge,  cummithe  undar  ano- 
"  ther  ftone,  and  fervinge  the  mille  hard  withote  Newgate,  metithe  with  the 
"  other  arme." 

There  muft  alfo  have  been  a  bridge  at  Baldwin's  (or  Leonard's)  gate  over 
the  Froom,  when  it  ran  through  Baldwin's-flreet  its  ancient  courfe,  though 
it  is  long  fince  deftroyed  and  the  river  itfelf  there  filled  up  fmce  the  turning 
of  the  courfe  of  the  Froom  into  the  Quay. 

At  Nicholas-gate,  of  old  called  Warburghs,  there  was  firft  a  ferry  to  St. 
Thomas  flip  on  the  oppofitc  fhore  or  Avon's  bank,  till  a  bridge  was  after- 
wards conftru£led  there,  of  which  hereafter  in  the  annals:  at  t Pithay-gate, 
Needlefs-gate,  and  at  Bridewell,  once  called  Monks  bridge,  (formerly  a 
place  of  great  ftrength,  fortified  with  bulwarks  and  a  tower,  which  give  name 
to  Tower-lane  in  its  neighbourhood)  there  were  afterwards  and  ftill  remain 
bridges  for  the  better  communication  with  other  places. 

From  the  defcription  already  given  it  appears  how  well  the  old  town  was 
fituated  and  fecured  on  all  fides,  with  every  kind  of  defence  by  nature  as 
well  as  Art.  By  the  neighbouring  hilly  ground  of  St.  Auftin,  St.  Brandon- 
hill,  +   St.  Michael's  and  Kingfdown  hills,  with   the  river  Froom  running  in 

a 

*  Or  Ellebridge,  fo  called  in  old  writings  from  EUe,  lord  of  the  caftlc  ;  now  the  flreet  next 
it  is  corruptly  called  EUbroad- flreet,  for  Ellebridge- (Ircct. 

t  Pithay  was  formerly  called  the  Putte,  or  pit,  from  its  low  fite ;  and  the  gate  of  old  had  the 
name  of  pons  Aylwardi,  Aylward's-gate,  from  Aylward,  the  Saxon  governor  of  Briftol ;  of 
whom  fee  the  chapter  on  the  caftle. 

J  In  the  county  of  Kern,-,  in  Ireland,  there  is  a  very  high  mount,  called  Brandon-hill,  with 
the  remains  of  a  fmall  oratory  on  its  fummit,  dedicated  to  Su  Brandon,  who  founded  a  monaftcry, 
(Clonfcrt,)  in  the  year  558, 


[     SI      ] 

a  winding  channel  underneath  was  it  environed  on  the  north  fide  ;  by  Rcd- 
cliff,  Pyle  Hill  and  the  river  Avon  on  the  fouth,  by  tlie  Caflle  very  dcfenfi- 
blc  on  the  eafl ;  being  feated  on  a  hill,  in  a  valley  betwixt  thefe  hills,  jt  has 
given  occafion  to  its  being  compared  to  ancient  Rome  on  its  fcven  hills, 
its  ground  plot  like  that  being  nearly  circular,  with  a  fomewhat  greater  di- 
ameter one  way  then  another,  enough  to  make  it  oval,  the  river  cutting  oQ 
one  part  about  a  fixth  from  the  reft  ;  like  it  indeed  a  great  part  of  the  city 
in  its  improved  ftate  is  fitiiated  on  fevcral  hills. 

A  place  io  happily  feated  as  BriRol  foon  began  to  extend  its  ancient  boun- 
daries beyond  the  firfl;  erecled  walls,  and  how  far,  appears  by  the  plan  annexed. 
RedclifFfide  becoming  large  and  populous  was  foon  added  to  the  city,  whicli 
very  early  became  a  borough  town,  defended  by  a  caflle.  Andrew  Dc 
Chefnc  (Gefta  Steph.)  thus  defcribes  it  as  in  the  time  of  King  Stephen: 
"  Eft  Brifloa  civitas  omnium  fere  rcgionis  civitatum  opulentifTima,  &c."  i.  e. 
"  Brillow  is  the  richefl  city  almoft  of  all  the  cities  of  this  country,  receiving 
merchandize  from  neighbouring  and  foreign  places  with  the  fliips  under  fail, 
fixt  in  a  ver)-  fertile  part  of  England,  and  by  fituation  the  mofl  defenfible  of 
any  city  in  Eng'and;  for  as  we  road  of  Brundufium,  a  certain  part  of  the 
county  of  Glocefler  is  here  confined  in  form  of  a  tongue,  and  flretched  out 
into  length  ;  two  riverc  was'iing  its  two  banks,  one  on  each  fide,  and  in  its 
lower  parts  where  the  ground  finks,  joining  together  into  one  flow  of  water, 
form  the  city:  a  quick  and  flrong  fca  tide,  flowing  up  night  and  day,  occafions 
the  rivers  from  both  parts  of  the  city  to  ebb  into  the  broad  and  deep  fea, 
making  a  mofl  fafe  and  convenient  port  for  a  thoufand  fliips  ;  and  fo  flriclly 
inclofed  is  its  circuit,  that  the  whole  city  feems  to  fwim  in  the  waters,  and 
wholly  to  be  fet  on  the  river  banks." 

This  admirably  defcribes  the  city  every  high  tide,  when  the  rivers  being  full 
give  it  this  appearance.  William  of  Malmfliury,  in  the  time  of  Henry  2d. 
(dcGeflis  Ponlif.  p.  283  fol.)  thus  defcribes  it :  "  In  eadem  valle  eft  vicus  cclc- 
bcrimus  Briftow  nomine  in  qua  navium  portusab  Hibernia&  Norwegia  et  casteris 
tranfmarinis  terris  vcnientium  rcccptaculum,  ne  fcilicet  genitalibns  divitiis  tarn 
fortunata  rcgio  (Glouceftrienfis)  perigrinarumopum  fraudaretiir  commcrcio." 

Lord  Lyttclion,  (in  his  excellent  work,  the  Life  of  Henry  2d,  vol.  ii. 
P-  177O  nn"tcs  Malmfbury's  authority,  "  that  Briftol  was  then  full  of  fliips 
"  from  Ireland,  Norway,  and  every  part  of  Europe,  which  brought  hither 
"  great  commerce  and  much  foreign  wealth."  And  if  a  place  of  fuch  trade 
fo  early,  we  may  be  well  affurcd,  that  the  buildings  of  the  city  mull  be  very 

II  mnncrous 


[     58      3 

numerous  and  flourifhing,  and  have  been   improving  long  before,   as  trade 
always  brings  together  a  conflux  of  inhabitants. 

The  uniting  of  RcdclifF  with  the  city,  by  means  of  a  bridge,  feems  to  have 
been  one  grand  ftep  towards  this  great  improvement,  or  rather  the  efFe8;  of 
the  population  and  continual  refort  of  fettlers ;  who,  impatient  of  the  narrow 
confines  of  their  firft  erefted  town  walls,  attempted  to  enlarge  their  boundaries 
and  eretl  buildings  bevond  them,  and  to  join  by  a  bridge  their  neighbours  of 
Redcliff,  by  a  free,  uninterrupted  communication  ;  having  no  other  at  one 
time  but  by  means  of  a  ferry  at  St.  Thomas-flip,  and  perhaps  fome  other  part 
of  the  river. 

Thefe  buildings  were  conftrufted  chiefly  on  the  north  and  wefl  fide  of  the 
town.  A  monaftery,  dedicated  to  St.  Auguftin  in  1148,  a  priory  to  St. 
James,  and  other  religious  houfes,  began  to  be  eflablifhed  through  the  favour 
and  opulence  of  great  men,  and  the  charitable  difpofition  of  the  people.  And 
where  thefe  houfes  devoted  to  religion  rofe,  there  the  inhabitants  flocked ;  as 
ifdefirousof  dwelling  near  thofe  confecrated  buildings,  and  under  the  pro- 
teftion  of  thofe  faints  and  martyrs,  to  whom  the  facred  enclofures  were  dedi- 
cated, and  which  they  were  inftruQed  the  Deity  honoured  with  his  more  im- 
mediate prefence. 

Leland  has  enumerated  the  fevcral  religious  hotjfes  in  Brifl;ow  in  his  time, 
vol.  vii.  fol.  70,  fecond  edit,   of  his  Itinerary. 

"  Howfys  fumtyme  of  religion  in  Brightflowe.  —  Fanum  Auguftini,  nunc 
S.  Trinitatis:  Infcriptio  in  porta.  There  be  three  tombcs  of  the  Barkeleys  in 
the  fouth  ifle  agayne  the  quiere.  Fanum  St.  Jacobi  ;  it  ftandithe  by  Erode 
Meade  by  northe  from  the  caftle,  on  an  hilly  grounde,  and  the  ruines  of  it 
ftandithe  hard  buttynge  to  the  efte  ende  of  the  paroche  churche,  non  longe  a 
dextra  ripa  Frai,  (i.  c.  not  far  from  the  right  bank  of  Froom.)  St.  Magda- 
lene's ;  a  howfe  of  Nunes*  fuppreffyd,  on  the  north  fyde  of  the  towne.  The 
Gauntes :  one  Henry  Gaunte,  a  knight,  fomctyme  dwellinge  not  farre  from 
Brandon-hyll  by  Brightftow,  ereftyd  a  college  of  priftes  with  a  mafler,  on  the 
green  of  St.  Auguftine.  Hofpitales  in  ruin.  Fanum  »  Barptolomei.  Fanum  2 
irium  regum  juxta  Barptolemeos  extra  Froome-gate.  Aliud3  non  procul,  &c. 
i.  e.  Another  not  far  off,  on  the  right  bank  of  Froom  as  you  goto  the  priory  of 

St. 

*  On  St.  Michael's-hill,  now  the  fUe  of  an  inri,  the  King  David. 

1  The  horpital  of  St.  Bartholomew,  once  the  city-fchool,  now  Queen  Elizabctli's  Boys' 
hofpital. 

2  The  houfe  and  chapel  of  the  Three  Kings  of  Cologn,  an  almthoufe  at  the  upper  end 
of  Steep-ftreet,  in  St.  Michael's  parifh. 

3  Now  Spencer's  alm{houf(:  on  the  banks  of  Froom  in  Lcwin's-mead,  1460. 


[     59     ] 

St.  Tames,  in  Lionsmede-flreet.  One4  in  Temple-ftrete.  Another  5  by  St. 
Thomas-ftrete.  St.  John's,  6  by  Radcclef.  An  hofpitalle  7  S.  Trinitatis  hard 
uithin  LafTorde's-gatc.  The  Tukker's  hofpitall  in  Temple:  the  Weevers' 
hofpitall  in  Templc-ftrete.  8  There  was  an  hofpital  of  old  tyme  where  of 
late  a  nunrye  was,  caullyd  S.  Margaret's. 

"  The  Grey  Friers'  howfc9  was  on  the  right  ripe  of  From  Watar,  not  far 
from  St.  Barptoleme's  hofpital.  The  Blake  Friers  »°  flode  a  little  highar  than 
the  Gray,  on  Frome  in  the  right  ripe  of  it  :  Ser  Maurice  Gaunt,  elder  brother 
to  Ser  Henry  Gaunt,  foundar  of  the  Gaunts,  was  foundar  of  this.  The 
White  Fryers  n  ftode  on  the  righte  rype  of  Frome  agayn  the  Key.  The 
Augudyne  Friers'  howfe  12  was  hard  bye  Temple-gate  wytheine  it  northe 
wefte." 

In  another  place,  vol.  v.  f.  64.  or  p.  60.  2d  edit,  he  mentions,  "  St. 
Augufline's  Blake  Chanons  13  extra  masnia  (without  the  walls)  ibique  in  magni 
area  facellum,  in  quo  fepultus  eft  S.  Jordanus,  unus  ex  difcipulis  Auguftini 
Anglorum  apoftoli.  A  houfe  without  the  wauUes,  as  I  remembrc,  cawUyd  the 
Gauntes,  14  otherwyfe  Bon  Hommes.  [iiii]  howfes^s  of  Freres,  of  the  which 
the  White  Fryers  place  ys  very  fair." 

Befides  thefe  hofpitals  mentioned  by  Leland,  there  were  others  mentioned 
in  the  will  of  John  Gaywode,   1471,  thus  : 

"  Pauperes  fraternitatis  St.  Joannis  Baptiftae  in  ecclefia  St.  Audaeni ;  domus 
Elemofynar.  de  Long  Row  Burtoni  :  domus  Elemotynaria  Richardi  Fofter 
juxta  Redcliff-gate  ;  pauperes  de  lazarehoufe  de  Brightbowe ;  pauperes  domus 

H  2  Wil. 

4  Spiccr's  hofpital,  on  the  weft  fide  within  Temple-gate. 

5  Burton's  almfhoufc,  founded  1292. 

6  St.  John's,  in  RedclilT-pit,  near  St.  John"s-lanc  there. 

7  Trinity  hofpital,  on  both  fides  the  way  juft  within  Lawford's-gatc,  the  upper  end  of  the 
Old  Market. 

8  Still  in  being  there  with  fome  endowment ;  fee  chap,  on  Temple  parifh. 

9  Oppofite  Spencer's  almlhoufe  in  Lewin's-mead,  now  a  fugar-houfe,  founded  in  1274. 

10  On  the  Wear,  now  the  fite  of  the  Quaker's  Mecting-houfe,   1229. 

11  On  Frier's-hill,  next  Pipe -lane,  in  the  parifh  of  St.  Auguftinc,  now  the  fite  of  Mr. 
Colfton's  hofpital  and  other  buildings.     It  extended  back  to  the  Red  Lodge. 

12  Onthceaftfidc  juft  within  Temple-gate,  oppofite  Temple  pipe  conduit,  now  the  fite  of 
the  Great  Garden,  called  alfo  Spring  Gardens. 

t3  The  cathedral  of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  College-green. 

14  The  Mayor's  chapel. 

»5  The  White,  the  Grey,  the  Black,  and  Auguftinian. 

To  thefe  add  St.  Sepulchre's  in  Bell-lane,  near  St,  Laurence  church,  now  warchoufcj,  where 
was  a  nunnery. 


[      6o      ] 

Wil.  Caiiyngcs  fupermontem  de  RedclifF,  1442  :  domus  Elemofynaria  Johannis 
Spiccr  juxta  portani  Tcmpli ;  pauperes  Fraternitatis  Sanftae  Catherina;;  pau- 
percs  &:  egcni  apud  Aulam  FuUonum  ;  domus  Elemofynaria  prope  ecclefiam 
omnium  fantlorum  ;  pauperes  St.  Joannis  de  la  Redclive-pytt ;  carcerati  egentes 
de  Monkebrigge  (or  Bridewell)  ;  pauperes  domus  Elemofynariae  fanftae  Trini- 
tatis  juxta  Laford's-gate."  —  To  all  thefe  he  was  a  benefaftor. 

Others  alfo  have  arifcn  fincc,  or  fucceeded  fome  gone  to  ruin  ;  as  St. 
John's  and  All  Saints'  almflioufe,  new  built;  the  Merchant  Taylors'  alraf- 
houfe,  in  Merchant-flreet  ;  Colfton's  almflioufe  for  old  men  and  widows,  on 
St.  Michael's-hill ;  the  Merchants'  almfhoufe,  in  King-flreet ;  St.  Nicholas 
almfhoufe,  in  the  fame  ftreet ;  all  which  are  well  built,  and  have  excellent 
accommodations  for  the  poor,  fome  are  alfo  amply  endowed.  Add  to  thefe 
that  fpacious  and  general  afylum  for  the  poor,  the  old,  the  infirm,  the 
difeafed,  and  the  helplefs,  St.  Peter's  hofpital,  the  public  poor-houfe  of  the 
city,  near  St.  Peter's  church,  the  Orphan  fchool  for  poor  boys,  called 
Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital,  formerly  next  College-green,  now  removed  into 
Chriftmas-ftrect ;  as  alfo  the  great  fchool  for  poor  boys,  called  Colfton's  hof- 
pital, on  St.  Auguftine's-back,  in  which  one  hundred  boys  arc  clothed, 
fed,  and  educated,  from  feven  years  of  age  till  fourteen,  when  each  has  15I. 
given  him  at  his  going  out  to  an  apprenticefliip. 

The  chapels,  religious  houfes,  churches,  hofpitals,  and  almflioufes,  are 
particularly  noticed  and  the  meafurements  of  them  as  they  ftood  in  1480,  in 
William  Botoner's  book,  fxtrafts  of  which  will  be  given  in  the  particular 
defcription  of  each  as  it  occurs. 

In  the  regifter  of  William  of  Wickham,  Bifliop  of  Winchefter,  is  the 
following  particular  of  the  chapel  of  St.  Brendan  :  "  Ibidem  14  die  Augufti, 
1403  dominus  concefTit,  &c."  i.  c.  "he  granted  to  all  bencfaflors  to  the 
chapel  of  St.  Brendan  nigh  Briftol  and  to  Reginald  Taillor  the  poor  hermit 
of  it,  forty  days  of  indulgence  by  his  letters  for  one  year  only  to  continue ;" 
by  which  it  appears  there  was  an  hermitage  of  religious  here  with  a  chaple 
dedicated  to  St.  Brandon  an  Irifti  Saint.  And  in  an  old  Latin  deed  relating 
to  the  Caunts,  I  find  a  piece  of  ground  or  croft  juxta  pafturam  faiifti  Bren- 
dani,  near  the  field  of  St.  Brendan  held  by  a  female  reclufe  or  hermit  — 
quam  reclufa  tenuit.  In  the  year  1351,  Lucy  de  Newchirchc  repeatedly 
offered  to  the  Bifliop  of  Worccfler  and  dclired  leave  to  be  fhut  up  in  the 
hermitage  of  St.  Brendan  of  Briftol,  and  to  quit  the  world,  which  after  due 
inquiry  into  her  conduQ  and  purity  of  life  and  neceftary  virtues  for  it,  was 

granted 


C    61    ] 

granted  her:  as  we  find   by  this    deed,    E.  Regiflris    Wygorniae,    Thorefby 
f.  21  a 

Commiffio  ad  inchidendam   Luciam  de   New   Chirche   Anchoritam. 

Johannes  miferatione  divina  Epifcopus  &c  Sakitem  ;  dileflo  filio  magiflro 
Johanni  d'  Severley  Archidiacono  noftro  Wygornienfi  gratiam  &:  benediflio- 
nem  :  accedens  ad  nos  Lucia  de  New  Chirche  fe  Anchoritam  in  Heremitorio 
St.  Brendani  de  Briftol  noftrse  diocefeos  cum  inflante  et  humili  devotionc, 
prout  nobis  per  fui  geflus  habitum  apparebat,  includi  repetitis  vicibus  poflu- 
lavit.  Nofque  de  vita  &  convcrfationc  prcdicls  Luciae  notitiam  non  habentes 
vobis,  de  veftra  fidelitate  &  induftria  &  circumfpectione  plenias  in  domino 
confidimus,  ad  inquirendum  per  viros  &  mulieres  fide  dignos  de  converfatione 
illius  Luciae  J  &  fi  earn  vitje  laudabilis  efTe  et  mundae  &  alia  virtutum  infignia 
quae  in  hunc  mundum  relinquentibus  vigere  deberunt,  in  ea  pollere  perpen- 
deritis:  ac  diebus  &  temporibus,  prout  expediens  fuerit  ac  juri  confonum  & 
rationi  eidem  pro  fui  examinatione  veftro  arbitrio  affignandis,  ipfam  in 
mundo  propofito  perfeverantem  inveneritis  &  confiantem,  fuper  quo  veftram 
coram  Deo  confcientiam  oncramus,  earn  in  difto  Heremitorio  Anachoritam 
includendi  per  vos  vel  alium  vobis  quantum  cum  Deo  poflumus  inofFenfo 
jure,  committimus  vices  noflras.  Dat.  London:  7  die  Maii  Anno  Dom. 
milleffimo  000""°   LIo  &  tranflationis  noflrae  2d''- 

Befides  thefe  Chapels  noted  by  Leland,  there  was  alfo  the  chapel  of  St. 
Giles  annexed  however  to  St.  Leonard's  in  1301,  and  there  were  others  of 
a  much  earlier  foundation,  and  fo  old  as  not  even  to  be  feen  in  their  ruins  in 
his  time.  — The  following  I  met  with  in  an  old  manufcript  penes  me  in  Chat- 
terton's  hand  writing  from  Rowleie. 

"  St.  Baldwyns  Cliapelle  in  Baldwyns-ftreet :  Brightike  haveing  made  it 
"  ynto  a  houfc,  Kynge  Harrie  fecundus  in  hys  yinge  daies  was  there  taughte: 
"  yn  the  wall  of  it  was  an  Ymagerie  of  a  Saxonne  Abthane  crabattelie 
"  ywroghtenne  with  a  mantille  of  Eflate  which  yonge  Harrie  enthoughten  to 
"  be  moke  fyner  dreffc  thcnne  hys,  caufcynge  the  fame  to  be  quaintilTen  yn 
"  elenge  felke  Sc  broderie  j  thus  came  Courte  drelfe  from  a  Brifloc  Yma- 
"  gcrie. 

"  St.  Mar)-  Magdelens  Chapelle  :  founded  by  Kilo  Ld.  Warden  of  the 
"  Caftle  near  EUe-gate,  fythence  ycleped  New-gate.  Yn  thys  Chapelle  of 
"  the  Caftele  was  ylworne  a  Treatyc  between  Coodwyne  Earle  of  Kent, 
•♦  Harold  eftfoons  Kynge  of  Englande,  Leofwinus,  hys  Broders,  &  other 
"  Nobles  of  the  Londe. 

•'  St. 


[  ^2  ] 

"  St.  Matthyas  is  Chapellc  —  Thys  ChapcUe  vas  fyrft  ybelden  bye 
"  Alwarde  a  Saxonne  ynne  867  &  ys  now  (about  the  year  1460)  made  of  the 
"  old  walles  of  tlie  fame  a  Free  Maconnes  Logge,  of  wyche  fame  amme  I 
"  unwordie  &  Maftre  Canyge  Brendren ;  ytte  ys  cleped  Canynges  place, 
"  Canynges  Logge  Sc  Lyon  Logge. 

"  Seynfte  Auflins  Chappie  :  Thys  freemied  pyle  ytte  is  uncouth  to  faie, 
"  whom  the  fame  dyd  ybuyld.  But  it  mote  nedes  be  eld  :  fythencc  it  was 
"  yn  ruyn  in  the  days  of  Wm.  le  Baflarde,  The  dribblette  remaines  wvll 
"  fliewe  yts  aunciauntrie  and  nice  Carvellynge  —  An  aunciaunte  Bochord 
"  faieth,  Geoffrie  a  norman  Carveller  dyd  newe  adorne  the  fame  in  Edward 
"  Confeflbrs   daies."     This   chapel    flood  next  the  fine  gate  leading  to  the 

lower  Green. In  another  manufcript  by    the   fame  alfo  is  thus   def- 

cribed  "  Seynfte  Baudwins  Chappcle :  yt  ftooden  ynn  Baudwynne  Street : 
"  the  preefte  thereof  toke  Churfotte  of  alle  boates  pafleyng  the  brydge  of 
"  woode  there  ftandeyngc.  Brighticke  Erie  made  ytte  ynto  a  dwellyngc 
"  houle  for  wych  fatl  Godds  Ire  dyd  hym  overtake  Sc  he  deceafyd  yn  pry- 
"  fon  :  fome  faie  hys  Corfe  was  forewyned  as  flryken  wythe  a  Levyn  Brond  — 
"  After  his  putting  it  to  lay  ufe  K.  Harolde  lodged  there,  Robertus  Fitz- 
"  Harding  lyved  there.  To  this  dale  ftandcth  the  Crofs  yn  the  Glebe  whi- 
"  lom  the  Glebe  or  Church-yard  nempt  Baldwyns  Croffe."  This  houfe  is 
now  called  the  Back-hall  in  the  fame  ftrcet,  for  weighing  and  houfing  goods 
on  the  Back.  There  was  hereabouts  one  called  in  fome  mannfcripts  St.  John's 
chapel. 

The  churches  in  the  city  of  Briftol  being  formerly  eighteen  befides  the  Cathe- 
dral with  the  chapels  and  churches  now  confolidated  with  others,  had  of  old 
feveral  chauntries  belonging  to  each,  as  will  appear  more  particularly  in  the 
enfuing  hiftory  of  each  parochial  church  ;  but  the  following  table  will  give 
a  general  account  of  thera  in  the  year  1547  when  "  the  worfliipful  John 
Cottrel,  Dr.  of  Laws,  Vicar  General  to  Paul  Bufh,  the  firfl  Bifliop  of 
Briflol,  fequeftred  to  the  King's  ufe  all  fruits,  profits,  emoluments  whatfoever 
&c.  for  non-payment  of  fubfidies  and  tenths  then  due,  on  the  firft  May  and 
at  Chriftmas  laft  pad,  and  made  John  Rumney  keeper  of  them  fo  fequeftred" 
ift  Apr.  A.  D.   1547.      1.  Edw.  vi.  /.     i.     d. 

The  monaftry  of  St.  Auguftin  near  Briftol,         -     -     67   16     o| 
The  hofpital  or  houfe  of  Gaunts  or  St.  Mark,     -     -     11     4  i^i 
The  hofpital  or  Domus  Calendar,       -___-       iiio|- 
A  chantry  by  Wm.  Dean  there       __-_-       0160 
Another  by  Sir  Thomas  Merry  field      -     -     -     -       0160 

The 


/. 

5. 

d. 

7 

13 

4 

3 

o 

o 

6 

o 

o 

6 

o 

o 

[  63  ] 

l.     s.     d. 

The  reQory  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  [the  yearly  tenths]  120 

A  chantry  by  Richard  Erie  in  the  fame  church,  013     4 

A  chantry  by  Catharine  Jonys  there,    -     -     _     _  0128 

A  chantry  by  Rob.  Alef  and  Roger  Cantock,      -  080 

Another  by  Thomas  Ball,  ______ 

The  reQory  of  the  church  of  St.  John  the  Baptift,  o   14     5^ 

Chantries  founded  by  Walter  Frampton,    -     _     _  1      1    iOi| 

A  chantry  there  by  Thomas  Rowley,         _     _     _  0140 

The  vicarage  of  St.  Leonard,    [the  yearly  tenths]  140 

The  reftory  of  St.  Stephen,      _______  120 

A  chantry  there  founded  by  Richard  White,       -  015     4 

Another  there  by  the  fame,  --____  060 

Another  there  by  Thomas  Belcher,      ____  0120 

Another  there  by  Edward  Blanket,       -     _     _     _  0120 

The  reftory  of  the  church  of  St.  Audoen,  _     _  068 

The  vicarage  of  All-Saints   [the  yearly  tenths]       -  084 

A  chantry  by  Thomas  Holway,       _____  0134 

The  reftory  of  St.  Lawrence  [the  yearly  tenths]     -  089;! 

A  chantry  there  by  Cecily  Pollard,      ____  0120 

The  reftory  of  St.   Werburge,       ---___  100 

A  chantry  there  by  John  Foflcr,       --___  0140 

The  reftory  of  St.  Mychael,  ______  0120 

The  vicarage  of  St.  Auguftine,  _____  0120 

Xhe  reflory  of  St.  Peter,         _______  0129 

The  reftory  of  St.  Mary  in  foro,  [tenths]      _     _     _  o   14     o 

The  vicarage  of  the  church  of  St.  Phillip,      _     _     _  1    10     o 

A  chantry  there  by  John  Kcmys,        ____  0120 

Another  by  Robert  Forthey,     _-___-  0120 

The  vicarage  of  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas,      _     -  220^ 

A  chantry  there  by  Richard  Spycer,  _     _     _  ^      A     9\ 

Four  chantries  there  by  Evcrard  le  French,     _     -  2    12     4J- 

Another  by  William  Spencer,         ___-_  0100 

Two  chantries  by  Thomas  Knapp,        _     _     _     _  168 

St.  Mary's  chapel  on  the  bridge,  a  chantry  there 

134  by  Edward  le  French,      _______  0134 

The  church  of  St.  James,  a  chantry    there    by 

William    Ponam,         ----___.  0120 

Another 


12 

7 

11 

26 

3 

9 

5 

0 

0 

13 

6 

8 

C     64      ] 

/.    s.     d. 
Another  by  John   Spyccr,        ______       oio8 

A  chantry  of  the  Holy  Crofs  in  All-Saints  church,  o   16     o 

Another  chantry  there,        -___--_       0160 

The  hofpital  of  St.  John  the  Baptift  in  Briftol,         -       5     3     Oj 

The  houfe  of  St.  Mary  Magdalen,       _____       23     95: 

The  rcftory  of  St.  Mary  port,        ______       0107 

The  vicarage  of  the  church   of  St.  Mary   de 

Redcliff,  [tenths]         ________        147-j 

A  chantry  by  William  Canyngs  there,       _     _     -        168 

A  chantry  there  by  Richard  Mede,      -     -     -     -       014     o 

In  the  church  of  St.  Thomas,  two  chantries  there 

by  John  Stokes,     _________       100 

A  chantry  by  John  Burton,        ______       013      4 

Two  chantries  by  Robert  Chepe  and  others,       -       013      4 

The  vicarage  of  Holy  Crofs,  alias  Ic  Temple,     -     -       065 

A  chantry  there  by  John  Frances,        _     _     _     _       o   10     3^5 

Tliefe  were  the  churches  chapels  and  chauntries  therein  celebrated,    fe- 

queftred  to  the  King's  ufe  ;  — of  which  chauntries  more  particular  notice  will 

be  taken  in  the  account  of  each  parifh  church. 

In  a  manufcript  entitulcd  Liber  Taxationum  Beneficiorum  in  Anglia,  now 

in  the  Bodleian  Library    at  Oxford,  taken    igth   year  of  Edward   ift.    1291, 

is  the  following  account,  —  In  the  Archdeaconry  of  Gloucefler  and  Deanry  of 

Briftol. 

Ecclefia  St.  Stephani,     _________      7   Marc,  dimid. 

Portio  abbatis  GlaftonijE  in  eadem,     -     -     -     -     -    10  Sdl. 

Portio  abbatis  de  Keynfham  in  Ecclefia  St.  Laurentii,  2   So!. 

Portio  prioris,  St.  Jacobi  in  Eccles.  St.  Joannis,       -   10  Sol. 

Ecclefia  St.  Michaelis,        ________6  Marc,  dimid. 

Portio  St  Jacobi.     __________4  Sol. 

Ecclefia  St.  Warebrigge,     ________      6  Marc,  dimid. 

Portio  abbatis  de  Keynfham  in  ecclefia  Beat.  Maris,  20  Sol. 

Portio  abbatis  St.  Augufiini  in  ecclefia  omnium 

fan£torum,       __________       30  Sol. 

Portio  ejufdem  abbatis  in  ecclefia  St.  Auguftini 

minoris,      ____________       1    Marc. 

Ecclefia  St.  Nicolai,     ___--_-__       6  Marc.  ^^ 

Portio  vicarii  in  cadem,      ________       7   Marc,  dimid. 

Portio  prioris  St,  Jacobi  in  ecclefia  St.  Petri,    -     -     11   Sol. 

Ecclefia 


[     ^5      ] 

Ecclefia  St.  Trinitatis,        -_-___--       7  Marc,  dimid. 
Ecclefia  St.  Jacobi,       --_______     23   Marc. 

Ex  exaftifTimo  facrarum  sdium  catalogo  cum  annuo  valore  e  Dugdal.  Mon. 
Anglic.  V.  I.  p.  1039. 

Gloceft.  /.     s.     d. 

Can,  St.  Aug.  Briftol  ab.  St.  Aug.        _,-____     670  13    11   ob. 

Can.  St.  Aug.  St.  Marc.  hofp.  alias  Gaunt's,  (alias  Bilyfwyke.)  112     9     go. 
St.  Laurence  hofpital,    __--_-_       511040. 
Kalendar.  domus,     _-__--_-        10  18     80. 
B.  M.  Magd.  domus,     ___----       2111      30, 

Weftbury  coUcg.      ________     232    14     00. 

St.  Catherin.  hofpital,    _______       2115      80. 

Bendift.  Tewkfbury  abb.  cum  cella  Jacobi,      -     _     _  1598     1     30. 

Somerfet. 
Keyndiam  abb.    _____________     419  14     3  o. 

I^Iynchinbarrow,        ____________        2314     30. 

Temple  Comb  comandria,   -     -     -     -     -     _     _     _     _     _     10716110. 

Bridgwater  priory,     ____________     1 20  19     10b. 

The  nineteen  churches  have  been  thus  enumerated  in  Latin  verfe. 
De  sedibus  facris  urbe  fpeftabilibus. 
Sunt  aedes,  quarum  furgentia  culmina  caelo 
Formofam  reddunt  fpeftanti  turribus  urbem  : 
Redclivia,  &  Thomas,  Templum,  Philiippus  &  omnes 
Sanfti,  Auguftinus,  Nicolafque,  Maria,  Johannes, 
Audeenus,   Petrus,  Micael,  ecclefia  Chrifti, 
Werburgae  ct  Stephani,  nova  Pauli,  itemque  Jacobi, 
Gauntes,  pontificis  tandem  fpeciofa  Cathedra, 
In  quibus  aeternae  traQantur  verba  faiutis  : 
Hasc  jaclant  variis  fefe  praeccllere  rebus, 
Una  fuam  jaftat  ftruSuram,  atque  altera  te6lum. 
Altera  fublimem,  qua  tendit  ad  aethera  turrim  : 
Concamerata  fibi  jatlant  fundamina  quacdam, 
Aique  fepulchrctum  quaedam;  fuiit  tumque  feneftras 
Suntque  pavimentum  jadantcs,  funt  quoque  multa; 
Quae  fibi  campanas  guadent  jattare  fonoras. 
Altera  praegrandes,  atque  altera  jaftat  amaenas. 
Altera  fe  numero  reliquas  fuperare  triumphat. 
Sed  quibus  ulla  puiat  claram  fefi:  cfTe  feorfim, 
Omnibus  his  junQis  jaftal  tranfcenderc  Rcdcliff. 

I  Of 


[      66      ] 


Of  thefe  places  of  religious  inflitution,  and  of  the  hofpitals  or  almfhoufes,  a 
more  particular  defcription  and  account  will  be  given  in  the  parochial  hiftory 
hereafter. 

The  city,  by  the  virtue*  and  induflry  of  our  anceflors,  and  by  the  unwearied 
application  of  its  merchants  and  inhabitants  to  trade  (not  to  be  taught  to  undergo 
poverty  t)  became  daily  more  and  more  populous,  and  increafed  not  only  in 
extending  its  buildings  on  every  fide  but  alfo  in  its  credit,  opulence,  and  rank,  in 
this  commercial  nation.  A  work  was  now  fet  on  foot,  which,  for  its  boldnefs, 
grandeur,  and  defign  in  benefiting  pofterity,  would  do  honour  even  to  the 
the  prefent  age  :  it  was  no  lefs  than  turning  the  courfe  of  the  river  Froom, 
filling  up  its  old  channel,  and  digging  a  new  one,  to  make  the  Key  or  Quay 
for  the  fafe  birthing  of  the  fhips,  by  which  they  at  low  water  grounded  on  a  fafe 
bed  of  mud,  with  lefs  danger  to  their  bottoms:  which  is  excellently  defcribed 
by  Leland,  vol.  vii.  2d  edit.  fol.  70.  or  p.  87. 

"  The  haven  by  Avon  flowithe  about  a  two  miles  above  Brightflowe-bridge. 
"  The  Ihips  of  olde  tyme  cam  only  up  by  Avon  to  a  place  caullyd  the  Bek, 
"  where  was  and  is  depthe  enowghe  of  watar,  but  the  bottom  is  very  flony 
*•  and  rughe  ;  fens  by  polecye  they  trenched  fomewhat  alofc  by  northe-wefte 
"  of  the  old  Key  on  Avon  anno  1247,  and  in  continuance  bringing  the  courfe 
"  of  From-ryver  that  way  hath  mad  a  fofte  and  whofy  (oozy)  harborow  for 
*'  grete  fhippcs." 

This 

*  Virtute  et  Indujlria,  is  the  motto  of  the  Biiftol  arms  ;  a  due  regard  to  it  will  ever  prcfcrve  its 
honour  and  renown  to  lateft  pofterity.  —The  old  arms  of  the  city  of  Briflol  are,  gules,  a  caftle 
upon  an  hill  by  the  fea-fide,  and  the  helm  of  a  fhip  pafTing  by,  all  proper ;  to  which  were  after- 
wards added,  fupporters,  &c.     Sec  the  prints. 


t  Indodlis  pauperiem  pati,  the  motto  of  the  arms  of  the  Merchant  Venturers  here.  The  arms 
of  the  Merchants'  Society  are,  barry  unde  of  eight  pieces  argent  and  azure  on  a  bend  Or,  a  dragotx 
volant  vert,  on  a  chief  g.  a  lion  paffani  gardant  or,  between  two  bczantSi 


[      ^7      ] 

This  enterprize  of  making  a  new  key,  and  of  conflruCling  a  (lone  bridge 
acrofs  the  Avon,  and  joining  to  Briftol  Redclifffide,  (which  though  before  a 
part  of  the  city  yet  belonging  to  the  honour  of  Gloccfter,  was  under  a 
feparate  government  till  the  charter  of  Henry  3d.  (which  fee  in  the  annals  for 
the  year,)  was  undertaken  about  the  fame  time,  and  formed  together  one  grand 
complete  fcheme,  which  made  fuch  amazing  alterations,  was  attended  with 
fuch  beneficial  confequences  to  the  community,  that  it  ought  juflly  to  be  fig- 
nalized  apart  as  a  particular  aera,  from  whence  to  date  the  rife,  of  thofe  great 
improvements  that  followed;  advancing,  with  a  rapid  progrefs,  the  honour, 
riches,  and  commercial  interefts  of  this  city  :  which,  by  the  virtue  and 
induflry  of  its  citizens,  has  rofe  to  its  prefent  grandeur  and  dignity  in  the 
nation ;  and  that  alone  reflecls  greater  honour  on  Briftol  than  any  thing  that 
we  have  faid  or  can  fay  in  its  praife  for  its  antiquity,  the  only  thing  many 
places,  more  extolled  in  chronicles  or  old  hiftories,  have  now  left  to  boaft  of; 
whilfl  this,  like  a  well  cultivated  fpot,  has  been  continually  flouriniing  with 
renewed  vigour,  extending  its  commerce  to  the  moft  didant  regions,  enlaro-- 
ing  its  antient  bounds  by  additional  buildings  and  magnificent  public  flruftures, 
and  has  thus  merited  its  antient  Saxon  name  Brightftowe,  i.  e.  an  illuflrious 
city,  by  becoming  yearly  more  and  more  illuflrious. 

Previous  to  conftrufting  the  ftone  bridge  and  making  the  new  kev,  in  the 
year  1239  our  prudent  forefathers  purchafed  of  the  then  abbot  of  St.  Augufiin, 
William  de  Bradeflone  and  the  convent,  ground  in  the  marfh  of  St.  Auguftin 
fufficient  for  their  purpofe  of  making  the  new  trench,  haven,  or  quay  :  a  copy 
of  the  original  covenant  between  them  follows. 

"  Conventio  fafta  inter  abbatem  &  conventum  St.  Auguftini,  Briflollia?,  <fe 
maiorem  &  communiam  Briftollisp,  de  terra  in  marifco  St.  AuguIUni  verfus 
aquam  de  Frome. 

"  Haec  eft  conventio  facia  inter  dominum  Willielmum  de  Bradeflone,  tunc 
abbatem  fancli  Augiillini  Briflolliae  8c  cjufdcm  loci  conventum  ex  una  parte, 
&  Ricardum  Aillard,  tunc  maiorem  Brillol  8c  totam  communiam  BriiloUiae  ex 
altera  parte:  fcilicet  quod  di£lus  abbas  &  conventus  concefferunt  pro  fe  &: 
fuccefToribus  fuis  in  perpetuum  maiori&communisE  Briflollias,  et  eorum  here- 
dibus  totam  terram  illam  in  marifco  St.  Auguftini  BrillolliBe  qua:  jacet  extra 
CofTatum,  quod  circuit  terram  arabilcm  diclorum  canonicoruni  diretlc  verfus 
orientcm  ufque  ad  marginem  portus  Frome  :  quod  quidem  faflktum  extenditur 
a  grangia  diclorum  canonicorum  verfus  Abonam  ;  falvis  abbati  6c  conventui 
prediclo  terra  proxima  di£lo  fuffato  verfus  grangiam  prediftam,  ubi  dicla  com- 
munia  incipit  foffare  fipties  viginti  &  quatuor  pedibus  terrae  in  latitudine  et  in 

I  2  medio 


[      68      ] 

medio  dicli  marifci  quater  viginti  &  duodecim  pedibus  terrse  in  latitudine  ;  ic 
in  exteriori  parte  di£ti  marifci  verfus  Abonam  fexaginta  pedibus  terrje  in  lati- 
tudine, fuper  quam  terram  fic  menfuratum  communia  Briftolliae  &  eorum 
haeredes  habere  debent  liberum  iter  fuum,  introitum  &  exitum  &  tranfitum  ad 
naves  fuas  &  ad  fpatiandum  pro  voluntate  eorum  de  die  &  noCte,  longe  &  pro- 
xime,  pacifice  &  fine  conlradiftione  in  perpetuum,  ficut  femper  hjeredes  con- 
fueverunt:  debent  autem  praedifla  communia  &  eorum  ha;redes  falvare  abbati 
&  conventuipreditlo  et  fuccefforibus  fuis  eandcm  terram  menfuratam  ita  fcili- 
cet  quod  in  curfus  aquae  terram  dcterioraverit,  diQa  communia  illam  debet 
emendare :  refiduam  vero  terram  difti  marifci  San£ti  Auguftini  BriftollJEe  ex 
orientali  parte  &  auftrali  prsedifti  foffati  debent  predida  communia  &:  eorum 
hzeredes  integre  habere  et  poffidere  ad  faciendam  inde  unam  trenchiam,  por- 
tum  &c  quicquid  diftae  communiae  melius  fervierit  abfque  omni  impedimento  &c 
contradi6lione  in  perpetuum  :  pro  hac  concefTione  fiquidem  Sc  pro  bono  pacis 
dederunt  prasdicti  maior  &  communia  Briftolliae  pracdi6lo  abbati  et  conventui 
novem  marcas  argenti :  undi  ut  haec  conceffio  rata  et  ftabilis  permaneat,  tam 
figillum  praedidi  conventus  quam  figillum  communitatis  Briftollia:  mutua  ap- 
pendafuni  huic  chirographo  :  hiis  teftibus  Domino  Johanne  filio  Galfridi,  Tho- 
ma  de  Berkleia,  Rob.  de  Gourney,  W.  de  Pycott,  Ignatio  de  Clyfton,  Ro- 
gero  dc  Warre  de  KnoUe,  Johanne  le  Warre  de  Brixtulton  &  aliis  ;  fafla  autem 
conventio  vigilia  annunciationis  beatae  Maria;,  anno  regni  Domini  regis  H.  filii 
J.  viceffimo  quarto."  —  A.  D.  1239,  24th  Hen.  3d. 

By  this  the  abbot  grants  to  the  mayor,  Richard  Aillard  and  the  commonalty 
of  Briftol,  all  the  land  lying  without  a  certain  ditch  of  their's,  that  furrounded 
their  arable  land,  dire6lly  towards  the  ealt  unto  the  brink  of  the  haven  of 
Froom,  which  ditch  extended  from  the  Grange  of  the  Cannons  towards  the 
Avon.  The  ground  next  the  faid  ditch  towards  the  Grange,  where  the  com- 
monalty began  to  dig,  being  referred  to  the  abbot  and  convent,  feven  fcore 
and  four  feet  broad ;  in  the  middle,  four  fcore  and  twelve  feet  broad  ;  and  in 
the  outer  part  of  the  faid  marfh  towards  the  Avon,  fixty  feet  broad.  Upon 
the  ground  fo  mcafured  out,  the  commonalty  of  Briftol  and  their  heirs  were  to 
have  free  paffage,  ingrefs  and  cgrefs,  to  their  fhips  in  the  new  trench  or 
quay,  and  to  walk  as  they  pleafed,  by  night  or  by  day,  without  let  or  molef- 
tation  for  ever  :  but  the  city  was  obliged  to  amend  and  repair  the  lands  fo 
meafurcd  out,  if  by  the  current  of  water  it  fhould  be  damaged.  The  remain- 
ing ground  of  the  faid  marfli  of  St.  Auguftin,  from  the  eaft  and  fouth  part  of  the 
ditch,  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  Bridol  were  to  have  wholly  and  poflels, 
in  order  to  make  from  thence  one  trench,  haven,  or  whatever  fhould  beft 

ferve 


C    %    ] 

ferve   their   purpofe,  without    hindrance,    for  ever,   paying  nine   marks    of 
filver. 

This  grant  being  obtained,  it  was  not  long  before  they  put  the  work  in 
execution.  Some  difpute  has  arifen  betwixt  the  Corporation  of  Briftol  and 
the  Dean  and  Chapter,  who  are  now  in  the  ftead  of  the  Abbot  and  Convent 
aforementioned,  concerning  the  limits  of  this  ground  on  St.  Auguftine's  back, 
granted  unto  the  city  by  this  deed,  and  it  is  yet  undecided  in  the  year  1788. 
It  appears  that  fome  years  after  tlie  above  grant  the  Abbot  fued  the  city  for 
rrefpafllng  upon  the  privileges  of  his  monaflry,  where  he  held  a  court  of 
view  of  frank  pledge  and  a  fanQuary  except  for  treafon,  and  complains, 
"  quod  non  facitint  reparationes  circa  littora  aquas  vocatae  Frome  devaftantis 
terram  difti  abbatis  ficut  tenentur,"  meaning  doubtlefs  the  land  fecured  to  the 
Abbot  by  the  above  grant;  —  by  which  it  is  clear  that  a  large  portion  of 
ground  was  given  to  the  commonalty  of  Briftol,  then  called  Avon  marfh, 
lying  on  the  eaft  fide  of  the  fame  river,  by  the  abbot  and  convent,  on  con- 
dition that  the  faid  Mayor  and  commonalty  fliould  defend  from  the  water 
Frome  a  certain  parcel  of  ground  belonging  to  the  monaftery  and  adjoining 
the  fame,  which  in  the  time  of  Abbot  John  Newland  was  by  them  neglefted, 
to  the  great  damage  of  the  ground  called  Cannons  marfh ;  which  was  one 
great  caufe  of  difpute  in  Henry  yth's.  time  betwixt  them.  (Great  white  Book 
p.  18,6.)  In  1496,  11th  Henry  7th  the  conteft  was  compromifed  by  the 
Lord  Chief  Juftice  and  Lord  Chancellor — (p.  36  G.  white  Book)  during 
the  difpute  the  Mayor  forbade  the  burgeffes  to  fell  any  provifions  to  the  con- 
vent, grinding  corn  at  their  mill  called  then  Trenel  now  Trin-mill,  hindred 
the  courfe  of  juftice  and  performed  many  other  ill  offices. 

The  following  was  the  petition  of  the  Abbot  by  which  the  caufe  of  the 
difpute  will  appear. 

Supplicatio  Abbatis. 

1.  Pro  denariis  levatis  &  diftriclionibus  captis  dc  tenentibus  infra  privilegi- 
um  Monafterii  Sanfli  Auguftinijuxta  Briftol  eifdem  reddendis  &  fub  injunftione 
pecuniaria  ne  iterum  facerc  prefumpferit. 

2.  Pro  viftualibus  &  aliis  ncceffariis  emendis  vel  vendendis  nullum  pof- 
tea  fiat  impedimcntum. 

3.  Ouod  jnhabitantes  Briftoliam  volentes  grana  fua  molere  ad  molendina 
difti  Abbatis  non  impediantur. 

4.  Quod  fiat  executio  Juftiiiae  in  caufis  di8i  Abbatis  fine  dilatione  vel 
cavillatione. 

5.  Quod  reddant  Terras  &  rcdditus  detcntos  prjediQo  Abbati. 

6.  Quod 


[     70     ] 

6.  Quod  faciani  reparaliones  circe  littora  aquae  vocatae  Frome  dcvaftantis 
terram  dicti  Abbatis 

To  cxadly  afcertain  the  ground  fpecificd  in  the  deed  would  now  be  very 
difficult,  the  limits  being  deRroyed  and  the  places  fo  much  altered  by  time  j 
but  in  general  we  may  alTert,  that  fo  much  ground  as  is  parted  from  St.  Au- 
gullin's  fide  and  now  makes  the  channel  of  the  river  Frome  and  the  Qtiay, 
was  fully  afTured  to  the  city  by  this  grant ;  and  a  privilege  alfo  allowed  the 
citizens  of  fo  much  more  ground  as  is  there  mentioned  to  be  meafured  out 
next  the  Grange  and  towards  the  Avon  for  their  ufe  of  going  to  their  (hip- 
ping, &c  :  and  this  indeed  was  all  ihat  was  wanting  to  compleat  the  work. 
They  began  digging  and  forming  the  new  channel  from  the  Key  conduit 
towards  the  Gib,  unto  the  place  beyond  the  Grange  of  the  Monaftery,  which 
I  fuppofc  to  be  below  Toms's  dock,  the  ditch  inclofing  Cannon's  marfli 
beginning  there  about :  by  which  neither  the  water  of  the  Avon  or  the  Froom 
interrupted  the  work.  —  The  trench  thus  dug  towards  the  Avon  and  then 
towards  the  Froom  fcparated  the  marfli  of  Bridol  (now  built  into  a  fquarc) 
whence  the  name  of  Marfli-ftreet  from  the  marfh  of  St.  Auguftine  (now 
called  Cannons  marfh)  partly  built  on  and  converted  to  the  ufe  of  a  dock, 
timber  yard,  rope  walk  and  dwelling  houfes,  the  privilege  of  paffing  to 
and  fro  there,  being  retained  to  this  day. — As  they  were  obliged  by 
the  covenant  to  keep  on  the  outfide  of  this  ditch,  they  were  confined  to  that 
direQion  and  could  not  make  it  quite  flraight,  efpecially  oppofite  the  marfli 
of  St.  Auguftin,  where  it  is  a  little  winding,  till  it  opens  into  the  Avon. 
From  whence  having  dug  quite  to  the  prefent  head  of  the  quay  or  quay-con- 
duit, (asfome  manufcripts  have  it)  where  the  river  Froom  in  a  winding  courfe 
followed  the  walls  of  the  city  in  its  natural  current  to  Baldwin-flrcet ;  this 
new  communication  with  the  Avon  was  cffefled,  that  through  Baldwin-flreet 
being  flopped  up,  tlie  Froom  changed  its  courfe  and  ever  after  paffed  through 
this  new  channel,  which  being  enlarged  and  walled,  makes  a  fafe  and  conve- 
nient quay,  equal  if  not  fuperior  to  any  in  the  kingdom,  being  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  round  from  the  head  of  the  quay  to  Briftol  bridge ;  and  the  fhips 
are  admitted  by  it  into  the  midR  of  the  city. 

In  feveral  manufcripts  ^ew«  wc  the  digging  the  quay  is  varioufly  exprefTcd; 
one  by  Adams  in  1626  has  it,  "  Anno  1245,  (Richard  Alayne  mayor, 
William  Concord  and  John  Northfolk  prcpofitors)  a  trench  was  made  and 
cafl  at  Gibtaylor  up  to  the  brazen  flock  of  the  key  by  the  Mayor  and  com- 
monalty of  the  town."  Another  thus,  "  Anno  1240,  ^4  Henry  3d.  as 
Ricaut's  Kaleridar  fays,  fome  fay  in   1245,    1246,    1247,    the   trench  or  key 

was 


i:  71   ] 

\vas  made  from  Gybb  Tailleur  *  to  the  key  conduif  as  well  thofe  of  RedcliiT- 
ward  and  of  Temple  fee  as  of  the  town  of  Briflol  taking  their  turns  in  the  la- 
bour and  charge:  the  Froom  running  before  along  Baldwin-flrcet  where  it 
drove  a  mill  called  Baldwin's  crofs-mill,  and  fell  into  the  Avon  near  a  place 
where  now  (lands  the  Back  hall,  then  was  the  old  channel  dammed  up  and 
formed  into  a  Rrcet,  to  which  there  was  an  eafy  back  paflage  and  communica- 
tion from  St.  Leonard's  church  as  far  as  St.  Nicholas  church,  though  in  two 
places  in  St.  Nicholas-ftreet  there  was  a  defcent  by  a  flight  of  fteps  for  foot 
paflengers.  Before  this  time  Cannons  marfh  took  in  all  thofe  places  where 
are  now  the  Key,  Gibb  Tailleur  and  Princes-flreet,  and  the  ground  next 
Marfli-ftreet,  the  fcite  of  part  of  which  formed  what  was  called  Chanters  clofe 
and  was  exchanged  by  the  Corporation  with  Sir  William  a  Bradllone  the 
abbot  for  the  Trcen-mills  with  refervation  of  the  privilege  of  hunting  the 
duck  there  for  the  difport  of  the  magiflrates,  as  one  manufcript  declares,  but 
another  fays  it  was  granted  upon  a  refervation  of  a  yearly  rent,  but  the  ka- 
lendar  fays  in  general  it  was  purchafed  for  a  certain  fum  payed  down  at  exe- 
cuting the  grant :"  which  appears  to  be  the  truth,  though  it  looks  from  fuch 
various  relations  of  the  fafts  that  the  bargain  proceeded  upon  all  thefe  confi- 
derations.  Leland  gives,  a  very  juft  and  particular  relation  of  this  whole 
tranfaftion  wherever  he  picked  it  up.  "  The  year  of  our  Lord  1247  was 
the  trenche  made  and  cart  of  the  river  from  the  Gibb  Taylor  to  the  Key  by 
the  Comonalty  as  well  as  Redcliff  fyde  as  of  the  towne  of  Briftoll;  and  the 
fame  tvme  the  inhabitants  of  RedclifFe  were  combined  and  incorporated  to  the 
aforefaide  towne.  And  as  for  the  grounde  of  Saynt  Auguftins  fyde  of  the 
river  it  was  geven  and  granted  to  the  comonalty  of  the  fayed  towne  by  Sir 
William  Bradftone,  then  being  Abbot  of  the  fame  Monaftery  for  certayne 
money  therefore  payed  to  him  by  the  comonaltye,  as  it  apperithe  by  writynge 
tiiereof  made  betwinge  the  Mayor  and  comonalty  and  the  Abbote  and  his 
brethren."  In  another  place  he  thus  defcribes  the  river  Avon  as  (when  the 
tide  is  in)  filling  the  river  and  bringing  in  the  flapping.  "  Avon  ryver  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  beneath  the  towne  in  a  t  meadow  caflcth  up  a  great  arm 
or  gut  by  which  the  greater  veflels  as  mayne  toppc  fliippcs  cum  up  to  the 
towne.  So  that  Avon  doth  peninfulatc  the  town  and  veflels  may  cum  of  both 
fides  of  it.     I  marked  not  well  whither  there  cam  any   frefh  water  from  the 

lande 

*  Whence  this  name  is  derived  is  no  where  faid  —  I  find  a  man  named  Gilbert  Ic  Tailor, 
■who  might  give  rife  to  it. 

+  (Meadow,  i.  e.  Cannons  marfh)  and  the  raarlh  of  Briftol  now  Qucen's-Squarc,  betwixt 
'it'hJcb  is  the  quay,  dividing  both. 


I  72  ] 

■lande  to  bctc  that  arme.'*  By  this  he  faw  it,  I  fuppofe,  when  it  was  high 
tide,  when  the  little  river  Froom  is  loft  in  that  of  the  Avon. 

That  the  Key  of  Briftol  was  made  at  the  joint  cxpence  of  the  men  of  Red- 
cliff,  as  well  as  of  thofe  of  the  town  of  Briftol,  appears  evidently  from  a  writ 
of  mandamus  fcnt  to  them  by  Henry  3d.  dated  27th  April,  the  2  4tii  year  of 
his  reign,  which  I  have  tranftated  from  the  Latin  original.  —  "  Henry,  by  the 
•grace  of  God,  King  of  England,  Lord  of  Ireland,  Duke  of  Normandy,  Aqui- 
lain,  and  Earl  of  Anjou,  to  all  my  honeft  men  dwelling  in  la  Redclive,  in  the 
fuburb  of  Briftol,  wiftieth  health.  Since  our  beloved  burgeftes  of  Briftol,  for 
the  common  profit  of  the  town  of  Briftol  as  well  as  of  your  fuburb,  have  begun 
a  certain  trench  in  the  marfti  of  St.  Auguftin,  that  (hips  coming  to  our  port  of 
Briftol  may  more  freelv  and  without  hindrance  come  in  and  20  out,  which 
irench  indeed  they  cannot  perfeft  without  great  charges ;  we  therefore 
command  you,  that  fince  from  the  bettering  the  faid  port  no  fmall  advantage 
will  accrue,  not  only  to  thofe  burgeftes,  but  alfo  to  you,  who  are  partakers  of 
the  fame  liberties  which  our  faid  burgeftes  have  in  the  faid  town,  and  are 
joined  with  them  both  in  foot  and  lot,  that  you  lend  the  fame  aftiftance  as  they 
do  ;  as  it  will  be  alfo  very  profitable  and  ufeful  to  you  to  have  the  work  of  the 
trench  happily  compleatcd,  according  to  what  fhall  fall  to  your  fhare,  together 
with  our  burgeffes ;  and  fo  efFeflually,  that  the  aforefaid  work,  which  we 
regard  as  our  own,  receive  no  delay,  through  any  defefl  in  you.  Witnefs 
myfelf,  at  Wyndlefhore,  2gth  April,  24th  year  of  our  reign."  —  Before  this 
was  made,  the  ufual  place,  as  Lcland  fays,  for  landing  goods  out  of  the  (hips 
was  at  the  Back,*  where  was  the  old  Cuftom-houfe,  ftill  remaining,  having  the 
arms  of  England  in  its  front ;  and  at  St.  Nicholas-port,  above  the  bridge  be- 
fore that  was  built,  where  on  taking  down  the  fhambles  large  Gothic  arched 
cellars,  running  back  almoft  into  Maryport  churchyard,  were  difcovcred, 
ufed  formerly  for  reception  of  merchants'  goods  there  landed  :  and  an  old 
mooring  poft  was  difcovcred  in  the  ground  on  entering  the  north  door  of 
Maryport  church  itfelf,  which  poft  was  removed  about  1750.  It  appears,  by 
a  note  in  the  great  White  Book  in  the  Chamber  of  Briftol,  that  the  cutting 
of  this  trench,  for  the  courfe  of  the  Froom  through  the  Key,  coft  the  com-- 
monalty  of  the  city  the  fum  of  5000I.  a  vaft  fum  of  money  in  thofe  days.  — . 
Such  a  convenience  to  a  trading  city  as  this  Quay,  which  admitted  the  fhips 
laden  up  to  the  merchants'  warehoufes  built  near  its  banks,  could  not  but  be 
attended  with  the  good  ccnfequence  of  promoting  the  commerce  of  the  city. 
The  Quay  being  compleated,  and  the  marfh  of  Briftol  thereby  effeQually 

divided 

*  Back,  or  Bck,  a  Saxon  word  for  a  river. 


[   n    ] 

divided  from  that  of  St.  Augunin,  houfes  and  ftreets  began  to  be  built  there  ; 
Marfli-flrcct  terminated  with  a  cliapel,  dedicated  to  St.  Clement,  and  a  gate  ; 
and  Back-ftreet  with  a  gate  alfo,  and  a  chapel  near  it,  dedicated  to  St.  John, 
and  belonging  to  St.  Nicholas;  the  church  of  St.  Stephen  and  its  dependent 
parifli,  and  t!ic  buildings  between  the  Back  and  the  Quay,  feem  to  have  taken 
their  rife  at  this  period,  and  were  all  inclofed  with  a  ftrong  embattled  wall, 
externa  or  Jccunia  macnia  urbis,  extending  from  the  Key  to  the  Back,  where 
King-ftreet  has  fince  been  built.     Vid.  fccond  plan  of  the  city. 

The  inhabitants,  now  impelled  thereto  by  a  noble  fpirit  of  improving  their 
city,  not  deprefled  by  the  confideration  of  cxpence  attending  the  work,  ap- 
plied themfelves  to  the  bufinefs  of  erc6ling  a  permanent  ftone  bridge  acrofs 
the  Avon.  That  there  was  a  wooden  bridge  there  before  the  year  1247,  the 
year  in  which  all  the  manufcripts  I  have  feen  agree  the  flone  bridge  was 
■  erefted,  there  is  no  fort  of  doubt.  It  is  very  unreafonable  to  fuppofe  the 
contrary,  as  the  city  had  been  flourifhing  and  very  populous,  and  would  cer- 
tainly not  labour  under  the  great  inconvenience  of  pafling  by  boat  a  rapid 
river  in  the  winter,  as  the  only  commuication  with  their  brethren  of  RedclifF. 
The  river  indeed  was  a  proper  feparation  of  the  kingdom  of  Mercia  from  that 
of  the  Weft  Saxons,  but  as  foon  as  the  latter  were  poffefTed  of  Briftol,  and 
Brightrick  walled  it,  a  better  intercourfe  with  the  Redclivians,  and  between 
Somerfetfliire  and  Glocefterfhire,  than  by  an  uncertain  ferry,  foon  became 
neceflary.  Accordingly  we  find  that  there  really  was  a  wooden  bridge  there 
for  fome  years,  which,  falling  to  decay  and  being  unfit  for  the  fervice  re- 
quired, was  at  this  time  pulled  down  and  re-edified,  in  a  more  commodious 
and  lafting  manner,  with  thick  ftone  piers  and  arches.  London,  in  like  man- 
ner, had  no  more  than  a  wooden  bridge  till  the  year  1209,  and  Briftol  feems 
to  have  copied  it  in  that  as  well  as  in  erefting  a  chapel  and  houfes  on  the 
ftone  bridge  after  they  had  built  one.  It  has  been  faid  indeed,  that  there 
was  no  bridge  at  Briftol  over  the  Avon  till  1247,  the  31ft  of  Henry  3d.  but 
a  charter  of  Henry  2d.  without  date,  and  the  following  grant  from  Robert 
Fitzharding  quite  difprovcs  that  matter.  "  Robert,  the  fon  of  Harding,  to 
"  all  his  friends  and  to  all  men  prefent  and  future  health.  Know  ye,  that  I 
"  have  granted  and  confirmed  that  my  men,  who  dwell  in  my  fee  in  the  marfh 
"  near  the  bridge  of  Briftol,  have  their  cuftoms  and  liberties,  &c.  which  the 
"  men  of  Briftol  have,  as  our  Lord  the  King  has  granted  unto  them ;  and  I 
"  will  that  they  remain  to  them  whole  and  full  during  my  time,  and  that  of 
"  my  heirs.  Witnefs,  Richard  Abbot  of  St.  Auguftin,  William  Prior,  and 
"  others."     Maurice  de  Bcrkly,  Ton  of  the  above  Robert,  confirmed  to  his« 

K  men 


[      74      ] 

men  of  Redcliff,  by  his  grant,  the  cuftoms  and  liberties  which  they  had  in  the 
time  of  his  Father,  and  which  were  confirmed  to  them  by  his  faid  father. 

Now  it  appears,  that  it  was  in  the  time  of  Henry  2d's.  reign  that  Robert 
Fitzharding  made  the  above  grant ;  in  which  it  appears,  that  the  men  dwelling 
in  the  motjh  near  the  bridge  of  Brijlol  are  the  fame  men  that  afterwards  are  called 
by  Maurice,  in  H.  3d.'s  time,  his  men  of  Redclive  :  from  whence  it  may  be  inferred) 
that  Redcliff  being  low  ground,  liable  to  be  flooded  by  the  high  tides,  was  firll 
called  the  marjh  near  ike  bridge,  and  that  a  bridge  was  built  there  long  before 
the  trench  was  cut  in  the  marfli  by  the  Gibb,  whether  of  wood  or  ftone  does 
not  appear ;  though  I  am  moft  inclined  to  believe  it  was  the  former,  the  old 
ftone  bridge  certainly  not  being  built  till  1247,  the  very  time  when  the  new 
trench  or  key  was  dug  out,  and  Froom  river  diverted  from  its  ufual  courfe 
through  the  Fifli-market  and  Baldwin-flreet  into  it.  This  firft  bridge,  which 
might  probably  be  of  wood,  was  faid  by  William  of  Worcefter  to  be  made  in 
1215  by  King  John,  and  to  contain  140  greffus,  or  72  virgas,  p.  366.  (vid. 
annal.  for  that  year  below,  in  Henry  2d's.  reign.) 

William  of  Worcefter,  who  wrote  about  the  year  1480,  meant  doubtlefs  the 
ftone  bridge  then  meafured  of  the  length  he  fets  down,  and  fuppofed  it  to  be 
the  fame  built  by  King  John;  but  that  was  his  miftake,  as  well  as  that  King 
John  founded  any  bridge  here.  We  fee  by  King  Henry  2d's.  charter  that 
great  prince,  *  who  feems  to  have  fignalizedBriftol,  the  place  of  his  education 
with  his  favour,  could  alone  be  faid  to  be  the  founder  of  a  bridge  here,  as  one  is 
mentioned  in  his  writ  of  mandamus,  in  the  reign  indeed  a  little  before  that  of 
King  John,  which  might  have  deceived  William  of  Worcefter,  the  Briftol 
antiquary.  In  a  nianufcript  of  one. Mr.  Lant,  penes  me,  it  is  faid,  William 
Earl  of  Gloceftcr  founded  and  annexed  Redcliff  to  Briftol,  fupporing  that  the 
time  of  the  foundation  of  a  bridge.  Leland  alio  gives  it  to  him  in  thefe  words, 
in  Cygn.  Cant.  Poftea,  ponte  fatlo ;  i.  e.  "  afterwards  a  bridge  being  made, 
Redclive,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Avon,  was  added  to  Briftol,  and  defended 
with  a  ftrong  wall,  at  the  time  when  William  Earl  of  Gloucefter  governed 
this  county  and  efpccially  Brillol." 

How  this  ftone  bridge  was  conftru£led,  I  fhall  fct  down  fimply  the  account 
as  it  occurs  in  antient  manufcripts,  which  generally  agree  all  in  the  manner  of 
relating  this  faQ  ;  though  feme  are  more  explicit  than  others.  One,  wrote  in 
a  very  old  hand  in  my  poffeffion,  has  it  thus : 

"  1247. 

*  In  the  nith  over  Nicholas-gate,  at  the  entiai\cc  of  the  Bridge,  was  a  flonc  figure  of  a 
young  prince  (Henry  2d.)  with  a  crown  and  fccptre,  taken  down  and  dcftroycd  when  thai  gale 
was  removed,  in  1 760. 


[     75     ] 

"  1247-  This  year  the  mayor  and  commonalty  concluded  to  build  a  bridge 
over  the  river  Avon,  with  the  confent  of  RedclifFc  and  the  governors  of 
Temple  fee,  thereby  minding  to  incorporate  them  with  the  towne  of 
Brighteflowe,  and  fo  make  of  both  but  one  corporate  towne  :  for  they  paflcd 
by  bote  from  St.  Thomas  (lepp,  unto  St.  Mary  le  Port  to  come  to  Brighte- 
flowe :  for  at  that  time  the  port  was,  where  now  St.  Nicholas  fhamblcs  is  and 
there  the  fhippinge  did  ride :  for  which  caufe  the  church  is  called  the  church 
of  our  Lady  her  AlTumption,  and  the  port  St.  Maryport :  at  that  time 
noe  water  did  run  downe  the  key,  but  with  one  courrant  did  runne  to  the 
caflle  :  for  the  mafli  of  St.  Auftines  fyde  was  one  mayne  clofe  called  Chanters 
clofe,  belonging  to  the  Abby  of  St.  Auflines,  and  for  the  conveyinge  the 
river  from  the  poynte  called  the  gibb,  unto  the  key,  the  Mayor  and  commo- 
nalty as  well  of  Temple  fyde  as  of  the  towne  of  Brigheftowe  boughte  fo  much 
ground  as  is  parted  from  St.  Auftins  fide  of  Sir  William  a  Bradftone  the 
abbot,  for  a  certeine  fome  of  monie  to  him  payd,  as  apeercthc  by  an  old 
writeinge  made  betwene  him  and  the  mayor  with  the  convent :  and  then  the 
trench  was  digged  for  to  bringe  the  river  unto  the  key ;  for  at  that  time  a 
frefh  river  from  behind  the  caftle  mills  did  run  down  under  Froome  sate 
bridge,  and  fo  throghe  Baldwynne-ftrete  now  fo  called  and  it  drived  a  mill 
called  Baldwin's  crofTe-mill :  and  when  the  trench  to  the  key  was  finiflied  the 
water  was  flopped  at  the  poynt  againfl;  RedclifJ;  and  all  the  while  the  foun- 
datyon  of  the  arches  was  layinge  and  the  mafons  buildynge,  the  water  did  run 
under  the  bridges  of  RedclifF  and  Temple  gates,  being  made  for  the  fame 
purpofe :  and  at  Tower  Harris,  or  Harrats,  the  water  was  there  bayed  up, 
that  it  could  not  come  down  to  hinder  the  building  but  it  keept  its  current 
that  way,  and  fo  the  bridge  being  builded  the  beyes  were  broken  down,  and 
the  current  dothe  ebb  and  flowe  as  it  did  formerlie.  Then  the  frefh  river 
that  did  run  by  Baldwins-crofs  was  dampned  up,  and  made  a  flreete.  Thus 
thefc  two  townes  were  incorporated  into  one,  both  on  Somerfctfliire  fide 
and  Gloceflerfliire  fide,  that  whereas  they  had  ufually  on  every  Munday  a 
great  market  at  Stallenge  crofTe  and  in  Brigheflow  every  Wcdnefday  and 
Friday  at  the  High  crofTc  *  and  it  was  much  trouble  for  people  to  pafs  from 
one  fide  to  the  other,  the  bridge  being  built  the  market  was  kept  in  the  High- 
flreet,  at  the  High-croffe." 

Such  is  the  account  given  of  this  tranfaclion  ;  in  which  the   mayor's  Calen- 
dar by  Ricaut,  prcfervcd  in  the   Chamber  ofBrillol,  and  all  ihe  private  ma- 

K  2  nufcripts 

*  Some  manufcrip(s  fay  ihe  market  in  Brightcftowc  waslicld  in  the  Old  Market  now  fo  called, 
and  at  this  lime  was  removed  Vj  tlic  lligh-crofs  wljich  wis  there  creeled  and  adorned  wiih 
fi  cures. 


[      76      ] 

nufcripts  generally  agree.  Some  indeed  fay,  "  it  vas  done  at  the  charge  of 
the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  and  with  the  confent  and  charges  of  Redclift  and 
of  Temple  fee;"  and  that  "  bcfide  the  large  cut  made  from  Tower  Harris 
to  Redclift  for  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  tide,  the  river  Avon  was  danied 
up  on  each  fide  the  foundation  :"  —  but  this  feems  to  be  owing  to  the  variety 
of  tranfcripts,  and  different  exprefTions  of  the  copiers. 

They  pitched  upon  the  fame  fpot  for  this  work  where  the  ancient  ferry  was 
of  old,  and  near  the  place  where  the  wooden  bridge  (then  perhaps  ruinous) 
flood;  —  it  was  oppofite  St.  Nicholas  port  which  led  to  the  center  of  the  city, 
and  fronting  St.  Thomas-ftreet,  the  center  parifh  on  the  RedclifF  fide:  they 
could  not  have  chofen  a  better  fituation  though  it  is  rather  in  the  bend  of  the 
river;  and  the  buildings  on  both  fides  of  the  water  feem  afterwards  to  have 
been  laid  out  in  a  direftion  agreeable  to  this  fite  of  the  bridge  or  pafTage  over 
the  Avon. 

That  the  river  was  then  turned  into  the  new  channel  above  defcribed,  evi- 
dently appears  from  the  marks  of  it  to  this  day.  At  Tower  Harrits  we  fee 
even  now  a  deep  wide  trench,  which  the  high  bank  on  one  fide  of  it  fhews 
to  have  been  made  by  art,  and  fuch  a  quantity  of  earth  thrown  out  proves  its 
having  been  very  large  and  much  deeper  then  at  prefent,  —  it  runs  in  a  direft 
line  to  Temple  gate,  and  were  the  tide  not  fliut  out  by  a  hatch  it  would  flill 
flow  as  far  as  Temple  gate  through  it ;  there  the  channel  is  now  covered  by 
building,  though  open  with  a  bridge  over  it  formerly  ;  but  appears  again  at 
the  back  part  of  Pile-flreet,  (which  took  its  name  from  its  being  once  a  pill 
or  paffage  for  water)  and  fo  pafTing  bv  RedclifF  gate  goes  into  the  river  Avon 
again,  where  it  is  now  converted  into  a  very  large  gout  or  common  fewer 
forthat  part  ofthe  city.  The  city  being  walled  on  this  fide,  it  ran  jufl  under 
the  wall  and  doubtlefs  afterwards  fcrvcd  as  a  very  good  additional  fence  either 
as  a  dry  or  wet  ditch. 

Another  proof  of  the  river  being  thus  diverted  into  a  new  channel,  while 
they  were  laying  the  foundations  is  the  immenfe  fize  ofthe  piers,  offolid 
mafonry,  which  as  thcv  could  build  without  any  interruption,  they  made  as 
big  and  as  firm  as  they  pleafed,  to  fccure  the  bridge  for  ever  effeClually  a- 
gainfl  any  injury  from  bodies  of  ice  floating  down,  from  the  violence  and 
rapidity  of  the  current,  from  frefhes  after  rain,  and  accidents  from  vefTels 
breaking  from  their  moorings  or  the  like. 

But  what  puts  it  beyond  a  doubt,  is  the  account  of  a  boat,  and  materials 
belonging  to  fhipping  having  been  dug  up  here  in  the  gardens  behind   Pile- 

(\reet. 


[     77      ] 

ftreet.  The  cut  necefTary  for  it  was  not  very  long,  and  the  great  advantage 
derived  from  it  ofbuildmg  without  being  hindered  by  the  water  coming  down 
upon  them,  points  it  out  as  the  moft  eligible  method  they  could  have  put  in 
practice  on  fuch  an  occafion-  That  part  of  the  river  has  been  ever  fince 
called  Back- Avon,  which  feems  to  infuiuate  that  the  Avon  was  once  made 
to  run  on  that  back-fide  of  the  city. 

That  the  bridge  was  not  erefted  on  a  foundation  made  with  piles  has  been 
proved  ;  and  the  old  piers  were  perforated  to  examine  their  ftru6lure  if  they 
would  fupport  the  new  bridge  erected  on  them  in  the  year  1 767,  and  found 
firm  and  folid,  when  to  the  great  furprize  of  the  workmen  they  found  in  the 
middle  of  RedclifF  pier  a  fell  of  oak  about  one  foot  fquare  and  forty  foot 
long  with  two  uprights  near  each  end  about  nine  inches  fquare  and  eight 
or  nine  foot  high  morticed  into  the  fell,  fuppofed  by  the  workmen  who  had 
been  down  and  examined  it,  to  be  the  remains  of  the  old  wooden  bridge  firft 
built  on  this  fpot,  which  decaying,  a  ftone  one  was  erefted  in  its  place,  when 
thefe  pieces  of  timber  were  not  removed,  but  as  they  built  fuch  large  piers 
at  leifure,  undifturbed  by  the  current,  they  walled  them  into  the  middle  of 
the  pier  without  the  trouble  of  taking  them  up,  but  thinking  perhaps  it  might 
give  fome  liability  to  the  work. 

The  whole  breadth  of  the  river  being  about  two  hundred  feet,  they  divi- 
ded it  into  four  arches  and  three  folids  or  piers  ;  but  thefe  laft  were  made  fo 
very  thick  and  large,  that  the  water  way  left  was  hot  more  than  one  hundred 
feet,  rather  infufficient  efpecially  in  high  tides  and  freflies,  as  the  water  being 
kept  back  and  confined,  thereby  it  made  a  fall  at  the  arches  dangerous  to  the 
navigation;  which  has  occafioned  their  judgment  being  greatly  called  in 
queflion  by  our  modern  builders.  But  whatever  might  be  their  reafon  for 
making  the  arches  fo  narrow  and  the  piers  fo  large,  the  projeflors  of  this 
bridge  and  the  key  ought  ever  to  be  remembered  with  the  utmoft  honour 
gratitude  and  regard'  to  their  memory  :  a  work  that  one  fhould  fuppofe,  they 
would  not  have  been  equal  to  and  through  diffidence  never  have  attempted  ; 
but  their  public  fpirit  which  feems  to  have  animated  them  to  fuch  a  noble 
uJidcrtaking,  ought  to  be  extolled  to  lateft  pollerity.  —  The  idea  of  duration 
and  (lability  feems  to  have  influenced  their  judgment  too  much  in  conflrufl- 
ing  fuch  thick  large  piers,  but  as  they  built  in  a  manner  on  dry  land,  they 
thought  they  could  not  polfibly  make  them  too  ftrong,  having  fuch  an  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  it  with  eafc  ;  -.—  however  the  fupcrfiruciure  might  decav,  they 
rightly  judged,  that  might  eafily  be  repaired,  but  the  piers  or  pillars  they 
were  for  building  for  eternity. 

To 


[     78     ] 

To  turn  the  river  another  \\-ay  was  no  trifling  matter,  therefore  while  it 
was  done  they  rightly  confidcred,  that  the  firmefl:  foundations  they  could 
build  were  the  beft,  either  for  the  prefent  or  any  future  ufe  they  might  be 
applied  to. 

But  there  has  been  another  objetlion  made,  that  has  more  weight,  and  de- 
ferves  fome  confideration,  viz.  how  they  made  the  Bridge  fo  narrow  at  firft, 
being  only  nineteen  feet  broad,  and  afterwards  turned  other  fecondary  arches 
from  the  fpaundrels  of  the  firll,  and  parallel  with  them  ;  and  laying  large  tim- 
bers, or  rather  trees,  from  the  bridge  to  thefe  fecondary  arches,  not  four  feet 
thick,  creeled  houfes  thereon;  which  was,  in  faft,  building  a  bridge  for  a 
fafe  and  open  pafTagc,  and  afterwards  ftraitening  or  incommoding  it  with  build- 
ings, fo  as  to  render  it  difficult  for  two  carriages  in  aftertimcs  to  pafs  abreafl  or 
by  one  another,  without  endangering  the  lives  of  foot  pafTengers  or  driving 
them  into  thofe  very  houfes  for  their  fecurity.  As  to  the  firft,  it  is  very  unfair 
for  us,  at  this  time,  to  cenfure  our  anceftors  for  not  making  the  bridge  wider ; 
for  doubtlefs  at  that  time,  it  was  amply  fufficient  for  all  the  carriages  they 
then  ufed,  and  fully  calculated  for  a  free  pafTage  of  the  people  over  it,  and  the 
boats  under  it.  The  increafed  number  of  carriages  fince,  and  vafl  concourfe 
of  inhabitants,  could  not  then  have  been  an   obje£l  of  any   human  forefight. 

The  houfes  built  on  the  fecondary  arches  were  not  a  part  of  the  firft  plan. 
The  bridge  feems  to  have  been  built  for  fome  time  before  this  fcheme  took 
place,  or  was  allowed.  A  chapel,  dedicated  to  St.  A4ary,  I  think,  was  the 
firft  building  ere£led  there.  William  of  Worcefter  defcribes  this  chapel,  as 
thirty-fix  fteppys  long  and  tvs'clve  wide ;  in  another  place,  twenty-five  yards 
long  and  fevcn  yards  wide  ;  and  p.  234.  gives  the  following  defcription  of  it : 
<*  1361,  dedicatio  capellae  pontis,  &c."  i.  e.  the  chapel  of  the  bridge  of  Briftol 
vras  dedicated  Feb.  4,  1361  ;  its  length  is  twenty-five  yards,  breadth  feven 
yards,  its  height  fifty  flairs ;  and  there  is  a  vault  or  arched  room  in  its  lower 
part,  for  the  aldermen  of  the  town,  as  long  as  the  church  with  the  nave,  and 
it  has  four  great  windows  on  each  fide,  and  each  window  three  lights,  and  an 
high  window  at  the  eaft  part  of  the  altar,  and  another  little  altar,  witli  a  fmall 
chapel  on  the  eaft  of  the  principal  altar,  of  the  length  of  three  yards.  And 
the  chapel  contains  a  vault,  a  chapel,  and  an  hall  with  offices,  and  a  lofty 
chamber  of  ftone."  This  chapel  was  erefted  and  founded  by  Edward  3d. 
and  his  Queen  Philippa,  and  called  the  chapel  of  the  Affumption  of  the  Blef- 
fcd  Virgin  Mary,  as  appears  p.  185.  of  the  great  Red  Book  of  Briftol  :  and 
John  Hakfton  and  John  Hanker  gave  two 'meflTuages  and  three  fhops  on  the 

Bak 


C     79      ] 

Bak  Avon  to  John  Gweyn,  chaplain   there,  for  a  perpetual  chantry   in  this 
chapel  to  pray  for  the  king's  health,  49th  Edward  3d. 

In  a  letter  from  Pope  Sixtus  4th.  dated  April  10,  eleventh  year  of  his  con- 
fecration,  this  chapel  is  faid  "  to  be  built  and  well  endowed  by  certain  bur- 
geffes  and  commons  of  the  town,"  (in  honore  Sc  fub  vocabulo  beatae  Mariae 
Virginis)  which  might  be  the  cafe,  though  the  king  and  queen  above  had  the 
credit  affigned  them,  by  granting  the  charter  for  it,  as  was  ufual.  The  pope 
grants  leave  for  ringing  the  bells  and  performing  all  divine  offices  therein,  do- 
ing no  prejudice  to  the  rights  of  the  parifli  church  of  St.  Nicholas,  in  which 
parifli  it  was  fituated.  In  the  will  of  Nicholas  Chapman,  1382,  I  find  a  be- 
queft  to  the  chapel  of  the  Alfumption  of  the  Blefied  Virgin,  on  the  bridge  of 
Briftol.      Great  Book  of  Wills,  p.  6. 

This  chapel  probably  took  its  rife  as  much  from  a  view  of  profit  as  devo- 
tion;  and  it  is  not  improbable  but  they  colleded  in  it  money  for  defraying 
the  expence  they  had  incurred,  and  for  the  fupport  of  the  bridge  afterwards, 
from  the  devotees,  who  came  there  to  worfliip.  They  imitated  the  London- 
ers alfo  in  this,  who  in  1209  built  a  chapel  to  St.  Thomas,  fixty  feet  long  and 
twenty-five  broad,  on  the  great  pier  of  London  bridge  :  and  Leland  fays  of 
it,  vol.  V.  f.  22.  "  a  mafon  being  maftre  of  the  Bridge-houfe  buildyd  a  funda- 
mentis,  a  chapel  propriis  expenfis."  This  on  Briflol  bridge  was  but  a  fmall 
room,  having  three  Gothic  windows  on  each  fide,  and  was  fupported  on  an 
arch,  turned  from  the  pier  of  the  Bridge  to  a  pillar  breaking  out  up  the 
ftream  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  and  over  the  chapel  were  the  priefts'  cham- 
bers. It  ftood  for  many  years,  and  was  not  deftroyed  till  the  year  1644  ;  and 
in  1649  the  two  ftone  arches,  on  which  the  prieft  tenements  formerly  ftood, 
belonging  to  the  chapel,  -which  had  been  burnt,  were  granted  to  Walter 
Stevens  and  fon  to  be  built  upon,  from  Sir  William  Birch  of  Weftminfter, 
and  a  chief  rent  of  4I.  per  annum  for  a  houfc,  that  went  acrofs  the  bridge  at 
top,  called  afterwards  the  chapel  houfe. 

In  imitation  of  London,  or  partly  to  defray  the  great  charges  of  the  bridge, 
(for  it  nowhere  appears  how  it  was  defrayed)  houfeswere  afterwards  fuf- 
I'ered  to  be  erefled  on  each  fide  of  it,  that  it  had  the  appearance  of  a  dark, 
narrow  ftreet.  Thefe,  which  were  let  at  very  high  and  advantageous  rents, 
in  reality  did  not  confine  the  pafTage,  or  make  the  bridge  any  narrower  than 
it  was  at  firft  ;  for  the  whole  breadth  of  the  bridge  was  in  the  road,  and  as 
foon  as  you  ftcpt  into  any  of  the  houfcs  that  hung,  as  it  were,  between  the 
bridge  and  the  fecondary  arches,  you  were  immediately  on  a  floor  of  timbers 
and  over  the  water,  their  ends  reHing  on  the  bridge  and  fecondary  arches,  which 

were 


C    80    ] 

were  Gothic,  very  (lender,  and  not  fo  compaft  nor  fo  well  turned  as  the  real, 
primary,  femicircular  arches  of  the  bridge  itfelf,  and  hardly  fufficient  to  bear 
Inch  a  weight  of  lofty  buildings,  preffing  unequally  upon  them.  But  no  words 
can  give  the  reader  fo  jufl  an  idea  of  Briflol  biidge  as  a  view  of  the  following 
draught  of  it,  which  M-as  made  in  1760,  at  the  time  it  was  about  to  be  taken 
down,  which  being  courfe  reprefents  to  the  eye  more  truly  the  appearance  of  it. 


This  bridge,  when  naked  and  unincumbered  with  houfes,  (which  were 
afterwards  eretled  tliercon  by  turning  fecondary  Gothic  arches  oppofite  the 
old  ones,  for  a  foundation  for  one  end  of  the  buildings  to  reft  upon,)  con- 
fiRed  of  four  neat,  ftrong,  femicircular  arches,  the  paftage  over  it  being  only 
nineteen  feet  wide,  which  mud  have  had  a  parapet  wall  at  the  fides  before  the 
houfes  were  erc8;ed,  to  fecure  people  from  falling  over  into  the  river. 

There  was  great  folcmnity  ufed  and  public  joy  difplayed  *  on  the  firft  ope- 
ning of  Eriftol  bridge:  all  joined  in  celebrating  this  great  event,  being  well 
apprized  of  its  extenfive  utility.  Their  care  in  preferving  it  afterwards  was 
equal   to  their  diligence  and  eagernefs  in  ercQing    it.  t     Wheel     carriages 

laden 

*  Tlic  ceremony  and  joy  faid  to  be  difplayed  on  this  occafion,  with  the  fongs  to  St.  Baldwin 
and  St.  "Warburgh,  arc  dcfcribed  already  and  publiflicd,  p.  433.  of  Rowley's  Poems  by  Dean 
Millcs,  to  which  I  refer  the  reader. 

+  Donations  were  made  from  time  to  time  by  wcll-difpofed  people  for  its  repairs,  by  Mr.  Thorn 
and  others.     liven  fo  early  as  Henry  3d,  it  appears  he  granted  letters  patent  to  the  mayor  and 


[      81      ] 

laden  *  very  heavy  were  but  a  century  ago,  not  fufFered  to  pafs  over  it  for 
fear  of  injuring  it,  and  were  hailed  on  a  kind  of  fledge  for  that  purpofe  firft 
and  fo  brought  over.  —  And  after  it  was  crouded  with  houfes,  to  fhew  how 
little  they  provided  then  (by  its  firft-intendcd  width)  for  wheel  carriages,  they 
alfo  had  bulks  before  their  houfes  there,  which  were  not  removed  till  the  year 
1698,  by  an  act  or  bye  law  of  the  corporation  for  that  purpofe;  and  fo  late 
as  the  5th  Jac.  ii.  Oft.  — "  The  chain  at  the  bridge  was  ordered  to  be  locked 
every  Wedncfday,  Friday  and  Saturday,  and  every  market  day  in  High- 
ftreet  from  eight  in  the  morning  till  two  in  the  afternoon,  and  no  hallier, 
brewer  or  other  great  carriages  with  drays  fuffered  to  pafs  over  to  the  dif- 
turbance  of  the  people  going  that  way."  But  the  greatefl  damage  the  bridge 
ever  fultained  was  from  fire,  about  the  year  1646,  as  the  date  on  the  large 
chimney  piece  of  the  houfes  rebuilt  afterwards  plainly  declare ;  when  near 
one  half  of  it  from  the  chapel  almoft  to  St.  Nicholas  gate  on  both  fides  was 
confumed.  But  the  great  advantage  derived  from  the  conftruflion  of  this 
(lone  bridge  foon  began  to  appear; — parifhes  enlarged,  churches  and  reli- 
gious houfes  built,  and  a  new  charter  t  to  the  Redclivians,  new  markets,  fairs, 
increafe  of  people,  trade,  and  manufafturqs  were  the  confequent  good  effetls; 
fome  time  after  the  pomerium  or  bounds  of  the  city  were  enlarged  and  fixed 
by  public  charter  of  King  Edward  the  3d.  and  from  this  and  making  the  new 
Quay  moft  of  thefe  great  events  feem  to  have  taken  their  rife,  and  every  im- 
provement we  can  now  boafl;  of,  in  regular  and  fpeedy  (leps  followed  the 
execution  of  thefe  grand  and  nobly  projefted  works  of  thofe  days. 

The  fhips  indeed  were  now  flopped  from  going  up  to  unlade  at  the  port  of 
St.  Mary,  where  the  old  well-turned  gothic  arches  now  pulled  down  extend- 
ing fome  from  the  banks  of  the  Avon  (where  the  late  Shambles  were  +)  almoft 
back  into  St.  Mary  le  port  churchyard,  fufhciently  demonftrated  what  a  place 
of  bufinefs  that  formerly  was.     The  back  ofBriftol  begun  now  alfo  to  yeild 

L  as 

corporation  in  regard  of  their  great  charges  in  repairing  the  keys,  walls,  pitching  and  the  bridge 
of  the  tou-n  which  received  great  damage  from  floods,  carts  and  carriages,  by  which  they  were 
empowered  to  purchafc  and  fettle  lands  to  tlie  value  of  lool.  per  ann.  notwithflanding  tlie 
ftatute  of  Mortmain  to  repair  the  fame.  —  Little  Red  Book,  page  93. 

*  So  late  as  the  year  1615  there  was  an  aft  of  common  council  that  no  cart  with  iron-bound 
wheels  fhould  even  enter  the  city  furtiicr  than  St.  Peter's  pump  ;  which  gave  occafion  to  what 
Cambden  aflerted,  that  (in  his  time)  they  ufcd  no  wheel  carriages,  for  fear  of  injuring  the  gouts 
(cloacx)  or  finks  arched  under  ground,  but  drays  in  their  flcad :  but  now  all  wheel  carriaces 
are  ufcd  as  well  as  drays. 

+  Of  this  charter  of  Henry  the  3d.  to  the  burgeffcs  of  Redclifl",  and  public  tranfaclions  af- 
tcrwards,  and  of  the  other  fubfcqucnt  charters,  fee  annals  for  the  year  1248,  and  after. 

J  Vid,  VVm,  of  W'orccflcr,  p.  170.  237, 


[        82        ] 

as  a  place  of  wharfage  to  the  new  Quay,  where  the  fliips  lay  ftill  and  undif- 
turbed  by  the  current  on  a  foft  bed  of  mud,  the  fmall  craft  only  coming  to 
the  Back. 

The  edifices  ereCled  afterwards  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  munificent 
endowment  of  hofpitals  and  religious  houfes,  by  the  natives  and  inhabitants, 
fufficiently  prove  their  increafe  in  trade  and  opulence.  And  it  may  be  faid  of 
the  merchants  here  in  general  in  thofe  days,  they  refunded  great  part  of  the 
wealth  they  acquired  here  to  the  city  again,  either  in  their  life  time  or  at  their 
death  ;  of  which  many  illuftrious  examples  will  be  given,  when  I  come  to 
enumerate  and  fpccify  the  benefaflors'  names,  and  record  their  good  deeds, 
whofe  charity  and  humanity  do  fuch  honour  to  our  city,  that  not  to  endeavour 
to  do  them  juftice,  or  to  conceal  or  (lightly  to  pafs  them  over,  in  the  future 
pages  of  this  work,  might  with  reafon  merit  the  fevered  cenfure. 

The  great  improvements  of  the  city,  that  fucceeded  fall  the  ereftion  of  the 
bridge  and  making  the  Ouay,  come  now  in  courfe  to  be  particularly  noted, 
which  will  bring  us  to  the  prefent  modern  improved  ftate  of  it. 


C   H    A    P.       IV. 
Of  BRISTOL  in  iis  prefent  improved  State. 

T3  R  I  S  T  O  L  lies  in  51  degrees  of  northern  latitude,  diftant  from  London 
-*-'  115  miles,  through  Bath  123;  and  the  turnpike  roads  around  it,  being 
kept  in  repair,  render  its  environs  the  more  pleafing  and  inviting.  The  many 
agreeable  profpcCts,  and  walks  or  rides  on  the  adjacent  downs  of  Hurdham 
and  Leigh,  and  over  the  hills  at  Portifhcad,  Walton,  and  Clevedon,  in  view 
of  the  Briflol  Channel;  the  delightful  villages  of  Afliton,  Leigh,  Wraxal,  and 
Backwell,  on  one  fide ;  of  Kingfwcflon,  (the  feat  of  Lord  Clifford)  of  Wcfl- 
bury,  Henbury,  Almondfbury,  Stapleton,  and  Frenchay,  on  another ;  and 
of  Briflington,  Knowle,  and  Dundry,  on  the  other,  &c. ;  and  the  pleafurable 
excurfions  to  the  Old  and  New  Paffagcs;  add  greatly  to  the  amufement, 
health,  and  happinefs  of  its  inhabitants.  The  fituation  of  the  city  itfelf  is 
very  comfortable,  being  defended  from  the  cold  north  winds  by  the  adjoining 
hills.  Now  greatly  enlarged  by  an  additional  extent  of  buildings  on  every 
fide,  and  improved  by  the  liberties  and  franchifes  it  enjoys  from  feveral  kings, 

it 


C    83    ] 

it  continues  to  flourifii  in  manufa6tures  and  commerce;  and  confequenily 
becomes  more  and  more  populous.  Even  fo  early  as  the  year  1347  it  had 
weight  enough  to  obtain  the  charter  from  Edward  3d.  for  conftituting  it  a 
county  within  itfelf :  that  great  prince's  words  are  well  worth  mentioning,  viz. 
"  that  in  confideration  of  the  good  fervices,  by  their  fliipping  and  otherwife, 
"  done  to  us  in  times  part,  we  have  granted  it  to  be,  and  be  for  ever  called 
"  the  county  of  Briftol,  and  to  enjoy  the  liberties  and  freedoms  under- 
"  written,  &c." 

But  the  greatefl  dignity  and  higheft  honour  from  a  crowned  head  it  next 
arrived  to,  was  the  being  eretlcd  into  a  bifliop's  fee  and  conftituted  a  city  by 
the  royal  letters  patent,  which  irt  the  Latin  original  are  dated  June  4,  the 
34th  Henry  8th.  though  it  had  enjoyed  the  title  of  a  city  before,  it  was 
now  legally  and  by  authority  fo  denominated. 

An  old  manufcript  before  me  words  it  thus:  — "  Briftol  hath  been  alwavs 
loyal  to  the  king's  majefties  progenitors  and  the  next  to  the  crown,  not  con- 
fenting  to  the  proclaiming  Q.  Jane,  tho*  fhe  was  fo  proclaim'd  in  fundrie 
places.  Briftol  has  been  found  willing  and  ferviceable  ever  to  their  prince, 
in  Q.  Maries  time  againft  the  French,  when  they  fuftained  great  loffes  by  fea, 
to  the  undoing  of  many,  whereof  fome  were  taken  prifoners;  and  alfo  in  the 
time  of  late  Q.  Elizabeth  againft  the  Spaniards  and  in  the  wars  of  Ireland.  — 
Briftol  is  accounted  the  queen's  chamber,*  as  London  is  the  king's  chamber: 
it  maintaineth  the  ftate  of  government  there  at  their  own  charges,  in  moft 
commendable  fort.  It  always  has  been  zealoufly  affefted  to  the  advancement 
of  God's  word,  and  maintaineth  preachers  at  their  great  charges.  The  maior, 
being  the  king's  lieutenant,  giveth  place  to  no  man  but  unto  his  majefty.  — 
The  Duke  of  Norfolk,  the  Earls  of  Leicefter,  Warwick,  and  Pembroke,  the 
Lords  Prefident  of  the  Marches,  the  Juftices  of  Affize,  all  have  and  do 
give  place  unto  the  maior ;  fo  alfo  the  bifliops  predecefTors  have  ever  done 
the  like.      Always  good  fervice  the  town  did  unto  the  king. 

"  Briftol,  being  villa  regalis  iS  libera,  was  firft  made  a  county  of  itfelfe  the 
47th  Edward  3d.  for  notable  fervices  done  to  the  king;  and  in  the  34th 
Henry  8th.  made  a  city,  in  regard  of  the  love  the  faid  king  did  bear  to  the 
place,  and  of  the  great  fervices  done  by  the  faid  towne,  efpecially  in  the  wars 
againft  the  French  king,  who  would  have  landed  in  the  Ifle  of  Wight ;  at 
which  time  this  town  did  fct  forth  eight  ftiips.     When  King  Henry  8th.  came 

L  2  on 

*  London  is  called  the  "  king's  chamber"  by  Shakcfpearc,  in  Richard  3d.  aft  3,  fcenc  1, 
fpeech  of  Buckingham,  vide  Pope's  note,     «  Camera  Rcgia'  was  anciently  the  name  of  London, 


C    84    ] 

on  board  Briftowe's  fleet  on  that  memorable  time,  he  aflced  the  names  of  their 
fliips;  and  they  anfwered  the  king,  it  is  this:  The  firft  is 

The  barque  Thorne,  of      _     -     _     _     _     goo  tons. 

The  barque  Pratt,     -_--_-_     600  tons. 

The  barque  Gourney,    _--___4oo  tons. 

The  barque  Younge,      ______     400  tons. 

The  barque  Winter,      ______     goo  tons. 

The  barque  Shipman,    --____     250  tons. 

The  Eliphant,     ________     120  tons. 

The  Dragon,       ________     120  tons. 

The  king  wifhed  he  had  many  fuch  Thornes,  Pratts,  Gourneys,  and  the  like, 
in  his  londe." 

In  a  manufcript  it  is  faid,  "  in  1543,  twelve  fhips  failed  out  of  Briflol,  in 
the  king's  fervice,  to  aflift  at  the  fiege  of  BuUoign,  with  Matthew  Earl  of 
Lenox,  under  whom  ferved  Sir  William  Winter  and  Sir  Richard  Maunfell, 
who  returned  again  with  the  earl." 

By  thefe  charters  and  other  grants  of  privileges  it  foon  became  -of  great 
repute  in  the  commercial  world  and  of  high  rank  in  the  nation,  and  every 
year  almoft  was  productive  of  improvements.  New  ftreets  and  public  ftruc- 
tures  arofc,  more  regular  buildings  were  fet  on  foot ;  till  at  length,  embel_ 
Hfhed  with  fquares,  and  adorned  with  a  better  ftileof  building,  it  has  advanced 
itfelf  to  the  prefent  luftre  and  magnificence  it  may  juftly  claim,  as  appears  by 
the  large  plan  facing  the  title,  and  a  farther  defcription  or  delineation  of  it. 
The  centre  of  the  city  ftill  occupies  the  hilly  ground  of  an  eafy  afcent, 
being  the  whole  of  the  old  town  or  vill  of  Brightflow  ;  the  plain  around  it 
was  firft  built  on,  and  converted  into  ftreets.  St.  James's  diftrift  foon  became 
full  of  houfes  and  inhabitants,  and  enlarged  its  borders  to  the  very  fummit  of 
Kingfdown  (called  formerly  Prior's-hill) ;  which  with  the  fteep  hill  of  St. 
Michael,  both  covered  with  elegant  houfes,  afford  the  diftant  eye  a  very  agree- 
able profpeft  of  pendent  houfes  and  gardens  ;  and  a  fpeflator  is  ftruck  vith 
furprize  at  the  firft  fight  of  a  large  town,  hanging  in  continued  flope,  as  it 
were,  from  the  very  clouds.  From  hence,  and  from  the  Park  and  Brandon- 
hill,*  may  be  taken  the  moft  cornprehenfive  view  of  the  whole  city  below: 
the  pleafantncfs  of  this  fpot,  and  delightful  profpeft  of  the  adjacent  country 
to  a  great  diftance,  has  occafioncd  fuch  a  train  of  buildings  to  be  erefted 
there,  to  grace  the  brow  of  this  hill  and  overlook  the  bufy  town.     From  hence 

we 

*  See  Buck's  views,  who  publifhcd  two  views  of  BriRol,  very  fine  ;  one  taken  fiom  this 
fpot,  the  other  fionn  Pile-hill  on  Pvcdcliff  fide. 


[     85     ] 

we  defcry,  at  a  fingle  glance,  the  towers  and  (leeples  of  nineteen  churches 
which  adorn  this  city  ;  whofe  comely  form  and  {lately  elevation,  as  well  as 
cleannefs  and  elegance  confpicuous  in  their  infides,  is  juftly  admired  by  ftran- 
gers,  and  reflcfls  deferved  applaufe  on  the  inhabitants. 

A  folemn  neatnefs  fhines  on  every  fide, 

A  neatnefs  unadorn'd  with  Romifh  pride; 

A  comely  form  the  (lately  buildings  grace. 

The  inward  worfliip  fuits  this  outward  face. 

Refin'd  from  all  extremes,  in  order  clean, 

The  Englifh  church  obferves  the  golden  mean  : 

As  temperate  climes  a  due  proportion  hold 

Betwixt  the  fcorching  heat  and  freezing  cold. 

Goldwin's  Poem  on  Briilol. 
This  hill  and  St.  James's  parifh  beneath  it  was  but  thinly  inhabited  formerly, 
and,  with  the  priory  afterwards  erefted  there  by  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter, 
was  reckoned  only  the  fuburbs  of  Briftol ;  but  now  being  every  where  full  of 
buildings,  and  embelliflied  with  three  regular  modern-built  fquares,  St. 
James's-fquare,  King's-fquare,  and  Brunfwick-fquare  (the  laft  begun  1769 
and  now  1788  completed)  it  is  become  a  very  confiderable  part  of  the  city; — 
fo  great  a  part,  that  in  1787  an  aft  was  obtained  for  dividing  this  large  parifh, 
and  eretting  a  new  church  to  be  called  St.  Paul's  church,  already  begun  ; 
where  an  elegant  new  fquare,  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet  every  way,  is 
intended  to  be  formed  foon,  with  regular  buildings  and  uniform  fronts,  the 
ground  being  already  purchafcd  and  laid  out  for  this  purpofe.  On  the 
weftern  fide,  formerly  called  the  marfli  of  Briilol  or  Avon  marfh,  beyond  the 
fecond  or  outward  wall  of  the  city,  great  improvements  alfo  were  made  by 
building  new  ftreets,  as  King-ftreet,  Prince's-flreet,  and  above  all  a  fpacious, 
handfome  fquare  of  houfes,  fronted  in  an  uniform  manner,  called  Queen- 
fquare,  in  compliment  to  that  good  and  amiable  princefs  Queen  Anne,  began 
about  the  year  1708  and  completed  in  1726;  which,  for  its  delightful  walks, 
(haded  with  rows  of  elms,  and  the  crofs  walks  with  lime-trees,  (which  were 
taken  up  in  1776,  as  making  it  too  fhady)  is  efleemed  an  agreeable  place  of 
habitation,  as  well  as  of  refort  in  fine  weather,  for  the  gentlemen  and  ladies, 
according  to  Mr.  Goldwin's  poetical  defcription  : 

Here  elms  and  limes  in  treble  order  run. 
To  fcreen  our  walking  beauties  from  the  fun  ; 
Natures  umbrella  here  confus'dly  meets. 

And  fummer  breezes  fan  the  cool  retreats. 

In 


C     86     ] 

In  the  center  of  Oucen's-fqiiare  in  1736,  %vas  fct  up  an  equeflrian  flatue 
in  brafs  by  hte  ingenious  Mr.  Ryfbrack,  fixed  on  an  high  pedeflal  and  in- 
clofed  with  iron  pallifadoes.  It  was  long  difputed  at  that  time,  what  great 
perfonage  fliould  grace  this  elegant  and  fpacious  quadrangle  :  many  were  for 
Queen  Elizabeth,  more  for  Oueen  Ann,  others  for  any  of  our  Kings  who 
had  been  benefaflors  to  the  city,  by  granting  charters  of  privileges  or  immu- 
nities, but  ^^'il]iam  the  3d.  prevailed  and  had  the  place  affigned  to  him  in 
preference  to  all.  It  was  fet  up  by  the  corporation  of  that  time  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  the  chamber,  and  is  efleemed  one  of  the  beft  equeftrian  ftatues  in 
the  Kingdom,  were  the  horfe  lefs  incumbered  with  trappings,  —  for  which 
the  artift  is  not  to  be  blamed.  It  is  thus  defcribed  by  H.  Jones  in  a  "  Poem 
called  Clifton  and  its  environs." 

What  grand  magnificence  on  virtue  grows. 

What  fquares,  what  palaces  of  late  arofe  ! 

How  wealth,  how  tafte  in  every  pile  appear 

With  fiill  improving  grace  from  year  to  year! 

Lo  Queen's,  —  enrich'd  by  Ryfbrack's  Roman  hand  ; 

See  William's  finifh'd  form  majeftic  ftand  : 

His  martial  form,  exprefs'd  with  attic  force, 

Eretl,  like  Antonine's,  his  warlike  horfe  : 

With  lofty  elegance  and  Grecian  air. 

To  feaft  the  well-pleas'd  eye  and  fill  the  fquare. 

This  fpacious  fquare,  which  is  one  hundred  and  feventy  yards  each  fide 
and  upwards,  rofe  like  the  creation  out  of  chaos,  to  fuch  beauty  out  of  a 
muddy  marfli,  overflowed  often  with  the  tide,  and  was  once  the  common 
receptacle  of  all  the  allies  and  fcavengers'  fweepings  of  the  city.  Such  are 
the  alterations  human  induftry  is  capable  of  effedling  !  The  Grove  alfo  in 
this  neighbourhood,  fronting  the  river  Avon,  is  very  pleafant  ;  but  a  new 
mud-dock,  for  the  ufe  and  fecurity  of  fhipping,  was  there  built  in  1769,  at 
the  expence  of  the  Merchants'-hall,  amounting  to  the  fum  of  io,oool.  with 
proper  cranes,  which  is  a  very  ufeful  and  ncccffary  work,  the  trade  of  the 
city  requiring  more  room  for  the  fhipping,  which  the  Quay  alone  could  not 
commodioufly  hold  :  and  as  it  now  continues  the  Quay  wall  quite  round  to 
the  Back  it  completes  that  work,  and  together  forms  as  fine  a  Ouay,  of  a  mile 
and  a  quarter  round,  as  any  in  England,  encircling  in  a  manner  that  fide  of 
the  city  ;  and  the  fliips,  like  a  thick  foreft  of  tall  trees,  after  failing  up  with 
the  tide  into  the  midft  of  the  city,  lie  fecurely  on  a  foft  bed  of  mud  on  the 
return  of  the  tide  by  the  Quay  walls,  and  are  there  difcharged,  the  goods  and 

merchandize 


C    87    ] 

merchandize  weighed  off  at  the  kir>g's  fcales,  and  immediately  depofited  in 
warehoufes  at  the  merchants*  backdoors,  conftrufted  there  very  conveniently 
for  that  purpofe.      To  land  the  goods   with  greater  difpatch,  fervcral   cranes 
are  ere£ted  on  the  wharf  of  the  Quay  at  proper  diftances;  that  built  and  con- 
trived by  the  ingenious  Mr.  Padmore,  by  the  Mud-dock,  near  the  Gibb,  is 
an  excellent  piece  of  mechanifm,  fixed  on  large  pillars  of  wood,  and  under  it 
the  goods  are  fecured  from  the  weather :  fee  the  view  or  engraved  print  of  it. 
There  cannot  be  a  more  pleafing  walk  than  round  this  Quay,  when  the  fpring 
tide  is  coming  in  bringing  with  it  fliips   and  vefTels  of  all    kinds,  laden  with 
wares  and  treafures  from   different  parts  of  the  globe  ;  a  fight  that  cannot  fail 
to  gladden  the  heart  that  cherifhes  any  regard  for  his  country,  or  bears  a  love 
to  Britain.     The  tide  rifes  at  Briftol  Quay   more  than  twenty-five   feet  per- 
pendicular; at  Rownham,  not  a  mile  lower,  about  thirty-two  feet ;  at  Chep- 
ftow,  fixty  feet. 

In  the  year  1  765,  it  was  propofed  by  fome  enterprizing,  fcheming  genius, 
to  keep  the  vefTcIs  conftantly  afloat   in  the  Quay,  by   damming  the  water  up, 
and  erefting  double  gates  or  locks,  to  let  the  fliips  in  and  out  occafionally.  — 
A  plan  of  Briftol  Quay,   with  the  projeQion  of  the  fluices  and  canal  for  float- 
ing the  fhipping  and  Severn  trows,  and   for  enlarging  the  harbour   by  making 
a  new  canal  through  Cannon's-marfh,  was  engraved  and  publifhed  by  the  in- 
genious Mr.  Smeaton   in  January   1765,  to  which   I   refer,   only  remarking, 
that  the  Froom  alone  was  in  this  to  be  dammed  up   at  the  lower  end   of   the 
Quay,   and  diverted   into  a  new  canal  and   difcharged  at   the  glafshoufe,  the 
lower  end  of  Cannon's-marfh  ;  but  the  expence  of  doing  this  was  fo  great  as 
to  quafh  the  enterprize,  the  following  being  Mr.  Smeaton's  calculation : 

/.       s,     d. 
"  To  digging,       _-__-------     6555     o     o 

Key  walling,    ___---------     4887     o     o 

The  two  fluices,    _-___------     8000     o     o 

The  dam  and  hatches  acrofs  the  prefent  mouth  of 

the  Froom  river,      -___-----      1000     o     o 

The  hatches  at  the  new  bridge   and  upon  Newgate 

millpond,        _-_____----       600     o     o« 

Contingent  cxpences,       ____-----     3958     o     o 

Total     -     ~    £  25000     o     o 
Exclufivc  of  purchafc   of  lands   and  damages  to  Bridwcll-mill  and  Tombs'* 
dock,  Sec." 

Bac 


[      88      ] 

But  Mr.  Champion  propofed  in  the  year  1767  a  much  more  extenfive 
fcheme,  which  was,  to  dam  up  the  river  Avon  itfelf  jufl;  above  the  Glafs-houfe 
and  flream  of  water  at  the  Red  clift  above  the  Hot-wells,  and  making  a  new 
cut  through  that  point  of  land,  that  runs  out  into  the  river  there,  and  form- 
ing a  chamber  in  it  fccured  by  two  fluices  with  double  gates  one  above  and 
the  other  below,  to  receive  the  fllips  into  the  chamber  betwixt  the  gates  with 
the  tide,  and  fo  pafs  them  on  towards  Briftol  or  down  the  river,  as  might  be 
required;  and  by  making  a  bridge  over  the  dam  and  draw-bridges  over  the 
chambers,  to  effccl  a  communication  there  betwixt  Afliton  and  Clifton  parifhes 
or  the  counties  of  Somcrfet  and  Glocefter:  a  plan  of  this  was  alfo  publiflied 
to  which  I  refer,  but  being  thought  llill  more  expenfive  to  execute  than  the 
other,  and  attended  with  many  obvious  difliculties  and  fome  perhaps  not  to  be 
forefeen  or  known  but  on  trial,  the  whole  was  dropt,  *  and  the  merchants  are 
at  prefent  contented  with  the  new  additional  large  mud-dock  in  the  Grove 
aforementioned  and  a  new  dock  for  keeping  fliips  afloat,  made  at  the  cxpence 
of  the  Mcrchant's-hall,  in  the  road  to  the  Hotwells,  at  the  cxpence  of  near 
15,0001. 

The  north  fide  of  the  city  was  not  alfo  without  its  improvement  as  well 
as  the  fquare  and  weftern  part :  for  a  better  communication  with  it  a 
Draw-bridge  acrofs  the  Froom  or  Quay  was  crefcted  in  1714,  at  the  expence 
of  1066I.  6s.  id.  And  in  1718  a  by-law  was  made  that  no  hallier  under  the 
penalty  of  20s.  for  each  offence  fhould  draw  any  timber  on  drays  or  any 
loaded  cart  or  waggon  over  this  bridge,  which  being  of  wood  was  repaired 
at  a  very  great  expence  :  and  being  fince  conftrufted  in  an  improved  method 
of  drawing  up  the  gates  by  a  curious  mechanical  contrivance  of  iron  wheels, 
with  cogs,  it  is  more  expenfive  to  repair  it  when  out  of  order,  and  the 
by-law  more  ncceffarv  to  be  obferved  and  enforced.  Another  permanent 
bridge  of  flone  was  alfo  built  afterwards  at  the  charge  of  the  city  Chamber, 
at  the  head  of  the  Quay  oppofitc  Small-flrect,  a  great  convenience  as  well 
for  carriages  as  foot-paffengcrs.  Superb  houfcs  were  alfo  ere£led  on  St. 
Auguftin's-green,  now  called  College-green,  the  fweeteft  and  mofl  delightful 
fituation  in  the  city  in  the  opinion  of  mofl;  indeed  it  was  ever  ellecmed  fo : 
for  in  the  year  1259,  in  a  difpute  between  the  monks  of  St.  Auflin  and 
the  brethren  of  St.  Mark  about  the  right  of  burial  in  this  green,  (then  the 
common  cemitery  of  the  former)  the  Bifhop  of  Worcefler  awarded  to  the 
latter  the  liberty  of  burying  there   before    their  houfe,    biU  on  condition   of 

leaving 

*  But  tliis  fclieme,  it  is  tliought,  will  be  yet  put  in  execution   at  fomc  future  timCj  fo  dcfuous  ■ 
arc  they  Hill  of  keeping  the  fliips  always  afloat. 


[     S9      ] 

leaving  the  ground  always  level  ("  in  planiticm  redigatur  terra  propter  loci 
amajnitatem,"}  "  becaufe  of  the  pleafantnefs  of  the  place."  And  before  the 
houfes  were  built  and  confined  the  profpeQ,  it  muft  have  been  exceedingly 
delightful  ;  as  indeed  it  is  at  prefent,  and  on  Sundays  and  holidays  it  is  the 
Mall  of  Briftol,  a  great  concourfe  of  well  drcfTed  people  flocking  hither  at 
fuch  times  for  a  walk.  Trinity-ftreet,  formerly  an  orchard  belonging  to  the 
diffolved  monaRery  and  then  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter,  and  Orchard-ftreet, 
belonging  in  the  like  manner  formerly  to  the  houfe  of  St.  Marks,  are  all 
newly  erecled  within  thefe  late  years. 

Stoney-hill  on  this  fide  is  alfo  almoft  covered  with  fine  houfes,  and  the 
hill  of  St.  Michael,  fteep  as  it  is,  has  but  little  void  ground  upon  it. 

On  this  fide  alfo  are  two  dry  docks  for  repairing  and  rebuilding  fliips,  and 
two  others  very  large  and  convenient  acrofs  the  Avon  at  Wapping,  to  which 
there  is  a  paffage  at  two  places  by  a  ferry-boat.  At  both  places  fliip-building 
is  carried  on  with  great  fpirit  and  induftry  ;  at  Wapping  a  large  fpacious 
wet  dock  with  double  gates  is  built  lately  to  receive  the  fliipping  and  keep 
them  conftantly  afloat ;  a  proper  method  to  fecure  them  from  being  injured 
in  their  bottoms,  as  is  fometimes  probably  the  cafe  at  the  Quay  by  grounding 
fo  often,  viz.  at  every  tide.  —  But  a  much  larger  dock  than  at  either  of  the 
above  places  was  made  at  a  very  great  cxpence  in  the  year  1 768,  by  Mr. 
Champion,  farther  down  the  river;  which  in  Jan.  1769  received  a  64  gun 
fliip  with  eafe  through  its  gates. 

But  the  largeft  dock  of  all  for  receiving  and  difcharging  fliips  of  great  bur- 
den and  laying  them  up  afloat  afterwards,  was  ftill  lower  down  at  a  place 
called  Sea  or  Say-mills  on  the  little  river  Trim,  where  fiiips  arc  admitted  with 
the  tide  into  the  dock,  capable  of  containing  feveral  fcore  fail  afloat  always, 
through  very  large  gates,  particularly  contrived  for  the  purpofe;  which 
being  fliut  down  they  ride  fafe  moored,  and  by  the  help  of  cranes  they  were 
unloaden  there  into  large  lighters  or  boats  of  burden,  and  by  them  the  goods 
and  wares  were  brought  up  to  the  merchants  ftore-houfes.  It  was  made  at  the 
great  expence  of  feveral  private  gentlemen,  whofe  families  fincc  have  been 
great  lofers  by  the  projcft,  for  the  expence  attending  the  keeping  the  gates 
and  docks  in  repair,  and  inconvenience  to  the  merchant  of  unloading  into 
lighters  and  having  their  fliips  at  fuch  diflance  have  made  this  dock  in  1788 
little  ufcd. 

Farther  down  the  river  is  Hung-road,  where  is  a  fafe  harbour  for  the 
Jarge  fliips,  and  where  many  unload  into  lighters  as  above  :  Leland  fays, 
"  Hunge-road  is  about  three  miles  lower  in  the  haven  than  Brigluflow,  at  tliis 

^I  rodtr 


[     90     ] 

rode  be  fome  howfys  in  dextra  Avon  ripa.  About  a  myle  Tower  is  King's  rode, 
and  there  be  alfo  fome  howfes  in  dextra  ripa  Avona.  There  is  a  place  almofle 
agayne  Hungrode  caulyd  Portchcftar,  where  Hardynge  and  Roberte  his  funne 
had  a  fayre  howfe,  and  another  in  Brightftowe  towne.  Some  thynke  a  gretc 
peece  of  the  depenes  of  the  haven  from  St.  Vincent  to  Hunge  rode  hathe  be 
made  by  hande  :  fome  fay,  that  fhipps  of  very  auncient  tyme  came  up  to  St. 
Stephanes  churche  in  Brightflowe."  As  to  this  laft,  there  might  have  been  a 
■wet  ditch  between  St.  Auftin's  fide  and  the  marfli  of  Briftol,  which  the  tide 
might  flow  up,  and  fo  bring  boats  even  to  St.  Stephen's  church,  which  might 
put  the  city  upon  the  projefl  of  making  a  quay  there  afterwards ;  but  it  is 
certain,  no  fhips  could  come  up  fo  high  till  that  took  place,  unlefs  through 
ihe  Froom  at  Baldwin-ftreet,  &c.  Near  Hungroad,  on  the  fouth  fide  of  the 
river,  are  two  fmall  branches,  called  Crockern  Pill  and  Morgan's  Pill,  where 
fhips  fometimes  lie,  and  fmall  vefTels  come  to  an  anchor  to  wait  for  the  tide. 
On  the  north  fide  of  the  river,  oppofitc  almofl;  to  Crockern  Pill,  King  Wil- 
liam 3d.  landed,  near  the  village  of  Shirchampton,  Sept.  6,  1690,  and  went 
to  Sir  Robert  Southwell's,  at  Kingfweflon,  adjacent  to  it. 

Rowley  (in  manufcript/fneiwe)  fays,  "  Hardinge,  fadre  of  Fytz- Hardynge, 
ban  fayre  and  godelie  pofleffyons  atte  Porteburie  eke  ycleped  Port  Ceaftre : 
Fytz-Hardynge  gotte  of  Hen.  2d.  a  baileve,  a  markette,  and  fayre,  on  St. 
Decumbe's  day,  the  fyrfte  Mondaie  in  Whytfon  week,  the  whyche  did  abyde 
durynge  the  whole  weckc.  Atte  thys  fayre  the  bayleve  dyd  doe  hommage  to 
the  abbot  of  Seynt  Auftine's  yn  Briftowe,  who  dyd  dhyther  goe  wyth  hys  bre- 
deren  to  amount  of  twa  hundredth  botes :  the  hommage  was  done  by  fpred- 
dynge  hys  fcarlete  cloke  at  the  flyppe  of  Crcocham,  wherebie  the  abbatte  dyd 
londe  upon  ytte,  which  hommage  dyd  entytule  the  bayleeve  to  hys  rule  and  an 
hommage  or  oar  money  of  fhyppes." 

Kingroad  is  reckoned  a  good  open  harbour  and  fafe  anchorage,  accidents 
very  feldom  happening  to  fliips  that  lie  there  ;  though  to  come  to  it  through  the 
Briftol  Channel  however  fafe  it  be  with  good  pilots,  is  very  dangerous  for  ftran- 
gers  and  ihofe  unacquainted  with  it,  but  by  firing  a  gun  for  a  fignal,  the  pill- 
pilots  bred  up  to  the  bufinefs  and  acquainted  with  every  rock  or  fand  bank,  &c. 
from  iheir  youth,  pufli  out  immediately  to  meet  the  fhip  and  take  charge  of  con- 
dueling  her  fafe  into  harbour. 

In  1635,  a  decree  pafied  for  demolifhing  all  houfes  and  buildings  at 
Crockern  Pill,  (except  one  for  paffing  the  boat  over)  which  had  been  crctled 
there  by  Mr.  Morgan,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  city  in  harbouring  bad  people 
there,  and  deflroying  the  pofts  for  mooring  fhips  in  the  river  Avon,  which 

polls 


E    91    3 

polls  are  placed  on  the  banks  of  the  Avon  from  Kingroad  up  to  the  city,  .and 
are  kept  in  repair  by  the  corporation  ;  who  in  confcquence  of  this  decree 
appointed  perfons  to  put  it  in  execution.  But  Mr.  Morgan  and  his  tenants 
again  erefclcd  houfes  there,  fo  that  in  the  year  1656,  by  letters  patent  of 
Oliver  Cromwell,  the  city  was  again  impowered  to  fet  up  mooring  ports,  and 
to  demolifli  the  buildings  there;  but  though  the 'mooring  polls  remain,  houfcs- 
have  fince  been  built,  and  a  little  town  is  ereflcd  at  Pill  for  the  habitation  of 
the  pilots  and  others. 

On    St.   Auguftine's  fide  of  tlie  city,  a  mile  down   tlie   river  Avon,  is   the 
noted  rock  of  St.  Vincent,*  which  furniflies  the  naturalifl;  with  thofe  beautiful 
pieces  of  fpar    called  Briflol  ftones,  and   other  folTils,   corals,  and   fliells,  and. 
the  more  noted  fountain  of  Hotwell  water,  iffuing  from  the  bottom  of  the 
rock,  which  Has  given  to  the  place  the  name  of  the  Hotwells.      William  of 
Worcefter  mentions  the  hot  fpring  at  Brind  as  of  note   when  he  wrote,    in 
1480,  and  defcribes  St.  \'incent's  rock   and  a  chapel  there  and  hermitage.  — 
"  Fons  ibidem  una  bowfliot  apud  la  black  rocke  in  parte  de  Ghyfton  clyflFinf 
fundo  aquae,  et  eft  ita   calidus,   ficut  lac  vel  aqua  Badonis."  p.  185.     And  in 
page  223.  he  again  mentions  it   in  the  following  words  :  "  Fons  calidus  ema- 
nat  de  profundo  aquas  Avyn   ficut  eft  BathoniiE  in  le  rok  de  Ghyfton  clyfF  in 
eadem  parte  in  le  fliole  place.      Scarlet-welle   eft   direfte  in  parte  oppofita  in 
alta  parte  de  Hungerode  emanante  de  rupe."     And  p.  105.  "  Scarlettc  welle 
eft  fons  perclariftimus  emanans  de  alta  rupe  in  parte  oppofita  aquas  in  Domi- 
nio  de  Lye,  &:  eft  in  altitudine  in  altiori  parte  de  le  rok  de  parte  villfe  de  Lye 
altitudinis  12  pedum."      He  thus  defcribes  Giant's-hole  :  "  Fox-hole  eft  volta 
mirabilitcr  fcita  fuper  in  alto  de  Ghyfton  clyffe  fupcr  ripam  de  la  rokk  aitiorem 
et  valde  periculofus  locus  ad  intrandam  voltam  ne  cadat  in  mare  profunditatis 
60  brachiorum  &  ultra."     He  alfo  defcribes  the  chapel  of  St.  Vincent  in  plain 
Englifti,  more  intelligibly  than  in  his  bad  Latin,  p.  iBj.     "  The  halle  of  the 
chapell  of  Seynt  Vincent  of  Gyfton    clyfF  is  ix  ycrdcs  longc,  and  the   brede 
3  yerdys  ;  the  length   of  the  ketchyn  is  ...  ycrdes  (in  another  place  6  virgas) 
the  brede  of  the  ketchyn  is  3  yardes  ;  and  from  the  chapelle  of  Seynte  Vyn- 
cent  ys  to  the  l()v\-cr  water  40  vethym,  and   from   the  ovyr  parte  of  the  mayn 
grounde  londe   of  the  feyd  hygh  rok  downe  to  the  fcydc  cliapelle  of  Seynt 
Vincent  ben  20  vethym  rekened  and  proved  ;  and   fo  from  the   hygh   maync 
ferme  londe  of  the  fcydc  rok  downe  to  the  lowcft  water  ground  of  the  channel 
of  Avyn   and  Froome   is  60  vethym   and  moch  more,  proved   by  a  yong  man 
of  fmythys  occupation  in  Radcleff-ftrcte,  that  fcyde  yt  to  me,  hath  both  def- 

M  2  ccndcd 

•  A  view  of  it  may  be  fcen  in  the  plate  annexed. 


[        92         J 

cended  from  the  hyglicfl;  of  the  rok  down  to  the  water  fyde."  He  goes  on  to 
dcfcribe  the  chapel  of  the  hermitage  as  twenty  fathom  (one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet)  from  the  firm  ground  in  height,  as  meafured  by  himfelf,  Sept.  26, 
1480,  or  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  fleps  or  thereabout,  and  (ituated  about 
the  middle  of  the  rock  as  you  afcend  to  the  high  ground. 

This  rock  or  cliff  of  St.  Vincent  is  not  more  remarkable  for  its  amazing 
height  than  for  its  being  equally  fo  on  both  fides  of  the  river,  the  ftrata  de- 
clining to  the  fouth  and  anfwcring  on  each  fide  alike  ;  a  proof  they  were  never 
broken  or  difturbed  by  the  violent  and  irregular  motion  and  difruption  of  an 
earthquake,  and  that  the  chafm  betwixt  for  the  paffage  of  the  tide  was  formed 
at  the  deluge,  and  the  rock  left  in  the  fame  feparate  and  divided  ftate  it  was  then 
fplit  into,  when  the  (hell  of  the  earth  was  cracked  through,  and  the  fountains  of 
the  abyfs  were  broken  up,  according  to  the  true  Mofaic  account  of  that  great 
event.  It  is  a  very  hard  marble,  or  limeltone  of  a  peculiar  kind,  fromadufl<y 
red  to  a  light  grey,  and  when  poliflied  is  beautifully  variegated ;  in  the  fiffures 
are  found  thofe  fine  cryftals,  fmoothed  and  formed  into  angles  by  nature  *  as 
well  as  by  the  moft  fl<ilful  lapidary  can  be  done  :  fometimes  they  are  found 
inclofed  in  hollow  reddifli  nodules,  which  are  as  it  were  pregnant  with  thefe 
gems,  and  contain  them  as  in  a  fafe  matrix,  which  niufl:  be  broke  before  you 
can  difcover  them  ;  thefe  are  turned  up  often  by  the  plow  in  the  fields  near 
Durdham-down  and  about  Kingfwefton.  This  rock  furniflies  the  natural 
philofopher  with  many  curious  fofljls,  the  botanift  t  with  fome   fcarce  plants, 

the 

*  Vid.  Braun's  defcription  in  Theatrum  Urbium,  lib.  iv.  "  On  die  top  of  the  rock,  where  it 
is  plain,  are  fo  many  diamonds,  that  a  fhip  may  be  laden  therewith."  Camden  fays,  "  One 
may  get  whole  bufhels  of  them."  —  This  fure  could  never  be  the  cafe. 

+  A  catalogue  of  the  rarer  plants,  &c.  found  about  St.  Vincent's  rock,  by  the  ingenious  phy- 
fician  and  botanift.  Dr.  Broughton,  of  Briftol, 

PLANTS.  —  \'eronica  fpicata,  fcabiofa  columbaria,  rubia  peregrina,  gallium  montanum, 
glaux  maritima,  rhenopodium  maritimum,  bupleufum  tenuffimum,  fmyrnium  olufatrum,  pim- 
pinclla  dioica,  fcilla  autumnalis,  chlora  pcrfoliata,  monolropa  hypofithys,  arcuaria  rubra,  fcdum 
rupeflre,  potentilla  verna,  galeopfic  ladanum,  turritis  hirfuta,  arabis  ftrifta,  geranium  fangui- 
neum,  ornilhofus  perfiefillus,  hippocrcpis  carnofa,  hypcricum  montanum,  erigeron  acre,  viola 
livida,  orchys  fpiralls,  apifera,  mufcifera,  afplenium  ccterach,  polypodium  fragile. 

FOSSLLS  found  here.  —  Stones,  limeftonc,  grey,  lead  coloured,  variegated  witli  fpur. 
—  Spars,  irregularly  formed,  rhomboid,  dog-toothed,  {lalaftilic.  —  Fossil  Corals,  por- 
ous, tubular,  lylhollrotion,  mycetitac,  adroites,  lapides  juncei. 

EARTHS.  —  Vegetable  mould,  ochrrs,  deep  red  or  purple,  bright  red,  yellow,  pale  yellow. 

CRYSTALS Diaphanous,  red,  amcthyflinc,  yellow. 

METALS. —  Iron,  lead. 

MARINE  EXUVIyE ^Vnomi*,  dithyperix,  trochitw,   &C 


L     93      ^ 

the  antiquarian  with  the  remains  of  a  Roman  camp,*  and  the  lefs  curious  en- 
quirer with  a  view  of  the  mofl  aftonifhing  and  dreadful  precipice.  It  is  on 
the  north  fide,  at  the  bottom  of  the  rock  within  the  channel  of  the  Avon  on 
its  bank,  the  Hotwell  fpring  rifes  up  with  fome  force  from  beneath,  upwards 
of  ten  feet  above  low  water  and  about  twenty-fix  feet  below  high  water  mark. 
The  late  worthy  and  ingenious  Dr.  Randolph,  whofe  excellent  treatife  on  the 
Briftol  water  will  be  admired  and  held  in  eReem  as  lading  as  the  fpring  it 
celebrates,  attributes  its  firft  reputation  to  its  efficacy  in  the  gravel  and  ftone  ; 
but  above  all  in  the  diabetes,  in  which  it  was  deemed  a  fpecific.  About  the 
year  1670,  one  Mr.  Gagg,  a  baker,  in  Caftle-ftreet,  dreaming  one  night, 
as  he  lay  defpaired  of  in  that  diforder,  that  he  had  drank  plentifully  of  Briftol 
water  and  was  wonderfully  refrefhed  by  it  he  was  much  inclined  next  morn- 
ing to  quench  his  thirft  with  it,  and  found  it  to  anfwer  his  wifh  fo  well  that 
by  continuing. its  ufe  in  a  few  days  he  came  abroad,  gathered  flelh  and  ftrength 
daily,  and  recovered  to  the  furprize  of  every  one.  Though  the  fpring  was 
known  in  1480,  (vid.  William  of  Worcefter)  and  in  1632  ufed  outwardly  for 
the  itch  and  in  old  fores  with  fuccefs,  by  letting  the  water  which  then  ran  down 
from  a  wooden  pipe  upon  the  pavement  fall  upon  the  part,  which  being  thus 
well  wafhed,  they  wet  a  cloth  in  the  water  and  wrapt  it  round ;  yet  it  was  this 
cafe  of  the  diabetes  that  brought  it  into  fuch  reputation,  that  the  city  began  to 
think  the  water  worth  their  care.  In  1660,  the  way  was  improved  and  made 
paflable  by  Rownham  to  the  Hotwell,  Kal.  p.  198:  and  in  1691  Sir  John 
Knight,  mayor  of  Briftol,  endeavoured  to  inclofe  the  fpring  in  fuch  a  manner 
that  the  tide  fhould  not  mix  with  it,  by  raifing  a  ftone  work  round  it  higher 
than  the  tide  ever  rofe  ;  but  the  weight  of  the  water  inclofed  endangered  the 
lofs  of  the  fpring,  by  altering  its  courfe.  In  1695,  the  merchants  of  Briftol 
granted  a  building  leafe  for  ninety  years  at  5  1,  per  annum  to  certain  proprie- 
tors, J.  Jones  and  —  Callowhill,  to  fecure  the  fpring,  and  contrive  if  poftible 
that  the  water  might  be  had  as  well  at  high  as  low  water ;  who,  finding  the 
fpring,  made  proper  foundations  for  pumps,  which  now  carry  the  water  thirty 
feet  high  :  the  tide  water  being  kept  out  from  it  by  valves,  which  open  to  let  the 
water  out,  but  ftiut  againft  any  that  would  force  itfelf  in.  Though  this  is  of 
great  ufe,  yet  it  has  almoft  fet  afidc  the  old  ufe  of  it  externally,  and  prevented 
bathing  in  it  immediately  warm  from  the  fpring;  a  matter  perhaps  of  fome 
confequence,  and  as  beneficial  fometimes  as  its  internal  ufe  ;  the  fpring-head 
being  now  fo  inclofed  as  not  to  be  come  at,  the  water  is  pumped  into  ciftcrns 
at  a  diflance,  and  internally  ufod  it  inay  not  be  quite  fo  efficacious  as  for- 
merly, 
•  \'i(!.p.  18.  the  phte. 


[      94     ] 

merly,  lofing  no  doubt  fome  of  its  heat  in  being  pumped  up,  and  probably  fome 
of  its  virtue,  efpecially  if  that  depends  on  an  impregnated  air  contained  in  the 
water;  which,  being  very  fubile,  may  foon  fly  off  with  the  bubbles:  the  incffcftual 
analyfis  of  it  by  many  leems  to  prove  fome  fuch  latent  principle  in  it,  not  to  be 
arrefted  or  difcovered  by  any  art.     The  celebrated  ufes   of  Briflol  Hotwcll 
water  are,  to  temper  an  hot  acrimonious  blood,  reftrain  haemorrhages  and   fe- 
minal  weaknefTes,  to   cure   the   heflic   fever  and  fweats,  relieve  confumptive 
people  if  the  difeafe  be  inveterate,  cure  them  if  recent;  above  all,  its  virtue 
in  the  diabetes  has  been  deemed  unqueftionable  :  it  may  vie  with  the  Seller 
waters   in    efficacy.      Patients   with  thefe  complaints   in  the  fummer  months 
flock  hither  from  every  part  of  the  kingdom,  where  and  at  Clifton,  a  healthy 
and  delightful  fituation,  mofl;   elegant  lodging-houfes   and   every   convenient 
accommodation  for   families   that   arrive  can   be    had  at  the  fliorteft  notice  ; 
the  pleafant  rides  on  the  neighbouring  downs,  the  amufements,  the   mufic  at 
the  Long  Rooms,  the  balls,  affemblies,  &c.   make   it  alfo  the  refort  of  plea- 
fure  as  well  as  the  retreat  of  the   fick  and  valetudinary.      And   the   buildings 
lately  erefted  there  give  it  more  the  appearance  of  a  large  town   than  of 
lodgings,  for  the  fick  alone,  and  have  fo  increafed  of  late  as  to  join  the  Hotwells 
quite  to  Briflol,  by  an   uninterrupted  chain  of  houfes  ;  fq   that   in    1776,  on 
account  of  the  new-ere£led  docks  in  the  Hotwell-road,  and   additional  build- 
ings and   inhabitants  there,  all   the  fouth  fide  houfes  of  the  faid  road   next 
the  Avon  are  placed   under  the  civil  government  of  the  mayor   and  corpora- 
tion of  Brifl;ol  as  far  as  Rownham-ferry,  by  an  aft  of  parliament  for  that  pur- 
pofe,  and  exempted  from  Glocefterfliire  as  to  civil  government. 

On  the  fouth  fide  of  the  city  Briftol  has  alfo  increafed :  RedclifF  is  now 
joined  by  late  erefted  buildings  to  Bedminfler;  —  Guinea-flreet  and  its 
neighbourhood  is  an  addition  to  the  former  ftate  of  this  part  of  it,  and  the 
new  buildings,  in  the  Addcrcliff^  garden  there  fronting  the  river  Avon  now 
called  Burton-ftreet,  Canning-ftrcet,  and  RedclifT-parade,  are  plcafantly 
fituated,  and  command  a  moft  entertaining  and  ftrikingprofpeft  of  the  water, 
of  fliips  coming  up  and  down  the  river  every  tide,  of  the  bufinefs  on  the 
Back,  of  the  whole  city,  and  of  the  diflant  country  to  a  great  extent  on  all 
fides.  The  ereClion  of  feveral  glafs-houfes,  fugar-houfes,  the  brewery  and 
diftillery,  pottery  and  other  manufaflorics  have  made  a  great  acceflion  to 
this  fide.  The  befl;  part  of  the  old  outer  wall  of  the  city  here  is  to  be  feen 
at  this  day.  By  two  modern  built  handfome  gates.  Temple  and  Redclifi", 
one  built  in  the  year  1736,  tJie  other  lately  taken  down,  we  enter  the  city 
from  the  county  of  Somerfct.     On  the  caft  fide  at  this  time  mc  arc  prefented 

with 


[     95     ] 

with  quite  a  new  face  of  things.  The  caflle,  once  fo  CGnfpicuous  and  dcfen- 
fible  a  fortrefs,  is  now  quite  demolifhed,  and  two  ftrects,  terminated  with  a 
gate  erefted  in  1659,  but  pulled  down  in  1767  to  widen  the  road,  are  laid 
out  with  buildings  in  its  flead.  The  caflle  orchard  is  built  into  a  ftreet  called 
Queen's-ftreet  where  is  a  gate  and  arch  over  a  branch  of  the  Froom,  formerly 
the  Sally-port,  and  at  the  bottom  of  it  is  a  ferry  for  pafllng  over  the  Avon 
to  Temple  fide,  which  when  firft  eflabliflied  in  the  year  1651  was  rented  of 
the  Chamber  at  40s.  per  ann.  and  now  at  gol.  per.  ann.  a  proof  among  others 
how  much  the  inhabitants  are  increafed  fince  that  time.  St.  Philip's  alfo 
in  this  neighbourhood  is  become  a  large  town  of  itfelf  full  of  inhabitants ;  and 
the  large  didilleries,  plate  and  bottle  glafs  works,  the  iron  founderies, 
fmelting  works  and  the  like,  have  greatly  contributed  to  its  increafe. 

Having  taken  a  view  of  the  out-fkirts  of  the  city,  let  us  now  fee  what  im- 
provements of  late  have  taken  place  in  the  center.  —  By  purchafing  and  tak- 
ing down  the  old  houfes  there  to  make  room  for  the  erection  of  the  exchange, 
a  convenient   fpace  of  ground   was  gained  for  that  and  a  new  market  behind 
it,    which  before  ufed  to  be   kept  in    High-ftreet  and  Broad-ftreet  *  to   the 
great   obftruftion  of  paffengers  and  general  inconvenience  of  the  inhabitants; 
the   city. was  made  alfo  thereby  much  more  airy,  pleafant  and  healthful.      In 
the  year  1760,  an  aft  of  parliament  was  obtained  for  taking  down  and  rebuild- 
ing the  old  bridge   of  Briftol  and  erefling  a  new  one  there  and  at  Temple 
backs,    if  thought  neceCfary ;    and   opening  avenues    leading    thereto.     The 
increafe  of  commerce,  and  confequently   of  inhabitants,    the  number  of  car- 
riages   of   all    kinds,    drays  and  horfes   conilantly  paffing   over   the  bridge, 
and  of  boatvs,  lighters,  &c.  under  it,  in  fuch   a  trading  city  rendered  a  freer 
and  lefs  interrupted  pafFage   here   abfolutcly  nccelTary,  and  a  better  commu- 
nication between  the  two  parts  of  the  city  now  became  indifpenfibly   rcquifitc, 
accidents  daily  happening  there  for  want  of  it,  befides  the  delays  occafioned 
by  carriages  meeting  and  obftru8.ing  it.      So  various  were  the  opinions  of  the 
commifTioners  appointed  by  the  aft  for  rebuilding  the   bridge,    that  a  whole 
year  pafTed  after  obtaining  the  aft  in  difputes  whether  it  fliould  be  a  one  arched 
bridge  or  a  three  arched  one,  on  new  or  on  the  old  fouridations.      Architefts 
were  confulted,  and   builders   of  all  kinds;    warm  contefts  arofc,  and  parties 
were  formed  on  this  occafion  not  without  weekly  publications  in  the  public 
prints  and  in  pamplets  in   defence    of  their  notions,    by   which  the  neceffary 

work 

•  The  mofl;  ancient  market-place  for  the  Gloccflcrfhirc  fide  of  the  city,  and  for  the  iifc  of  the 

Caftle  was  in  St.   Philip's  parifh  ;  at  a  place  or  (Ircct  dill  called  the  Old  Market,  the  old  vaults 

and   cellars  there,   and  the  Pic-powdcr   Court  flill  held  there  once  a  year  the  29th  Scptcrobci 

being  proois  of  it,  now  remaining. 


[      96      ] 

work  was  greatly  protrafled,  as  procuring  the  aft  had  been  before  through 
difagreement  in  the  methods  propofed  for  raifing  the  money  to  defray  the  ex- 
pence  ;  which  was  fixed  at  laft  by  a  toll  taken  at  the  bridge  itfelf,  a  tax  on  the 
houfes  of  the  city  of  6d.  in  the  pound,  half  paid  by  the  landlord  and  half  by 
the  occupier,  and  by  a  fmall  tonnage  on  the  fhipping,  and  veffels. 

A  temporary  bridge  by  the  fide  of  the  old  one  above  it  was  at  length 
acfreed  on,  and  in  the  beginning  of  July  1761  they  firfl  began  taking  down 
the  houfes  and  old  buildings  on  the  bridge;  being  firfl  fold  with  all  their  ma- 
terials to  the  beft  bidder.  The  temporary  bridge  was  now  in  great  forward- 
nefs,  and  was  opened  for  the  paffing  of  foot  people  by  the  end  of  September, 
for  horfes  and  carriages  Jan.  ift  1762,  paying  certain  tolls.  Great  fums  of 
money  were  taken  up  at  intereft  by  virtue  of  the  a£l,  and  expended  in  pur- 
chafing  the  houfes  on  the  bridge  and  in  its  avenues  and  in  the  Shambles, 
which  began  all  to  be  taken  down  apace ;  which  gave  this  part  of  the  city, 
before  very  clofe  and  dark,  quite  a  different  appearance  :  yet  the  plan  of  the 
building  the  new  bridge  was  not  agreed  upon.  But  after  long  debates  and 
great  expence  incurred  to  architefts  for  their  opinions,  plans  and  models,  the 
firft  defign  of  conftru6ling  a  three  arched  bridge  on  the  old  foundations  was 
carried  by  a  majority,  45  being  for  the  old  foundation,  18  for  the  new ;  — 
which  though  the  moft  obvious  and  beft  fcheme  for  the  fpan  of  the  river  and 
for  every  other  advantage  to  be  expefted  in  the  building  was  frequently  chan- 
ged, and  violently  cenfured  in  comparifon  of  a  one  arch,  yet  at  laft  happily 
preferred  and  adopted,  the  mafonry  of  the  old  piers  being  found  on  boring 
to  be  very  firm  and  good  and  adjudged  by  the  examining  mafons  not  to  be  con- 
ftruftedofa  cafing  only  of  mafonry  with  rubble  in  the  center,  but  contrary 
to  the  notions  of  fome  of  the  archite£ls  to  be  throughout  firm  and  and  fit  for 
the  great  incumbent  weight  of  the  intended  fuperftrufture. 

A  large  quantity  of  ftone  of  proper  fize  was  now  laid  in,  but  not  without 
frequent  interruption  by  the  tide's  not  ferving,  being  brought  by  water  from 
Courtfield  in  Wales,  but  the  baluftrade  is  of  Portland  ftone.  The  grand 
objeftion  of  making  too  fteep  an  afcent,  which  was  juftly  made  againft  the  one 
arch  fcheme,  is  removed  by  keeping  the  middle  arch  as  low  as  could  be  with- 
out injuring  the  beauty  of  the  bridge,  by  making  it  only  an  ellipfis  or  feg- 
ment  of  a  circle,  while  the  fide  arches  are  both  femicircles,  but  nothing  can 
give  the  reader  a  juft  idea  of  the  elevation  of  the  bridge  without  a  print  of  it, 
which  is  here  fnbjoined  and  to  which  I  refer.  It  was  the  month  of  Septem- 
ber 1768  before  it  was  finiflied  to  be  opened  for  foot  paffengers,  and  Novem- 
ber for  horfes  and  carriages ;  —  for  the  tolls  Sec.  I  refer  to  the  aft  of  par- 
liament. 


[     97     ] 

liament.  It  is  not  the  bridge  alone,  that  adds  new  beauty  to  this  part  of  the 
city,  but  taking  the  old  ruinous  buildings  of  the  fhamblcs  down,  *  and  laying 
out  the  ground  into  a  new,  fpacious,  handfome  flreet,  called  Bridgc-ftreet,  in 
their  (lead  ;  erefting  new  houfes  in  Thomas-ftrcet  and  RedclifF-flrect,  in  the 
avenues  to  the  bridge;  conftrufting  the  new  church  and  fpire  of  St.  Nicholas ; 
filling  up  the  lower  part  of  High-ftrect,  and  thereby  making  the  afcent,  before 
very  great,  much  eafier  and  more  gradual ;  opening  a  free  and  unconfined 
profpeft  over  the  river  and  into  the  city  and  diftant  country,  where  the  eye 
before  was  confined  to  a  dark  ftreet  (for  nothing  elfe  was  the  old  bridge  with 
the  houfes  on  it  on  both  fides)  ;  thefe,  I  fay,  all  confpire  now  to  render  this  a 
moft  pleafant  fpot,  as  well  as  an  airy  and  healthy  part  of  the  city. 

But  the  great  expences  incurred  in  purchafing  fo  many  houfes  at  once,  with 
which  the  old  bridge  was  incumbered,  alfo  the  whole  ftreet  of  houfes  on  both 
fides  called  the  Shambles,  thofe  in  Tucker-ftreet  and  RedclifF-ftreet,  &c.  to 
open  the  avenues,  obliged  the  commiffioners  from  1760  to  1769  to  take  up  at 
intereft  fuch  large  fums  of  money,  amounting  to  49,000  1.  that,  notwithftand- 
ing  an  immenfe  toll  collefted  at  the  bridge,  let  out  at  1505 1.  per  ann.  in  1788, 
the  duty  on  houfes  about  952 1.  per  ann.  and  tonnage  on  (hipping  about  730 1. 
per  ann.  (much  complained  of  bv  the  merchants)  it  was  feven  years  before  any 
part  of  the  fum  raifed  was  advertifed  by  the  commiffioners  as  ready  to  be  paid 
off,  being  13,8051.;  and  1783,  a  farther  fum  of  10,045  I.  was  difcharged  . 
and  1785,  a  farther  fum  of  2000 1.;  and  June  24,  1788,  a  farther  fum  of 
7916  1.  was  difcharged,  being  a  third  part  of  the  bridge  debt  then  due. 

Notwithftanding  the  immenfe  fum  expended  on  the  bridge  and  avenues  to 
it,  and  the  toll  ftill  continuing  to  the  great  injury  and  unequal  burden  of 
thofe  on  the  Somerfetfliire  fide,  and  the  other  duties  fo  long  paid,  which  were 
much  complained  of ;  yet  in  1787,  application  was  again  made  to  parliament 
to  raife  more  money  to  purchafe  the  houfes  on  the  right  fide  of  Tucker-ftreet 
and  in  Temple-ftreet,  to  open  a  new  road  or  ftreet  to  be  called  Bath-ftreet, 
which  though  greatly  oppofed  by  many  was  yet  carried  through  the  houfe, 
and  an  aft  granted  for  purchafing  the  houfes  in  Tucker-ftreet  and  St.  Thomas- 
ftreet  for  that  purpofe,  which  is  now  carrying  into  execution. 

N  Befides 

*  Shambles,  once  called  Worfhip-ftreet,  as  it  is  in  old  deeds;  and  William  of  Worce.ler 
favs,  p.  170,  189,  237.  "  Eg  quod  vicus  honoris,  &c."  bccaufe  it  was  a  ftreet  of  honour  or 
dignity,  on  account  of  the  merchandize  of  wool  landed  tlicrc,  being  a  port  for  loading  fhips,  and 
having  tlic  king's  cellars,"  which  was  proved  to  be  true  from  the  large  Gothic  arclied  warchoufcs 
difcovcrcd  next  the  river,  when  the  fhaniblcs  were  pulled  down  at  this  lime.  This  was  before 
any  bridge  was  built,  or  the  Quay  made. 


[     98     ] 

Befides  the  additional  beauty  and  great  advantage  the  city  was  about  to 
receive  from  the  ereftion  of  this  elegant  new  bridge,  the  fpirit  of  improve- 
ment did  not  flop  here;  but  in  the  year  1772,  the  church  of  St.  Leonard, 
with  the  arched  gateway  there  called  Blind  Gate,  at  the  bottom  of  Corn-ftreet, 
joining  the  old  wall  of  the  city,  and  all  the  houfes  behind  it  in  St.  Stephen's- 
lane,  as  far  back  as  the  Quay,  were  taken  down,  an  aft  of  parliament  being 
obtained  for  that  purpofc ;  and  a  new  ftrcel  laid  out  on  the  fite  of  thefe  build- 
ings to  make  a  firaight,  commodious  communication  with  the  Quay  on  St. 
Auguflin's  fide  from  Corn-ftreet,  the  Exchange,  and  the  center  of  the  city.  — 
The  money  to  the  amount  of  8000 1.  to  efFeft  this  was  rifen  by  a  fubfcription 
amongft  the  citizens;  500 1.  was  advanced  by  the  Chamber,  and  500 1.  by  the 
Merchant's-hall,  and  1000 1,  lent  by  Lord  Clare,  member  for  the  city,  to- 
wards this  ufcful  work  :  the  borrowed  fums  were  to  be  repaid  by  a  fale  of  the 
ground,  when  cleared  for  the  new  buildings ;  the  ground  rents  of  this  new 
ftreet,  called  afterwards  Clare-ftreet  were  fold  in  1775  for  above  9000I.  This 
was  a  very  great  improvement  as  it  opened  a  free  palfage  to  the  Quay,  and 
a  ready  intercourfe  with  St.  Auguftin's  parifh,  and  led  ftraight  to  the  Draw- 
bridge. Soon  after  by  the  public  fpirit  of  the  city  a  new  road  and  ftreet 
called  Union-ftreet,  was  laid  out  to  open  a  better  communication  with  St. 
James's  parifti  from  Wine-ftrcet,  by  a  bridge  acrofs  the  Frome  into  Broad- 
mead,  and  a  new  market  called  St.  James's  market  was  eftabliftied  there  for 
the  accommodation  of  that  fide  of  the  city,  and  to  Icften  in  fome  degree  the 
vaft  concourfe  of  people  market  days  in  the  center  of  the  city  at  the  market 
place  behind  the  Exchange,  found  very  inconvenient  and  troublefome  to  all 
who  refort  to  it.  The  park,  called  Bullock's  park,  having  alfo  been  lately 
laid  out  for  building  two  grand  new  ftreets  of  houfes  called  Park-ftreet  and 
Great-George-ftrcet,  leading  from  College-green,  a  new  road  was  hereby 
opened  into  Gloceftcrfhirc,  over  Durdham-down  :  and  in  1770  the  Bifhop's 
park  was  alfo  agreed  for  by  Mr.  Worrall  an  eminent  Attorney,  who  procured  an 
aft  of  parliament  to  enable  the  Bifliop  to  fell  it  off  for  building  at  a  ground 
rent  of  60I.  per  ann.  for  go  vcars,  when  the  leafe  expires;  and  renewals  muft 
be  then  made  with  the  Biftiop  for  the  time  being  :  this  was  called  College- 
ftreet  and  the  buildings  began  in  1772,  and  already  extend  to  a  great 
length,  though  the  whole  is  not  yet  conipleated. 

New  ground  alfo  in  1 786  is  laid  out  for  building  a  row  of  houfes  or  crcfccnt 
»n  the  field  above  Park-ftreet  next  Brandon-hill;  and  above  Collcgc-ftrcet 
on  the  other  fide  of  that  hill  a  new  ftreet  of  houfes  leading  up  the  hill  out  of 

Limekiln-lane 


C     99     ] 

Limekiln-lane    called   Brandon-ftrcct,    has  been  built  jaicly  in  a  high  and 
pleafant  fituatio|j. 

By  fo  many  additional  buildings  and  whole  flrects  being  lately  erecled,  it 
muft  be  readily  allowed  to  have  received  a  great  acceffion  of  new  inhabitants, 
and  how  much  it  has  increafed  in  populoufnefs  within  thefe  thirty  years  paft 
is  almoft  incredible.  In  the  year  1757  it  is  faid  to  contain  13,000  houfes  in 
all,  and  go.ooo  fouls.  Anderfon  in  his  Cronological  Hiftory  of  Commerce 
fays  "  in  the  year  1758  he  perambulated  the  city  for  two  fucccffive  days,  and 
from  a  near  examination  of  the  number  of  houfes  on  new  foundations  and 
ftreets  crefled  fince  1751,  he  cannot  but  think  it  contains  not  lefs  than 
100,000  fouls,  and  is  as  big  as  London  within  the  walls.  Dublin  appears 
more  populous  in  the  ftreets ;  but  it  is  the  refidencc  of  the  chief  governors, 
of  all  public  officers,  guards,  nobility  and  gentry  with  numerous  retinues  of 
people  in  the  ftreets  without  being  larger  than  Briftol,  where  the  inhabitants 
are  private  families,  manufaQurers  in  employ  withindoors,"  Sec. 

Though  the  number  may  not  be  quite  fo  high  as  here  rated,  yet  it  is 
certainly  a  very  populous  city,  greatly  increafed  of  late  years ;  and  though 
this  calculation  may  be  rather  too  great  a  number ;  that  made  by  Mr.  [, 
Browning  in  the  Philofophical  Tranfaftions  is  as  much  too  little.  The  me- 
dium reckoned  at  about  70  or  80,000  fouls  may  be  perhaps  nearer  the  truth. 

Houfes  in  Briftol  city,  befides  what  are  in  the  fuburbs  and  out  of  the  cor- 
poration liberties,  which  are  not  reckoned  and  may  be  computed  at  1000 
or  upwards. 

Houfes  in  Briftol  in  the  feveral  parifiics,  viz. 


Pariflics. 

Anno  1712. 

Anno  17,33. 

Increafc. 

St.  Nicholas, 

- 

- 

380 

- 

- 

418 

- 

- 

38 

St.  Stephens, 

- 

- 

450 

- 

- 

503 

- 

- 

53 

St.  Mary  Redclift, 

»      ~ 

- 

280 

- 

- 

402 

- 

- 

122 

St.  Thomas, 

- 

- 

302 

- 

— 

320 

- 

- 

18 

St.  Crofs  alias  the 

Temple, 

1  — 

240 

- 

- 

380 

- 

- 

140 

St.  James, 

- 

- 

682 

- 

- 

1407 

- 

- 

7^5 

St.  Philips, 

- 

- 

263 

- 

- 

330 

- 

- 

67 

The  Caftle  Prccin 

as. 

- 

260 

- 

- 

270 

- 

- 

10 

St.  Peters, 

- 

- 

221 

- 

- 

230 

- 

- 

9 

St.  Mary  Port, 

- 

- 

lot 

- 

- 

104 

- 

- 

0 

Chrift  Church, 

- 

- 

160 

- 

- 

164 

- 

- 

4 

All  Saints, 

- 

- 

57 

- 

- 

57 

- 

- 

'1  0 

^St.  John  Baptift, 

- 

- 

'55 

- 

- 

160 

- 

- 

5 

S'. 

', 

St.  Lcon^r'^ 

[       100      ] 


St.  Leonard, 

68 

St.  Werburghs, 

57 

St.  Owens  or  St.  Evens, 

27 

St.  Auguftin  cum  St.  Marks, 

327 

St.  Michaels, 

278 

68 

57 
27 

454 
350 


4311  51°^ 

Houfcs  in  1735,  _  _  -  - 

In  fuburbs  not  reckoned,  about 

Additional  houfes  fince  1735  to  1788,  about  - 


- 

0 

- 

0 

- 

0 

- 

127 

- 

72 

1 

1390 

5701 

1000 

6701 
2000 


8701 

Proportionate  inc 

reafe 

of  the 

following  parifhes 

• 

Year. 

Number  of  houfcs. 

Rental. 

St.  James's, 

- 

1744 

- 

- 

1474 

- 

7173 

1783 

- 

- 

1561 

- 

8201 

St.  Mary  Rci 

dclift. 

1744 

- 

- 

504 

- 

3896 

1783 

- 

- 

61^ 

- 

4598 

St.  Auguftin, 

- 

1744 

- 

- 

462 

- 

3585 

1783 

- 

- 

563 

- 

4628 

St.  Michael, 

- 

1744 

- 

- 

357 

- 

2256 

1783 

- 

- 

■   416 

- 

2359 

St.  Nicholas^ 

, 

1744 

- 

- 

409 

- 

5466 

1783 

- 

- 

362 

- 

4736 

By  the  lift  of  houfes  as  laid  before  the  Houfe  of  Commons  by  the  tax 
officers  (which  muft  be  of  5I.  per  ann.  or  upwards)  it  appears  there  are  of  fuch 
in  Briftol  3947,  Liverpool  3974,  Manchefter  2519,  Oxford  2316.  It  muft 
however  be  obferved  that  Liverpool  being  a  new-built  city,  there  may  be 
a  greater  proportion  of  houfes  of  the  above  defcription  than  in  the  very  an- 
cient city  of  Briftol,  in  which  the  houfes  rated  under  5I.  per  ann.  muft  be  a 
very  great  number. 

The  whole  city  is  in  general  well-built,  yet  has  never  been  burnt  down  and 
rebuilt,  or  ever  fuffered  much  by  fires:  its  public  halls,  and  other  ftru£iures 
have  many  of  them  a  good  elevation  ;  the  exchange  *  is  a  fine  piece  of  archi- 
tcBure  well  proportioned,  light  and  elegant  and  is  a  great  ornament  to  the 
center  of  the  city.     That  it  may  not  be  dcftitute  of  places  of  rational  amufe- 

ment 

•  The  public  buildings  will  be  particularly  defcribed  in  the  hiftory  of  the  parilh  in  which 
tliey  are  fituatcd, 


[       101       ] 

ment,  the  lenivien  duke  laborum,  a  theatre  was  built  in  the  year  1766  by  fub- 
fcription,  at  the  expence  of  5000  1.  and  upwards,  and  is  large,  fpacious,  and 
well  contrived  for  the  purpofe,  and  richly  adorned  both  in  the  painting  of  the 
fcenes  and  carving,  gilding,  and  ornaments  of  the  houfe  ;  and  an  elegant  af- 
fembly  or  mufic  room  is  creeled  in  Prince's-ftreet,  bearing  this  motto  on  its 
front,  Curas  Cithara  iollit.  At  night  the  city  is  well  lighted  with  lamps,  the 
figns  being  taken  down  their  light  is  not  intercepted ;  and  it  is  provided  with 
a  regular  watch  by  a£ls  of  parliament  pafTed  for  thcfe  purpofes. 

No  place  can  be  better  fupplied  with  all  the  neceflaries  of  life,  and  at  a 
more  reafonable  price.  Water  is  here  to  be  had  always  the  beft  and  in  the 
greateft  plenty ;  public  conduits  or  pumps,  fupported  at  the  public  expence, 
are  here  in  almoft  every  ftreet.  Leland,  in  his  Itinerary,  takes  notice  of 
this  advantageous  circumftance,  and  has  enumerated  all  the  conduits  in  Briftol 
in  his  time. 

"  Condufls  cis  pontem.  —  St.  John's,  harde  by  St.  John's-gate.  *  The  Key- 
pipe,  t  with  a  very  faire  caftellette.  All  Hallow-pipe,  +  hard  by  the  Calen- 
■'daries,  without  a  caftelle.  St.  Nycholas-pipe,  ^  with  a  caftellet.  —  Ultra  pon- 
tem. Redcliffe-pipe,  ||  with  a  caftellet,  hard  by  Redcliff  churche,  witheowte 
the  gate.  Another  pipe,  without  Redcliff-gate,  haveing  no  caftelle.  Another 
by  porte  waulle,  without  the  waulle." 

To  thefe  I  may  add  St.  Thomas-pipe,  a  feather  from  Redcliff,  for  which 
the  parifli  pay  2  s.  per  annum  to  Redcliff  parifh,  and  are  always  by  a  cove- 
nant to  pay  one  third  part  for  the  repairs  of  all  the  pipes  leading  to  Redcliff. 
Temple-pipe,  at  Temple-gate ;  the  water  formerly  brought  there  for  the  ufe 
of  the  friers  of  St.  Auguftin  there.  And  another  pipe  at  the  Neptune  in 
Temple-ftreet,  a  feather  from  the  former.  There  are  alfo  the  following  pub- 
lic pumps  for  the  ufe  of  the  citizens  :  St.  Peter's,  the  Pithay,  and  one  in 
Wine-ftreet;  for  the  fupport  of  all  thefe,  benefactions  have  been  left  at  dif- 
ferent times  by  well-difpofed,  charitable  citizens. 

Befides  thefe  conveniencies  for  the  fupply  of  water,  that  no  part  of  the  city 
fhould  be  witliout  this  ufeful  element,  it  was  brought  in  elm  pipes  from  a  large 
pond  or  refervoir,  a  mile  without  Lawford's-gate,  to  the  remote  parts  of  the 

city 

*  This  fpring-head  is  at  the  top  of  Park-ftrect. 

■f  The  fpring  that  fupplies  t}iis  rifcs  at  Glafs-mill,  a  mile  and  a  half  diftant,  and  the  water  is 
brought  hither  in  leaden  pipes,  at  the  expence  of  the  chamber. 

f  This  is  in  Prior's  Orchard,  above  Maudlin-lane. 

^  This  water  was  brought  by  a  pipe  from  the  Key-conduit  to  St.  Nicholas,  but  on  building  the 
new  bridge  in  1764  was  taken  down. 

IJ  The  fi  ring  rifes  above  Lower  Kiiowlcj  and  the  water  is  brought  in  leaden  pipes. 


[      102      ] 

city  that  (land  nioft  in  need  of  it  for  their  families  and  their  bufinelTes  that  re- 
quire a  great  fupply.  This  refervoir  is  filled  by  a  large  wheel  engine,  erecled 
at  a  place  on  the  bank  of  the  Avon  two  miles  above  Briftol  bridge.  An  aO;  of 
parliament  the  7th  and  8th  of  'W'illiani  3d.  paffed  for  this  purpofe ;  and  in  Auguft 
1696,  Daniel  Small,  of  London,  draper,  Chriftopher  Fowler  and  Richard  God- 
dard,  of  London,  merchants,  and  Richard  Berry  and  Samuel  Sandford,  citizens 
of  Briftol,  on  behalf  of  themfelves  and  others,  contraded  with  the  mayor,  bur- 
geffes,  and  commonalty  of  the  city,  for  fupplving  and  furnifliing  the  inhabi- 
tants with  ficfli  water  at  reafonable  rates.  Thefe  perfons,  intcrefted  in  the 
undertaking,  were  impowered  to  dig  the  ground  in  order  to  convey  the  water 
through  any  perfon's  lands,  except  houfes,  gardens,  and  orchards,  from  Han- 
ham  mills  or  other  place,  in  aqucdufts  or  pipes,  with  liberty  to  repair  and 
change  the  fame.  The  flieriflF  of  the  county  of  Glocefter,  by  a  jury  of  twelve 
indifferent  men  not  interefted  therein,  upon  examining  them  upon  oath,  was 
to  afcerlain  the  damages  to  be  allowed  the  proprietors  of  the  foil  :  and  every 
one  obflruBing  the  undertakers  afterwards  were  to  pav  5I.  for  every  offence, 
half  to  the  profecutor  and  half  to  the  poor  of  the  parifh.  The  undertaking 
was  perfected  at  a  great  expence,  (the  whole  being  divided  into  ninety-five 
fliares,  at  65 1.  a  fliare)  and  water  brought  thus  into  the  city  to  its  great  advan- 
tage, efpecially  into  fuch  parts  of  the  town  as  flood  moft  in  need  of  it,  at  the 
eafy  rate  of  40  s.  a  year  to  each  family  who  received  it. 

But  this  (cheme,  not  anfwering  the  expence  of  the  proprietors,  was  fetafide 
in  1783,  and  the  machine  for  raifing  the  water  appropriated  to  the  ufe  of  a 
grift-mill  there  erefted  :  the  great  fupply  of  water  for  the  ufe  of  the  citizens 
from  pvuTips  and  otiicr  public  conduits,  rendering  it  the  lefs  neceffary;  and  the 
great  expence  attending  the  repair  of  the  engine  and  the  pipes,  &c.  made 
it  at  length  of  little  advantage  to  the  proprietors. 

•  The  advantages  arifing  to  the  inhabitants  from  having  coals  in  plenty  fb 
near  the  city  are  very  great,  as  well  from  its  ufe  to  families  as  from  the  great 
confumption  of  it  in  glafs-houfes,  fugar-houfes,  diftilleries,  iron-foundcrics, 
and  the  like.  It  is  brought  in  by  horfes  and  in  waggons  but  a  few  miles  off 
from  the  city  gates,  being  rifen  in  great  plentv  in  Kingfwood,  Bedminfler, 
Afhton,  Nailfea,  and  Briflington.  Butter  remarkably  good  and  flefli  meat, 
ox  beef,  veal  and  mutton,  the  befl  of  every  kind,  together  with  all  the  pro- 
duce of  the  kitchen-garden  in  great  abundance,  arc  to  be  had  at  the  markets, 
held  every  Wednefday  and  Saturday,  behind  the  Exchange  and  in  Union- 
ftrect ;  and  fifli  at  the  Fifh-market  twice  a  week,  Wednefday  and  Friday,  in 
Union-ftreet,    bcfides    the  falmon,  cod,  mackre),  herrings,  plaice,  flounders, 

oyfter?, 


C     i03     ] 

oyfters,  fprats,  &c.  brought  to  the  Back  by  the  boats  during  the  feafon.  A 
market  alfo  is  held  on  the  Back  every  other  Wednefday,  where  the  Welch 
boats,  arriving  at  fpring  tides,  difcharge  the  produce  of  their  country  for  fale; 
fine  falt-butter,  poultry  of  all  kinds,  roafling  pigs,  and  geefe  ready  for  the 
fpit ;  fruit,  as  apples,  pears,  &c.  The  great  brewhoufes  and  malthoufcs,  the 
bakers  and  cornfaftors,  are  furniflied  with  corn  and  (lour  by  water  carriage 
from  the  Weft  Country  and  the  fertile  vale  of  Evefliam,  and  the  counties  of 
Hereford,  Monmouth,  and  Worcefter,  which  is  landed  on  St.  Auftin's  wharf, 
at  the  head  of  the  Quay,  out  of  the  trows ;  or  on  the  Back,  where  convenient 
markct-houfes  are  built  for  fccuring  it  when  landed  from  the  weather,  and 
there  expofed  to  fale  every  fpring  tide :  —  here  are  alfo  landed  great  quan- 
tities of  cyder.  Befides  thefe,  there  was  a  corn-market  in  Wine-ftreet,  where 
corn  was  brought  by  the  neighbouring  farmers  for  fale,  now  converted  into 
a  cheefe-market ;  and  a  hay-market  was  eftablifiied  in  Broadmead  in  the  year 
1786,  every  Tuefday  and  Friday.  The  great  market  for  fat  and  lean  cattle, 
flieep,  and  pigs,  (great  droves  of  which  come  in  from  Wales)  is  held  in  St. 
Thomas-ftreet  every  Thurfday,  and  is  much  frequented  alfo  by  the  woollen 
manufafturers  at  the  feafon  of  the  year  for  the  purchafc  of  wool,  the  wool-hall 
being  in  this  ftreet;  of  which  more  particulars  in  the  chapter  on  St.  Thomas 
parifli. 

Mr.  W.  Goldwin,  A.  M.  fometime  maftcr  of  the  grammar-fchool  here,  in 
a  poetical  defcription  of  Briflol  printed  in  1712,  after  mentioning  the  market 
on  the  Back,  and  the  poultry  fold  there  by  the  Welch  women. 

Where  cackling  geefe  with  cackling  females  try, 

fums  up,    in  the  following  lines,    the  plentiful  fupply  of  neceffarics  at  our 
markets : 

Here  Cornucopia,  from  her  rural  ftores. 
In  various  fliapes  luxuriant  plenty  pours; 
Bright  Cereal  grain  and  fweet  Pomona's  fruit. 
Or  herbage  cloath'd  in  Nature's  lovely  fuit : 
Or  tender  fatlings  from  the  herd  or  flock 
The  city's  wants  with  life's  rcfrcfhmcnts  ftock. 
With  thoufand  dainties  of  delicious  meats. 
Which  Catius  better  knows  than  verfe  repeats ; 
The  plenteous  fccncs  fuch  vaft  profufion  llicw. 
As  if  tranfplancd  fields  in  cities  grew. 

I( 


[     104     ] 

It  may  be  jufl;  mentioned  here,  that  the  difh  called  elvers,  taken  notice  of  by 
Cambdcn,  though  once  in  great  efteem,  is  at  prefent  not  mucli  in  requeft  at 
Eriftol.  They  feem  to  be  a  kind  of  very  fmall  young  eels,  Pdmmed  up  at  the 
proper  feafon  out  of  the  Avon,  betwixt  Bridol  and  Kevnfham,  and  duly 
cleanfed,  are  made  up  into  little  cakes  or  flat  bundles,  which  fried  are  good 
and  pleafing  to  the  palate.  As  the  markets,  in  general,  are  well  fupplied 
with  all  kinds  of  provifions,  of  the  beft  kind  and  in  great  plenty,  the  people 
here  may  be  faid  very  juflly  to  eat  well,  or  live  on  the  beft,  of  which  our  city 
feafts,  turtle  feafts,  and  all  our  public  entertainments  indeed  are  a  fufficient 
proof. 

Briftol  hath  the  privilege  of  holding  two  fairs  in  the  year,  each  to  continue 
eight  days,  one  on  the  25th  July,  in  the  fpacious  church-yard  of  St.  James, 
the  other  on  the  25th  January  in  Temple-ftreet,  the  times  now  changed  by 
aft  of  parliament  1761,  to  the  ift  March  and  ift  September:  of  the  grants  of 
thefe  more  particularly  in  the  account  of  the  refpeflive  parifhes  where  they 
are  held  :  here  is  ufually  a  great  fale  then  of  everv  thing  in  the  woollen 
manufaflurc,  cloth  coarfe  and  fine,  rugs,  blankets,  ftockings,  &c.  for 
exportation  ;  as  alfo  of  Birmingham  wares  See.  from  the  feveral  manufaflo- 
ries  ;  alfo  leather  at  the  Back-hall,  befides  all  the  pageantry  of  female  orna- 
ments, drefles,  trinkets,  &c.  ufually  difplayed  on  thefe  occafions. 

Having  thus  defcribed  the  city  in  general  in  its  prefent  improved  Rate,  and 
curforily  run  over  its  principal  parts,  referring  for  particulars  to  the  enfuing 
chapters,  I  fliall  now  add,  that  the  circumference  of  the  whole  within  the  li- 
berties as  appears  by  the  perambulation  round  it,  (which  to  preferve  its  true 
limits  and  boundaries,  is  made  annually,  at  choofing  a  new  mayor)  confifts 
of  feven  miles  two  quarters  and  fifty-five  pearch,  and  as  it  may  fatisfy  the 
curious  and  inquifitive,  the  following  account  is  fubjoined.  * 

The 

*  In  King  Jolin's  charter  to  the  city,  the  bounds  of  the  city  are  fct  down  thus,  —  "  Tl-.c 
metes  of  the  town  are  between  Sandbrook  and  Bewell,  Brightnec-bridgc,  and  the  well  in  the 
way  to  Adelbur)'  of  Knoll." 

Sandbrook  feems  afterwards  to  be  defcribed  in  the  perambulation  as  a  certain  little  brook 
or  fluice  called  Woodwell's  lake,  where  is  a  ftone  on  the  eafl  part  of  the  faid  brook. 

Bewell  in  the  highway  to  Hcnbury  where  was  an  old  crofs  called  Bewell's  crofs  near  St. 
Michael's  hill. 

Brightnec-bridge  on  Bedminfter  caufeway. 

The  well  at  Adelbury,  was  that  at  Totterdown  in  the  road  to  Knoll,  where  the  road  tunu 
to  Bath  and  there  was  once  a  well  now  filled  up,  and  acliy  flone  is  there  at  prcf-nt. 


C   105   ] 

The  Bounds  of  the  City  on  Glocestershire    Side. 

Stone.  Per.    qr. 

1.  On  the  bank  of  the  river  of  Avon,  near  a  limekiln,  on  the  cafl 

and  a  fluice  on  the  weft,  called  "Woodwell's-lake,  ftandcth  the 
firft  {lone,         ________ 

2.  From  the  faid  ftone,  afcending  the  lane,   croffing  the  faid  lake, 

N.  wefterly,  on  the  weft;  fide  of  the  faid  lake,  or  rivulet,  is  a 
leading  ftone  _______  10     3 

3.  From  the  faid  ftone  N.  wefterly,  to  a  ftone  on  the  bank  where  was 

a  mill  to  blow  lead  ore,      ___  ___  16 

4.  From  thence  N.  W,  afcending  the  lane,  in  the  midft  thereof,  is 

a  leading  ftone,  _______  25 

5.  From  thence,  N.  W.  to  a  ftone  ftanding  betwixt  Jacob's  well   and 

the  vault  of  the  conduit,  which  leadeth  to  the  college,     -  1 1      3 

6.  From  thence  N.   and  by  W.  to  a  ftone  in  the  corner  of  a  wall, 

where  one   Baily  dwelt,  _____  23 

7.  From  thence,  N.  to  a  ftone  in  the  hedge  of  a  croft,  called  Long- 

croft,        _________  32 

8.  From  thence,  on  the  N.  fide  of  the  lane,  afcending  the  fame,  to 

the   S.  corner   of   Pucking-grove,    and  there  entring  into  a 
ground,  called  Honey-pan-hill,  ftandeth  a  great  ftone,  -  30 

g.   From  thence,  N.  by  the  hedge  and  ditch  of  Pucking-grove,  ftand- 
cth a  leading  ftone  in  the  aforefaid  ground  of  Honey-pan,  30 

10.  From  thence,   N.  N.   W.  by  the   hedge  and  ditch  of  the  fame 

ground,    into   a   ground,    called    the   Welfti-clofe,    near  the 

W.  N.  W.  corner  of  Pucking-grove,  is  a  ftone,  -  252 

11.  From  the  faid  ftone,  N.  and  by  E.  to  a  ftone  in  the   S.   S.  W. 

corner  of  little  Pucking-grove,  _         _         _         _  8 

12.  From  the  faid  ftone,  N.  E.  and  by  E.  to  a  ftone  in  the  E.   and 

by  S.  corner  of  little  Pucking-grove,  _         _         _  18 

13.  From    the    faid   ftone,     N.    W.   and    by    N.    to  a  ftone   in    the 

N.  N.  W.  corner  of  the  faid  little  Pucking-grove  -  6 

14.  From  thence,  over  the  hedge,  into  a  ground  called  the  Furlongs, 

where   beginneth   Wcftbury    parifti,    E.   N.  E.  along   by    the 
wall,  to  a  leading  ftone,  _         _  -         _         _  n 

15.  From  thence,  E.  N.  E.  by  the  faid  long  wall,  to  another  leading 

ftone,  -_____-_  28 

O  16.  From 


[     io6    ] 

Stone.  Per.    qr. 

16.  From  thence,  along  by  the  fide-wall,  E.  N.  E.  to  a  ftone  fixed 

on  tlie  N.  corner  of  Cantock's,  a   long  flange  of  ground,  cal- 
led Spencer's  acre,  ___.  .  .  j^ 

17.  From  thence,  E.  N.  E.   to  a  leading  ftone  in  the   faid  ground, 

near  to  the  N.  corner  of  a  ground  belonging  to  the  Maudlin's 

or  Bartholomew's  of  Brillol,  .         _         -  .  _  jg 

18.  From  thence,  E.  N.   E.  by  the  faid  hedge,  is  a  ftonc  fixed  in  the 

E.  corner  of  the  fame  ground,  near  the   highway,  which  lead- 

eth  from  Briftol  to  Henbury,  .         _         _  .         .  g 

ig.   From  thence,  into  the  highway,  N.  W.  and  by  N.  to  a  flone  on 

the  N.  W  fide  of  the  way,  _         _         _         -         _  20 

20.   From  thence,  N.  W.  and  by  N.  to  a  flone  in  the   S.   E.   corner 

ofBcwell's-croft,  _.____.  j^ 

2.1.  From  thence,  N.  W.  and  by  N.  along  by  the  hedge  of  the  fame 
croft,  to  a  flone  pitched  near  the  Green-way-grate,  on  the 
N.  E.   fide  of  Bewell'swell,  _         -         .         .         _  17 

22.  From  thence,  along  the  highway,   N.  E.  to  a  flone  on  the  other 

fide  of  the  way,  _-._-._  g 

23.  From  thence,    back  again,    to  a  flone    on  the  high  bank,  over 

againfl  the  crofs,  .._._..  24 

24.  From  thence,  S.   E.  and  by   S.  along  the  N.  E.   fide  of  the  lane, 

to  a  flone  at  the  head  of  Brampton's-clofe,  -         -  45 

25.  From  thence,  into  Brampton's-clofe,  N.  E.  iind  by  E.  to  a  ftone 

in  the  midft  of  the  faid  clofe,  -----  21 

26.  From    the  faid   ftone,  S.  E.  and  by  S.  to  a  ftone  within  the  bul- 

warks, _...-.--  8 

27.  From   thence,  S.  W.   and   by  W.  to  a  ftone  pitched  on  the  N. 

corner   of  a  garden   wall,    formerly   in    the   tenure  of  John 
Pefter,  of  the  city  of  Briftol,  woollen-draper,  belonging  to  the 
heirs  of  Alderman  Jones,  and  formerly  called  Mill  lane,   and 
one  Pownefliam's  wall,        ------  14 

28.  From  thence,  defcending,  S.  E.  to  a  ftone  on   the  S.  corner  of  a 

ditch  bank  in  the  fame  ground,  near  a  certain  croft  called 
Prior's-croft,  -  -         -         -         -         -         -  102 

29.  From  thence,  along  by  a  hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  leading  ftone   in 

the  fame  croft,  17 

30.  From  thence,  along  by  the  faid  hedge  and  ditch  to  a  ftone  in  the 

lane,  called  Maudlin's-lane,  leading  towards  liorfield,     -  16 

31.  From 


C    ^07    ] 

Stone.  Per.    qr. 

31.  From  thence,  along  the  faid   lane,  called  Maudlin-lane,    N.  and 

by  E.  over  a  certain  mount,  called  Colfton,  to  a  ftonc  in  the 
W.  fide  of  the  fame  lane,  .         .         -         _         .  10 

32.  From   thence,    N.  E.  to  a    ftone   in   the  ditch  or  trench  of  the 

bulwarks,  ________  20 

33.  From  thence,  paffing  over   the   works,    S.   E.   to  a  (lone  at  the 

corner   of  a  hedge  of  a  clofe,    called   St.   Werburgh's-clofe, 

at  the  E.  corner  of  the  fame  clofe,         _         _         _         _  6 

34.  From  thence,  S.  W.  and  by  S.  by  a  ditch  in  the  S.    E.    part   of 

St.  Werburgh's-clofe  aforefaid,  is  a  ftone   fixed   in   a    corner 
nigh  the  ditch  of  a  clofe,  called  Prior's-clofe,         -         -  19 

35.  From   thence,  defcending  the  hill,  S.  E.  and  by  E.  to  a  flonc  in 

the  midft  of  a  ground,  called  the  Montagu's,  -         -  24 

36.  From  thence,  N.  E.  to  a  ftone  fixed  in  the  Montagu's,         -  113 

37.  From  thence,  defcending  the  hill,  to  the  corner  of  a   ditch,  S. 

E.  in  the  faid  Montagu's  is  a  fione pitched,  -  -  8 

38.  From  thence,  along  bv  the  faid   hedge  and  ditch,    N.    E.    to  a 

leading  ftone,  _-__---  26 

39.  From  thence,  X.  E.  by  the   faid   hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  ftone  in 

the   midft   of  a  ground,    near    the   head  of  the  faid  ground, 
called  Doucc's-croft,  ..-..-  34 

40.  From  thence,  defcending  S.  E.  and  by  E.  into  the   lane   leading 

towards   Thornbury,  to    a  ftone  on   the   W.  fide   of  the  fame 
lane,  ..-_.----  20 

41.  From  thence,  by  the  W.  fide  of  the  fame  way,  direflly  N.  to  a 

ftone    fixed  on  the  corner    of  a   ground   going   up   towards 
Prior's-hill,  called  Barnfiey,         ...         -  -  46 

42.  From  thence,    E.    athwart   the  way,    to   a  little   round   hillock, 

called  Apeflierd,  is  a  ftone  on  the  fame  hillock,  -  4 

43.  From   thence,   N.  E.  and  by  E.  along  the  lane,  to  a   ftone  fixed 

in  the  X.  corner  of  aditcii,  called  the  upper  Stoke's-croft,  23 

44.  From  thence,  defcending  S.   E.  and  by  S.    to  a  ftone  pitched  on 

the  S.  corner  of  the  fame  ditch,  in  upper  Stoke's-croft  aforefaid,     29 

45.  From  thence,  N.  E.   by  a  ditch  of  a  clofe,  called  Mecr  Furlong 

to  a  ftone  fixed  in  a  corner  of  the  fame  ditch,  called  Shuter's- 
ditch, i8 

46.  From  thence,    defcending   S.  E.   fouiherly,  to  a  ftone   fixed  on 

the  ^^^  comer  of  Long-acre,  now  called  Goofc-acre,      -  28 

O  2  47.  From 


[     io8     ] 

Stone.  Per,    qr. 

47.  From  thence,  N.  E.  by  the  hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  leading  ftone,       23 

48.  From  thence,  N.   E.  by   the  laid  hedge  and  ditch,    to  another 

leading  ftone,  ---_.-_  g 

49.  From  thence,  N.  E.  by  the  faid  hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  ftone  on 

the  E.  corner  of  the  faid  ground  of  Long-acre  or  Goofc-acre,        13      2 

50.  From  thence,  N.  W.  to  a  ftone  on   the   N.  corner   of  the   faid 

Goofc-acre,         --..__--  22 

51.  From  thence,  N.  E.  into  a  ground,  called  Long-lands,  now  Red- 

furlong,  along  a  hedge  and  ditch   on   the  S.    E.  part  of  the 
faid  ground,  near  Cook's- croft,  ftandeth  a  ftone,  -  45 

52   From  thence,  N.  W.  and  by  N.    by  the  faid   Cook's-croft,   into 

the  lane,  is  a  ftone  in  the  midft  of  the  lane,  -         -  132 

53.  From  thence,  N.  E.  and  by  E.   into  a  ground  called  Open-clofe, 

near  the  gate  of  the  N.   of  Cook's-croft  corner,  is   a   ftone 
fixed,  -_..-_.         -.24 

54.  From  thence,  S.  E.   by  the  hedge  of  Cook's-croft,  and  on  the  S. 

corner  of  Open-leafe,  is  a  ftone,       -         -         -  -  -  13 

55.  From  thence,  N.  E.  and  by  N.  to  a  ftone  near  the  receipt-houfe 

of  the  Key-pipe  conduit,  -         -         -  -         -         -  27 

56.  From  thence,  round  about  the  conduit,  S.  E.  to  a  ftone  pitched 

on  the  Ditch-bank  of  Picked-crofi,  -----  8 

57.  From  thence,  athwart  the  way,  S.  E.  and  by  S.  to  a  ftone  in  the 

corner  of  a  clofe,  antiently  called  Wrington's-clofe,   -  -  2 

58.  From  thence,  S   and  by  E.  to  a  ftone  fixed,  -  _  -         -        29 

59.  From  thence,  S.  and  by  E.   to  another  ftone  fixed  near  the  caufe- 

way,  from  Briftol  to  Lokenbrig,         -         -         -         -         -        1 1 

60.  From  thence,  W.  and  by  S.  to  a  ftone  pitched  on  the  bank  of  a 

certain  ground,  called  Sage's-paddock,       -  -         -         -  8 

61.  From  thence,  along  the  lane,  by  the  S.  W.  hedge  of  Old  Market- 

lane,  to  a  ftone,     -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -52 

62.  From  thence,    along  the  lane,  to  another  leading  ftone,   -         -       48 

63.  From  thence,    ftill  along  the  lane,    to  a  ftone  pitched  on    the 

N.  ditch-bank  of  Beggar's-well,         _         -         -         -         _       37 

64.  From  thence,  S.  E.   by  the  N.  E.  part  of  Ditche's-orchard,  to  a 

ftone  near  the  flood-gate,  on  the  N.  W,  of  the  river  Froom,        32 

65.  From  thence,  along  the  water  of  Froom,  on  the  N.  part  of  the 

laid  water,  to   a   ftone  pitched  over  againft   the  great  ditch, 
leading  towards  Lawford's-gate,      -         -  _         -         _       38 

66.   From 


C   109   ] 

Stojie.  Per.    qr. 

66.  From  thence,  E.  and  by  S.  athwart  the  river,  to  a  flone  pitched 

on  the  outfide  of  the  faid  town-ditch,  -  _  _  _  ^ 

67.  From  thence,   E.  S.  E.  along  the  outfide  of  the  faid  town-ditch, 

to  a  ftone  in  one  Townfhend's  garden,       -         -         -         -       37     2 

68.  From  thence,  S.  E.  and  by  S.  to  a  ftone  pitched  near  the  fign- 

poft  of  the  Crown  without  Lawford's-gate,         -  -         -  1 S     2 

6g.   From  thence,  athwart  the  way,  S.  E.  and  by  S.  to  the  E.  corner 

of  a  barn,  buih  by  one  Lord,  -         -  -         -  -  11 

70.  From  thence,   S.  E.  and  by  S.  along  the  lane,  to  a  ftone  pitched 

on  the  corner  of  a  hedge  near  Enderby's  caftle,  _         _  lo 

71.  From  thence,  S.  W.  wefterly,  along  the  outfide  of  the  town-ditch, 

to  a  ftone  in   the  faid  ditch,  near  an  old  fquare  tower,  on   the 

S.  E.  part  thereof,  _______  3^ 

72.  From  thence,  ftill  along  by  the  outfide  of  the   faid   town-ditch, 

W.  S.  W.  to  a  ftone  pitched  at  the  W.  end  of  a  clofe,  anti- 
cntly  called  Gold's-burges ;  this  ftone  is  in  the  cellar  where 
one  Harvey  dwells,  on  the  Plain,   -----         35 

73.  From  thence,  ftill  along  W.  S.  W.  to  a  ftone  at  the  corner-houfe, 

where  one  Baldwin  dwells,     -         -  -  -  -  -  212 

74.  From  thence,  ftill  along  W.  S.  W.  to  a  ftone  on  the  brink  of  the 

river  Avon,  -         _         -         _         _         _         -         -  143 

Somersetshire   Side. 

1.  At  Tower-Harratz  ftandcth  the  firft  ftone. 

2.  From  thence,  along  by  the  brink  of  the  river  Avon,  S.  E.  foulli- 

erly  to  a  ftone  fixed  at  the  end  of  a  great  ditch,  called  the 
Hales,        _-____---  124 

3.  From  thence,  lineally  W.  by  the  faid  ditch-bank,  to  a  leading 

flone,  _________         26 

4.  From  thence,  by  the  faid  ditch,  W.  to  the  highway  which  leadeth 

from  Temple-gate   towards  Bath,  ftandeth  a  ftone   on  the   E. 

fide  of  the  fame  way,      _         _         -         -         -         -         -         232 

5.  From  thence,  afcending  the  lane,  by  the  N.  E.  fide  of  Newall's, 

called  Pilc-hill-bridgc  ;  and  fo  down  the  lane  to  the  caftward, 
in  the  way  towards  Briflington,  is  a  ftone  fixed  on  the  N.  fide 
of  the  lane,  -____---_         89     2 

6.  From  thence,  diretlly  to  a  little  well,  in  the  way  towards  Pcnsfjrd, 

over  the  faid  well  is  another  ftone  fixed,  -         -         -         -         102 

7.  From 


C     no     ] 

Stone.  Per.    qr. 

7.  From  the  faid  done,  to  a  (lone  fixed  on  the  E.  part  of  the  hedge 

called  Adlcburyham,  and  on  the  W.  fide  of  Pensford-way,  2      1 

8.  From  thence,  along  by  the  hedge,  on  the  W.  fide  of  the  lane,  to 

a  ftone  pitched  on  the  N.  corner  of  Ware-mead,        -         -  831 

9.  From  thence,  over  a  ditch.  S.  W.  to  a  ftonc  pitched  on  the  bank  of 

on  the  W.  corner  of  the  fame  clofe,  -         -         -         -  10 

10.  From  thence,  N.  W.  by  a  hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  ftone  on  the  N. 

corner  of  the  fa.id  mead,  -         -         -         -         -         -         24 

11.  From  thence,  S.  W.  weflerly,  to  a   ftonc  pitched  on   the  S.  E. 

corner  of  a  clofe,  which  was  of  the  fraternity  of  Saltinors,  20 

12.  From  thence,  N.  W.   by  a  hedge  and  ditch,  to  a  leading  ftone,        17 

13.  From  thence,  to  a  ftone  N.  W.  pitched  at  the  head  of  a  lane, 

called  Red-lane,  -         -         -         -         -         -         -         22 

14.  From  thence,  S.  W.   to  a  ftone  in  Redclift'-field,   at   the   head  of 

Ergle's-croft,        -         -  -         -         -         -         -  -  142 

15.  From  thence,  S.  E.   to  a  ftone  at  the  E.  corner  of  Ergle's-croft,       14 

16.  From  thence,  S.  W.   to  a  lane  which  leadelh  from  Knoll  to  Rcd- 

clifF  church,  on   the  W.  fide   of  the  faid   lane,    is   pitched   a 
ftone,  _________         13 

1 7.  From  thence,  by  the  hedge  and  ditch  up  the  lane,  N.  W.  to  a 

ftone   pitched  on  the    S.  E.   corner  of  Redcliff  churchyard, 
near  the  houfes  called  Cathay,  _____  29 

18.  From  thence,  defcending  Cathay-lane,  S,  and  by  W.  to  a  ftone 

pitched  on  the  corner  of  Long-croft  of  the  niafter  of  St.  John 
Baptift,       _______  __^g 

19.  From   thence,   along  the   hedge,  W.    to   the   N.    corner  of  the 

Mayor's-acre,      _  -  _         _  _         _         _  _  17 

20.  From  thence,  S.  W.  and  by  S.   to  a  ftone  ftanding  upon  the  bank 

of  a   watering   pool,    in   the  midft    of   a    ground   called    St. 
George's-clofe,  -         _         _  _  _  _  _  1^ 

21.  From    thence,  W,   N.   W.   to   the  highway  which  leadeth   from 

Redclifl"  church  towards  Bedminfter,  to  a  ftone  on  the  S.  E. 
part  of  the  fame  way,  -  -  -  _  _  _  13 

22.  From   thence,  S.   W.   and  by   S,   by  the  fame  ditch  to  a  ftone 

pitched  on  the  midft  of  Brightnee-bridge,        -         -         -         31 

23.  From  thence,  athwart  the  way,  W.  and  by  S.  into  Catherine- 

mead,  to  a  ftone  pitched  on  the  W.  corner  of  Cardiff-croft,  1 4     2 

2  4.   From 


3° 


[      ni      J 

Stone.  Per.    qr. 

24.  From  thence,  N.  E.  and  by  N.  to  a  ftone  fixed  on  the  E.  corner 

of  Catherine-mead,  --.-_..  -02 

25.  From  thence,  N.  W.  to  a  done  on  the  X.  corner  of  the  faid  Ca- 

therine-mead,        __-___.. 

26.  From  thence,  S.  W.  and  by  W,   by  an  old  ditch,  to  the  head  of 

the  pool  of  Trene-mill,  to  the  brink  of  the  water  called 
Bifhop's- Worth-brook,  at  the  W.  head  of  the  fame  ditch,  is  a 
ftone,  -_-..-... 

27.  From   thence,  X.  W.  and  by  X.  athwart  the  water,  to  a   (lone 

pitched  in  the  S.  E.  corner  of  Shepherd's-clofe,  whicli  did 
belong  to  the  abbot  of  St.  Auguftine's  of  Briftol,         -  -  12 

28.  From  thence,  lineally  N.  E.   to  a  ftone  pitched  on   the  Mill-bav,     27 
2g,   From  thence,  N.  N.  W,  to  a   ftone   pitched  on  the  bank  of  the 

river  Avon,  near  the  fame  mill,        -         -         -         .         . 


22 


12 


The  City  is  in  Circumference 

Miles.    Qrs.  Perches. 

Glocefterfliire  fide,  -  -  -  -  4  2  37 
Somerfetfhire  fide,  -  -  -  -  2218 
To  Rownham,  about      -         -         -         _         o       2         o 


Total     -         -         7       2       55 

To  the  former  perambulation  is  now  added  all  the  ground  on  the  left  hand 
on  the  bank  of  Avon,  leading  from  Limekiln-dock  towards  the  Hotwells,  as 
far  as  a  ftone  fixed  at  the  ferry  called  Rownham-paffage  ;  all  the  houfes  on 
that  fide  for  half  a  mile  being  within  the  liberties  of  the  city  by  aCl  of  parlia- 
ment, and  the  inhabitants  fubjccl  to  it  as  to  civil  govermcnt,  and  fcparated 
from  Gloceftcrftiire.  Add  to  this,  beyond  the  city  bounds  a  town  has  arifen 
in  St.  Philip's  without  Lawford's-gate,  confifling  of  many  ftrcets  there,  and  on 
St.  Philip's-plain  ;  and  in  the  out-parifti  of  St.  James,  on  Prior's-hill,  Sec. 
out  of  the  bounds  of  the  city,  are  many  ftreets  of  houfes,  all  which  arc  in  the 
jurifdiction  and  government  of  the  jufticcs  of  peace  for  Gloccftcrftiire. 

The  following  plans  of  the  city,  views  and  engraved  prints  of  many  ad- 
mired and  ftriking  parts  of  it  and  places  near  it,  have  been  publifticd  at 
different  times;  —  for  the  entertainment  and  fatisfaclion  of  the  curious  in  thefe 
things  a  lift  is  here  fubjoined  :  a  proof  that  Briftol  and  its  pleafant  environs 
have  catchcd  the  eye  and  engaged  the  attention  of  the  curious,  and  been 
thought  worthy  of  being  defcribcd    by    drawings    and    copper-plate   prints, 

though 


C       li2      ] 

though  the  hiftory  and  antiquities  of  it  have  hitherto  been  fo  little  noticed, 
and  a  particular  defcription  of  the  whole  has  never  before  been  offered  to  the 
public. 

1.  Briflol,  from  Lundy  ifland  to  Kingroad,  including  the  river  Avon,  by 
by  Capt.  Collins. 

2.  Briftol    Cliannel,    from  the   Holmes  to   Kingroad,    including   the  river 
Avon,   by  Charles  Price  Heath. 

3.  The  river  Avon,  from  the  Severn  to  Briftol,  furveyed  by  G.  Collins. 

4.  Briftol  city,  a  plan  printed  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  1570  in  a  book, 
called  Civitates  Orbis  Terrarum,  Hoefnagel  fc. 

5.  Another  plan,  taken  from  the  corner  of  a  map  of  Glocefterftiire,  one  of 
Mr.  Speed's  maps. 

6  Anotherplan,  James  Millar  delineavit  et  fculp.    1671. 

7.  Another  by  the  fame,  with  fome  additional  buildings  reprefented  in  the 
margin 

8.  Another  furveyed  and  drawn  by  John  Rocque,  engraved  by  Pine,  1742. 
g.  A  view  of  Briftol,  by  James  Millard. 

10.  Another,  very  fmall   and   neat,  two  inches  long  and  one  inch  and  a 
quarter  wide,  by  Hollar. 

11.  A  north-weft  profpeft  of  Briftol,  large,  by  S.  and  N.  Buck,  1734. 

12.  A  fouth-eaft;  view,  by  the  fame. 

13.  A  view  of  the  Drawbridge,  by  Halfpenny,    Mynde  fculpt. 

14.  A  north-weft  view  of  the  High  Crofs,    with  the  Cathedral,    and  St, 
Auguftine's  Church. 

15.  A  view  of  part  of  Queen-fquare,  by  Halfpenny. 

16.  A  north  profpeft  of  the  Cathedral,  by  Smith. 

17.  Another  ditto,  by  King. 

18.  Another  ditto,  by  Harris. 

19.  Plan  of  the  Cathedral,  Harris  fculpt. 

20.  A  view  of  the  High  Crofs  by  itfelf.  Buck  del.  ct  fc.    1734- 

21.  Mr.  Colfton's  Hofpital  on  St.  Auguftine's-back  and  Almfhoufe  on  St* 
Michael's-hill,  (fold  by  Benj.  Rome)  with  an  account  of  his  charities. 

22.  The  Infirmary,  plan  and  elevation,  by  Halfpenny,  1743. 

23.  Another  fmall  one,  W.  Milton  del.  et  fc. 

24.  A  plan  of  the  country  eleven  miles  round  Briftol,  from  a£tual  furvey 
by  B.  Donn,  1769, 

25.  A  view  of  the  Hotwells  nigh  Briftol,  Milt.  fc.  impenfis  S.  Pyc  Chirutg. 

26.  Another  by  Smith,  printed  by  Palmen 

27.  A 


[     113     ] 

27-   A  fmall  plan  of  the  City,  by  Donn,   1773- 

28.  A  fmall  plan  of  the  Cathedral,  in  aqua  tin£la,  1785. 

29.  A  view  of  Clare-ftreet,  the    Drawbridge,  St.   Stephen's  Church,   and 
All  Saint's  Church,  in  aqua  tinfta,  1785. 

I  fliall  clofe  this  chapter  with  the  following  general  dcfcription  of  the  city 
in  Latin  verfe. 

Cingitur  urbs  muris,  muros  cingentibus  altis 

Foflis,  et  foffas  unda  proterva  replet. 
Has  iterum  cingunt  viridantes  gramine  campi 

Et  fata,  quae  cereris  munere  preffa  patent ; 
Rura  replent  pagi,  quae  rupibus  horrida  nuUis 

Vel  fylvis,  nulla  faeda  palude,  virent. 
In  medio  duplex  fedet  urbs  celeberrima  portus, 

Turrigerum  tollens  culmen  in  aftra  fuum : 
Extendens  binos  fupcr  amnes  aemula  pontes, 

Fornicibus  magnis  flumina  magna  premens  : 
Vela  hinc  dant  ventis  roftratas  turgida  puppes. 

Hue  iteriim  plaufu  caffis  onufta  redit : 
Hue  oriens  merces,  merces  occafus  et  omnis 

Per  mare,  per  terras  advehit  orbis  opes: 
Unde  fit  emporium,  cui  qui  commercia  callent 

Empturi  properant  undique  turba  virum; 
In  patriafque  fuas  redientes,  omnibus  urbis 

Praeftantis  narrant  baud  mediocre  decus  ; 
Cunftaque  mirantes,  quibus  baud  fatiantur  ocelli, 

Bristoli.€,  dicunt,  non  reticendus  honos: 
Urbs  etenim  Celebris,  fpatiofa,  fidelis,  amasna, 

Dulcis  et  infignis,  prifca,  benigna,  nitens ; 
Jura,  Deum,  regcm,  regionem,  crimina,  pacem, 

Servat,  adorat,  amat,  protegit,  edit,  habet. 


CHAP. 


C     114    ] 


CHAP.      V. 

Of  the  Civil   Government  and  Ofeicers  of  the  City. 

BRISTOL  is  dignified  with  the  honourable  title  of  an  Earldom,  John 
Lord  Digby  *  being  firfl:  fo  created  by  King  James  15th  September 
1622,  which  the  noble  family  of  the  Harveys  t  now  enjoy.  It  has  the  higheft 
marks  of  honor  granted  to  magiftracy,  +  fcarlet  gowns,  {  fword,  mace,  and  cap 
of  maintenance  ;and  the  following  officers,  an  high  fleward,  recorder,  town  clerk, 
fteward  of  the  flieriffs  court,  chamberlain,  two  coroners,  a  fword  bearer,  water 
bayliff,  clerk  of  the  market,  key  niafter,  eight  ferjeants  of  the  mace,  and  other 
inferior  officers  in  daily  waiting  :  they  hold  a  daily  fcffions  in  the  council  houfe 
(rebuilt  in  an  elegant  manner  in  the  year  1705)  to  hear  complaints  and  ac- 
commodate differences,  make  orders,  take  bail  and  commit  offenders, 
befides  their  more  ftately  courts  of  judicature  at  the  guildhall  (a  place  of 
great  antiquity)  for  trial  of  caufes  of  all  forts,  both  criminal  and  civil,  and 
twice  a  year  a  general  goal  delivery  is  held.  The  town  clerk,  who  mufl  be 
qualified  in  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  England  and  a  barrifter  three  years  at 
leall,  prefides  as  judge  of  the  court  of  quarter  fcffions  four  times  a  year  to 
be  held  by  any  three  aldermen,  whereof  the  mayor  or  recorder  for  the 
time  being  mufl  be  one,  or  two  of  the  five  fenior  aldermen  are  to  be  two. 
A  court  is  alfo  held  by  the  ffieriffs;    and  the   fleward   of  the  flieriffs  court 

mufl 

*  His  arms  are  f.  azure  a  flcur  dc  lis  argent  with  a  mullet  for  difference. 

+  Arms  arc  G.  on  a  bend  argent  three  trefoils  flipped  vert. 

J  Gown-days,  when  they  appear  in  fcarlet  robes  with  the  infignia  of  office  are,  the  Tucf- 
days  in  the  next  week  after  Michaelmas,  Epiphany,  Eaflcr,  and  after  the  i  ft  July  being  fcffi- 
ons, alfo  Michaelmas  day,  and  every  law-day  :  alfo  when  they  go  to  certain  churches  to  hear 
the  gift-fermons ;  alfo  on  the  5th  November  and  29th  May,  when  they  go  to  the  Cathedral 
attended  by  the  city  companies  with  their  colours  and  arms  difplaycd. 

ij  There  are  four  fwords  —  an  old  one  with  embroidered  fheath,  on  it  is  wrote  — 
John   Willis  of  London    Maier, 
Gave  to    Briftow   this   fwerd  fairc. 
A  mourning  fword  with  thefe  mottos,  —  Statutum  eft  hominibus  fcmcl  mori,  —  Memento  mori» 
Another  plain  one,  and  one  large  malfy  one  with  a  fheath  of  fcarlet  and  gold,  highly  cmbel- 
lifhed,  ufually  carried  before  the  mayor  on  public  days  and  fcllivals  by  the  fword  bearer. 


C   115   ] 


mufl:  have  the  fame  qualification  as  the  town  clerk.  By  an  order  1605  the 
recorder,  town  clerk  and  fteward  were  not  to  be  elefted  yearly  but  continue 
in  their  offices  as  they  heretofore  have  done.  By  the  charters  they  were  all  to 
continue  in  office  for  life,  but  by  that  of  Queen  Ann  as  long  as  they  behaved 
thcmfelves  well-  The  mayor,  aldermen  and  common  council  have  the 
cuftody  of  the  city  feal,  on  which  are  cut  the  city  arms  ;  this  feal  is  fixed  to 
all  warrants,  deeds,  &c,  A  writ  directed  by  Queen  Elizabeth  in  the  follow- 
ing words,  point  out  the  feveral  courts  held  by  the  corporation  of  Briftol; 
the  Staple-court,  Tolzey-court  and  the  Pied-powder-court:  thus  Majori, 
Aldermannis,  &  Vice-Comitibus  Civitatis  feu  Villas  Briflollias ;  ac  Majori  Sc 
Conflabulariis  Scapulae  ejufdem  Civitatis  ;  nee  non  Ballivis  Maioris  8c  Com- 
munitatis  ejufdem  Civitatis  Briftolias  Curias  fuae  Tolefey,  ac  Ballivis  dictorum 
Majoris  Civitatis  Curiae  i\i^  pedis pulverizali,  &  eorum  cuilibet. 

HIGH  STEWARDS  of  BRISTOL. 


1540.  The  Duke  of  Somerfet. 
1546.  Edward  Earl  of  Hertford. 
1549.   Sir  William  Herbert. 
1570.  Robert  Earl  of  Leicefler. 
1648.   Sir  Henry  Vane,  junr.  Knt. 
1651.   Oliver  Cromwell,  with  a  falary 
of  5I.  per  ann.   and  a  pipe 


of  Canary  and  half  a  ton  of 
Gafcoign  wine  ordered  him, 
as  a  prefent. 

1708.   Duke  of  Ormond. 

1756.   Lord  Chancellor  Hardwicke. 

1786.  The  Duke  of  Portland. 


RECORDERS  of  BRISTOL. 
The  name  of  recorder  occurs  the  firfl;  time  the  18th  Edward  3d. 
1344-  William  de  Colford.   He  drew     1505.  William  Glenvylle. 

up  an  account  of  the  culloms     1517.  John  Fitz-James. 

of  the  city,  and  the  oaths  to     1541.  David  Brook,  ferjeant  at  law. 

be  taken  by  the  feveral  offi-      1549.   Robert  Kclway. 

cers,  mayors,  flieriffs,  &c.       1551'   Mr.  Hippidy,  died  1570. 
1394.   Simon  Oliver.  1552.   John  Walflie,   Efq; 

1430.   Richard  Newton.  i57t-    John  Popham,  Efq;  refigned. 

1439.  Sir  John  Inyn,   Knight,    chief     1585.  Thomas  Hannam,  died  1592. 

juftice  of  the  Common  Pleas.      1592.  Sir  George  Snigge,  Knt.  one 
1463.  Thomas  Young,  declined  7th  ^  of  the  barons  of  the  Exche- 

Edward  4th.  quer,  died  Nov.  11,  1617. 

1468.  Michael  Harvey.  1604.  Sir  Lawrence  Hyde. 

1483.  John  Twynyho.  «6i5.   Nicholas  Hyde,  Efq; 

1500.  John  Crcville.  P    2  16^0.    ]o\u\ 


[     ii6    ] 


i6-|o.  John  Glanville. 

Edmund  Prideaux,  Efq; 

1645.  Serjeant  Whytlocke, 
1655.  John    Doddride,    Efq; 

died  1658. 
1658.  John  Stephens,  Efq; 
1663,  Sir  Robert  Atkins,  refigned. 
1682.  Sir  John  Churchill,  Knt. 

1685. Paulet,  Efq; 

1704.  Sir  Robert  Airs,  refigned. 
1727.  John  Scroop,  Efq;  refigned. 


1735.  Sir  Michael  Fofter,  Knt.  chief 
juftice  of  the  Common  Pleas. 

1764.  DaincsBarrington,  Efq;  refigned. 

1766.  John  Dunning,  Efq;  a  noted 
pleader  at  the  bar,  quoquo  jure 
quaqud  injuria,  and  for  the  Ame- 
ricans in  the  Houfe  of  Com- 
mons :  he  was  created  Lord 
Afhburton,  and  died  foon  after. 

1783.  Richard  Burke,  Efq;  brother  to 
the  late  member. 


TOWN  CLERKS  of  BRISTOL. 
This  office  is  very  antient  here,  and  requires  no  explanation.    By  an  order 
of  the  3d  and  4th  of  Philip  and  Mary,  refidence  is  enjoined  him,  that  he  may 
always  affifl  the  mayor  and  aldermen  with  his  advice,  draw  up  orders  of  coun- 
fel,  &c. 

1687.  Nathaniel  Wade,  Efq; 

1688.  John    R^imfey,    Efq;     reftored. 


1463.  Thomas  Ofenby. 

1479.  Robert  Ricaut,  author  of  the 
Mayor's  Calendar,  now  ex- 
tant in  manufcript. 

1503.  Thomas  Harding,  Efq;  turned 
out  for  extortions  in  his 
office. 

1514.  Robert  Thorn,  Efq;  a  great 
benefactor  to  the  city. 
—  Fitz- James,  Efq; 


died  1720 
1721 

1753 


1786. 


Ilenry  Blake,  Efq; 

Sir  William  Cann,  Bart. 

Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  re- 
figned, on  account  of  his  ill 
health,   1786. 

James  Kirkpatrick,  Efq;  who 
died  of  a  fever  in  London  the 
fame  year  he  M'as  defied. 

Samuel  Worrall,  Efq; 


1540.  - 

1554. Maudlin,  Efq; 

1640.  James  Dyer,   Efq;  1787. 

1653.   Robert  Oldworth,  Efq; 
1676.  John  Rumfey,  Efq;  difplaccd 
1687. 

CHAMBERLAINS. 
The  office  of  chamberlain  was  at  firft  executed  here  by  the  prepofitors, 
fcnefchalls,  and  bailiffs  fucccffively,  and  was  neglefted,  to  the  damage  of  the 
town,  by  their  daily  atcndance  upon  other  aff'airs  ;  but  they  were  difcharged 
of  the  care  of  the  public  buildings,  &c.  by  ordinances,  33d  Hen.  6th.  which 
was  committed  to  the  two  chamberlains  appointed  35th  Henry  6th.  ;  but  one 
only  v/as  inflitutcd  to  that  office  by  ordinance,  20th  Feb.  9th  tdward  4th.  to 

whom 


[     ^^7    I 

whom  it  belonged  by  fpecial  appointment  to  receive  all  rents  and  other  profits 
of  the  cit\  chamber,  except  burgefs  money,  fifli  money,  and  the  profits  of  the 
common  hall  and  caftle  mills  :  and  he  was  to  have  a  colleftor  under  him  to 
account  before  auditors,  and  to  have  eight  marks  wages.  (Great  Red  Book  of 
Briftol,  p.  214.)  But  the  15th  Henry  7th.  the  office  was  more  fully  fettled  by 
charter,  by  which  the  mayor  and  common  council  were  to  choofe  a  burgefs  of 
the  town  for  chamberlain  to  hold,  durante  heneplacilo ;  he  is  to  take  his  oath  for 
the  faithful  difcharge  of  his  office  ;  is  to  have  a  perpetual  fucceffion,  with  a 
fcal  of  office  with  the  fame  power  as  the  chamberlains  of  London  ;  to  receive 
all  the  revenues  of  his  office,  and  out  of  the  fame  to  expend  for  the  ufe  of  the 
mayor  and  commonalty,  rendering  account  one  month  after  the  feafl;  of  St. 
Luke,  fully  and  truly  before  the  mayor  and  aldermen,  or  two  burgeffies  ap- 
pointed by  them,  and  the  like  account  a  month  after  he  ffiall  be  removed  from 
his  office.  By  the  increafe  of  the  public  lands  and  flock  of  the  city  by  gift  and 
purchafe,  the  chamberlain's  bufinefs  is  vaftly  enlarged,  and  it  demands  more 
than  common  attention  and  care  to  purfuc  it  with  propriety ;  whence  a  very 
able  and  diligent  as  well  as  upright  man  has  been  judged  neceflarv  for  the 
office,  and  his  ftipcnd  has  been  enlarged,  as  a  greater  variety  of  bufinefs  has 
devolved  on  him.  And  that  the  interefl;  of  the  city  may  be  duly  fecured  un- 
der his  management,  upon  being  chofen  he  fubfcribes  a  declaration,  that  he 
holds  the  chamberlain's  office,  determinable  the  fecond  Wednefday  in  Decem- 
ber after  his  eleQion,  and  he  docs  not  pretend  a  right  to  a  freehold  therein, 
and  alfo  figns  a  bond  of  3000 1.  to  perform  duly  his  office  and  obey  the  arti- 
cles made  November  1698. 
1306.  John   de   Cheddrc,  camerarius  nue  were  not  only  irreproach- 

villas  Briftoliae.  able,  but  he  impaired  his  own 

1469.  Henry  Dale,    at   eight   marks  fortune  by  his  various  chari- 

wages,  and  to  have  a  collec-  ties;andbeingreduccd,  thathe 

tor  under  him.  might  not  be  chargeable  to  the 

X507.    David  Leylon.  city,  he   got  removed  to   the 

1551.  John  Seybright,  wardenfhip  of  the  Back-hall, 

1564.  Thomas  Hickes.  in  wliich  poll  he  died,   much 

1566.  John  Willis,  Efq;  a  very   rich  lamciUed  by  all  good  men. 

man,  faid  to  be  the  befl  cham-     1582.   Robert  Halton,  Efq;  diedfoon. 

bcrlain   ever   known;   by  his      1584.   Nicholas  Thorn,  a  great  mer- 

care  and  partly  at  his  charges  chant    and   charitable   benc- 

caufcvs,    feven    miles    round  faftor. 

the  city,  were  made  :  his  ad-      1603.   Thomas  Pit,  Efq;  died  May  4, 

minirtraiion  of  the  city  revc-  1613, 

1614.   Nicholas 


[     118    ] 

i€i4-  Nicholas  Meredith,  Efq;  '^I'^l-  Thomas  Thurflon,  Elfq; 

1639.  William  Chetwyn,  Efq;  James  Holledge,  Efq; 

1650.  James    Powel,     Efq;     recom- Chridopher   Willoughby,    Efq; 

mended  by  Oliver  Cromwell.  died   June  4,    1773,  and  was 

1670.   William  Hafcl,  Efq;  died  Aug.  fuccecded  by 

30,  Charles  2d.  1773-   Richard  Hawkfwell,  Efq;    the 

1681.  John  Cooke,  Efq;  prefent  chamberlain. 


1702. 


Edward  Tocknel,   Efq; 


STEWARDS  OF   the   SHERIFFS  COURT. 
1711.   Nathaniel  Wade,   Efq; 
1731.   Edward  Brown,  Efq; 
1760.   Rowles  Scudamore,   Efq; 

The  civil  government  of  this  city   has  been  varioudy    modelled,    and  has' 
undergone  feveral  alterations  at  different  periods  of  time,  as  will  appear  more 
particularly  in  the  fubfequent  annals  ;   in  which  will  be  given  a  correB:  lift  in 
regular  order  of  all   officers   whither   under  the   denomination   of  praepofitus 
villse  or  prcpofitor,  mayor,  fenefchall  or  fteward,  baylifFor  fheriff. 

Briflol  was  certainly  at  firfl  under  the  government  of  the  lord  of  the  caftle, 
or  his  deputy  the  cuftos  or  conftable  of  it,  in  the  time  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
carls  of  Gloceftcr  to  whom  Briftol  belonged,  and  who  appointed  the  prae- 
pofitus villae  :  and  for  a  long  time  after  the  conqueft,  when  by  the  great  increafe 
of  the  town  it  was  neceffary  for  the  people  and  their  good  government 
to  have  its  governor  or  chief  officer  within  itfelf,  he  always  ufed  to  take  his 
oath  and  charge  of  office  at  the  caflle-gatc  of  the  conftable  there  ;  a  good 
proof,  that  at  firft  the  fole  government  had  been  in  him. 

The  earlicft  title  mentioned  in  an  authentic  record  of  any  one  that  bore 
rule  in  this  city,  is  to  be  found  in  Doomfday-book,  T.  E.  Confefs,  —  wherein 
the  pra?pofitus  dc  Briftou  is  named  Sheruuin  l-s,  as  holding  a  manor  in  Glo- 
cefterffiire  in  the  time  of  King  Edward  the  Confeffiar ;  and  doubtlefs  the  prc- 
pofitor was  in  early  times  an  officer  of  judicial  authority:  whence  in  the 
charier  of  King  John  the  officer  named  therein  provoft,  is  in  the  original 
praepofitus.  This  naine  of  office  changed  into  mayor  (at  whatever  period  is 
.uncertain)  till  Edward  sd's.  time  he  was  fworn  in  before  the  conftable  of  the 
caftle,  but  by  the  charter  of  Edward  3d.  (though  it  does  not  appear  therein 
when  the  elcCiion  of  mayor  devolved  firft  on  the  commonalty  of  the  town) 
it  is  ordained  that  after  the  burgcftcs  had  chofcn  their  mayor,  the  new 
eleBed  mayor  fliould  at  the  guildhall  take  his  oath  and  receive  his  charge  of 
his  predcceffor  before  the  commonahv   there  ad'emblcd,  and  it  fo    continues. 

The 


[     i'9    ] 

The  following  was  the  order  in  which  the  feveral  officers  by  name  took  place 
here  fuccedivcly. 

1.  A  prcpofitor  under  the  cuftosofthe  caftle  till  the  year  1215. 

2.  A  mayor  and  two  prepolitors  which  continued  from  1215  to  1266. 

3.  A  mayor  and  two  fenefchalls  till  1313- 

4.  A  mayor  and  two  bayliffs  till  1372. 

5.  A  mayor,  fiieriff  and  two  bayliffs  till  1500. 

6.  A  mayor  and  two  flieriffs  chofen  annually,    by  whom  it  hath   been  go- 
verned unto  this  dav. 

The  city  was  divided  into  fix  wards  under  the  government  of  fix  aldermen 
(of  whom  the  recorder  was  always  one)  by  charter  of  Henry  7  :  what  are  now 
called  wards  were  formerly  called  quarters,  of  which  there  were  five  within  the 
walls,  Quarterium  St.  Trinitatis,  quarteriumBeatce  Mariae  in  Foro,  quarterium 
omnium  Sanflorum,  quarterium  St.  Audocniet  quarterium  de  la  Redclive  :  all 
which  paid  4I.  os.  s};d.  for  the  landgable  to  the  King;  for  landgable  without 
the  walls  il.  19s.  7d.  It  was  23d.  Elizabeth  1581  divided  into  twelve  wards 
and  empowered  to  choofe  twelve  aldermen,  the  recorder  being  one  and  the 
fenior  alderman,  who  is  to  be  well  Ikilled  in  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  a  bar- 
rifter  for  the  fpacc  of  five  years  at  lead.  They  arc  to  be  fworn  before  the 
mayor,  and  are  appointed  confervators  and  juftices  of  the  peace  with  the 
fame  authority  and  powers  as  thofe  of  London ;  and  any  three  or  more  of 
them,  of  whom  the  mayor  and  recorder  are  to  be  two,  may  hold  a  court  of 
general  goal  delivery,  &c.  and  enquire  into  the  damages  of  the  crown. 
They  have  alfo  power  to  chufe  thirty  common  council  men,  out  of  which  are 
elefted  annually  the  15th  September  two  flieriffs,  who  arc  fworn  into  their 
office  the  29th  with  the  mayor  in  public  before  the  commons  of  the  city-. 
The  whole  common  council  are  to  confift  of  forty-two  of  the  better  and  more 
difcreet  citizens,  befidcs  the  mayor  for  the  time  being,  the  recorder  being 
an  alderman  and  included  in  that  number.  They  are  to  affemble  yearly 
before  the  15th  September,  and  the  major  part  by  their  fuffrages  are  to 
choofe  and  fill  up  any  vacancy  fo  that  the  number  forty-two  befides  the 
mayor  be  always  compleat ;  to  make  fuch  reafonable  laws  &c.  in  writing  as 
may  be  good,  profitable,  nccelfary,  and  honefl;  for  the  good  government  of  the 
city,  to  levy  fuch  fines  and  penalties  as  fhall  fcem  expedient  and  requifite 
to  enforce  the  due  obfervation  of  fuch  laws ;  to  fill  up  the  vacant  offices  of 
recorder,  ffieriff,  common  council  man,  common  clerk,  (leward  of  the  flic- 
riffs  court  and  coroner ;  fome  to  continue  their  rcfpcflive  offices  as  long  as 

they 


[       120      ] 

they  Ijeliave  tliemfelves  well,  others  during  life ;  to  alter  the  time  or  places 
of  any  markets  ever  held  or  to  be  held  within  the  city,  to  make  by-laws  for 
•their  proper  regulation  Szc.  provided  they  are  not  contrary  to  the  ftatutes  of  the 
realm,  &c.  Many  other  privileges  and  great  immunities  have  been  granted 
to  this  city  by  different  Kings  from  the  time  of  King  John  to  the  late  Queen 
Ann,  who  ratified  and  confirmed  all  their  franchifes  and  liberties  and  here- 
ditaments whatfoever  heretofore  ufed  or  enjoyed  by  realon  of  any  prefcrip- 
tions,  charters  or  letters  patent,  made  and  granted  by  any  of  her  anceftors 
to  the  mayor  burgeffes  and  commonalty  of  her  city  of  Briftol,  as  from  the 
charters,  abftraQs  of  which  will  hereafter  be  inferted,  will  more  evidently 
appear. 

Great  form  is  obferved  in  eleClion  of  the  mayor  on  the  15th  of  September 
annually  ;  for  then  the  whole  body  corporate  is  convened  at  the  guildhall 
on  that  occafion.  The  mayor  eleft  is  brought  home  by  the  old  mayor  and 
the  council,  attended  by  all  the  officers ;  the  Iword  bearer  carrying  the  great 
fword  :  thofe  that  have  palFed  the  chair,  dine  with  the  mayor  and  the  reft  of 
the  common  council  divide  and  dine  at  the  two  (heriffs.  After  dinner  on 
eleftion  days  the  mayor  eleft  invites  the  company  to  his  houfe,  and  the 
fherifFs  eleCl  invite  the  company  they  dine  with  to  their  houfes.  Afterwards 
they  meet  in  one  bodv  and  vifit  the  mayor  eleft,  upon  whofe  coming  the  old 
mayor's  company  withdraw.  Saturday  after  the  cleftion  the  old  mayor  fhews 
the  mayor  elcCl  the  market,  and  Sunday  they  all  attend  in  proceffion  to  the 
mayor's  chapel,  the  mayor  wearing  his  fringed  gloves,  and  in  the  afternoon 
the  mayor  eleft  waits  on  the  old  mavor  to  his  parifh  church.  If  the  mayor 
rides  not  round  the  city  bounds,  as  hath  been  the  cuftom,  the  chamberlain 
and  town  clerk  or  their  officers  with  the  city  mafon  and  city  carpenter  are 
fent  round  to  fee  that  the  boundary  ftones  and  marks  are  not  removed. 

The  2gth  September  is  the  dav  on  which  the  mayor  and  ffieriffs  eleft  are 
fworn  ;  when  they  appear  in  fcarlet  with  the  council  in  guildhall.  When 
the  mayor  is  fworn,  the  fword  bearer  delivers  the  fword  firft,  then  the  cap 
of  maintenance  into  the  hands  of  the  old  mayor,  who  prefents  them  together 
■with  the  feals  of  office  to  the  new,  both  kiffing  them,  and  the  fword  bearer 
then  receives  the  fword  from  him,  when  the  old  mayor  gives  place  to  the 
new. 

The  old  mayor  ufed  formerly  to  ftand  up  in  the  court  to  take  his  farewell 
of  his  brethren  and  the  commons  in  a  fhort  fpeech,  the  form  of  which  fhews 
the  honefty,  uprightncfs  and  fimplicity  of  our  anceftors  ;  part  of  it,  as  it 
proves  how  much  they   aQcd  upon  juft  principles,  muft  not  be  omitted:  ad- 

drcffing 


[       121       ] 

dreffing  himfelf  to  the  commons  there  afTembled  in  Guildhall,  he  faid:  "  i 
heartily  pray  you,  if  there  be  any  of  you  who  by  my  negligence,  uncunning 
or  wilfulnefs,  have  been  wronged  or  hurt  in  any  wife,  by  colour  of  my  late 
office,  or  if  I  have  done  to  any  perfon  otherwife  than  of  right,  law,  or  con- 
fcience,  come  to  me  and  fliew  your  griefs;  I  am  ready  to  make  you  amends, 
if  my  goods  will  thereunto  fuffice,  or  elfe  I  will  afli  you  forgivenefs,  fo  that 
you  fhall  be  well  contented  and  pleafed." —  Thefe  are  expreffions  fo  truly 
generous,  liberal,  and  honeft,  that  they  deferve  to  be  recorded  for  future  imi- 
tation. This  cuftom  is  difcontinued  now,  and  inftead  of  it  the  mayor  only 
takes  leave  of  his  brethren  the  aldermen  and  other  officers,  by  thanking  them 
for  their  affiftance  to  him  in  the  difcharge  of  his  duty,  in  a  fliort  compliment 
addreffed  to  them. 

The  mayor  has  120I.  paid  by  four  quarterly  payments  for  his  kitchen,  and  out 
of  every  fliip  arriving  at  the  Key,  being  fixty  tons  and  upwards,  (which  in  the  year 
1708  to  1709  was  70  fail,  but  in  September  1764  all  the  fhips  amounted  to  2353 
entered  inward  at  the  Cuftom-houfe,  fo  much  has  the  trade  increafedj  40s.  ; 
for  every  bill  or  letter  of  health  on  a  fhip's  account,  2  s.  6d. ;  for  his  pocket- 
feal  to  every  affidavit,  certificate,  or  depofition,  6d.  ;  for  the  fealing  of  every 
leafe,  4  s.  ;  befides  a  good  gratuity  for  making  fome  one  perfon  a  free  burgefs 
of  the  city.  And  Mrs.  Mayorefs  has  20  s.  to  buy  her  a  mufi^,  and  40  s.  per  an- 
num out  of  apiece  of  ground,  called  the  Mayor's  Paddock,  which  formerly  ufed 
to  yield  her  10 1.  The  mayor's  falaries  and  perquifites  are  now  much  advanced  ; 
from  the  40s.  alone  for  every  veffelarifes  to  him  a  large  fum.  But  as  the  income  to 
the  mayor  varied  fo  much  at  different  times,  for  the  better  and  more  regular  fup- 
port  of  his  dignity  it  was  agreed  1777,  that  he  fliould  be  allowed  1000 1,  dur- 
ing his  mayoralty,  and  the  fheriffs  500 1.  each  for  their  expences,  whether  their 
perquifites  produced  fo  much  or  not.  *  The  mayor  has  the  cuftody  of  the  city 
plate,  and  a  bond  ufcd  to  be  given  to  the  chamberlain  of  the  city  of  250I.  by  every 
mayor  eleft,  for  fafely  redelivering  the  plate  :  a  filver  cup  with  its  cover,  weight 
thirty  ounces,  double  gilt,  given  by  Mr.  William  Bird  ;  one  filver  cup  and 
cover,  double  gilt,  weight  thirty  ounces,  given  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  James,  wife 
of  Dr.  James ;  one  bafon  and  ewer  of  filver,  double  gilt,  weight  eighty-fix 
ounces  and  a  half;  one  other  covered  cup  and  a  flvinker,   both  of  filver,  double 

*  Great  difputes  have  arifen  lately  concerning  the  town-dues,  which  ufed  to  be  paid  the  flieriff 
for  the  fupport  of  his  office.  Among  the  records  of  the  term  of  Michaelmas,  18th  Henry  8th. 
rot.  18,  ex  part,  rememb.  regis,  by  virtue  of  ftatutc  gth  Hcniy  7th.  Anthony  Bridgcgood,  Nov. 
12,  put  in  his  bill  and  information  before  the  barons  againft  Robert  Elliot,  late  {lierifT.  for  dif- 
training  four  packs  of  canvas  and  lokerams,  &c.  imported  by  A.  H.  and  obliged  him  to  pay  Bd. 
for  kcyage  of  the  fame.     Elliot  pleaded,  that  there  had  been  time  out  of  mind  and  Hill  was  a 


[       122      ] 

gilt,  weight  fixty  ounces,  given  by  Mrs.  Kitchin  Searchfield,  deceafed,  fome- 
timc  the  wife  of  Mr.  Thomas  Green,  and  late  the  wife  of  Mr.  John  Boutcher, 
alderman  ;  one  other  filver  cup  with  its  cover,  double  gilt,  weight  fixty-fix 
ounces,  given  by  Mr.  George  Smith,  dcccafcd,  citizen  and  alderman  of 
London  ;  one  filver  fait,  with  its  cover  double  gilt,  weighing  forty-eight  ounces 
and  a  quarter,  given  by  Mrs.  Mary  Burroughs  widow,  late  wife  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Burroughs  merchant  deceafed  ;  to  be  and  remain  from  year  to  year  for 
ever  in  the  cuftody  of  the  mayor  of  Briftol  for  the  time  being,  as  a  perpetual 
memorv  of  the  givers,  and  th_e  mayor  is  to  have  the  ufe  thereof  only  during  his 
mayoralty,  all  to  be  delivered  to  the  fucceeding  mayor  on  the  28th  of  Sep- 
tember in  St.  George's  chapel.  The  mayor  gives  bond  to  the  chamberlain 
for  the  money  for  his  kitchen,  lent  him  intereft  free,  given  by  fome  benefac- 
tor to  this  city. 

The  fherifFs  muft  firft  be  chofen  common  council  men  before  they  can  be 
elefted,  and  if  there  be  not  any  vacancy  in  the  body  corporate,  confiding  of 
forty-three,  to  admit  new  common  council  men,  then  one  of  the  body,  or 
two  if  wanted,  are  chofen  to  ferve  the  office  of  (herifl  again.  The  following 
is  the  oath  adminifterod  to  every  common  council  man. 

"  You  fliall  be  faithful  and  true  to  the  king's  majefty,  his  heirs  and  fuc- 
cefTors,  and  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  this  city,  and  their  fucceffors : 
you  fliall  come  at  the  mayor's  fummons  to  the  guildhall,  common  council- 
houfe,  and  to  all  places  within  the  franchifes  of  the  fame,  unlefs  you  fliall 
have  any  lawful  caufe  to  the  contrary  :  you  fhall  give  good  and  wholefome 
counfel  and  advice,  according  to  your  befl  fkill  and  knowledge,  in  all  matters 
wherein  you  fhall  be  required  for  the  good  and  common  profit  of  this  city; 
and  no  partial  counfel  or  advice  fhall  you  give,  for  any  favour  or  affeBion, 
concerning  any  matter  touching  the  mayor  or  commonalty  or  common  profit 
of  the  fame  city  :  you  fliall  fccrctly  keep  all  fuch  matters  as  fliall  be  fecretly 
communed  of  in  the  council-houfe,  and  which  ought  to  be  kept  fecrct :  you 

fliall 

common  key  upon  the  back  of  llic  river  Avon,  in  the  liberty  of  the  town  ;  and  for  the  repair 
thereof  the  mayor,  flierifF,  bailiffs,  and  commonalty  have  ufually  levied  and  had  of  all  merchants, 
as  well  denizens  as  foreigners,  for  all  merchandize  landed,  a  certain  cullom  called  kcyagc,  ac- 
cording to  the  rate  of  i2d.  for  every  dolii  weight,  and  diftrained  for  the  fame  till  they  have 
fatisficd  for  the  faid  kcyage;  that  Maurice  Bowchcr,  importing  fuch  merchandize  as  before 
paid  8d.  kcyagc  for  the  faid  goods.  The  matter  being  brought  before  the  judge  of  affize,  the 
jury  brought  in  a  verdift  for  Elliot  the  flieriff.  In  the  year  1786,  thefc  dues  to  the  flieriff,  cal- 
led town-dues,  have  been  again  litigated,  as  oppreffive  to  trade,  &c.  but  after  great  expcnce  by 
a  trial  at  Gloceder  the  merchants  were  call,  and  the  flieriffs  dues  confirmed. 

In  the  little  Red  Book  of  Briftol,  p.  92.  are  the  letters  patent  of  1 7th  Henry  3d.  dated  May  29, 
Hating  what  goods  ftiould  pay  for  keyagc,  murage,  &c.  and  how  much  each  (houU  be  charged. 


[       123      ] 

fliall  wholly  uphold  and  (land  with  the  benefit,  common  profit,  and  liberties  of 
this  city  to  your  power  ;  and  truly  and  indifferently,  without  favour  or  par- 
tiality, fliall  give  your  evidence  and  counfel  concerning  the  fame,  according 
to  your  fkill  and  knowledge.      So  help  you,  God." 

Befides  the  oaths  of  abjuration  and  fuprcmacy,  the  mayor  as  well  as  fhcrids 
take  the  oaths  refpcQing  the  juft  difcharge  of  their  offices. 

It  appears  by  the  great  White  Book,  p.  53.  that  the  Sheriff  Dale  11th 
Henry  8th.  difputed  with  the  mayor  and  aldermen  about  ferving  that  office, 
as  his  yearly  charges  exceeded  the  revenues  of  his  office.  But  on  the  4th  of 
October,  11th  Henry  8th.  John  Williams  being  then  mayor,  the  mayor  and 
aldermen  affemblcd  in  guildhall  by  unanimous  confent,  and  commandment  of  the 
moll  Reverend  Father  in  God  my  Lord  Cardinal  Wolfey,  Archbifhop  of  York, 
Chancellor  of  England,  in  moderation  of  the  charges  before  this  time  yearly 
fuftained  by  the  fherifFs  of  Briftol,  and  ordained  and  eftablifhed  by  authority 
of  the  king's  charters  to  them  granted  and  confirmed  the  ordinances  following. 

1.  The  fheriffs  fhall  receive  the  yearly  profits  of  St.  James's        /.      s.    d. 

fair  amounting  by  computation  to       -         -         -  - 

2.  Of  the  goaler,  for  the  fee-farm  of  the  Goal,    -         -  - 

3.  Of  divers  obiits  holden  in  the  town,         _         _         _  _ 

4.  The  yearly  profits  and  advantages  coming  of  the  Key,  by 

ellimation,       ________ 

5.  Ditto  of  the  Back,  by  eftimation,   -  -         _         _  _ 

6.  Of  Newgate,  27I.  of  Temple-gate,  20I.  Redcliff-gatc,  9I. 

of  Froom-gate  and  Pithay-gate,   1 1.  6  s.  8d.   the  whole 

7.  Of  the  Handing  of  the  market-folks  in  the  Market,    - 

8.  Of  amerciaments,  nonfuits,  &c.   in  courts,  by  eftimation,  - 
g.   Of  the  profits  of  feffions  and  law  days,  fines,  frauds,  blood- 

ffieds,  entris,  felons  goods,  efcheats,  forfeits,  and  all  other 

cafualties,  by  eftimation,  --         -         -         -         -  30     00 

Sum  of  the  profits  to  be  yearly  taken  by  the  fficrill's,       -      £"  215      1      8 

The  yearly  payments  to  be  made  by  the  fheriffs. 

1.  They    fhall  pay   the  fee-farm   of  the  town,    amounting    to 

102 1.  15  s.  6d.  —  to  the  abbot  of  Tewkfbury,  14  I.  10  s. 
—  to  the  prior  of  St.  James,  3  I.  —  to  the  conftablcs  and 
olficcrs  of  the  Caftle,  28I.  7s.  3d. — to  tlic  forcftcrs 
of  Kingfwood,   111.7.3d.  —  in  the  whole  -         -  160     o     o 

2.  For  the  proffers  to  the  Exchequer  at  Michaelmas  and  Eafter, 

with  the  writing  and  fealing  thereof,     -         -         -         -         540 

Q  2  3.  The 


23 

0 

0 

13 

6 

8 

2 

8 

4 

66 

13 

4 

16 

0 

0 

57 

6 

8 

3 

13 

4 

2 

13 

4 

[      124      ] 

3.  The  view  of  the  account  at  Eafter,  the  making  the  fheriffs 

account  at  Michaelmas,   and  divers  other  payments,  in 
the  Exchequer,         _______ 

4.  To  the  fteward  of  the  town,  his  penfion,  _         _         _ 

5.  To  the  underflieriff,  for  his  fee,      _         _  -         -         _ 

6.  To  St.  George's  prieft,  his  penfion,  bread  and  wine, 

7.  To  the  yearly  obit  of  Richard  Spicer  in  St.  Nicholas  church, 

8.  To  the  wages  of  the  clerk  of  the  fame  church,  and  for  keeping 

the  clock  there,        _______ 

g.  To  each  of  the  four  orders  of  friers  8  s.  each,    _  _         _ 

10.  To  be  fpent  yearly  at  St.  George's  feaft,           _  _         _ 

11.  At  the  drinking  at  Trinity  chapel,            _         _  _          _ 

12.  To  the  t^s•o  fcabbards  for  the  mayor,         _         _  .         - 

13.  To  the  cofl;  of  Midfummer  watch  yearly,           -  _          _ 

14.  For  the  town  liveries  in  the  whole  to  all  manner  of  officers, 

for  which  the  fheriffs  have  the  profits  of  St.  James's  fair, 

15.  For  the  cofls  of  fefTions  and  law  days,        _         _         _         _ 

16.  For  the  writers  for  their  wages  yearly,       _         _         _         _ 

17.  For  the  wages  to  the  keepers  of  the  Key,  _         _         _ 

18.  Ditto  to  the  keeper  of  the  Back,  26  s    8d.  —  to  the  porter 

of  Newgate,  30s.  —  Redcliff-gate,  20s. — Temple-gate, 
26s.  8d.  —  Froom-gate,  13  s.  4d.  —  Pithay-gate,  13  s.  4d. 

19.  Wages  to  each  of  waiting  yeomen,  il.  6  s.  8d. 

20.  For  the  commiffion  of  the  flaple,      _____ 

21.  For  twenty  quires  of  paper,  bags,  and  ferrells  for   the  town 

clerk,  -___-__-_ 

22.  To  the  town  clerk  for  two  law  days,  _         _         _         _ 

23.  For  writing  the  proffers  yearly,         _____ 

24.  For  writing  the  indentures  for  the  goal  between  the  new 

fheriffs  and  the  old,  ______ 

25.  For  ringing  the  common  bell  at  Michaelmas, 

26.  For  the  meffengers  of  the  Exchequer,       _         _         _         _ 

27.  At  the  drinking  at  the  Tolzey  at  St.  Nicholas  day, 

28.  To  the  chamber  yearly   towards  the  charges  of  the  burgeffes 

of  parliament  againft  fuch  time  as  any  parliament  fhall  be 

holden,  .______-20o 

£  268     8     o 

All 


/. 

s. 

d. 

14 

10 

6 

3 

9 

4 

1 

6 

8 

5 

8 

4 

3 

13 

0 

1 

6 

8 

1 

12 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

13 

4 

1 

10 

0 

20 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1 

9 

8 

1 

8 

8 

7 

16 

8 

5 

6 

8 

1 

2 

6 

0 

6 

8 

0 

6 

8 

0 

4 

0 

0 

2 

8 

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

2 

0 

[     125     ] 

All  other  charges  of  the  town  to  be  always  born  at  the  charge  of  the 
chamber. 

Total  of  the  yearly  charges  of  the  fheriffs,     -         -         £"268     8     o 

So  that  their  charges  ftill  exceeded  their  profits  befides  the  cofts 

of  bringing  up  the  prifoners,         -         -         -         -         -  53     64 

This  curious  account  gives  us  an  idea  of  feveral  particulars  relative  to  the 
fheriffs  office  and  manners  and  cuftoms  of  the  age ;  but  in  modern  times  new 
alterations  and  eftablifliments  have  taken  place. 

At  p.  124 10,  11,  and  27,  is  mentioned  a  charge  for  drinking  and  feaft- 

ing,  which  fhews  they  were  no  ftrangers  here  to  hofpitable  living  and  enter- 
tainments formerly  on  public  occafions. 

20th  May,  28  Henry  vi.  it  was  ordained  by  William  Cannings  mayor, 
and  the  common  council,  that  the  drinking  at  St.  John's  and  St.  Peter's 
nights  fhould  be  wholly  to  perfons  of  crafts  going  the  nights  before  the  mayor, 
fheriff'and  other  notable  perfons,  and  that  the  mayor  and  fheriff"on  forfeiture 
of  five  marks  a  piece,  the  one  at  St.  John's  night,  the  other  at  St.  Peter's, 
fliould  difpenfe  wine  to  be  difpofed  of  to  the  faid  crafts  at  their  halls :  viz. 
to  the  weavers  and  tuckers  each  ten  gallons;  to  the  taylors  and  cornefers 
each  eight  gallons;  butchers  fix  gallons;  dyers,  bakers,  brewers,  and  flier- 
men  each  five  gallons  ;  fkinners,  fmiths,  furriers,  cutellers,  lockyers,  barbers, 
waxmakers,  tanners,  whitawers,  each  four  gallons  ;  mafons,  tylers,  carpen- 
ters, hoopers,  wire-drawers  and  card-makers,  three  gallons  each ;  bowers 
and  fletchers  (arrow  makers)  each  two  gallons;  in  all  ninety  four  gallons. 

Mention  is  alfo  made  and  orders  given  about  the  mayor  and  council  going 
to  their  Chriftmas  drinking  to  the  abbot  of  St.  Auguftin,  as  halh  been  ac- 
cuffomed. 

It  appears  by  a  note  in  the  city  books  dated  1626  the  following  officers  of 
the  city  were  yearly  chofen  : 

A  mayor  ele£l  and  two  ftieriffs  ele£l;  mayor  and  aldermen  conffables  of 
the  ffaple  ;  mayor  eleft  and  four  aldermen  cuftodcs  clavium  or  clavigers; 
fix  aldermen  and  common  council  men  auditors  of  the  accounts  ;  four  alder- 
men and  council-men  furveyors  of  the  city  lands ;  four  elder  council-men 
affiffants  in  the  care  of  orphans;  four  of  the  fame  affiffants  with  the  mayor 
for  the  loan  money  of  Sir  Thomas  White  and  others  ;  one  treafurer  and  one 
afliftant  for  the  hofpital  of  Oueen  Elizabeth  ;  two  fupervifors  of  the  fame  ; 
two  aldermen  fupervifors  of  the  hofpital  of  Laffcird's  gate;  four  fupervifors  of 
the  free  fchool  at  St.  Bartholomew's;  five  fupervifors  of  the  60I.  for  the 
placing  out  poor  children  and  provilion  of  coals;  four  fupervifors  of  the  gift 

money 


[       126      ] 

money  of  Sir  Thomas  White  and  others  for  the  repair  of  the  high  wavs  near 
Briflol ;  but  it  was  ordained  15th  September  1633  that  no  pcrfon  fliould  Hand 
in  any  of  the  offices  of  furveyors,  clavigers  (and  fo  downwards  for  the  reft) 
above  two  years  together  at  one  time,  the  office  of  auditors  only  excepted. 

Each  alderman  by  an  ordinance  12th  March  1621,  confirmed  by  another 
13th  December  1658,  was  obliged  (unlefs  prevented  by  ficknefs)  to  vifit  his 
ward  once  a  month  for  the  difcovery  of  ftrangcrs  and  undertenants  Sec.  to 
remedy  any  diforders  mifbehaviour  &:c.  under  the  penalty  of  5I.  to  the 
chamber  for  his  ncglefl;  therein  ;  and  the  mayor,  unlefs  employed  in  the 
fervice  of  the  King,  was  not  to  remain  out  of  the  liberties  of  the  city  above 
the  fpace  of  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  whole  year  of  mayoralty,  under 
the  penalty  of  lool.  by  an  order  dated  20th  Oftober  1606  ;  and  if  he  refufed 
to  fcrve  the  office  of  mayoralty  when  chofen  he  was  fined  200I.  and  disfran- 
chifed  :  John  Pope  was  fined  lool.  in  the  year  1663  for  the  fame.  But  the 
honour  and  profit  attending  the  office  now  have  been  fuch,  that  the  mayoralty 
has  not  been  refufed  by  any  one,  efpecially  as  the  expences  incurred  by  fcrv- 
ing  the  office  of  ffieriff  are  amply  repaid  him  during  the  year  of  mayoralty. 
The  mayor  by  ancient  privilege  recorded  in  the  city  archives,  has  the  nomi- 
nation of  afecond  perfon  to  be  put  in  eleftion  for  flieriff  and  the  houfe  the 
other,  one  of  which  is  chofen:  and  in  the  year  1656,  Jofias  Clutterbuck 
being  chofen  ffieriff  and  refufing  to  ferve  was  fined  300I.  and  Mr.  Thomas 
Stephens  was  fined  200I.  and  committed  to  newgate  for  refufal  in  1660.  But 
by  an  order  4th  November  1 704,  any  one  refufing  to  ferve  the  office  of 
mavor  in  his  turn  if  elefled,  incurred  a  penalty  of  400I.  and  was  disfranchifed, 
and  the  ffieriffs  200I.  each  in  like  manner,  unlefs  they  will  fwcar  thev  are 
not   worth  2000I. 

To  add  a  fplendor  to  the  office  of  mayor,  and  for  convenience  of  his  do- 
meftic  affairs  during  the  year  of  mayoralty,  a  manfion  houfc  in  the  year 
1784,  for  the  mayor  was  fet  apart  for  his  annual  refidence  with  commodious 
buildings,  offices  and  banqueting  room  in  Oueen-fquare,  which  being  fo 
near  the  trading  part  of  the  citv,  was  thought  a  proper  place  for  the  ready 
accommodation  of  captains  of  fhips  and  others,  who  might  want  to  apply  to 
the  mayor  in  their  concerns. 

This  opulent  and  refpeftable  corporation  are  poffeffi:d  of  very  large 
eRates  both  in  the  city  and  in  the  country,  in  truft  for  charitable  ufes  and 
the  public  emolument  of  the  citizens,  for  fupporting  hofpitals,  fchools  with 
exhibitions  at  the  univcrfity  and  almffioufes  ;  for  eflablifliing  Icflures  and 
gift-fcrmons  at  churches  for  the  inftruQion  of  the  people  in  the  doftrincs  of 

Chriftianity ; 


[     127     ] 

Chriftianity ;  for  relieving  prifoners  and  confined  debtors;  for  keeping  the 
poor  at  work;  for  the  marriage  of  poor  girls  children  of  freemen;  for  repair- 
ing the  roads  round  the  city,  and  for  other  public  ufes.  They  have  alfo  a 
large  fund  of  money  depofited  in  the  chamber  for  the  ufe  of  young  tradefmen, 
thofe  efpecially  in  the  clothing  bufinefs  to  be  preferred,  loo  1.  50  1.  25  1.  or 
lefs  to  be  lent  to  each  of  them  interell  free  for  fevcn  or  ten  years,  they  getting 
fecurity  for  its  repayment  then.  This  has  fuch  a  natural  tendency  to  promote 
a  fpirit  of  indullry  in  young  beginners,  and  this  little  ftock  to  begin  with 
joined  to  the  aid  of  their  friends  and  their  own  diligence  has  been  known  to 
produce  fuch  a  good  effeft,  that  they  have  rofc  often  in  the  world,  and  thus 
happily  fulfilled  and  even  exceeded  the  good  intention  of  the  donors.  By 
eftates  and  manors  vefted  in  their  hands,  and  by  purchafes  formerly  made 
with  money  out  of  the  city  ftock,  the  corporation  are  patrons  of  feveral 
church  livings  in  the  city  and  country  :  which  they  generally  prefent  upon 
any  becoming  vacant  to  their  fellow  citizens  or  the  fons  of  fuch,  who  have 
been  educated  at  the  Briftol  Grammar- fchool,  and  at  the  univerfity  for 
divines:  this  is  but  juft  and  right,  as  thefe  advowfons  or  rights  of  prefenta- 
tion  were  purchafed  formerly  by  the  money  of  the  burgefles,  for  the  difpo- 
fal  of  which  to  the  advantage  of  the  citizens  the  corporation  are  in  truft, 
though  prejudice  and  partiality  have  been  fometimes  known  to  have  mif- 
guided  their  judgment  in  this  affair ;  and  thefe  church-livings  have  been 
prefented  to  ftrangers,  in  preference  to  natives  and  free  burgeffes,  who 
though  they  would  be  glad  or  ftand  in  need  of  fuch  a  provifion,  and  have 
been  educated  perhaps  with  that  view,  yet  have  been  fo  unfortunate  as  to 
have  folicited  in  vain  ;  and  notwithflanding  their  natural  right  and  juft  claim 
to  them  have  had  the  mortification  to  find  ftrangers  preferred  before  them. 
The  wife  old  fathers  of  our  city  thus  gave  exhibitions  to  encourage  the 
citizens  to  breed  up  their  fons  to  learning  at  the  univerfity,  that  fome  of 
them  might  fill  the  learned  profeffions  with  credit,  and  become  ornaments  of 
fociety  and  reflefl  honour  on  their  native  city,  as  able  and  learned  divines 
in  pofleffion  of  thefe  churches. 


In 


[     128     ] 

In  the  Diocere  of  Briftol. 

The  following  livings  arc  in  the  gift  of  the  mayor,  aldermen,  and  common 
council  of  the  city  of  Briftol. 

Deanry  of  Briflol.  —  City  of  Briftol. 
Livings  difcharged. 

ReQories,  6cc.  ^vith  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 
Clear  yearly  value.  King's  books, 

i-     s-    d.  I,     s.    d. 

5  i8  1  St.  John's  and  St.  Lawrence's  re6lory,  computed  to 
be  about  120I.  per  ann.  paysapenfionof  13  s.  4d. 
to  the  patrons,         -  -  -  -  7     4     7 

5   18  11        St.  Michael's  reftory,  about  200I.  per  ann.  pays  a 

penrionof4s.  -  -  -  -  600 

068       St.    Owen's,  alias   St.    Ewen's  reftory,  about  25 1. 

pays  a  penfion  of  1  lb.  of  wax, 
1250       St.  Peter's  reftory,  about  150I.  pays  a  penfion  of 

il.  -  -  -  -  -  676 

43  1 6  o  St.  Philip  and  St.  Jacob's  vicarage;  mayor,  alder- 
men and  burgeffes  of  Briftol.  Abby  of  Tewkf- 
bury  propr.  about  150I.  per  ann.         -  -       15     o     o 

33  6  8  Temple  vicarage,  alias  St.  Crofs,  in  com.  Somerfet. 
Mayor,  aldermen,  and  burgeffes  of  Briftol. 
Knights  Templars  olim  propr.  about  200 1.  per 
ann.  pays  a  penfion  of  5 1.  per  ann.  -  34a 

Not  in  charge. 
St.  James  cure,  olim  a  priory,  450 1.  and  upwards 
per  ann.  pays  a  penfion  of  3I.  6  s.  8d.  per  ann. 
city  of  Briftol  patrons.  * 
380  Chrift  Church  or  the  Holy  Trinity,  computed  at 
about  150I.  per  annum.  Mayor  and  aldermen 
patrons,  olim  the  abby  of  Tewkftjury,  pays  a 
penfion  of  10s.  per  annum.  -  -  11      o     o 

Diocefe 

*  Vide  Willis's  Survey,  p.  841.  Sixteen  of  the  eighteen  churches  in  Briftol  arc  in  no  archdea- 
conry, but  in  the  bifhop's  folc  vifitation,  by  his  chancellor  ;  though  Bedminfter,  the  mother 
church  to  St.  Mary  Redcliff  and  Thomas  in  Briftol  city,  is  ftill  in  Wells  diocefe  and  Balh  arch- 
deaconry ;  and  the  fevcntcen  out-lying  churches  and  chapels  in  Briftol  deanry,  yet  belong  to 
Gloccfter  archdeaconr)',  notwithftanding  they  are  in  this  diocefe. 


[       >2C)       ] 

Diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells.     Somerfet. 
Deanry  of  Bridgwater,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Taunton. 
Livings  difcharged. 
Rcflories,  Sec.  with  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 

Clear  ycarlv  value.  King's  book-, 

/.        S.      d.  I.      s,      d. 

38  1  8  Stockland  Gaunts  alias  Briflol,  vicarage.  Mayor 
and  burgcfTcs  of  Briflol.  Prior  or  mafler  of 
Gaunts  in  Briflol.    About  70 1.  per  annum,        -         694 

Deanry  of  Axbridgc,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Wells. 

Livin.gs  remaining  in  charge. 

RcBorics,  &c.  with  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 
King's  book?.  Yearly  tenths, 

42      1      8        Congrefbury    vicarage,     [St.  Andrew]    with    Lau- 

rencewick  chapel,  [St.  Laurence]  capellano  vi  1. 
fynods  vii  s.  Mayor  and  aldermen  of  Briflol,  as 
governors  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital,  patrons. 
Dean  and  chapter  of  Wells,  proprietors.  About 
300 1,  per  annum.  -  -  -  4     4     2 

Livings  difcharged. 

Clear  yearly  value.  King's  books. 

24  2  o\  Locking  vicarage,  [St.  Auflin]  fynods  iis.  iiid. 
Proxies  iiiid.  William  Plomley,  Efq;  1671, 
pri.  Worfpring  propr.  The  Society  of  Merchants 
in  Briflol.      It  is  about  70I.  per  ann.  -  56   io|- 

D.  RcdclifFand  Bcdminfter,  in  the  Archdeaconry 
of  Bath. 

Livings  remaining  in  charge. 

King's  books.  '  Clear  yearly  value, 

5   10     7j     Burnet  rcftory,  about  70I.  per  ann.  -  3^3^ 

33   ^5      7i     Portifliead  reclor)-,  fynods  vs.  viiid.    Proxies  xvid. 

Abby  Kcynfliam  viiis.      Mayor  and  burgeffcs  of  Tenths, 

Briflol.     About  120I.  per  ann  -  -         3     5^+ 

The  Gaunts  or  Mayor's  cliapcl,  in  Briflol,  25!.  per 

annum  for  the  reader,  and  1 1.  is.  for  the  fermon 

every  Sunday  to  the  preacher. 

St.   George's    new  creeled  church  in    Kingfwood. 

Mayor  and  corporation.     About  1  jol.  per  annum. 

R  Thcv 


[     ^30     ] 

They  not  only  prefent  to  the  above  livings,  Ijut  alfo  to  many  other  lefture- 
fhips,  chaplainfliips,  &c.  But  it  muR  be  obferved,  that  the  value  of  thefe  livings 
in  the  city  chiefly  arifcs  from  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  parifhioners 
reforting  to  the  feveral  parifli  churches,  which  have  no  endowment,  fome  not 
even  an  houfe  for  the  minifter,  except  Oueen  Anne's  bounty  and  certain  funis 
given  by  charitable  benefaflors  for  gift-fermons  to  be  preached  on  certain 
occafions  and  days  appointed.  Therefore  the  value  of  each  church  living 
here  muft  vary  every  year,  and  however  computed  at  a  medium  cannot  be 
cxaB;.  The  tythes  of  the  city  were  formerly  paid  to  the  abby  of  Tewkfljury 
from  the  moll  early  times,  being  the  fum  of  14I.  10  s.  which  at  the  dilTolu- 
tion  came  to  the  crown,  and  were  purchafed  by  the  corporation,  24  of  C.  2 
among  other  things.  But  the  good  citizens  of  Briftol,  though  they  have  op- 
pofed  any  attempt  of  having  an  eftablifhed  fum  levied  upon  their  houfcs  and 
lands  for  the  fixed  fupport  of  the  clergy,  have  hitherto  generoufly  contributed 
to  their  maintenance  ;  nor  given  any  caufe  for  their  applying  to  Government 
for  relief,  which  they  would  probably  obtain,  as  in  London,  their  duties  in  fuch 
large  and  populous  parifhes  being  very  great,  if  a  fupport  due  to  their  labours 
were  meanly  afforded  or  partly  withheld. 

It  was  a  great  charafler,  wc  fee  given  to  our  citizens  in  early  times,  (vid. 
p.  83.)  that  "  they  maintained  preachers  at  their  own  colt  in  commendable 
fort,"  and  there  is  little  reafon  to  apprehend  they  will  be  ever  backward  in 
generoufly  rewarding  the  labours  of  a  learned  clergy,  and  fupporting  the  offi- 
ciating lawfully  inflituted  miniflry  of  the  church  of  England  eftabliflied  by 
law.  There  were  certainly  tythes  as  well  as  offerings  colleQed  formerly  for 
their  maintenance,  though  long  fince  difcontinued,  as  appears  from  p.  2.  of 
the  great  Red  Book,  that  15th  kal.  Jun.  1301,  in  feventh  year  of  his  confecra- 
tion,  Robert  Archbifhop  of  Canterbury  ifFued  forth  his  mandate  to  the  Dean 
of  Briflol,  ftrittly  forbidding  fome  irregular  proceedings,  that  in  proving 
wills,  they  cited  the  inhabitants  to  remote  places  out  of  the  borough,  and  or- 
daining the  confirmation  of  the  orders  made  by  the  bifhop  of  the  diocefe,  re- 
lating to  the  better  fecuringlind  adjufting  the  tythes  of  fuch  pcrfons,  who, 
living  in  one  part  of  the  town,  fold  their  wares  in  another. 

A  competent  maintenance  for  the  miniflers  of  the  feveral  pariflics,  even 
111  the  time  of  the  Prote£lor,  was  thought  fo  neceffarv,  that  on  tlie  5th  of  Oflo- 
ber  1657  the  mayor  and  commonalty,  by  the  powers  of  feveral  a£ts  of  parlia- 
ment, ordained  that  909 1.  fliould  be  yearly  levied  by  way  of  lax  and  affefTment 
upon  each  parifli  for  their  fupport,  in  the  following  proportions  :  St.  Michael 
and   St.  Auflin,    50I.     St.  James,    50I.     St.    Thomas,    ]2ol.     Temple,    48I. 

Rcdcliff, 


[     131     ] 

RcdclifF,  4°'-  St.  Philip  and  the  Caftle,  20I.  St.  Stephen,  90I.  St.  Nicholas, 
120I.  St.  Werburg  and  Leonard,  85  1.  All  Saints  and  St.  Ewen,  70I.  Chrift 
Church  and  St.  John,  120I.  Mar\  port  and  St.  Peter,  96I.  And  to  raife  this 
maintenance  by  aflbfTment,  ("  the  want  of  which,  they  fav,  is  in  no  place 
greater")  They  further  ordain  :  Firft,  that  no  officiating  minifter  fhould  be  de- 
barred from  this  benefit.  Secondly,  that  the  fabric  of  all  the  churches  fhould 
be  fupported,  and  their  revenues  be  given  and  applied  to  fuch  ufes  and  the 
fame  purpofes  as  formerly.  Thirdly,  they  recommend  to  the  fcveral  vedries 
to  concert  any  other  proportions  that  fliall  be  neceflary,  and  will  join  them  to 
aflefs  and  compel  the  payment  of  them.  Fourthly,  that  when  they  meet  to 
make  the  poor  rates  to  have  the  allowance  of  the  juflices  according  to  law, 
they  fhall  bring  the  rate  for  the  minifters  maintenance,  to  have  the  like  con- 
firmation according  to  acl  of  parliament  ;  all  perfons  over-rated  to  appeal  at 
the  next  quarter  feffions.  Fifthly,  that  when  a  minifter  is  to  be  chofen,  it 
fhould  be  in  the  liberty  of  each  parifli  to  choofe  their  own  miniiler  where  none 
is  already  officiating,  provided  he  be  an  ordained  perfon  or  chofen  out  of  one 
of  the  univerfities,  and  approved  of  according  to  the  laws  of  the  land.  And 
it  appears,  that  the  corporation  enforced  the  execution  of  the  faid  a6ls,  and 
the  14th  of  February  1658,  ordered  lool.  per  ann.  out  of  the  chamber's  revenue 
towards  the  better  maintenance  and  encouragement  of  the  paridi  minifters. 

Notwithflanding  the  great  lofTes,  by  contributions  and  otherwife,  this  corpor- 
ation fuftained  in  the  time  of  the  grand  rebellion ;  yet  we  find  foon  after,  in 
Charles  ad's,  time,  they  had  fo  far  improved  the  city  revenues,  that  they  dif- 
charged  fevcral  rents  payable  to  the  crown,  which  had  been  fold  Feb.  6,  1650, 
for577l.  12s.  7d.  by  Oliver  Cromwell  and  the  Commonwealth,  but  being 
recovered  in  the  year  1673,  24th  Charles  2d.  by  indenture,  dated  July  24, 
the  following  fee  farm  rents  rcferved  paid  annually  to  the  crown  out  of  lands, 
which  had  been  purchafed  at  the  diffolution  of  religious  houfes  of  Henry  8th. 
by  the  citv,  were  bought  on  their  behalf  by  Thomas  Lee,  of  London,  Efq; 
and  conveyed  to  the  faid  mayor  and  commonalty  of  Briftol  by  the  Right  Hon. 
Francis  Lord  Hawley,  Sir  Charles  Harboard,  his  Majefty's  furveyor-gcneral, 
Sir  William  Howard,  Sir  John  Talbot  of  Lacock,  Wilts,  and  William  Har- 
board Efq;  truffees  appointed  for  the  fale  of  fee  farm  rents,  and  by  an  aft  for 
veiling  them  in  the  truftces  and  by  order  of  the  Lords  Commiffioners  of  the 
Treafury  to  them  directed.  The  confidcration  money  for  the  whole  was 
3024 1.  15s.  id.  and  to  raife  that  fum,  by  an  order  in  the  corporation  books 
dated  1671,  fome  fee  farm  rents  payable  to  the  city  were  fold  by  tliem  to 
divers  people,  but  thofe  payable  out  of  the  marfli  of  Criftol  (now  the  fquare) 

R  2  were 


[       132      ] 

Avcre  then  not  thought  proper  to  be  parted  with,  as  not  to  the  advantage  of 
the  citv.  But  feeing  whence  thefe  ground  rents  paid  by  the  city  to  the 
crown  arofe,  we  difcovcr  what  lands  belonged  to  religious  houfcs,  and  wliat 
great  eftates  are  now  in  the  pofiefTion  of  the  chamber  of  Briltol  from  the  dif- 
folution. 

Parcel  of  the  late  hofpital  or  houfe  of  St.  John  the  Baptift  with-       /.     s.     d. 
out  Redcliff-gatc,  within  the  city  of  Briflol. 

For  lands  and  tenements  within  tlic  city  of  Briftol,  with  meffuages, 
tofts,  houfes,  meadows,  paftures,  rents,  fervices,  and  other 
appertenances,  lately  belonging  to  the  faid  hofpital,  (except 
the  fite  and  precincl  thereof)  a  referved  rent  of  -  27     i{- 

Parcel  of  the  late  monaftery  of  Tewkfbury. 
For  the  whole  houfe  and  fite  of  the  priory  or  cell  of  St.  James, 
near  Briftol,  lately  belonging  to  the  dilTolved  monaftery  of 
Tewkftjury,  and  all  the  meftuages,  buildings,  barns,  dove-houfe, 
pools,  orchards,  lands,  &c.  within  the  faid  precinCt  as  well 
as  without,  to  the  faid  cell  adjoining.  Alfo  for  all  the  rec- 
tories of  Stapleton  and  Mangotsfield,  w'ith  their  rights,  &c. 
thereto  belonging.  Alfo  for  the  rcQory  and  church  of  St. 
James  in  Briftol,  and  for  the  reCtory  and  church  of  the  blefled 
St.  Philip  and  Jacob  in  the  faid  city,  with  their  rights,  &c.  to 
faid  cell  or  priory  of  St.  James  appertaining,  with  right  of  pa- 
tronage :  and  all  manors,  granges,  mills,  lands,  &c.  in  Sta- 
pleton, Mangotsfield,  Itchington,  Tockington,  Cadbroke, 
Saltmarfii,  and  Barton  hundred,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter, 
howfocver  belonging  to  the  faid  priory,  granted  among  other 
things  to  Henry  Brain,  Efq;  by  letters  patent  35th  Henry  8th. 
for  6661.  7  s.  6d.  with  penfions  of  20s.  out  of  the  reftory  of 
St.  Peter,  los.  out  of  Chrift  Church,  10  s.  4  d.  out  of  St. 
John's,  1 1.  6  s.  8d.  out  of  St.  Philip's,  4  s.  out  of  St.  Michael's, 
6d.  out  of  St.  Ewcn's,  —  at  only  per  annum,         -  -         3   i^     92 

For  the  referved  rent  of  2 1.  3  s.  4  d.  out  of  the  manor  of  Olvef- 
ton,  belonging  to  the  late  diffolved  monaftery  of  Bath,  granted 
among  other  things  to  Sir  Ralph  Sadler,  -  -  234 

N.  B.  This  was  afterwards  fold  off  by  the  corporation  to 
Sir  Robert  Cann,  for  15I.  15  s.  the  fame  fum  the  city 
gave  for  it. 

Parcel 


[     ^33     ] 

Parcel  of  Tewkfbury  monanery.  /.     s.     d. 

For  a  yearly  rent  of  14I.  18  s.  2d.  out  of  the  chantry  of  St.  Mi- 
chael in  Winterborne,  and  lands,  &c.  thereto  belonging  in 
Winterborne,  Froomfhaw,  Churchfield,  Hambroke,  and  Clif- 
field,  in  Gloceflerfhire,  paid  by  the  IherifF  or  chamberlain  of 
Briftol,  -  -  -  -  -  -  14   18      2 

Parcel  of  the  pofFefTions  of  the  late  monaftery  of  Bath,  affigned 
for  life  to  the  Queen  Henrietta  Maria,  for  her  jointure. 

For  all  that  yearly  fee-farm  rent  of  41 1.  3  s.  5  d.  refidue  of  95 1. 
3  s.  5d.  ifTuing,  due,  and  payable  out  of  the  manor  of  Con- 
gerfbury,  Somcrfet,  and  for  the  patronage  of  the  church  of 
Congerfbury,  and  its  appertenances  :  alfo  the  courts  Icct,  &c. 
in  Congerfbury  and  Lawrence  Wick,  paid  by  the  city  of 
Briftol,  -  -  -  -  -  -  41     3     5 

Parcel  of  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark  of  Bellifwick. 

For  all  that  yearly  rent  of  20 1,  per  ann.  payable  by  the  city  out 
of  the  houfe  and  fite  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Mark  of  Bellifwick, 
near  Briftol,  called  les  Gaunts,  and  for  the  church,  belfry, 
churchyard  there,  and  for  the  manors  of  Erdcot  and  Lee  in 
GlocefterOiire,  to  it  belonging  ;  and  for  the  manor  of  Stock- 
land  Gaunts,  with  its  rights,  members,  and  appertenances,  in 
Somerfetfliire,  to  the  late  difTolved  hofpital  belonging;  and 
the  donation,  patronage,  and  free  difpofition  of  the  vicarages 
of  the  churches  of  Stockland  Gaunts  and  Overftowcy  ;  and 
alfo  for  the  manor,  &c.  of  Wintcrbourne  Conner,  called 
Cherburg,  in  Wilts,  with  its  rights,  &c.  to  the  faid  hofpital 
heretofore  belonging  ;  and  out  of  and  for  all  meadows,  granges, 
tenements,  and  hereditaments,  &c.  to  the  faid  manors  and 
premifes  belonging,  in  the  town  of  Briftol,  or  the  parifties  of 
Lee  and  Almondftjury,  in  the  county  of  Gloccfter,  or  in 
Stockland  Gaunts,  Overftowey,  and  Brewham,  in  Somcrfet- 
fctfliire,  or  in  Winterborne  Conner,  in  Wilts,  to  the  late 
hofpital  les  Canutes  belonging,  as  parcel  of  the  faid  houfe  or 
hofpital,  (except  the  manor  of  Pawlet  Gaunts,  Southam,  and 
Northam,  granted  by  letters  patent  of  Henry  8th.  to  Richard 
Cupper)  and  alfo  for  and  out  of  the  manor  of  Hampc  and  its 
rights  and  appertenances,  in  the  county  of  Somcrfet  ;  parcel 

of 


C   134   ] 

of  the  late  monaftery  of  Athelny,  and  mefTuages  and  lands  in      /.     s.     d. 

Hampc  aforefaid  in  the  tenure  of  Sir  Richard  Warre  ;    and 

for  the   fite  of  the   houfe  of  Grey  Friers,    Carmelite  Friers 

and  their  appertinences,    all   purchafed  of   Henry    8th   33d. 

year,  for  the  fum  of  loool.  and  20I.  per  annum  rent,        -  20     o     o 

Parcel  ofthcantient  crown  lands. 

For  the  ferm  of  the  caftle  of  Bridol  with  its  appertinences  the 
manfion  houfe  within  the  caflle  in  the  tenure  of  Francis 
Brewfler,  the  clofe  lying  without  the  ditch  of  the  faid  caftle 
called  the  King's  orchard  ;  the  inner  green  and  for  forty 
three  feveral  tenements  within  the  circuit  or  walk  of  the  caftle, 
and  for  the  wood  yard  there,  and  three  gardens  there,  and 
barns,  {tables  and  other  premifcs  ;  and  for  the  walls,  towers 
and  ditches  inclofing  the  faid  caftle  referved  in  purchafe  of 
the  caftle  ofC.  ift;.  an.  regni.  6°.       -         -         -         -         -40     00 

Parcel  of  chantry  lands  lately  concealed. 
For  and  out  of  the  fee-farm  of  the  chapel  or  hofpital  of  the 
holy  Trinity  in  the  parifti  of  St.  Phillip  and  Jacob,  and  all 
the  lands  &c.  belonging  thereto  at  the  rent  of  twenty  fhillings, 
alfo  for  the  fee-farm  of  the  chapel  of  the  three  Kings  of  Co- 
logn,  in  the  parifti  of  St.  Michael  and  the  lands  thereto  be- 
longing, an  annual  rent  referved  of  13  s.  and  4d.  for  it,  both 
granted  to  Peter  Gray  by  Queen  Elizabeth  by  letters  patent 
dated  8th  day  of  March,  in  the  igth  year  of  her  reign,  paying 
yearly  per  annum,  -         -         -         -         -         -         -  1134 

Parcel  of  lands  of  the  priory  of  St.  Mary  Magdalen  of  Briftol. 

For  a  rent  affize  of  one  tenement  on  the  Back  of  Briftol,  -         040 

For  an  annual  rent  or  tenth  referved  for  all  the  tenements,  lands 
and  other  premifes  within  the  city  of  Briftol,  paid  by  the 
mayor  and  burgcftcs  at  per  annum,  -         -         -         -  271^ 

For  an  annual  rent  iffuing  out  of  the  office  of  water  bayliff  of 
Briftol,  granted  to  the  mayor  and  burgeffes  by  Henry  7th 
18th  December,  15th  year  of  his  reign,  —  paying        -         -         o  13     4 

For  a  fee-farm  rent  iftliing  out  of  the  tythes  of  the  city  of  Brif- 
tol, payable  by  the  ftieriffis  at  per  annum,         -         -         -  14   10     o 

For 


[     135     ] 

/.      s.      d. 
For  an  annual  rent  ilTuing  out  of  an  ancient  farm  of  the  city  of 

Briftol  granted  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty   at  per   annum 

(being  paid    for  the   fee  of  the   city   and    its   fuburbs,  gates, 

ditches,  walls,  the  rents  of  the  flefh  fhambles  there,    fhops, 

mills,    waters   running    to    the  mills,    tolls,  courts,    fairs  &c. 

which  farm  was  granted  i  Edward  4th  12th  Feb.)  -       142   10     o 

The  falc  of  the  afore-mentioned  fee-farm  rents  were  contraQed  for  betwixt 
the  city  and  the  crown  30th  Auguft  1671.  viz.  2I.  7s.  xd^.  per  annum: 
il.  13s.  4d.  perannum:  3I.  10s.  gTd.  per  annum  :  2I.  3s.  4d.  per  annum: 
and  the  20I.  per  annum,  at  fixtcen  years  and  half  purchafe,  and  for  the 
thirty  three  {hillings  and  four  pence  per  anniun,  the  4s.  per  annum, 
14I.  18s.  2d.  per  annum,  the  141.  10s.  perannum:  and  the  41I.  3s.  5d. 
per  annum,  at  fixteen  years  purchafe,  —  and  for  the  reverfion  after  the  Queen 
of  the  rents  of  40I.  os.  od.  perannum:  and  142I.  10s  per  annum,  at  eight 
years  purchafe.  The  clear  money  paid  was  3024I.  15s.  id.  though  the  rate 
of  the  particulars  aforementioned  at  the  rates  expreffed  is  £  3078  6  2 
Deduft  intereft  for  one  moiety  for  139  days  from  the  9th 

November  1671,  at  the  rate  often  per  Cent,  &c.     -         _         53    11      1 

The  clear  purchafe  of  the  whole         _____     3024   15      1 

A  purchafe  fo  well  judged  by  the  governing  members  of  the  city  at  that 
time,  that  they  cannot  but  be  greatly  applauded  for  it  by  tiieir  fucceffors  at 
this  day,  as  by  clearing  the  city  lands  from  the  incumbrance  of  ground  rents 
payable  to  the  crown,  it  has  rendred  thefe  eflatcs  they  purchafcd  very  rea- 
fonable  at  firft  of  the  crown  in  Henry  8th's  time  much  more  valuable  now  ; 
and  has  enabled  the  corporation  to  found  hofpitals,  increafe  almfhoufes,  im- 
prove their  original  endowments  and  render  the  public  ch.arities  more  ex- 
tenfive,  and  employ  larger  fums  of  the  public  money  to  public  ufes  and  the 
beneficial  advantage  and  emolument  of  the  citizens.  Bcfides  thcfe  great 
eftates  the  corporation  are  poffefFcd  of  the  manour  of  Burnet  in  the  county 
of  Somerfet,  by  the  gift  of  the  good  and  truly  charitable  Mr.  Alderman 
Whitfon,  for  the  perpetual  fupport  and  education  of  poor  girls,  and  eretling 
a  fchool  called  the  Red  Maids  School;  they  have  alio  eftates  at  Wefton  in 
Cordano  in  the  county  of  Somerfet ;  at  ITiiiton  Derham  and  Winterbornc 
in  the  county  of  Cloceftcr;  at  Portifticad  in  the  county  of  Somerfet;  at 
Congerfl)ury  the  manor  ;  at  Ovcrftowey  and  Stockland-Briftol  in  Somcrfct- 
fhire;  the  manor  of  Gaunls  Ercot  and  the  Lea;  lands  in  Staplcton,  Portbufy, 

Alhton, 


C    13G   ] 

Afliton,  Briflington,  and  at  many  other  places  as  veil  diflant  from  as  near  to 
the  city;  and  an  infinite  number  of  houfcs,  lands,  &c.  within  the  city  itfelf 
and  in  the  fuburbs,  the  market,  the  whole  of  Queen-fquare,  Prince's-ftreet, 
part  of  College-green,  all  Orchard-ftreet,  <&:c.  all  which  are  leafed  out  on 
lives,  paying  ground  rents,  &c.  befidcs  fcveral  eftates  in  hand,  ground  rents, 
and  rents  from  all  the  ftandings  in  the  fcveral  markets,  &c.  As  thefe  were 
given  in  truft  for  charitable  ufcs  and  common  profit  of  the  city,  they  will  be 
noted  more  particularly,  and  each  endowment  given,  in  the  parifli  where 
thofe  charities  are  eftabliflied ;  or  in  the  annals,  under  the  year  when  they 
■were  beftowed  on  the  city. 

The  following  is  a  fhort  fcheme  only  of  the  general  charities  that  have  been 
cRabliflied,  and  agreed  on  as  payable  yearly  by  the  chamberlain,  bcfides  the 
larger  foundations  for  the  fupport  of  fchools,  hofpitals,  and  others,  hereafter 
to  be  particularized. 

In    1737,   on  the    14th   of  December,  an  order  of  common   council   was 
made  for  a  committee   to  infpeQ  and  examine  into  the  feveral  charities  given 
to  the  chamber,  and  payable  by  them,  and  for  which  they  (land  in  truft. 
The  firfl  fitting,  December  16,   1737,  Nathaniel  Day,  mayor. 
The  laft  fitting  was  Augufi;    17,   1739,  William  JefFeries,  ditto. 
1566.   Sir  Thomas  White's  gift,  in  the  year  1738   produced,  to 
be  lent  to  burgeffes,  50 1.   each,  for  ten  years,  intercft; 
free,  on   fecurity  ;   clothiers  and  cloth-workers  to   be        /.        s.    d. 
preferred,  _  _  _  _  -         1400     o     o 

1579-  Jo^"""  Heydon,  tool,  to  two  merchants  for  four  years,  pay- 
ing 1 1.  13  s.  4d.  each  for  intercft,  to  be  given  the  pri- 
foners  in  Newgate.  -  -  -  -100     00 

1532.   Robert  Thorn,  500 1.  to  clothiers  and  others,  who  fct  the 
the   poor   at  work,  50 1.   each,  for  ten  years,    intercft 
free.  .__.--  500     o     o 

1634.   Alderman  Robert  Aldworth,   loool.   to  thofe   who  fet  the 

poor  at  work,  50 1.  each,  for  ten  years,  intercft  free.       1000     o     o 
1634.  George  White,    200I.    20I.    each  to    ten  men,    for  ten 

years;  clothiers  to  be  preferred.  -  -  200     o     o 

1627.  Alderman  John  Whitfon,  500I.  250I.  to  five  young  men, 
being  mccr  merchants,  for  fovcn  years,  los.  a  year 
intercft  to  the  poor  of  St.  Nicholas  parifti  in  Briftol  ; 
and  250 1.  to  handicraft  tradcfmcn,  inhabitants  and  free- 
men of  Briftol,  for  fcven  years,  intercft  free.  -        500     o     o 

Alder- 


C     ^37    ] 

Alderman  Robert  Rogers,  lool.  to  ten  burgcfles,  for  five       /.      s.     d. 
years,  interefl.  free ;  foap-boilers  to  be  preferred.  loo     o     o 

1627.   John  Dunfler,   lool.  to  ten  handicraftfmcn,  free  burgefTes, 

for  five  years,  interell  free.  -  -  -  100     o     o 

1623.  Thomas  Jones's  executors  paid  380 1.  20I.  a  piece  to  free- 
men, for  fix  years.  _  -  -  -  380     o     o 

1594.  Alderman  Robert  Kitchen,  125I.  to  five  merchants,  25 1. 
each,  for  five  years,  interefl:  free;  and  250I.  to  free- 
men, by  5I.  and  lol.  each,  for  five  years,  interefl;  free.     375     00 

1651.  Robert  Redwood's  executors  paid  250I.   lol.  to  burgeffes, 

for  five  years.  -  -  -  -  250     o     o 

i6i6.    Dr.  James,  50I.  to  five  burgefTes,  for  two  years,  interefl; 

free.         -  -  -  -  -  -  50     00 

1629.  Alderman  Doughty,   lOol.   to  ten  handicraftfmen,  for  five 

years,  intereil  free,  -  -  -  -100     00 

Margaret  Brown,  ten  pounds.  -  -  -  10     o     o 

£  4965    o    " 

Thefe  are  the  benefaftions  of  the  loan  money,  *  and  the  meetings  to  receive 
petitions  from  the  burgefles  for  it  are,  the  fecond  Tuefday  in  October,  fecond 
Tuefday  in  January,  fecond  Tuefday  ih.  April,  and  the  fecond  Tuefday  in 

July. 

In   a  manufcript  wrote  in   1746,  and   copied  from  the  Council-books,  the 
following  are  the  yearly  payments  to   be  made  by  the  chamber  of  Briftol^ 
viz. 
Sir  Thomas  White,  to  twenty-four  corporations,  to  each  yearly 

in  rotation,  _  _  _  _  - 

Humphrey  Brown,  to  Weftbury  parifli,  _  -  - 

To  Iron  ACton,  _  -  - 

To  St.  Werburgh's,  for  four  fermons,  - 

To  St.  Nicholas,  for  a  lefture, 
Abel  Kitchen,  for  apprenticing  poor  boys. 

To  All  Saints'  church,  -  -  - 

To  Temple,  -  ..  _  - 

To  Chrift  Church,  .  _  -  - 

ToWeflbury,  _  _  -  - 

To  the  vicar  of  Kendal,  for  a  fermon,      - 
To  the  vicar  of  St.  Stephen's,  one  Sunday  in  Lent, 

S  Robert 

*  A  tabic  of  this  loan  money  was  fixed  up  in  tlic  Council-houfe  in  the  year  1 738, 


/. 

s. 

d 

104 

0 

0 

2 

10 

0 

0 

10 

0 

2 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

14 

0 

0 

3 

6 

8 

3 

2 

0 

3 

18 

0 

0 

13 

4 

0 

10 

0 

0 

10 

0 

C     ^38     ] 

Robert  Kitchen,  to  pariflics,  viz.   St.  Stephen, 

Manport, 

All  Saints,      -  - 

St.  Nicholas, 

St.  Peter, 

St.  Ewen's, 

St.  AuguQin, 

St.  Thomas, 

St.  Philip's, 

Temple, 

RedclifF,        -  _  _ 

St.  James, 

St.  Michael's, 

St.  John's, 

St.  Leonard's, 

St.  Werburgh's, 

Chrifl  Church, 
William  Chcfler,  to  the  poor  of  St.  John's,     -  _  - 

To  the  almfhoufe  on  St.  James's-back, 
Thomas  White,  to  almflioufes  of  St.  John,  St.  Thomas,  St.  Mi- 
chael, Lewin's-mead,  4  s.  each  per  month,  is  by  the  year. 

To  St.  John's  conduit,  _  _  _ 

All  Saints'  ditto,  -  _  _ 

To  Newgate  prifoners,  _  .  . 

George  White,  to  the  prifoners  in  Nev/gate, 

To  a  fcholar  in  Oxford,  _  _  _ 

J.  Heydon,  to  the  prifoners  in  Newgate,         _  .  _ 

Alderman  Aldworth,  ditto,  _  _  _  _ 

Alderman  Haviland,  for  twelve  fermons  in  Newgate, 
Mr.  Lambert,  to  the  hofpital  of  Trinity,      _  -  - 

Joan  Ludlow,  to  the  almfhoufe  of  St,  Michael's, 
Mrs.  Wheatly,  to  All  Saints  almfhoufe,  Nov.  1. 


/. 

s. 

d. 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

10 

0 

1 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1 

10 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

2 

0 

0 

7 

16 

0 

0 

4 

0 

9 

12 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

1 

8 

5 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

3 

6 

8 

1 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

0 

16 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

Paid  yearly  by  the  corporation  for  charities  and  fermons,  Sic.  £224     6     4 

Thefe  annual  general  charities  were  cftablifhed  by  the  committee,  whofe 
meeting  ended  1739,  ''^  were  all  thofe  that  are  marked  with  an  aftcrifli  (*) 
in  the  lift  of  wills  and  in  the  enfuing  jnnals  to  be  given  below. 

In 


C     »39    ] 

In  1620,  18th  OQober,  it  was  agreed,  that  "in  lieu  of  charities  which  could 
not  now  be  rcdored  to  their  right  firll  intended  ufe,  50 1,  per  annum  was  or- 
dered to  be  always  given  to  place  out  burgcfTes'  children,  and  lol.  per  annum 
to  buy  coals  for  the  poor;  and  in  1622,  a  quarter  part  of  the  faid  50I.  was 
to  be  applied  for  placing  out  poor  girls,  and  in  1626  a  quarter  part  to  Bride- 
well prifoners."  In  1634,  61.  per  annum  was  agreed  to  be  paid  yearly  to 
maimed  foldiers  and  other  impotent  perfons,  out  of  Codrington's  lands  in 
Portifhead. 

Many  of  Robert  Thorn's  gifts  do  not  relate  to  thefe  times,  becaufe  applied 
before,  according  to  the  donor's  will ;  fo  alfo  thofe  of  Nicholas  Thorn. 

In  1625,  the  mayor,  J.  Barker,  Alderman  Whitfon,  and  others,  were  ap- 
pointed to  caufe  a  table  of  benefaftors  to  be  made,  and  fct  up  in  fome  con- 
venient place  or  in  the  council  chamber. 

In  the  year  1659,  6th  Jan.  it  was  ordered  in  the  Common  Council  Book,  No.  K 
6.  that,  "  whereas  feveral  fums  of  gift  money  have  been  applied  by  the  cham- 
ber to  different  ufes,  the  committee  of  the  faid  gift  money  do  appoint  what 
feals  of  the  city  or  of  the  chamberlain  fliould  pafs  for  fuch  monies  as  did  pro- 
perly belong  to  each  feveral  donation  and  fettlement  of  the  worthy  benefac- 
tors to  pious  ufcs,  to  the  end  the  city  may  be  fully  engaged  to  make  the 
fame  good  again."  So  confcientioufly  exa8;  and  fcrupuloudy  honeft  were 
they  in  applying  the  money  and  eftates  left  to  the  city's  ufe,  according  to  the 
wills  of  the  refpeftive  donors ! 

In  the  year  1677,  5th  May,  order  was  made,  "  that  1300I.  of  gift  money 
Alderman  Lawford  then  acknowledged  to  be  in  his  hands,  and  that  other 
monies  upon  that  account  in  his  cuftody,  be  received  by  the  chamberlain,  and 
be  put  into  a  cheft  with  four  locks  and  keys,  and  Mr.  Mayor  with  three  other 
of  the  aldermen  be  clavigcrs  ;  other  clavigcrs  in  fucceffion  to  be  eleQcd  on 
the  general  day  of  election  of  the  mayor  and  other  officers,  which  clavigcrs  are 
to  difpofe  of  the  monies."  L.  p.  101. 

Oftober  13,  1659.  The  following  order  appears  in  the  Council  Books, 
I.  I.  p.  115,  "  whereas  there  appeared  to  be  a  fudden  occafion  for  the  mayor 
and  aldermen  to  be  fatisfied  and  informed  as  to  the  foundations,  conflitutions, 
orders,  and  ftatutcs  of  the  refpeftive  hofpitals,  and  of  the  lands  rents  and 
revenues  belonging  to  them  ;  it  is  ordered,  that  a  committee,  with  the 
mayor  and  two  aldermen  clavigcrs  and  town  clerk,  fearch  into  the  refpeflivc 
charters  records  and  evidences  relating  thereto,  and  draw  up  their  fenti- 
ments  in  writing."  And  in  1680,  31(1  Charles  2d.  5th  of  February,  the  fol- 
lowing entry  is  made  :    "  \\'hcreas  there    is   an  ad  of   parliament  of  the 

S  2  39th 


[     140    ] 

39th  Elizabeth  whereby  the  mayor  and  aldermen,  or  any  four  of  them,  the 
recorder  and  mayor  to  be  two,  are  made  fpecial  governors  and  vifitors 
over  all  monies  goods  and  other  things  given  to  charitable  ufes  within 
the  city  by  any  perfon,  and  to  make  orders  for  the  due  employing  the  fame 
and  to  compel  all  perfons  to  yield  obedience  thereto,  notwithftanding 
which  the  fame  is  not  obeyed  :  but  in  regard  other  perfons  have  taken  out 
commiffions  and  do  aft  contrary  to  the  faid  ftatute ;  it  was  therefore  enabled 
that  Mr.  Recorder,  Sir  John  Knight  and  Sir  Robert  Cann  take  care  to  pre- 
ferve  the  rights  and  privileges  granted  by  the  faid  a£l,  and  to  oppofe  all  pro- 
ceedings againft  it. 

The  ground  rents  referved  both  of  the  city  and  country  eflates  belong- 
ing to  the  chamber  of  Briftol  given  for  charitable  ufes  and  the  common 
profit  of  the  city,  are  upwards  of  3000I.  per  annum,  and  including  the  rents 
of  the  market-houfes  and  (landings,  fome  eflates  in  hand  not  leafed  off, 
with  the  great  additional  income  arifing  from  fines  and  for  renewals  of  leafes 
upon  lives  continually  dropping  in  fuch  a  number  of  eflates  fmall  and  large 
as  they  are  poffeffed  of,  the  whole  amounts  to  above  io,oool.  per  annum: 
in  the  year  1778,  all  their  eflates  and  rents  produced  14,000!.  per  annum, 
though  their  produce  mufl  vary  greatly  at  different  times. 

Enabled  with  thefe  large  eflates  this  opulent  corporation  have  not  been 
wanting,  befides  the  above  flanding  annual  difburfcments  and  others  for  the 
public  charities,  &c.  in  expending  large  funis  for  the  general  good  of  the 
city  and  better  accommodation  of  the  citizens ;  particularly,  they  have  pur- 
chafed  ground  and  builded  thereon  a  new  Exchange  and  erefled  a  new  Market 
behind  it  at  an  expence  of  more  than  50,0001.  befides  doing  other  public 
works  occafionally  to  be  recited  hereafter  to  their  honour. 

Great  and  numerous  are  the  charities  in  the  difpofal  and  management  of 
the  mayor  and  aldermen,  yet  the  poor  of  the  city  for  their  weekly  fupport  are 
under  the  immediate  rule  of  the  governor  deputy  governor  afTiflants  and 
guardians  of  the  poor  incorporated  by  a6l  of  parliament,  of  which  fee  in  St. 
Peter's  parifh  below. — But  befides  the  mayor,  aldermen  and  common-council 
of  which  the  corporation  confid,  and  who  form  the  civil  government  of  the 
city  (a  regular  lifl  of  whom  from  the'earliefl  time  will  be  given  below  in  the 
annals)  there  are  others,  who  refieft  an  honour  upon  the  city  by  their  diflin- 
guifiicd  office,  namely  the  members  of  parliament,  chofen  and  fent  up  by  the 
fuffrages  of  the  freemen  to  watch  over  their  liberties  and  to  tranfaft  the  na- 
tional bufincfs  and  thofc  affairs  the  city  may  be  particularly  interefled  in. 

Briflol  was  a  borough  at  the  Conqueft,  before  Mcnry  ifl's  time,  as  appears 
by  a  charter  of  his  without  date,  wherein  the  inhabitants  are  filled  by  the 

name 


^ 


^ 


V 


C    111    ] 

name  of  bvirgeTes,  and  in  tlie  records  of  the  city  is  ftill  extant  a  manufcript 
kaleiidar  compiled  by  Mr.  Ricaut  in  Edward  ^th's  time,  wherein  it  is  affirmed  to 
be  held  of  the  crown  in  frank  burgage,  and  to  have  enjoyed  "  its  fraunchifes 
lybertyes  and  auntiaunte  free  cuftoms  time  out  of  mind  as  the  city  of  London ; 
and  confequently  to  have  its  faid  liberties  confirmed  by  Magna  Charta  as 
London  and  other  enfraunchifed  places  had."  On  which  account  Mr.  Ricaut 
at  the  end  of  the  kalendar  has  for  the  ufe  of  the  magiflrates  exhibited  ano- 
ther valuable  manufcript,  being  a  true  copy  of  the  cuftoms  of  London,  con- 
tained in  a  book  belonging  to  Henry  Dravey  who  in  the  time  of  King  Edward 
3d.  was  recorder  of  that  city.  It  is  alfo  to  be  noted,  that  in  the  privileges 
granted  to  Briftol  by  many  of  our  kings,  it  is  declared  that  the  city  fhould 
enjoy  the  fame  in  as  ample  manner  as  London  itfelf.  But  that  it  was  a  bo- 
rough before  any  of  the  charters  have  mentioned,  fome  words  contained 
in  thofe  of  King  Henry  and  King  John  prove  ;  who  while  Earl  of  Moreton 
only  enlarged  the  privileges  of  it :  and  it  was  afterwards  made  one  town 
incorporate  by  RedclifF  and  Briftol  being  united,  before  which  time  the  two 
parts  of  the  town  were  under  the  rule  and  dire6lion  of  the  fheriffs  and  officers 
of  its  proper  counties  Glocefter  and  Somerfet,  and  fubjefl  to  the  juftices  of 
affize  and  King's  minifters  there,  as  other  boroughs  were.  It  had  alfo  its 
guilds  in  early  times  ;  King  John's  charter  taking  notice  of  them  as  if  very 
flourifliing  then  and  moft  probably  before  the  Norman's  arrival ;  when  it  was 
governed  by  it:  own  lords  or  thanes,  like  the  German  Burgraves:  fo  that  it 
may  be  concluded,  Briftol  in  the  Saxon  and  Norman  times  had  its  lords, 
thanes,  or  earls  (comites,)  under  whofe  cftablifliment  were  appointed  prepo- 
fitors  ;  and  this  form  of  magiftracy  continued  till  the  ift  of  Henry  3d.  as 
before  mentioned-  The  great  privileges  granted  by  the  charters-  of  feveral 
Kings  both  with  refpecl  to  appointing  its  own  officers  for  the  civil  govern- 
ment of  the  city  as  well  as  the  liberties  and  advantages  it  has  enjoyed  thereby 
for  repairing  and  improving  the  town  from  time  to  time  will  fully  appear 
by  confulting  the  letters  patent  and  charters  themfclves,  which  will  be  in- 
ferted  in  the  fubfequent  annals  of  the  city  under  the  year  in  which  the  feveral 
grants  were  made. 

Briftol  being  thus  an  ancient  borough  and  town-corporate,  it  font  very 
early  two  burgefl"es  to  the  great  council  or  parliament  of  the  kingdom  by 
ancient  prefcription,  though  then  called  a  burgh  or  borough,  (yet,  of  great 
note,  trade,  antiquity,  wealth  and  renown)  having  liberties  and  officers 
within  itfelf:  thefe  two  men  were  chofen  formerly  by  the  corporation  and 
freeholders   of  40s,  per  annum   rcfiding  in  the  place  and  by  the  principal 

merchants 


[  112  ] 

merchants  (Com-burgenfes,  fellow-burgefTcs)  inhabiting  M'ithin  its  walls,  ai 
appears  by  fome  ancient  returns  that  were  tlicn  made:  and  in  the  by-laws 
of  the  corporation  in  the  time  of  Jolin  Barker  merchant,  mayor,  ifl  Charles 
ift  ;  it  is  cnaQed,  "  that  whenfocvcr  any  writ  for  elcftion  of  knights,  citizens 
or  burgefTcs  for  the  parliament,  fliall  come  to  the  flicrifFs  of  this  city,  the 
cle8:ion  Ihall  be  made  by  the  mayor,  aldermen  and  common  council  for  the 
time  being,  and  by  the  free-holders  refident  within  the  faid  city  and  by  none 
elfe;"  and  it  would  certainly  prevent  much  riot  confufion  and  expence,  had 
it  taken  place  and  thus  continued.  Thefe  when  chofcn  were  to  anfwer  as 
knights  of  the  county  and  burgeffes  of  the  town  and  borough  of  Rriftol.  But 
fince  the  reftoration  the  returns  often  mention  the  election  to  be  made  by 
the  citizens  at  large  to  the  number  of  2000  and  upwards,  and  the  right  of 
election  is  now  and  has  been  (as  far  as  the  memory  of  man  can  goj  in  the 
mayor,  aldermen,  common-council  and  all  the  burgeffes  (except  fuch  as  re- 
ceive public  relief  from  parifhes  or  almflioufes)  and  all  the  free-holders  of 
the  county  of  Briftol  qualified  according  to  law.  This  was  the  right  univer- 
fallv  agreed  on  at  the  many,  too  many  conteftcd  eleflions  in  1679,  1680, 
1689,  1695,  1705,  1710,  1713,  1714,  1721,  1727,  1734,  1739,  1754, 
1758,  17741  1780,  &c.  and  fo  continues ;  and  each  freeman's  vote  is  regu- 
larly fcrutinized  by  obliging  him  to  produce  the  copy  of  his  freedom  and 
putting  him  to  his  oath  as  well  as  every  free-holder,  if  required.  Ilcncc  a 
general  ele£lion  of  members  here  produces  fuch  riot  diflurbances  and  trouble 
and  is  attended  often  with  fuch  rancour  and  animofity  between  neighbours, 
as  perhaps  will  not  fometimes  quite  fubfide  before  the  return  of  another 
eleClion.  So  that  party  is  faid  here  to  have  been  carried,  unhappily  carried 
to  as  high  a  pitch  as  in  any  place  in  England,  and  the  long  lift  above 
of  contefted  eleftions  in  fo  fmall  a  compafs  of  years  is  a  lamentable  but  too 
convincing  proof  of  it  ;  though  at  prefent  this  party  zeal  begins  to  abate 
and  a  more  prudent,  and  temperate  way  of  thinking  to  take  place. 

Briftol  being  anciently  parcel  of  the  county  of  Glocefter,  the  flieriff  of 
that  county  ufed  to  iffue  his  precept  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  to  eleft 
two  burgeftes,  who  were  returned  by  the  two  fticriffs  of  Glocefter  and  the 
return  endorfed  on  the  back  of  the  writ  by  the  faid  ftieriffs  thus,  "  No- 
mina Burgenfium  pro  Comniunitatibus  Burgi  Briftoliae  clcQorum  eftbnd  :  ad 
diftum  parliamentum  Walterus  Derby,  Johannes  Stoke."  Thefe  were  the 
laft  burgeftes  for  Briftol,  that  were  returned  by  the  ftieriffs  of  Glocefter 
46th  Edward  3d.  anno  1372. 

The 


r  143  ] 

The  following  is  the  original  form  by  the  fherifF  of  Gloceftcrfhire,  1314, 
the  8th  of  Edward  3d.  apud  Spalding  on  the  dorfe  of  the  writ :  "  Quod  venire 
facias  duos  burgenfes  de  villa  Briftol,  iftud  breve  retornatum  fuit  cuftodi  li- 
bertatis  \\\\x  BriRol,  qui  fie  mihi  refpondebat  :  Eligere  feci  Robertum 
Wildemarfhe  et  Thomam  le  Efpoter  elfend.  ad  parliamentuni  apud  Weflm, 
in  Otiabus  St.  Hillarii,  qui  manucaptores  efTend.  ad  diem  et  locum  prse- 
diftos  invenirc  recufarunt,  per  quod  propter  eorum  vim,  malitiam  et  refift- 
entiam  de  executione  iftius  mandati  ulterius  facienda  intermittere  non  potui." 
Thefe  Briftol  burgeflcs,  refufing  to  find  manucaptors,  put  the  fheriff  of  Gloce- 
ftcrfhire to  a  nonplus. 

The  firft  writ  iffued  to  the  fheriffs  of  Briftol  for  cle£ling  burgcftes,  after  it 
was  made  a  county  within  itfelf,  is  the  following,  which  as  it  is  curious  and 
directs  the  qualifications  of  the  members  to  be  chofen,  and  was  difcovered  in 
the  White  Tower  and  formerly  unknown,  I  fliall  fubjoin,  tranflating  it  into 
Englifti  : 

*•  Edvardus,  Dei  gratia,  &:c." 

"  Edward,  by  the  grace  of  God,  &:c.  to  the  fherifF  of  Briftol  wiflieth 
health.  As  by  the  advice  of  our  council,  we  have  appointed  a  parlia- 
liament  to  be  held  at  Weftminfter,  on  the  morrow  of  Saint  Edward  the  king's 
day  next  to  come,  to  talk  and  treat  with  our  prelates  noblemen  and  chief 
men,  of  fome  difficult  and  urgent  bufineftes,  as  well  concerning  us  and  expe- 
diting our  war  and  the  right  of  us  and  our  crown  beyond  fea,  as  alfo  of  the 
ftate  and  defence  of  our  kingdom  of  England  and  of  the  Englifli  church  :  we 
command  you,  ftriftly  enjoining  it,  that  youcaufetobe  chofen  two  burgeftes 
of  the  forefaid  county  out  of  the  more  difcreet  and  more  fufficicnt  men,  who 
have  the  heft  knowledge  in  navigation  and  exercife  of  merchandize  ;  and  caufe 
them  to  come  to  the  place  and  at  the  time  appointed,  fo  that  the  faid  burgeftes 
may  have  full  and  fuSicient  powers  for  themfclves  and  the  community 
of  the  faid  county,  to  a8;  and  confcnt  to  thofe  things,  which  tlicn  may 
happen  to  be  ordained  (the  Lord  favouring  us)  by  the  Common  Council  of  this 
our  kingdom  in  the  bufinefs  aforefaid  :  fo  as  that  our  bufineftes  do  not  remain 
in  any  wife  undone,  through  a  defect  of  the  power  in  them,  or  through  an 
improper  choice  of  the  faid  burgeflTcs.  We  would  not  that  by  you  or  any 
other  flieriff"  of  our  kingdom,  any  one  ftiould  be  elcflcd  of  other  condition 
than  what  is  fpecified  above,  and  let  us  have  there  the  names  of  the  faid  bur- 
geftes and  this  brief.  Witnefs  myfelf,  at  Weftminfter,  the  4th  of  October, 
47th  year  of  our  reign  over  England." 

In 


[     114     ] 

On  the  dorfe  thereof  return  is  made  thus:  "  Virtute  iflius,  &c."  "  By  vir- 
tue of  this  brief  I  have  caufed  to  be  chofen  and  to  come  to  the  prefent  parlia- 
ment of  the  Lord  our  King  at  Wedniinfler,  on  the  morrow  of  St.  Edward's 
day  next,  two  burgeffes  of  the  more  difcreet  and  more  fufiFicient  men,  who  have 
the  befl  knowledge  of  navigation  and  merchandize,  viz.  AValter  Derby  and 
Thomas  Beaupine." 

To  omit  all  other  returns,  which  were  indorfed  on  the  writs  themfelvcs,  till 
12th  Henry  4th.  1410,  when  the  full  indenture  forBriftol  was  annexed  to  the 
writ  thus : 

"  Kjec  indentura  faBa,  &c." 

"  This  indenture,  made  between  John  Spyne,  flieriffof  Briftol,  on  the  one 
part,  and  T.  Young,  mayor  of  the  town  of  Briftol,  T.  Droys,  T.  Blunt, 
J.  Soly,  J.  Leiceftre,  J.  Sutton,  W.  Boulcy,  J.  Fifher,  W.  Frome,  W.  Bar- 
ret, &c.  &c.  of  the  fame  town,  on  the  other  part,  witneflcth,  that  by  virtue 
of  the  brief  of  the  Lord  the  King,  to  one  part  of  thcfe  indentures  annexed, 
in  a  meeting  held  atBriftol,  Monday  26th  day  of  Oftober,  13th  year  of  King 
Ilenrv  4th.  the  more  difcreet  and  more  fufficient  men  being  gathered  toge- 
lher,"^homas  Norton  and  David  Dudbroke,  merchants  and  burgeffes  of  the 
town  of  Brillol,  were  defied  to  be  in  the  parliament  to  be  held  b)'  the  king  at 
Weflminner,  on  the  morrow  of  All  Souls,  to  anfwcr  as  well  knights  for  the 
county  of  Briftol  as  burgeffes  for  the  faid  borough ;  which  faid  Thomas  and 
David,  being  prefent  at  the  elcftion  aforefaid,  were  forewarned  to  appear  to- 
gether in  the  faid  parliament  on  the  morrow  aforefaid,  with  the  confent  and 
affent  of  the  faid  mayor,  and  of  the  aforefaid  honefl  men  and  of  the  whole 
town  of  Briftol,  to  do  all  things  that  may  or  fhall  happen  to  be  ordained  in 
the  faid  parliament,  and  all  other  things  that  the  faid  brief  requires.  In  wit- 
nefs  whereof,  the  aforementioned  flieriff  and  the  faid  mayor,  and  all  the  ho- 
neft  men  above-named,  have  alternately  put  their  fcals  to  thefe  indentures, 
the  year  and  date  above-written." 

The  writs  and  indentures  were  nearly  verbatim  the  fame  till  about  the  25th 
year  of  Henry  6th.  1447,  which  were  both  enlarged  ;  the  former  by  inferting 
in  it  the  new  flatutes,  and  direfling  the  eleflion  to  be  made  by  the  "majority  of 
men  dwelling  in  the  fame  county,  who  have  a  freehold  of  forty  (hillings  a  year  at 
leaft  above  rcprifals,  and  refidents  there ;  and  giving  the  flieriff  power  to  exa- 
mine upon  oath  every  cleflor,  if  he  has  forty  fliillings  per  annum :  and  if  he 
make  a  return  contrary  to  this  ordinance,  the  judges  at  theaffize  were  to  make 
inquifition  into  the  matter,  and  if  the  fheriff  be  convicted,  he  fliall  incur  the 
penalty  of  100 1.  and  be  imprifoned  for  one  year  wiihout  bail ;  and  the  knights 

fo 


[     145    'J 

fo  returned  fliall  lofe  their  wages.  They  were  to  be  knights,  cfquircs,  or 
gentlemen,  none  of  low  degree ;  they  were  to  be  chofen  freely  and  indiffer- 
ently by  thofe  at  the  eleftion,  and  their  names  to  be  inferted  in  the  indenture 
between  the  ftierifF  and  eleflors :  and  fuch  ele£tion  being  diflinftly  and 
openly  made,  it  was  to  be  fealcd  with  his  and  their  feals,  and  returned  into 
Chancery,  annexed  to  the  brief.  The  eledion  being  finiflied,  an  indenture 
was  made  between  the  flieriffand  the  merchants  and  others  of  Brillol,  refiding 
and  dwelling  therein,  who  had  a  freeiiold  of  forty  {hillings  value  in  the  faid 
town  ;  the  members  being  Thomas  Young  and  John  Sharpe,  junior. 

The  following  is  a  tranflation  of  the   original    indenture    made    between 
John  Troyt  the  flierifF  and  the  eleftors  on  this  occafion  :    "  Haic   indentura 
facia,  &c."    i.e.    "  This   indenture,  made  at  Brillol  the  laft  day  of  January, 
in  the  25th  year  of  the  reign  of  Henry  the  fixth,  after  the  Conqueft,  between 
John    Troyt    flierifF  of  Brillol  on  one  part,    Richard   Fofler  mayor   of  the 
fame   town,  John   Burton,  John   Sharp,  Thomas   Halleway,    Clement  Bagot, 
William  Cannings,  John    Stanley,  John   Shepward,   &c.    &c.    burgefies  and 
merchants,  dwelling  and  refiding  in  the  town  of  Briftol,  each  of  whom  hath  a 
free  tenement  of  the  value  of  forty  fliillings  a  year  above  reprifals  in  the  fame 
town,  on  the  other  part,  witnefTeth,  that  by  virtue  of  the  brief  of  our  Lord  the 
King,  tacked  to  one  part  of  thefe  indentures,  in  full  court  held  at  Briftol, 
Monday   the  31ft  day  of  January  lafl;  pafl,  coUefting  the   more   difcreet  and 
more   fuflicient  burgeffes  of  the  town   of  Briftol,    Thomas   Youn  and    John 
Sharp  junior  of  the   fame  town,  merchants,  dwelling  and  refiding  in  the  faid 
town,  were  clcBed  to  be  in  the  parliament  of  our  Lord  the  King,  to  be  held 
at  Cambridge  on  the  feaft  of  St.  Scolaflica,  the  10th  day  of  February  next  en- 
fuing,  to  anfwer  in  parliament  as  well  as  knights  for  the  county  of  Briflol  as 
burgeffes  for  the  borough  and  town  aforefaid,  according  to  tlie  form  of  the 
charter  of  our  Lord  Edward  late  King  of  England,  progenitor  of  our  Lord  the 
King  who  now  is,  granted  to  the  burgeffes  of  the  town  aforefaid,  and  by   our 
Lord  the  King  now  confirmed,  and  according  to  the  form  of  a  certain  other 
ftatute   now  lately  publiflicd  and  enacted  in  the  8th  year  of  our  faid  Lord  the 
King,  likcwife  contained  in  the  faid  brief,  and  alfo  publiflied  in  the  ftatutes  in 
the  parliament  of  our  Lord  the  King  lafl  held  :  which  faid  Thomas  Young  and 
John  Sharp  have  been  forewarned  to  be  and  appear  at  the  aforefaid  parlia- 
ment, at  the  day  and  place  aforementioned,  with  the  affent  and  confent  of  the 
faid  mayor  and  honell  men  aforefaid,  who  had  the  greater  number  of  all  thofe 
who  can  fpend  forty  fhillings  clear  yearly  and  of  the  whole  ci^nimonalty  of  the 
town  aforefaid,  to  anfwer,  do,  and  confent  to  all  and  fingular  thofe  things 

T  which 


[     146    ] 

vhich  fliall  happen  to  be  ordained  in  tlie  faid  parliament,  and  all  and  fingular 
the  things  which  the  faid  brief  in  itfelf  demands  and  requires.  In  witnefs  of 
this,  as  well  the  aforefaid  fheriff  as  the  mayor  aforefaid  and  all  the  honefl  men 
aforefaid  have  fct  their  feals  to  thefe  prefents:  Given  at  Briftol  the  day  and 
year  afore-mentioned." 

They  were  all  returned  for  years  afterwards  in  the  fiimc  form,  and  the  right 
of  elcftion  the  fame.  Though  the  right  of  eledion  fince  the  Rcftoration  has 
been  diflerent  and  altered,  being  fince  that  time  veiled  in  all  the  burgeflbs  or 
freemen  at  large  (except  paupers)  and  in  freeholders  of  forty  fliillings  per  an- 
num, yet  the  wifdom  and  propriety  of  choofing  none  but  merchants  or  gentle- 
men, refiding  and  dwelling  within  the  city,  cannot  but  be  commended  as  a  fit 
example  for  our  future  imitation.  In  the  petition  of  the  corporation  for  re- 
newal of  their  charter,  1 4th  Charles  2d.  it  was  firfl  inferted,  that  the  parliament 
men  might  be  chofen  by  the  mayor  and  corporation  and  freeholders  offorty  fliil- 
lings per  annum  only,  but  the  claufc  was  not  thought  proper  by  counfel  at  law, 
and  fo  omitted. 

In  the  early  times  of  uncorrupt  fimplicity,  when  venality  was  not  known  nor 
praftifed,  it  appears  the  parliament  men  had  wages  allowed  them  by  their  con- 
Itituents,  for  their  trouble  and  independent  maintenance.  And  by  aft  of 
common  council,  in  the  time  of  A\'illiam  Canynges,  mayor,  28th  Henry  6th. 
it  was  ordained,  that  the  parliament  men  fliould  have  two  fliillings  and  no  more 
per  dav,  for  their  expences.  *  And  in  the  year  1520,  11th  Henry  8th.  it  was 
ordered  by  aft  of  common  council,  that  the  burgeffes  fcrving  in  parliament 
fhould  have  twenty   fliillings  paid   them  every   feffion.       Mayor's  Kalendar, 

P-139- 

In  the  reigns  of  Henry  3d.  and  Edward  ifl.  no  particular  fum  of  expences 

to  be  allowed  is  mentioned  in  the  writs,  only  in  general  that  "  the  community 
by  fuch  expences  be  not  burdened  too  much,"  ultra  modutn  hand  gravdur ;  but 
the  15th  Edward  2d.  particular  fums  began  to  be  allowed,  according  to  the 
quality  of  the  reprefcntatives.  Knights,  by  order,  had  three  fhillings  per  day 
each  ;  efquires,  though  returned  for  counties,  had  but  twenty  pence  per  day. 
In  the  16th  Edward  2d.  knights  had  four  fliillings  per  day,  efquires  returned 
for  counties,  cities,  or  boroughs,  two  fhillings;  but  19th  Edward  2d.  a  knight 
for  a  fiiire  had  four  fliillings,  an  efquire  for  a  fiiire  three  fliillings,  and  a  citizen 
or  burgefs  two  fliillings;  and  in  the  following  reign,  four  fliillings  became  the 
fettled  allowance  for  a  member  for  a  county,  and  two  fhillings  for  a  citizen  or 
burgefs. 

Thcfe 


L     117     ] 

Thefe  allowances  feem  to  be  very  mean,  but  when  it  is  confidered  that  the 
value  of  money  then  was  ten  or  twelve  times  what  it  is  now,  (wheat  being  then 
at  3d.  per  bufliel)  it  will  appear  quite  otherwife. 

How  are  the  times  now  altered  fince  thofe  days,  in  which  the  office  of 
member  of  parliament  was  thought  a  great  burden  ;  and  perfons  ele£led  were 
obliged  to  find  fureties  (called  manucaptors)  for  their  attendance,  and  were 
paid  their  expences  of  going  to  London  and  attending,  which  ufed  to  be  the 
fums  above-mentioned  !  And  no  more  was  allowed,  money  being  fo  fcarce 
and  provifions  fo  cheap  in  confequente,  as  appears  by  the  Chronic.  Pet.  p.  75. 
in  the  year   1336,  when  wheat  per  buflicl  was  only  3d.  —  a  fat  ox  fold  for 

6s.  8  d a  fat  fheep,   yd.  —  fix  pigeons,   id.  —  a  fat  goofe,  2d.  —  a  pig,   id. 

This  was  occafioned,  as  Knyghton  and  Fabian  obferve,  by  the  great  fcarcity 
of  money,  owing  to  the  wars  with  France  and  Scotland. 

But  how  greater  ftill  is  the  alteration  brought  about  by  time  in  this  refpeft 
now,  when  inftead  of  the  members  having  moderate  wages  allowed  them  to 
defray  their  expences  in  attending  parliament,  they  are  put  to  fo  much  trou- 
ble and  charge  in  treating  their  conftituents  to  procure  a  feat  for  even  a  little 
borough  ;  how  enormous  often  the  expence  has  been,  let  the  contefted  elefti- 
ons  for  cities  and  counties  fliew,  in  which  befides  the  rancour  and  ill  will 
kindled  amongft  neighbours  by  a  mifguided  zeal  and  party  fpirit,  rich  and 
refpeflabic  families  have  been  often  injured  if  not  ruined,  and  their  patrimo- 
nial eftates  incumbered. 

flow  much  thefe  eleftion  expences  have  increafed  in  a  few  years  (and  they 
are  ftill  increafing  through  the  kingdom)  the  following  account  ofdifburfe- 
ments  in  the  feveral  parifiies  in  Briftol  by  the  members  on  one  fide,  at  a  con- 
tefted election  in  the  year  1714,  will  prove  by  comparing  it  with  the  enormous 
films  that  are  now  advanced  and  expended  in  bringing  voters  from  the  moft 
diftant  parts  in  coaches,  and  treating  and  maintaining  them  all  during  any 
long  ele£lion  ;  and  there  has  been  fad  experience  of  too,  too  many  of  late, 
that  have  been  carried  on  at  the  fliameful  expence  of  more  than  ten  times 
the  fum  diftjurfed  on  this  occafion.  Blufli  !  ye  Britifti  eleftors,  who  boaft  of 
your  liberty  and  giving  a  free  vote,  uninfluenced  by  any  mean  confideration 
of  intereft  !  &:c.  who  yet  fo  evidently  do  corruptly  put  the  man  of  your  choice 
who  is  to  fervc  you  with  fidelity,  and  his  friends  to  a  moft  enormous  expence  ! 

Account  of  dift)urfcments  in  the  feveral  parifties  Szc.  in  the  city  of  Briftol 
in  the  eleCiion  of  Sir  William  Daines  and  Jofeph  Earlc,  Efq.  for  members  of 
parliament  for  the  faid  city  in  1714  : 

T  2  St. 


/. 

s. 

1 

St.  Auftin's, 

- 

48 

12 

X 

Chrift  Church, 

- 

64 

15 

2 

Caftle  pieciuBs, 

- 

72 

15 

1 

St.  John's, 

- 

35 

17 

6 

St.  James's, 

- 

347 

12 

3 

St.  Maiy  Port, 

- 

20 

1 

8 

St.  Michael's,     - 

- 

23 

13 

9 

St.  Nicholas, 

- 

68 

10 

2 

St.  Peter's, . 

- 

27 

6 

0 

St.  Phillip's, 

- 

207 

11 

11 

St.  Mary  RedclifF, 

- 

176 

0 

8 

St.  Stephen, 

- 

136 

3 

0 

St.  Thomas, 

- 

84 

4 

0 

Temple, 

- 

189 

4 

6 

St.  Werburgh's, 

- 

97 

2 

4 

Benny's  note  for  printing. 

27 

0 

0 

Woman's  note  under  the 

Guildhall  for  beer. 

» 

47 

17 

0 

J.  Bate's  for  bread 

and 

checfe. 

- 

2 

15 

9 

148  1 

T.  Gary's  dinjurfements. 
Woman's  note  at  the  Coun- 

cil-houfe  for  cheefc, 
Sundry  notes  for  knots, 
Jn.  Trapwell  for  meat  and 

drink, 
E.  Garlick's  difburfements. 
Aid.  Shuter's  ditto,     - 

Nalh  ditto, 

Whiting  ditto,    - 

Tho.  Gary  ditto. 


/.  s. 

5  10 

o  5 

78  18 


2 

13 
10 

29 

34 
132 

Edw.  Mountjoy  Efq;  ditto,  21 
Nath.  Carelefs  ditto,  -  30 
H.  Swyramer  Efq;  ditto,  70 
Law  charges  in  defend- 
ing againft  fevcnty  in- 
formations, -  1 08 
H.  Watts  Efq;  difb.  -  30 
J.  Belcher,          -         -  15 


1 

7 
o 

2 

7 
8 

4 
o 
o 


o 
o 
o 


d. 

o 

5 
10 

3 
o 

o 

8 

o 

2 
6 
o 
o 


o 
o 
o 


Total     2^2257     9     7 

More  than  twelve  times  this  fum  it  is  faid  was  expended  on  each  fide 
(wafted  rather)  at  a  late  contefted  eleftion  for  the  county  of  Glocefter  ;  and 
^low  much  for  the  city  of  Briftol  the  contending  parties  will  eafily  call  to  mind 
not  without  fome  regret  at  the  fhameful  profufion  and  cxpences  in  the  late 
ill-judged  groundlefs  contefts  and  unreafonablc  oppofitions :  etcuibono?  — 
O  civcs!  cives !  quas  tanta  infania  cepit! 

A  remedy  for  the  evils  and  enormous  expences  attending  on  contefted  po- 
pular ele£Hons  will,  it  is  much  to  be  lamented,  remain  a  long  while  among 
thole  things,  that  are  devoutly  to  be  wifticd  but  with  difficulty  ever  to  be  attained 
in  this  age  of  venality  licentioufnefs  and  want  of  virtue  public  and  private 
among  the  infatuated  common  people  of  this  land.  The  remedy  ftiould  be 
fo  calculated  as  to  aflFecl  the  head,  to  ftop  this  influence  of  corruption  in 
the  lower  members.  * 

The 

•  As  each  member  before  he  takes  his  feat  in  parliament  is  obhged  to  fwear  to  his  qualification, 
to  a  certain  real  cftatc  he  is  truly  and  bona  fide  poffeffed  of,  fo  it  were  to  be  wifhed,  a  proper  oath 
rnigHt  be  adminiftcrcd  to  him  at  the  lame  time,  that  he  has  not  given  any  money,  treat,  gratuity 
whatever,  place  or  pcnfionor.  promifc  of  fuch  to  any  freeman  or  freeholder  by  himfelf  orany  agent 
on  his  behalf  for  or  towards  obtaining  his  feat  in  parliament,  not  unlike  the  oath  againR  fimony 


[     1-19    ] 


The  following  is  a  lift  of  fuch  members  from  the  23d.  of  Edward  the  ift. 
1295,  who  were  returned  to  the  parliament  for  the  borough-town  of  Briftol, 
whilft  part  of  Glocefterfliire,  the  return  being  then  made  by  the  fheriffs  of 
that  county  :  But  fince  it  has  been  fevered  from  that  county,  and  made  a 
county  within  itfelf,  the  47th  of  Edward  the  3d.  1373,  the  writs  of  fummons 
have  always  iffued  to,  and  been  returned  by  our  own  fheriffs.  For  this  end 
fundry  fpecial  returns,  fchedules  and  indentures  relating  to  the  eledion  of 
fuch  burgeffes  and  knights  (fo  far  as  any  records  arc  extant,  either  in  the 
Tower  of  London,  the  Rolls,  Petty-bag,  Crown-office  or  among  the  archives 
of  the  city  of  Briftol,  *)  have  been  confulted  and  examined. 

Farliaments  held  at  n      ■       r>  i  t- 

Kegis  Ldvardi    1. 

Weftminfter  John  de  Taverner,  alias  Tavern.  (+) 

York  John  de  Taverner,  J.  de  Cheddre. 

Lincoln  John  de  Malmefbury. 

London  BalliviLibertatis  nullum  mihidederuntrefponfum^ 

Weftminfter  J.  de  Wellifhot,  J.  Hafard.  (+) 

Weftminfter  Johanes  de  Taverner,    Rober.  de   Holherft.  (+) 
A  council  at  Weftminfter. 

Carlifle  GefFery  Comper,  Nich.   Coke,  (X) 

[King  Edward  tlie  1  ft.  died  the  •7th  July,  1307.J 


Regis  Edvardi   2. 

Weftminfter  Stephanus  de  Bellfmonte,  Robert  Martyn. 

London  Rich.  Colpeks,  Johes  Fraunceys. 

London  Johes  Fraunceys,  fenr.  Adam  Welliftiot. 

Windfor  Johes  de  Welleftoten,  Johes  Methelan. 

Woodftock  Hugo  de  Langebrugge,  Johes  de  Axebruggc. 

Weftminfter  Johes  Finreys,  Johes  Tropin. 

Robert 

that  they  have  impofcd  upon  the  clergy  mutatis  mutandis  :  and  it  is  hoped,  our  virtuous  Houfe 
of  Commons  will  one  day  pafs  fuch  an  aft,  which  would  prevent  the  riots,  blooddicd  and 
murders  now  not  umcommon  at  fome  popular  conteflcd  clcftions,  as  well  as  the  ruinous  cxpcn- 
ces  often  incurred  on  ihefe  occaP.ons,  to  the  great  diitrcfs  of  individuals  and  injury  of  families, 
who  for  years  after  do  not  retiivc  the  lofs  fuflaincd  thereby. 

*  Thole  marked   thus   (|)  were   communicated  by  the  great  antiquarian  Brown  Willis,  Efi^; 
an(l  i'-.(.fc  witli  this  mark  (*)  arc  from  the  archives  of  Briftol,  &c. 


A.R. 

A.   D. 

23 

1295 

26 

1298 

28 

1300 

30 

1302 

33 

1305 

34 

1306 

35 

1307 

2 

1309 

4 

1311 

5 

1312 

6 
6 

1313 

7 

1314 

[ 


150 


] 


A.  R. 

A  D. 

8 

1315 

12 

1319 

12 



15 

1322 

16 

1323 

19 

1326 

20 

1326 

1 

1 

1327 

1 

1 
2 

1328 

2 



4 
4 

6 

7 
8 

8 

9 

9 
10 

10 

11 


1330 

1332 
1333 
1334 

1335 

1336 

1337 


parliaments  licld   at 

Wcftminftcr 

York 
Weftminfler 

York 

Rippon 

Weftminfler 

Weftminftcr 


Weftminfler 


Lincoln,    Sep- 
tember 15 
Weftminftcr 
Nov.    1 3 
York 
New  Sarum 
Northampton 
5  Weftminfter 
Winton  at 

Eltham 
Weftminfter 

York 
Weftminfter 

York 
Weftminfter 

York 
Northampton 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


§  This  year  it  was  enafted,  that 
if  need  be. 


Robert  Wildemarfh,  Tho.  rlc  Efpoter, 
Tho.  dc  Salop,  Robert  de  Lincoln. 
Gilbert  Pokerell.  Richard  de  WodehuU.  (+) 
Williei  dc  ClifFe,  Johes  Fraunceys. 
Laurentius  Pincliard,  Tho.  de  Chiew. 
Jolies  de  Axebrugg,  Johes  dc  Fraunceys. 
Ballivi  nullum  dederunt  refponfum. 

[King  Fdward  the  2d.  was  dethroned  25th  of 
January  1326-7.J 

Regis   Edvardi    3. 

Edward  2d's.  parliament  was  ftill  fitting  at  "Weft- 
minfter, affifting  in  the  depofing  K.  Edward 
the  2d.  which  was  done  accordingly  25th  of 
January. 

Johes  dc  Axebrugg,  Johes  de  Romeney.  [See 
Rymer's  Fa:d.  tom.  iv.  p.  301. J 

The  fame  perfons. 

Rich.  Paves,   Hugo  le  Hunt. 
Walterus  de  Efpoter,  Johes  de  Brockworth. 
Johes  de  Axebrugg,  Hugo  le  Hunt.  (+) 
Hugo  le  Hunt,  Richard  le  Paves,  (*) 
Hugo  le  Hunt,  Johes  Fraunceys. 

Johes  de  Romfey,  Johes  de  Axebrugg. 

Johes  Sterry,  Johes  de  Strete. 

Robertus  Gyene.  (+) 

Johes  de  Ottery,  Johes  de  Strete.  (+) 

Robert  Gyene,  Johes  Fraunceys.   (+) 

Hugo  de  Langebrugg,  Johes  de  Strete. 

Johes  Fraunceys,  junr.   Tho.  Tropin. 

Robert  dc  Gyene,  Johes  Fraunceys.   (X) 

Everardus  de  Fraunceys,  Philipus  de  Torrrington. 

Gilbertus 
a  parliament  fliould  be  holden  once  in  ever)'  year,  or  oftencr 


[ 


151 


] 


I.  R. 

A.  D. 

11 

1337 

12 

1338 

12 



12 

— • 

13 

1339 

14 

1340 

14 

»5 

1341 

17 

1343 

20 

1346 

21 

1347 

22 

1348 

22 

24 

1350 

26 

1352 

27 

1353 

29 

1355 

31 

1357 

34 

1360 

34 

— 

36 

1362 

37 

I3S3 

38 

i3^i 

39 

1365 

4-2 

1368 

42 

43 

13^9 

45 

1371 

46 

1372 

47 

1373 

50 

1376 

Pailiamcnis  held  at 

Wcftminftcr 

York 
Northampton 
at  Walton 
WeRminflcr 
Weflminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Wcftminfter 
Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 
W^cftminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Wcftminfter 
Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminftcr 
Wcftminfter 
Wincheftcr 
Weftminftcr 


Wcftminfter 
Weftminftcr 


Johes  Covely,  Hugo  Albrighton.  (+) 
Gilbertus  Pcckerill,  Rich.  Woodhull.  (+) 
Everardus  le  Franceys,    Philipus  de  Torington. 

Everardus  le  Fraunceys,  Johes  dc  Strete.  (+) 
Everardus  le  Fraunceys,   Johes  de  Strete.  ('^) 
Jacobus  Tilley,  Tho.  Tropyn.  (+) 
Johes  le  Hunt,  Johes  de  Wellifhot. 
Rober.  Gycne,    Philipus  Torington. 
Johes  de  Axebrugg,  Johes  Fraunceys. 
Johes  Wicomb,  Johes  Nccl. 
Everardus  le  Fraunceys,  Johes  de  Strete. 
Evarardus  le  Fraunceys,  Johes  de  Strete. 
Everardus  le  Fraunceys,  Tho.   dc  Lodelow. 
Johes  Colyngton,  Johes  Seymour.   (+) 
Johes  Seymour,  (but  one  elcclcd.) 
Thomas  Babbcary,  Williel.  Coumb. 
Rich,  le  Spicer,  Reginaldus  le  French. 
Reginaldus  le  French,  Rich.  Brampton. 
Tho.  Babbcarey,  Galfridus  Beauflour. 
Reginaldus  le  French,  Williel.  Young. 
Walterus  Frampton,   Edwardus  Blanket. 
Johes  Serjeant,    Johes  Stoke.   (+) 
Williclmus  Hayl,  Williel.  Cannings. 
Williel.  Sommerwell,  Tho.  Denband- 
Johes  Bathe,  (upon  a  fummons  of  one  burgefs.) 
Rich.  Chamberlcyn,   Rich.  Sydenham. 
Johes  Chcddre,   Edmundus  Blanket. 
Johes  Bathe.     (A  council  held  there. 
Walterus  Derby,  Johes  Stoke. 

[All  thefc  burgeffes  for  Briftol  were  returned  by  the  fhcriff 
of  Gloccftcr.j 

Returned  by  ihcjheriffs  of  Brijlol. 
"\\'altcrus  Derby,  Tho.  Beaupinc. 
Elias  Spclly,  Tho.  Beaupinc. 

[King  Edward  3d.  died  the  21ft  of  June,  1377.] 


[  152  ] 


A.  R. 


5 
6 

7 

7 
8 

9 
15 
16 
20 


3 
8 

12 


A.  D. 

1379 
1382 

1383 
1384 

1385 
1386 
1392 

1393 
1397 


1400 
1402 

1407 
1411 


2 
3 

5 
8 

9 


1413 
1414 


1415 
1417 
1420 
1421 


Parliaments  held  at 

Glocefter 
Weflminfter 
WeflminRer 
New  Sarum 
Weftminfter 
Weflminfter 
Weftminfler 
Weftminfter 
Winchefter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
met  May  15 

Leicefter 
met  April  30 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Regis  Richardi  2. 

Tho.  Beaupine,  Walterus  de  Frampton, 
Elias  Spelly,  Johes  Stokys. 
Williel.  Cannings,  Johes  Candavell.  (+) 
Williel.  Cannings,  Williel.  Sommerwell, 
Johes  Cannings,  *  Williel.  Frome. 
Elias  Spelly,  Walterus  Dodyftill. 
Elias  Spelly,  Tho.  Knapp. 
Williel.  Frome,  Johes  Stephan)s. 
Tho.  Beaupine,  Johes  Stephanys. 
Williel.  Frome,  Johes  Banbury. 

[King  Richard  2d.  depofed  by  his  parliament 
Sept.  29,   1399.] 

Regis  Henrici  4. 

Tho.  Norton,  Rich.  Fannys. 
Tho.  Norton,  Johes  Boys. 
Johes  Droys,  Johes  Mewton. 
Tho.  Norton,  David  Dudbroke. 

[King   Henry  4th.   died  the   20th  of  March, 
1412-13.] 

Regis  Henrici  5. 
Tho.  Norton,  Johes  Leiceftre. 

Tho.  Young,  Johes  Spine.  (X) 

Thomas  Blount,  Johes  Clive. 
Robcr.  Ruftell,  Rober.  Colville. 
Tho.  Norton,    Johes  Burton. 
Tho.  Norton,  Johes  Spine. 
Marcus  Williams,  Rich.  Trenode. 

[King   Henry  5th.    died  the  31ft  of  Augufl, 
1422.]  Rcgii 

*  Son  of  William  Cannings, 


C  ^53    ] 


A.  R.   A.  D. 


1422 


3 
4 

5 
6 

7 

9 

11 

13 

15 
20 

25 

27 
28 

29 
31 
33 
38 
38 
38 


6 

7 
12 

17 

22 


1423 
1424 

1425 

1426 

1427 

1428 

1431 
1433 
M35 
1437 
1442 

»447 

1449 
1450 

H5' 

1453 

1455 
1460 


1466 
•  467 

1472 

1477 
1482 


Parliaments  held  at 

Weftminfler 
met  Nov.  9 
Weftminfter 
Weflminfter 
WeftminRer 
Weftminftcr 
Weftminfler 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Cambridge 
Weftminfter 
Canterbury 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 

Reading 
Weftminfter 

Coventry 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
met  Jan.  20 


Regis  Henrici  6. 
John  Burton,  Rogerus  Livedcn. 

John  Burton,  Rogerus  Liveden. 

Rich.  Trenode,  Walterus  Power. 

Henricus  Gildenay,   John  Langley.  (+) 

John  Burton,  Henricus  Gildenay. 

John  Burton,  Henricus  Gildenay.  (+) 

Rich.  Trenode,  John  Sharpe. 

Tho.  Fyftie,  Walterus  Power.  (+) 

Rober.  Ruftel,  Walterus  Power.  (+) 

Tho.  Fiftie,  Tho.  Young.  (+) 

Tho.  Young,  Tho.  Norton.   (+) 

Tho.  Young,  John  Sharp. 

Tho.  Young,  John  Sharp,  junr. 

Tho.  Young,  John  Sharp,  junr. 

Tho.  Young,  John  Sharp,  junr. 

Tho.  Young,   Willie!.  Cannings. 

John  Shipward,  merchant,    Johes  Bar)',  gent.  (+) 

Tho.  Young,  Williel.  Cannings. 

John  Shipward,  Phillipus  Meed. 

Tho.  Ruftcl,    John  Sharp,  junr. 

John  Shipward,  Philippus  Meed. 

[King  Henry  6th  was  depofed  by  the  following 
King,  the  4th  of  March  1460-61.] 

Regis  Edvardi  4. 

Williel.  Spencer,  John  Bagod, 
Williel.  Spencer,  John  Bagod.  (+) 
John  Twynyhoe,  John  Bagod. 
}ohn  Hawkins,  Edmund  Wcftcot. 
Edmund  Wcftcot,  Williel.  Wykam  (*j 

[King  Edward  the  4th.  died  the  9th  of  April 

1483-] 

U  Regis 


[  »54  ] 


A.  R.   A.  D. 


1484 


3 

5 

7 
11 

13 
21 


1485 
1487 

1489 

90 
1492 

1496 

1498 
1504 


10 
12 


Parliamenu  held   at 


Weftminfter 
Jan.  23. 


Weftminfter 

Nov.   7. 
Weftminfter 

Nov.  9. 
Weftminfter 

Jan.  13. 
Weftminfter 

January. 
Weftminfter 

Oa.  13. 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
Jan.  21. 

Weftminfter 
Jan.  15. 


Regis   Edvardi   5. 

There  was  no  parliament  during  this  King's 
reigUj  which  lafted  but  two  months  and  thir- 
teen days,  when  he  was  murdered  with  his 
brother  Richard  Duke  of  York  in  the  Tower 
of  London. 

Regis   Richardi  3. 

John  Twynyhoe,  Robert  Strange.  (*)  The  firft 
was  recorder  of  Briftol,   ift  Richard  3d. 

Regis  Henrici  7.    . 
John   Efterfield,  Robert  Strange.  (*) 

John   Efterfield,  Hen.  Vaughan.  (*) 

Williel.  Toker,  Johes  Fofter.  (*) 


Hen.  Vaughan,  Phillippus  Ringfton.  (*) 

Hen.  Dale,  The.  Snygg.  (*} 

[King  Henry  the  7th.  died  the    22d   of  April 
1509.] 

Regis  Henrici  8. 
Rich.  Vaughan,  Hen.  Dale.  (*) 

Tho.  Smyth,  Rich.  Hoby.   (*) 

Rober. 


C  ^55     ] 


A/R. 

6 


14 


20 


28 
33 


1 
6 


A.  D. 
1515 

1523 

1529 

'537 
1542 


Parliamtnts  held  at 

Weftminfler 

Jan.  3. 

Black  Friars, 

Lond.  Ap.  15. 

WeRminfter 

Nov.  3. 
Wcftmiiifter 

June  8. 
^^'ellmin{ler 


1547 


1&2 

2&3 

4&5 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
Oxford 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 


Rober.  Thorn,  Rich.  Hoby.  (*) 
Rich.  Abyngdon,  John  Shipman.  (*) 
Nicho.  Thorn,  Roger.  Coke.  (*) 

David  Croke,  Rober.  Ellyot.  (+) 

[King  Henry  the    8th.    died  the  28th  of  Jan. 
1546-7.] 

Regis  Edvardi   6. 

John  Walflie,  David  Harris.  (+) 

[King  Edward  the  6th.  died  July  6th,  1553.] 

Rfgince  Marice. 

John   Walftie,    Efq;    Recorder,    David     Harris, 

Gent.   (X) 
John  Walftie,  Efq;  Tho.  Lancedon.  (+) 

Regis  el  Regince  Philippi  et  Marice. 

John  Walftie,  Efq.   (+) 

John    Walfhe,    Efq;    Recorder,    Wm.     Chefter, 

Alderman.   (+) 
Willie!.  Tindal,  Robert.  Butler.  (+) 

[Queen  Mary  died  the  17th  of  Nov.  1538.] 


U  2 


Rennce 


C   ^56  ] 


A.R. 

1 

5 
9 
13 
14 
27 
28 

31 
35 


39 


43 


A.  D. 

1559 
1563 
1567 
1571 
1572 

I5S5 
1586 

1589 

1593 

1597 
1601 


12 
18 


1603 
1605 
1614 
1620 


16 


23 


1625 
1625 


Pafliaments  held  at 

Weflminfter 
Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 
Wefiminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 

Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
met  Jan.   20, 

1620-1. 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 
met  June  8. 
Weftminfter 
met  Feb.  6, 
1625-26. 


Regina:  Elizaheihce, 

John  Walftie,    Efq;  Williel.  Carr,  Efq.  (+) 
John  Walftie,   Efq;  Williel.  Carr,  Efq.  (+) 
Williel.  Carr,  Efq;  Tho.  Cheftre,  Efq.  (*) 
John  Popham,  Efq;  Recorder,  Phil.  Langley.  {*) 
John  Popham,  Efq;  Phillip  Langley.   (+) 
Tho.  Hannam,  Efq;  Recorder,  Rich.  Cole.  (+) 
Tho.  Hannam,  Efq;    Recorder,   Tho.  Aldworth, 

Efq.  C) 
Tho.    Hannam,  Efq;    Recorder,    Wm.  Salterne, 

Merchant.  (+) 
Tho.    Hannam,    Efq;  Recorder,  Richard  Cole, 

Alderman.  (+) 
George  Snygg,    Efq;  Recorder,  Thomas  James, 

Merchant.  (+) 
George  Snygg,    Efq;    Recorder,  John  Hopkins, 

Alderman.   (+) 

[Oueen  Elizabeth   died  the    24th  of  March, 
1602-3.J 

Regis   Jacoli, 

Geo.  Snygg,  Efq;  Tho.  James,  Efq.    (+) 
John  Whitfon,  Efq. 

John  Whitfon,  Efq;   Tho.  James,  Efq.   (+) 
John  Whitfon,  Efq;  John  Guy,  Alderman.    (+j 


John  Barker,  Efq;  John  Guy,  Efq.  (+) 
[Kingjames  the  ift.died  the  2  7th  of  March  1625.3 

Regis    CaroU  1. 
Nich.  Hide,  Efq;  John  Whitfon,  Efq.  (+) 

John  Whitfon,  Efq;  John  Doughty,  Efq.  (+) 


John 


[  ^bl  ] 


A.  R. 
3 

15 


17 


A.  D. 
1627 

1640 

1640 

1642 


1654 
1656 


1659 


Pjrliaments  held  at 

Weftminfter 
met  March  j  7. 

Weflrainfler 
met  April   13. 

Weftminfter 

met  Nov.  3. 

Weftminller 


Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


John  Doughty,  Efq;  John  Barker,  Merchant.  (+) 

J.  Glanvill,  Efq;  Recorder,  Hump.  Hook,  Efq;  (+) 

Mump.  Hook,  Efq;  Rich.  Long,  Alderman.  (+) 

Richard  Aldworth,  Efq;  counfellor  at  law,  Luke 
Hodges,  Efq;  (+) 

[5  King  Charles  the  ill.  was  murdered  by  his 
rebellious  fubjeQs  January  30th  1648-9.3 

King  Charles  2d.  began  Jan.  30. 

(a)  Miles  Jackfon,  Robt.  Aldworth,  (*) 
[h)  Robt.  Aldworth, John  Dodridge,  Recorder,  (*) 
Major  General     Defborough     in     the   room    of 
Dodridge  difplaced. 

Regis 


§  In  the  year  1653,  on  the  20th  of  April  the  Rump  parliament  was  turned  out  by  the  army  ; 
it  had  fat  twelve  years,  fix  months  and  fcventeen  days,  during  which  time,  viz.  on  the  30th  of 
January  1648-g,  by  an  aft  of  their  own  authority  they  caufed  his  facred  Majefty  King  Charles 
the  1  ft.  to  be  moft  barbaroully  murdered,  by  fevering  his  head  from  his  body  before  the  gates  of 
his  own  palace,  he  having  reigned  23  years  10  months  and  3  days.  King  Charles  the  2d.  his 
fon  began  his  reign  the  30th  of  Januar)',  on  which  day  the  regicides  had  murdered  his  father, 
although  the  regal  authority  did  not  take  place  until  the  happy  refloration  of  King  Charles  the 
sd.  in  the  year  1660. 

(a)  During  the  ftate  of  ufurpation  in  this  kingdom  were  the  following  proceedings,  in  what 
they  then  called  a  parliament,  viz.  on  the  12th  of  December  1653,  ^^'^  Speaker,  and 
Tnoftpart  of  the  members  left  the  houfe,  and  furrendered  their  power  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  who 
took  upon  him  the  ftyle  of  Protcftor.  —  On  the  10th  of  June  1654,  the  writs  bore  date  by  Oliver 
Cromwell's  authority,  for  calling  a  new  parliament  to  meet  at  Weftminfter  by  the  3d  of  Septem- 
ber following,  the  rcprcfentatives  that  were  chofen  for  Briftol  were  Miles  Jackfon.  and  Robert 
Aldworth,  (fee  Mr.  Baves's  manufcript,  and  many  others  ;)  this  parliament  was  diflblved  by 
Oliver  the  22d  of  January  1654-5. 

(ti)  On  the  3d  of  July  1656,  new  writs  were  iffued  out  to  call  a  parliament  at  Weftminfter  the 
»7th  of  September  following  ;  at  Briftol  were  chofen,  the  20th  of  Auguft,  Robert  Aldworth,  and 
John  Dodridge.  But  Major  General  Defborough  petitioning  the  parliament  againft  Dodridge, 
Cromwell  difplaced  him,  and  Dcftjorough  lat  with  Aldworth.  On  the  4th  of  February  1657-8 
Oliver  dilTolved  this  parliament ;  and  the  grand  ufurpcr's  death  happened  upon  the  day  of  his 
birth,  being  the  3d  of  September  following.     The  parliament  v.'hich  met  at  Weftminfter  the  7th 


[     ^58     ] 


A.  R, 


12 


13 


3" 
3» 
32 


A.  D. 

1660 
1661 

1678 


1679 
1680 
1680 


Parliaments  licld  at 


Weftminfter 

met  April  25. 

'\\'eft  minder 

met  May  8. 


Weftminfler 
met  March   6, 

1678-9. 
Weftminfter 

Oxford 
Weftminfler 


Rfgis  CaroU  2, 
Regular  Parliaments, 

[c)  J.  Stephens,  Efq;  Recorder,  J.  Knight,  fenr. 
Merchant.  (+) 

[d)  Sir  Humphrey  Hook,  and  Sir  J.  Knight,  Knts. 
Tho.  Earl,  Efq;  J.  Knight,   Efq;  (+)  —  A  double 

return  the  two  firft  members  were  continued 
and  fat  anno  1670. 
Sir  Robert  Cann,  Knt.  and  Bart.  Sir  J.   Knight, 
Knt.  it) 

Sir  Robert  Cann,  Bart.   Sir  J.  Knight,    Knt.   (+} 

Sir  Richard  Hart,  Knt.  Tho.  Earl,   Efq;  (+) 

Sir  Robt.  Cann,  Bart.  Sir  Walter  Long,  Bart.  (*) 

[King  Charles  the  2d.  died  the  6th   of  Feb. 
1684-5.] 

Regis 


of  January  1658-9,  was  called  Dick's  Convention-Parliament,  being  the  firft  which  he  called. 
Richard's  patty  deferting  him,  he  confented  to  dilTolve  his  parliament  April  the  ad  1659  ;  after 
which  he  had  a  quietus  ejl,  for  on  the  25th  of  April  following  the  houfe  was  fhut  up,  and  entrance 
denied  the  members.  But  however,  on  the  7th  of  May  following,  the  Rump  fat  again,  but  was 
afterwards  turned  out  of  the  houfe  by  Lambert,  the  13th  of  Oftober  following.  And  the  26th  of 
December  1659,  the  Rump  was  re-admitted,  and  on  the  21ft  of  February'  1659-60,  the  fecluded 
members  were  re tlored.  And  the  15th  of  March  following  the  parliament  was  diffolved,  and 
another  called  to  beholden  at  Weftminfter  April  the  25th,  1660. 

(c)  This  parliament  met  at  M'eftminfter  the  25th  of  April  1660.  And  on  the  ift  of  May  his 
Majefty's  gracious  letters  and  declaration  were  read  in  tlie  houfe,  &c.  On  the  i3lh  of  September 
following  the  parliament  was  adjourned  to  the  6th  of  November,  having  palTcd  an  aft  for  difband- 
ing  the  army,  and  an  aft:  of  indemnity,  (the  regicides  excepted  ;)  and  on  the  29th  of  November 
1660,  the  parliament  was  difTolvcd. 

Admiral  Pen,  a  Briftol  man,  was  polled  for,  but  the  corporation  favoured  Stephens. —  Pen  was 
returned  for  Weymouth. 

[d)  The  VI  rits  for  fummoning  a  parliament  in  England  to  convene  on  May  the  8th  i65i,  were 
fealed  the  9th  of  March.  And  on  the  8th  of  May  the  parliament  met  at  Weftminfter,  and  the 
Houfe  of  Lords  were  again  reftorcd  to  their  ancient  privileges  ;  and  the  convocation  alfo  began. 
On  the  joth  of  July  they  were  adjourned  to  the  20th  of  November.  This  parliament  often  met 
to  difpalch  bufincfs,  and  was  often  adjourned  or  prorogued,  until  the  25th  of  January  1678-9,  on 
which  day  this  long  parliament  was  diffolved  by  proclamation,  after  they  had  fat  nigh  1 7  years. 


C  ^59    ] 


A.  R. 


A.D. 


i68^ 


7 

lO 

12 

13 


1688 
89 

i6gO 

1695 
1698 
1700 
1701 


1702 
1705 


Parliament]  held  at 

Weflminfter 

met    May     ig, 

1685. 


Weftminfler 


Weftminfter 


Weflminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 
Weftminfter 


Weftminfter 

Aug.  20. 
Weftminfter 


1708 


Weftminfter 
Nov.   16. 


Jfegis  Jacohi  2. 

Sir  J.  Churchill,  Knt.  recorder,  died  foon.(*)  And 
Sir  Rich.  Hart,  Knt.  was  chofen  in  his  room  the 

loth  December.  (+) 
Sir  Richard  Crump,  Knt. '(+) 

[King   James   the   2d.    abdicated   the    throne 
February   13,   1688-9.] 

Regis  et  Regince  Willidmi  tt  Marice. 

Sir  Richard  Hart,  Sir  J.  Knight,  Knts.  (*)  — 
Elected  to  be  fent  to  the  convention,  who  vo- 
ted againft  the  Prince  and  Princefsof  Orange 
being  made  King  and  Queen. 

Sir  Rich.  Hart,  and  Sir  John  Knight,  Knts.    (+) 

Regis  Willielmi.  3. 

Sir  Tho.  Day,  Knt.  Robt.  Yate,  Efq;  (+) 
Sir  Tho.  Day,   Knt.   Robt.  Yate,   Efq;   (+) 
Sir  Tho.  Day,  Knt.  Robt.  Yate,  Efq;  (*) 
Sir  Wm.  Daines,  Knt.  Robt.  Yate,  Efq;  (+) 
[King  William  died  the  8th  of  March  1701-2.J 

Regince  Annce. 

Sir  Wm.   Daines,    Knt.   Robt.    Yate,  Efq;  (+) 

Sir  Wm.  Daines,  Knt.  Robt.  Yate,  Efq;  (+)  — 
This  was  the  firft  parliament  of  Great-Britain 
conftituted  by  the  Union,  which  commenced 
on  May-day  1707,  where  the  laft  members 
fat. 

ScfTions  the  ift,  October  23d  1707,  fat  on  bufi- 
ncfs,  and  was  diftblvcd  April  15th  1708. 

The   2d  parliament   fummoned  for  July   8lh 
1708. 

Sir  Wm.  Daines,  Knt.  Robt.  Yate,  Efq;  (+) 


Parliaments 


[     i6o    ] 


A.  R. 


12 


A.D. 


t710 


1713 


I7M 


Pailiimcnts  held  at 


Weftminller 
Nov.  25. 


Weftminfter 

oa.  1. 


Weftminfter 


Parliamenlsfince  the  Union. 

The  3d  parliament  was  fummoned   for   Nov. 
25th  1710. 

{a)  Edw.  Colfton,   Efq;  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq;(+) 
The  4th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  0£lo- 
ber  ift,   1713' 

[b)  The.  Edwards,  junr.  Efq;  Jof.  Earl,    Efq;(+) 
[Queen  Ann  died  the  ift  of  Auguft  1714.] 

Regis  Georgii   1. 

The  5th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  March 
17.   17M-15- 

[c]  Sir  Wm.  Daines,  Knt.  Jof.  Earl.  Efq;  (*) 

The  6th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  May 
lolh   1722. 

Jofeph 

(a)  The  26tli  of  September  1710,  a  proclamation  was  publidied  for  calling  a  new- 
parliament.  The  elcftions  were  carried  on  with  great  warmth  every  where.  The 
elcftion  began  at  Briflol,  where  the  citizens  chofe  their  worthy  benclaftor  Edward  Colfton, 
Efq;  and  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq.  The  fcffions  began  November  25,  1710;  during  which  clettions 
were  regulated,  every  member  for  a  borough  was  to  have  300I.  per  ann.  freehold  or  copyhold; 
and  every  knight  of  a  fhire  600I.  per  annum  :  tlic  Houfe  did  not  break  up  the  fcflions  till 
the  12th  of  June  1711,  after  fcveral  prorogations  they  met  the  14th  of  January  1711-12,  this 
feffions  the  parliament  fettled  the  building  fifty  new  churches  in  London.  The  fcffions  which 
met  the  6th  of  June  1712,  concluded  peace  with  France:  on  the  2  ill  of  June  the  houfe  vvas 
adjourned  to  the  8lh  of  July,  from  which  time  by  feveral  adjournments  and  prorogations  a  pro- 
clamation was  publifhed  the  5th  of  Auguft  1713  for  diffolving  the  parliament  and  for  calling  a 
new  one. 

(i)  The  writs  were  itTued  out  the  17th  of  Auguft  i7>3-  The  eleftion  for  Briftol  began  Mon- 
day the  7th  of  September  1713  ;  the  candidates  were  Tho.  Edwards  and  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq;  and 
Sir  William  Daines,  Knt.  the  elcftion  was  carried  on  with  much  heat  on  both  fides,  in  fo  much 
that  the  poll  was  clofed  the  Thurfday  following,  and  the  two  firft  were  returned  duly  clcftcd  : 
and  the  parliament  met  the  ift  of  Oftobcr  1713,  on  the  18th  by  proclamation  they  were  proro- 
gued to  the  15th  of  February  1713-14  when  they  difpatchcd  bufincfs,  and  the  2d  of  March  the 
Queen  made  her  fpccch,  on  the  6th  of  March  they  adjourned  to  the  31ft  inft.  1714,  on  the  9th 
of  July  following  the  Queen  made  her  laft  fpecch  to  them  and  prorogued  them  to  the  lolh  of 
Auguft  1714.  But  Sunday  morning  a  little  after  7  of  the  clock  being  the  1  ft  of  Auguft,  Queen 
Ann  died  in  the  year  1714. 

(c)  The  candidates  at  this  elcftion  were  Sir  William  Daines,  Knt.  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq;  Thomas 
Edwards  and  Phillip  Frcke,  Efqrs;  there  appeared  at  the  clofe  of  the  poll  a  majority  for  the  two 


C   ^^1   3 


A.R.  I   A.D. 

7    1721 


1727 


Pailiamems  held  at 

Wedminfler 
May  10. 


Weflminfter 
Nov,  28. 


(d)  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq;  Sir  Abra.  Elton,  Bart.    (*) 

The  7th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  Nov. 
28th,  1727. 


Regis  Georgii  2. 

(e)  John  Scroope,  Efq;    Recorder,    Abra.  Elton, 
jun.  Efq.  (*) 

N.  B.  King   George  the  ift.    died  the  11th  of 
June  1727. 

The  8th  parliament  was  fummoned    for   June 
i3th>  1734- 


W  (a)  Sir 

latter,  who  were  carried  about  the  crofs  according  to  cuftom,  in  the  mean  time  the  fheriffs  re- 
turned the  two  former, — Frekc  and  Edwards  petition,  it  was  renewed  the  2d  and  3d  fcffions.— 
This  was  the  ift  feptennial  parliament  of  King  George  the  ift.  Tliis  parliament  fat  eight  fefTions; 
and  was  ditfolved  March  the  loth  1721-22. 

((/)  The  candidates  were  Jofeph  Earl,  Efq;  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  and  William  Hart,  fenr. 
Efq;  the  two  firft  were  returned.  This  was  the  fecond  feptennial  parliament  which  fat  fix 
feffions  of  King  George  the  1  ft,  was  diffolvcd  Augufl  the  5th  1727.  William  Hart,  Efq;  petitioned. 

(<)  This  was  the  third  feptennial  parliament  fince  the  death  of  Queen  Anne,  and  the  tft  of 
George  the  2d.  Mr.  Scrope  was  a  joint-fecretary  of  the  treafury.  It  fat  feven  feflions,  was 
dilfolved  April  18,   1734. 

(j)  In  the  firft  feptennial  parliament  of  King  George  the  2d  1727,  the  reprefentatives  for 
Briftol  were  John  Scroope,  Efq;  recorder  and  fccretary  to  the  treafur)',  and  Abraham  Elton, 
junr.  Efq;  Mr.  Scroope  in  the  year  1732  when  the  excife  fcheme  on  tobacco  was  brought  into 
the  houfe,  was  found  to  be  a  great  promoter  of  and  a  voter  for  that  bill,  alfo  he  voted  againfl  the 
repeal  of  the  feptennial  afl;  in  the  year  1734,  all  which  gave  a  general  difgufl  to  the  principal 
eleftors  of  Briftol,  who  were  determined  to  oppofc  his  eleftion  in  the  year  1734.  On  Wednef- 
day  the  15th  of  May  it  began,  the  candidates  were  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  lliomas  Cofl^r  and 
John  Scroope,  Efqrs.  the  poll  continued  nine  days  to  the  24th  of  May,  on  doling  of  which 
when  caftup  the  numbers  ftood,  for  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart.  2428,  for  Mr.  Coftcr,  2071,  for 
Mr.  Scroope,  1866,  majority  for  Mr.  Cofter  205,  whereupon  the  fheriffs  returned  the  two 
former.  Notwithftanding  a  petition  from  the  mayor,  &c.  was  brought  into  parliament  for  an 
undue  eleftion  againft  Mr.  Coftcr  in  favour  of  Mr.  Scroope  who  in  the  end  was  obliged  to  with- 
draw the  petition,  not  being  able  to  prove  one  allegation  therein.  Thefe  members  voted  againft 
the  convocation  in  the  fecond  feptennial  parliament,  which  fat  fcven  fcffions,  of  which  Mr, 
SoulliWvll  fat  two,  it  was  diftolved  April  28,  1741. 


C   162   ] 


A.  R. 

7 
12 


13 
3-1 


20 
29 


AD. 

'734 
1739 


1741 
1742 


i7i7 
1754 
1755 


Parliamfnts  hfid  at 

Weftminller 


760 


WcPiminftcr 


AVcftminfter 
Weftminfler 
Weftminfler 


Weftminfter 


(0)  Sir  Ab.  Elton,Bart.Tho.  Coner,  Efq.(*)  died. 
Edw.  Southwell,  Efq.   (b) 
The  9th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  June 

25th,  1741, 

(c)  Sir  Ab.  Elton,  Bart.  Edw.  Southwell,  Efq.  (*) 

(d)  Robert  Hoblyn,  Efq. 

The  10th  parliament  was  fummoned  for  Aug. 

iB^K  1747- 

(e)  Edw.  Southwell,  Efq;  Rob.  Hoblyn,  Efq.     (*) 
Robert  Nugent,  and  Rich.  Beckford,  Efqrs. 

(/)  Jarrit  Smyth,  Efq;  in  the  room  of  Richard 
Beckford,  deceafed. 

Hegis  Georgii  3. 

Sir  Jarrit  Smyth,  Bart.  Robert  Nugent,  Efq. 

Robert 


(i)  Thomas  Coftcr,  Efq;  on  Sunday  the  30th  of  September  1739,  died  at  his  houfe  in  the 
College  Green. 

(3)  To  fill  up  his  vacancy  a  new  writ  was  ordered  for  another  elcflion  which  began  Wcdnefday 
the  28th  of  November  1 739, the  candidates  were  Edward  Southwell,  principal  fecretary  of  ftatc  for 
Ireland,  and  Henry  Combe,  Efq;  Mr.  Southwell's  intercfl  was  fupported  with  Mr.  Coflcr's 
friends,  and  Mr.  Combe's  by  the  corporation,  &c.  The  poll  was  kept  open  for  fourteen  days 
at  clofing  of  which  the  numbers  flood  thus,  for  Mr.  Southwell  2651,  for  Mr.  Combe  2203,  ma- 
jority 448.     N.  B.  There  remained  upwards  of  200  neutral  votes. 

(c)  There  was  no  oppofition  this  elcftion.  This  was  the  third  fcptennial  parliament  of  King 
George  the  2d.  which  fat  fix  fclTions  and  was  then  diffolved  June  18,  1747. 

(<f)  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart  dying  the  19th  of  Oftober  1742,  anew  eleftioh  to  fill  his  va- 
cancy began  Wcdnefday  the  24th  of  November  1742,  date  of  the  writ  was  November  16,  1742, 
when  Robert  Hoblyn,  Efq;  fon-in-law  to  the  late  Thomas  Cofler,  Efq;  was  chofen  without  op- 
pofition. 

(e)  Writs  being  iffued  out  for  a  general  eleftion  this  year,  it  began  at  Briftol  Wedncfday  the 
ift  of  July  1747,  Mr.  Samuel  Dicker  declared  as  one  of  the  candidates,  but  before  the  poll  was 
opened  he  declined  and  left  the  town,  therefore  there  was  no  oppofition,  this  being  the  fourth 
feptennial  parliament  in  the  reign  of  King  George  the  ad.  which  fat  fcven  feffions  :  in  the  fixth 
feffion  an  aft  pafTcd  for  altering  the  ftile  of  the  year  to  the  firfl  of  January,  and  alfo  a  bill  for 
naturalization  of  the  Jews. 

(/)  The  eleftion  came  on  the  2d  of  March  1756,  Thomas  Spencer,  Efq;  and  Jarrit  Smyth,  Efq; 
candidates ;  poll  clofcd  the  1  7th,  J.  Smyth  declared  duly  eletted  and  returned  the  18th  of  March, 
but  a  petition  was  prcfentcd  againft  the  return. 


C  163  3 


A.R. 


A.D. 
1766 


1768 


14 
20 


1774 
1780 


Parliaments  held  at 

Weftminflcr 


Weftminfter 


Weftminfler 
Weflminfler 


24 


1784 


Weftminfter 


Robert  Nugent,  Efq;  vacated  his  feat  by  accept- 
ing the  office  of  Firft  Lord  of  Trade,  and  was 
re-chofcn  Dec.  16  this  year,  without  oppofition; 
he  was  alfo  created  Lord  Vifcount  Clare  of  the 
kingdom  of  Ireland. 

Lord  Clare,  Matthew  Brie  kdale,  Efq. 

Lord  Clare  vacated  his  feat  the  27th  June,  on 
being  chofen  Vice-Treafurer  of  Ireland,  and 
Avas  re-chofen  without  oppofition. 

Henry  Cruger,  Edmund  Burke,  Efqrs. 

Matthew  Brickdale,  Efq;  Sir  Henry  Lippincot. — 
The  latter  dying,  a  new  writ  was  fent  down  for 
elefting'another  in  his  room ;  which  occafioned 
as  great  a  conteft  here  as  was  ever  known,  on 
G.  Daubeny,  Efq;  declaring  himfelf ;  who  was 
oppofed  by  H.  Cruger,  Efq;  formerly  the  popular 
member ;  but  G.  Daubeny,  Efq;  was  returned. 

Matthew  Brickdale,  and  Geo.  Daubeny,  Efqrs. 

Matthew  Brickdale,  Efq;  Henry  Cruger,  Efq.  — 
The  latter  was  chofen  againft  Mr.  Daubeny  the 
other  candidate,  though  Mr.  Cruger  was  then 
abroad  in  America,  and  he  is  there  a  refidem. 
fince  the  year  1785. 


W  £ 


A  r. 


[    i64    ] 


CHAP.     VI. 

On  the  TRADE   o/"  BRISTOL,    foreign   and   domestic. 


BY  the  good  government  of  the  city,  by  the  knowledge,  diligence  and 
integrity  of  its  merchants,  the  trade  foreign  and  domeftic  has  from  time 
immemorial  been  great  and  on  the  increafc ;  as  have  been  the  number  of  fliips 
belonging  to  the  merchants  of  this  port.  It  was  a  place  very  early  addiflcd 
to  trade,  as  William  of  Malmfbury,  in  the  year  1 139,  before  quoted,  (vid.  p. 
57,)  obferves  of  it:  it  is  thus  charafterifcd  by  all  writers.  Georgius  Braunius 
in  Theatrum  Urbium,  lib.  3.  indice,  calls  Briftol  "  famofilTimum  Angliae 
Emporium,  &c.  The  mod  famous  place  of  commerce  in  England  next  to  Lon- 
don, frequented  by  merchants  of  many  nations,  well  provided  with  rivers  for 
bringing  in  of  fhips,  the  manner  of  its  fituation  with  the  high  rife  of  the  tides 
performing  this ;  the  tide  not  fpreading  here  abroad,  but  fwelling  up  *  60 
feet  in  height  :"  and  in  the  4th  book,  "  the  city,"  fa)s  he,  "is  well  built,  full 
of  inhabitants,  and  merchants  of  divers  countries;  they  fail  twice  a  year  to 
Newfoundland  a  fifhing." 

Mercator  in  his  Atlas  placing  it  in  Somerfetfliirc,  as  fome  have  done  in 
Gloccftcrdiirc,  though  truly  belonging  to  neither,  being  a  city  and  county  of 
itfclf,  dcfcribes  it  thus,  —  "  Urbs  pra^cipua  Briflollia  pulcherrimis  ^dificiis, 
gemino  fluvio  Sc  niuro,  portu,  exterorum  commcrciis,  Incolarum  frequentia 
illuftratur."  —  Cluverius  in  his  geography,  fays,  "  Brillollium  vulgo  Briflow 
Hifpanicarum  mercium  nobile  Emporium,  ut  Southampton  Gallicarum."  — 
It  is  recorded  in  Ricaut's  kalendar,  to  have  been  very  early  famous  for  its 
trade  to  Andalufia.  And  in  the  year  1466,  the  Mary,  a  goodly  fhip  (probably 
one  of  Mr.  Canynges's)  whofe  cargo  was  valued  at  above  12,000  marks,  was 
taken  at  the  Land's-End  by  Vice  Admiral  Slomp  of  France.  In  a  manufcript 
deed  "  of  the  appropriation  of  the  church  of  Wotton  to  the  nionaftery  of  St. 
Auguftin,  Briftol,"  dated  1131,  this  city  is  thus  charaElerifed,  "  Briftollium 
portus  publicus  &  municipium  famofum  pro  receptione  hominum  in  multitu- 

dinc 

*  The  tide  rifos  fo  high  at  Chcpflow,  but  at  BriRol  about  25  or  30  feet  only;  above  32   al 
Rownhain. 


[     1^5     ] 

dine  copiofa  dc  diverfis  mundi  partibus  illuc  undiquc  confluentium."  By  the 
charter  of  King  John,  ve  may  learn  fomewhat  of  the  cudoms  and  conamerce 
of  the  place  in  that  early  period;  more  fo  by  that  of  Edw.  3.  in  which  time  it 
vas  fo  confiderable,  that  it  was  then  entituled  to  the  reputation  of  being  the 
fecond  city  in  the  kingdom  for  trade  and  populoufnefs;  and  had  fo  much 
weight  as  to  obtain  a  charter  for  conllituting  it  a  county  within  itfelf,  and  for 
afcertaining  the  pomerium  or  bounds  of  the  city.  This  city  fell  early  into  the 
Newfoundland  cod-fifliing,  fays  De  Wit,  (Intereft  of  Holland,)  1669. 

In  Rymer's  Foedera,  v.  1.  fol.  134,  we  find  that  "  feveral  of  this  ever- 
induftrious  city  had,  in  the  year  1339,  fet  up  looms  for  weaving  woollen  cloths, 
in  conformity  to  an  aO.  of  parliament,  that  no  Englifh  wool  fliould  be  exported 
out  of  this  kingdom,  but  be  made  into  cloth  within  the  realm  of  England,  &c." 
It  was  at  this  time  great  encouragement  was  given  to  the  cloth  manufafture, 
which  the  King  feems  to  have  removed  out  of  Flandei's,  (which  was  the  grand 
mart  or  flaple  of  wool  then,)  and  fettled  it  in  feveral  towns  in  this  kingdom,* 
efpecially  at  Briftol,  which  fet  the  example  followed  after  by  the  neighbouring 
counties  :  before  this  the  Flemings  ufed  to  buy  the  Englifh  wool  and  manu- 
fatlure  it  themfelves,  but  from  this  a8;  may  be  derived  the  fource  of  this  flaple 
manufa£ture  of  the  kingdom.  —  One  Mr.  Blanket,  then  flieriffof  Briflol,  and 
many  other  inhabitants  engaged  largely  in  it,  fet  up  looms  in  their  own  houfes, 
and  carried  it  foon  to  great  perfection;  it  produced  more  good  to  the  flate 
than  ever  was  forefeen  by  the  legiflature  of  that  time,  who  formed  and  pro- 
jefted  that  ufeful  aft  of  parliament.  This  cloth  trade  was  carried  on  in  a  flou- 
rifliing  manner  for  a  long  feries  of  years;  efpecially  in  the  parifhes  of  Temple 
and  St.  Thomas,  many  manufaftures  at  different  times  were  encouraged  in 
Briftol. 

It  was  full  of  clothiers,  weavers  and  tuckers  all  Hen.    8th's  reign ;  and  in 

1610  the  magiff  rates  gave  great  encouragement  by  lending  money  to  fet  up  the 

Colchefler  bays-manufafture;  and  at  the  Smiths'-Hall  were  all   beggars  and 

poor  people  fet  to  work  at  fpinning  andftocking-making,  under  the  infpe£lioa 

of  the  parifli  officers;  which  fhews  how  attentive  they  were  to  promote  induf- 

try  among  the  inhabitants.  —  The  trading  companies  of  the  city  were  put  under 

proper 

•  Lei.  Colleft.  v,  2.  p.  f>8g.  "  In  29  Edw.  3.  was  the  ftaplc  ol"  wools  re\'okcd  out  of  Flanders, 
and  fot  at  dlvcis  places  in  Englaiid,  at  Weflminftcr,  Cantorbyry,  Cliichcftcr  and  Briftow, 
Lyncolnc  and  HuUc."  As  early  as  ihc  gth  Edw.  2.  1316,  there  was  a  duty  or  cuftom  paid  the 
King  for  cvciy  fack  of  wool  canicd  out  of  the  port  of  Briftol  half  a  mark  ;  and  for  every  300 
fhecp  {kins  -half  a  mark,  and  for  every  laft  of  hides  one  mark  ;  which  the  King  complained  the 
mayor  and  bailiff  had  wiihcld  from  him,  or  his  affign,  Martin  Ilorncafdc,  tlic  collcdor  and 
receiver.    Rot,  167.  a. 


C     i65    ] 

proper  regulations.  —  In  the  days  of  Edward  4.  this  city  was  famous  for  the 
woollen  manufafture,  as  appears  by  the  ftatute  17  Edw.  4.  c.  5.  whereby  this 
only  city,  together  with  London,  was  exempted  from  fcaling  their  cloths, 
kerfeys,  &c.  with  a  head,  according  to  ftat.  4.  of  the  fame  king,  when  all  other 
places  were  obliged  by  it,  and  long  before,  viz.  ftatute  the  12th  Rich.  2. 
1.  14.  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  Briftol  had  excufed  itfelf  from  purfuing  the  ftatute 
of  the  47th  Edw.  3.  c.  1.  relating  the  meafure  and  aulnage  of  draps,  to  which 
by  ftat.  Rich.  2.  they  were  particularly  limited. 

The  cloth  manufaclure  indeed,  once  a  ftaple  here,  (for  the  government  and 
regulation  of  which  the  mayor  had  the  name  of  Mayor  of  the  Staple  of  Briftol, 
and  held  a  court  called  the  Staple-Court,)  has  now  much  declined,  being 
removed  to  other  places,  and  to  the  North  of  England,  where  labour  is  cheaper  : 
and  though  immenfe  fortunes  were  formerly  gained  by  it  here,  the  parts  of  the 
city  where  it  was  principally  carried  on,  have  greatly  declined  with  it,  and  left 
the  roomy  houfes  in  Temple-ftrect,  where  ftill  remains  the  Wcavers'-Hall  and 
Tuckcrs'-Hall,  to  be  inhabited  bv  labourers  of  another  kind.  —  In  Edw.  4th's 
time  they  complained  of  the  decay  of  the  trade  owing  to  the  wool  being  ex- 
ported into  foreign  parts  ;  alfo  on  account  of  the  removing  of  the  ftaple  from 
Bayonne,  where  was  a  great  fale  of  Briftol  drapery  ;  and  the  Thouloufe  wool 
being  brought  another  way  into  other  parts  of  England. 

In  the  year  1459,  37  Hen.  6.  Mr.  Robert  Strange,  a  great  merchant  of 
Briftol,  (afterwards  founder  of  St.  John's  almflioufe,)  had  a  goodly  fliip 
fpoiled  by  the  Genoefc  in  the  Mediterranean;  this  ftiip  had  a  cargo  of  fpices 
and  other  valuable  merchandife,  which  the  Genoefe,  who  could  not  brook  the 
fuccefs  of  our  merchants,  feized;  this  wrong  when  King  Henry  underftood, 
he  made  reprifal  on  the  effcfts  of  the  Genoefe  merchants  in  London,  whom 
he  alfo  arretted  and  imprifoned  until  they  gave  good  fecurity  to  make  good 
the  lofs,  which  amounted  to  9000  marks.  —  The  Briftol  kalendar  calls  thefe 
merchants  ftrangers,  Lombard  Janneys,  by  whom  arc  underftood  the  Genoefe, 
who  followed  ufury  and  other  methods  of  gain,  which  the  Lombards  at  this 
time  did,  who  were  the  firft  bankers  in  London;  whence  Lombard-ftreet  in 
London,  where  the  bankers  refidc,  took  its  name.      Kal.  p.  122.6. 

One  Thomas  Strange,  probably  the  fon  of  the  above  Robert,  had  twelve 
fhips  at  one  time,  faysWm.  of  Worceftcr,  p.  224,  in  1480.  —  The  Brafs  Battery 
began  here  about  1704  :  one  Sir  Simon  Clark  was  the  firft  inventor  of  making 
copper  :  Mr.  Cofter  and  Mr.  Wayne  a8ed  under  him  as  aftayifts,  who  after- 
wards eftabliflicd  it  here  under  Sir  Abraham  Ellon. — .The  faid  Sir  Simon 
invented  white  glafs,  and  cafting  iron  in  loam. 

The 


C    167    J 

The  manufaflory  of  zinc  out  of  calamine  ftone  and  black-jack,  was  efla- 
bliflied  at  Briftol  about  the  year  1743,  when  Mr.  Champion  obtained  a  patent 
for  making  it.  About  200  tons  of  zinc  were  annually  made  at  his  copper- 
works,  where  the  manufaftory  was  fet  up  firft  ;  and  afterwards  zinc  began  to 
be  made  at  Hanham,  near  Briftol,  by  Mr.  James  Emerfon,  who  had  been 
many  years  manager  of  that  branch  under  Mr.  Champion,  and  his  fucceffor  in 
the  bufinefs.  —  This  operation  of  procuring  zinc  from  calamine  was  held  at 
firft  a  great  fccret,  and  though  it  be  now  better  known,  it  is  but  lately  that 
there  were  any  works  of  that  kind  eftablifhed  in  any  other  part  of  either  Eng- 
land or  Europe,  except  thofe  laft-mentioned.  In  a  circular  kind  of  oven, 
like  a  glafs-houfe  furnace,  there  are  placed  pots  of  about  four  feet  each  in 
hcighth,  much  refembling  oil  jars;  into  the  bottom  of  each  is  inferted  an  iron 
tube,  which  paflTcs  through  the  floor  of  the  furnace  into  a  veffel  of  water. 
The  pots  are  filled  with  a  mixture  of  calamine,  or  black-jack  and  charcoal,  and 
the  mouth  of  each  is  then  clofe  ftopped  with  clay.  The  fire  being  properly 
applied,  the  metallic  vapour  of  the  calamine  ifl'ucs  through  the  iron  tube, 
there  being  no  other  place  through  which  it  can  efcape,  and  the  air  being 
excluded  it  does  not  take  fire,  but  is  condenfed  in  fmall  particles  in  the  water, 
and  being  remelted  is  formed  into  ingots  and  fent  to  Birmingham  under  the 
name  of  zinc  or  fpelter. 

Cambdcn,  Bufching  in  his  Polit.  Commercial  Geography  of  Europe  in  High 
Dutch,  1762,  and  Anderfon,  all  agree  in  giving  Briftol  the  name  of"  a  re- 
nowned commercial  city."  "  A  confiderable  part  of  it,"  fays  Bufching,  "  lies 
on  the  South  fide  of  the  river  Avon,  and  a  ftill  larger  part  on  the  North  fide  ; 
having  a  communication  by  three  ftone  bridges,  alfo  a  draw-bridge  for  letting 
(hips  into  the  Key,  or  little  river  ftiled  Froom.  It  is  by  far  the  largcft  city  in 
Britain  next  after  London,  containing  above  thirteen  thoufand  houfcs,  and 
above  one  hundred  thoufand  inhabitants,  both  which  arc  conftantly  increafing. 
It  isfaid  by  fome  to  ufe  two  thoufand  maritime  veftels,  coafters  as  well  as  fhips, 
employed  in  foreign  voyages;  and  it  has  many  important  manufactories.  Itsglafs 
bottle,  drinking  glafs,  and  plate  glafs  manufacture  alone  occupying  fifteen  large 
houfes.  Its  brafs  pan  and  brafs  wire  manufactures  are  alio  very  confiderable. 
It  has  a  moft  extenfive  quay,  with  dock-yards,  &c.  for  fhip-building,  fundiy 
good  hofpitals,  and  many  almftioufes  and  other  charitable  foundations  ;  info- 
much,  that  this  city  for  its  prudent  regulations  is  perhaps  outdone  by  none, 
and  for  its  vaft  commerce,  wealth  and  fhipping  by  very  few  trading  cities  in 
Europe."  Dr.  Campbelin  his  Political  Survey  of  Great  Britain,  v.  i.p.  147. 
gives  the  following  juft  account  of  the  trade  of  Briftol,  "  That  great  mart, 

froiti 


[     i68    ] 

from  which  the  conjun£lion  of  the  waters  of  the  Severn,  Wye,  <Src,  receives  the 
name  of  the  Briflol  Channel,  is  as  conveniently  fituated  as  can  well  be  ima- 
gined, at  the  conflux  of  two  beautiful  rivers,  the  Avon  and  the  Froom,  having 
bridges  over  both  ;  the  latter  falls  into  the  former  a  little  below  the  city,  and 
their  joint  ftreams  into  the  Severn  at  about  four  miles  diftance.  On  the  North 
fide  of  the  town  runs  the  Quay  along  the  river  Froom,  to  which  fliips  even  of 
great  burden  come  up  ;  though  for  the  conveniency  of  commerce  many  remain 
in  Hungeroad,  and  others  at  Kingroad,  which  is  ftill  lower.  If  we  confider 
domeftic  trade,  or  inland  navigation,  Briflol  is  without  a  rival,  for  by  the 
Avon  flie  draws  to  herfelf  commodities  from  Warwickfliire ;  by  the  help  of 
the  Teem,  flic  receives  thofe  of  Herefordfhire  and  Shropfhire  ;  the  Wye 
brings  her  alfo  fome  part  of  the  tribute  of  the  former  of  thofe  countries,  and  of 
Radnorfliire  ;  and  if  there  be  any  thing  yet  left  in  Herefordfhire  and  Shrop- 
fhire, the  Lugg  drains  them  both:  Monmouthfhire  and  tlie  adjacent  parts  of 
Wales  fend  their  fupplies  by  the  Uflce  ;  and  a  great  part  of  Somerfetfliire  com- 
municates both  goods  and  manufactures  by  the  Ivel,  the  Parrot  and  Tone ; 
and  Cornwall  fends  hither  its  tin  and  copper  for  the  pewter  and  brafs  wire  and 
copper  company  manufaftorics.  Not  fatisfied  with  all  this,  the  Briflol  traders 
deal  largely  by  land,  and  often  interfere  with  thofe  of  Hull  in  the  North,  and 
London  in  the  South.  —  As  to  foreign  commerce,  if  we  view  it  in  grofs, 
Briflol  is  next  to  London  ;  but  if  the  value  of  that  commerce  be  compared 
with  the  fize  of  the  refpectivc  cities,  Briflol  has  the  ftart ;  and  except  in  a 
very  few  branches,  to  the  participation  of  which  of  late  fhe  begins  to  put  in 
her  claim  in  point  of  intercourfe  with  all  parts  of  the  world,  her  correfpon- 
dcnce  is  as  extenfive." 

Such  are  the  accounts  of  it  by  a  foreigner,  and  by  a  Briton,  and  that  they 
have  not  much  exaggerated  the  defcription,  will  appear  in  the  fequel,  by 
confidering  its  early  attachment  to  navigation,  and  its  progrefs  in  trade.  It 
was  grown  fo  opulent  by  its  commerce  in  the  year  1377,  that  the  mayor  and 
commonalty  lend  the  King,  Rich.  2d.  500  marks,  which  is  the  firft  inftance 
in  the  foedera  of  a  lay  community's  lending  money  to  the  crown,  except  Lon- 
don ;  and  in  the  year  1379,  the  "  probi  homines  de  Briftow,"  lend  100 
marks  to  him,  when  Gloceftcr  lent  only  40,  and  the  grcateft  100,  which  was 
Cambridge.  Foed.  v.  7.  p.  210.  And  in  1386,  when  the  kingdom  was 
threatened  with  a  French  invafion,  they  lend  200 1.  Foed.  T.  7.  543.  as  much 
again  as  York  or  any  city  except  London.  —  Thus  the  city  of  Briflol  leads  the 
van  in  all  the  loans. 

In 


[     1^9    ] 

In  Sir  Robert  Cotton's  Abridgement  of  the  Records,  p.  623.  Henry  6.  dircQs 
the  fees  of  liveries  of  his  juftices  to  be  paid  yearly  out  of  the  cuftoms  of  the 
ports  of  London,  Briftol  and  Hull ;  whence  may  be  inferred  thofe  ports, 
efpecially  the  two  firft,  carried  on  the  greateft  foreign  commerce.  In  the 
roll  of  Edw.  3d's  fleet,  at  the  fiege  of  Calais,  1347,  in  the  Cotton  Library, 
and  Hackluit's  CoUetl.  of  Voyages,  part  1.  p.  118.  copied  from  the  King's 
wardrobe,  we  find  the  following  proportion  between  the  number  of  fliips 
furnilhcd  by  Briftol  and  the  other  ports. 


Ships. 

Manners. 

Weymouth 

- 

20 

264 

15 

263  according  to  Hackluit, 

Lime 

- 

4 

62 

Pool 

- 

4 

94 

Wareham 

- 

3 

59 

Briftol       - 

- 

22 

608 

London     - 

- 

25 

662 

Seton 

- 

2 

25 

Here  we  fee  how  nigh  the  number  of  Briftol  fliips  and  mariners  approaches  to 
that  of  London,  and  how  much  they  exceed  every  other  port  befides.  By 
ftatutc  4  of  Hen,  4.  it  was  ordained  that  all  mariners  of  fliips  and  other  veflels 
laden  with  goods  and  merchandife,  entering  the  realm,  or  pafting  out  of  the 
fame,  ftiall  be  charged  and  difcharged  in  fome  great  port,  and  not  in  any 
creek  or  fmall  river,  upon  pain  of  forfeiture  of  the  goods;  and  King  Henry  5. 
by  proclamation  dated  26  0£t.  anno  regni  16.  commanded  all  officers  to  fee 
this  a£l  put  ftritlly  in  execution.  —  Thefe  aQ;s  made  greatly  for  the  port  of 
Briftol,  and  much  improved  its  commerce  ;  and  we  find  foon  afterwards  the 
magiftrates,  aware  of  this  advantage  and  jealous  of  their  liberties  and  traffic, 
complaining  of  fome  breaches  of  this  law  to  the  injury  of  the  King's  cuftoms  at 
Briftol,  by  veflels  unloading  their  cargoes  at  ports  and  creeks  in  the  Briftol 
Channel,  and  at  Chepftow  and  other  places  in  Wales.  —  In  the  letters  patent 
17  Hen.  7.  Plymouth,  Dartmouth,  Sandwich,  and  others  are  ftiled  "  minores 
portus  quam  Briftol." 

In  1442,  (Rot.  Pari.  20  Hen.  6.)  when  a  naval  force  was  deemed  ncccflfary, 
the  Commons  point  out  where  fliips  were  to  be  had,  "  at  Briftol,  the  Nicholas 
of  the  Tower,  and  Katherine  of  Bofton." 

In  1449,  Wm.  Canynges  is  diftinguiffied  as  a  very  great  merchant  here.  — 
In  Rymcr's  f.  11.  p.  226.  we  find  two  recommendatory  letters  from  Hen.  6. 
i449>  °"^  ^^  '^'''-'  Mafter  General  of  Pruffia,  the  other  to  the    Magiftrates  of 

X  Dantzick, 


[     ^70     ] 

Dantzick,  both  in  behalf  of  two  of  Canynges  faflors  rcfiding  in  PrufCa,  re- 
queuing all  favour  and  countenance  to  the  faid  two  faftorsof  Canynges,  whom 
the  King    calls  "  his  beloved  eminent  merchant  of  Briftol." 

In  1450  we  find  by  a  treaty  with  Chriftian  King  of  Denmark  (Feed.  T.  ii. 
p.  264.)  three  places  prohibited  us  from  trading  to,  Iceland,  Halgefland  and 
Finmark  ;  but  the  above  treaty  and  an  Englifh  aft  of  parliament  difpenfed 
with  in  favour  of  Canynges,  (p.  277.  feed.  v.  11.)  the  Danifli  King  allowing 
Canynges  in  confideration  of  the  great  debt  due  to  Canynges  from  his  fubjefts 
of  Iceland  and  Finmark  to  lade  certain  Englifh  fliips  with  merchandize 
for  thofe  prohibited  places,  and  there  to  lade  fifh  and  other  goods  in  return : 
wherefore  during  his  mayoralty  of  Brillol,  becaufe  Canynges  had  done  good 
fervice-unto  the  King  he  allowed  the  fame  to  be  done  for  two  years  to  come 
on  two  fliips,  <fec. 

It  is  clear  that  William  Canynges  and  other  merchants  about  this  time  had 
each  feveral  fhips  employed  in  foreign  trade.  William  of  Worcefler  fays 
p.  99,  of  Canynges  "  In  navibus&c."  i.  c.  In  fhips  he  employed  800  men  for 
eight  years,  and  of  his  fliips  he  had  le  Mary  Canynges  of  400  tons  (doliatis) 
le  Mary  RedclifFof  the  burden  of  500  tons,  le  Mary  and  John  of  the  burden 
of  900  tons,  which  cofl  him  in  the  whole  4000  marks,  le  Galyott  of  50  tons,  le 
Catherin  of  140  tons,  le  Mary  Batt  220  tons,  le  Margaret  of  Tylny  of  200  tons, 

le  Lyttle  Nicholas  of  140  tons,  le  Katheryn  of  Boflon  220  tons,  !c a  fliip 

lofl  in  Ifelond  about  160  tons  burden.  Alfo  befide  this  King  Edward  the  4th. 
had  of  the  faid  William  three  thoufand  marcs  for  making  his  peace."  And  in  p. 
224,  he  names  "  fhips  belonging  to  Briftol  in  the  year  of  Chrift,  1480:" 

"  The  Mary  Grace  300  tons,  le of  360  tons,  the   George    200   tons, 

Kaferyn  180  tons,   Mary  Bryd  100  tons,  Chriftofer  90  tons,  Mary   Shernman 

54  tons,  Leonard   50  tons,  the   Mary  of  Briftow, le   George, the 

John  511  tons,  a  fliip  that  is  juft  fitted  for  fea,  John  Godeman  hath  of  fliips, 
Thomas  Straunge  about  12." 

Let  not  the  merchants  of  our  daiys  ridicule  and  defpife  the  fliipping  of  their 
anceftors,  which  is  too  common,  as  we  can  produce  fo  refpetlable  a  lift  be- 
longing then  to  a  few.  Among  thefe  fhips  of  Canynges  was  one  of  900  tons, 
another  of  500,  &c,  although  thefe  great  fliips  had  Englifli  names,  it  has  been 
not  unjuftly  doubted,  whether  we  had  any  at  that  time  of  our  own  building  in 
England  fo  large  ;  but  as  Anderfon  well  obferves,  Canynges  might  have  either 
purchafed  them  or  taken  them  from  the  Hanfeaticks  with  whom  he  traded,  or 
from  the  Venetians,  Genoefe,  Luccefe,  Pifans,  all  of  whom  had  fhips  of  even 

larger  burden  at  that  time. 

How 


[     171     ] 

How  intent  they  were  in  Briflol  upon  promoting  navigation,  appears  from 
(he  letters  patent  of  King  Henry  7th.  A.  R.  13,  *  1495,  granted  to  John' 
Cabot,  a  Venetian  or  Genoefe,  then  refiding  as  a  merchant  in  Briftol,  and 
to  his  three  fons,  Lewis,  Sebaftian  t  and  Sanclius,  for  the  difcovery  of  new 
and  unknown  lands. 

The  following  are  the  letters  patent,  "  Henricus  Dei  Gratia"  &c.  Thus  in 
Englifh  —  Henry  by  the  grace  of  God  &c.  Be  it  known  to  all,  that  we  have 
given  and  granted  and  by  thefe  prefents  do  give  and  grant  to  our  well  beloved 
John  Cabot  citizen  of  Venice,  to  Lewis  Sebaftian  and  Sanftius,  fons  of  the 
faid  John  and  to  their  heirs  and  deputies  full  and  free  authority,  leave  and 
power  to  fail  to  all  parts  countries  and  feas  of  the  eaft,  of  the  weft  and  of  the 
north  under  our  banners  and  enfigns,  with  five  fhips  of  what  burthen  or 
quality  foever  they  be,  and  as  many  mariners  and  men  as  they  will  take  with 
them  in  the  faid  fliips,  upon  their  own  proper  cofts  and  charges,  to  feek  out 
difcover  and  find  whatfoever  ifles,  countries,  regions  or  provinces  of  the 
Heathen  and  Infidels  whatfoever  they  be  and  in  what  part  foever  of  the  world, 
which  before  this  time  have  been  unknown  to  all  Chriftians  :  we  have  granted 
to  them  and  every  of  them  and  their  deputies,  and  have  given  them  our  li- 
cence to  fet  up  our  banners  and  enfigns  in  every  village,  town,  caftle,  ifle, 
or  main-land  of  them  newly  found;  and  that  the  faid  John  and  his  fons  and 
their  heirs  may  fubdue  occupy  and  poffefs  all  fuch  towns,  cities,  &c.  by 
them  found  which  they  can  fubdue  occupy  and  poffefs  as  our  vaffals  and 
lieutenants,  getting  to  us  the  rule  title  and  jurifdiftion  of  the  fame  villages, 
towns,  &c.  yet  fo  that  the  faid  John  and  his  fons  and  their  heirs  of  all  the 
fruits,  profits  and  commodities  growing  from  fuch  navigation,  fhail  be  held 
and  bound  to  pay  to  us  in  wares  or  money  the  fifth  part  of  the  capital  gain 
fo  gotten  for  every  their  voyage  as  often  as  they  shall  arrive  at  our 
PORT  OF  Bristol,  (at  which  port  they  shall  be  obliged  only 
TO  arrive,)  dedufling  all  manner  of  neceffary  cofts  and  charges  bv  them 
made  :  we  giving  and  granting  unto  them  and  their  heirs  and  deputies,  that 
they  (hall  be  free  from  all  payment  of  cuftoms  on  all  fuch  merchandife  they 
fhall  bring  with  them  from  the  places  fo  newly  found.  And  moreover  we  have 
given  and  granted  to  them  and  their  heirs  and  deputies,  that  all  the  firm 
land,  iflands,  villages,  towns,  &c.     they    fliall   chance   to  find,  may  not  with- 

X  2  out 

*  Hacluii's  Voyages,  vol.  3,  p.  5,  6. 

+  Parmcnius    Budoeius  has   given    Cabot  the   following  vcrfes   on   his  difcovery  of  Korlh 
America  : 

Hanc  tibi  jampridcm  primi  invenere  Britanni; 
Turn  cum  magnanimus  noftra  in  regionc  Cabotus 
Proximus  a  magno  odendat  fua  Vela  Columbo. 


[       172      ] 

out  licence  of  the  faid  John  Cabot  and  his  fens  be  frequented  and  vifited, 
under  pain  of  lofing  their  fiiips  and  all  the  goods  of  them,  who  fhall  prcfume 
to  fail  to  the  places  fo  found  :  willing  and  commanding  flriflly  all  and  lin- 
gular our  fubjcCts  as  well  on  land  as  on  fea,  to  give  good  affiftance  to  the 
faid  John  and  his  fons  and  deputies,  and  that  as  well  in  arming  and  furnifli- 
ing  their  fliips  and  vefTels,  as  in  provifion  of  food  and  buying  viduals  for 
their  money,  and  all  other  things  by  them  to  be  provided  neceffary  for  the 
faid  navigation  they -do  give  them  all  their  favours  and  affiftance.  Witnefs 
myfelfat  Weftminfler,  5th  March  in  11th  year  of  our  reign." 

In  the  thirteenth  year  of  the  fame  reign  there  is  a  record  of  the  rolls  con- 
cerning the  voyage  of  John  Cabot  and  his  fons,  —  thus,  "  Rex  terlio  die 
Feb.  anno  13  regni,  licentiam  dedit  &c."  The  King  on  the  3d  day  of  Feb. 
in  the  13th  year  of  his  reign  gave  licence  to  John  Cabot  to  take  fix  fhips  of 
England  in  any  haven  or  havens  of  the  realm^  of  England  of  the  burden  of 
200  tons  or  under  with  all  neceffary  furniture,  and  alfo  to  take  into  the  faid 
fhips  all  fuch  mafters,  mariners  and  fubjefts  of  the  King  as  will  willingly  go 
vith  him*&c. 

In  confequence  of  this  the  voyage  was  undertaken,  and  in  the  year  1497 
John  Cabot  and  his  fon  Sebaft^ian  (with  the  Englilh  fleet  fct  out  from  Briftol) 
defeovercd  the  24th  June,  5  ante  merid.  that  land,  which  none  had  before. 
This  land  he  called  primo  villa  or  firft  feen,  becaufe  it  was  that  of  which 
they  had  a  firft  fight  from  fea ;  that  land  which  lieth  out  before  the  ifland,  he 
called  St.  John's  upon  this  occafion,  becaufe  difcovered  on  St.  John's  day. 

In  the  year  1497,  24th  June  on  St.  John's  day,  as  it  is  in  a  manufcript  in 
my  poffeffion,  "  was  Newfoundland  found  by  Erifl;ol  men  in  a  (hip  called  the 
Matthew."  Sebafl;ian  Cabot  difcovered  in  his  firft  voyage  Newfoundland,  the 
ifland  of  St.  John  and  the  continent  of  America,  which  he  failed  by  in  his 
return  home  quite  to  Florida,  where  hisprovifions  failing,  he  -then  returned 
to  England  from  thence  ;  and  finding  great  tumults  among  the  people  and 
preparation  for  wars  with  Scotland,  there  was  then  no  more  confideration 
had  of  this  voyage  :  whereupon  he  went  to  Spain,  where  the  King  and  Queen 
being  advertifed  of  what  he  had  done,  entertained  him  at  their  charges,  and 
furnifhed  out  Ihips  for  the  difcovery  of  the  coaft  of  Brafil  and  the  river  of  Plate, 
which  he  effefled  and  was  after  conft^itutcd  pilot  major  to  Spain;  and  thus 
England  loft^  the  opportunity  of  farther  difcoveries  by  this  great  genius  in  the 
art  of  navigation  and  cofmography.  In  the  14th  year  of  Henry  7th.  Fabian 
fays  "  were  brought  home  and  prefentcd  to  the  King  three  men  taken  in 
Newfoundland,  cloathed  in  beafts    fkins,    eating  raw    flefli ;    they  fpake  fuch 

fpeech 

•  There  is  a  good  account  of  thia  voyage  in  Lord  Vcrulam's  Lifeof  Ilcniy  7th,  to  which  I  refer. 


[    173    ] 

fpeech  as  no  man  could  underftand,  and  in  their  demeanour  were  like  to 
bruit  hearts,  vhom  the  King  kept  a  time  after;  afterwards  I  faw  two  appa- 
relled like  Englifiimen  at  \S'e(lminfter  paliace." 

In  Fabian's  Chronicle,*  and  in  Stowe  continued  by  E.  Howes,  the  voyage 
is  related  nearly  alike;  in  the  latter  thus:  "  This  year  (1498)  one  Sebaftian 
Cabota,  a  Genoefe's  fon,  (others  fay  a  Venetian,)  born  at  Briftow,  profeding 
himfelf  to  be  expert  in  knowledge  of  the  circuit  of  the  Avorld  and  iflands 
thereof,  as  by  his  charts  and  other  reafonable  demonftrations  he  fhewed, 
caufed  the  King  to  man  and  viftual  a  fhip  at  Briftow,  to  fearch  for  an  ifland 
which  he  knew  to  be  replenifhed  with  rich  commodities :  in  the  fhip  divers 
merchants  of  London  adventured  fmall  flocks,  and  in  companie  with  thisfliip, 
fayled  alfo  out  of  Briftow  three  or  foure  fmall  ftiippes  fraughte  with  flight  and 
other  grofle  wares,  as  coarfe  cloth,  caps,  laces,  points,  and  fuch  other." 

Sir  H.  Gilbert,  in  his  book  intitled,  A  Difcoveryofa  New  Paflage  to  Cataia, 
writeth  thus  :  "  Sebaftian  Cabota,  by  his  perfonal  experience  and  travell,  hath 
fet  forth  and  defcribed  this  paflage  in  his  charts,  which  are  yet  to  be  feen  in 
the  Queen's  Majefties  privy  gallory  at  Whitehall,  who  was  fent  to  make  this 
difcoverie  by  King  Hen.  7.  and  entred  the  fret,  affirmed  that  he  failed  very 
far  weftward,  with  a  quarter  of  North,  on  the  North  fide  of  Terra  Labrador, 
the  11  June,  until  he  came  to  the  Septentrional,  latitude  of67-|  degrees,  and 
finding  the  feas  ftill  open,  faid,  that  he  might  and  would  have  gone  to  Cataia, 
if  the  enmity  of  the  mafter  and  mariners  had  not  been."  —  However  he  might 
have  been  miftaken  in  that,  it  fliewswhata  genius  he  had  for  naval  adventures. 
—  Peter  Martyr  of  Angleria,  in  his  third  Decade,  t  chap.  6.  thus  accurately 
defcribes  this  voyage :  "  Thefe  North  feas  have  been  fearched  bv  one 
Sebaftian  Cabot,  a  Venetian  born,  whomme  yet  but  in  manner  an  +  infant, 
his  parents  carried  with  them  into  England,  having  occafion  to  refort  thither 
for  trade,  as  is  the  manner  of  the  Venetians  to  leave  noc  parte  of  the  worlde 
unfearched  to  obtayne  rychefle  ;  he  therefore  furniflied  two  ftiippes  in  England 
at  his  own  charges:  and  firft  with  three  hundred  menne  direfted  his  courfe  fo 
farre  towarde  the  North  pole,  that  even  at  tlie  monthe  of  July  he  founde 
monftrous  hcapes  of  ife  fwimming  on  the  fca,  and  in  manner  continual  day 
light:  yet  fawe  he  the  lande  in  that  trafte  free  from  ifc,  moulten   by  the  heat 

of 

*  Thomas  Languct  in  Chron.  fays,  "  Sebaftian  Cabot,  fon   of  a  Genoefe,   born   in  Briftowe 
profcfTing  knowledge  in  the  circuit  of  the  earth,  was  fente  from  Briftowe  to  difcover  ftraunge 
eountryes,  and  lie  fyrftc  founde  out  Kewfoundclande  in  1498. 

+  Tranflaled  out  of  Spanifh  by  Lok,  Gent.  1612. 

J  So  young  that  it  gave  room  to  fay  he  was  bom  in  Briftol,  the  place  in  England  they  fettled 
at,  — nor  is  it  clear  he  was  not  bom  there  :  bur  a  Briftol  man  he  was,  being  bred  up  there  fron- 
in  fancy  cor.  fdTcdIy. . 


[     174    ] 

of  the  fiinnc.     Thus  meeting  fuch  heapes  of  ife  before  him,  he  was  enforced 
to  turn  his  fayles  and  follow  the  Weft,  fo  coaftinge  ftyll  by  the  fliore,  that  he 
was  thereby  brought  fo  far  into  the  Southe  by  reafon  of  the  lande   bending  fo 
much  fouthwarde,  that  it  was  there  almoft  equal   in  latitude  with  the  fea  called 
"  Fretum  Herculeum,"  having  the  North  pole  elevate  in  manner  in  the  fame 
degree.      He  fayld  likewife  in  thistracl:  fo  farre  towards  the  Weft  that  he  had 
the  ifland  of  Cuba  on  his  left  handc,  in  manner  in  the  fame  degree  of  longi- 
tude.    As  he  travayled  by  the  coafts   of  this    great   land,  (which    he  named 
Baccalaos,)  he  fayth  that  hee  founde  the    like  courfe    of  waters  towards  the 
Weft,  but  the  fame  to   run  more  foftly  and  gentlely,  than    the  fwift   waters 
which  the  Spanyards  founde  in  their  navigations  fouthwards.     Sebaftian  Cabot 
himfelf  called  thefe  landes   Baccalaos,  from  certaine  bygge  fifties  called  by  the 
inhabitants  Baccalaos,  fo  many   that  they  fometimes  ftaid  their  fliippes.      He 
founde  alfo  the  people    of  thefe    regions    covered   with  beaft  fkins,  yet  not 
without  the  ufe  of  reafon.      He   alfo  fayth,  there  are  plenty  of  beares,  which 
catch  fyfti   with    their   clawes  and    draw  them   to    land  and    eate    them :  he 
declareth  alfo  that  he  faw  greate  plenty  of  laton  (a  kind  of  metal)  among  the 
inhabitants.      Cabot  is  my  friend,  (adds  Peter  Martyr,)  whom  I  ufe  familiarly 
and  delight  to  have   him   fometimes  keep  me  company  in  my  own  houfe ;  for 
hee    being   called   out   of   England  *  by  the  commandment  of  the  Catholike 
King  of  Caftile,  after  the  death  of  King  Henry  of  England  the    7th  of  that 
name,  he  was  made  one  of  our  counfayle  and  aftiftants  touchynge  the  affayres 
of  the  newe   Indies,  lookyng    daylie  for   fliyppes  to    be  fitted  out  by  him  to 
difcover  this  hidde  fecret  of  nature.     This  voyage  is  appoynted  to  be  begunne 
in  March  in  the  yeere  next  following,  beeinge  the  yeere  of  Chrifte  1516." 

This  is  a  moft  curious  account  indeed  of  our  townfman  Cabot's  voyage,  and 
being  given  by  his  friend  and  intimate  aflbciate  who  might  have  it  from 
Cabot's  own  mouth,  it  is  moft  likely  to  be  true  and  genuine.  In  his  feventh 
Decade,  printed  a  few  years  polfibly  afterwards,  P.  Martyr  again  mentions 
"  the  Baccalaos,  as  being  firft  difcovered  26  years  fince  from  England  by 
Cabotus."  There  arc  in  Mr.  Hackluit,  to  whom  I  refer,  feveral  other 
teftimonies  of  Sebaftian  Cabot's  difcoveries  of  Newfoundland  and  North 
America,  to  which  the  merchants  of  Briftol,  who  formerly  according  to 
Georg.  Brunius,  before  quoted,  ufed  to  go  once  a  year  to  Newfoundland  a 
fiftiing,  now  drive  fo  confiderable  a  trade. 

In  the  fecond  year  of  Edward  6.  1549,  the  King  granted  to  Sebaftian  Cabot 
a  certain  annuity  or  yearly  revenue  of  166I.  13  s.  4d.  fterling,  to  receive  and 

enjoy 

*  I.  e.  From  BiiRol  where  he  dwelt,  and  was  bred  up  —he  is  called  in  manufcript  penes  me, 
"  a  Gcneolc's  fon,  born  in  Briftow." 


[     ^75    ] 

enjoy  the  fame  to  the  faid  Sebadiaii  Cabot  during  his  natural  life,  out  of  the 
treafury  of  the  Exchequer  at  Wcftminfter,  at  the  hand  of  his  treafurers  and 
paymafters  there  without  account  or  fee,  conflituting  him  grand  pilot  of 
England. 

In  the  life  of  Columbus  by  his  fon,  cap.  4.  it  is  related,  that  a  memorandum 
of  his  father  contains  the  following  particular,  which  /hows  into  how  far  diftant 
and  fuppofcd  uninhabitable  countries  the  merchants  of  BriRol  had  penetrated : 
"  In  February  1467,  I  failed  myfelf  an  hundred  leagues  beyond  Thule,  Iceland, 
whofe  northern  point  is  73  degrees  diilant  from  the  equinoflial,  and  not  63 
as  fome  will  have  it,  nor  docs  it  lie  upon  the  line  where  Ptolomy's  Weft 
begins,  but  much  more  to  the  weftward;  and  to  this  ifland,  which  is  as  big  as 
England,  the  Englifh  trade,  efpecially  from  Briftol.  (Churchill's  Voyages, 
vol.  2.  p.  485.  3d  edit.) 

In  William  Botoner,  p.  267,  there  is  an  account  of  an  early  voyage  made 
by  Briftol  men  "  in  two  fhips  of  80  tons,  of  Jay,  iunr.  a  merchant,  who  began 
their  voyage  15  July  1480,  at  the  port  of  Bridol  in  Kyngroad,  for  the  idand 
of  Brafyle,  taking  their  courfe  from  the  Weft  part  of  Ireland,  plowing  the  feas 
through,  and  Thlyde  is  matter  of  the  fhip,  the  moft  fkilful  mariner  of  all 
England; —  news  came  to  Briftol  Monday  18th  Sept.  that  the  faid  fliips  failed 
over  the  feas  for  nine  months,  and  found  not  the  ifland,  but  through  tempefts 
at  fea  returned  to  port  in  Ireland,  for  laying  up  their  fliips  and  mariners." 

In  the  little  red  book,  p.  158.  is  recorded  a  Latin  charter  of  Hen.  4. 
exempting  the  ma^-or  and  commonalty  from  the  power  and  jurifdiclion  of  the 
Admiralty  of  England,  not  publiflicd  in  the  Briftol  charters,  only  the  confir- 
mation of  it  by  Edw.  4.  —  Henry's  charter  fays,  "  that  confidering  the  many 
and  notable  fervices  which  very  many  merchants,  burgefles  of  our  town  of 
Briftol,  have  done  for  us  and  our  famous  progenitors  in  many  ways  with  their 
fliips  and  voyages  at  their  own  great  charges  and  expence ;  as  alfo  for  the 
grateful  fenfe  which  we  have  lately  found  in  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of 
the  fajd  town  in  freely  giving  us  200 1.  in  our  neceftities  for  the  more  readily 
expediting  certain  arduous  affairs  of  our  kingdom:  and  alfo  fince  many  of  the 
faid  burgeffes  and  merchants  have  been  grievoufly  vexed  and  difturbed  by  the 
lieutenants  and  miniftcrs  of  our  Admiralty  of  England,  to  their  great  lofs  and 
burden  :  we  therefore  of  our  fpecial  grace,  mere  motion  and  certain  know- 
ledge, have  granted  for  us  and  our  heirs  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  and 
their  heirs,  that  the  faid  town,  &c.  fliall  for  ever  be  free  from  the  jurifdiclion. 
Sec.  of  the  faid  Admiralty,  &c." 

This  charter  afforded  great  relief  to  the  merchants,  captains,  and  citizens. 

la 


[     »76    J 

In  1527,  Robert  Thorn  of  Briftol  informed  Dr.  Ley,  ambaflador  from 
Henry  8th  to  the  Emperor  Charles,  that  "  he  and  his  partner  in  a  flote  of 
fliips  fitted  out  and  armed  by  the  merchants  of  Seville  had  ventured  and  em- 
ployed 1400  ducats  principally,  for  that  two  Engliflimen,  friends  of  his, 
learned  in  cofmography  fhould  go  in  the  faid  fliips  with  Sehaftian  Cabot, 
then  intended  for  the  Moluccas  by  the  Streights  of  Magellan  in  April  1527, 
but  the  voyage  was  performed  only  to  the  river  of  Plate.  They  were  to 
bring  him  certain  relation  of  the  fituation  of  the  country,  and  to  get  expe- 
rience of  the  navigation  of  thofe  feas,  and  information  of  many  other  things 
that  he  defired  to  know  and  any  charts  by  which  thofe  of  the  country  fail,  &c. 
for  if  from  the  iflands  of  Moluccas  the  fea  doth  extend  without  interpofition 
of  land  to  fail  from  north  to  north  call  point  1700  or  1800  leagues,  they 
fliould  come  to  the  Newfounland  iflands  that  the  Englifh  difcovered,  and  fo 
we  fliould  be  nearer  to  the  fpiceries  by  alnioft  200  leagues  than  the  Emperor 
or  the  King  of  Portugal  are." 

In  the  year  1583,  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert  performed  a  voyage  for  the  co- 
lonization of  America,  an  account  of  which  was  written  by  one  Haies,  gent, 
in  Hackluit,  3d  vol.  p.  144.  —  in  which  he  fays  "  the  firft  difcovery  of  thefe 
coafls  never  heard  of  before  was  well  begun  by  John  Cabot  the  father  and 
'  Sabaftian  his  fonne  an  Englifhman  borne,  who  were  the  firft  finders  out  of 
all  that  great  traft  of  land  ftretching  from  cape  Florida  unto  thofe  iflands 
which  we  now  call  Newfoundland :  all  which  they  brought  and  annexed  to 
the  Crown  of  England,  foon  after  Chriftopher  Columbus  had  difcovered  the 
iflands  and  continent  of  the  Weft  Indies  for  Spain.  In  the  year  1578,  Mr. 
Antony  Parkhurft  gentleman  of  Briftol,  who  had  been  four  years  at  New- 
foundland and  had  accurately  fearched  the  ifland,  fent  Mr.  Hackluit  a  letter 
dated  from  Briftow,  in  which  he  defcribes  the  great  increafe  of  the  fifhery 
or  the  number  of  vefTels  refoning  thither,  and  a  natural  hiftory  of  the  ifland. 
Sir  Francis  Walfingham  1  ith  March  1582,  wrote  to  Mr.  Robert  Aldworth 
then  mayor  and  a  merchant  of  Briftol,  commending  his  good  inclination  to  the 
weftern  difcovery,  and  recommending  to  add  the  two  fhips  or  barks  he  was 
then  fitting  out  to  the  fleet  of  Sir  Humphry  Gilbert,  to  which  the  faid  Mr. 
Aldworth  replied,  that  the  weftern  voyage  intended  for  the  difcovery  of  the 
coaft  of  America  to  the  fouth  weft  of  Cape  Breton  was  well  liked  there,  that 
the  merchants  of  Briftol  fubfcribcd  1000  marks  immediately  to  it,  and  that 
they  would  furnifti  a  ftiip  of  60  and  a  bark  of  40  tons,  dated  27th  March 
1583.  In  1594,  the  Grace  of  Briftol  the  4th  April  failed  from  Briftol  into 
the  great  river  of  St.  Laurence  for  the  fins  of  wales   and  train  oil,  as  far  up 

as 


[  ^11  ] 

as  the  ifland  Nantifcot,  and  returned  to  Hiingroad  24th  September  the  fame 
year.  In  the  CelleQions  of  Public  Acls  it  appears,  that  a  patent  was  granted 
in  1502  by  King  Henry  7th.  gth  December,  to  "  James  (or  Hugh)  Elliot 
and  Thomas  Afliurlt  merchants  of  Briftol,  and  to  John  Gonfaicz  and  Francis 
Fernandez,  natives  of  Portugal,  to  go  with  Englifli  colours  in  qued  of  un- 
known countries  upon  certain  terms  expreffed  in  the  grant,"  whether  it  was 
in  any  voyage  in  company  with  Cabot  or  another,  I  cannot  determine.  — 
For  I  find  Robert  Thorn  afore-mentioned  of  Erillol,  M'ho  was  fheriff  there  in 
1503,  May  1  1514  to  Dr.  Leigh  writes  thus;  "  this  inclination  and 
defire  of  this  difcovery  I  inherited  from  my  father,  who  with  another  mer- 
chant of  Briflol,  named  Hugh  Elliot,  were  the  difcoverers  of  the  Newfound- 
lands, of  which  there  is  no  doubt,  (as  now  plainly  appeareth)  if  the  mariners 
would  have  been  ruled  then,  and  followed  the  *  pilot's  mind,  but  the  lands 
of  the  Weft  Indies,  from  whence  all  the  gold  cometh,  had  been  ours  ;  for  all 
is  one  coaft  as  by  the  chart  appeareth," 

One  Thorn  (the  afore-mentioned  Robert)  a  merchant  of  Briftol  is  faid  by 
Mr.  Guthrie  t  to  have  "  prefented  a  memorial  for  leave  to  find  out  the 
north-weft  paflage,  fetting  forth  the  vaft  advantages  which  the  Emperor  and 
the  King  of  Portugal  drew  from  their  American  fettlements.  But  though 
Thorn  obtained  his  requeft,  no  difcovery  of  any  importance  then  followed." 
Nicholas  Thorn  in  his  will  left  all  his  geographical  and  nautical  inftruments 
to  the  Grammar  fchool  of  Briftol  founded  by  his  father  Robert. 

Many  voyages  were  made  afterwards  from  Briftol  with  the  like  public  fpi- 
rited  views  of  enriching  their  country  as  well  as  themfelves,  though  not  Avith 
equal  fuccefs.  One  +  Mr.  Guy  in  i6og,  took,  out  a  number  of  perfons  of 
both  fexes,  defigning  to  form  a  fettlement  all  the  winter  in  Newfoundland  : 
he  was  a  member  of  the  common  council  of  Briftol,  and  maAor  in  1618, 
"  He  procured  a  charter  and  licence  of  the  King  (James)  for  his  intended 
plantation,  having  fome  rich  merchants  of  London  as  well  as  Briftol  joined 
with  him  for  the  better  and  more  effeftual  profecuting  of  the  fcheme.  Many 
of  this  city  did  advance  money  towards  it:  and  fo  Mr.  Guy  with  fome  other 
young  merchants  being  fitted  out  with  more  men  and  all  neceftaries  took 
fliipping  here  for  Newfoundland  to  make  a  trial  of  the  place,  by  ftaying  there 

all  the  winter."  J 

Y  In 

*  Sebaftian  Cabot's  I  fuppofe. 

+  Hiftory  of  England,  v.  2,  p.  1052,  vid.  Annals  for  the  year  1502. 
J  In  a  manufciipt  penes  mc. 

^  Jolin  dc  Lact  takes  notice  of  this  voyage  from  BriRol:  anno   1608,    Angli  Johanne  Giiyo 
Briftolicnfi  duftore  ftatas  fcdcs  in  hac  infula  fcceixint  ad  finum  conccptionis,  &c. 


[     178     ] 

In  Stowe's  Chronicle  continued  by  E.  Howes  p.  943  you  have  a  very  par- 
ticular relation  of  this  voyage,  "  after  the  patent  was  obtained,  and  feveral 
noblemen  gentlemen  and  citizens  being  thereby  made  a  body  corporate  by 
the  name  of  the  treafiirer  and  company  of  adventures  and  planters  of  the 
cities  of  London  and  Bridol  for  the  colony  and  plantation  of  Newfoundland 
in  the  fouthern  and  eaRern  parts  lying  between  the  degrees  52  and  46,  the 
company  fent  fliips  with  men,  women  and  all  neceffaries  thither,  and  ordain- 
ed maifter  John  Guy  a  citizen  of  Briftol  a  man  very  induftrious  and  of  good 
experience  to  be  their  General  in  this  plantation,  who  planted  a  colony  of 
men  and  women  in  the  ifland  of  Newfoundland,  (which  was  firft  difcovered 
by  Sebaftian  Cabot  and  ever  fince  yearlv  frequented  by  the  Englifli  in  fifliing 
time  ;)  with  them  alfo  they  for  their  ufe  to  increafe  there,  tranfported  hennes, 
duckes,  pigeons,  conies,  goats,  kine  and  other  live  creatures,  all  which  did 
very  well  there  ;  this  General  Guy,  flayed  there  with  the  colony  both  winter 
and  fummer,  whofe  natures  and  conditions  in  general  agreed  very  well  witli 
the  foil  and  clyme.  In  this  plantation  there  were  fent  none  but  men  of  civill 
lyfe,  and  of  fome  honeft  trade  or  profcfTion,  by  which  courfe  they  lived  and 
profpered  the  better:  fince  the  date  of  their  charter,  8th  James  1.  2d  May 
1610,  they  have  fent  yearly  fupplies  thither  unto  the  year  1614,  mailer  John 
Slaney  Efq;  being  their  firll  treafurcr." 

In  an  old  legcr  book  in  the  cuftody  of  Mr.  Hackluit  (v.  3,  p.  500  of  his 
voyages)  written  about  1526  by  Mr.  N.  Thorn  the  elder  a  principal  mer- 
chant of  Briftol,  it  was  noted,  that  before  that  year  one  T.  Tifon  an  Englifh- 
man  had  "  found  the  way  to  the  Weft  Indies  and  refided  there,  and  to  him 
ihe  faid  Mr.  N.  Thorn  then  a  merchant  in  Briftol  fent  armour  and  other 
merchandize  there  fpecified,  whereby  it  appears,  that  there  was  an  edabliflied 
trade  there  very  early  and  from  the  city  of  Briftol.  In  the  1  ft  Elizabeth, 
when  all  merchandize  was  ordered  to  be  fhipped  in  none  but  Englifti  ftiips, 
an  excellent  policy  of  that  wife  Queen,  a  claufe  was  added  in  favour  of  the 
merchants  of  Briftol,  who  had  fuftained  "great  loftes  at  fea  from  enemies, 
who  had  taken  all  their  beft  ftiips  and  much  fubftance  fo  as  not  to  be  able  to 
provide  fliips  of  their  own  &c." — If  there  were  no  Englifti  fliips  within 
forty  miles  of  Briftol,  they  were  allowed  to  lade  their  merchandize  in  foreign 
Ihips  without  being  liable  to  aliens  duties." 

And  from  Hackluit  (2.  vol.  p.  3-)  it  appears  that  certain  merchants  of 
Briftol  did  not  only  now  (1526)  but  for  a  long  time  before  trade  by  the  fliips 
of  St.  Lucar  in  Spain  to  the  Canaries,  fending  cloth,  foap  <S:c.  and  returning 

with 


C   179  ] 

with  dye  ftufF  and  drugs,  fugar,  kidlkins,  and  that  they  alfo  fent  thither 
fa£lors  from  Spain. 

Briftol  was  equally  indudrious  in  eflablifliing  manufaftories  efpecialiy  of 
foap  in  1523,  fupplving  London  with  the  heft  grey  fpeckled  foap  and  with 
white  at  id.  per  pound.  In  1581  it  had  a  chief  manufaftory  of  points  or 
pins,  and  it  was  a  principal  myftery  exercifed  in  the  town,  as  were  the  making 
of  bays  and  filk  hofe ;  and  the  fail  cloth  and  glafs  manufaclure,  and  that  of 
hats,  cotton  and  thread  hofe,  &c.  is  Hill  carried  on  with  great  indudry. 

It  appears  bv  the  great  Red  Book  of  Briftol  p.  30,  that  the  mayor,  bailliffs 
and  commonalty  had  a  free  guild  of  merchants  in  the  town  and  fuburb,  from 
time  beyond  the  memory  of  man,  and  all  things  belonging  to  a  guild,  viz: 
to  buy  and  fell  in  the  faid  town  freely  and  quietly  from  all  toll  and  cuftoms, 
and  had  other  liberties  belonging  to  them,  and  for  the  whole  time  ufed  to  take 
a  certain  fine  or  (praeftacionem)  to  their  own  ufe  from  all  who  were  admitted 
into  the  liberties  and  fociety  of  the  faid  guild,  to  have  the  liberty  aforcfaid 
according  to  what  could  be  agreed  reafonably  between  them  ;  —  the  guild  was 
confirmed  in  their  liberties  by  John  Earl  of  Moreton  afterwards  King  John 
and  by  William  Earl  of  Glocefter. 

In  7th  year  of  Edward  4,  William  Canynges  being  mayor  the  following 
ordinances  were  made  for  merchants,  according  to  the  cuftom  from  time 
immemorial. 

1.  The  maior  and  council  fifteen  days  after  Michaelmas  were  to  call  a 
council  and  to  choofe  from  them  a  perfon,  that  hath  been  maior  or  flicriff,  to 
be  mafter  of  the  fellowfliip  of  merchants  and  to  choofe  two  merchants  for 
wardens,  and  two  beedles  to  occupy  as  beedles  and  brokers  to  be  attendant 
the  faid  year  upon  the  faid  mafters  and  wardens  &c. 

2.  The  mafter  and  fellowfliip  to  have  at  their  will  the  chapel  and  the 
draught  chamber  at  Spicers  hall  to  aftemble  in,  paying  20s.  per  ann. 

3.  All  merchants  to  attend  (if  in  town)  upon  fummons,  or  to  pay  one 
pound  of  wax  to  the  mafter  and  fellowfliip. 

4.  All  rules  for  felling  to  fti'angers  of  any  of  the  four  merchandifes  to  be 
kept  on  pain  of  20s.  for  every  default  one  half  to  the  fellowfliip,  the  other 
to  the  chamber. 

5.  Nor  upon  pain  aforefaid  to  fell  to  any  ftranger  under  the  ruled  price. 

6.  If  any  merchant  be  in  diftrefs  he  muft  apply  to  the  wardens  or  beedles 
declaring  the  fame,  and  if  they  provide  not  a  remedy  within  three  days,  then 
•he  merchant  burgcfs  to  fell  any  of  his  four  merchandifes  at  hispleafure. 

Y  2  Befidcs 


C    180   ] 

Befides  the  guilds  or  fraternities  for  the  regulation  of  trade,  there  were  alfo 
religious  guilds ;  one  was  inftituted  here  24  Hen.  6.  that  for  the  foul's  health 
and  good  of  the  King,  the  mayor  and  commonalty,  and  for  the  profperitv  of 
the  mariners  who  were  expofcd  to  manifold  dangers  and  diftrefTes,  there  flrould 
be  a  fraternity  erefted  to  the  worfliip  of  God,  our  Lady,  St.  Clement,  St. 
George,  and  all  the  faints  of  heaven,  to  be  founded  in  fuch  place  in  Briftol 
which  the  mayor  fliould  dircft,  for  a  priefl  and  twelve  poor  mariners  to  pray 
daily,  as  above  ;  to  the  fupport  of  which  the  mafler  of  every  fliip,  barge.  Sec. 
after  his  voyage  performed,  at  his  arrival  in  the  port  fliould  pay  4  d.  per  ton 
of  goods  imported,  in  two  days,  to  two  wardens  chofen  for  the  craft  of 
mariners  and  admitted  by  the  mayor,  and  all  fworn  by  the  articles  and  orders 
of  the  fraternity,  on  pain  of  6  s.  8  d.  if  a  mafler,  if  feaman  3  s.  4d.  if  fervant 
IS.  8d. 

1.  One  half  to  the  mayor,  and  the  other  to  the  fraternity  towards  the  fupport 
of  the  priefl  and  poor  :  the  like  penalty  to  feamen  or  fervants  who  refufc  or 
omit  paying  the  4d.  per  ton,  and  the  mafler  to  forfeit  40s.  for  the  fame 
default. 

2.  Every  mafler  and  mariner  to  attend  at  the  proceffion  of  Corpus  Chrifli 
day,  with  the  refl  of  his  craft,  upon  the  like  penalties  above. 

3.  Any  mariner  convifled  of  having  flolen  goods  on  fliipboard,  or  bringing 
fuch  into  his  fliip,  the  mate  that  receives  fuch  mariner  fliall  forfeit  20s. 

4.  Every  mafler  and  mariner  was  in  his  harnefs  to  attend  the  mayor  during 
the  watches  of  St.  John's  feafl,  St.  Peter's  and  St.  Paul's  on  like  penalties. 

5.  None  to  be  chofen  into  the  number  of  the  twelve  poor  men  of  the  frater- 
nity unlefs  he  has  performed  his  duties  for  feven  years,  to  be  chofen  by  vote; 
and  if  he  has  been  a  mafler  feven  years  to  receive  i2d.  per  week,  otherwife 
8d.  per  week  for  his  finding. 

6.  A  warden  omitting  to  pay  the  faid  allowance  fix  weeks  to  any  poor  perfon 
to  forfeit  20s.  half  to  the  profit  of  the  town,  half  to  the  fraternity. 

7.  Every  Briflol  mariner  arriving  in  any  other  port  after  the  voyage  made, 
though  not  in  a  fliip  of  this  port,  to  pay  at  his  coming  to  the  city  the  fame  as  if 
he  had  failed  in  a  Briflow  fliip. 

There  is  now  an  almfhoufe  near  the  Merchants'-Hall,  that  has  fucceeded  to 
this  fraternity  ;  and  there  was  formerly  a  chapel  there  adjoining,  dedicated  to 

St.    Clement And  there    has   lately  been  inflituted  a  fociety   called    the 

Captain's  or  Seaman's  Club,  by  which  the  widows  of  captains  failing  a  certain 
time  out  of  Briflol  have  a  provifionof  8  or  10 1.  or  more,  per  ann.  for  their 
widowhood. 

A  Society 


[     i8i     ] 

A  Society  of  Merchant-Venturers  was  incorporated  within  this  city  by  Kin^ 
Edw.  6.  by  letters  patent  14th  December  6th  year  of  his  reign  ;  and  aftcr- 
Avards  confirmed  by  Oueen  Elizabeth,  and  King  Charles  ifl:.  They  are  feizcd 
and  pofTcffcd  of  manors*  and  lands  to  the  amount  of  upwards  of  3000I.  per 
annum,  in  tru.1  for  the  maintenance  and  fupport  of  certain  almfhoufes  in  this 
city,  and  for  other  charitable  ufes.  —  They  have  a  comon  hall  to  meet  and 
tranfacl  their  bufinefs  in,  ^nd  an  almflioufe  for  decayed  feamen  adjoining: 
their  charter  gives  them  fcveral  privileges,  powers,  and  immunities ;  and 
private  perfons  becoming  members  of  this  honourable  fociety,  enjoy  fomc 
particular  advantages  in  fitting  out  their  fliips  with  refpect  to  wharfage,  which 
thofe  pay  w'ho  are  not  free  of  the  Mcrchants'-Hall- 

By  an  aft  of  council  the  13th  Cha.  2d.  1661,  it  was  ordered,  in  confideration 
the  fociety  and  fellowfliip  of  merchants  will  be  at  the  cofts  of  enlarging  and 
making  new  a  key,  from  the  lower  flip  of  the  Key  to  a  certain  place  in  the 
Marfli  called  Aldworth's  Dock  or  Key  :  and  alfo  make  the  way  paflablc  by 
Rownham  convenient  for  coaches  or  horfes  to  the  Hot-wells,  there  fliall  be 
the  fum  of  100 1.  iffued  out  of  the  chamber  towards  the  advancement  and 
doing  of  the  faid  public  works :  and  alfo  upon  furrender  made  by  the  faid 
fociety  of  a  leafe  they  have  now  in  being  of  the  duties  of  anchorage  and 
plankage  and  kannage,  a  new  leafe  fliould  be  granted  to  them  by  the  mayor 
and  commonalty,  of  the  faid  duties,  for  the  term  of  fourfcore  years,  under 
the  old  rent  and  covenants,  provided  a  covenant  binding  all  parties  be  inferted, 
that  after  the  new  Key  be  made  and  enlarged  no  building  (hall  be  ereded  on 
the  fame.  Book  of  Orders,  p.  72. 

This  leafe  has  been  renewed  not  long  fince,  about  the  year  1 780. 

The 

*  Part  of  the  manor  of  Clifton  belongs  to  them,  the  Hot-well  fpring  and  pump-room,  and 
other  buildings  there,  lately  much  improved  ;  alfo  St,  Vincent's  Rock  above  it,  where  flone  is 
continually  digged  for  making  the  beft  lime,  great  quantities  of  which  are  exported  to  the  fugar 

iflands  for  making  fugar.  —  Befides  the  plants,  &c.  mentioned  before  p.  92,  there  is  lately 
gathered  here  a  plant  called  Wild  or  Mountain  Sage,  in  great  quantities,  and  fent  to  very  diftant 
parts  as  a  remedy  for  old  rheumatifms  and  fixed  pains,  and  debility  thence  arifing  ;  it  is  boiled, 
and.half  a  pint  given  at  a  time  in  thefe  complaints  and  after  gouty  fits,  and  they  fay  to  great 
advantage.  —  From  the  high  part  of  St.  Vincent's  Rock,  where  they  dig  the  lime  ftoncs,  to  the 
oppofite  fide,  a  bridge  was  once  propofed  to  be  thrown  by  Wm.  Vick,  Efq;  an  eminent  wine- 
merchant  of  Briftol,  who  left  a  thoufand  pounds  and  intcrefl  to  accumulate  for  a  certain  number 

*  of  years,  if  any  one  within  that  lime  (hould  leave  any  additional  fum  for  the  fame  purpofe. 
Unfortunately  no  one  has  left  any  thing  fincc  towards  this  grand  fchcmc,  and  the  money  is  now 
forfeited  to  his  executors. 


[       l82      ] 

The  following  are  the  arms  of  the  Society  of  Merchant-Venturers  of  the 
city  ofBriftol,  incorporated  the  14th  December  the  6th  of  Edw.  6.  granted  by 
Took  Clarenceiux. 

Barrv  onde  of  6  pieces  arg.  and  azure,  on  a  bend  or.  a  dragon  volant  vert, 
on  a  chief  G.  a  lion  palTant  or.  between  2  bezants  —  upon  the  bcaufmen  on  a 
wreath  or.  and  az.  the  top  of  a  fliip  or.  in  the  fame  a  man  in  mail  proper,  in  his 
right  hand  a  targe,  in  his  left  a  dart  or.  fupported  with  two  fupporters,  firfl  a 
mermaid,  the  upper  part  charne,  her  hair  and  fins  with  an  anchor  in  her  hand 
or.  the  nether  part  in  proper  colours ;  the  fecond  fupporter  is  the  figure  of 
Time,  the  upper  part  charne,  his  wings  and  nether  part  or.  in  his  left  hand  a 
fcythe,  the  fliaft  fables,  fcythe  arg.  mantled  gules,  doubled  arg. 


The  arms  with  the  fupporters  may  be  feen  engraved  in  the  print  of  the 
Merchants'-Hall,  fee  chap,  on  St.  Stephen's  parifli. 

So  intent  have  the  natives  of  Briftol  ever  been  on  merchandife  and  naviga- 
tion, that  they  frequently  have  not  only  ventured  their  lives  and  fortunes  in 
fearch  of  new  countries,  and  opening  new  fources  of  commerce,  but  their 
induftry  has  alfo  been  crowned  with  fuch  fuccefs  as  to  enable  them  to  afTifl  the 
government  in  time  of  public  danger  with  money  and  Ihips,  as  they  did  Henry 
8.  againft  the  French  King,  and  O.  Elizabeth  againft  the  Spanifli  armada. 
Their  knowledge  of  trade  and  commercial  affairs  has  been  equal  to  their 
induflry,  and  they  have  been  fent  for  in  times  paft  to  WeflmiiiQer  by  the 
government  to  advife  concerning  trade,  particularly  by  Hen.  6.  a.  r.  36, 
And  Mr.  J.  Guy,  the  merchant  and  alderman  before-mentioned,  was  fent  fo^" 
to  London  to  confult  about  the  decay  of  trade  and  coin  in  1622. 

Briflol  being  the  largeft  and  mod  convenient  wellern  port  for  trade,  and 
having  the  benefit  of  water  carriage  by  the  fine  river  Severn  for  bringing  down 
the  heavy  goods  and  manufatlures  of  the  North  of  England  hither  for  expor- 
tation, enjoys  very  great  advantages  over  many  other  ports.  —  This  noble 
river,  which  our  anceftors  the   Britons  called  Havren,  the  Romans  Sabrina, 

and 


[     i83     ] 

and  the  Englifh  Sevren,  rifes  out  of  a  high  mountain  in  Montgomerj'fhire, 
called  Plinlimmon  or  Plynlymon ;  from  hence  running  South  Eaft  it  receives 
two  fmail  rivulets,  and  then  turning  direct  North  paffcs  through  Llanidios, 
where  receiving  the  waters  of  five  other  ftrcams  and  running  North  Eaft  to 
Newtown,  it  continues  its  courfe  more  to  the  northward,  till  it  enters  Shrop- 
fliire,  and  being  joined  by  feveral  brooks  by  the  way,  at  laft  reaches  Welch- 
pool  ;  having  in  the  fpacc  of  twenty  miles  become  from  a  flendcr  filver  ftream 
a  very  deep  and  copious  river,  and  is  navigable  from  thence  to  its  mouth. 
From  Welchpool  the  Severn  runs  North,  and  then  turning  Eaft  after  wafliing 
the  fplendid  and  populous  town  of  Shrewfbury,  (fuperior  to  fome  cities,)  runs 
South  Eaft  to  Bridgcnorth  ;  and  from  thence  declining  ftill  more  to  the  South 
enters  Worcefterftiire  and  proceeds  to  Bewdley.  The  Severn,  fwelled  with 
concurring  ftreams,  traverfes  entirely  that  country,  and  having  watered 
amongft  other  places  Worcefter  and  Upton,  it  paffes  forward  into  Glocefter- 
fliire  and  rolls  on  to  Tewkefburv,  from  whence  having  vifited  Glocefter,  and 
meeting  ftill  with  frefh  acceflion  of  waters,  grows  to  fuch  a  fize  as  to  be  ftiled 
the  Severn  Sea,  pouring  its  tide,  after  a  progrefs  of  more  than  a  hundred  and 
thirty  miles,  into  the  Briftol  Channel.* 

The  Se\'ern  flowing  up  the  river  Avon  to  Briftol,  formerly  not  only  great 
and  ferviceable  fhips  of  burden  belonging  to  merchants,  butalfo  to  his  Majefty 
had  of  old  time  continual  recourfe  hither,  fay  the  manufcripts  ;  and  feveral' 
King's  Ihips  of  war  have  been  built  in  the  docks  here.t 

As  the  diftinguifhed  privileges  and  conveniences  Briftol  has  by  its  fituation 
and  free  intercourfe  with  Wales  and  the  North  of  England  by  the  Severnj 
became  more  generally  known  and  experienced,  fo  has  its  trade,  fliipping  and 
credit  increafed  ;  and  as  its  merchants  have  met  with  fuccefs,  the  induftrious 
naturally  refort  hither  to  make  a  fortune,  and  the  rich  to  improve  one.  By 
trade  and  navigation  many  places  in  every  kingdom  have  rofe  out  of  obfcurity, 
and  became  eminent  examples  of  its  extenfive  utility  to  a  ftate,  and  happy 
influence  on  a  nation  ;  and  by  its  decay  places,  which  once  made  an  illuftrious 
figure  in  a  kingdom,  have  from  fupcrb  cities  dwindled  down  into  mean  towns 
and  villages  and  funk  into  obfcurity.      With  great   truth   and  honour  may    it 

be 

*  Sec  William  of  Malmfbury  de  Geftis  Pontific.  lib.  4.  of  the  Ilygrfi  or  Bore,  or  fwcUing 
of  the  tide  fuddenly. — Alfo  Camden's  Gloceflerfhirc. 

+  Ships  of  war  built  here  for  government,  the  Iflip  of  30  guns,  in  165,1;.  The  St.  Patrick  of 
52  guns,  in  1660.  The  Edgar  of  72  g'lns,  432  men,  1046  tons,  in  i663.  The  Oxford  of  54 
guns,  274  men,  6831003,  in  1674.  The  Northumberland  of  70  guns,  446  men,  1096  tons,  in 
1679.  The  Glocefter  of  60  guns,  316  men,  896  tons.  Tlv:  MeJca  of  32  guns,  in  1778.  The 
Trufty  of  50  gii!is,  and  lately  many  more^ 


[     i84     ] 

be  faid,  that  by  merchandife  fuch  opulent  fortunes  have  been  acquired  here  as 
to  enable  many  of  our  predeceffors  to  build  churches,  and  endow  hofpitals 
and  alniflioufes,  and  leave  fuch  noble  and  princely  benefaftions  for  the  public 
ufe  behind  them,  as  are  not  to  be  equalled  in  the  kingdom  by  any  city,  where 
private  merchants  and  tradefmen  were  the  donors,  as  will  hereafter  be  made 
appear :  fo  that  it  may  be  truly  faid,  they  got  their  wealth  by  induftry, 
managed  it  with  prudence,  and  above  all  did  not  forget  to  difpofe  of  much  of  it 
to  public  charities.  i 

The  trade  of  this  city  is  efteemed  the  moft  confidcrable  of  any  port  in  the 
kingdom,  London  excepted,  efpccially  to  the  Well  Indies  and  North  Ame- 
rica, to  the  latter  its  merchants  have  the  honour  of  being  the  firft  adventurers, 
and  are  faid  to  employ  about  70  large  fhips  in  the  trade  to  the  Weft  Indies  alone. 
The  Guinea  trade  has  been  alfo  very  flourifliing,  and  employs  a  great  number 
of  their  fhipping;  though  in  this  Liverpool  may  probably  exceed  them. 
Before  the  civil  war  they  had  a  great  foreign  trade,  efpccially  to  the  Weft 
Indies,  but  fince  the  revolution  the  trade  to  North  America  and  Newfound- 
land, to  Guinea,  the  Mediterranean,  to  Norway,  Hamburgh,  and  up  the 
Baltic  has  been  greatly  improved  and  extended.  They  trade  here  alfo  with 
lefs  dependence  on  the  Capital  than  any  of  the  outports.  Whatever  expor- 
tations  they  make  to  any  part,  they  can  difpofe  of  the  full  returns,  without 
fhipping  of  any  part  for  London  in  fliips  bound  thither,  or  configning  their 
own  veftels  to  London  to  difpofe  of  their  cargoes.  Thev  have  buyers  at 
home  for  their  largeft  cargoes ;  whence  the  fliopkeepers  in  Briftol  drive  a 
great  inland  trade,  being  wholefale  dealers  throughout  the  weftern  counties, 
which  employs  a  great  many  carriers  and  waggoners  paffing  and  repaffing  from 
Briftol  to  the  principal  towns.  Add  to  this  the  navigation  of  the.  two  great 
rivers  Severn  and  Wye,  whereby  they  engrofs  in  a  manner  to  themfelves  the 
whole  trade  of  South  Wales,  and  great  part  of  North  Wales,  as  well  as  of  the 
Englifh  counties  bordering  on  thofe  rivers;  and  they  have  all  the  heavy 
goods  by  water  from  Birmingham  and  the  North  of  England  by  trows,  a  very 
fingular  advantage  to  the  foreign  or  home  trade  of  the  place,  not  lefs  than  100 
trows  being  employed  in  bringing  goods  to  and  from  Briftol  on  the  Severn. 
The  trade  to  Ireland  is  alfo  very  great,  a  number  of  fliips  being  conftantly 
employed  in  it. 

The  great  demand  for  glafs  bottles  for  the  Briftol  and  the  Bath  waters,  for 
the  exportation  of  beer,  cider,  and  perrv,  &c.  occafion  many  glafs-houfes 
being  eretlcd  here  to  fupply  it :  befides  there  is  a  great  export  of  plate  or 

window 


C   185   ] 

•window  glafs,  vials,  and   drinking  glafTes;   brafs  and   copper  pans,  and  brafs 
wire  from  the  manufatlory  here. 

The  diftillcry  is   alfo   become  a  very  capital    branch  of  trade,  many  great 
works  being  eretled   at  amazing  expence    in  different  pans  of  the  city  ;  and 
though  nothing  is   fo  prejudicial   to  the  health  of  man  as  drinking  fpirituous 
liquors  in  any  form,  fo  totally  deftruftive  of  human  generation  and  being,  fo 
fubverfiveofour  very  exiflence,  caufing  flow  but  fure  death,  yet  the  quantity  of 
rum  imported  from  abroad,  of  gin  and  brandy  mde  at  home,  indicates   and 
proves  what  a  great  confumption  of  thefe  liquors   there  is   now   in   comparifon 
of  what  was  a  few  years  ago;  when  there  were  but   few  diflil  houfes  and  but 
little  rum  imported  or  brandy  made  here.      The  mifchief  indeed  is  not  con- 
fined to  ourfelves  ;   it  fpreads  far  and  wide  ;   for  the  great  export  of  fpirits  to 
Quebeck  and  North  America,  to  Africa  and  other   countries   it  is,  that  pro- 
motes the  diftillery  here,  as  well  as  their  too  general   and  fatal   ufe   at  home; 
whilft  the  great  confumption  of  barley  and   wheat,  whence  they  extracl  this 
baneful  liquor,  leaves   us  often  to   lament  the  fcarcity  of  grain   for   our   ne- 
ceffary  ufes,  for  our  wholefom  food  and  daily   fupport.      Such  quantities    of 
fpirits  are  made  here  from  grain  (the  growth  of  the   adjoining  corn-counties, 
Glocefterfl)ire,    Wiltfhire,    Worcefterfliire,    Herefordfliire   and  Wales,   from 
which  laft  they  have  it  by  water,)  that  they  fend  veffels  loaded  M-ith   fpirits   to 
London,  and  even  fupply  that  city,  where  yet  fuch   large  dittilleries  are  car- 
ried  on  to  fuch  a  degree  and  extent  as  exceeds  all  belief.     But  all,  all  is  con- 
fumed,  to  the  fhortning  of  the  period  of  human   life  (alas  !  too  fliort  !)  and 
the  abfolute  extinftion  of  our  very  being,   by  drying  up  and  hardning  the  fine 
veffels  and  nerves,    rendering  them  impervious,  producing  paralytic  ftrokes, 
hemiplegies,  and  apoplexies,  never   before  fo  frequent  as  of  late  years,  fince 
the  frequent  and  fo  general  ufe  of  fpirituous  liquors,  in  punch,  toddy  or  alone 
unmixed. 

The  prefent  trade  of  this  city  to  foreign  parts  is  very  great  ;  to  Florida, 
Carolina,  Maryland,  New-York,  Philadelphia,  Newfoundland  and  Quebec, 
fhips  are  employed  to  export  our  manufactured  goods  through  the  vail  conti- 
nent of  North  America,  and  return  with  tobacco,  rice,  tar,  deer  fkins,  tim- 
ber, furrs,  indigo,  logwood,  &c.  and  from  the  Weft  India  Iflands  with 
fugar,  rum,  pimento,  mahogany,  &c.  the  produce  of  the  fcveral  countries, 
the  trade  thither  having  incrcafed  in  proportion  as  the  colonifts  have  extended 
their  fettlements :  it  refleBs  no  fmall  degree  of  honour  on  the  city  ofBiiftol 
that  Newfoundland  and  North  America  to  which  they  now  and  ever  fince 
have  had  fo  great  a  trade,  were  firft  difcovercd  by  a  Briftol  man,  and  the  firll 

Z  vo)agc 


[     >86    ] 

voyage  made  thither  \<z.s  by  fliips  manned  victualled  and  fitted  out  here  by 
Briftoi  merchants.  It  is  yet  to  be  proved  whither  the  trade  to  America  will 
increafe  or  decline,  fmcc  fome  of  the  colonies  grown  rich  and  feeling  their 
own  importance,  have  now  fet  up  for  themfelves  and  thrown  off  their  allegi- 
ance and  dependence  they  owed  the  mother  country  by  a  feparation  in  the 
year  1783.  The  trade  to  Africa  for  flaves,  (a  trade  now  much  complained 
of  and  about  to  be  regulated  by  law)  ivory,  gold  dull,  &c.  has  been  cul- 
tivated here  with  great  fpirit  and  fuccefs ;  the  induftrious  tradefmen  alfo 
frequently  fend  their  goods  abroad  to  great  advantage  at  their  own  rifque  ;  and 
they  freight  fliips  here  for  any  voyage  with  the  greatefl  difpatch.  They 
employ  alfo  fliips  in  the  Streights  trade,  and  up  the  Baltic  for  deals,  &c.  and 
not  long  fince  fent  them  to  Greenland  in  tlie  whale  fifliery,  which  proving 
more  uncertain  and  not  fo  advantageous  is  dropped  entiiely  for  the  prefent. 
In  war  time  they  have  fitted  out  fleets  of  privateers  to  the  great  anoyance  of 
the  enemy's  trade  and  afliflance  to  government. 

The  ^\hole  trade  of  this  city  may  beft  be  eftimated  by  the  duties  paid  on 
exports  and  imports  annually  and  the  number  of  Ihips  entered  out.  By  fome 
manufcript  papers  before  me  it  appears  that  in  1634  the  port  of  Brillol  paid 
for  cufloms  and  imports  more  then  lo.oool.  and  the  following  years  upwards  of 
25,000!.  and  they  have  every  year  fince  mofl  rapidly  incrcafed. 

In  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  amount  of  the  cuftoms  upon  an  ave- 
rage of  feveral  years  was  in  the  port  of  London  1 1  i,oool.  and  in  all  the  other 
ports  of  the  kingdom  1  y.oool.  of  which  Briftol  paid  5000I.  whereas  in  the 
year  1770  and  for  years  paft  the  cuftoms  of  the  port  of  Briftol  alone  have 
amounted  to  upwards  of  200,oool.  per  ann.  clear  of  all  bounties  paid  on  ex- 
ports, oflRcers  falaries,  &c.  the  excife  pays  alfo  100,000).  per  ann.  But  the 
following  account  of  the  grofs  receipts  and  neat  remittances  of  the  two  fea- 
ports  of  Briftol  and  Liverpool  (a  difpute  having  aril'en  which  paid  moft  to 
government)  may  be  fatisfadory  to  the  reader,  as  it  gives  the  remittances  for 
eight  years  regularly. 


GROSS 


[     1  = 

S7 

_ 

■ 

GROSS     R 

E 

C  E  I 

P 

T 

S. 

Bristol. 

Liverpool. 

»75o 

-       -       242,283     4   11 

1750 

- 

- 

215,463     8 

4 

i 

228,517   16     1 

1 

- 

- 

163.597  17 

loi 

2 

-       -       302,885     5     2 

2 

- 

- 

200,409  14 

6i 

3 

-       -       301.483     4     31 

3 

- 

- 

210,218  16 

6| 

4 

297,202     0     0^ 

4 

- 

- 

258,456     8 

^i 

5 

-     -      333.778  14    5i 

5 

- 

- 

202,367     6 

1 

6 

-       -        257,560     1     9:1' 

6 

- 

- 

165.438     4 

3l 

7 

-       -       351.211      9     6| 
£2,314,922   16     4f 
Medium. 
£289,365     7     oi 

7 

£ 

198.946  17 

1,614,898  13 

Medium. 
£201,862     6 

3 

1 

7l 

NEAT      REMITTANCES. 


1750 

128,580  17 

loX 

1750 

-      -        58,907     5     3-1 

1 

-      -       140,731     0 

H 

1 

40,648     3     0 

2 

-      -       158.765   10 

4| 

2 

-       -         44.387     8     o| 

3 

170,361   13 

li 

3 

-       -         45.479     1     li 

4 

-       -       156.717     9 

li 

4 

-       -         59.766     6     o| 

5 

-       -       177.894   15 

41 

5 

-       -         49,661     0     8i 

6 

-       -       156.951     5 

5 

6 

-      -        49.976  11     li- 

7 

-       -       i5i.5'6     1 

li 

7 

60,263   15   loi 

£1,241,5^8   12 

iii 

£409,089  11     2| 

Medium. 

Medium. 

£155.189   16 

7i 

£51.136     3   lof 

The  neat  remittance  for  the  year  1764  from  Briflol  was  195,000!.  and  from 
Liverpool  but  70,000!.  "and  2353  vefTels  entered  inward  at  the  Cuftom-houfe 
Briflol  the  fame  year. 

To  fliewthe  great  increafe  of  the  trade  of  this  city  as  well  as  of  the  number  of 
its  fhipping  the  account  of  the  anchorage,  wharfage  and  moorage,  paid  to  the 
fociety  of  merchants  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  is  an  indubitable  proof 
and  of  this  the  following  is  a  true  and  exafl.  amount  for  the  fpacc  of  thirty  two 
years. 

Z  2  N.  B. 


C   188   ] 

N.  B.  Every  vefTel  above  fixty  tons  pays  wharfage. 

/.      s.      d. 
In   1745 

6  _  -  _ 

7  -  -  - 

8  -  -  - 

9  -  -  - 

1750  -  -  - 

1  -  -  - 

2  _  _  _ 

3  -  -  - 

4  -  -  - 

5  -  -  - 

6  -  -  - 

7  -  -  - 

8  -  -  - 

9  -  -  - 

1760  -  _  - 

a  -  -  - 

3  -  -  - 

4  -  -  - 

5  -  -  - 

6  -  -  - 

7  -  -  - 

8  -  -  - 

9  -  -  - 

1770  -  -  - 

1  -  -  - 

a  _  _  _ 

3  -  -  - 

4  -  -  - 

5  upwards  of 


918 

18 

7i 

879 

19 

6 

921 

13 

9 

1064 

1 

5 

1080 

7 

2 

1247 

6 

0 

1253 

1 

6 

1225 

10 

loi 

1271 

1 

9l 

1212 

1 

11 

1209 

16 

9l 

1208 

9 

lox 

1387 

1 

5 

1308 

5 

i^i 

1591 

14 

6 

1379 

1 

5 

1289 

0 

6 

1253 

17 

8 

1351 

13 

6 

1286 

8 

1 

1483 

7 

2 

1481 

6 

6 

1547 

5 

1 

^^57 

»5 

2 

1593 

8 

5 

^578 

18 

6 

1514 

7 

2 

1561 

0 

9 

1482 

0 

6i 

1727 

i8 

6 

2000 

0 

■0 

The 


[     1^9    ] 

the  numbers  of  fliips  and  vefiels  arriving  here,  and  entered  out  of  the 
port  of  Briflol,  muft  ever  be  varying  in  different  years  ;  and  to  calculate  this 
with  any  juftnefs  or  propriety,  the  places  to  which  they  are  fcnt  fliould  be 
fpecified :  it  has  been  computed  thus,  though  exaftnefs  is  not  to  be 
c.xpefted. 

Coafting  veffels  annually  employed  chiefly  on  the  coafl  of 
Somerfet,  Devon  and  Cornwall,  and  Wales  down  the 
Briftol  Channel,  and  on  the  rive  Wye  and  all  South 
Wales,  &c.  about  -  -  -  looo 

In  1788  Ships  employed  in  the  trade  to  Jamaica,  -  84 

To  the  Leeward  iflands  -  -.  _  38 

To  Africa  -  _  _  .  37 

To  Newfoundland  -  _  _  33 

To  North  America  about  -  -  _  co 

Between  BriRol  and  Ireland,  France,  Spain,  and   Lon- 
don, Sec.  about  _  -  _  200 


1392 
Befides  103  trows  from  50  to  130  tons  employed  in  carrying  goods  upon  the 
Severn  to  and  from  Briftol. 

In  the  year  1769  there  were  entered  inward  at  the  Cuftom-houfe  417  fo- 
reign fhips,  as  appears  by  the  prefentments  of  the  year,  exclufivc  of  London- 
ers, coafters,  &c. 

In  the  year  1742  the  privateers  fitted  out  from  Briftol  alone  exceeded  in 
tonnage  number  of  guns  and  men,  the  whole  Royal  Navy  of  Great  Britain  in 
the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth ;  though  trade  and  navigation  have  flouriflied 
and  been  annually  improving  here  for  many  years  yet  it  has  been  ever  ihiftu- 
tuating  from  the  time  of  King  Henry  2d.  1139,  ^hen  William  of  Malmftjury 
makes  fuch  honourable  mention  of  it  to  the  prefcnt  time. 

The  following  exa£t  account  (which  may  reflify  any  errors  in  the  above) 
of  the  whole  number  of  ftiips  and  their  tonnage,  including  their  repeated 
voyages,  that  have  traded  to  this  port  to  and  from  any  kingdom  in  the  year 
1787,  is  taken  from  the  Cuftom-houfe  entries  by  order  of  government,  when 
the  ftate  of  the  African  flave-trade  was  the  fubjctl  of  parliamentary  enquiry, 
and  petitions  were  prefented  for  its  abolition,  and  an  aft  was  pafted,  for  its. 
regulation.. 

COASTERS.. 


r  190  ] 


COASTERS. 

I  N  ^^'  A  R  D  s. 

0  U  T  W 

A  R  D  S. 

Inwards 

• 

Outwards 

VelTcls. 
1861 

Tons. 
66,200 

Men. 
5181 

\-clTcIs. 
1632 

Tons. 
62,139 

Men. 
6066 

B 

ritifli. 

Foreign. 

B 

ritilh. 

Foreign. 

^thips. 

1       Tons. 

Shv.j 

1        Ions.      |I.Shlis|        loi.s. 

Ships 

\      Tons. 

Africa          _         _         _ 

15 

1762 

0 

0 

30 

4171 

(. 

0 

"Britifh  Colonies    - 

17 

1477 

0 

0 

36 

3745 

C 

0 

Honduras     -         _         _ 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3 

678 

0 

0 

America  ■< 

Mufquito  Shore     - 

5 

84o 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

United  States 

11 

1662 

16 

3045 

1 1 

1879 

14 

2454 

■ 

Weft  Indies 

71 

16,209 

0 

0 

73 

16,913 

0 

0 

Alderney     _          -         _ 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

39 

0 

0 

Britifh  Fifliery     - 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

34" 

0 

0 

Flanders      _         -         - 

1 

80 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

France         _         -         . 

12 

1110 

3 

135 

20 

1817 

8 

152 

Germany     -         _         _ 

1 

20 

3 

330 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Greece         _         _          _ 

4 

537 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Guernfey    -         _          - 

4 

236 

0 

0 

12 

605 

0 

0 

Holland      -         -         - 

9 

860 

2 

190 

5 

561 

4 

441 

Jerfey 

2 

116 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Ireland        _          _         _ 

ibi 

9623 

0 

0 

139 

9187 

0 

0 

Ifle  of  Man 

2 

68 

0 

0 

1 

40 

0 

0 

Italy             -         _         _ 

17 

1709 

0 

0 

4 

372 

4 

6go 

Norway       -         _         _ 

1 

189 

14 

3307 

0 

0 

13 

2977 

Poland         -          -         _ 

2 

461 

3 

960 

0 

0 

3 

960 

Portugal      -         _         _ 

23 

2  5  "4 

1 

40, 

12 

1579 

2 

380 

PrufTia         -         _          _ 

8 

2293 

1 

140 

3 

613 

0 

0 

Southern  W'hale  Fifhery 

0 

382 

0 

0 

2 

387 

0 

0 

Spain            _         _         _ 

37 

3633 

17 

1480' 

15 

1647 

18 

1691 

Sweden        -         _         _ 

0 

V 

9 

1485 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Ruffia          -         _         _ 

1 1 

2351 

0 

0 

8 

21561 

0 

0 

1 

.4.6 

48,125 

% 

11,112 

382I  46,72911 

eq 

i'\445 

Ships  and  Veffels  belonging  to  this  port,  their  tonnage  and  number  of  men,  that  have  traded 
to  and  from  foreign  parts;  alfo  coafling  veffels,  fifliing  veffels,  fmacks,  &c.  for  the 
year  1787. 


Foreign  Trade.    ( 

Coallers. 

Fifhing  Veffels,  &c. 

Ships. 

323 

Tons.            Men. 
53.491      3971 

Ships. 

3" 

Ttins. 

3078 

Men. 
192 

Miips. 

1   7 

Tons, 

340 

Men. 
3" 

Of 


[     191     ] 


Of   BRISTOL    in    particular: 

Or,    of   the    CITY    as    divided    into 

Particular  DISTRICTS,    PARISHES,  &c. 


CHAP.     VII. 

VJ    the     CASTLE. 

THE  origin,  names,  civil  government,  trade,  and  defcription  of  the  city 
in  general  at  different  periods  being  hitherto  noticed,  its  feparate  and 
particular  hiRory  falls  next  under  confideration  ;  and  the  Caftle  with  its  precinfls 
for  its  great  antiquity  and  renown  claims  our  firfl  regard. 

This  caftle  has  been  the  fcene  of  many  interefting  tranfa6lions  and  hiftorical 
events;  though  it  is  not  mentioned  in  our  chronicles  exprefly  before  1088, 
ift  of  Wm.  Rufus,  when  it  is  called  by  Roger  Hoveden  "  Caftrum  fortiffimum." 
If  it  was  fo  foon  after  the  conqueft,  "  a  caftle  of  the  greateft  ftrength,"  fo 
great  as  to  be  made  the  infurgenfs  head  quarters,  and  the  common  repofitory 
of  all  the  plunder  of  the  country,  as  will  appear  below ;  it  muft  have  been 
built  long  before,  and  we  muft  look,  farther  back  for  the  aeraof  its  foundation 
into  the  Saxon  times:  for  though  the  Saxon  chronicle  has  not  mentioned  it, 
yet  it  muft  have  been  of  that  time,  and  if  we  give  credit  to  Turgot's  account, 
p.  32,  "  in  the  year  915  Edward  fenr.  havyng  made  alteratyon  ofthewalles  of 
Er\ghtftowe  newly  ybuylden  the  caftle,  beeyiig  the  goodelyefte  offyveybuylden 
on  Abonebankes,  and  it  was  a  grete  checketo  the  Danes." 

A  wall  around  embattled  at  the  top  was  the  firft  out-work  of  defence  the 
ciiy  had,  and  with  this  it  was  fecured  and  iiiclofcd  on  every  fide,  till  the 
caftle  on  the  cancrn  part,  where  it  vas  then  rot  moted  with  the  river,  was 
afterwards  ereflcd  for  its  greater  fecurity  and  prole£lion. 

Leiand 


C     '92     ] 

Leiand  fays,  oat  of  a  bonk  of  the  antiquities  of  the  monaflery  of  Tew  kfhury, 
•which  he  met  with  in  Latin,  "  That  Robert,  (confnl  of  Gloccfter.)  built  the 
caflle  of  Briftolle;"  and  in  another  place,  "  he  buildid  the  candle  oFBrillowe, 
or  the  mod  part  of  it.  Everyman  fayith  that  he  buildcd  the  great  fquare 
ftone  dungeon,  a:id  that  the  fioiies  thereof  came  on  eof  Caen  in  Nformandie." 
J.  Rofs  makes  Robert  Haymo,  in  the  time  of  William  Rufus,  Earl  of  Glo- 
cefter,  "  a  founder  of  Briftol  caftle."  Mr.  Cambden,  without  quoting  the 
authority  of  Leiand  or  any  one  elfe,  roundly  fays,  "  Robert,  natural  fon  of 
Henry  ift.  (commonly  called  Robert  Rufus,  conful  of  Gloccflcr,)  built  a 
large  (lone  caRle  for  the  defence  of  this  city.  This  caftle  beii;g  fcarce  yet 
finiflied,  was  in  1138  befieged  by  King  Stephen,  but  he  was  forced  to  draw  off 
his  forces  without  effecting  any  thing." 

Unfortunately  for  Mr.  Cambden,  Leiand,  whom  he  feems  to  have  copied 
in  afcribing  the  erection  of  the  caftle  folely  to  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  no 
where  fays  fo,  as  his  own  opinion  ;  he  feems  rather  to  doubt  it  by  faying  him- 
felf  in  another  place,  "  he  buildid  the  moHe  parte  of  it.  Every  manne  fayith 
that  he  buildid  the  great  ftone  dungeon  ;"  and  where  he  expreOy  writeth  on 
Briftow  caflle,  v.  7.  p.  84,  he  only  mentions  "  the  great  dungeon  towre 
made,  as  it  is  fayde,  of  ftone  brought  out  of  Normandie  by  the  redde  Earl  of 
Gloceftre."  This  fiircly  is  far  from  making  him  to  be  the  original  founder  of 
the  caftle,  as  Mr.  Cambden  has  erroneoufly  done:  and  in  page  88  of  the  fame 
vol.  he  calls  him  only  "  Robertus  Conful  Lorde  ofRrightftowe  cadle,  and 
founder  of  St.  James  priorie  in  the  North  fuburbe  of  Brightftow^e  :"  here  he  had 
the  bed  occafion  of  calling  him  the  fole  and  firft  founder  of  the  caftle,  but  he 
only  makes  him  Lord  or  Governor  of  it,  as  already  built  as  it  really  was; 
for  it  was  certainly  held  1088  againft  Wm.  Rufus,  ift  W.  2d.  by  thcBiftiop  of 
Conflance,  before  Henry  ift.  father  of  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  was  at  man's 
eftate ;  and  in  T.  Wicke's  Chron.  under  the  year  1138,  p.  27,  it  is  faid, 
*'  Quod  Roberto,  &c.  i.  t.  King  Henry  his  father  aftigncd  to  Robert  the  Earl, 
thofe  fortified  caftles  of  Briftol  and  Marlebreg,  &c."  The  truth  is,  Robert 
was  only  a  repairer  of  the  caftle  and  rebuilder  of  fome  part  of  it.  —  One  of 
the  Saxon  Kings  or  Earls  of  Glocefter,  moft  probably  according  to  the  manu- 
ftript  Edward  fenr.  was  the  firft  builder,  who,  according  to  the  Saxon  annals 
anno  911,  fent  his  army  out  of  Weft  Saxony  and  Mercia,  which  country  the 
Danes  had  invaded;  he  fought  and  routed  them:  Ecwills,  Halfden  and  many 
of  the  pagan  nobility  and  foldiers  were  flain,  which  being  a  decifive  battle, 
brought  the  Danes  under  the  power  of  the  Saxon  monarch  :  for  though  there 
were  many  excurfions  and  engagements  afterwards,  yet  King  Edward  went  or» 

taking 


jS 


[     193     ] 

taking  cities,  building  towns  and  caftles  ,•  and  fecuring  the  habitations  of  the 
natives,  left  fortifications  in  fiich  opportune  places,  that  his  conquefls  were  in 
no  danger  :  but  efpecially  it  was  his  care,  "  that  if  a  town  ftood  on  the  North 
fide  of  a  river,  he  would  place  another  on  the  South  fide  againfl;  it,  and 
vice  verfa,  that  fo  he  might  be  able  every  where  to  put  a  flop  to  the  incurfions 
of  the  enemy." 

In  this  he  judged  very  well  in  building  the  caftle  of  Briflol  on  the  North  fide 
oppofite  Redclift ;  by  which  means  he  provided  well  for  the  defence  of 
Mercia  and  Weft  Saxony,  feparated  as  it  was  by  the  river  Avon  at  this  place. 
By  this  fituation  it  became  a  metropolis  to  thofe  two  potent  kingdoms,  which 
when  united  under  one  Saxon  monarch  under  Egbert  the  i8th  King  of  the 
Weft  Saxons,  in  the  year  800,  foon  induced  thefe  fucceeding  Kings  to  enlarge 
the  city  ;  and  in  particular  Edward  the  fon  of  Alfred  the  Great,  to  fortify  it 
with  a  caftle  on  the  Mercian  fide,  when  before  either  on  this  or  the  Weft 
Saxon  fide,  or  Redcliff,  it  was  only  defended  by  walls  embattled  and  bul- 
warks. —  The  remains  of  fuch  a  kind  of  fortification  are  ftill  there  to  be  feen  : 
the  embattled  wall  rebuilt  on  the  old  large  and  thick  foundation  of  the  old 
one  being  preferved  to  this  day  in  the  fame  line  and  fituation  :  the  two  gates 
in  it  Redcliff  and  Temple  were  afterwards  rebuilt  in  a  modern  ftyle ;  and  the 
ancient  tower  Eflewyn,  afterwards  tower  Harratzs  being  deftroyed,  another 
building  was  erefted  there  in  its  ftead. 

This  caftle  was  pleafantly  fituated  on  a  rifing  ground  at  the  Eaft  part  of  the 
town,  which  was  a  great  advantage  to  it  as  a  fortrefs;  it  was  bounded  on  the 
North  by  the  river  Froom,  and  on  the  South  by  the  river  Avon,  having  a  deep 
trench,  ftill  called  Caftle-Ditch  on  the  Eaft  fide,  where  an  arm  of  the  Froom 
embracing  it  difcharges  itfclf  into  the  Avon,  moating  it  with  water  on  that  fide: 
on  the  Weft  part  it  was  defended  by  a  deep  trench  or  ditch,  from  Newgate 
acrofsthe  Avon  near  St.  Peter's  church,  over  the  middle  of  which  was  a  draw- 
bridge leading  to  the  caftle-gate  from  the  town,  -where  was  what  I  find  called 
the  Barbicana  Caftri,  near  the  Eaft  part  of  St.  Peter's  church  :  it  was  fortified 
within  with  very  ftrong  walls  embattled  at  the  top,  and  had  a  fally-port,  ftill 
fo  called,  leading  into  the  prefent  Queen-ftreet,  built  on  an  arch,  which  the 
river  Froom  flows  through.  Its  out-works  were  very  large,  extending  to 
Lawford's-Gate,  which   ftill   retains  its  ancient  Saxon  name,  ~IIh/ord's-Gale* 

A  A  or 

*  \\'m.  Corbet  oF  Chadfly,  Held  a  tenement  at  Lawford's-Gate  for  keeping  it,  17  Edw.  2fl.  — 
Wm.  of  Worcefter,  p.  210,  fays,  "Porta  I.afford,  &c.  I.afford's-Gate  was  rebuilt  anew  by 
Walter  Barnftaplc,  in  the  time  of  Edward  3d,  or  Richard  2d.  where,  at  a  ftone,  end  the  bounds 
of  the  city. 


[   m  ] 

or  the  Lord's  gate,  fo  called  from  the  Lords  or  Governors  of  the  caftle.  It 
(lands  caflward  of  the  caftle,  between  which  is  a  large  fpace  of  ground  now 
built  into  a  wide  flreet,  called  the  Old  Market  from  a  market  of  old  being  kept 
there,  not  only  for  the  ufcof  the  town  as  may  be  fuppofed,  but  principally  for 
the  ufe  of  the  garrifon  in  the  caflle.  The  great  avenue  to  the  city  out  of 
Glocefterfliire  was  through  this  gate,  over  which  in  two  nitches  were  placed 
two  ftone  figures  reprefenting  two  of  the  Lord-Wardens  of  Briflol  caflle; 
fuppofed  to  be  Anglo-Saxon  Kings  or  Earls  of  Glocefler;  and  a  vellum 
maufcript  of  Rowley, /ifnei  vie,  tells  whom  they  reprefent  in  thefe  words: 
"  Allwarde,  a  Saxon,  was  a  fkyllyd  carveller  in  ftone  and  woude  :  hee  lyved 
yn  the  regne  of  Eldred,  he  carvelled  the  worke  of  the  chappelle  in  the  caftle 
and  the  ymageries  wych  thenne  ftoode  in  fayde  chapelle,  of  yElle  and  Coer- 
nicus  wardens  of  the  caftle  yn  dales  of  yore  :  Robert  of  Gloceftcr  removed 
them  to  the  walle  of  the  ynwarde  towere,  from  whence  the  prefent  Lorde 
Warden  thath  ta'nc  them:  Mayftre  Canynge  fayne  woulde  have  the  fame  to  be 
in  hys  cabinette,  but  mie  Lordis  intent  is  to  place  them  at  the  gate  of  the 
caftle  or  owtfyde  of  the  wauUs,  as  a  goodlye  fpecktalle  for  menne  tobehoulde 
and  yn  footh  goodly  fpecktalles  they  be,  beyng  featty'd  and  couroned  in 
robes  of  eftate  and  paramented  —  Ne  are  enfayrer  carvel  than  thofe  of 
owre  dales  of  durable  ftone,  and  the  depyfture  of  theyr  faces  beyng  ftyll 
rcmaynynge  by  meanes  of  theyr  beynge  keepen  from  the  unwcre." 

About  the  year  1130,  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  bafe  fon  of  Henry  ift. 
began  to  rebuild  this  ancient  and  ftrong  caftle,  which  was  now  become  greatly 
impaired  ;  and  it  being  the  head  of  his  barony  of  Glocefter,  by  ancient  tenure, 
and  a  place  of  ftrength  capable  of  being  rendered  almoft  impregnable  by 
fituation  againft  any  military  operations  of  thofe  days,  and  perhaps  forefeeing 
the  ftorm  that  was  likely  to  arife  about  the  fuccefl^ion  to  the  crown,  he,  agree- 
able to  a  promife  made  to  his  father  Henry  lO.  to  fupport  the  intereft  of  his 
fifter  Maud  the  Emprefs,  and  love  to  his  nephew  Henry  2d.  then  a  child, 
fet  about  putting  himfclf  in  a  pofture  of  defence  in  cafe  of  exigency,  and 
rebuilt  this  his  caftle  of  Briftol  in  a  veiy  beautiful,  ftrong,  and  defenfible 
manner.  He  firft  removed  many  of  the  old  buildings  creeled  by  the  Saxons; 
on  the  walls  of  which  were  difcovered  rude  paintings  in  water  colours,  which 
is  called  in  Rowley's  manufcripts  "  a  coppie  of  peynftynges  founde  onne 
caftle  walles  ftondeyng   ynne   Godefrye's  dayes   enthoghten  Saxonne."  —  A 

Saxon 

+  The  gate  was  taken  down  in  1776.  And  thcfe  ftone  figures  are  removed  hence,  with  two 
others  from  Newgate,  to  a  caftlc-likc  building  at  Briflington,  a  mile  from  Briilol,  and  arc  there 
to  be  now  fccn. 


[     195    ] 

Saxon  King  isreprefented  wiili  a  fceptcr  in  his  hand,  and  feveral  men  at  work 
fixing  large  pieces  of  limber  in  the  ground,  others  with  hammers  driving  fpikc 
nails,  and  faftcning  timber  together,  forming  a  kind  of  ladder  work,  &c.  in 
all  probability  it  is  a  rude  flietch  of  the  firfl:  walling  the  town  by  Briohthric, 
or  building  the  callle  by  Edw.  fenior. 

Many  other  antiquities  were  doubtlefs  deflroyed  in  removing  the   ruins  of 
the  old  callle,  but  Earl  Robert  feems  to  have  prcferved  as  much  of  the  ancient 

building  as  it  was  thought  would  not  interfere  with  his  grand  dcfign  : "  The 

outer  walle  of  the  caflle  (fays  Rowlie's  manufcript)  ftooden  ynne  the  dales  of 
W'illiamme  Conqucroure ;  the  fquare  callle  wythynne  was  ybuyldenne  bie 
Robyrte  Conneful  of  Glouceftre,  as  bee  the  croffe  ynne  the  area,  and  the 
fmall  flronge  holde  whyche  was  thenne  a  watche  towre,  ecke  the  two  watche 
towrettes  wythynne  the  walle  of  the  ould  callle.  The  flronge  holde  yllondeth 
atte  dyftaunce  from  the  owtre  walle  of  theoulde  callle  onne  boncke  of  Avon 
havyng  fyrfte  a  fquare  walle  of  yttes  own,  and  yn  the  fame  twayne  of  buyld- 
ynges  of  this  make  []  meetynge  at  thefe  [J."  Vid.  plate  No.  1 1.  —  Hence 
it  appears  what  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  did  to  the  old  caflle  :  —  he  preferved 
the  old  wall  round  it,  and  erefted  the  new  buildings  within,  and  the  crofs; 
but  as  Rowlie  does  not  mention  the  chapel  as  built  by  him.  No.  3,  this  was 
probably  part  of  the  old  caflle,  as  alfo  the  lodge  of  arrow-men,  No.  4,  both  built 
in  an  older  flyle.  From  the  plate  alone  we  can  form  a  juft  idea  of  thefc 
buildings,  it  is  engraved  from  drawings  on  vellum,  preferved  to  this  day,  to 
which  is  added  an  explanation.  The  elevations  or  fronts.  No.  1,  2,  3,  4, 
joined  together,  formed  the  infide  of  the  fquare,  and  in  the  middle  of  this 
inner  court  flood  the  crofs.  No.  g.  No.  5  was  a  moft  elegantly  enriched  front 
to  the  outer  court  and  the  back  part  of  No.  1,  as  No.  8  was  the  back  part  of  No. 
3,  7  of  2,  6  of  4.  But  as  I  have  luckily  the  original  explanation,  that  is  the 
moft  authentic  as  well  as  only  defcription  now  extant,  I  fet  it  down  in  the  very 
words  of  the  manufcript:  "  The  caflle  foundatyonne  as  ytte  ftoden  ynne  the 
dales  of  Rob.  Conf.  Gloceftre,  wythe  Geoffries  logge  as  ytte  then  was: 

Fyrfle,  the  Governours  hallc  fronte. 

2.  The  new-ybulden  fronte. 

3.  The  chapelle. 

4.  The  logge  of  arrow-men. 

5.  The  backe  of  the  Governoures  halle  wythe  toweres. 

6.  7.  Encrenellcd  fydcs. 

8.  The  backe  of  the  chapelle. 

9.  The  crofle. 

A  A  2  10    The 


[     196    ] 

1  o.  The  two  watche  towrettes 

11.  The  fmalle  ftronge-holde  on  the  bancke  of  Avon,  with    the  founda- 

tyonne  of  the  ftronge  holde  near  the  old  wallc  of  the  Myttyer  caflle. 

12.  Geoffries  logge. 

13.  The  river  Avon. 

14.  The  river  Froom. 

15.  Caftle  Ditch. 

16.  Wallc  of  the  olde  caftle. 

17.  Mote  next  the  city,  where  was  a  draw-bridge." 

The  elevations  of  the  buildings  No.  1,  2,  5,  are  fo  elegant  in  their  defign, 
the  fronts  fo  noble  and  grand,  and  the  windows  fo  neat  and  juftly  propor- 
tioned, and  the  ornaments  of  No.  5  in  particular  fo  very  many  and  rich,  that  it 
gives  one  fome  idea  of  the  good  taftc  of  the  rcbuilder  and  founder,  who  was  a 
man  of  rare  endowments  of  mind,  and  did  honour  to  the  age  in  which  he 
lived. — The  ftatues  in  the  front  marked  (5)  reprefented  fome  of  the  great 
men  who  fignalized  themfelves  in  thofc  days,  or  difUnguifhed  this  city  by  their 
favour  prcfence  and  protcflion  ;  fuppofcd  to  be  Henry  the  ifl:.  at  the  bottom, 
father  of  the  founder;  Robert  Earl  of  Gloccfter  himfelf,  Henry  the  2d. 
Robert  Fitzhamon,  and  other  Lords  of  Glocefter  before  him;  GeoflTrie  Bifhop 
of  Conftance,  and  fome  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Earls  and  Kings,  Brightric,  fenr. 
Alfred  and  others.  The  arms  at  the  top  are  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter's,  and 
Milo's  Earl  of  Hereford. 

The  caftle  of  Briftol  is    thus  defcribed   by    a  writer   in    the   days  of  King 

Stephen,  out  of  a  manufcript  in  the  colleftion  of  Archbifhop  Laud:  "  Ex  una 

tamen  regione,  &c."  i.  e.  "  On  one  part  of  the  city,  where  it  is  more  expofed 

and  liable  to  be  befieged,  a  large  caftle  rifes  high  with   many  banks,  ftrength- 

encd  with  a   wall,  bulwarks,  towers,  and   other   contrivances  to  prevent  the 

approach  of  befiegers  ;  in   which  they  get  together  fuch   a    number  of  vaftals 

both  horfe    and  foot,  or  rather  I  might   fay  of  robbers  and  freebooters,  that 

they  appear  not  only   great  and  terrible  to  the  lookers  on,  but  truly  horrible; 

and  it  is  fcarce  to  be  credited  :  for  collefling   out   of  different  counties  and 

regions,  there  is  fo  much  the  more  numerous  and  freer  conflux  of  them,  the 

more  eafier  under  a  rich  Lord  and  the  protcClion  of  a  very  ftrong  caftle,  they 

have  leave  to  commit  whatever  pleafes  thembcft  in  this  rich  country."  —  This 

fhows  the  reafon  of  the  via  defenfiva,  or  defence  ftreet,  (vid.  Bottener,  p.  236,) 

being  made  betwixt  the  caftle  and  the  city,  as  a  guard  againft  the  depredations 

of  thcfe  freebooters,  the  licentious  foldiery  of  the  caftle,  upon  the  peaceable 

citizens,  as  the  caftle  was  exempted  from  the  jurifdiftion  of  the  city  and  its 

officers. 


t     ^97     ] 

officers  and  under  its  own  Governors,  who  were  not  always  prefent  to  rcftrain 
them,  or  might  fometimes  connive  at  the  irregularity  or  irilults  of  tiic 
military. 

William  of  Worcefter  gives  the  following  account  of  the  caflle  of  Briftol  in 
the  year  1480,  and  the  dinienlions  of  the  fcveral  parts.  I  fliall  give  the  whole 
in  Englifh,  tranflated  from  the  Latin,  which  is  fo  defcftive  as  to  render  it 
difficult  to  make  fenfe  of  in  fome  places.  He  thus  defcribes  the  walls  and 
circuit  of  it,  page  208,  via  a  porta,  &c. 

"  The  road  from  the  gate  of  the  entrance  to  the  caflle  of  Briftol,  (called  in 
another  place,  p.  217,  the  gate  of  the  deep  ditch  to  the  doors  (valvas)  of  the 
entrance  of  the  caflle,)  is  near  the  Eafl  part  of  the  church  of  St.  Peter;  and 
you  goon  marching  by  the  wall  of  the  ditch  of  the  walls  of  the  caflle  through 
Newgate  and  along  the  llreet  called  the  Weer,  and  over  Weer-bridge, 
leaving  the  watering-place  on  the  left  hand,  and  making  a  circuit  by  the  wall 
of  the  caftle-ditch  towards  the  South,  near  the  crofs  in  the  Old  Market;  thus 
continuing  to  a  great  Hone  about  a  yard  high  of  freeflone,  erected  at  the 
extremity  of  the  bounds  of  the  city  of  Briflol  ;  fo  proceeding  on  to  the  gate 
of  the  firft  or  eaftern  entrance  of  the  caflle  at  the  Well  part  of  St.  Philip's 
church,  which  is  at  the  end  of  a  lane  behind  the  Old  Market ;  this  contains  in 
a  circuit  of  one  part  of  the  tower  and  walls  of  the  caflle  420  fleps."  At  p.  2 1 7, 
he  fays,  "the  whole  circuit  contains  2100  fleps."  —  N.  B.  His  fteps  vary,  but 
are  about  21  inches.  — —  In  another  place  he  mentions  it,  p.  259,  in  Englifh 
thus:  "  The  quantite  of  the   dongeonof  the  caflell  of  Briflol  after  the  informa- 

tione  of porter  of  the  caflell,  the  tour  called  the  dongeon 

ys  in  thyknefs  at  fote  25  pedes,  and  at  the  ledyng  place  under  the  leede 
cuveryng  9  feet  and  dimid ;  and  yn  length  Eflc  and  Wefl  60  pedes,  and 
North  and  South  45  pedes,  with  fowre  toures  flandyng  uppon  the  fowre  cor- 
ners :  and  the  hyefl  toure  called  the  mayn,  /.  e.  myghtyeft  *  toure  above  all  the 
fowre  toures  ys  5  fethym  hygh  abofe  all  the  fowre  toures,  and  the  wallys  be  yn 
thyknefs  there  6  fote.  Item,  the  length  of  the  callelle  wythynne  the  wallys 
Efle  and  Wefl  ys  180  virgae.  Item,  the  brede  of  the  caflelle  from  the  North 
to  the  South,  wyth  the  grete  gardyn,  that  is  from  the  water-gate  to  the  mayng 
rounde  of  the  caflelle  to  the  walle  northward  toward  the  Blak-frerys,  100 
yerdcs.  Item,  a  baflyle  lyeth  fouthward  beyond  the  water-gate,  conteynyth 
yn  length  60  virgae.  Item,  the  length  from  the  bullwork  at  the  utter  gate  by 
Seynt  Phelippes  chyrch  ycrde,  conteynyth  60  ycrdes  large.  Item,  the 
yerdys  called  fparres  of  the  halle   royalle,  conteynyth  yn  length  about  45  fete 

of 
*  This  term  is  ufcd  in  the  manufcript  of  Rowlic  in  the  explanation  before  at  fig.  n . 


C     198     ] 

ofholepece.     Item,  the  brede  of  every  fparre   at    fore  conteynyth  12  onch 
and  8  onches." 

And  in  another  place,  p.  269,  he  again  defcribes  in  Latin :  "  Porticus 
introilus  aula.-,  &c."  • —  The  porch  or  entrance  into  the  hall  is  ten  vards  long, 
with  an  arched  volt  over,  at  the  entrance  of  the  great  hall. 

"  The  inner  entry  into  the  porch  of  the  hall  is  140  fteps,  meaning  the 
fpace  and  length  betwixt  the  gate  of  the  caftle  walls  and  the  walls  of  the  area 
of  the  utterward  ;  the  length  of  the  hall  is  36  yards,  or  52  or  54  fteps,  the 
bredth  of  the  hall  is  18  yards  or  26  fteps ;  the  heigth  of  the  walls  outfide  the 
hall  is  14  feet,  as  I  nieafurcd  them;  the  hall  formerly  very  magnificent  in 
length  bredth  and  heigth,  is  all  tending  to  ruin.  The  windows  in  the  hall 
double,  the  heigth  (de  11  days)  contains  14  feet.  The  length  of  the  rafters  of 
the  hall  is  32  feet,  the  Prince's  chamber  on  the  left  fide  of  the  King's  hall  is  17 
yards,  in  bredth  9  yards  and  has  two  pillars  made  with  great  beams  but  very 
old.  The  length  of  the  front  before  the  hall  with  .  .  is  18  yards.  The 
length  of  the  marble  ftone  table  is  15  feet,  fituatcd  in  another  part  of  the  hall 
for  the  King's  tabic  there  fitting.  The  length  of  the  tower  in  the  Eaft  part  of 
it  is  36  yards,  its  bredth  at  the  weftern  and  South  part  is  30  yards.  The  length 
of  the  utter-ward  of  the  caftle  from  the  middle  gate,  and  latelv  feparated  from  the 
inner  ward  of  the  chappie,  the  principal  chamber  of  the  hall  is  160  fteps.  The 
length  of  the  firft  entrance  to  the  caftle  by  the  gate  is  40  fteps,  that  is  from  the 
ftrcet  of  the  caftle  by  entering  at  the  firft  gate  of  the  caftle  into  the  utterward: 
The  chappie  in  the  utterward  or  firft  ward  is  dedicated  in  honor  of  St.  Martin, 
but  in  devotion  to  St.  John  the  Baptift,  a  monk  of  St.  James  ought  to  celebrate 
the  office  every  day,  but  does  it  but  Sunday,  Wednefday  and  Friday.  There 
is  another  very  magnificent  chappie  for  the  King  and  his  lords  and  ladies, 
fituatc  in  the  principal  ward  on  the  North  fide  of  the  hall,  where  beautiful 
chambers  were  built,  but  are  now  naked  and  uncovered,  void  of  planchcrs  or 
roofing.  The  dwelling  of  the  officers  of  the  kitchen  belong  to  the  inner  ward 
near  the  hall  on  the  left  fide,  that  is  on  the  South  part  of  the  hall.  The 
dwelling  of  the  conftable  or  keeper  is  fituate  in  the  firft  or  utterward  on  the 
South  part  of  the  magnificent  tower,  but  isall  pulled  down  and  ruinous,  which 
is  great  pity." 

According  to  A\'illiam  of  Worcefter's  meafurcment  of  the  caftle,  being  540 
feet  from  Eaft  to  Weft,  or  180  yards;  and  300  feet  or  100  yards  broad  from 
the  North  (from  the  garden  to  the  water  of  Froom)  to  the  South  ;  it  ftood 
upon  an  area  containing  3  acres  2  roods  and  35  perches  exaflly,  (3  acres 
and  I  wanting  5  perches ;}  whether  the  great  garden  within  the  Baftyle,  fan 

embattled 


[     199    ] 

embattled  \s'all  60  yards  lon<T  running  towards  St.  Philip's  church-yard,)  was 
part  of  this  ground,  is  uncertain.  In  the  grant  of  the  caftle  by  Cha.  1  ft.  to  the 
corporation,  who  purchafed  it  of  him  in  1626,  mention  is  made  of"  all  that 
clofe  King  without  the  ditch  of  the  caftle,  called  by  the  name  of  the  King's 
Orchard,  containing  two  acres."  —  If  the  Governor's  or  "  Conftable's  hall, 
with  the  magnificent  tower,  was  all  pulled  down  and  ruinous"  in  William  of 
Worcefter's  time,  1480,  it  is  no  wonder  his  defcription  is  fo  very  defeclive 
and  gives  fo  poor  an  account  of  this  grand  caftle. 

John  Leland,  who  vifited  it  about  the  26th  year  of  Henry  8th,  and  faw  it 
in  its  decay,  thus  defcribes  it  :  "  In  the  caftle  be  two  courtcs.  In  the  utter 
courte,  as  in  the  northe-wcll  part  of  it,  is  a  great  dungeon-tower,  made  as  it 
is  faid  of  ftone  browghte  oute  of  Cane  in  Normandye,  by  the  redde  Erie  of 
Gloceftar.  A  praty  churche  and  muche  loggyng  in  two  area :  on  the  fouthe 
fyde  of  it  a  great  gate,  a  ftone  bridge,  and  three  bullewarks  in  Iccva  ripd  ad  of- 
iiumfrai.  There  be  manie  towres  yet  ftandynge  in  both  the  courtes,  but  alle 
tendith  to  ruine.  The  caftle  and  mofte  parte  of  the  towne  by  northe  ftandith 
upon  a  grownde  metely  eminent,  betwixt  the  ryvers  Avon  and  Fraw,  alias 
Froom."      Itin.  vol.  vii.  p.  84.   2d  edit. 

If  the  caftle,  fo  large  and  beautiful  a  building,  as  defcribed  in  the  nianu- 
fcript,  entiluled,  Rowleie;  of  fuch  extent  and  meafurement,  as  noted  by 
William  of  Worcefter,  was  ruinous  in  the  time  of  the  latter,  1480,  it  is  no 
wonder,  that  Leland,  in  Henry  8th's.  time,  almoft  100  years  after,  fliould 
find  it  in  decay,  and  fay  of  it,  "  all  tendith  to  ruine." 

It  is  left  to  the  candid  reader  to  compare  the  defcriptions  above  of  the 
caftle,  and  its  ftate  and  condition  at  different  times.  That,  called  Rowleie's, 
was  either  a  drawing  of  it  in  his  own  time,  or  taken  from  one  made  long  be- 
fore, when  in  its  perfect  ftate  ;  which  is  moft  probable,  as  he  reprefents  himfelf 
as  a  great  collector  of  ancient  drawings  of  buildings,  churches,  chapels,  and 
the  like  for  himfelf  or  friend  Mr.  Canynge.  Though  this  caftle  agrees  in 
ihape  and  external  difpofition  with  fome  other  old  caftles,  yet  it  is  more  deco- 
rated with  images,  ornaments,  and  tracery  work,  and  in  a  finer  ftile  than  is 
commonly  feen  in  fuch  buildings;  which  makes  it  appear  as  if  fome  other 
decorations  had  been  added,  efpecially  if  compared  with  a  part  of  the  old 
caftle,  of  which  there  is  a  print  extant  at  the  fide  of  an  old  plan  of  Briftol,  by 
Millard,  of  (he  year  1672,  wherever  he  got  it :  a  copy  of  which  is  here  alfopre- 
fented  to  the  reader,  together  with  the  ground  plot  of  the  pentagonal  fort  on 
St.  Michael's-hill,  with  a  fcale  of  yards;  both  of  which  are  too  curious  to  be 
omitted  in  a  work  of  this  kind,  efpecially  as  this  prefcnts  us  with  aview  of  part  of 

Briftol 


[      200      ] 

Briftol  caflle  in  the  later  times,  as  it  flood  in  the  time  of  the  grand  rebellion 
in  1641.  (See  the  plate.)  But  that  in  its  original  ftate  it  was  very  beautiful 
may  be  collefted  from  William  of  Worcefter's  defcription  and  Leland's,  and 
from  vhat  Robert,  the  rhyming  monk  of  Glocelier,  fays  of  Robert  Earl  of 
Glocefter's  improved  building  of  it. 

"  And  Briftow  throw  hyswyfe  was  alfo  hys. 
And  he  brogt  to  gret  fta  the  towne  as  he  yut  ys, 
And  rerde  ther  an  cartel  myd  the  noble  tour. 
That  of  alle  the  tours  of  Engelonde  ys  yheldethe  floure."       p.  433. 

It  is  remarkable,  befides  the  figures  in  the  front  of  the  Governor's  hall, 
there  are  the  arms  reprefentcd  of  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  near  the  top, 
carved  in  the  (lone,  G.  three  bow-refts  or.  with  fingular  propriety ;  alfo  G.  two 
bends,  one  arg.  the  other  or.  which  were  born  by  Milo  Fitzwarren,  Earl  of 
Hereford,  whofe  father  is  faid  by  Sir  Wm.  Dugdale  to  have  been  Conflable  of 
England,  and  to  have  been  a  builder  (rather  rebuilder  or  repairer)  of  the 
caftlc  of  Briflol ;  and  the  fon  *  was  in  ftricl  league  with  Robert  and  of  the 
Emprefs  Maud's  party  at  Briflol,  and  afTifled  him  in  keeping  his  caftles  in 
favour  of  Maud. 

A  drawing  being  found  reprefenting  Robert  the  Earl  armed  cap-a-pee,  it 
is  here  prefervcd  in  the  fame  plate  with  the  caRle  which  he  is  faid  fo 
elegantly  to  have  repaired. 

There  was  formerly  a  chapel  or  church,  dedicated  to  St.  Mary  Magdalen, 
pofTibly  the  "  praty  church,"  mentioned  by  Leland  above,  (or  one  of  thofe 
two  mentioned  by  William  of  Worcefler)  of  which  I  have  the  following  old 
account,  in  a  vellum  manufcript,  by  Rowlie  : 

"  Seynfte  Marie  Magdalenes  chapcle. — This  chapele  was  ybuylden  bie 
yElle,  wardenne  of  the  caflle,  neere  ^He-gate,  fythcnce  cleped  New-gate  . 
yn  thys  chapele  was  vfworne  a  treatye  between  Goddwynne  Erie  or  Abthane 
of  Kente,  Harold  eftfoons  Kynge  of  Englande,  Lcofinus,  hys  brodres,  and 
oder  nobles  of  the  londe  ^lle,  the  founder  theereof,  was  a  manne  myckle 
flronge  yn  vanquyfheynge  the  Danes :  hys  ymagerie  ynne  flone  whylom 
flooden  )n  fayde  chapele,  and  ys  nowc  atte  the  greete  yate.  Hee  dyd 
ybuylde  the  fame  in  Dccccxviii.  Hee  dyde  of  hys  woundes,  gotten  ynne 
honourable  combatte  ynne  Bryflowe  caflle.  Sayde  chapele  ys  nowc  ynne 
rewyn." 

If 

•  Leland,  CoUcft.  vol.  i.  p.  41.  Milo  conftdbulorius,  anno  ii.ji,  apud  Briftoldum  poHtus 
jamquc  confulatus  honorcm  adcptus;  rcdiens  a  Briftoldo  obtulit  fupcr  altare  lanthony  Icuncuium 
.cha'.ccdonicuin  :  tcflcs  priinac  donationis  impcratrix  Robert.  Comes  Gloceflriac,  &c. 


[      201      ] 

If  in  ruin  fo  long  ago,  it  is  no  wonder  we  can  fee  fo  little  trace  of  it  at 
this  day.  It  is  foniewhat  extraordinary,  that  the  figures  of  ^lle  and  Coer- 
nicus,  that  flood  in  the  faid  chapel,  afterwards  at  Lawford's-gate,  have  not 
only  efcaped  hitherto  uninjured  the  devouring  hand  of  time,  but  arc  now 
preferved  as  a  curiofity,  by  a  Briftol  gentleman,  to  adorn  a  very  handfome 
gate  at  a  Gothic,  caftle-like  building,  erecled  at  Briflington  his  country  feat, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  this  city.  There  were  two  other  figures  carved  in 
ftone  at  Newgate  in  niches,  which  feemed  to  have  been  removed  formerly 
from  the  caftle  adjoining  to  that  place ;  probably  at  the  time  of  its  demolition : 
That  of  Robert  Earl  of  Gloceder,  much  abufed,  has  a  fmall  model  in  ftone 
of  a  kind  of  caftle  in  his  hand,  which  he  fo  much  repaired  as  to  give  him  the 
honour  of  being  a  founder;  and  the  other  of  Godfrey  Bifhop  of  Conftance 
better  preferved,  has  a  moft  venerable  afpeQ,  long  beard,  with  a  chalice  in 
one  hand,  in  the  aft  of  taking  off  the  cover  with  the  other,  a  proper  emblem 
in  the  hand  of  a  bifliop.  There  are  few  remains  of  Briftol  caftle  now  extant ; 
on  the  fouth  fide  in  many  places  are  to  be  feen  parts  of  the  old  wall,  bound- 
ing the  dwclling-houfes  there,  and  Gothic  windows  :  and  on  the  eaft  fide 
are  two  Saxon  arches  with  an  arched  roof  in  a  room  there,  or  poffibly  an  en- 
trance ;  it  has  the  appearance  of  a  church  or  chapel,  but  now  makes  part  of 
the  houfe  of  a  cooper,  and  is  his  fhop. 

Not  far  diftant  from  the  caftle  without  Lawford's-gate  is  a  place  called 
Barton  Regis,  giving  name  to  the  hundred :  it  was  fo  called,  becaufe  a  farm 
or  barton  in  the  King's  hands  to  fubfift  the  caftle,  and  demefne  lands  there  re- 
ferved  for  its  ufe  ;  the  caftle  itfelf  after  the  Conquell  in  the  year  1200  being 
a  royal  demefne,  before  that  it  was  appendent  to  the  honour  and  barony  of 
Glocefter,  and  as  the  lawyers  fpeak,  the  caput  honoris. 

It  appearsfrom  Domefday-book,  "  that  this  bertune  was  taxed  at  fix  hydes* 
t. William  ift.  there  were  forty-two  plow  tillageswhereof  three  were  in  demefne, 
(I  fuppofe  for  the  ufe  of  the  caftle)  :  this  manor  together  with  Briftow  paid  a 
yearly  rent  of  one  hundred  and  ten  marks  to  the  King,  and  the  burgeffes  re- 
turned that  Bifhop  G.  had  thirty-three  marks  t  and  one  mark  of  gold."  A 
Norman  mark  (fays  Rapin)  was  then  valued  at  13s.  ^d.  by  which  the  fum 
amounts  to    73 1.    6s.  8d.     fterling,  and   the  thirty-three    marks    to    Bifhop 

B  B  G. 

•  A  hyde  of  land,  according  to  the  manufcript  of  Joannes  Glaflonicnfis,  was  160  acres,  a 
fjrdcl  10,  a  virgate  40,  a  hyde  160,  a  fee  640  acres. 

+  This  Bifhop  G.  was  Godfrey  Bi(hop  of  Conftance,  cuftos  of  the  caftle,  who  had  28I,  an 
annual  fum  paid  him,  and  referved  in  after  grants  to  all  the  conft^blcs  of  the  caft.lc. 


C      202       ] 

G.    is    2 8 1,    within  a  few  fliillings,  the  annual  fum  paid  to  the  conflables   of 
the  caftle. 

1  he  following  is  copied  out  of  the  original  Domefday-book.  "  In  Bcrtune 
apud  Briflou  erant  vi  hid.  In  d'nio  iii  car.  &  xxii  vill'i  &  xv  bord.  cum 
XXV  car.  Ibi  x  fcrvi.  &:  xviii  colib'ti  h'ntes  xiiii  car.  Ibi  1 1  molini  de 
xxvii  folid.  Q'do  Rogerius  rcccp.  hoc  m.  de  Rege  inveni  ibi  ii  hid  &  ii  car. 
in  dominio  &  xvii  vil'i  &  xxiii  bord.  cum  xxi  car.  Ibi  iv  fervos  &  xiii 
colib'tos  cum  iii  car. 

In  uno  menibro  ejufdem  m.  Manefgodesfelle  vi  boves  in  do'nio. 
De  eadem  t'ra  ten-  Ecc'la  de  Briflow  iii  hid.  &  i  car.  habet  ibi.     Unus  Rad- 
chenift.  ten.  i  hid.  &  h'  t  i  car  &  iv  bord.  cum  i  car.     Hoc  m.  &  Briftou  red- 
ditregi  ex  mark,  argcnti;  burgenfcs  d'nt  q'd  Ep's  G.  h't  xxxiiimark.  argenti  & 
iinam  mark,  auri  p'ter  firmam  regis." 

This  extenfive  manor  of  Barton  Regis  (including  Kingfwood)  is  now  di- 
vided among  feveral  Lords,  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  Archer  of  Barr's-Court, 

(formerly  Newton,)  Efq; Chefter, i^'"3gg» Blathwait, 

Crcfwic,  Efqrs.  as  will  be  feen  below  in  the  parochial  hiflory  of  St.  Philip's. 

The  three  hydes  of  land  and  one  carucate  the  church  of  Briflbu  is  faid 
in  Domefday-book  to  hold  in  the  manor  of  Bertun  Regis  in  William  the 
Conqueror's  time,  are  now  fcarce  to  be  found,  nor  to  be  gueffcd  at. —  The 
manor  of  Blackfworth  there  indeed  was  part  of  the  endowment  of  St.  Auguftin'o 
monaftery  afterwards  by  Robert  Fitzharding. 

Having  now  fhewn  the  antiquitv,  foundation,  fite  and  dimenfions  of  the 
caftlc,  and  given  a  general  defcription  of  it,  I  proceed  next  to  an  hiftorical 
account  of  its  Governors,  Conflables  or  Wardens  from  time  to  time,  noting 
the  faQs  and  extraordinary  occurrences  which  have  rendered  it  famous  in 
hiflory. 

About  the  year  920  Ella  was  Lord  of  the  callle,  and  gained  many 
fignal  vitlories  againft  the  Danes  with  his  Briftowans,  particularly  at 
Watchct ;  though  our  Saxon  chronicles  yet  printed  have  taken  little  notice 
of  this  heroic  champion  againft  the  Danes,  nor  indeed  of  the  caflle  over 
which  he  prefided.  The  following  old  poem  was  made  to  the  memory 
of  this  chieftain  about  the  year  1460,  and  tranfcribed  from  an  old  parchment 
in  the  hand-writing  like  that  in  ufe  in  Henry  the  6th.'s  time,  and  fubfcribed 
T.  Rowleie. 


SONGE 


C   203   3 

S  O  N  G  E    toe    ELL  A.  * 

O  thou  or  what  remaynes  of  thee,  Ella  the  Darlynge  of  futuritie, 
Lette  this  mie  fonge  bolde  as  thie  Courage  bee,  as  everlaftynge 

to  pofteritie  ;  Whenne  Daciaes  Sonnes,  whofe  lockes  of  bloudc 
Red  hue  Lyke  Kynge-Cuppes  burflynge  wythe  the  mornynge  dewe, 

Arraunged  in  drear  Arraic,  upon  the  Ictthalle  daie,  fprcad' 
far  ande  wyde  on  Watchettes  fhore,  there  dydfl  thou  furyoufe 

Stande  ande  bie  thie  burlic   Hande,  Befprengcd  all  the 
Meeds  wythe  gore,  drawne  bie  thie  anlace  felle,  downe 

to  the  depthes  of  Hclle,  Thoufands  of  Dacians  wente, 
Briftowanes  Menne  of  mvghte,  Ydar'de  the  bloudye  fyghte 

And  afted  deeds  full  Quente  —  O  thou  wher'ere  (thie  bones 
at  Refle,)  thie  fpryte  to  haunte  delyghteth  belle,  Whetherre 

upon  the  bloude  embrewed  plaine,  or  where  thou  kennll 
from  farre  the  Horrid  CrieofWarre,  or  feeft  feme 

Mountaine  made  of  Corfe  of  Slayne,  or  feeft  the 
hatched  Steede,  yprauncynge  oer  the  Meede,  ande 

Neyghe  to  bee  amenge  the  poynted  fpeeres,  or  ynn 
Blacke  Armour  Stalke  arounde  ymbattled  Brvftowe 

once  thie  Grounde,  And  glowe  ardurous  onne  the  Caftle 
Steers,  or  fierie  rounde  the  Mynflere  Glare,  Stylle 

lette  Brj'ftowe  be  made  thie  care.  Garde  it  fromme 
foemenne  and  confumynge  fyre,  Lyke  Avones  ftreem 

enfyrke  ytte  rounde,  ne  lette  a  flame  enharme  the 

grounde,  Tylle  inne  one  flame  alle  the  whole  worlde  expyre. 

*  Lord  of  the  Cafllc  of  Brigftowe  ynne  Daies  of  yore. 

Turgot  obferves  that  Ella  died  of  his  wounds  in  Briftol  caftle,  and  from 
hence  it  appears  he  was  alfo  buried  in  the  chapel  he  had  there  built ;  and 
of  his  memorial  ftone  I  have  an  old  drawing  with  his  figure,  &c.  above 
defcribed  with  the  name  /ErfE  over  the  head,  as  royally  defccndcd  crown- 
ed and  with  two  keys  in  his  hands  as  governor  of  the  cafllc,  and  a  chain 
round  his  neck  ;  it  was  in  the  ruinous  Hate  of  the  chapel  faid  to  be  rcinovcd 

£  B  2  and 


C   204   ] 

and  preferred  by  Mr.  Canynge  afterwards.  There  are  in  manufcript  the 
arms  of  Ella  blazoned  thus,  in  Saxon :  Sceld  a  graefen,  a  fliield  with  croffes 
patee  all  over  the  field.  Ella  was  a  name  of  note  in  the  Saxon  times,  and  is 
mentioned  by  Lambard,  Top.  Di£l.  p.  106,  under  Ellandon  as  "  one  of  the 
firfl:  Saxon  capitains,"  and  as  giving  name  to  that  place  and  to  EUesfield,  and  to 
Ellecroft  a  place  near  York. 

A  bridge  near  the  Caftle  of  Briftol  is  in  ancient  deeds  called  Elle-bridge, 
and  the  flrect  next  it  Elle-bridge-flreet,  now  corruptly  Ellbroad-ftreet,  and 
there  is  a  place  near  Watchet  called  Ellworthv  to  this  day,  not  improbably 
named  from  the  fame  chief  who  diftinguifhed  himfelf  fo  much  there. 

2.  Coernicus  fuccceded  Ella  in  the  government  of  Briftol  caftle  :  we  know 
nothing  more  of  him  than  what  is  mentioned  before  by  Turgot,  p.  32, 

3.  The  following  two  lord  wardens  of  the  caftle  we  have  little  accoimt  of, 
except  having  their  names  handed  down  to  us  as  fuch  by  Turgotus,  Harward 
and  Smallaricus,  4.  Vincent,  5.  Adelwyn,  6.  to  them  fucceeded  Egwyn,  to  him 
7.  Aylwardus ;  called  Aylward  Sneaw  (from  his  fair  complexion)  *  he  was' 
defcended  from  Edward  fenr.  the  founder  of  the  caftle,  and  not  improbably 
his  natural  fon,  of  whom  Leland  gives  the  following  account  out  of  a  Latin 
record  of  the  Antiquities  of  Tewkftjury,  — "  Anno  Dom.  930,  Sub  Ethelftano 
&c."  i.  e.  "  In  the  year  930  Aylward  Meaw  (or  Sneaw)  fo  called  from  his 
white  complexion,  of  the  race  of  Edward  fenior  King  of  the  Weft  Saxons, 
was  a  man  valiant  in  arms  under  King  Ethelftan.  This  Ailward  for  himfelf 
and  his  wife  Algiva  in  the  time  of  Ethelred  and  Dunftan  the  Bifliop  erefted 
a  fmall  monaftery  in  honor  of  God,  St.  Mary  and  St.  Bartholomew  on  his 
own  ground  at  Cranbourne  about  the  year  980.  He  died  on  the  calends  of 
January  Anno  Dom.  .  .  .  His  fon  Algar  with  his  wife  Algiva  fucceeded  to  his 
fortunes  by  right  of  inheritance.  The  8th  governor  of  the  caftle  was  Adel- 
bryghte.  The  9th  Amftuarde,  and  10th  the  above  mentioned  Algarre  were 
fucceflive  governors  of  Briftol  caftle  :  11th  Leofwyn,  fon  of  Earl  Godwyn,  in 
the  life  time  of  Algar,  feems  by  the  great  power  of  his  father  and  family  to 
have  got  the  government  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol,  and  Edward  the  ConfefTor 
by  a  particular  charter  granted  and  confirmed  it  to  him  in  the  gth  year  of  his 
reign  1049,  which  being  very  curious  I  have  inferted  before  p.  33,  as  pre- 
ferved  in  the  original  manufcript  of  Turgot's  account  of  Briftol  and  no 
where  elfe. 

Upon 

•  A  gate  called  Aylward's  Gate,  fince  Pithay  Gate,  formerly  prefer\'cd  the  name  here  cf 
this  Sajcon  nobleman,  the  flreet  alfo  called  Aylward- flreet.  —  Boloner,  p.  1 84. 


[     205     ]  iff^' 

Upon  Earl  Godwin  and  his  fon's  being  obliged  to  leave  the  kingdom,  and 
having  forfeited  the  King's  favour,  Briftol  caflle  feems  to  have  reverted  to  its 
right  owner,  who  was  Briftric  the  brother  of  Algar,  lord  of  the  caftle  before 
Leofwyn.  During  Leofwyn's  holding  the  caftle  was  that  very  memorable 
tranfaflion  of  Godwin  and  his  family  and  many  of  the  nobility  entering  here 
into  a  folcmn  league  againfl:  the  King  in  the  year  1050,  for  fiding  fo  much 
with  the  French,  introducing  its  language  and  laws,  &c. 

12.  Briflric  fucceeded  to  Algar's  poireflTions,  he  was  a  Saxon  nobleman  of 
large  eftates  in  the  county  of  Gloceftcr,  of  which  he  was  Earl,  and  confe- 
quently  had  the  caftle  of  Briftol  of  right,  being  part  of  that  barony.*  He 
was  a  principal  man  in  his  country,  and  employed  in  an  embalfy  to  the  court 
of  Baldwin  Earl  of  Flanders,  where  Maud  daughter  of  that  Earl  fettled  her 
affeClions  on  him,  but  not  meeting  a  fuitable  return  (a  crime  not  to  be  forgiven 
by  the  ladies)  (he  meditated  revenge,  and  being  afterwards  married  to  William 
Duke  of  Normandy,  who  conquered  Harold  and  got  the  crown  of  England, 
refolved  to  gratify  her  vindiftive  temper  by  ftirring  up  her  huft)and  againft 
Earl  Birtrick,  wliofe  power  and  large  pofteftions  fhe  might  reprefent  as  dan- 
gerous in  the  hands  of  a  fubject:  and  her  artful  infinuations  met  with  but  too 
much  fuccefs,  for  the  King  at  that  time  bent  upon  degrading  even  to  ruin  all 
the  rich  and  powerful  Englifli  barons,  caufed  the  unhappy  and  innocent 
Birtric  to  be  arrefted  at  his  manor  of  Hanley  by  Salifbury,  and  fent  a 
prifoner  to  Winchefter,  where  he  died  without  children  many  years  after, 
7th  Hen.  ift.  Leland  thus  reprefents  it,  (vol.  6.  p.  85,)  "  Inne  the  later 
reygne  of  the  Danes  and  Edwarde  the  Confeftbur  was  ^Iwardus  Mcaw  Erie 
ofGlocefter,  and  he  was  countid  as  foundir  of  Craneburne:  Ailwerdus  had  a 
funne  callyd  Briftrice  Erie  ofGlocefter,  aboute  the  tyme  of  the  cummyng  of 
Duke,  Wyllyam  of  Normandie  ynto  England.  Matildis,  wife  to  Wm.  the 
Conqueror,  afked  BriCtrice  yn  gifte  of  her  hufband,  and  having  hym  put  hym 
in  the  caftle  of  Hanley  befides  Sarefljyrie,  and  there  he  dyid.  Sum  fay 
Matildis  would  have  had  hym  afore  Duke  Wylliam  to  her  huftiand,  but  he 
refufing  it  had  after  hard  favor  at  her  handcs."  All  his  eftates,  among  which 
■was  the  caftle  of  Briftol,  the  head  of  his  barony,  were  feized  by  the  crown, 
and  fettled  by  the  King  on  Maud  his  wife :  — As  Leland  obferves,  "King 
William  gave  the  prefcrement  of  the  counte  of  Glocefter  onto  his  wife 
Matildc."     She  had  it  till  her  death  the  ift  of  November  1084. 

This 

•  His  name  is  varioufly  wrote,  Briftric,  Brightric,  and  Birtric;  the  lad  fecms  to  be  right 
from  the  Saxon  derivation,  Birt  or  Birth  and  ric,  i.e.  rich  by  birthorinhcritar.ee,  as  he  was 
•»  yixo prcedmti,"  fays  Leland. 


[      206      ] 

This  Briclric,  fon  of  Aylward  Meaw,  favoured  much  the  city  of  Briflol, 
and  Mr.  Canynge  preferved  in  his  cabinet  "  a  ftonen  bed  belonging  to  Erie 
Brictric,  formerly  kept  in  tower  Errys."  He  was  defcended  from  Briftric 
King  of  the  Weft  Saxons ;  and  in  Mr,  Canynge's  collection  of  antiquities  was 
"  an  hyftory  of  Brythricus  King  of  Weft  Sexonnes,  and  annales  from  hym 
to  Brythrycus  the  Erie  :"  but  now  irrecoverably  loft,  and  faid  to  be  wrote  by 
Turgot  a  Saxon  monk,  and  continued  by  Rowlie. 

William  the  Conqueror  held  the  caftle  of  Briftol  fome  time  in  his  own  hands, 
and  at  the  lime  of  his  death,  1087.  13.  Godfrey  Biftiop  of  Conftance  appears 
next  to  have  the  cuftody  or  poITeffion  of  it,  either  by  grant  from  the  King, 
or  Queen  Matilda  during  her  life  ;  being  appointed  Vice  Comes  of  Glocefter- 
fhire,  and  the  deputed  or  Lieutenant-governor  of  the  Lordfliip  of  Briftol  and 
its  caftle  ;  or  by  feizure  on  the  death  of  William  ift.  to  keep  it  for  Robert 
his  fon  the  lawful  heir  to  the  crown.  In  the  year  1072,  when  the  great  caufe 
about  the  primacy  of  Canterbury  over  York  was  determined  at  Windfor  in 
the  prefence  of  the  King  and  his  nobles,  the  inftrument  was  figned  there  by 
all  prefent,  among  whom  is,  "  Ego  Gosfrydus  Conftantienfis  Epifcopus  unus 
ex  primatibus  Angliae  confenfi." 

In  Thorp's  Regiftrum  RofFenfe,  fol.  p.  28,  is  the  following,  which  ftiews 
Godfry  to  have  been  a  great  man  in  thofe  days  :  "  Placito  inter  Lanfrankum 
Epifcopum  &  Odonem  Epifcopum  Baioncnfem.  liuic  placito  interfuit 
Goffridus  Epifcopus  Conftantienfis,  qui  in  loco  Regis  fuit.  &  Juftitiam  illani 
tenuit."  About  1072,  this  Godfrey  Bifliop  of  Conftance,  or  Coutance,  was  a 
monk  brought  over  from  Normandy  with  Theodwin,  whom  King  William  had 
promoted  to  the  abby  of  Ely  ;  and  under  him  having  the  chief  government  of 
the  affairs  of  the  monaftery,  was  upon  the  death  of  Theodwin  1075,  ordered 
by  the  King  to  take  upon  himfelf  the  adniiniftration  of  the  abby  till  the  King 
Jhould  fix  upon  a  fucceftbr,  which  was  in  about  feven  years.  Godfrey  was 
prefent  in  the  year  1080  with  Odo  Biftiop  of  Baieux,  and  Haymo  the  King's 
fewer,  (Dapifer,)  and  other  barons  legati  regis,  at  an  aflembly  at  Rentford,  to 
enquire  into  the  lands  belonging  to  the  church  of  Ely.  The  figure  of  Godfry 
is  ftill  preferved  in  the  Ely  table,  a  painting  of  great  antiquity  hung  up  in  Ely 
palace,  in  which  are  the  figures  of  the  monks  of  Ely,  and  the  knights  fent 
down  to  be  quartered  on  them  by  William  the  Conqueror,  with  their  arms; 
in  the  firft  compartment  of  this  picture  are  Opfalus  Miles  Baliftarum  Dux,  cum 
Godfrido  monacho,  a  fliield  between  the  two  heads,  f.  arg.  plain  crofs  gules. 
If  this  painting  or  Ely  table  ftiould  be  older  than  the  14th  century,  which  is 
the  utmoft  extent  in  ^^hich  oil  painting  is  placed  by  Mr.  Walpole  in  his  anec- 
dotes 


[       207       ] 

dotes  on  painting  in  England,  vol.  i.  p,   24,  it  will  fct  afide  all  the  received 
opinions  hitherto  on  that  fubjeft. 

The  time  that  thefe  knights  were  withdrawn  from  Ely  fixes  this  event  to  the 
time  of  Godfrey's  adminiftration,  for  they  were  called  away  and  fcnt  from  Ely 
into  Normandy  on  the  inlurreflion  of  Robert  the  King's  fon,  who  in  1077 
was  endeavouring  to  feizc  the  dukedom  of  Normandy.  —  Godfrey  after  this 
in  1081  was  by  the  King  promoted  to  be  Abbot  of  Malmfbury.  —  (Vid.  Ben- 
tham's  Hiftory  of  the  Church  of  El)-,  p.  106,  1771,  and  appendix  p.  5.) 

We  find  alfo  that  in  the  year  1088/ the  laft  year  of  William  the  Conqueror, 
among  the  witneffes  of  the  grants  and  confirmation  to  the  monaflery  of  St. 
Mary  at  York,  of  Stephan  the  abbot  and  Wm.  Rufus,  was  Godefridus  Bifliop 
of  Conflance,  "  qui  co  tempore  Northumbrorum  confulatum  regcbat,"  (fays 
Leland  in  Collefl.  v.  1.  p.  26.) 

What  a  great  man  in  his  time  and  how  much  favoured  by  his  King  this 
Bifhop  of  Conftance  was,  appears  from  the  numerous  and  large  grants  of  lands 
he  held.  Orderic  vitalis,  1.  4,  fays,  "  Galfridus,  &c."  that  Galfrid  Bifliop 
of  Conftance  obtained  from  the  gift  of  King  William  280  villages,  (villas,) 
which  we  commonly  call  manors,  (a  manendo,)  from  remaining  or  refiding 
upon  them,  and  that  the  Weft  Saxons  of  Dorfet  and  Somerfet  having  affaulted 
Montacute,  (Montemacutum,)  received  a  check  from  this  prelate  at  the  head 
of  the  men  of  Monmouthfhire,  (Guentani,)  London  and  Salifbury.  Under 
the  year  1070  he  calls  him,  magifter  militum.  He  ferved  his  fovereign  faith- 
fully in  feveral  battles  againft  the  Danes  and  Englifh,  and  he  affifted  at  a 
council  at  St.  Paul's  1079,  and  at  the  Conqueror's  funeral  :  he  died  himfelf 
in  1093. 

This  Godfrey  the  Bifhop  being  in  the  intereft  of  Robert  William  the  Con- 
queror's eldeft  fon,  with  his  nephew  Robert  de  Mowbray,  in  1088  haftened  to 
Briftol  to  fecure  the  caflle,  then  a  ftrong  and  defenfible  fortrefs,  for  the  next 
lawful  fucceffor,  and  to  keep  it  as  a  place  of  arms  and  an  afylum  on  their 
declaring  in  his  favour.  It  is  thus  related  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  Gib.  edit. 
p.  193,  "  Godfrith  Bifcop  and  Rodbeard  a  munbrceg,  ferdon  to  Bricgllowe 
and  hergodon,  and  brohton  to  tham  cadell  the  Hergunge."  That  is,  "  BiQiop 
Godfrey,  and  Robert  a  difturbcr  of  the  peace,  went  to  Brigftowc  and  com- 
mitted fpoils  and  brought  their  booty  into  the  caftle."  Radulphus  de  Diccto 
exprcfly  calls  it  the  bifhop's  own  caftlc,  "  in  caRcUo  suo  Briftoa."  Our 
Englifh  chroniclers  in  that  year,  1088,  have  not  omitted  mentioning  this 
trajifattion. 

On 


[       208      ] 

On  this  combination  in  favour  of  Robert  being  defeated,  who  fold  his 
birth-right,  or  rather  compounded  with  his  younger  brother  Wm.  Rufus,  for 
the  trifling  penfion  of  3000  marks  per  ann.  for  the  prefent,  and  affurance  of 
the  crown  after  his  deceafe,  our  Lord  Warden  of  the  caftle,  the  Bifhop  of 
Conftance,  retreated  into  Normandy  as  fuppofed,  being  not  heard  of  after- 
wards, leaving  behind  him  here  a  lafl^ing  memorial  of  himfelf  in  a  ftone  carved 
figure  lately  in  being  in  a  niche  on  the  left  going  through  Newgate,  removed 
thither  out  of  the  caflle,  and  fince  to  Briflington.  —  Duke  Robert  was  through 
his  credulity  and  eafy  difpofition  cozened  of  hisright  of  fucceflion  on  the  death 
of  his  brother  Wm.  Rufus  by  his  other  brother  Henry  ift.  who  not  only  deprived 
him  of  his  crown  here,  but  at  length  of  his  dukedom  of  Normandy  alfo,  which 
having  fought  unjuft  occafion  of  invading,  the  Duke  was  conquered  and  taken 
prifoncr,  and  fent  into  England  ;  hiftorians  fay,  he  was  fliut  up  in  Cardiff  caflle, 
where  he  remained  in  prifon  till  his  death  ;  but  a  vellum  manufcript  roll 
(penes  me)  mentions  "  his  leaving  his  gauntelette  in  Brigfl.owe  caflelle," 
which  was  preferved  afterwards  to  later  times,  and  at  length  came  into  the 
poflefTion  of  the  great  Mr.  Canynge,  who  placed  it  in  his  cabinet.  He  was 
probably  firft:  fent  to  Briflol  and  removed  afterwards  to  Cardiff,  to  be  more 
out  of  the  way,  as  the  people  had  an  affeclion  for  him,  —  I  have  a  drawing  of 
a  flone  figure  in  a  praying  poflure  once  kept  in  the  caftle  church,  under  which 
is  infcribed,  "  Came  of  Roberte  Courtehofe  mynde  yn  caftelle  chyrche." 
This  figure  is  ftill  extant,  being  fixed  in  a  wall  at  the  upper  end  of  the  North 
aile  of  St.  Philip's  church.  And  it  may  be  inferred  from  this,  that  it  is  not 
improbable  but  that  Robert  was  not  only  a  prifoner  in  Briflol  caftle,  but 
might  alfo  have  loft  his  eye-fight  there  by  the  hot  brafs  bafon  which  was 
ordered  to  be  applied  to  his  eyes  to  take  away  his  fight  by  his  cruel  brother, 
to  prevent  his  efcape  ;  and  then  it  is  likely  was  fent  to  die  in  Cardiff  caftle  in  a 
remote  place.  The  Saxon  Chronicle,  p.  230,  17.  mentions  it  clearly,  that  in 
1126,  "the  King  permitted  his  brother  Robert  to  be  taken  away  from  Roger 
Eiftiop  of  Sarcfbury,  and  committed  him  to  his  fon  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter, 
and  fuffered  him  to  be  brought  to  Bricftowe  and  there  to  be  kept  in  ward  in 
the  caftel,"  adding  that  this  was  all  done  by  advice  of  his  daughter  and  of 
David  King  of  Scotland. 

14.  In  io8g,  Wm.  Rufus,  in  confideration  of  the  great  fervices  done  him 
by  Robert  Fitz  Haymon  his  gentleman  of  the  bedchamber,  and  an  aflive 
opponent  to  the  Norman  faftion  flirred  up  in  favour  of  his  brother  Robert, 
gave  him  the  honour  and  Earldom  of  Glocefter;  which  with  the  caftle  of 
Briftol  appendent  to  it  he  held  till  his  death  in  1107,  with   all  the  liberties 

formerly 


C  209  ] 

formerly  enjoyed  by  Birtric :  he  was  a  great  man  of  his  days,  left  no  male 
iflue,  only  four  daughters.  Mabile  the  eldeft  King  Henry  ift.  married  to  his 
natural  fon  Robert,  which  he  had  by  Nefta,  daughter  of  Rhees  Prince  of 
South  Wales;  and  unwilling  to  divide  the  honour  of  Glocefter  amongft  all  the 
daughters  of  Robert  Fitz  Haymon,  conferred  the  whole  on  the  cldcft  and  his 
fon  Robert,  and  created  him  Earl  of  Glocefter. 

15.  In  1110  Robert  was  Lord  of  Briflol  caftle  by  this  marriage  and  creation, 
being  then  about  20  years  of  age. 

This  great  heirefs  Mabile,  whom  he  had  efpoufed,  was  a  very  lofty  dame ; 
the  monk  of  Glocefler  exprelfcth  King  Henry's  courting  this  lady  his  ward  for 
his  fon  Robert  in  fome  curious  old  rhymes,  and  her  refufal  of  him  at  firft, 
like  a  true  lady  of  quality,  for  want  of  a  firname  of  honour  and  dillinftion.* 

Sir,  flieo  faide,  ich  wote  your  herte  upon  mee  is 

More  for  myne  heritage,  than  for  myfelfe  I  wis : 

And  fuch  heritage  as  Ich  have,  hit  were  to  me  greet  fliame 

To  take  a  Lorde,  but  hee  hadde  any  furname  ;  — 

Damofeill,  quoth  the  Kyng,  thou  feeft  well  in  this  cafe. 

Sir  Robert  Fitz  Hayme  thi  fader's  name  was  :  — 

As  fayre  a  name  he  fhall  have,  as  you  may  fee. 

Sir  Robert  le  Fitz  Roy  fhall  liis  name  be  :  — 

Damofeill,  he  fay'd,  thi  Lorde  fliall  have  a  name 

For  him  and  for  hys  heires  fayre  withoute  blame  ; 

For  Robert  Erie  of  Gloucefler,  hys  name  fhall  be  and  is, 

Hee  fhall  be  Erie  of  Glouceftcr,  and  his  heires  I  wis: 

Inne  this  forme,  quoth  fhee,  Ich  wole,  that  all  my  thyng  be  his,  &c. 

The  whole  may  be  feen  in  Sandford's  Genealog.  Hiftory,  p.  46. 

Thus  was  the  lady's  fcruples  removed,  and  Robert's  fortune  and  greatnefs 
accompliflied  1109,  of  this  he  fhewed  himfelf  highly  worthy  in  the  future 
conduft  of  his  life.  He  was  the  mod  valiant  captain  of  his  age,  and  in 
requital  of  his  father's  bounty  was  very  aQive  in  defending  the  rights  of  Maud 
the  Emprefsand  her  fon,  afterwards  Henry  2d.  againft  Stephen,  who  ufurped 
the  crown,  to  whom  he  proved  a  continual  terror,  and  he  laid  the  ground-work 
of  all  the  fucceffes  in  that  war.  He  was  tutor  and  guardian  to  the  young 
Prince,  and  having  fortified  his  caflle  of  Briftol  againlt  Stephen,  he  brought 
him  hither  as  to  a  place  of  fafety,  and  put  him   to  fchool  there  with  the  chief 

C  c  mcn'.< 

•  This  ftory  is  told  in  nearly  the  fame  manner  at  tlic  end  of  Langtoft's  Chronicle,  v,  2.  by 
Ileam,  p.  664, 


C      210      ] 

men's  fons  of  the  town.  Lord  Littleton  *  thus  mentions  the  fa8:,  and  finely 
charaflerifes  both  the  tutor  and  his  ward:  "He  (the  Prince,  afterwards 
Henry  2d.)  was  carried  to  Briftol,  and  continued  there  four  years  under  the 
care  of  his  uncle,  (Robert  Earl  of  Glocefler,)  who  trained  him  to  fuch  exercifes 
as  were  mod  proper  to  form  his  body  for  war,  and  in  thofe  ftudies  which 
might  cmbellifliand  Urcngthen  his  mind.  The  Earl  of  Glocefter  himfelf  had 
no  inconfiderable  tinflure  of  learning,  and  was  the  patron  of  all  who  excelled 
in  it;t  qualities  rare  at  all  times  in  noblemen  of  his  high  rank,  but  particu- 
larly in  an  age  when  knowledge  and  valour  were  thought  incompatible,  and 
not  to  be  able  to  read  was  a  mark  of  nobility.  This  truly  great  man  broke 
through  that  cloud  of  barbarous  ignorance,  and  after  the  example  of  his  father 
Henry  ift.  enlarged  his  undcrltanding  and  humanized  his  mind  by  a  com- 
merce with  the  mufcs,  which  he  alTiduoufly  cultivated  even  in  courts  and 
camps,  —  The  fame  love  of  fcienceand  literature  he  infufed  into  his  nephew, — • 
The  four  years  J  which  he  nowpaffed  in  England  (at  Briftol)  laid  the  foundation 
of  all  that  was  afterwards  moft  excellent  in  him;  for  his  earlicft  imprcfTions 
were  taken  from  his  uncle  (Robert),  who  not  only  in  learning  but  in  all  other 
perfeflions,  in  magnanimity,  valour,  prudence,  and  all  moral  virtues  was  the 
beft  example  that  could  be  propofed  to  his  imitation." 

Such  is  the  excellent  charafler  of  this  valiant  Governor  and  Lord  of 
Briftol  caftle.  —  In  that  memorable  battle  of  Lincoln  fought  the  25th  December 
1140,  ^  King  Stephen  was  taken  prifoner  by  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  who 
fent  him  to  the  Emprefs  Matilda  then  at  Glocefter,  from  whence  ftie  ordered 
the  King  to  Briftol  caftle,  where  he  was  honorably  treated  for  fome  time  and 
kept  in  a  fafe  but  gentle  confinement;  but  by  the  private  inftigation  of  the 
Emprefs  or  fome  of  her  party,  the  King,  fome  fay,  was  afterwards  laid  in  irons 

under  the  pretence  of  being  feen  beyond  the  bounds  of  his  confinement,  j] 

Robert 

•  Hifloiy  of  the  life  of  Hcniy  2d.  v.  2.  p.  58.  3d  edit. 
+  Wm.  Malmfb.  dedicated  his  woik  10  him. 

J  In  Hollngfhcad  it  is  faid,  "  he  was  at  Briftol  four  years,  being  committed  to  one  Matthews 
a  fchoolmafter,  to  be  inftruftcd  and  trained  up  in  civil  behaviour,"  p.  55. 

§  Robert's  fpcech  before  the  battle  is  prcferved  in  Speeds  hiftory,  breathing  courage,  tempered 
with  g'.eat  prudence  and  conduft. 

II  I.el,  Coll.  ex  Rogero  Hoveden.  Anno  1137,  Robcrtus  Conful  filius  Hcnrici  regis 
nolhus  tenuit  contra  Stephanum  Reg.  fortifimum  caftcllum  quod  dicitur  Briftow,  &  aliud  quod 
vocatur  Slede,  Anno  1140,  Stephanus  captus  ad  imperatricem  ducitur  &  in  Turri  de  Briftow 
captivus  ponitur.  — —  l,el,  Stephanus  Odera;  in  Vinculis  —  Robcrtus  captus,  in  cujus  Tuni  Rex 
captivus  crat,  cujus  fola  captionc  rex  libcrari  poterat.  Igitur  abfolutus  eft  utcrque.  Sicp. 
obfeffam  Matildam  intra  quoddam  caftcllum  &  ad  deditionem  coaftam  ca  indifcrcta  animi 
limplicitate  ad  Briftouam  libcre  ire  pennifit.     Col,  v.  3-  f.  31. 


[      211       ] 

Robert  the  Earl  was  afterwards  taken  prifoner  himfelf  near  Wincbefter,  and 
•was  efteemed  an  equal  ranfom  for  the  King,  who  for  his  greater  dignity  was 
releafed  firft,  after  nine  months  captivity,  on  the  feafl  of  All-Saints  1141, 
the  Oueen  and  one  of  her  fons,  with  two  principal  lords  of  that  party  being 
kept  in  the  caflle  of  Briftol  as  hoflages,  from  the  time  of  the  King's  being 
difmilTedfrom  thence  till  the  Earl  wasalfo  releafed  and  returned  to  his  friends 
at  Briftol,  when  he  fet  free  the  Oueen  and  other  hoftages.  —  This  war  was 
now  refumed  with  various  fuccefles  and  difappointments  on  both  fides ;  but  in 
the  year  1146  the  Earl  of  Anjou  earneftly  defired  the  Earl  of  Glocefter  would 
fend  back  his  fon  Henry,  who  then  had  been  abfcnt  from  him  at  Briftol  four 
years,  to  which  the  Earl  of  Gloceftcr,  though  unwillingly,  confented;  but 
they  parted  to  meet  no  more,  for  Robert  the  Earl  died  of  a  fever  the  31ft  of 
Auguft  or  the  beginning  of  September  1147,  to  the  great  lofs  of  Matilda  and 
injury  to  her  affairs,  for  he  was  the  nioft  virtuous  man  confeffedly  of  thofe 
times;  and  his  virtue  was  fuch  that  even  thofe  times  could  not  corrupt  it:  — 
It  was  thought  he  might  have  attained  the  crown  himfelf,  the  nation  being 
equally  grown  tired  of  Matilda  and  of  Stephen,  but  he  thought  it  lefs  glorious 
to  be  a  King,  than  to  preferve  his  fidelity  and  honour  inviolate. 

This  Earl  added  fo  many  new,  ftrong  and  fine  buildings  to  his  caftle  of 
Briftol,  and  rendered  it  a  fortrefs  fo  much  more  defenfible,  that  he  may  be 
efteemed  juftly  a  founder,  and  was  thus  complimented  in  a  ftone  ftatue  "  for- 
merly preferved  in  the  inner  affbrciaments  of  the  caftle,"  then  at  its  demoli- 
tion fixed  up  at  Newgate  on  the  right  hand  oppofite  the  Bifliop  of  Conftance, 
fince  removed  to  a  gentleman's  feat  at  Briflington.  He  was  buried  in  the 
choir  at  St.  James's  priory  in  Briftol,  which  he  had  founded  in  1 129. 

Milo  Earl  of  Hereford  was  appointed  to  thecuftody  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol  in 
the  wars  with  King  Stephen  1141,  where  he  made  great  repairs  and  improve- 
ments, as  appears  by  his  arms  on  the  top  of  the  governors  hall-front  G.  two 
bends,  one  or,  the  other  argent,  along  with  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter's.  — 
After  it  was  taken  Sir  Bartholomew  de  Curriftiall  (whence  the  Cheurchill  or 
Churchill  family)  held  it  for  King  Stephen. 

16.  The  next  Lord  of  Briftol  caftle  was  William,  eldeft  fon  and  heir  of  the 
above  Robert:  Leiand  fays,  "  Robertus  Conful  had  a  funne  caullid  W'ylliam 
that  was  Erie  after  him  :  —  Wyllyam  dyed  yn  Brighteftow  cafteil,  and  wyllid 
to  be  buryid  by  hys  father  at  St.  James,  but  he  wasprively  conveyed  by  night 
onto  Cainfliam.  He  had  founded  there  a  fmale  priory  in  memory  of  his  Ion 
Robert,  who  died  younge  1  iCG  :  and  after  he  newly  rcpayrcd  it  and  endowed 
it,  makyng  it  an  abby  of  canons  regular;  he  gave   it   the   whole  lordfliyp  of 

C  c  2  Marfchcfel 


[      212      ] 

Marfrhefel  and  impropriated  the  benefice  to  St.  James  priory,  and  the  benefice 
came  confequently  to  Tewkfbury."  —  This  William  died  here  in  1173,  and 
had  three  daughters,  Mabile,  Amicia  and  Ifahel. 

In  the  35th  year  of  Henry  2d.  ii8g,  Ilabcl  was  married  to  John  Earl  of 
Moreton,  tlie  King's  youngeft  fon  ;  to  her  William  had  given  the  earldom  of 
Gloccfter,  and  Henry  engaged  to  give  Mabile  100  pounds  in  portion  in  lieu 
thereof.  John  continued  his  marriage  with  her  until  the  firft  year  of  his 
coming  to  the  crown,  1  199,  when  having  no  iffue  by  her  he  divorced  her,  and 
Ihe  married  JeofFry  de  Mandeville  Earl  of  Effex :  John  gave  back  great  part 
of  her  fortune,  but  retained  the  honor  of  Glocefter  and  the  lordfliip  of 
Briflol  in  his  own  hands  with  the  callle,  which  never  after  returned  to  the 
Earls  of  Glocefter  the  right  heirs.  —  Leland  fays,  v.  6.  p.  86,  "  King  John  had 
no  iffue  by  her,  and  kepte  her  but  a  yere,  (which  muft  be  a  miftake,)  and  fo 
repudiating  her  toke  to  wyfe  the  Erie  of  Herefordes  daughter,  and  reteynid 
yn  his  hondes  the  toun  and  caftelle  of  Brightftowe  within  the  hundred  of 
Berton,  lying  in  Gloceftvrfhirc  hard  by  Brightftowe,  as  betwixt  the  foreft  of 
Kingcfwode  and  it :  and  fo  ithathc  fyncc  ftil  remaynid  yn  the  Kingeshandes." 

The  caftle  of  Briftol  having  been  thus  in  the  poffeffion  of  16  lords  doing 
baronial  homage  or  fervice  from  its  firft  ere£lion  Anno  Dom.  915  till  the  ift 
year  of  King  John,  was  with  the  city  now  become  a  royal  demefne,  and 
annexed  to  the  crown  :  and  from  henceforth  the  Kings  of  England  rcfervcd  it 
to  their  own  ufe,  choofing  the  conftable  and  other  officers,  keeping  a  garrifon 
there,  and  appointing  them  falaries  and  perquifites.  King  John  in  the  8th 
year  of  his  reign  granted  the  town  of  Briftol  in  fee  farm  to  the  burgefles  at  a 
yearly  rent  of  245 1.  which  rent  was  paid  to  the  gth  of  Henry  3d.  (the  caftle  of 
Briftol  excepted,)  referving  the  prifage  of  beer,  as  much  as  the  conftable  of 
the  caftle  and  his  people  there  may  have  need  of,  alio  the  bailiwick  of  Berton, 
the  chafe  of  Brull  [iij  ofKcynfham,  and  the  wood  of  Furches,  all  which  the 
King  retained  in  his  own  hands.*  —  And  the  17th  of  Edw.  ift.  the  townfmen 
of  Briftol  paid  23I.  gs.  lod.  to  the  conftable  of  Briftol  caftle  in  lieu  of  prifc 
of  beer,  called  tyne,  belonging  to  the  caftle,  and  the  conftable  accounted  to 
the  King  for  the  fame,  as  part  of  the  profits  of  the  caftle.  t 

What  this  prifage  or  tyne  was,  may  be  right  to  enquire  :  —  It  is  evident  the 
conftables,  knights  and  ferjeants  which  were  in  caftles,  as  well  thofe  belonging 
to  the  King,  as  thofe  before  belonging  to  the  barons,  did  ufe  in  former  ages 
to  exercife  great  fuperiority  over  the  towns  which  were  near   them,  as   was 

this 

*  Madox  Exchcq.  p.  228,  c.  2.  (n.)  (s.) 
+  Magn.  Rot.  >7  Edw.  ift.     Rot.  1.  m.  2.  a, 


[       213      J 

this  of  Briftol,  and  alfo  over  tlie  adjacent  country  :  no  wonder  men  who  were 
covered  with  ftccl  fliould  domineer  over  burgefTes  and  peafants,  the  armed  over 
the  unarmed;  the  former  ufed  to  make  captures  upon  the  latter  of  hay,  corn, 
beer,  and  other  things  under  divers  denominations,  to  wit,  ofprife,  tyne  of 
caftle,  forage,  &c.  —  The  prife  of  beer,  prifa  cerevifioe  for  the  ufe  of  the 
caftle  of  BriRoI  was  ufually  worth  by  the  year  lOOs.  or  5I.  and  was  anfwered 
to  the  King  as  a  yearly  due.  By  cuftom  thefe  captures  became  familiar  and 
even  rightful.  But  the  burgefTes  of  towns  were  wont  to  complain  of  thefe 
captures  to  the  King,  who  in  fome  charters  made  to  towns,  did  fometimes 
grant  amongft  other  franchifcs,  that  they  fliould  be  free  from  prife,  tyne  of 
caftle,  and  fuch  like  captures. 

In  1289  Peter  de  la  Mare  renders  an  account  to  the  King  of  23I.  9s.  lod. 
in  lieu  of  prife  of  beer  called  tyne,  belonging  to  the  caftle,  as  part  of  its 
profits,  fo  that  tyna  caftri  feems  to  have  been  various  at  different  times.  —  In 
the  15th  year  of  Henry  3d.  the  flieriffof  Glocefter,  Wm.  de  Putoft,  would  not 
anfwer  for  the  profits  of  the  county,  becaufe  the  King  had  granted  them  for  the 
cuftody  of  the  caflles  ofBriftol  and  Glocefter,  and  for  the  maintenance  of 
Eleonor  his  kinfwoman  and  of  all  the  foldiers  dwelling  in  the  caftles  ofBriftol 
and  Glocefter  all  the  profits  of  the  county  of  Glocefter  and  the  rent  of  Berton 
Regis  there  of  60  marks  by  the  year,  and  the  prife  of  beer  worth  loos. 

The  caftle  ofBriftol  being  now  vefted  in  the  crown  and  a  part  of  the  royal 
demefnes  in  the  King's  hand,  he  ufed  to  iffue  forth  his  grant  of  the  conftable- 
fhip  of  the  caftle  to  his  nobles  or  favorites;  who  had  20I.  per  ann.  falary  with 
all  profits  belonging  to  the  faid  office,  and  the  naming  of  two  watchmen  ta 
watch  by  night  and  by  day,  and  for  the  keeper  of  the  gate  a  fee  of  2  d.  a  day> 
and  3yd.  per  day  for  the  two  watchmen,  as  appears  from  the  copy  of  the 
grant  of  the  faid  conftableftiip  the  4th  Edw.  6th.  to  Sir  William  Herbert,, 
knight,  together  with  the  ftewardfliip  of  the  city,  in  the  following  form. 

Edwardus  Sextus  Dei  gratia,  &c.  i.  e.  Edward  the  fixth  by  the  grace  of 
God,  King  of  England,  France  and  Ireland,  defender  of  the  faith,  of  the 
church  of  England  and  Ireland  the  fupreme  head,  to  all  to  whom  thefe  pre- 
ftnts  ftiall  come,  health  —  know  ye  that  wc  in  confideration  of  the  good,  true 
and  faithful  fervice  which  our  beloved  and  faithful  fervant  W'm.  Herbert 
knight  hath  done  us  in  times  part,  of  our  own  fpecial  favour,  certain  know- 
ledge and  mecr  motion,  as  alfo  with  the  advice  of  our  council  have  given  and 
granted,  and  by  il.efe  prefents  confirmed  to  the  faid  W.  Herbert  knight,  the 
office  of  conftablc  or  keeper  of  the  caftle  of  our  city  or  town  of  Briftol,  and 
warder   or    keeper  of  the  gate  of  the  faid  caftle,  and  alfo  the  nomination  and 

appointment 


[      214      ] 

appointment  ofthc  two  watchmen  to  watch  as  veil  by  day  as  by  night  within  the 
faid  caflle  :  and  that  he  have  authority  and  power  from  time  to  time  to  no- 
minate and  appoint  under  him  two  watchmen  within  the  faid  cadle,  and  we 
ordain  and  appoint  him  the  faid  W.  Herbert,  knight,  conftableand  keeper  of  the 
aforefaid  caflle,  and  warder  and  keeper  of  the  gate  of  the  faid  caflle  by  thefe 
prefents,  to  have,  hold  and  enjoy  the  offices,  nomination,  cuftody  aforcfiiid  and 
each  of  them,  to  the  faid  W.  Herbert  by  himfelf  or  by  fome  fufficient  deputy 
or  deputies  for  the  term  of  his  life,  together  with  all  and  fmgular  the  profits 
allowances  commodities  and  emoluments  freely  and  as  amply  as  Edward  Duke 
of  Somerfet,  or  any  other  on  account  of  the  faid  offices  held  the  fame;  and 
Ave  further  grant  by  thefe  prefents  to  the  faid  W.  Herbert  for  the  exercife 
of  the  faid  office  of  conflable,  twenty  pounds  payable  by  the  flierifF  of  Briftol 
out  of  the  ferm  of  the  faid  city,  and  two  pence  a  day  for  the  office  of  warder, 
and  for  the  wages  of  the  two  watchmen,  three  pence  farthing,  together  with 
all  other  profits,  &c.  belonging  to  the  faid  offices,  &c.  And  as  Edward 
Duke  of  Somerfet  our  uncle  lately  held  the  office  of  fenefchall  or  fleward  of 
the  faid  city  or  town  of  Briflol,  with  the  fee,  profits,  &c.  belonging  to  the 
faid  office,  of  the  gift  and  grant  of  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  the  fame, 
which  office  with  the  fee  and  profits,  &c.  are  lately  come  into  our  hands  and 
our  difpofal,  and  fo  ought  to  remain  by  reafon  and  virtue  of  a  certain  aB:  of 
parliament  held  at  Wcflminfler,  4th  November  lafl  part,  among  other  things 
publiflicd  and  propofed,  know  ye  that  we  have  given  and  granted  by  thefe 
prefents  to  the  faid  W.  Herbert,  knight,  the  faid  office  of  fenefchal  or  fleward 
of  the  faid  city  or  town  of  Briflol,  as  fully  as  it  is  come  to  our  hands  by  reafon 
of  the  faid  a6l  of  parliament  and  ought  to  be  and  remain,  to  have  and  to  hold 
the  faid  office  for  the  natural  life  of  the  faid  Duke  of  Somerfet,  without  any 
compofition  to  us  or  our  heirs,  &c. 

Witnefs  myfelf  at  Weftminfler  27th  Feb.  4th  year  of  our  reign. 

The  cuflodes  or  conflablcs  of  Briflol  caflle  appointed  by  the  Kings  of  Eng- 
land tliat  have  come  to  my  knowledge  are  next  to  be  confidered,  without 
omitting  any  memorable  tranfaclions  that  have  happened  here  during  their 
government.  King  John  in  the  6th  year  of  his  reign,  confirmed  to  John  Ic 
Warre  the  grant  (which  he  had  formerly  made  to  him  before  he  attained  the 
crown  of  this  realm,  at  the  requefl;  of  Ifabcl  then  his  wife,  daughter  and  coheir 
of  William  Earl  of  Glocefler)  of  the  honor  of  Glocefler  and  caflle  of 
Briflol,  with  the  manor  of  Briflleton  a  part  of  that  honor. 

In  the  reign  of  King  John,  Hugo  de  Haflings  was  conQable  of  Briflol 
caflle  :  v.hcthcr  it  was  during  his  cuflody  of  it  or  not,  does  not  appear ;  but 

in 


[      215       ] 

in  this  reign  tlie  princefs  Eleanor,  called  the  damofel  of  Brittany,  after  a  fuc- 
cefsful  battle  fought  by  King  John  againfl  licr  brother  Prince  Arthur  at 
Mirablein  Normandy,  ift  Augul^  1202,  was  by  the  King's  order  fcnt  to  Briftol 
caftle,  and  there  kept  clofe  prifoner  for  forty  years  by  her  cruel  uncle  King 
John,  for  no  other  crime  but  her  title  to  the  crown  after  her  brother,  who 
was  fuppofed  to  have  been  privately  made  away  with.  She  at  lall  died  here 
unmarried  in  mifcrable  confinement  in  the  25th  of  Henry  3d.    1241. 

In  the  7th  year  of  Richard  ifl.  1196,  Briftol  caftle  was  bcfieged,  and  one 
Richard  Dorefcuilz  was  amerced  5I.  for  having  afrnled  at  the  fiege. 

In  the  8th  year  of  his  reign,  1224,  Henry  the  3d.  having  made  Ralph  de 
Wilington  (called  in  old  writings  Radulphus  de  Caflello)  governor  and  conftable 
of  this  caftle,  gave  him  alfo  the  wardenfliip  of  the  chace  of  Kainfham,  which 
fhews  the  Kings  of  England  had  once  a  chace  there  for  the  ranging  of  deer ; 
and  in  1229  Hugo  de  Burge  was  governor  here  :  and  in  1257  King  Henry 
the  3d.  came  to  Briftol,  and  fummoned  Lord  Percy  to  attend  him  there  upon 
an  expedition  into  Wales. 

In  1244  Henry  the  3d.  ordains  that  as  often  as  the  burgeffes  of  Briftol 
Ihall  choofe  a  mayor,  (the  time  of  war  only  excepted,)  they  fliall  bring  him 
before  the  conftable  of  the  caftle  to  be  fworn  and  admitted. 

Roger  de  Leeburne  a  baron.  Anno  44th  Henry  the  3d,  1260  was  made 
conftable  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol. 

"  In  1264  Guarine  de  Baftlngburne  and  Robert  Walerande,  keepers  of 
Briftow  made  oute  fudenly  an  hofte  to  Walingford,  but  they  prevayled  lyttle," 
favs  Leland  Collect,  p.  660.  It  was  defigned  for  the  relief  of  Prince 
Edward  then  a  prifoner  there,  under  the  Earl  of  Leicefter  one  of  the  rebellious 
barons.  Soon  after  this  Bartholomew  de  Inovence  was  made  conftable  of 
Briftol  caftle. 

In  the  Baron's  wars  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  3d.  each  party  being  ready 
to  take  what  advantages  fliould  offer  during  that  ftate  of  uncertainty.  Prince 
Edward  fon  to  King  Henry,  thought  it  neceflary  to  ftorc  with  provifions 
Briftol  caftle,  which  the  King  his  father  had  intrufted  him  with  :  to  that  end 
he  came  to  Briftol  and  would  have  obliged  the  townfmen  to  find  him  what 
provifions  he  wanted;  to  fupply  which  he  fined  the  burgeffes  loool.  As 
people  ftood  then  difpofed,  this  demand  made  perhaps  a  little  too  haughtily 
raifcd  a  fedition  among  the  townfmen,  which  forced  the  Prince  to  retire 
haftily  into  the  caftle;  he  was  no  fooner  there,  but  the  inhabitants  refolved 
to  befiege  him ;  or  at  leaft  to  keep  him  fo  clofely  blocked  up  that  he  fliould 
not  cfcape,  v.cll  knowing  that  for  want  of  neceffaries  he  could  not  long  relift. 

This 


[      2l6      ] 

This  refolution  threw  Edward  into  a  very  great  ftraight :  he  got  out  of  it  how- 
ever by  a  device,  which  indeed  freed  him  from  the  prefent  danger,  but  foon 
brought  him  into  another,  from  whence  he  could  not  fo  happily  difengage 
himfelf:  he  fent  for  the  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  and  intimated  to  him,  that  he 
intended  to  adhere  to  the  barons;  but  defired  firfl  to  talk  with  the  King  his  fa- 
ther to  perfuade  him  to  give  them  entire  fatisfa6tion  :  but  being  tbus  blocked  up, 
lie  defired  him  to  be  fecurit)'  for  him  and  to  accompany  him  to  London  to 
witnefshis  conduft.  The  Bifliop  depending  on  the  Prince's  fincerity  prevailed 
on  the  townfmen  to  let  Edward  go  ;  to  which  they  confented  and  the  blockade 
was  raifed.  The  Prince  and  Bifliop  fet  out  on  their  journey  ;  but  when  they 
came  near  Windfor,  Edward  clapping  fpurs  to  his  horfe  rode  avay  from  the 
Bifliop,  and  fecurcd  himfelf  in  that  caflle  ;  but  was  foon  after  forced  to  accept 
of  the  barons  terms,  and  to  furrender  that  caftle  to  them.  This  was  in  the 
year  1263. 

William  fon  of  Hugh  and  brother  of  Gilbert  Lord  Talbot  had  cuflody  of 
the  caftle  of  Briftol,  the  18th  of  Henry  3d. 

In  the  year  1271,  Dominus  Johannes  de  Mufcgres  was  conftable  of  the 
caftle,  and  William  de  Stanhurft  fubconftabularius. 

In  1 7th  Edward  lit.  1289,  Peter  de  la  Mare  was  conftable  of  Briftol  caftle,  and 
renders  an  account  to  the  King  of  23I.  9s,  lod.  in  lieu  of  prife  of  beer  called 
Tyna  Caftri  belonging  to  the  caflle,  as  part  of  its  profits.  The  Scotch  Earl  of 
Marr  was  taken  and  confined  in  Briftol  caftle  from  the  year  1306  to  1314. 

In  the  reign  of  King  Edward  the  ift.  upon  the  beginning  of  his  wars  in 
Scotland,  which  happened  about  the  year  1295,  Bartholomew  Badlefmere  was 
employed  by  the  King,  who  for  his  gallant  behaviour  there,  was  fummoned 
as  a  baron  to  parliament,  and  became  a  very  great  man  in  his  time:  he  was 
alfo  made  governor  of  Briftol  caftle,  and  received  a  grant  from  the  King  of 
the  manor  of  Chilham  in  Kent.  He  was  a  fecond  time  made  governor  of  the 
caftle,  town  and  berton  of  Briftol. 

Roger  Bygod  fon  of  Hugh,  nephew  and  heir  to  the  laft  Earl,  had  a  grant 
from  King  Edward  of  the  caftlcs  of  Briftol  and  Nottingham  to  hold  for  life,  and 
the  2oth  Edward  ift.  he  furrendered  them  to  him  again. 

In  the  reign  of  King  Edward  the  2d.  Hugh  le  Spencer  Earl  ofWinton, 
called  by  hiftorians  fenior,  for  diftin£tion  from  his  fon  Hugh,  who  were  both 
chief  favorites  of  the  King,  by  their  excefTive  pride  and  covetoufnefs  became 
extremely  odious  to  the  people,  as  well  as  to  the  Oueen  and  Prince,  who  were 
both  out  of  England  and  durft  not  return  ;  being  banifhcd  by  the  King  as 
traitors.     The  Queen  hearing  of  the   fentiments  of  the  people,  made  fail  for 

England, 


C   217   ] 

England,  where  (lie  framed  a  powerful  army  of  mal-contents,  who  marciiing 
with  her  to  Briftol,  where  the  King  then  was,  were  joyfully  received  by  the 
inhabitants  ;  and  in  tcftimony  of  her  welcome  Hugh  the  father  being  brought 
before  Prince  Edward  and  the  barons  attending  him,  (though  go  years  of 
age)  was  condemned  to  be  hanged,  which  fentence  was  put  in  execution  on 
the  25th  of  Otlober  1326,  in  the  fight  of  the  King  and  his  own  fon  Hugh 
(who  efcapcd  not  his  punifliment.)  Leland  tells  us.  Col.  673.  vol.  ii.  that 
"  Sir  Hugh  Spenfar  the  father  was  drawen  hanged  and  bchedded  at  Briftowe, 
and  his  body  hanged  up  with  two  ftronge  cordes,  and  after  four  days  it  was  cut 
to  peices  and  dogges  did  cte  it :  and  becaufe  he  was  Counte  of  Wynchefter 
his  hedde  was  fent  thither."  Upon  the  death  of  Lord  Hugh  le  Defpencer, 
the  King  and  Hugh  the  fon  early  in  the  morning  entered  a  little  veficl  behind 
the  caflle,  with  dcfign  to  get  to  the  Ide  xjf  Lundy,  a  place  of  fecurity,  or  elfe 
into  Ireland ;  but  after  being  many  days  at  fea  were  perpetually  driven  back 
bv  contrary  winds :  and  at  length  being  obliged  to  land,  they  came  afliore  at 
Glamorgan,  from  whence  they  retired  to  the  abby  of  Neath,  where  trufting  to 
the  promiles  of  the  Welch  they  hoped  for  fecurity.  But  Hugh  not  thinking 
it  fafe  to  trull  them  got  privately  into  the  caftle  of  Kaerfilli,  which  he  ftoutly 
defended,  and  in  the  end  obtained  of  the  forces  fent  by  Queen  Ifabel  a  capi- 
tulation, with  a  promife  of  fafety  as  to  life  and  limb.  After  which  he  got 
again  to  the  King,  but  foon  after,  viz.  on  the  16th  of  November  following, 
the  King,  Spencer,  Chancellor  Baldock,  and  Simon  de  Reading  and  a  few 
other  domeftics,  were  taken  near  the  caftle  of  Lantryffcrn  ;  fome  fay,  at  the 
abby  of  Neath.  On  the  20th  following  they  were  removed  to  Monmouth 
caftle,  where  the  great  feal  was  forced  from  the  King.  From  thence  they 
were  all  brought  prifoners  by  Sir  Henry  Beaumont  to  Hereford,  and  were 
delivered  to  the  difpofal  of  the  Queen  and  her  fon,  who  foon  after  ordered 
them  all  (except  Chancellor  Baldoc)  to  be  hanged:  as  for  the  King  he  was 
depofed  and  kept  clofe  prifoner  at  Kenelworth-caRle,  from  thence  he  was 
removed  in  April  1327  to  Corf-caftle,  and  then  to  Briftol-caftle  :  there  he 
remained  until  it  was  found  out  that  fome  of  the  town  had  formed  a  refolutioii 
to  affift  him  in  making  his  efcape  beyond  fea.  Upon  this  difcovery  he  was 
removed  to  Berkeley  caftle,  which  was  to  be  his  laft  prifon  :  here  he  was 
under  the  care  of  Sir  John  Maltravers,  and  Sir  Thomas  Gurney  :  — "  Thcfc 
champions  (fays  Stowe)  bring  Edward  towardes  Barkley,  being  guarded  by  a 
rabble  of  hcUliounds,  alongc  by  the  Grange  belonging  to  the  caftle  of  Briftowe, 
where  that  wicked  man  Gorney  making  a  crowne  of  haye  put  it  on  his  head, 
and  the   foldicrs   that  were  prefent  mocked  him,  faying,  "  Tprut  avaunt  Sir 

B  n  Kingc," 


[      2l8      ] 

KiiT'c,"  making  a  kind  of  noife  with  their  mouths  as  if  they  broke  wind 
backwards:  they  feared  to  be  met  of  any  that  (liouid  knowe  Edwardc  :  they 
bente  their  journey  therefore  towardes  the  left  hande,  riding  along  over  the 
mariJli  grounds  lying  by  the  river  Severn ;  moreover  devifing  to  disfigure  him 
that  he  fliould  not  be  known,  they  determined  to  fliave  his  head  and  beard  ; 
wherefore  as  they  travelled  by  a  little  water  that  ran  in  a  ditch,  they  com- 
maunded  hvm  to  lyghte  from  his  horfe  to  be  fhaven  with  the  faid  cold  wateV 
by  the  barber,  who  faid,  "  that  water  muft  ferve  for  this  time."  Edwarde  an- 
fwered,  "  would  they,  nould  they,  he  would  have  warm  water  for  his  beard," 
fo  filed  tears  plentifully."  On  the  22d  September  1327,  they  put  their 
bloody  orders  into  execution  by  thrufting  a  red-hot  iron  through  a  horn  pipe 
up  his  fundament,  which  burnt  his  bowels,  and  by  this  horrible  murder  the 
unhappy  Prince  expired.* —  In  order  to  conceal  their  execrable  deed,  the 
two  murderers  fent  for  ibme  of  the  inhabitants  of  Briflol  and  Gloceflcr  to 
examine  the  body  ;  and  there  appearing  no  marks  of  violence,  they  concluded 
he  died  a  natural  death ;  this  examination  was  carefully  attefted  by  witneffes 
and  immediately  difperfed  over  the  whole  kingdom. 

In  the  year  1336,  the  9th  of  Edward  the  3d.  an  inquifition  was  taken  the 
17th  of  May  in  the  caftle  of  Briftol,  relating  to  the  right  of  patronage  of  the 
houfe  of  St.  Mark  of  Billifwick  in  Briftol,  before  Hugh  le  Hunte,  who  was 
then  deputy  conftable  there;  and  in  the  13th  of  the  fame  King,  Richard  de 
Kynghefton  was  conftable  of  the  caflle. 

In  the  35th  year  of  Edward  the  3d.  Queen  Phillippa  grants  Edmund  Flam- 
bard  the  conflablefhip  of  this  caftle  for  life,  receiving  20I.  per  ann.  befides 
fees  for  the  watchmen  and  the  officers  of  the  Forcft  of  Kingfwood  and  Fil- 
wood  ;  he  refigned  the  fame,  and  then  fhe  appoints  Robert  de  Foulchurfl  in 
his  room,  which  was  confirmed  by  King  Edward. 

King  Edward  the  3d.  1373,  in  his  charter  fcparated  Briftol  from  the  county 
of  Glocefter  and  made  it  a  town  and  county  of  itfelf,  and  ordered  that  for  the 
future  the  mayor  when  chofen  fhould  not  be  prefented  [as  ufually]  to  the 
conftable  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol  to  be  by  him  accepted:    But  that  prefcntly 

after 

*  By  inquifition  in  Cotton's  Abridgement  of  the  Records,  it  appeared  that  Thomas  Lord 
Berkley  was  not  then  at  Berkley,  and  had  no  part  in  this  murder.  — —  Mr,  Gray  in  his  Pindaric 
Ode  called  the  Bard,  finely  touches  this  barbarous  murder  : 

Mark  the  year,  and  mark  the  night, 

When  Severn  fliall  re-echo  with  affright 

The  fhricks  of  death,  thro'  Berkley's  roofs  that  ring, 

Shrieks  of  an  agonizing  King  I 


[      219      'J 

after  his  election,  he  fliould  take  his  oath  before  his  next  predeceflbr  mayor,  in 
ther.uildhallofBriaol. 

In  the  43d  year  of  Edward  3d.  20th  Auguft,  Hugh  de  Segrave  was  appointed 
governor  of  this  caftle  for  life. 

And  the  15th  July,  47th  of  Edward  3d.  John  de  Thorp  had  the  conftablefhip 
of  this  caftle  granted  to  him. 

In  the  loth  )car  of  Richard  the  2d.  the  parliament  accufcd  many  of  his 
domefticsof  high  treafon,  three  of  whom,  viz.  Sir  John  Salifbury,  Knight,  Sir 
Thomas  Trivet,  Knight,  and  John  Lincoln,  Efq;  (after  a  long  confinement  in 
Briftol  caftle,)  were  at  length  removed  to  the  Tower  of  London,  after  which 
on  tlie  12th  of  May  1389,  Sir  John  Salifl^ury  was  executed  at  Tyburn,  and 
the  other  two  were  difcharged.  —  King  Richard  by  following  his  own  vicious 
inclinations,  and  the  advice  of  his  evil  counfellors,  was  his  own  deftruclion. 
Four  of  them  (in  order  to  efcape  the  hand  of  juftice  from  the  Duke  of  Lan- 
cafter,  who  was  now  in  England  with  an  army  as  a  competitor  for  the  crown,) 
made  their  efcape  from  London  to  the  caftle  of  Briftol  with  an  intention  to  have 
made  a  ftout  refiftance,viz.  Wm.  Scroop  Earl  of  Wiltfliire,  Sir  John  Buftiy  Knight, 
whohadbcenSpeaker  of  the  Houfe  of  Commons  the  laft  parliament.  Sir  Henry 
Green,  and  Sir  James  Bagot,  Knights.  They  came  here  in  the  month  of  July 
1399.  but  were  foon  followed  by  the  Duke  of  Lancafter,  at  whofe  arrival  the 
gales  of  the  town  were  thrown  open  to  the  Duke's  forces;  he  immediately 
commanded  the  caftle  of  Briftol  to  be  ftormed ;  which  in  four  days  time  fur- 
rendered  at  difcretion,  and  foon  after  the  three  firft  were  beheaded,  but  Sir 
■fames  Bagot  made  his  efcape  into  Ireland.  The  29th  of  September  following 
King  Richard  was  depofed,  and  not  long  after  he  was  by  eight  aftafTins  and  Sir 
Pierce  of  Exton,  murdered  in  Pomfret  caftle. — John  de  Thorp  continued 
conftable  of  the  caftle  the  1  ft  and  3d  year  of  Richard  2d. 

Henry  the  4th  and  his  wife  Joan,  Nov.  14,  1413,  conftitute  Hugh  Lutterel 
conftable  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol. 

King  Henry  6th.  in  the  year  1444,  granted  the  manor  and  hundred  of  Briftol 
(with  other  things)  to  Henry  de  Beauchamp,  fonof  the  late  Earl  of  Warwick,  in 
rcverfion,  from  the  death  of  Humphry  Duke  of  Glocefter;  and  Leland  v.  6. 
Itni.  p.  80,  calls  him,  "  Dominus  quoque  Caftri  Briftolliae  cum  fuis  annexis." 
The  16th  Jan,  21ft  of  Henry  6th.  Sir  John  St.  Loe  was  made  conftable  of 
the  caftle  of  Briftol  for  life  :  he  died  the  12th  of  March  the  26th  of  Henry  6th. 
In  the  24th  year  of  his  reign  1445,  King  Henry  6lh  grants  to  the  mayor, 
&c.  of  Briftol,  all  the  gates,  ditches,  walls  and  fuburbs  of  the  faid  town,  with 
all  fairs,  markets  and  courts  there  and   in  the   fuburbs,  with  all  fines,  iffues, 

D  D  2  redemptions. 


[      220      ] 

redemptions,  and  amerciaments  belonging  to  the  fame,  (the  caQle  of  Briftol 
and  ii.>  ditches  excepted:)  this  grant  was  for  60  years,  the  mayor.  Sec.  pavin<T 
into  the  exchequer  per  ann.  during  that  term  102  1.  15  s.  6  d.  and  to  the  abbot 
of  Tewlvcfbury  (for  the  time  being)  for  the  tjthes  of  the  town  14  1.  10s.  to  the 
prior  of  St.  James  of  Bridol  (for  the  time  being)  for  tlic  yearly  rent  of  the  mill 
at  St.  James's-Back  3  1.  to  the  conftablc  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol  and  his  officers 
for  the  time  being,  (that  is  to  fay,)  to  the  porters  of  the  gate  and  watchmen  of 
the  caftle,  and  to  the  forrefter  of  Kingfwood,  3gl.  14s.  6d.  to  the  (cuflodi 
maritimo)  the  warden  of  the  port  or  quay-warden  6  s.  8d. 

King  Edward  the  4th.  in  his  progrefs  about  feveral  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
came  to  his  caftle  of  Briftol  ;  when  Sir  Humphrey  Stafford  of  Hooke  had  a 
grant,  dated  the  15th  of  June,  from  the  King  of  the  ftewardfhip  of  the  dutchy 
of  Cornwall  for  life,  likewife  the  conftablefliip  of  Briftol  caftle,  and  of  feveral 
of  the  King's  forefts,  with  that  of  the  conftablcwick  of  the  foreft  of  Kingfwood, 
which  in  former  times  was  of  great  extent  and  annexed  to  the  caftle.  This 
gentleman  was  a  branch  of  the  family  of  the  Earls  of  Stafford,  he  died  the  6th 
of  Auguft  the  fame  year,  according  to  Dugdale,  v.  1.  p.  173. 

In  the  1  ft  year  of  Edward  4th.  1461,  Sir  Baldwin  Fulford  after  fuffering 
imprifonment  with  his  two  accomplices.  Bright  and  HefTant,  Efqrs.  in  Briftol 
caftle,  were  executed  here,  the  former  having  given  bond  to  Henry  6th.  that 
he  would  either  take  away  the  life  of  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  who  was  then  plot- 
ting to  dethrone  the  reigning  fovereign,  or  lofe  his  own  head.  Our  old  chro- 
niclers in  the  year  1460  mention  this  faCt;  Stowe  relates  it  thus  under  that  year: 
"  SirBaudewine  Fulford  undertook  under  pain  of  lofing  his  head  to  deftroy 
the  Earl  of  "Warwick,  but  when  he  had  fpent  the  King  a  thoufand  marks  in 
money  he  returned  again  :"  but  an  additional  authentic  evidence  of  this  faCl  is 
in  an  old  parchment  roll,  in  which  among  other  curiolities  pjeferved  in  the 
cabinet  of  Mr.  Canynge,  is  mentioned  "the  real  bond  given  to  Henry  6th.  by 
Sir  Charles  Bawdin  a  Fulford  (commonly  cleped  Baudin  Fulford)  to  teke  the  life 
of  the  Erl  of  Warwick  or  lofe  his  head,  which  he  did  to  Edward  4th."  Seep.  45. 

By  an  entry  in  the  old  church  books  of  St.  Ewen  in  this  city,  "  for  wafhing 
and  cleening  the  church  when  King  Edward  the  4th.  came  there  in  September 
1461,  4d."  it  appears  when  this  event  ofSirBaudwyn  Fulford  happened,  and 
it  confirms  the  account  above  given  ;  King  Edward  having  flood  at  the  great 
window  there  when  he  paffed  by  to  his  fate.  Mr.  Canynge  was  alfo  mayor 
in  1461  to  September  29th  of  that  year,  when  Phillip  Mede  was  chofen,  fo 
that  the  execution  of  Sir  Baudwin  Fulford  muft  have  been  the  beginning  or 
middle  of  September  1461.  —  Mr.  Adams's  manufcript  penes  me  fays,  "  King 

Edward 


[      221       ] 

Edvard  came  to  Briflol  in  September  1461,  vhere  Sir  Joiiii  Bawdin  Fulford, 
Bright  and  IlefTant  were  beheaded,"  —  and  in  1474  he  lodged  at  the  abbey  of 
St.  Aiiflin's  there.  This  family  of  Fulford  was  of  great  note  and  antiquity  in 
the  county  of  Devon  ;  there  is  a  place  of  that  name  near  Exeter  now,  which 
feems  to  have  given  name  to  the  family  (de  turpi  vado)  and  was  their  feat  and 
refidence. — John  Fulford  a  defcendant  of  Sir  Baudwin  of  Fulford,  was  fherifF 
of  Devon  the  27th  of  Henry  8th.  he  bore  G.  a  chevron  arg.  —  One  of  the 
family,  fon  of  the  above  Sir  Baldwin,  lies  buried  in  Exeter  cathedral,  with  an 
infcription  in  Gothic  letters  on  a  large  black  marble  ftone  in  the  eaftcrn  aile  ftill 
to  be  feen  :  Hie  jacet  magifl.  Joannes  Fulford  filius  Baldwini  Fulford  milit. 
hui.  Eccle'.  Refid.  pr"-  Archid*-  Tottn.  deinde  Cornub'  ult"-  Exon,  q.  obiit 
xix  die  Januarii  A.  D.xv.xviii  cui  ai.-e  ppitietur  Dcus.  —  Here  lies  Mafter  John 
Fulford,  fon  of  Sir  Baldwin  Fulford,  Knight,  rcfidentiary  of  this  church,  firll 
Archdeacon  of  Totnefs,  then  of  Cornwall,  and  ladly  of  Exeter,  who  died  igth 
January  A.  D.  1518,  onwhofe  foul  may  God  have  mercy. 

This  event  has  given >occa{ion  to  a  poem  called  the  Briflol  Tragedy,  lately 
publiflied  among  Rowley's  poems,  in  which  the  name  is  called  Sir  Charles 
Bawdin  Fulford.  In  the  nianufcript  (Adams's  penes  me)  he  is  called  Sir  John 
Bawdin  Fulford,  which  fliews  how  uncertain  they  were  in  the  name  at  the 
time,  and  that  the  mifnomcr  in  that  poem  derogates  little  from  its  authenticity. 
It  is  remarkable,  that  one  Sir  Cantelow  in  the  fervice  of  Edward  the  4th.  is 
introduced  as  an  active  perfon  in  that  tragedy  ;  and  it  appears  (by  a  manufcript. 
Rich  penes  me,)  that  Henry  6th.  was  taken  in  difguifed  apparel  at  the  abby 
of  Salley  in  Yorkfhire  by  one  Cantelow,  in  1465,  and  was  thence  brought  to 
Elftonc,  and  then  to  the  Tower;  this  is  a  proof  that  King  Edward  the  4th. 
had  fuch  a  perfon  as  Sir  Cantelow  much  in  his  intereft  and  at  his  command, 
and  affords  fome  additional  proof  of  the  authenticity  of  that  poem. 

In  the  reign  of  King  Henry  the  7th.  Giles  Lord  D'Aubeney  held  the  caflle 
of  Briflol;  as  did  afterwards  Sir  John  Seymour  of  Walfliall  in  the  county  of 
Wilts  Knight,  he  was  the  fon  of  Sir  Roger  Seymour  of  Evcnfwindon  in  the 
county  of  Wilts  Knight,  by  Cecilia  his  wife,  daughter  of  John  Lord  Beau- 
champ,  of  Hatche  in  the  county  of  Somerfct:  the  faid  Sir  John  in  the  gth  year 
oftht  reign  of  King  Henry  the  8th.  1518,  was  one  of  the  knights  for  the  body 
of  that  King;  he  obtained  a  grant  at  that  time  of  the  conflablewick  of  this 
caflle  for  his  own  life,  after  which  to  his  fon  Edward,  to  hold  in  as  ample 
manner  as  the  faid  Giles  Lord  D'Aubeny  held  the  fame. 

In  the  4th  year  of  Edward  the  6th.  Sir  William  Herbert    was  granted  the 

cuflody  of  this  caflle, 

Upo» 


C      222       ] 

Upon  the  alteration  of  religion  in  1549,  many  rebellious  tumults  broke  out 
in  Cornwall,  Devonfhire,  Norwich,  and  at  Briftol.  At  the  lall  place  timely 
care  was  taken  to  repair  and  fortify  the  caRle  and  walls  of  the  city,  which 
were  mounted  with  cannon,  alfo  the  city  gates,  mod  of  which  were  made 
new  ;  proper  guards  being  placed  night  and  day  to  prevent  any  attempts  which 
might  be  made  by  any  tumult  within  the  city,  or  without  in  order  to  furprife 
the  fame.  By  the  prudent  management  of  Mr.  'William  Chefter  the  difcon- 
tented  citizens  were  foon  appeafed,  by  his  procuring  a  general  pardon  for 
them ;  after  which  the  foldiers  within  the  city  (commanded  by  Lord 
Gray  of  Wiltonj  marched  to  Honiton  in  the  Well,  where  they  beat  thofe 
rebels. 

In  1545  and  1553  a  mint  was  eftabliflied  in  the  caflle,  and  the  church 
plate  feized  at  the  .diffolution  was  coined  there,  and  a  printing  prefs 
fet  up. 

In  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  Sir  John  Stafford,  Knight,  was  by  her 
Majefty  (as  a  reward  of  his  valour)  granted  the  conftablcfliip  of  Briftol  caftle, 
in  which  office  he  continued  a  long  time ;  he  was  alfo  one  of  the  band  of 
gentlemen  pcnfioners  during  the  fpace  of  47  years  to  the  Queen  and  King 
James  the  ift.  he  died  on  the  28th  of  September  Anno  Dom.  1605,  and  was 
buried  with  his  anceftors  on  the  North  fide  of  the  commmunion  table  in  the 
church  of  the  Virgin  Mary  in  the  town  of  Thornbury  in  the  county  of 
Glocerier,  where  his  monument  gives  the  above  account,  which  has  this 
infcription  on  it :  "  Heerc  lieth  the  body  of  Sirjohn  Stafford,  Knight,  a  gentle- 
man penfioner,  during  the  fpace  of  47  years  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  King 
James,  heehad  as  a  reward  of  his  valour  and  fidelity,  conferred  upon  him  by 
her  Matie  the  connablefliip  of  Briftol  caftle,  where  hee  continued  a  long 
time.  Hee  lived  (as  himfelfe  on  his  death  bed  confeffed)  in  the  frail  and 
flippery  courfe  of  a  foldier,  and  a  courtier,  from  the  time  of  his  manhood 
neere  unto  the  time  of  his  death  ;  notvithftanding  fenfible  of  his  end  and  that 
accompt  hee  was  to  give  at  the  laft  day,  hee  did  fully  and  freely  forgive  all 
men  fealing  the  fame  by  calling  for  and  receiving  the  bleffed  facrament  as  a 
pledge  of  his  forgiving  other  men  and  of  the  forgivenefs  of  his  own  fins;  for 
whatfoever  the  frailty  of  his  life  or  bitternefs  of  the  difeafe  whereof  he  died 
might  be,  his  hope  of  a  better  life  through  the  mercies  and  fuffcrings  of  his 
Redeemer,  made  him  a  conquerour  over  and  beyond  thofe  humane  frailties. 
Hee  dying  in  the  found  faith  of  a  penitent  finner,  a  loyal  fcrvant  to  his  Prince, 
a  lover  of  his  country,  wherein  he  did  beare  the  chicfeft  offices  of  truft  and 
credit,  and  a  founder  of  an  almflioufc  in  the  parifh  where  he  lived,  endowing 

the 


[       223       ] 

the  fame  with  lo  pounds  per  annum  to  be  paid  for  ever,  obiit  28°  die  Septemb 
A°  Dni.  1624. 

In  cujus  memoriam  et  veritatis  hujus  teftimonium  nepos  ejus  Sciens  videns 
que  hoc  monumentum  pofiiit  hac  fretus  fpe  votoque  inquiens ; 
Non  aliter  cineres  mando  Jaccre  meos." 

Arms  or  rather  the  creft,  though  it  is  in  a  fliield,  gules  a  wolf's  head  or. 
and  the  Stafford  knot  or. 

In  the  year  1602,  6th  of  March  a  petition  was  prefentedto  the  privy  council 
from  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  the  city  ofEriftol,  complaining  that  Sir 
John  Stafford,  Knight,  keeper  of  his  Majefty's  caftie  ofBrilloI,  being  feldom 
or  never  refident  there,  but  leaving  a  mean  and  unworthy  deputy  in  his  Head 
hath  of  late  time  fuffered  many  poor  and  indigent  people,  to  the  number  of  49 
families  confiding  of  about  240  perfons,  to  inhabit  within  the  faid  caftie,  who 
for  the  moft  part  are  perfons  of  lewd  life  and  converfation  and  in  no  way  able  • 
to  relieve  themfelves  but  by  begging  and  ftealing  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the 
citizens,  the  rather  for  that  the  faid  caftie  being  exempted  from  the  liberties 
of  the  city  though  it  ftandeth  within  the  body  of  the  fame,  doth  ferve  for  a 
refuge  and  receptacle  of  malefaclors  as  well  of  the  city  as  others  that  fly 
thither  to  efcape  juftice  :  it  was  thought  and  ordered  to  the  petitioners  humble 
requeft,  that  for  avoiding  the  prefent  inconvenience  and  preventing  the  like 
for  the  future,  the  Lord  High  Treafurer  of  England  and  Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer  calling  the  faid  John  Staflord  before  them,  fliould  take  order  for 
removing  the  perfons  then  refiding  in  the  faid  caftie  unto  fuch  places  where 
they  laft  dwelt,  and  alfo  that  there  be  not  hereafter  any  more  admitted  to 
inhabit  there,  but  only  fuch  as  Sir  John  Stafford  will  undertake  for  their 
fufficiency  and  good  behaviour,  to  the  end  the  city  be  not  further  charged  or 
molefted  by  them,  or  his  Majefty's  caftie  peftered  with  any  fuch  bafe  cottagers 
or  fcandalous  inmates. 

By  a  charter  bearing  date  the  13th  of  April  the  5th  of  King  Charles  the  ift. 
1630,  the  faid  King  grants  to  the  mayor,  burgcfTes  and  commonalty  of  the 
city  of  Briftol,  all  that  his  caftie  of  Briftol,  (as  the  ancient  demefne  and  parcel 
of  the  pofTefTions  of. the  crown  of  England,)  with  its  walls,  ditches,  banks, 
houfcs,  buildings,  courts,  orchards,  gardens,  waters,  water-courfes,  lands,  &c. 
within  the  circuit  or  precinfts  thereof.  And  in  confidcration  that  the 
fituation  thereof  was  30  miles  from  the  city  of  Glocefter,  but  contiguous  to  the 
city  of  Briftol ;  and  by  reafon  that  no  juftice  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of 
Glocefter  lived  near  the  faid  caftie  to  inhabit,  and  that  the  officers  of  the  city 
of  Briftol  having  no  authority  within  the  fame,  as  not  being  a  part  of  the  faid 

city. 


[       224       ] 

city,  whereinto  many  thieves,  malefaftors,  and  other  diforderly  livers  within 
the  precinfts  of  tlie  faid  caftle  have  fled,  and  from  thence  have  efcapcd  from 
the  hands  of  jufticc;  all  which  being  confidered,  the  King  did  ordain  and 
grant  that  from  henceforth  the  fame  fliould  be  feparated  from  the  county  of 
Gloccfler,  and  made  a  part  of  the  city  and  county  of  Briftol  and  in  all  refpeQs 
to  be  fubjeft  to  the  fame  powers  as  that  of  the  faid  city ;  and  that  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  caftle  be  made  free-men  of  BriQol,  and  that  from  henceforth 
no  officer  of  the  county  of  Glocefler  fliould  have  any  power  or  authority 
therein;  the  King  referving  his  right  to  all  his  tenants  dwelling  within  the  faid 
caftle  as  his  demefne  or  parcel  of  the  pofleflions  of  his  crown. 

By  one  other  charter  bearing  date  at  Weftminftcr  the  26th  of  OBober  in 
the  6th  year  of  the  faid  King,  1631,*  he  in  confideration  of  the  fum  of  959!. 
by  the  mayor  or  burgefles  and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  Briftol  paid  into  the 
Exchequer  at  Weftminfter,  which  was  acknowledged  in  full  difcharge  for 
ever  of  all  that  grant  made  by  the  faid  King  to  the  faid  mayor,  Sec.  of  all  his 
caftle  of  Briftol  with  all  its  rights,  members,  and  appurtenances  whatfoever, 
in  reverfion  of  three  lives  of  John,  Gillian,  and  Nathaniel  Brewftcr,  granted 
to  Francis  Brewftcr  the  23d  of  Auguft  in  the  2d  year  of  the  reign  of  King 
Charles  the  ift.  1626,  or  for  80  years  if  the  faid  three  lives  fliould  fo  long 
live,  under  the  yearly  rent  of  lool. 

In  September  1634  the  city  purchafed  of  John  Brewfter  his  eftate  and  one 
life  more  to  come  of  the  caftle,  with  the  lands,  tenements  and  appurtenances 
for  520I.  which  was  prefently  paid  him,  all  which  was  granted  to  the  city  in  fee 
farm  at  40 1.  per  ann.  rent  for  the  fame  by  the  King  in  recompence  of  charges 
for  billeting  foldiers,  tranfporting  them  to  Ireland,  and  fitting  out  fliips  againft 
the  pirates.  It  was  by  application  to  tlie  Queen  and  her  interceflion  with 
the  King  this  grant  was  obtained.  The  city  had  fpent  iiool.  in  billeting  the 
foldiers. 

The  premifes  particularly  fpccificd  in  reverfion  in  the  above  charier  are, 
viz.  the  caftle  of  Briftol,  the  manfion-houfe  within  the  fame,  and  all  that  clofc 
lying  without  the  ditch  of  the  caftle  called  by  the  name  of  the  King's  Orchard, 
containing  two  acres,  and  all  that  parcel  of  land  called  the  Inner  Green  ;  and 
thofc  tenements  (which  then  amounted  to  53)  within  the  precintls,  file, 
compafs,  or  circuit  of  the  faid  caftle,  with  all  that  wood-yard  there  with  its 
appurtenances,  and  all  and  Angular  the  houfes,  buildings,  ftru61ures,  barns, 
flables,  dovc-houfes,    orchards,    gardens,    lands,    tenements,    cottages,  halls, 

chambers, 

*  After  iIls  grant  in  the  fame  year  1631,  a  new  armoury  was  built  in  the  caftle  cf 
Briaol. 


[      225      ] 

chambers,  fliops,  cellars,  follars,  entries,  outgoings,  ways,  paths,  void  places, 
eafments,  fruits,  waters,  watcr-courfes,  wharfs,  profits,  commodities,  advan- 
tages, emoluments  and  hereditaments  whatfoever  thereto  belonging,  excepting 
out  of  this  grant  all  advowfons  of  churches,  hofpitals  and  chapels,  and  other 
ecclefiaftical  benefits,  and  all  knights  fees  belonging  to  the  faid  preraifes,  with 
all  mines  of  lead,  tin,  or  other  mines-royal  whatfoever,  thereto  belonging  :  all 
which  are  granted  to  the  faid  mayor  &c.  and  their  fucccflbrs  forever  to  be  held 
from  him  the  King,  and  his  heirs  and  fucceflbrs,  as  of  his  manor  of  Eaft 
Greenwich  in  the  county  of  Kent,  by  fealty  only,  in  fee  and  common  foe- 
cage  and  not  in  capite,  nor  by  knights  fervice ;  yielding  yearly  to  the  faid 
King  and  his  heirs  and  fucceflTors  a  fee-farm  rent  of  40I.  of  lawfuU  money 
to  be  paid  into  the  exchequer  at  Weflminfler  &c. 

All  within  the  caftle  precinQs  granted  by  King  Charles  the  ifl:,  was  con- 
firmed to  the  faid  mayor  &c.  in  the  16th  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Charles 
the  2d.  dated  22d  of  April  1664,  being  after  the  happy  reftoration.* 

At  the  beginning  of  the  unnatural  rebellion  againft  King  Charles  the  ift. 
the  magiftrates  of  the  city  of  Briflol  thought  it  necelTary  to  repair  the  for- 
tifications of  their  caftle  and  the  walls  of  the  city,  which  was  done  accor- 
dingly by  the  23d  of  Oftober  1642,  and  alfo  to  build  at  the  citizens  expence 
a  fort  on  Brandon-hill,  with  a  communication  to  another  fortification  on  St. 
Michael's-hill,  which  was  aftenvards  turned  into  a  royal  pentagonal  fort 
(commonly  called  the  royal  fort ;)  fee  the  plate  :  from  this  was  a  communi- 
cation to  another  fortification  called  Colfton's  mount,  (from  his  having  the 
command  thereof  and  being  alfo  deputy  governor  of  the  city  and  callle.) 

Lord  Paulet  fent  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  with  Mr.  Smyth  of  Afliton  to 
get  leave  to  bring  in  certain  troops  of  horfe  into  Briftol,  but  the  mayor 
Richard  Aldworth  refufed,  having  received  exprefs  orders  from  the  King 
it  was  faid  to  receive  no  forces  on  his  fide  or  the  parliaments,  but  to  keep  and 
defend  the  city  for  his  Majefty's  ufe.  Sir  Alexander  Popham  fent  500  horfe 
to  Bcdminfter  intending  to  lodge  them  in  Briftol  to  make  up  1000  on  the 
parliament's  behalf,  but  the  corporation  then  refufed  him,  and  fct  the  train 
bands  to  watch  and  ward  as  well  without  the  gates  as  within  to  keep  out  all 
ftrange  forces  by  night  and  by  day,  100  at  leaft  armed  with  pikes  and 
mufquets  and  ball.  The  gates  and  portcullifcs  were  repaired  and  made 
ftrong  with  great  chains  hanged  up  within  them,  and  great  ftrong  rails  full  of 

E  E  long 

*  The  office  of  keeper  of  King's  wood  forcfl,  and  of  the  foreft  of  Filwood,  was  granted  by 
ihc  faid  King  to  Colonel  Humphry  Cook,  in  i66o. — Sec  Sir  Robert  Alkyns  IIiftor)'of  Gloceftcr- 
ihirc,  p.  493-, 


[      226      ] 

lontT  iron  fpikes  without  every  gate,  fo  that  no  horfcs  could  pafs  by  or  over 
them.  The  caftle  \s-as  likewife  repaired  within  with  many  forts  on  the  walls 
to  plant  ordnance  on  them  for  defence,  the  great  tower  was  likewife  well 
repaired  with  the  battlements  where  they  were  decayed  at  the  top:  the  old 
walls  of  the  tower  by  the  approbation  of  workmen  were  found  very  ftrong, 
which  caufed  them  to  mount  great  ordnance  on  the  top  of  the  tower  to 
fcower  the  hills  far  about.  Some  elms  in  the  marfh  were  cut  down  to  make 
carriages  for  great  ordnance  and  within  were  two  pieces  of  great  ordnance 
planted,  with  gunners  to  attend  them  at  need. 

After  this  came  Colonel  ElTex  towards  the  city  with  an  army,  horfe  and 
foot  on  behalf  of  the  parliament,  which  the  city  intended  to  keep  out,  and 
for  two  days  the  gates  were  double  warded  for  refiflance.  The  magiftrates 
befides  their  old  ftore  of  munition  of  which  they  were  well  provided,  pro- 
cured 300  new  mufquets  made  to  furnifli  the  train  bands  and  others  that 
wanted.  The  third  day  which  was  the  5th  December  1642,  notice  came  of  the 
approach  of  Colonel  Effex's  army  from  Berkley  and  Thornbury,  the  citizens 
prefently  arrayed  themfelves  for  defence,  the  mayor  and  all  the  council  were 
at  the  Tolfey,  fludyinghow  bed  to  preferve  the  city  for  his  Majcfty's  fervicc, 
but  in  the  midft  of  their  good  endeavours  came  the  mayor's  wife  and  many 
women  more  with  her  with  petitions  to  receive  in  the  parliament's  army,  and 
fo  diflurbed  the  council  with  their  importunities,  that  the  women  prevailed 
and  procured  the  gates  to  be  opened  to  the  great  grief  of  the  commons  pre- 
pared to  fight  in  defence  of  their  liberty.  This  wicked  council  our  mayor 
and  aldermen  payed  foundly  for  afterwards.  The  30th  of  December  Sir 
Alexander  Popham  went  to  Exeterwith  one  thoufand  men.  Lord  Paulet  being 
denied  entrance  into  Briftol,  marched  to  Wells  and  weftward,  and  having 
fullained  fome  lofs  there  and  at  Sherborne  embarked  at  Minehead  for  Cardiff 
AN'here  his  fon-in-law  T.  Smyth,  Efq;  of  Afliton  died,  and  his  corpfe  was 
brought  over  to  be  buried  where  he  was  born. 

The  turbulent  and  the  difaffeQed  to  the  King,  began  now  to  be  very 
clamorous,  and  fome  of  the  magiftrates  it  is  faid,  (under  hand)  had  no  great 
objeftion  to  the  parliament  caufe.  Thofe  that  were  immediately  concerned 
were  the  right  worfhipful  Richard  Aldworth  then  mayor,  and  Jofeph  Jackfon, 
and  Hugh  Brown  Efqrs.  the  flieriffs ;  when  in  the  bcgiiming  of  December  the 
two  regiments  of  foot  were  admitted.  Colonel  EfTex  their  commander  imme- 
diately took  upon  him  the  government  of  the  caflle  of  Briftol.  Thofe  citi- 
zens that  were  loyalifts  and  would  not  declare  for  the  rebels,  began  to  feel 
the  weight  of  their  oppreffions;    in  fo  much  that  at  length  it  became  very 

dangerous 


C   227    ] 

dangerous  for  tlicm  to  walk  the  flreets,  or  if  found  without  the  city  they  were 
fent  prifoners  cither  to  Taunton  or  Berkley  caftles.  With  fuch  defpotick 
power  did  the  rebels  behave  ;  that  Colonel  Eflex,  offended  at  one  of  his 
foldicrs  for  modeftly  afking  for  his  pay,  inftantly  fhot  him  through  the  head. 

From  this  time  the  caftle  was  governed  by  various  matters.  On  the  i6th 
of  February  1642-3,  five  troops  of  horfe  and  five  companies  of  foot  entered 
the  city,  commanded  by  Col.  Nath.  Fiennes,  Col.  Popham,  and  Clement 
Walker,  &c.  And  the  27th  they  were  followed  by  Sir  Edward  Hungerford's 
forces,  and  the  caftle  was  now  made  a  garrifon  for  the  parliament,  and  for- 
tifications added  to  it.  Soon  after  thefe  gentlemen  came  to  the  city.  Col. 
Effex  was  made  a  prifoner;  and  Fiennes  was  appointed  governor  of  the  city 
and  caftle.  In  confequence  of  this,  an  opprefTive  tax  was  laid  upon  the 
citizens,  to  pay  the  rebel  forces  &c.  which  amounted  to  the  fum  of  55I.  15s. 
per  week,*  afteffed  on  their  lands,  goods,  money  at  intercft,  and  ftock  in 
trade  ;  this  levy  laid  on  every  man's  property,  was  to  laft  for  three  months, 
or  till  the  King's  troops  were  difljanded,  which  was  confirmed  by  the  rebel 
parliament ;  and  the  firft  payment  was  to  begin  on  the  ift  of  March  following; 
this  ordinance  extended  over  the  kingdom  where  the  rebel  army  had  any 
power.t  The  ftanding  committee  appointed  for  this  occafion  were  Robert 
Aldworth  then  mayor,  Jofeph  Jackfon,  and  Hugh  Brown  the  flieriffs,  Rich- 
ard Holworthy,  alderman,  Luke  Hodges,  and  Henry  Gibbs.  The  power 
thefe  had  in  conjunction  with  the  officers  of  the  army,  viz.  Cols.  Fiennes, 
Popham,  Walker,  &c.  was  great,  and  produced  many  ads  of  oppreffion. 
In  March,  1643,  an  affociation  of  fome  of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  this 
city,  was  entered  into,  for  letting  into  the  city  Prince  Rupert  with  fome  of 
his  Majefty's  forces  then  at  Durdham  Down  ready  to  their  aid:  but  before  it 
could  be  put  in  execution  the  defign  was  difcovered  by  fome  tatding  females 
atlive  on  the  parliament's  fide  the  night  before  ;  which  was  on  the  7th  inftant, 
and  two  of  the  principals  who  had  his  Majefty's  commiffion  for  fo  doing, 
were  taken  into  cuftody,  viz.  Robert  Yeomans,  Efq;  one  of  the  laft  year's 
ftieriffs,  and  Mr.  George  Boucher,  a  wealthy  merchant ;  who  experienced 
the  greateft  cruelties  at  the  hands  of  the  rebels  ;  chained  by  their  necks  and 
feet  in  a  difmal  dungeon  within  the  caftle  for  twelve  weeks,  during  wliich 
time  they  were  deprived  of  the  liberty  of  feeing  or  fpeaking  with  their  near- 
eft  relations,  or  any  other  acquaintance;  confined  in  the  dark  without  the 

E  E  2  benefit 

•  See  Rurnworth's  Colls,  from  p.  932  to  938. 

+  In  Fiennes  Letters  to  Mr.  John  Gunning  junr.  of  Brillol,  his  demand  was  200I.  of  him  by  the 
bearer,  v  hii.h  v.as  his  man  Ralph  Hooker,  on  pain  of  militaiy  difciplinc. 


[       128      ] 

benefit  of  fire  or  candle,  with  /lender  diet  and  pining  grief  extremely  ema- 
ciated, at  length  they  were  brought  to  their  trials  before  a  court-martial  at 
the  houfe  of  Mr.  Robert  Rogers  at  the  bridge  end  :  where  they  received 
fcntencc  to  be  hanged.  *  In  purfuance  of  which  they  were  brought  from  the 
caftle  on  the  30th  of  May,  1643,  to  the  place  of  execution,  which  was  in 
Wine-flreet,  near  the  Guard-houfe;  many  perfons  were  ftruck  down  for 
prayintr  for  them  ;  nay  they  were  denied  the  Rev.  Mr.  Towgood  and  Mr. 
Standfall,  two  of  the  Church  of  England  divines,  to  affift  them  with  their 
prayers  ;  inftead  of  whom  were  fubftituted  three  of  the  mod  violent  and  noto- 
rious fchifmatics  they  could  choofe  out  of  Bridol,  viz.  Cradock,  Rofewell, 
and  Fowler,  who  inRead  of  comforting  them  in  their  laft  moments  reviled 
them,  charging  them  with  hypocrify  and  apoflacy,  to  the  moment  they  were 
turned  off  the  ladder,  t  About  this  time  Walter  Stephens,  a  leader  amongfl 
the  rebels,  demoliflied  the  Virgin  Mary's  chapel  on  Briflol  bridge  :  and  on 
the  17th  of  }uly  1643,  Governor  Fiennes  gave  orders  to  demolifli  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Philip's  churches;  but  this  happily  was  prevented  on  the  22d  inft.  by 
Prince  Rupert's  appearing  with  20,000  men  to  attack  the  city,  which  he  did 
on  the  24th  in  fix  different  parts  ;  which  obliged  Fiennes  to  draw  forth  his 
forces  out  of  the  caflle,  confiRing  of  2500  foot  and  a  regiment  of  horfe  and 
dragoons:  he  divided  them  into  fix  bodies  to  defend  the  walls  of  the  city.  — 
However  on  the  26th  Colonel  Wafliington  found  means  to  force  a  pafTagc 
through  the  hollow  way  betwixt  Brandon-hill  and  Windmill  forts  (fecure  from 
the  fliot)  to  Froom-gate,  but  with  the  lofs  of  about  500  of  the  King's  forces, 
that  were  killed  by  the  rebels  out  of  the  windows  of  their  houfes.  At  length 
Fiennes  ordered  a  parley  to  be  beat,  +  when  it  was  agreed  on  the  27th  inflant 
that  the  garrifon  with  divers  citizens  fiiould  march  out  of  the  city;  on  which 
Prince  Rupert  became  governor  of  the  city  and  caRle. 

The  following  is  a  true  relation  of  the  taking  of  Briflol,  in  a  letter  from  an 
eye  witnefs  to  the  governor  of  Oxford,July  30, 1643.  (Britifli  Mufeum,  pamph. 
fol.  flieets.  No.  3.} 

"  At 

*  In  May,  1643,  Fiennes  had  of  the  King's  friends  then  prifoncrs  in  the  caflle,  Sir 
Walter  Pyc,  Sir  William  Crofts,  knights,  and  Colonel  Connefby,  &c." 

+  See  Mercurius  Ruflitus,  or  the  Countries  Complaint,  printed  1648.  Sec  alfo  a  Utile  pam- 
phlet publiQied  on  the  occafion,  where  a  very  explicit  account  is  given  of  the  mod  barbarous 
ufage,  unjuftly  inflifled  on  thcfc  fullering  gentlemen,  extended  even  to  their  young  families  after 
their  death.  In  a  pardon  granted  by  Charles  ill.  to  the  mayor,  burgclTes,  and  commonalty  of 
Briflol,  dated  4th  Feb.  igth  of  his  reign,  1643:  Nathaniel  Fiennes,  Richard  Cole,  Waller 
White,  Thomas  and  Richard  Hippidcy,  Robert  Baugh,  and  Herbert,  late  provoft  marflial  at 
Brlflo),  were  excepted,  being  aftois  or  advifcrs  and  afTiftants  in  the  above  detcftable  murder. 

X  Vide  State  Trials,  vol.  i. 


[       229      ] 

"  At  the  affault  of  Briflol  the  outworks  were  very  ftrong,  and  cod  near 
500  common  men's  lives  on  the  King's  fide.  Colonel  Herbert  Lunsford  was 
ilain,  and  the  Lord  Vircount  Grandifon  (hot  and  Maftcr  Bellafis  woimded  in 
the  head  by  his  own  fword,  which  was  flruc'ii  to  his  head  by  a  mufkct  when 
they  rufhed  in  upon  the  works :  neither  of  them  in  any  great  danger.  It  was 
the  hotteft  fervicc  that  ever  was  in  this  kingdom  fince  the  war  began.  In  his 
Majefty's  army  there  are  at  lead  14000  armed  men.  The  city  was  furrendered 
on  Wednefday  upon  this  condition  ; — That  the  commanders  were  permitted  to 
ride  out  with  their  fwords,  and  the  common  men  to  march  out  with  their  (licks 
in  their  hands,  fo  many  as  were  plcafed  to  go;  but  at  leaft  loooof  the  garrifon 
foldiers  very  willingly  remain  in  the  caftle  to  fcrve  his  Majefty.  Colonel 
Fiennes  marched  out  without  moleftation  or  hurt,  who  attempted  before  to 
efcape;  but  was  flopped  by  the  feamen,  who  are  his  Majefty's  friends.  The 
Royalifts  found  in  the  city  1700  barrels  of  gunpowder,  with  match  and  bullets 
proportionable,  60  brafs  pieces  of  good  ordnance,  and  all  the  arms,  18  good 
fliips  in  the  river  belonging  to  merchants,  and  4  fliips  belonging  to  the 
Earl  of  Warwick,  that  came  lately  to  relieve  it,  which  have  good  flore  ofam- 
munition  in  them.  The  city  gives  1400I.  by  wayof  compofition,  to  fave  them 
from  being  plundered ;  upon  which  his  Majefty  hath  fent  a  proclamation 
flrictly  to  prevent  it,  that  it  fliall  be  death  for  any  foldier  to  plunder.  Sir 
Arthur  Afliton  came  poll  to  Oxford  on  Friday  to  inform  his  Majefty  of  the 
ftate  of  things  there.  Upon  which  the  council  of  war  and  council  of  flate 
agreed  to  fend  away  Sir  John  Pennington  fpeedily  to  Briftol,  to  have  the  com- 
mand of  the  fliips,  and  a  proclamation  to  all  mariners  that  are  willing  to  ferve 
the  King  to  this  effeQ,  that  they  fliall  have  their  pardon  who  have  ferved 
under  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  alfo  their  pay  that  is  due  from  him  prefently 
paid  at  Briflol,  and  his  Majcfty's  pay  and  his  favour  for  the  future. 
Informations  of  the  3ifl  July  were, 

Briftol  taking, 

Exeter  fliaking, 

Gloucefler  quaking. 
The  report  is  that  Briflol  is  to  pay  but  50,000!.  in  money  for  compofition,  but 
that  they  are  alfo  to  cloath  1500  of  the  K-ing's  foldiers  according  to  their 
quality  :  common  men  3I.  a  fuit,  and  gentlemen  and  commanders  61.  which 
amounts  to  140,0001.  There  was  found  in  the  caflle  of  Briflol  ioo,oool.  as 
is  reported." 

The  day  before  the  city  was  taken  all  the  family  plate  of  John  Harrington, 
Efq;  of  Kclfon,  was  for  fecuriry  removed  into  Briflol  caflle,  among  which  was 

a  large 


C    230   ] 

a  large  golden  font,  in  which  Sir  John  Harrington  (afterwards  a  very  ingenious 
poet)  was  chriflened  ;  a  prefent  from  Queen  Elizabeth,  his  godmother.  His 
houfe  had  been  plundered  feveral  times  :  he  is  faid  to  have  been  the  only  one 
of  that  family  ever  tinclured  with  difloyal  principles.  Prince  Rupert  with  part 
of  the  forces,  confiding  of  900  horfe,  2500  foot,  and  1500  auxiliaries,  hav- 
ing now  polfefTion  of  the  city,  his  Majefty  Charles  ift.  with  Prince  Charles 
and  the  Duke  of  York,  came  hither  on  the  3d  of  Auguft,  where  the  King 
during  his  flay  lodged  at  Mr.  Colfton's  houfe  in  Small-flreet;  and  he  ex- 
tended his  mofl:  gracious  pardon  to  many  of  his  inveterate  enemies,  for  which 
they  afterwards  made  a  moft  ungrateful  return,  joining  afterwards  the  rebels, 
who  under  Fairfax  and  Cromwell,  having  gained  fome  advantages  in  the  Weft, 
determined  to  lay  fiege  to  and  retake  Briftol,  of  which  the  following  is  the 
particular  relation  given  by  themfelves. 

"After  reducing  Sherborn,  Briftol  being  confidered  as  the  only  confiderablc 
port  the  King  had  in  the  whole  kingdom  for  fliipping,  trade,  and  riches,  and 
alfo  a  magazine  for  all  forts  of  ammunition  and  provifions,  it  was  refolved  to 
march  thither  for  reducing  that  city.  Two  thoufand  horfe  were  fent 
before,  under  Commiffary-General  Ireton,  to  perferve  the  towns  adjacent  to 
Briftol  from  plunder  andiiring,  for  the  better  accommodation  of  our  quarters; 
and  advice  was  fent  to  Vice-Admiral  Capt.  Moulton,  riding  about  Milford- 
haven,  to  fend  fliips  into  Kingroad  to  block  up  Briftol  by  fca,  as  this  army 
intended  to  do  by  land.  Thurfday,  Auguft  21.  General  Fairfax  and  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Cromwell  went  and  viewed  the  town,  which  was  now  ap- 
proached ;  appointed  guards  and  quarters  on  the  weft  fide  of  the  river,  and 
quartered  themfelves  at  Kainftiam  that  night,  where  divers  lords  fent  for  paffes 
to  come  out  of  the  city  to  go  beyond  fca,  but  were  all  denied.  Friday  22- 
A  general  rendezvous  of  horfe  ;  all  this  day  fpent  in  fctting  guards  on  Somer- 
fet  fide,  where  the  country  men  maintained  a  paflage,  the  head  quarters  being 
this  day  removed  to  Hanham.  Saturday  23.  Fairfax  and  Cromwell  employed 
the  whole  day  in  fettling  the  quarters  and  guards  on  the  other  fide  Briftol. 
The  cannon  played  this  day  from  the  great  fort  and  Prior's-hill  fort,  but  hurt 
none  but  one  dragoon,  who  had  his  thigh  ftiot  off.  The  Royalifts  alfo  fallied 
out  with  a  party  of  horfe,  but  were  drove  back,  when  Sir  Richard  Crane  was 
mortally  wounded.  The  head  quarters  removed  to  Stapleton.  Auguft  24. 
the  Lord's  day.  A  fally  out  of  the  fally  port  near  Prior's-hill  fort,  repulfed 
by  Colonel  Rainfljorough's  brigade  and  horfe.  Tuefday  26.  A  third  fally  on 
Somerfet  fide  on  a  poft  of  Colonel  Welden's,  at  Bedminfter,  10  killed  and  as 
many  wounded.     Sir  Bernard  Aftiley,  a    ro\  alift,  taken  and  died  a  few  days 

after 


[      231       ] 

after  of  his  wounds.  Thurfday  28.  The  fort  of  Portiflicad  point,  after  four 
days  fiege,  taken  with  6  pieces  of  ordnance,  by  which  means  a  communication 
was  laid  open  with  the  fhips  in  Kingroad.  Friday  29.  A  fafl  obfcrved  by 
the  army  to  feck  God  for  a  bleffing  upon  the  defigns  againfl  Briftol :  Mr.  Del 
and  Mr.  Peters  kept  the  day  at  the  head  quarters,  but  were  difturbed  by  a 
fally  about  noon  upon  the  quarters  at  Lawford's-gate  ;  3  or  4  foldiers  taken. 
Sunday,  Augufl  31.  Captain  Moulton  from  Kingroad  held  a  meeting  with  the 
General,  and  offered  to  aflifl;  ftorming  the  city  with  his  feamen.  Monday, 
September  1.  Prince  Rupert  with  1000  horfc  and  600  foot  fallicd  out  about 
twelve  at  noon  the  fixth  time  in  full  career  upon  our  horfe  guards  with  much 
fiercenefs,  and  were  made  to  retreat  very  haflily  ;  Captain  Guilliams  killed  and 
Colonel  Okey  taken  by  Prince  Rupert.  Orders  given  to  view  the  line  and 
works,  and  the  foldiers  to  make  faggots  and  all  fitting  preparations  for  a  ftorm. 
September  2.  After  a  cotincil  of  war  held,  it  was  determined  to  ftorm  Briftol ; 
and  the  manner  was  referred  to  a  committee  of  the  colonels  to  prefent  in  writ- 
ins  to  the  General  the  next  morniuir,  to  be  debated  in  a  general  council  of 
war,  which  was  agreed  to  be  in  the  following  manner :  Colonel  Welden  with 
his  brigade  of  four  regiments  were  to  ftorm  in  three  places  on  Somerfet  fide, 
200  men  in  the  middle,  200  on  each  fide  as  forlorn  hopes  to  begin  the  ftorm  ; 
20  ladders  to  each  place,  two  men  to  carry  each  a  ladder  at  5s.  apiece,  two 
ferjeants  to  attend  each  ladder  at  20s.  each  j  each  of  the  mufquetry  that  fol- 
lowed the  ladder  to  carry  a  faggot,  a  ferjeant  to  command  them,  and  to  have 
the  fame  reward  j  12  files  of  men  with  fire  arms  and  pikes  to  follow  the  ladders 
to  each  place  where  the  ftorm  was  to  be,  thofe  to  be  commanded  each  by  a 
captain  and  lieutenant,  the  latter  to  go  before  with  5  files,  the  captain  to  fe- 
cond  him  with  the  other  7  ;  the  200  men  appointed  to  fecond  the  ftorm  to 
"furnifli  each  party  of  them  20  pioneers  who  were  to  march  in  their  rear,  the 
200  men  commanded  each  by  a  field  officer,  and  the  pioneers  each  by  a 
ferjeant;  (thofe  pioneers  were  to  throw  down  the  line  to  make  way  for  the 
horfe,}  the  party  that  was  to  make  good  the  line  to  poffefs  the  guns  and  turn 
them ;  a  gentleman  of  the  ordnance,  gunners  and  mattrofles  to  enter  with  the 
parties,  the  drawbridge  to  be  let  down,  two  regiments  and  a  half  to  ftorm  in 
after  the  foot,  if  way  was  made  :  much  after  this  manner  was  the  general 
brigade  under  Colonel  Montague's  command,  confifting  of  the  General's,  Col. 
Montague's,  Col.  Pickering's,  and  Sir  Hardreffc  Waller's  regiments  to  ftorm 
on  both  fides  Lawford's-Gate,  both  to  the  river  Avon  and  the  lefler  river 
Froom,  the  bridge  over  Froom  to  be  made  good  againft  horfe  with  pikes  or  to 
break  it  down.     Colonel  Rainfborough's  brigade,  confiUing  of  his  own.  Major 

General 


[       232       ] 

General  Skippon's,  Col.  Hammond's,  Col.  Birdie's,  and  Lieut.  Col.  Pridc'3 
regiments  to  ftorm  on  this  fide  the  Froom,  beginning  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
faih  port  up  to  Prior's-hill  fort,  and  to  ftorm  the  fort  itfelf  as  the  main  buli- 
nefs :  200  of  this  brigade  to  go  up  in  boats  with  the  feamen  to  ftorm  Waterfort 
(if  it  could  be  attempted :)  one  regiment  of  horfe  and  a  regiment  of  foot  to 
be  moving  up  and  down  in  the  clofes  before  the  royal  fort  and  to  ply  hard 
upon  it  to  alarm  it,  with  a  field  officer  to  command  them :  the  regiment  of 
dragoons  with  two  regiments  of  horfe  to  tarry  ladders  with  them  and  to  attempt 
the  line  of  works  by  Clifton  and  Wafliington's  breach. 

Such  was  the  manner  of  the  ftorm  agreed  on,  though  alterable  according  to 
circumftances;  the  cannon  balkets  were  ordered  to  be  filled,  feamen  and 
boats  fent  for,  and  September  4th  being  Thurfday,  the  weather  which  had 
been  fo  extream  wet  before,  began  to  alter,  and  the  great  guns  began  to  play 
from  the  new  battery  againft  Prior's-fort ;  fummons  were  alfo  fent  to  Prince 
Rupert. 

To     Prince     RUPERT. 

S     I     R, 

"FOR  the  fervice  of  the  Parliament  I  have  brought  their  own  army  before 
the  city  of  Briftol  and  do  fiimmon  you  in  their  names  to  render  it,  with  all  the 
forts  belonging  to  the  fame,  into  my  hands  for  their  ufc.  —  Having  ufed  this 
plain  language,  as  the  bufinefs  requires,  I  wiOi  it  may  be  as  cfFeftual  with 
you  as  it  is  fatisfaftory  to  myfelf,  that  I  do  a  little  expoftulate  with  you  about 
the  furrender  of  the  fame  ;  which  I  confefs  is  a  way  not  common  and  which  I 
fhould  not  have  fo  ufed,  but  in  refped  to  a  perfon  of  fuch  fort,  and  in  fuch  a 
place  :  I  take  into  confidcration  your  royal  birth  and  relation  to  the  crown  of 
England,  your  honour,  courage,  all  the  virtues  of  your  perfon,  and  the 
ftrength  of  that  place,  which  you  may  think  yourfelf  bound  and  able  to  main- 
tain. Sir,  the  crown  of  England  is  and  will  be  where  it  ought  to  be,  we  fight 
to  maintain  it  there ;  but  the  King  mifled  by  evil  counfellors,  or  through  a 
feduced  heart  has  left  his  parliament  and  people,  (under  God  the  beft  afilirance 
of  his  crown  and  family  :)  the  maintaining  of  this  fchifm  is  the  ground  of  this 
unhappy  war  on  your  part;  and  what  fad  eft"c£t  it  hath  produced  in  the  three 
kingdoms  is  vifible  to  all  men.  To  maintain  the  rights  of  the  crown  and 
kingdom  jointly ;  the  principal  part  is,  that  the  King  in  fupreme  aCis  con- 
cerning the  whole  ftate,  is  not  to  be  advifed  by  men  of  whom  the  law  takes 
no  notice  but  by  the  parliament,  the  great  council  of  the  nation,  in  whom 
(as  much  as  man  is  capable  of)  he  hears  all  his  people  as  it  were  at  once  ad- 
vifing  him,  and  in  which  multitude  of  counfellors  lies  his  fafety  and  his  people's 

intercft. 


C   233   ] 

intereft.     To  fethim  right  in  this  hath  been  the  conflanc  and  faitliful  endeavour 
of  the  parliament ;  and  to  bring  thofe  wicked  inftruments  to  jiiftice  that  have 
nrifled  him  is  a  principal  ground  of  our  fighting.  Sir,  if  God  makes  this  clear  to 
you,  as  he  hath  to  us,  I   doubt  not  but  he  will  give  you  an  heart  to  deliver 
this  place,  notwithftandingall  the  confiderations  of  honor,  courage  and  fidelity, 
&c.  becaufe  their  confiftency  and  ufe  in  the  prefent  bufinefs  depends  upon 
the  right  or  wrongfulnefs  of  what  has  been  faid.     And  if  upon  fuch  conviction 
you  fliould  furrender  the  city,  and  fiive  the  lofs  of  blood  and  hazard  of  fpoiling 
fuch  a  place,  it  would  be  an  afl  glorious  in  iifclf,  and  joyful   to    us,  for  the 
reftoring  you  to  the  endeared  affeftions  of  the  parliament  and  people  of  England, 
the  trueft  friends  to  your  family  it  hath  in  the  world.     But  if  this  be  hid  from 
your  eyes,  and  fo  groat,  fo  famous,  and  fo  ancient  a  city,  fo  full  of  people  be 
expofed  through  your  wilfulnefs  in  putting  us  to  force  the  fame  to  the  ruin  and 
extremity  of  war,  (which  yet  we  fhall  in  that  cafe  as  much  as  pofTible  endea- 
vour to  prevent,)  then  I  appeal  to  the  righteous   God  to  judge  between  you 
and  us,  and  to  requite  the  wrong ;  and  let  all  England  judge  whether  to  burn 
its  towns,  and  ruin  its  cities,  and  deftroy  its  people,  be  a  good  requital  from  a 
perfon  of  your  family  which  have  had  the  prayers,  tears,  money,  and  blood  of 
this  parliament ;  and,  if  you  look  on  either  as  now  divided,  both  ever  had  the 
fame  party  in  parliament,  and  among  the  people  moft  zealous  for  their  afTiftance 
and  reftitution  ;  which   vou  now  oppofe  and  feek  to  deftroy  ;  and  whofe  con- 
ftant   grief  hath  been   that   their   defire  to  ferve  your  family  hath  been  ever 
hindred,  and  made   fruitlefs    by    that   fame  party    about    his    Majefty  whofe 
councils  you  aft  and  whofe  intereft  you  purfue  in  this  unnatural  war.      I  expeft 
your  fpcedy  anfwer  to  this  fummons  by  the  return  of  the  bearer  this  evening, 
and  am.  Your  Highnefs  humble  fervant, 

Sept.  4,  1645.  T  H  O.     F  A  I  R  F  A  X." 

ANSWER. 
Sir, 
"  I  Received  your's  by  your  trumpet,  and  defire  to  know  if  you   will  give 
me  leave  to  fend  a  meffenger  to  the  King,  to  know  his  pleafure  therein.      I 
am.  Your  fervant, 

R  U  P  E  R  T." 

REPLY. 

S   I    R, 

"  YOUR  overture  offending  to  his  Majefty  to  know  his  plcnfurc,  I  cannot 
■give  way  to,  nor  admit  of  fo  much  delay  as   that  would  require ;  wherciorc 

F  F  thereby 


C   234   ] 

thereby  I  cannot  but  underfland  your  intention  intimated  not  to  furrcnder 
without  his  Majefty's  confent,  yet,  becaufe  it  is  but  implicit,  I  fend  ;i;;ain  to 
know  more  clearly  if  you  have  any  more  pofitive  aiifwer  to  give  from  yourfelf, 
which  I  defirc  to  receive  ;  and  which  I  delire  may  be  fuch  as  may  render 
me  capable  to  approve  myfelf. 

Your  Highnefs  humble  fervant, 
Sept.  5,  1645.  T  H  O.     F  A  I  R  F  A  X." 

Whereupon  his  Highnefs  after  a  council  of  war  was  held  fent  17  propofi- 
tions,  that  during  a  treaty  he  might  ftrengthen  the  works  within,  and  hear  from 
the  King  ;  and  had  he  confented  to  the  demands,  a  confirmation  by  parliament 
would  have  been  required,  which  protraftion  of  time  was  dcfigned  for  the 
advantage  of  the  befieged.  In  anfwer  to  this  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  propofed 
three  commiflioners.  Colonels  Ireton,  Fleetwood  and  Pickering,  to  conclude 
a  treaty,  provided  fuch  treaty  be  ended  by  nine  o'clock  that  night,  dated  7th 
Sept.  1645.  -^^'  ^'^^  Prince  ftill  willing  to  delay  defires  him  to  fet  down  his 
doubts  and  exceptions  to  the  propofitions  in  writing  to  which  he  would  give  a 
fpeedy  anfwer,  dated  the  fame  day,  which  occafioned  another  letter  with  20 
propofitions  from  Fairfax,  alfertiiig  his  tendernefs  of  the  city  and  of  the  effu- 
fion  of  blood,  &c.  dated  Stapleton  8th  Sept.  1645.  ^"  ^'^'^  Prince  Rupert 
finding  omiffions  in  feveral  claufcs,  and  fome  wholly  left  out,  fent  a  letter  the 
fame  day,  infifting  upon  all  the  forts  and  lines,  except  the  caftle,  to  be 
fleighted  and  demoliflied,  when  he  would  fend  commiffioners  to  regulate  and 
fettle  things  between  them  ;  but  Fairfax  in  a  letter  dated  the  9th  Sept.  1645, 
infifled  on  his  propofitions  and  would  admit  of  no  farther  delay,  to  which  his 
Highnefs  would  not  confent. 

The  6th  of  September  every  thing  prepared  for  the  ftorm ;,  the  General  in 
the  field  and  the  foldiers  ready  with  faggots  at  their  backs,  but  the  bufinefs 
deferred  till  Monday  morning  two  o'clock.  The  9th  Sept.  trumpet  returning 
with  unfatisfaBory  anfwer,  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night  the  General  was  in  the 
field  to  give  orders  about  drawing  out  the  men  and  managing  the  ftorm  the 
next  morning.  The  loth  Sept.  at  two  in  the  morning  the  fignal  was  given  to 
fall  on  at  one  inflant  round  the  city  by  fetting  fire  to  fome  ftraw  and  faggots 
at  the  top  of  an  hill,  and  the  firing  four  great  guns  againfl  Prior's-hill  fort, 
from  the  place  the  General  was  torefide  at  all  the  time  of  the  florm,  being  an 
old  fmall  farm-houfcoppofite  the  Prior's-hill  fort,  conveniently  lying  upQn  any 
alarm.  —  The  fignal  being  given,  the  ftorm  immediately  began  round,  the  city 
and  was  terrible  to  the  beholders.     Colonel   Montague  and  Col.  Pickering 

with. 


C   235   ] 

with  their  regiments   at   Lawford's-gate   entered   fpeedily,  and   recovered  22 
great  '^uns,  and  took  many  prifoncrs  in  the   works ;  Major  Defborough  ad- 
vancing with  the  horfe   after  them,  having   the   command    of  the  General's 
regiment,  and  part  of  Col.  Groves's.     Sir  HardrefTe  Waller's,  and  the  Gene- 
ral's regiments,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Jackfon,  entered  betweert 
Lawford's-gate  and  the  river  Froom  ;  Col.  Rainfborough'sand  Col.  Hamond's 
regiments  entered  near   Prior's   fort ;    Major    General    Skippon's  and   Col. 
Birche's  entered  nearer  to  the  river  Froom  ;  and   the   regiment   commanded 
by  Lieutenant  Colonel   Pride   was    divided,  part  alTigned   to  the   fervice  of 
Prior's  fort,  and  the  reft  to  alarm  the  great  fort,  and  afterwards  they  took  a 
little  fort  of  Welchmen,     The  feamen  that  were  at  firft  defigned  to  ftorm  by 
water  (the  tide  failing)  alfifted  in  ftorming  the  line  and  works,  the  horfe  that 
entered  here,   (befides  the  forlorn  hope,)  fo  valiantly  led  on  by  Capt.  Ireton, 
were   in  feveral    parties  commanded    by    Major  Bethel,  Major   Alford,  and 
Adjutant  General  Flemming,   being  of  Colonel  Whalye's,  Col.  Riche's   and 
part  of  Col.  Graves's  regiments.     And  after  the  line  was  broke  down  by  the 
pioneers  and  a  gap  made  in  the   fame,  the  horfe   with  undaunted  courage 
entered,  and  within  the  line  met  with  a  party  of  the  enemy's  horfe,  put  them 
to  a  retreat,  mortally  wounded  Col.  Taylor  (formerly  member  of  the  houfe  of 
commons)  of  which    wounds    he  died,  and   took  divers  prifoners.      This  fo 
difheartened  their  horfe    (perceiving  withal  our  foot  to  be  mafter  of  the  line 
and  their  men  beaten  off)  that  they  never  came  on  again  to  give  one  charge, 
but  retreated  and  Rood  in    a   body  under   the   favor  of  the  great  fort  and 
Colfton's   fort.      In   the  mean    while   Prior's-hill    fort  obftinately   held    out, 
playing  fiercely  with  great  and  fmall  fhot  on  our   men  for  two  hours  after  the 
line  was  entered;  our  men  all  that  time  in  like  manner  plying  them  hard  with 
mufket   fliot  in  at  the   port-holes,  until   they  brought  up  ladders  to  the  fort ; 
but  it  being  an   high  work  many  of  the  ladders   proved   too    fliort,  through 
which  fault  fome  that  got  up  were  beaten  down  again.      Notwithflanding,   this 
difheartened  them  not,  but  up  they  went  again  upon  the  greateft  danger  and 
difadvantage,  fome  at  laft  creeping  in  at  the  port-holes,  and  others  got  on  the 
top  of  the  works;   Capt.  Lagoe  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Pride's  regiment  being 
the  firfl  man  that  laid  hold  on  the  colours,  and  in  the  end  we  forced  the  enemy 
within  to  run   below   into   tlie   inner  rooms  of  the   work,  hoping   to   receive 
quarter,  but  our  foldiers  were  fo  little  prepared  to  fliew  mercy,  by  the  oppofi- 
tion   that  they    met   withal   in   the  ftorm,    and   the  refufal   of  quarter  when 
it  was  offered,  that  they   put  to  the  fword  the  commander    (one   Major  Price 
who  was  a  Welchman)   and  almoft  all  the  officers,  foldiers  and  others  "in  the 

F  F  2  fort. 


fort,  except  a  few  which  at  the  entreaty  of  our  officers  were  fpared  their  lives. 
Moft  happv  it  was  that  the  ftorm  began  fo  early,  for  otherwife  had  the  enemy 
had  dayliglit  when  we  fiift  entered,  we  could  not  have  attempted  Prior's-hill 
fort,  in  regard  the  great  fort  and  Colfton's  fort  on  the  one  fide  and  the  caflle 
on  the  other  might  have  cut  off  all  our  men  as  faft  as  they  had  been  drawn  up, 
but  being  in  the  dark  they  durll  not  fire  for  fear  of  killing  their  own  men, 
their  horfc  during  the  ftorm  being  drawn  up  between  the  great  fort  and  Col- 
fton's  fort:  but  on  Somerfet  fide  fuccefs  was  not  anfwerablc  to  this  on  this 
fide,  our  forces  there  being  put  to  a  retreat  though  they  went  on  with  much 
courage;  the  works  on  that  fide  were  fo  high  that  the  ladders  could  not  near 
reach  them,  and  the  approach  unto  the  line  of  great  dil'advantage.  Left 
during  the  ftorm  the  Prince  (in  cafe  he  faw  the  town  like  to  be  loft)  fhould 
endeavour  to  efcape  with  his,  horfe,  to  prevent  the  fame  Commiftary  General 
Ircton's,  Col.  Butler's  and  Col.  Fleetwood's  regiments  of  horfe  were  appointed 
to  be  in  a  moving  body  upon  Durdham-Down,  that  place  being  the  moft  open 
way  and  moft  likely  for  the  Prince  to  efcape  by  ;  befidcs  part  of  thofe  horfe 
did  alarm  that  fide  of  the  line  and  the  great  fort  towards  Durdham-Down  and 
Clifton  during  the  ftorm  ;  as  likewife  to  fecurc  the  foot.  Col.  Okey's  dra- 
goons alarming  Brandon-Hill  fort  and  the  line  towards  Clifton.  —  About  four 
hours  after  taking  Prior's-hill  fort  a  trumpet  came  from  the  Prince  to  dcfire  a 
parley,  which  the  General  embraced  on  account  of  the  city's  being  fet  on  fire 
in  feveral  places,  and  on  condition  of  the  fire  being  immediately  ftopt :  which 
Avas  done  accordingly,  and  fo  the  treaty  proceeded,  and  by  feven  at  night  was 
concluded  according  to  articles. 

I.  That  his  Highnefs  Prince  Rupert,  and  all  noblemen,  officers,  gentlemen, 
and  foldicrs,  and  all  other  pcrfonswhatfoever,  now  refiding  in  the  city  ofBriftol, 
and  in  tiie  caftle  and  forts  thereof,  ffiall  march  out  of  the  faid  city  and  caftic 
and  forts  with  colours,  drums,  pikes,  bag  and  baggage.  The  Prince  his  High- 
nefs, gentlemen,  and  officers  in  commiffion,  with  their  horfc  and  arms,  and 
their  fcrvants  with  their  horfe  and  fwords,  and  common  foldiers  with  their 
fwords,  the  Prince's  life  guard  of  horfe  with  their  horfe  and  arms,  and  250 
horfe  befides  to  be  difpofed  of  by  the  Prince,  and  his  life  guard  of  firelocks 
with  their  arms,  with  each  of  them  a  pound  of  powder  and  a  proportion  of  bul- 
let ;  and  that  none  of  the  perfons,  who  are  to  march  out  under  this  article,  are 
to  be  plundered,  fearched,  or  molefted. 

II.  That  fuch  officers  and  foldiers  that  ftiall  be  left  fick  or  wounded,  in  the 
city,  caftic,  or  forts,  fiiall  have  liberty  to  ftay  till  their  recovery,  and  then  have 
fafe  conduQ  to  go  to  his  Majefty,  and  in  the  interim  to  be  protc6ted. 

IIL 


[     ^37     J 

III.  That  fuch  perfons  abovementioned,  who  are  to  march  away,  fiiall  have 
fufficient  convoy  provided  for  them  to  fuch  garrifon  of  tlie  King's  as  the  Prince 
fhall  name,  not  exceeding  fifty  miles  from  Briflol,  and  fliall  have  eight  days  al- 
lowed them  to  march  thither,  and  fliall  have  free  quarter  by  the  way,  and  fliall 
have  two  oflicers  to  attend  them  for  their  accommodation,  and  twenty  wat^gons 
for  their  baggage,  if  they  fliall  have  occafion  to  ufe  them. 

IV.  That  all  the  citizens  of  Briflol,  and  all  noblemen,  gentlemen,  clergy- 
men, and  all  other  perfons,  refiding  in  the  faid  city  and  fuburbs,  fliall  be  faved 
from  all  plunder  and  violence,  and  be  fecured  in  their  perfons  and  eftates  from 
the  violence  of  the  foldiers,  and  fliall  enjoy  thofe  rights  and  privileges,  which 
other  fubjefts  enjoy  under  the  protection  and  obedience  to  the  Parliament. 

V.  That  in  conflderation  thereof,  the  city  of  Briflol,  with  the  caflle  and  all 
other  forts  and  fortifications  thereof,  and  all  the  ordnance,  arms,  ammunition, 
and  all  other  furniture  and  provifions  of  war,  excepting  what  is  before  allowed, 
Ihall  be  delivered  up  to  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  to-morrow,  being  Thurfday,  the 
11th  of  this  inftant  September,  by  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  without  any 
diminution  or  embezzlement,  his  Highnefs  Prince  Rupert  then  naming  to 
■what  army  or  garrifon  of  the  King's  he  will  march. 

VI.  That  none  of  the  army,  who  are  to  march  out  on  this  agreement,  fliall 
plunder,  hurt,  or  fpoil  the  town,  or  any  perfon  in  it,  or  carry  any  thing  but 
what  is  properly  his  own. 

VII.  That  upon  thefe  articles  being  figned.  Colonel  Okey  and  all  perfons 
now  in  prifon  in  the  city  of  Briflol  and  the  caflle  and  forts  of  the  fame  fliall 
immediately  be  fet  at  liberty. 

VIII.  That  fufficient  hoftages  be  given  to  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax,  fuch  as  he 
fliall  approve  this  night,  who  arc  to  remain  with  him  until  the  city  be  delivered. 

IX.  That  neither  the  convoy  or  officers  fent  with  the  Prince  fliall  receive 
any  injury  in  their  going  and  coming  back,  and  fliall  have  feven  days  allow- 
ance for  their  return. 

X.  That  upon  delivering  of  the  town,  fuflScient  hoflages  be  given  for  the 
performance  of  the  articles  on  both  parts. 

Signed  by  us,  Commiflioncrs  on  the  behalf  of  his  HighnefsPrince  Rupert„ 

JOHI^^  MYNNE, 
\v.  TILLYER, 
AV.  VAVASOUR. 
Sis,ned  by  us,  Commiflioncrs  on  the  behalf  of  Sir  Thomas  Fairfax, 

Kd.  MONTAGUE, 
T.  RAINSBOROUGIT, 
JOHN  PICKERING. 

While 


C    238   ] 

While  Sir  Tliomas  Fairfax  and  the  Lieutenant-Gencral  Oliver  Cromwell 
were  both  fitting  on  the  top  of  Prior's-hill  fort,  a  piece  of  ordnance  was  fliot 
off  thither  from  the  caftle,  and  the  bullet  grazed  upon  the  fort  within  two 
hands  breadth  of  them,  but  did  them  no  hurt  at  all ;  fo  narrow  was  their 
efcape. 

In  the  ftorm  feveral  of  the  Parliament  officers  both  horfe  and  foot  were 
killed,  and  many  wounded.  Major  Bethel  was  fliot  entering  the  line,  of 
which  wound  he  fliortly  after  died,  &c. 

Thurfday,  September  11,  Prince  Rupert  marched  out  of  the  great  fort,  as 
alfo  many  ladies  and  gentlemen.  Oliver  Cromwell,  Lieutenant-General,  fent 
the  Parliament  a  long  account  of  the  taking  Briftol,  calling  it"  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  which  none  but  an  Atheift  could  deny,"  and  that  "  140  cannon  were 
taken,  100  barrels  of  powder,  &c.  with  the  lofs  of  only  about  200  men.'' 

This  was  a  very  important  acquifition  to  the  rebel  leaders  both  in  the  army 
and  the  Parliament,  and  as  great  a  lofs  and  injury  to  the  King's  affairs. 

Prince  Rupert  incurred  a  fevere  cenfute  from  the  King,  and  though  he  was 
folicited  to  enter  into  treaty  by  his  officers  and  a  council  of  war,  who  thought 
the  ports  and  city  not  tenable  any  longer  ;  yet  the  King's  friends  were  fo  dif- 
fatisfied  with  the  Prince's  behaviour,  that  it  drew  from  him  a  public  vindi- 
cation of  his  conduft;  and  as  the  former  account  is  the  reprcfentation  of  the 
rebels,  it  will  be  proper  to  fubjoin  Prince  Rupert's  own  account  of  the  matter, 
extraQed  from  a  pamphlet  called,  a  Declaration  and  Narrative  of  the  State  of 
the  Garrifon  and  of  the  City  of  Briftol,  publifhed  1645. 

"On  Prince  Rupert's  coming  to  Briftol,  the  conftitution  of  the  garrifon  had 
by  the  eftablifliment  contributions  fettled  for  3600  men  for  that  and  the  fubor- 
dinate  garrifons,  as  Nunney,  Portfend  Point,  &c.  but  on  his  exafter  enquiry, 
the  prefidiary  foldiers  which  went  for  8  or  goo  men  were  really  in  the  judgment 
of  honeft  and  judicious  perfons  betwixt  5  or  600  effeftive ;  the  auxiliary  and 
trained  bands  by  interruption  of  trade  and  by  the  peftilence  then  raging  there 
and  by  poverty  and  preffures  laid  upon  them  were  reduced  to  800,  and  the 
mariners  betook  themfelves  to  other  parts  or  the  enemy-  The  commiftioners 
intrufted  for  the  contribution  and  fupport  of  the  garrifon  abandoned  the  town 
upon  the  enemy's  approach,  and  many  confidcrable  perfons  had  leave  to  quit 
the  town,  which  diftieartened  the  reft.  For  fecuring  the  place  his  Highnefs 
drew  in  fo  many  as  to  make  2800  men  upon  fight.  But  after  the  enemy  ap- 
proached, he  could  never  draw  up  on  the  line  1500,  and  it  was  impoftible  to 
keep  them  from  getting  over  the  works,  and  many  of  thofc  were  new  levied 
Welch  and  unexperienced  men.     The  line  to  be  defended  was  above  four 

mile* 


[    239    ] 

miles  in  compars,  the  bireaft-work  low  and  thin,  the  graflF  very  narrow  and  of 
no  depth,  and  by  the  opinion  of  all  the  colonels  not  tenable,  on  a  brilk  and 
vigorous  aflault.  The  great  fort,  which  had  the  reputation  of  flrcngth,  lay 
open  to  Brandon-hill  fort,  which  if  taken  would  from  its  height  with  the  can- 
non command  the  whole  plain  within  it,  and  the  want  of  water  was  not  to  be 
borne  man)-  days.  For  the  like  confideration  of  danger  to  the  line  from  another 
part,  his  Highnefs  built  a  reboubt  without,  which  on  that  fide  prevented  the 
enemy  from  erefting  a  battery,  as  likewife  three  others  during  the  fiege,  and 
drew  a  line  of  500  foot.  After  the  misfortune  which  happened  to  Lord  Gorin<T's 
army,  the  lofs  of  Bridgwater  and  Sherborn,  and  upon  his  Majefty's  fudden 
recefs  out  of  Wales,  the  Prince  conceiving  it  would  be  bed  for  his  Majcfty's 
affairs  to  remain  here,  and  that  the  enemy's  dcfigns  would  be  for  Briftol  after 
their  former  fucceffes,  he  gave  orders  for  all  inhabitants  to  victual  themfelves 
for  fix  months;  and  upon  flrifl  furvey  there  were  2500  families  then  remain- 
ing in  the  city,  vsrhereof  1500  through  indigence  and  want  could  not  provide 
for  themfelves.  To  fupply  this  defecl,  2000  bufhels  of  corn  were  imported 
from  Wales ;  and  on  the  certain  approach  of  the  enemy,  all  the  cattle  there- 
abouts was  ordered  to  be  drove  in,  by  parties  commanded  out  for  that  pur- 
pofe.  The  ammunition  was  fcant,  confidering  there  were  in  the  forts,  caflle, 
line,  and  ftreets,  above  lOO  cannon  mounted;  the  quantity  of  powder  not  ex- 
ceeding 130  barrels,  and  at  his  Highnefs's  coming  there  was  not  mufket  balls 
for  three  hours  fight,  wherefore  he  caufed  great  quantities  of  lead  to  be  cafl 
into  bullets;  and  the  manufaBure  of  match  was  quite  down,  and  fet  up  by 
his  Hignefs  during  the  fiege. 

Thefe  preparations  made  the  colonels  of  pofls  to  be  confultcd  about  the  te- 
nablenefs  of  the  line  ;  their  judgment  was,  that  notwithftanding  the  works  and 
line  were  very  defeflive,  the  circuit  large,  the  foldiers  few ;  yet  if  a  general 
ftorm  could  be  once  repelled,  the  enemy  would  be  difcouraged  from  attempt- 
ing a  fecond  time,  and  the  feafon  of  the  year  might  incommodatc  the  beficg- 
ers.  — On  which  account  they  determined  upon  the  befl:  general  defence  to  be 
made  upon  the  whole,  wherein  all  might  fhare  alike. 

The  line  was  generally  three  feet  thick  ;  the  height  five  feet  where  higheft. 

The  graflF  commonly  fix  feet  broad,  feven  at  the  widell ;  the  depth  in  moft 
parts  four  feet,  five  where  decpcfl. 

Between  Prior-hill  fori,  Stoke's-croft-gate,  and  beyond  the  little  river 
Froom  towards  Lawford*s-gate,  in  which  places  the  enemy  entered,  not  five 
feet  high. 

The  grafF  five  feet  broad,  and  that  part  of  the  line  much  decayed. 

The 


[240] 

The  ditch  of  the  great  fort  on  the  right  hand  of  the  gate,  before  the  face  of 
the  bulwark,  was  not  four  feet  deep  and  eighteen  broad  ;  fo  that  horfes  did  go 
up  and  down  into  it. 

The  highefl  work  of  the  fort  was  not  twelve  feet  high,  the  curtains  but  ten. 
Within  one  hundred  feet  of  the  fort  there  was  a  deep  hollow  way,  where  the 
enemy  might  lodge  what  troops  he  pleafed,  and  might  be  in  the  graff  before 
ni<jht;  and  that  part  of  the  fort  was  minable. 

Brandon-liill  fort  was  about  twelve  feet  above  the  level  of  the  great  fort, 
and  that  not  being  able  to  make  long  refiftance,  the  enemy  gaining  it  would 
command  the  other. 

The  hedges  and  ditches  without  the  line  were  neither  cut  nor  levelled,  fo 
that  they  lodged  their  men  near  our  works  fecurely  at  their  firfl;  approach. 

A  general  defence  being  fixed  on,  the  colonels  were  all  ordered  to  the 
fcveral  pods  and  forts  upon  the  line,  and  his  Ilighncfs  being  foiicitous  for 
fecuring  the  place,  the  enemy  on  the  22d  of  Auguft  appeared  on  Pile-hill,  on 
the  fouth  fide  of  the  town,  he  fent  a  party  of  horfe  commanded  by  Sir  Richard 
Crane  (who  in  that  aBion  received  his  death's  wound)  to  encounter  them  ;  a 
little  before  that  Bedminfter  was  fired  on  intelligence  that  the  enemy  intended 
that  night  to  quarter  2000  men  in  it,  and  notwithftanding  the  fire  they  drew 
thither  and  plied  their  fmall  fliot  all  night.  Auguft  23.  The  Prince  caufed 
a  traverfe  or  blind  of  earth  to  be  made  within  the  drawbridge  at  Temple-gate, 
and  a  battery  raifed  in  the  Marfli  for  fecuring  the  river  and  fcouring  the  fields 
beyond  it.  The  enemy  began  fome  breaft-works  and  a  battery  on  the  hill 
without  Temple-gate,  with  a  traverfe  acrofs  the  way  to  hinder  our  fallies.  — 
InftruQions  for  delivering  the  city  up  to  the  Parliament,  figned  Thomas 
P'airfax  and  Oliver  Cromwell,  were  privately  fent  to  the  citizens,  Auguft  25, 
1645.  Upon  the  intercepting  thefe  papers,  his  Highnefs  caufed  feveral  aflive 
and  fufpefted  perfons  to  be  reftrained,  which  prevented  the  defign,  and  by  his 
pcrfonal  prefence  prevented  the  great  fort  from  furprifal;  and  in  the  mean 
time  to  interrupt  the  enemy's  working  made  feveral  fallies,  which  all  fucceeded 
according  to  defign.  Auguft  26.  Soon  after  a  ftorm  being  expefted  by  the 
enemy's  drawing  together  great  bodies  of  horfe  and  foot,  his  Highnefs  double 
manned  the  line,  but  nothing  followed.  Auguft  28.  Five  Parliament  fliips 
entered  Kingroad,  and  forced  Captain  Broom  who  commanded  the  Tenth 
Whelpe  to  run  up  the  Severn  for  fecurity.  Auguft  29.  The  enemy  was  mak- 
ing a  bridge  over  the  Avon  to  conjoin  their  quarters.  Septembers.  His 
Highnefs  began  a  work  or  cutting  off  within  the  line  by  Lawford's-gate,  when 
Sir  Thomas  Fairfax  fent  a  fummons  to  furrender. 

The 


[      241      J 

The  caflle  and  great  fort  Indeed  might  have  held  out  fome  time,  but  no 
affiftance  from  the  weft  nor  from  the  King  was  to  be  relied  on,  and  the  enemy 
could  have  blocked  up  the  caftle  and  advanced  12,000  men  to  have  fought 
a  battle  if  required,  or  clfe  have  fecured  thcmfclvcs  within  the  lines  againft 
all  oppofition  —  befides  it  appeared  they  were  fo  abfohitely  mafters  of  all  the 
paffes,  and  had  fo  barricaded  up  the  ways  that  a  fmall  force  might  have  hin- 
dered now  a  great  army.  And  at  that  time  General  Pointz  fo  clofely  ob- 
ferved  his  Majcfty's  motions,  that  relief  was  very  improbably  to  be  expected, 
—  and  Col.  Mafley  was  upon  the  watch  to  intercept  Lord  Goring:  and  as 
the  line  was  forced,  Pryor's-hill  fort  an  important  place  loft,  the  officer  to 
whofe  truft  it  was  committed  deferting  it,  (who  never  fince  that  time  appeared 
and  who  was  faid  to  have  been  killed,)  the  city  on  refiftance  muft  have  been 
expofed  to  the  fpoil  and  fury  of  the  enemy,  fo  many  gallant  men  who  had 
fo  long  and  faithfully  ferved  his  Majefty  (whofe  fafcties  his  Highncfs  conceived 
himfelf  in  honor  obliged  to  preferve  as  dearly  as  his  own)  had  been  left  to 
the  flaughter  and  rage  of  a  prevailing  enemy,  and  the  Scots  being  on  the  81I1 
of  September  at  Glocefter,  an  intermediate  place  near  which  his  Majefty 
muft  have  marched  to  the  relief  of  Briftol,  cut  off  all  hopes  of  fuccour  from 
him. 

At  a  council  of  war  held  at  Newark  the  18th  of  Oflober  1645,  Prince 
Rupert  dcfiring  to  clear  himfelf  for  the  furrender  of  the  city  and  garrifon  of 
Briftol,  before  Montague  Earl  of  Lindfey  lord  chamberlain,  Richard  Earl 
of  Cork,  Jacob  Lord  Aftley  field  marftial  general,  John  Lord  Bellafis 
captain  of  the  horfe  guards,  Charles  Lord  Gerrard,  Sir  Richard  Willis,  John 
Aftiburnham  Efq;  treafurer  at  war,  produced  a  narrative  of  the  matter  of 
fafts  during  the  ficge,  and  the  King  was  pleafed  to  fay,  his  faid  nephew  was 
not  guilty  of  the  leaft  want  of  courage  or  fidelity  to  him  in  the  doing  thereof, 
but  withall  believed  he  might  have  kept  the  caftle  and  fort  a  longer  time;  the 
King  having  abfolutely  refolved  to  have  drawn  together  all  the  forces  he 
poflibly  could  and  to  have  hazarded  his  perfon  for  his  relief,  the  dcfign  being 
then  fo  laid  that  in  all  probability  it  would  have  fucceedcd  ;  yet  as  the  Prince 
did  what  was  done  by  the  advice  of  a  council  of  war  of  tliat  garrifon,  and 
could  not  have  expefted  relief  and  had  received  no  intimation  from  the  King 
thereof,  and  had  a  tender  regard  for  the  prefervation  of  fo  many  worthy  officers 
and  foldiers  that  had  fo  long  and  faithfully  ferved  the  King,  he  on  thefe  rea- 
fons  capitulated.  —  The  King  hearing  a  fccond  time  the  whole  matter  the  21ft 
of  October,  was  pleafed  to  declare  that  Prince  Rupert  was  not  guilty  of 
*ny  the  Icaft  want  of  courage  of  fidelity  to  him,  and  the  Lords  gave  the  fame 

G  G  opinion 


[      242      ] 

opinion  on  the  point  :  Given  at  the  court  at  Newark,  the  21ft  0£>.  1645. — 
The  forts,  city  and  caftle  without  any  defacing  thereof,  with  all  arms,  ammu- 
nition, &c.  were  delivered  up  Thurfday  the  11th  of  September  1645,  ^Y 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

The  forts,  city  and  caftle  being  evacuated  by  the  King's  troops,  the  rebels 
found  a  great  booty  tliercin  ;  140  cannons,  100  barrels  of  gunpowder,  pro- 
vifion  in  the  royal  fort  (where  at  prcfent  the  elegant  feat  of  T.  Tyndall,  Efq; 
is  built)  fufficient  to  ferve  150  men  for  320  days,  and  the  caftle  was  viQualled 
for  near  half  fo  long,  fays  a  manufcript  penes  me.  To  increafe  the  mif- 
fortunes  of  the  times  the  plague  broke  out  this  year,  of  which  died  3000  per- 
fons. 

Philip  Skippon  who  had  been  appointed  governor  of  Briftol  caftle,  was 
commiftioned  by  the  parliament  in  the  year  1646  to  carry  200000 1.  (which  was 
half  the  price  fet  upon  the  head  of  his  Majefty  Charles  the  ift.  by  the  Scots) 
into  Scotland  to  induce  them  to  deliver  the  King  up  into  his  enemies  hands, 
■which  was  accordingly  done  the  16th  of  February  the  fame  year. 

This  was  the  laft  keeper  but  one  and  governor  of  Briftol  caftle  before  its 
final  demolition  ;  he  had  been  Major  General  on  this  occafion,  of  great 
Jkill  and  experience  in  military  operations,  which  he  had  acquired  abroad  in 
foreign  wars;  and  had  it  not  been  for  this  one  man,  neither  the  zeal  or  conduft 
of  Fairfax,  nor  the  brutal  courage  of  Oliver  Cromwell  and  his  troops  puftied 
on  by  a  fpirit  of  entluifiafm,  would  have  fucceedcd  in  carrving  the  cityagainft: 
Prince  Rupert,  who  was  acknowledged  to  be  a  General  of  confummate 
abilities. 

The  caftle  and  city  being  now  reduced  under  the  power  of  the  parliament 
and  its  officers,  it  is  a  grievous  unpleafing  taft;  to  recite  the  fevcral  opprefllions 
the  citizens  underwent  ;  one  would  wifh  to  throw  a  veil  over  fuch  fcenes  of 
Avanton  cruelty,  but  hiftorical  truth  obliges  us  to  notice  them  here  agreeable 
to  the  maxim,  ne  quid  falfi  diccre  audeat,  ne  quid  veri  non  audeat.  —  Hiftory 
records  thefe  bad  cffecls  of  partv  rage,  and  of  falfe  religious  zeal  and  love 
of  liberty  carried  beyond  the  bounds  of  law,  as  a  leftbn  to  pofterity  againft 
ever  committing  fuch  outrage  againft  the  common  principles  of  humanity 
under  the  pretence  of  liberty,  in  the  facred  name  of  religion,  and  under  the 
mafic  of  greater  piety  and  reformation.  —  Bcfides  the  heavy  contributions  laid 
on  the  merchants  and  tradefmen  loyalifls,  informers  were  encouraged  by  an  aft 
pafted  tlie  26th  of  March  1644,  and  committees  appointed  in  feveral  counties 
to  enquire  after  the  clergy  and  fchoolmafters  not  well  aftctled  to  the  parlia- 
ment government,  and  to  place  others  of  their  own  learned,  able,  godly  and 

fit 


[    243    ] 

fit  pcrfons  in  their  room  and  in  pofTefTion  of  their  churches.  —  Accordingly 
the  ftanding  committee  for  Briftol  the  2oih  of  February  1645-6,  fequeQered 
the  Rev.  Richard  Towgood  vicar  of  St.  Nicholas,  "  for  his  great  difaffcClion 
to  the  parliament  of  England  and  their  proceedings,"  for  which  he  was  com- 
mitted to  Bridol  cattle,  where  foon  after  the  Rev.  Mr.  Richard  Standfafl 
rector  of  Chrift  Church,  being  alfo  fcqucftered  was  confined.  One  Evans  a 
preaching  taylor  was  put  into  his  living  by  the  committee.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Peirce  vicar  of  St.  Philip's  was  alfo  fequeflered,  and  one  Edward  Hancock, 
late  a  Butler  to  Sir  George  Horner  knight,  was  put  into  his  living,  where  he 
continued  till  the  reftoration  of  Charles  the  2d.  and  being  then  removed  he 
afterwards  kept  a  public-houfe  at  Horficid,  more  agreeable  to  his  former 
employment.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Brent  vicar  of  Temple  was  alfo  fequeflered; 
and  many  orthodox  clergy  and  others  to  the  number  of  about  50  pcrfons, 
were  confined  clofe  prifoners  in  a  difmal  room  in  the  cadlc,  and  there  treated 
with  a  rigour  and  cruelty  not  to  be  defcribed  here  — The  ufc  of  the  common 
prayer-book  was  by  an  ordinance  of  parliament  in  Oct.  1647,  under  penalty 
of  fine  and  imprifonment  for  the  third  offence  prohibited. 

Let  it  with  cool  refleftion  be  well  confidered,  that  from  this  polluted  fountain 
of  the  rebellion  1641  have  fprung  the  feveral  divifions  in  religion  among  us  : 

Hac  fonte  derivata  clades  in  patriam  populumque  fluxit.  Hor. 

The  churches  themfelves  as  well  as  the  pallors  did  not  efcape  the  rage  of 
thefe  merciful  and  meek  reformers  ;  the  organs  were  pulled  down,  furpliccs 
torn  to  pieces,  tombs  defaced,  the  church  plate  flolen.  By  an  ordinance  of 
the  8th  of  Augufl  1643,  and  May  following,  made  by  the  Lords  and  Commons, 
order  was  given  to  demolilh  all  monuments  of  idolatry  and  fiiperflition,  as 
altars,  crucifixes,  images,  reprcfentations  of  the  Trinity,  &c.  but  images, 
piftures,  coats  of  arms  in  glafs  or  Rone  fct  up  for  any  monument  of  King  or 
nobleman,  or  perfon  not  reputed  a  faint  to  be  continued.  Cromwell's  foldiers 
were  bad  judges  of  this  diflinclion,  they  broke  mofl  of  the  curious  painted 
glafs,  tore  away  the  brafs,  iron  and  lead  from  many  monuments  and  defaced 
jhe  infcriptions,  which  is  to  be  lamented  now  by  all  lovers  of  antiquities,  the 
ruin  they  fpread  in  all  country  churches  has  never  been  repaired  to  this  day. 

The  church  and  llate  being  at  length  in  a  manner  fubverted  by  the  murder 
of  the  King,  the  government  of  the  city  and  caflle  was  given  by  the  parlia- 
ment to  Mr.  Adrian  Scroop  the  laft  keeper,  after  which  the  royal  arms  and 
motto  were  every  where  thrown  down  and  defaced  in  all  public  places  in  this 
city. 

G  G  a  After 


[     244     ] 

After  Oliver  Cromwell  was  proclaimed  prote^or  orders  were  given  for 
demolifhing  the  fortifications  of  the  caftlc  of  Briflol,  which  was  began  the  3d 
of  January  1655  to  be  difmantled;  and  in  1656  a  new  road  was  made  into 
the  county  of  Gloccfler  through  the  faid  caflle  :  a  gate  was  erefted  1659 
called  caftlc  gate,  (in  1766  removed,)  before  this  the  common  road  was 
through  Newgate  into  the  county  of  Gloceller. 

Since  the  demolition  of  the  caflle  two  handfome  flreets  have  been  built  on 
its  fite,  Caflle-flreet  and  Caflle-green  ;  on  the  caRlc  orchard  without  the  fally- 
port  have  rifen  other  ffrccts,  Queen-flreet,  &c.  And  Cromwell's  levelling 
orders  have  been  fo  well  executed  that  few  traces  of  this  venerable  flru6lure 
are  now  to  be  feen,  which  has  made  fuch  diftinguillied  figure  in  hiftory,  and 
been  the  fubjcft  of  fo  much  contention. 

King  Charles  the  2d.  in  his  feveral  journies  to  conceal  himfelf  from  his 
purfucrs  by  the  affiflance  of  his  faithful  friends  once  paffed  through  this  city 
on  horfcback  in  difguifc,  riding  before  Mrs.  Lane  towards  Leigh-manor 
houfe,  drefl  like  a  country  fellow  before  his  miffrefs ;  where  he  lay  concealed 
for  fome  time  and  ufed  to  turn  the  fpit  in  the  kitchen  by  way  of  difguife : 
the  block  he  fat  on  is  preferved  there  to  this  day.  —  In  paffing  through  the 
city  he  could  not  refill  an  inclination  of  turning  a  little  out  of  his  way  to  take  a 
view  of  the  caflle,  the  fcene  of  fo  many  interefling  tranfaQions. 

In  the  year  1771,  General  Melvyl  coming  to  Briflol,  and  having  a  great 
curiofity  in  tracing  out  the  remains  of  ancient  encampments  and  fortifications, 
examined  the  lines  and  entrenchments  njade  round  the  city  in  the  year  1643, 
the  better  to  account  for  Prince  Rupert  whom  he  regarded  as  a  great  military 
genius,  giving  up  the  city.  The  author  of  this  hiflory  gave  him  all  the  intel- 
ligence then  in  his  power  j  but  could  have  fupplied  him  with  better,  had  he 
received  before  a  curious  paper  containing  the  feveral  fortified  pofls  on  the 
line,  with  the  number  of  ordnance  at  each,  communicated  to  him  by  Edmund 
Turnor,  Efq;  of  Panton-houfe,   Lincolnfliire,  whofe   anceflor  *  had   a    com- 

milfion 
•  Sir  Edmund  Tumor  was  the  youngeft  fon  of  Chriftopher  Turnor  of  Milton-Ernis,  in  the 
county  of  Bedford,  Efq;  and  brother  of  Sir  Chriftopher  Turnor  of  Millon-Ernis,  knight,  one  of 
the  Barons  of  the  Exchequer  in  the  time  of  Charles  the  ad.  —  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil 
wars  he  engaged  in  the  fervice  of  the  crown,  and  was  the  4th  of  December  20th  of  Charles  ift. 
with  a  falar)-  of  13s.  4d.  a  day  for  himfelf,  and  3s.  4d.  each  for  three  keepers  of  the  (lores,  ap- 
pointed Trcafurer  and  Paymafler  of  the  garriion  there.  The  10th  of  February  1645  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  a  troop  of  horfe.     He  was  taken  prifoncr  at  the  battle  of  Worcefter 

3651, Anno  Domini  1663  he  received  the  honor  of  knighthood,  and  was  appointed  Surveyor 

Cieneral  of  the  out-ports,  and  was  one  of  the  Farmers  General  of  the  cudoms.-, —  In  i68i  he 
fcrved  the  office  of  High-fherifFfor  the  county  of  Lincoln,  where  he  had  purchafed  a  confidcrablc 
property.  — —  An  account  of  his  life  and  charities  is  publifhed  in  M'ilford's  Lives  of  worthy 
pcrfons,  folio,  1741,  pages  81  and  784.     Likcwife  in  Bilhop  Rennet's  Caft  of  impropriations. 


C   245   ] 

miffion  from  Charles  the  ifl.  in  16.14,  of  Trcafurer  of  the  garrifons  of  Rriflol, 
Bath,  the  town  and  caftle  of  Berkeley,  Nunny  caftle,  Farley  caftle,  and 
Portfiicad-point:  ^ 

"  At  the  Water  fort  were  7  ordnance,  with  a  mafler-gunner,  17  s.  6  d.  a 
mate,  14  s.  and  3  gunners,  each  los.  per  week."  This  fort  was  at  the  point 
of  Brandon-hill,  next  Limekiln-lane,  fronting  the  Avon,  above  and  oppofite 
the  glafs-houfc. 

"  At  Brandon-hill  fort,  ordnance  6,  with  a  mafler-gunner,  mate,  and  2 
gunners."     On  the  very  fummit. 

"  At  the  great  fort,  ordnance  22,  with  a  matter-gunner,  mate,  and  6  gun- 
ners, and  commilTary  of  victuals."  This  was  the  Royal  fort,  now  the  fite  of 
the  houfc  and  gardens  of  Thomas  Tyndale,  Efq; 

"  At  the  redoubt,  ordnance  7,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate,  and  2  gun- 
ners." This  was  fince  called  Colfton's  mount,  behind  the  Montague  on 
Kingfdown. 

"  At  Prior's-hill  fort,  ordnance  13,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate,  and  3 
CTunners."     This  is  fince  called  Ninetree-hill. 

"  At  Lawford's-gate,  ordnance  7,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate,  and  6 
gunners." 

"  At  Temple-gate,  ordnance  1 4,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate,  and  5  gunners." 

"  At  RedclifF-gate,  ordnance  15,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate,  and  4 
gunners." 

"  At  the  Caftle  and  Newgate,  ordnance  16,  with  a  mafter-gunner,  mate, 
11  gunners,  and  commiftary  of  viftuals,  at  1 1.  los.  per  week." 

"  At  Froom-gate  and  Pithay-gate,  ordnance  2,  with  2  gunners." 

This  clearly  fhews  where  the  ftrongeft  fortifications  were  ;  but  there  are  no 
traces  of  the  line  farther  than  Prior's-hill,  by  any  marks  on  the  furf^ce  of  the 
ground ;  for  defcending  the  hill  from  Prior's-hill  fort  you  get  into  low 
ground,  which  has  been  filled  up  or  built  upon  fince  that  time,  though  the 
line  it  appears  extended  acrofs  by  the  city  peft-houfe  or  lodge  over  the  Froom 
to  Lawford's-gate,  thence  acrofs  the  Avon  to  Tower  Harratz  and  to  Temple- 
gate,  and  to  RedclilF-gate  after  the  Borough-wall  unto  the  river  fide,  where 
it  ended. 


CHAP. 


C   246   ] 


CHAP.      VIII. 

Of  the  X\}>]iY  of  SI.  A  U  G  U  S  T  I  N,  Br  I  s T o  L  ;    or  Monajlery  of  Black 
Regular  Canons  of  the  Order  of  St.  Yictov.. 

^  I  "•  H  E  Monks,  -who  were  the  early  vriters,  make  little  mention  of  Briftol  ; 
-*-  a  place  of  traffick,  a  trading  town,  chiefly  intent  on  maintaining  ihcm- 
felves  in  fecurity,  and  defending  their  habitations  from  any  foreign  invader  in 
their  well-chofen  retreat,  was  not  deemed  worthy  of  being  celebrated  in  their 
writings.  Here  were  no  religious  houfes  then  erefled,  no  fuperb  monafteries 
endowed,  to  entitule  it  to  their  notice.  This  {late  of  the  citv  is  well  defcribed 
in  the  following  little  poem,  faid  by  Chatterton  to  be  tranflated  by  Rowley, 
"  as  nie  as  Englyflie  wyll  ferve,  from  the  original,  written  by  Abbot  John, 
who  was  ynduftyd  20  yeares,  and  dyd  a£l  as  abbatt  9  yeares  before  hys  induc- 
tyon  for  Phillip  then  abbatt :  he  dyed  yn  M.C.C.XV.  beynge  buryed  in  his 
albe  in  the  mynfter." 

With  *daitive  fleppe  Religyon  dyghte  in  greie. 

Her  face  of  doleful  hue, 
Swyfte  as  a  takel  t  thro'we  bryght  heav'n  tooke  her  waie. 
And  oftc  and  ere  anon  dyd  faie 
"  Aie  !  mc  !  what  Ihall  I  doc  ; 
"  See  Bryftoe  citie,  whyche  I  nowe  doe  kennc, 

"  Aryfynge  to  mie  view, 
"  Th)cke  throng'd  wythe  foldyers  and  wythe  traffyck-meruie  ; 

"  Butte  faynftes  I  feen  few." 
Fytz-Hardynge  rofc  !  — he  rofe  lyke  bryghte  fonne  in  the  rnornc, 
"  Faire  dame  adrync  thein  eyne, 
"  Let  allc  thie  greefc  bee  myne, 
For  I  wylle  rere  thee  uppe  a  Mynfler  hie ; 
"  The  toppe  whereof  fliall  reech  ynto  the  lliie  ; 
"  Ande  wyll  a  Monke  be  fliornc ;" 
Thenne  dyd  the  dame  replie, 
"  I  lliall  ne  be  forelourne  ; 
"   Here  wyll  I  take  a  cheryfaunied  refte, 
"  And  fpend  mie  dales  upon  Fytz-Hardynges  brefle." 

As 
•  Perhaps  haitivc,  or  liaiflifi",  hafty,  from  the  French  haity,  hafly.         t  Arrow. 


[      217       ] 

As  foon  as  Briflol  became  the  feat  of  religion  and  a  monaftery  was  built 
there  and  endowed,  it  makes  fome  figure  in  the  monadic  hiftories,  became  the 
fubjcft  of  their  pens,  and  is  occafionally  celebrated  in  their  writings,  as  much 
as  other  places.  This  monadcry  of  St.  Augudin  began  to  be  erefled  in  the 
year  1140  ;  and  it  appears,  that  it  was  fiiccefs  in  trade  by  which  Hardyng  ac- 
cumulated fuch  a  fortune  here  as  to  enable  the  fon  to  build  and  to  procure  the 
royal  favour  to  endow  this  abby. 

It  was  built  on  a  rifing  ground,  with  a  delightful  profpefl  of  the  hills  around 
in  the  north-wed  fuburb  of  the  ciiy  and  in  the  manor  of  Billefwick.  The 
area  of  the  buildings  appropriated  for  the  abbot  and  his  monks  was  very  large 
and  extenfive,  as  by  the  rule  of  St.  Augudin,  to  whom  it  was  dedicated,  they 
were  to  live  here  together  in  common.  The  walls  and  part  of  the  large  refec- 
tory or  dining  room  now  converted  into  a  prebendal  houfe,  the  abbot's  houfe 
now  partly  rebuilt  and  made  a  palace  for  the  Bifliop's  refidence,  two  fides  of 
the  cloiders  with  a  curious  chapter-houfe,  and  fome  old  beautiful  arches  and 
gate-ways,  are  dill  to  be  fecn.  Thefe  with  the  church  evidently  dcmondratc 
the  whole  to  have  been  once  a  very  fpacious  and  magnificent  monadery. 
William  of  ^^'orcefter,  p.  188.  fays,  "  Sanftuarium  locum  Sancli  Augudini, 
<S:c."  "  The  fanftuary-place  of  St.  Auguflin  from  the  ead,  where  is  the  en- 
trance of  the  fancluary,  unto  the  fiirthed  gate  for  entering  tlie  court  of  the 
abbot,  from  the  offices,  houfcs,  and  granaries  of  the  bakers,  brewers,  dable- 
keepers,  of  my  lords  the  abbots,  &c.  contains  360  deps,  as  you  go  by  the 
church  of  St.  Augudin.  The  breadth  of  the  fanctuary  from  the  gate  afore- 
mentioned to  entering  the  lane  called  Frog-lane  contains  240  deps.  The 
breadth  or  didance  of  the  place  from  the  wed  part  of  the  gate  of  the  Gauntes 
to  the  gate  of  the  entrance  of  the  church  of  the  abby  of  St.  Augudin  contains 
acrofs  180  deps."  From  this  it  appears  it  was  of  large  extent.  Leland 
(Itin.  vol.  V.  p.  60.)  mentions,  "  St.  Augudinc's  blak  chanons,  extra  moenia." 

In  the  reign  of  King  Stephen  there  lived  in  Bridol  one  Harding,  a  rich 
merchant,  faid  in  fome  manufcripts  to  have  dwelt  in  Baldwin's-drect,  and  that 
he  was  a  younger  fon  or  grandfon  of  a  King  of  Denmark  :  the  infcription 
over  the  college  gate-houfe  calls  him,  "  filius  reg's  Dacias.'  Odicrs  fay  he 
was  the  fon  of  Walburga,  fider  of  Ednothus  the  good  friend  of  f  larold  of  an 
ancient  and  noble  family  of  the  Saxons,  eminent  in  the  days  of  Edward  the 
Confedbr,  who  married  a  daughter  of  the  King  of  Denmark  named  Livida. 
Leland  favs,  "  Mardingus  ex  profapia,  &c,"  "  Harding  was  fprung  of  the 
royal  race  of  the  kingdom  of  Denmark  in  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror, 
and  inhabited  Bridol  in  the  )ear  of  our  Lord  1069,  made  afterwards  Lord  of 

Bcrkclcv.- 


C   248  ] 

Berkeley."  Abbot  Newland's  pedigree  in  Berkeley  caftle  mentions  him,  "  as 
defcended  of  the  royal  line  of  the  Kings  of  Denmark  and  the  youngeft  fon  ; 
and  accompanying  Duke  William  from  Normandy  was  at  the  battle  of  Haft- 
inos."  And  fome  fay,  that  Harding's  mother  Godiva  was  fifter  to  Robert 
Duke  of  Normandy's  father.  In  the  Britifli  Mufeum  is  an  ancient  pedigree, 
which  gives  the  following  account,  vide  No.  1196  and  1178,  fol.  123,  124. 
"  Hardinge,  Dane  and  inhabitant  and  mayor  of  Briftol  (to  whom  Maud  the 
Emprefs  gave  the  caftle,  town,  and  barony  of  Berkeley)  bore  for  arms  gules 
a  chevron  argent,  was  of  the  line  of  the  King  of  Denmark,  and  was  of  great 
wealth  and  pofTeffions  in  both  the  counties  of  Glocefter  and  Somerfet ;  he  mar- 
ried Lyvida,  a  noble  woman,  and  had  by  her  ilTue  three  fons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, his  eldeft  fon  was  Robert  Fitzharding  firft  Lord  of  Berkeley  by  gift  of 
Henry  2d.  This  Robert  ufcd  to  feal  with  his  father's  arms  alone,  alfo  with 
the  figure  of  a  man  armed  on  horfeback,  wHich  his  fon  Maurice  alfo  fome 
time  ufed.  Jordayn,  the  third  brother  of  the  faid  Robert  and  uncle  to  Mau- 
rice, fealed  his  deeds  with  an  impreffion  only  of  two  lions  endorfed  without 
any  fhield  ;  and  Helena  only  filler  of  Lord  Maurice  married  Robert,  fon  and 
heir  of  Lord  Durfley." 

The  following  verfes  of  the  old  monkifh  poet,  Robert  of  GlouceRer,  gives 
fome  account  of  Hardyng. 

A  burgeys  of  Brillow  tho'  Robert  Hardyngc 
For  grete  trefour  and  richefle  fo  well  was  wyth  the  kyng, 
That  he  yaft  him  and  his  hcires  the  noble  barony 
That  fo  rych  is  of  Berkely,  with  all  the  feignorie ; 
And  ihulk  Robert  Hardyng  arered  futh,  I  wyfs 
An  abbey  at  Briftow  of  St.  Auftyn  that  is, 
Syr  Rychard  le  Fitzroy  of  whome  we  fpake  beforCj 
Gentleman  he  was  inough,  tho'  he  were  lad  ybore; 
For  the  Erles  daughter  of  Warren  his  good  modcr  was. 
And  her  fader  King  John,  that  begat  a  perchas. 
Sir  Morris  of  Berkly  wedded  futh  bycas 
His  daughter,  and  begat  on  her  the  good  Knyght  Sir  Thomas. 
All  accounts  agree  of  Hardyng's  immenfe  riches  and  large  pofTeflions,  of  his 
holding   Wheatenhurfl:     in    Glocefterfliirc,    of    Earl    Brictric    in   mortgage, 
and  of  his  dying  i6th  Henry  id.   1116,  at  Briflol,  where  he  had  been  mayor 
or  governor.      He  is    exprefsly  called  mayor  of  Briftol  in  Dr.  Cox  Macro's 
manufcripts.      Cambdcn  fays,  "he  was  of  the  blood  royal  of  Denmark  and  an 
alderman  ofBriftol."  He  had  a  fon  Robert  Fitzharding:  Leland  fays  inv.6.43, 

•'  Anno 


[     249    ] 

"  Anno  1135,  Robertus  filius  Hardyngi  &c."  i.  e.  Robert  fon  of  Hardyng 
begat  of  Eva  his  wife  four  fons,  Maurice  de  Berkly,  Robert  de  Were,  Nico- 
las de  Tickenham,  Thomas  Archdeacon  of  Worcefler;  and  that  the  mo- 
naftery  was  founded  the  3d  ides  of  April  1148."  And  in  v.  6.  Itin.  p.  50.  he 
favs  "  they  bare  not  fvrfte  the  name  of  Rarkclye  but  Fitzharding,  whereof 
one  named  Robert  vas  a  nobleman,  and  in  proccfFc  the  Fitzhardyngcs  married 
•with  the  heirs  general  of  Durdev,  and  the  name  was  taken  of  them  and  con- 
tinued." And  in  his  Colleft.  v.  2.  p.  912,  he  fays  "  Thomas  was  fon  and 
heyr  of  Robert  Fitzhardynge,  which  Robert  was  fonne  and  heyre  to  the 
younger  brother  of  the  Kinge  of  Denmark :  which  Robert  in  time  of  King 
William  the  Conqueror,  inhabited  Brighteftow  and  there  foundid  the  prvorie 
of  St.  Auguftine."  This  Robert  Fitzharding  was  of  great  account  with 
Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  and  joined  him  with  all  his  intereft  in  behalf  of 
Maud  the  Emprefs  and  her  fon  Henry  the  2d.  the  only  heir  to  the  crown 
from  Henry  the  ift.  againfl;  King  Stephen,  who  had  ufurped  it.  Brillol  and 
its  caftle  being  in  the  hands  of  her  brother  Robert  Earl  of  Glocellerand 
efteemed  a  place  of  ftrength  and  refuge  for  Maud  the  Emprefs,  fhe  placed  her 
fon  here  to  fchool  among  the  chief  mens  fons  of  the  town  :  and  as  Baker  in  his 
Chronicle  records  it  "  he  was  brought  into  England  by  his  uncle  Robert  in 
1141,  and  was  put  to  fchool  being  then  nine  years  old  at  Briftol  under  the 
tuition  of  one  Mathews,  where  he  remained  four  years."  Here  he  grew 
much  delighted  with  Robert  Fitzhardyng,  which  friendOiip  and  affection  be- 
gun in  their  tender  years  and  fchoolboy  days  left  fuch  an  imprcfTion  on  their 
minds,  as  was  not  to  be  effaced,  when  both  were  advanced  to  a  riper  age, 
fo  that  Henry  when  he  came  to  the  crown  knighted  this  Robert  Fitzharding, 
then  mayor  or  governor  ofBriftol  after  his  father,  and  made  him  heir  of  the 
Berkley  eftate  of  Roger  Lord  of  Berkley  and  Durdey,  confifcated  for  adhering 
to  King  Stephen  againft  his  mother  Maud,  and  in  recompence  of  his  father 
Harding's  fupplies  of  money  in  fupporting  her  caufe,  and  in  memory  of  the 
fon's  fricndfliip  and  acquaintance  in  their  younger  years,  he  made  him  the 
firfl  Lord  of  Berkley,  from  whom  the  prefent  Lord  Berkley  is  lineally  de- 
fcended.  —  He  granted  him  alfo  the  manor  of  Bitton  with  lands  in  Berkley 
of  lool.  yearly  value.  Leland  in  Colle6l.  v.  2.  p.  912  fays  "for  as  much  as 
Roger  Lord  of  Berkley  and  Durflcy  had  but  a  doughtcr  caullid  Eva  and  was 
married  to  the  bloude  of  the  Fitzhardyngcs  (at  this  tyme  I  am  not  certain 
whether  Eva  was  married  to  Robert  Fitzhardynge  or  Thomas  his  fon,)  but 
becaufe  that  Eva  was  heir  of  Roger  Lord  of  Berklie  and  Durfley  bccaufe  of 
the  inheritaunce  by  his  wife  Eva,  the  name  of  Fitzhardynge  was  turned  into 

H  n  Berkley 


C   250   ] 

Berkley  and  fo   did  continue."     Others  fay,  Alice  Lord  Durfley's  daughter 
vas  married  to  Maurice  Robert  Fitzharding's  fon. 

By  Abbot  John  Newland's  manufcript  relating  to  the  foundation  of  this 
monafterv,  it  appears  that  Robert  Fitzharding  firft  Lord  of  Berkeley  and  prime 
founder  of  it  deccafed,  a  canon  of  the  fame,  as  is  evident  by  his  obit  in  their 
mortilage,  which  was  yearly  in  the  chaptcr-houfe  in  this  fort  rehearfed,  viz. 
"  This  day  deccafed  Robert  Fitzharding  canon,  and  our  founder;"  and  the 
fame  is  witncffed  by  the  charter  of  his  fon  Maurice,  fecond  Lord  Berkeley 
in  thefe  words  :  "  Be  it  known  to  all  Chriftian  men,  that  I  Maurice  fon  and 
heir  of  Sir  Robert  Fitzharding  have  granted  and  confirmed  for  the  health  of 
my  foul  and  of  all  my  anceflry,  to  the  church  of  St.  Auftin  by  Briftol,  the 
which  my  lord  and  father  hath  founded,  all  fuch  things  which  my  faid  father 
hath  given  and  granted  to  the  canons  of  the  faid  church,  viz.  within  Berkeley 
Hernefs,  Almondfbury,  Horfield,  Afhel  worth,  and  Cromhall,  the  which  he 
gave  unto  them  when  he  became  and  was  a  canon  :  the  which  Sir  Robert  died 
February  5,  1170,  and  was  buried  between  the  abbot's  and  prior's  flail,  and 
next  to  the  abbot's  ftall  entering  in  the  choir,  and  Eva  his  wife  was  buried  by 
him,  who  died  the  12th  of  March  following."  He  was  75  years  old  at  his 
death.  Maurice  died  the  16th  of  June,  ii8g,  and  was  buried  in  the  parifh 
church  of  Brentford,  and  had  ilTue  Robert  and  Thomas  both  Lords  of  Berke- 
ley, for  that  Thomas  fucceeded  his  brother  Robert  who  died  without  iffue, 
which  faid  Robert  Lord  of  Berkeley  was  firft  founder  of  the  hofpital  of  St- 
Catherine  in  Bedminfter,  and  M'as  brought  up  in  his  youth  in  the  court  of 
Henry  2d.  his  obit  was  celebrated  yearly  at  the  faid  hofpital  with  great  folem- 
nity.    (Vide  chapter  on  RedclifFparifii  below.) 

Sir  Robert  Fitzharding  firft  Lord  of  Berkeley  began  the  foundation  of  the 
abbey  of  St.  Auftin's  in  1140,  and  built  the  church  and  all  the  offices  in  fix 
years  time  ;  when  Simon  Bifhop  of  Worcefter,  Robert  Bifhop  of  Exeter, 
GeofFry  Bifhop  of  LlandafF,  and  Gilbert  Bifhop  of  St.  Afaph,  dedicated  the 
church  of  the  faid  monaftery,  and  then  afterwards  Simon  Bifhop  of  Worcefter 
induced  fix  canons  of  the  monaftery  of  Wigmore,  gathered  and  chofen  by  the 
faid  Sir  Robert  into  his  church  and  monaftery,  on  Eafter-day,  April  11,  1148. 
"  For  which  good  Lord  Sir  Robert  our  founder  and  dame  Eva  his  wife 
thefe  be  the  fpecial  things  due  for  them,  befides  the  general  prayers  continu- 
ally done  in  divine  fervice  by  day  and  by  night  :  firft  a  daily  fpecial  prayer  faid 
for  them  and  all  other  fundators  and  benefaf\ors  at  the  hour  of  fevcn  in  the 
morning,  and  alfo  daily  prayers  by  name  in  our  chaptcr-houfe  openly.  Alfo 
they  have  other  rites  folemnly  fung  with  ringing  on  the  eve  of  their  annivcr- 

fary 


[      251       ] 

fary  and  on  the  morrow  commendations  ;  the  abbot  for  the  founder,  and  the 
prior  for  the  foundrcfs,  executing  the  divine  fervicc.  On  the  i.iorrow  of  the 
day  of  the  annivcrfary  one  hundred  poor  men  be  refrcflied,  every  one  of  them 
having  a  canon's  loaf  of  bread  called  a  mvchc  and  three  herrings  therewith, 
and  amongft  them  all  two  bufhcls  of  peafc  :  alfo  another  dole  that  day  fliall  be 
given  of  money,  cake,  and  loaves;  the  abbot  having  a  cake  price  4  d.  with 
two  cafles  of  bread  and  4d.  for  wine  ;  the  prior,  fub-prior,  and  almoner, 
every  of  them  two  cakes  price  2d.  each,  with  one  cad  of  bread,  and  2d.  for 
wine  ;  every  fecular  fervant  of  the  houfehold  within  the  monaftcry  to  have 
a  penny  cake  and  a  caft  of  bread ;  every  frier  within  every  houfe  of  the  four 
orders  of  Briftol  to  have  a  loaf,  and  likewife  every  prifoner  within  the  gaol  of 
Newgate  of  Briftol  a  loaf:  and  all  the  reft  of  the  bread  undealt  to  be  dealt  at 
the  gate  of  the  faid  nionaftery  among  poor  people,  and  every  man  taking  part 
of  this  dole  fhall  have  forty  day's  pardon.  And  in  the  day  of  the  annivcrfary 
of  dame  Eva  his  wife  fliall  be  dealt  to  fiftv  poor  men  fifty  loaves  called  myches 
with  three  herrings  apiece,  and  amongft  them  all  a  buftiel  of  peafe." 

This  Robert  the  founder  for  whom  the  monks  had  reafon  to  pray  by  his 
deeds  laid  down  upon  the  altar,  endowed  this  monaftery  with  the  manors  of 
Almondfbury,  Horfield,  Aflielworth,  Cromehall,  Cerney,  Blackensford,*  and 
divers  lands  in  Erlingham  in  the  county  of  Gloucefter  ;  and  the  manor  of 
Leigh  near  Bedminfter,  and  St.  Catherine's  near  Portbury  in  the  county  of 
Somerfet;  Fifehead,  in  the  county  of  Dorfet ;  and  the  manor  of  Bellifwick 
juxta  Briftol,  wherein  the  monaftery  is  fcated  ;  and  with  the  churches  and  ad- 
vowfons  of  Tickenham  and  Portburv,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  and  the 
churches  and  advowfons  of  Berkeley,  t  Wotton,  Bolnhall,  Beverfton,  Aftiel- 
worth,  and  Almondfbury,  and  all  other  his  churches  and  advowfons  in  the 
hundred  of  Berkeley  with  their  chapels,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter,  and  with 
divers  houfes  in  Briftol. 

Second  Robert,  fon  of  Robert  Fitzharding,  gave  to  this  monaftery  the 
church  of  St.  Nicholas  in  Briftol,  +  divers  meffuages  in  the  faid  town,  and 
lands  in  Paulet,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet. 

H  H   2  Firft 

*  The  manor  of  Blackfwonh  in  1746  confided  of  eighteen  mcfTuages  and  land  in  copyhold, 
fix  in  leafchold,  the  whole  amounting  to  647I.  per  annum,  bcfidcs  coal-works.  Rownham- 
ferr)',  a  part  of  it,  then  let  at  lool.  per  annum. 

+  In  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  by  aft  of  parliament  the  Lord  of  Berkeley  gave  the  reftorj'  of 
of  Sutton  Honinton,  in  the  county  of  Nottingham,  to  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol,  in  exchange 
for  the  faid  Lord  to  have  the  prefcntation  of  Berkeley  church. 

J  It  is  ufual  now  for  the  Bifhop  to  have  his  vifitation-fcrmon  there,  probably  from  its  being 
the  firft  church  in  Briftol  given  to  the  monaftery. 


C   252    ] 

Firft  Maurice,  cldeft  brother  to  the  above  Robert,  gave  in  dotcm  or  towards 
the  marriage  portion  of  that  monaftery  (as  the  deed  calls  it)  two  hides  of  land 
in  Hinton,  and  one  in  Alkinton,  in  the  paridi  of  Berkeley,  and  the  tithes  of 
all  pannage  of  his  chafes  of  Micklewood,  Appleridge,  Oakley,  and  Weak  or 
Wotton  parks,  and  pafture  for  fo  many  oxen  as  will  till  a  plow-land  to  feed 
with  oxen,  as  pure  and  perpetual  alms.  He  died  the  firft  of  Richard  1  ft.  1 1 89, 
and  is  buried  at  Brentford  near  London,  out  of  fome  pique  to  the  abbot  of 
St.  Auguftine,  who  had  offended  him  :  vide  the  Dean's  manufcript.  This  lord 
was  the  firft  that  took  upon  him  the  name  of  Berkeley  and  lived  there. 

Third  Robert  Lord  Berkeley,  fon  of  the  above  Maurice,  confirmed  all  his 
father's  and  grandfather's  grants  to  this  monaftery,  and  alfo  gave  to  the  faid 
church  all  his  houfes,  lands,  and  tenements  within  the  walls  of  Briftol,  which 
(as  the  deed  exprefleth)  were  many  and  great.  He  alfo  gave  divers  lands  in 
Berkeley,  Ham,  Cowley,  Nibley,  and  Hulmancot,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter. 
This  lord  took  up  arms  againft  King  John,  and  with  other  nobles  invited 
Lewis  the  French  King's  fon  into  England,  for  which  his  eftates  were  feized 
to  the  King's  ufe.  In  the  beginning  of  Henry  3d's.  reign  he  was  pardoned 
for  a  fine  of  966 1.  He  was  a  pious  and  good  man,  and  built  St.  Catherine's 
hofpital  at  Bedminfter,  at  Brightbow,  where  now  a  glafs-houfe  is  erefted.  — 
Alfo  he  gave  about  the  year  1207  his  fountain,  called  Huge  Well,  to  the 
parifliioners,  &c.  of  St.  Mary  Redcliff"  in  Briftol.  He  died  the  fourth  of 
Henry  3d.  1220,  and  is  buried  in  the  north  aile  of  St.  Auguftine's  monaftery 
over  againft  the  high  altar  (in  an  arch  lying)  in  a  monk's  coul,  a  ufual  faftiion 
for  great  lords  in  thofe  times;  Julian  and  Lucy,  his  two  wives,  arc  buried 
near  him  :   Lucy  furvived  him,   and  afterward  married  Hugh  de  Gourney. 

Firft  Thomas  Lord  Berkelev,  brother  to  the  above  Robert,  alfo  confirmed 
to  the  monaftery  all  the  donations  of  his  anceftors  by  particular  name,  and 
likewife  gave  them  divers  lands  in  Berkeley,  Cowley,  and  Hinton,  in  the 
county  of  Glocefter,  alfo  common  of  pafture  for  twenty-four  oxen  in  Ham, 
and  difcharged  all  their  lands  in  the  hundred  of  Berkeley  and  Portbury  from 
all  fervice  and  earthlv  demands.  He  was  alfo  a  sreat  benefactor  to  St.  Cathc- 
rine's  hofpital  nigh  Briftol.  He  having  offended  King  Henry  3d.  was  obliged 
to  enter  himfelf  a  Knight  Templar,  and  fo  was  honourably  baniflied  :  he  died 
in  the  76th  year  of  his  age  and  in  the  27th  of  Henry  3d's.  reign,  1243,  and 
lies  buried  in  the  fouth  aile  of  St.  Auguftin's,  under  the  arch  next  the  rood 
altar,  where  his  wife  was  alfo  buried.  The  Lords  of  Berkeley  did  bear  in 
their  arms  a  chevron  only,  till  this  Thomas  charged  his  coat  with  ten  croftcs, 

which 


C  253   ] 

which    Sir  John  Preflwich  very   ingcnioufly   fuppofes  was  given   him   for  his 
great  devotion  to  the  church,  and  alhrding  to  the  ten  Ave  Mary  prayers. 

Second  Maurice  Lord  Berkeley,  fun  and  heir  to  the  above  Thomas,  con- 
firmed to  the  abbot  and  convent  all  the  lands  which  his  anceflors  had  given 
them,  and  all  other  freeholds  given  them  within  his  fee  and  lordfliip,  and  alfo 
gave  them  lands  in  Berkeley,  Beverflon,  Wolgafton,  and  Erlingham,  and 
common  of  pafture  of  ruther  beafls  and  fwine  to  feed  in  divers  of  his  manors. 
By  another  deed  he  grants  a  common  of  padure  to  them  for  twenty-four  oxen, 
feven  fows,  and  one  boar  with  the  breed  of  an  year  old,  in  Walmergafton, 
Ham,  Lafrid,  and  GorR.  Maurice  fccond  Lord  Berkeley  married  Ifabel, 
daughter  of  Maurice  de  Creoun,  a  baron  in  Lincolnfliire,  by  Ifabel  his  wife, 
daughter  of  Hugh  le  Brun  Earl  of  March  by  Ifabel,  widow  to  King  John;  fo 
as  that  this  elder  Ifabel  Lady  Berkeley  was  indeed  on  the  mother's  fide  neice 
to  King  Henry  3d.— SJiys  Kennet  in  parochial  antiquities. 

Lord  Maurice  died  in  the  9th  year  of  King  Edward  ift.  anno 
1281,  and  lieth  buried  in  the  north  aile  of  this  monaftery,  next  to  the 
altar  of  Sir  Maurice.  He  died  fcized  of  the  manors  of  Berkelev,  Cam,  Hin- 
ton,  Cowley,  and  Alkington,  and  of  Redcliff-fireet  without  Brinol,  belonging 
to  the  manor  of  Bedminfter. 

Second  Thomas  Lord  Berkeley,  fon  of  the  above  Maurice,  was  thirty  years 
old  at  his  father's  death  :  he  confirmed  to  the  abbot  and  convent  all  the  dona- 
tions which  his  father  and  anceftors  had  given  them,  alfo  dircQed  that  the 
lands  given  by  them  fliould  be  a  manor  within  the  hundred  of  Berkelev,  and 
fhould  be  called  the  manor  of  Canonbury  ;  and  granted  them  a  court  leet 
with  flocks,  pillory,  and  tumbrel  in  the  faid  manor,  except  in  the  town  of 
Berkeley  ;  alfo  he  reftored  to  them  their  plate  and  veftments,  which  had  been 
plundered  from  them  in  the  barons  wars,  being  of  great  value,  as  Abbot  New- 
land  particularly  has  fet  them  down  to  the  value  of32l.  3s.  4d.  In  confidcration 
of  his  fcrvices  in  the  wars,  he  had  grant  of  the  liberty  to  hunt  the  hare,  fox,, 
&c.  in  the  King's  forefts  of  Mendip  *  and  Kingfwood.  This  Lord  Thomas 
was  a  wife,  prudent  pcrfon;  he  kept  two  hundred  attendants  in  his  family.  •■— 
The  15th  of  Edward  ift.  1287,  a  quo  warranto  was  brought  a^ainfl  him  to 
fet  forth  his  claim  of  markets  and  fairs  in  the  manor  and  hundred  of  Berkeley  : 
he  pleaded  his  grant  from  King  Henry  2d.  which  was  allowed.  Alfo  the  abbot 
of  St.  Auguflin  was  fervcd  with  the  fame  warrant,  to  fet  forth  his  title  to  court 
leets  in  Berkeley,  which  was  allowed.  This  lord  was  at  moft  battles  in  Edward 
the  ifl's.  reign.    He  was  conllable  and  general  of  a  greatarmy  led  into  France, 

and 

•  Muncdup  or  Moinedoppc  in  ancient  records,  many  knolls  or  hillocks,  where  minerals  have 
been  dug.     Mtndip,  in  Soracrfctniirc. 


[     254     ] 

and  vas  one  of  the  plenipotentiaries  to  make  the  peace.  Having  taken  the 
fieh!  twenty-eight  times,  at  lafl  he  M^as  taken  prifoner  at  the  fatal  hattle  of 
Bannock's-Bunough  in  Scotland.  He  married  Jane,  daughter  of  William  de 
Ferrers  Earl  of  Derhy.  He  died  in  the  76th  year  of  his  age  and  14th  of 
Edward  2d.  1321,  and  lies  buried  with  Jane  his  wife  in  the  arch  between  the 
veflrv  and  upper  end  of  the  fouth  aile  in  this  monaltery  :  See  the  arms  on  the 
fouth  fide  of  his  tomb  in  the  veflry.  He  gave  the  friers  minors  and  friers 
preachers  of  Glocefter  and  Briftol  divers  quarters  of  wheat  out  of  his  feveral 
granaries. 

Third  Maurice  Lord  Berkeley  fon  and  heir  to  the  lafl.  Lord  Thomas,  alfo 
confirmed  the  gifts  and  grants  of  his  anceflors  to  this  monaflery.  This  Lord 
had  a  child  at  14  years  old.  He  died  a  prifoner  in  Wallingford  caftle  the  19th 
of  Edward  2d.  1326,  he  was  firfl:  buried  there,  but  his  body  was  afterwards 
removed  to  this  monaftery  and  is  buried  in  the  fouth  aile  under  the  arch 
before  the  choir  door,  whereby  appears  the  miftake  of  Grafton,  who  writes 
that  King  Edward  2d.  was  committed  to  the  care  of  this  Lord  Maurice  in 
Berkeley  caftle,  whereas  he  died  the  King's  prifoner  fix  months  before  the 
King's  imprifonment. 

Thomas  Lord  Berkeley  the  third  of  that  name,  and  fon  and  heir  to  the  lafl; 

i^ord  Maurice,  confirmed  to  the  abbot  and  convent  all   the  gifts  and  grants  of 

his  anceflors,  by  a  general  recital  of  all  their  benefa8;ions ;  alfo  he  granted  to 

them  all  eftraysandcomelyrs  as  by  the  bailifFof  the  faid  Lord  fliould  be  found 

upon  any  of  the  faid  abbot's  lands.     This  Lord  Thomas  is  faid  to  have  been 

privy  to  the  murder  of  King  Edward  the  2d.  at  Berkeley  caftle,  but  he  got  off 

on  his  trial ;  and  Stowe  clears  him.      He  married  Margaret  daughter  of  Roger 

Mortimer  Earl  of  March,  whofe  arms  in  painted  glafs  is  in  this  church  in  the 

choir,  (over  the   Codrington's  monument.)      He  was  buried  in  the  church  of 

Berkeley  the  35th  of  Edward  the  3d.  1361.      It  appears  in  Pryn's  Abridgment 

of  the  Records  of  the  Tower,  that  he  was  not  guilty  of  the  murder  of  King 

Edward,  but  that  Thomas  de  Gornay  and  William  de   Ogle  did  it,  while  he 

lay  fick  at  Bewdley.     He  was  a  great  combatant,  was  at  the  battle  of  Poitliers 

and  wounded  therein,  and  built  Beverflon  caftle  by  the  gains  he  acquired  in 

the  wars. — Wolftan  v.  i.f.  126.     The  Lord  Thomas  de  Berkelie  with  licence 

of  King  Edward  3d.  founded  a  perpetual  chavinlrv  in  the  abbacy  of  St.  Auguftin, 

Briftol,  and  gave  to  William  de  Underlith  chaplain  and  his  fuccefTors  chaplains, 

perpetually  to  celebrate  every  day  divine  offices  in  theaforcfaid  abbacy  for  his 

foul   and  the  foul  of  Margaret  formerly  his  wife,  and  for  the  fouls  of  all  the 

faithful,  two  mefl^uages  and   20s.    rent,  with    their  appertinances    in  Briftol, 

dated 


[    255    ] 

dated  the  25th  April  1348.     WitnefTes  Maurice  de   Berkly    his   deareft  fon, 
Tho.  de  Bradftone. 

Maurice  Lord  Berkeley  the  4th  of  that  name,  was  fon  and  heir  of  the  laft 
Lord  Thomas,  he  obtained  a  papal  bull  from  Pope  Urban  the  2d.  for  40  days 
pardon  and  releafe  of  pennance  injoined  to  every  one  that  fhould  in  the 
church  and  monaftery  of  St.  Auflin  (being  then  ruinous  and  to  be  repaired) 
upon  the  feflival  days  in  the  year  hear  mafs,  or  fay  kneeling  three  ave  maries, 
or  fliould  give  any  veftment,  ornament,  gold,  fdver,  books,  chalifes,  or  any 
aids  of  charity  to  the  repair  of  the  faid  church  ;  and  whoever  fliould  pray  there 
for  the  life  and  good  eftate  of  the  noble  Lord  Maurice  de  Berkeley  and  the 
noble  Lady  Elizabeth  his  wife  and  their  children,  or  for  any  being  in  pur- 
gatory, fhould  be  releafcd  40  days  of  the  pennance  injoined  them,  which  for 
the  infallibility  thereof  is  alio  under  the  feals  of  four  cardinals  vet  extant.  In 
the  40th  of  Edward  the  3d.  1366,  Lord  Maurice  gave  to  ^^'m.  Winchcomb 
chaplain,  a  houfe  before  the  gate  of  St,  Auguftin's  monaftery,  with  the  garden 
and  dove-houfe,  (now  the  dean's  houfe,)  and  feveral  houfes  in  Broad-flreet  in 
Briftol,  to  pray  in  faid  monaftcry  for  the  foul  of  Margaret  his  mother,  and 
lands  in  Portbury  to  pray  alfo  for  his  father  and  wife  deceafed.  This  Lord 
■was  a  great  warrior  in  Spain,  he  was  married  at  eight  years  old  to  Elizabeth 
daughter  of  Hugh  Lord  Spencer,  and  died  the  4 2d  of  Edward  the  3d.  1368, 
of  his  wounds  at  the  battle  of  Poitters,  and  lieth  with  Margaret  his  mother  who 
died  the  5th  of  May  1337,  (daughter  to  Roger  Mortimer,)  at  the  monaftery 
of  St.  Auftin  in  the  great  tomb  under  the  arch  between  the  old  chapel  of  our 
Lady  and  the  north  aile,  at  the  foot  of  the  pulpit  fleps. 

The  fourth  Maurice  was  fucceeded  by  his  fon  Thomas,  the  fourth  of  that 
name,  who  held  the  manors  and  hundred  of  Bedminfter,  HareclifT  and  Portbury, 
and  the  third  part  of  Portifhead  inter  alia  ;  the  manors  of  Limeridge-wood, 
Wefton  in  Gordan,  and  Walton  :  to  him  fucceeded  James  his  coufin  and 
heir  male,  who  dving  1404  was  buried  at  St.  Auguflin's,  Brillol;  he  gave  fix 
marks  to  find  a  priefl  to  pray  for  his  foul  in  that  church. 

William  Lord  Berkeley  grand  nephew  to  Thomas  Lord  Berkeley  the  fourth 
of  that  name,  and  fon  of  Lord  Maurice  the  fourth  lafl-mentioned,  gave  to  this 
monaftery  by  deed  dated  the  4th  of  Henry  the  7th.  1489,  feveral  houfes  in 
London,  and  lands  in  the  counties  of  Worcefter  and  Buckingham,  in  recom- 
pence  whereof  the  abbot  and  convent  accepted  this  Lord  Marquis  and  the 
Lady  Anne  his  wife  (who  was  daughter  of  John  Ficncs  Lord  Dacres)  into 
their  fpiritual  fociety  and  fraternity,  and  admitted  them  to  the  participation  of 
all  the  benefits,  works  and  merits  wrought  by  him,  as  well  in  niaflLs,  hours, 

prayers^ 


[     256    ] 

prayers,  watchings,  faflings,  difcipline  and  liofpitaliiies,  as  in  alms  or  other 
benefices  which  hereafter  fliall  be  done  or  had  in  their  nionaftery,  with  the 
addition  from  their  fpecial  grace  and  bounty,  viz.  that  when  the  deaths  of  this 
Lord  and  his  wife  fhall  be  made  known  to  them,  there  fliall  be  as  much  faid 
and  done  for  their  fouls,  as  for  the  brothers  and  fifters  and  other  benefatlors 
of  the  faid  place  :  this  \\'illiam  flood  in  fuch  favour  with  King  Edward  the 
4th,  thathe  had  a  grant  of  100  marks  per  annum  from  the  King  during  his  life, 
to  be  received  out  of  the  cufloms  of  the  port  of  Briftol.  He  was  the  firft  of 
this  family  created  a  Marquis,  the  4th  of  King  Henry  the  7th.  1489.  He  was 
feized  at  one  time  in  his  own  rijjht  and  in  the  right  of  his  wife,  of  above  120 
manors,  but  fpent  a  great  part  of  them  to  purchafe  honours,  pardons  and 
proteclions  againft  his  enemies.  He  alfo  took  occafion  to  except  againfl  his 
brother  Maurice  the  fifth  as  his  fucceffor,  becaufe  he  had  not  married  w  iih  a 
perfon  of  honourable  parentage,  (flie  being  Ifabella  daughter  to  Philip  Mead 
Efq;  defcended  from  the  Meads  of  Meads-place  in  Fayland,  in  the  parifli  of 
■V\'raxall,  Somerfet,  then  alderman  of  Briftol,)  and  gave  all  his  lands  from  him, 
alfo  he  conveyed  over  the  honour  of  Berkeley  to  King  Henry  the  7th.  and  to 
the  heirs  male  of  his  body,  by  which  the  baronage  was  held  from  his  family,  it 
being  appendant  to  the  caflle ;  the  crown  having  kept  poflcffion  of  the  ho- 
nour of  Berkeley  and  many  eftates  belonging  to  thefe  Lords  until  the  death  of 
Edward  the  6ih.  being  61  years,  when  they  returned  to  this  family  again.  He 
died  without  iffue  the  7th  of  Henry  7th.  1491,  and  was  buried  at  the  Auguflin 
Friery  in  London,  -which  he  had  repaired  or  new-built. 

Fifth  Maurice  brother  to  William,  being  difinherited,  buficd  himfelf  in 
regaining  his  inheritance,  in  which  he  in  part  fucceeded,  but  died  the  22dof 
Henry  the  7th. 

Maurice  Lord  Berkeley  the  fixth  of  this  name  was  nephew  to  the  lafl  "Wil- 
liam, or  fon  to  the  lafl.  Maurice,  he  built  a  chapel  in  thismonaftery,  which  is 
railed  in,  (where  the  family  of  Ncwtons  are  buried,)  intending  therein  to  be 
buried,  but  dying  in  Calais  in  the  15th  of  King  Henry  the  8th.  1523,  was 
buried  in  Trinity  chapel  there.  By  his  will  he  gave  to  this  monaftery  his  beft 
pair  of  veftments  with  all  the  furniture,  and  20I.  in  money,  one  gilt  crofs  with 
all  the  relifls  enclofed  in  the  fame,  with  all  his  bell  gilt  colets,  alfo  one  pair  of 
Avhite  veftments  M'ith  all  their  furniture,  and  the  belt  pair  of  black  veflments 
with  his  beft  miffal,  and  a  good  chalice,  thefe  are  the  words  of  his  will.  He 
was  high-flicrilTof  Glocefterfhire  the  7th  of  Henry  the  8th.  1516  ;  he  after  was 
governor  of  Calais  and  made  a  baron  by  writ  the  14th  of  Henry  the  8th.  1523. 
His  wife  was  Katherine  daughter  of  Sir  ^\'illiam  Berkeley  of  Stoke-Giffard ; 

he 


C   257    ] 

he  had  no  iffue,  but  one  baflard  fon,  who  is  the  only  unlawful  fon  hoard  of  in 
this  family. 

Thomas  Lord  Berkeley  the  fifth  of  that  name  and  brother  to  the  above  Lord 
Maurice,  was  conftable  of  Berkeley  caftle  which  was  then  in  the  crown, 
hediedthe  24th  of  Henry  the  8th.  1532,  and  lieth  buried  in  this  monaftery 
under  a  fine  tomb  with  Elenor  his  firft  wife  :  ibis  is  faid  to  be  the  lad  Lord 
Berkeley  that  was  buried  in  this  monaftery.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns  fays  that  this 
Lord  married  Elizabeth  daughter  of  Sir  Marmaduke  Conftable  of  Yorkfliirc, 
and  his  laft  wife  was  Cicely  widow  of  Richard  Rowden  of  Glocefter  Efq. 
Dugdale  fays  that  by  his  will  he  ordained  that  his  body  (hould  be  buried 
without  great  pomp  or  pride  in  the  parifli  church  of  Mangotsfield,  near  to  the 
place  where  he  ufed  to  kneel  under  the  partition  between  the  choir  and  his 
own  chapel ;  and  within  a  quarter  of  a  year  after  to  be  brought  to  St.  Auflin's, 
Briftol,  and  there  buried  near  unto  his  firfl  wife. 

Thus  to  this  noble  family  was  this  monaftery  beholden  for  its  liberal  endow- 
ment as  well  as  for  its  firft  foundation  and  ereflion  :  each  of  them  diftinguifticd 
himfelf  as  the  loving  father  and  patron  of  this  church  :  they  nurfed  it  as  it 
were  from  its  cradle,  fupported  it  in  its  infancy,  and  ftill  continued  to  proteft 
and  enrich  it  in  the  riper  years  of  its  maturity  ;  and  were  doubtlefs  men  of  as 
great  piety  and  extenfive  charity  as  they  were  many  of  them  of  the  greateft 
abilities  both  in  the  cabinet  and  in  the  field :  they  gave  fuch  large  eftates  to 
monafteries  from  a  pious  zeal  and  religious  motive,  and  endowed  them  with  fo 
many  benefices,  that  the  family  is  faid  to  have  had  but  one  reclorv  to  which 
thcv  might  prefent  a  chaplain,  which  was  Sutton  Bonington,  and  that  after- 
wards was  exchanged  for  the  vicarage  of  Berkeley  near  their  caftle. 

Befides  the  benefaflions  bcftowed  on  this  monaftery  by  this  noble  family  at 
different  times  as  before  related,  it  can  alfo  boaft  of  many  Kings  and  Princes 
that  favoured  it  with  their  grants  and  confirmations,  and  protefted  it  with  their 
power ;  and  many  private  gentlemen  of  fortune  diftinguilhed  it  with  tlieir 
bounty. 

Amongft  the  former  Henry  the  2d.  when  Duke  of  Normandy  and  Earl  of 
Anjou,  gave  a  charter  of  confirmation  of  lands  and  rents  belonging  to  the 
crown  of  England  to  this  monaftery,  "  which  (favs  he)  I  began  to  alfift  with 
my  benefaction  and  cherifti  with  my  protcftion  in  the  beginning  of  my  youth, 
{initio  jxmcfUutis  mece.y — King  John  confirmed  all  preceding  grants,  and  quit- 
claimed their  land  from  the  view  of  his  forefters,  and  the  rule  of  the  foreft 
(regnardo,)  and  gave   them  41  acres   in  EifTcniorc  free  fioni  all  fcrvices  &c. 

I  I  He 


[     258     ] 

He  alfo  granted  and  confirmed  to  them  Leigh,  a  member  of  Bedminfter  near 
Briftol. — Edward  the  2d.  alfo  by  charter  confirmed  all  former  grants. 

Ralph  Earl  of  Chefter  gave  the  land  of  Fifehead  in  Dorfetfliire  and  the 
church  of  All  Saints  in  Briftol. 

Mabiie  Countefs  of  Glocefler,  mother  of  Earl  William,  gave  them  fixty 
acres  of  land  in  Romne  marfh,  between  the  monaftery  of  St.  Peter  de  Mora 
and  the  grove  towards  the  north. 

William  Earl  of  Gloceftcr  gave  them  one  hundred  acres  in  Kiburgh  between 
Duneleis  and  Kcnelechi,  and  Runn  and  Doneftone  acrofs  from  fide  to  fide. 

Ofbert  de  Pennard  gave  the  land  of  Pennard  with  its  appurtenances  and 
liberties,  and  particularly  the  pafture  between  Teach  and  Clay,  and  Earl 
William  confirmed  it  to  them. 

John  de  Cogan  gave  twenty  acres  of  land  and  two  acres  of  meadow  near 
Pennard.  A\'illiam,  fon  of  Gregory,  gave  forty  folidatcs  of  land  in  Alberton. 
William  de  Lond  gave  the  lands  of  Blacken fword.  Gregory  de  Turry 
eight  folidats  of  rent  in  Newport.  Eudo  de  Morevil  half  a  virgate  of  land  at 
W^rokeflialc  and  the  mill  of  Radeford.  Richard  de  Wrokefhale,  the  fon  of 
Toni,  his  land  of  Radeford.  William,  the  fon  of  Robert  the  fon  of  Martin, 
a  mefTuage  in  Blakedone  with  two  crofts,  ten  acres  of  land,  with  common  of 
pafture  in  the  fame  vill.  William,  the  fon  of  Afcy,  and  Galfrid  his  brother, 
one  rood  of  land  at  Wefton. 

King  John  granted  and  confirmed  all  the  burgages  that  they  had  in  the  town 
of  Briftol  and  without,  as  well  in  the  fair  as  elfe where,  given  to  them  after 
the  death  of  William  Earl  of  Glocefter  ;  alfo  the  mills  they  have  upon  the 
Trincl,  and  the  lands  which  they  have  at  Blackenfword. 

William  de  Cliftedon  gave  tire  church  of  Cliftcdone.  Gilbert  dc  Aldclanc 
gave  half  a  hide  of  land  in  Fcrenbcrge.  Nicholas,  the  fon  of  Robert  (Fitz- 
harding),  the  church  of  Tikeham.  Earl  William  the  church  of  Grantendene, 
the  church  of  Halbertone,  and  the  church  of  Ronne  and  of  Flat  Holme. 
William,  the  fon  of  Gregory,  the  church  of  Finenere.  King  John  granted 
and  confirmed  to  them  all  their  liberties  and  free  cuftoms,  and  that  the  canons 
ftiall  be  ever  free  from  toll  and  paffage  for  lliips,  men,  and  boats,  and  be  quit 
from  all  exa£lions  belonging  to  him  in  the  ports  of  the  fea  or  elfewhere. 

By  an  old  deed  extant  in  the  bifhop's  regiftcrs  of  the  church  of  Wells,  dated 
1257,  it  appears  that  the  churches  of  Portbury,  Tykenham,  Were,  and  Pou- 
Ict  were  then  appropriated  to  the  abbot  and  convent  of  St.  Auguftin,  Briftol. 

This  houfc  was  one  of  the  great  abbies,  and  the  whole  conventconfifted  of  an 
abbot,prior,  (ub-prior,  and  about  fourteen  friers  or  canons  regular,  profcfting  the 

rule 


[    259    ] 

rule  of  St.  Auguflin,  of  the  order  of  St.  Vitlor ;  whether  they  did  not  increafe 
the  number  of  their  body,  according  to  their  income  and  ability,  does  not 
appear;  that  fuch  was  the  number  in  1353  however  is  clear. 

The  form  obferved  in  elefting  the  abbot  was  the  following,  as  I  find  it  in 
a  Latin  deed,    dated  March  7,    1353,  when  William  Coke,  the  fub-prior, 
was  chofen  abbot,  about  whofe  ele8ion   fomc  difpute  had  arifen,  which  was 
determined  at  length  by  the  prior  of  the  church  of  Worcefter,  the  fee  being 
then  vacant: — "  Walter  de  Shafeftbury,  prior  of  the  monaftery  of  St.   Au- 
guflin, Briftol,  and  the  under-written  canons  regular  of  the  fame,  viz.  frier 
Thomas  de  Bykenore,  Robert  Dunflcrre,  Simon  de  Tormarton,  Robert  Syde, 
John  de  Lammer,  Richard  Martyn  Chamberlain,  John  Badminton,  Walter 
Cheltenham,     Laurence    de    Cyrencefter,    John   Snyte,    John    de    Launfton, 
M'altcr  Raguim,  Adam  Horfelye,  John  Goldenye,  John   Strete,  making  the 
convent  of  the  faid  monaftery,  being    met   in  the  chapter-houfe,  and  having 
received  the  licence  of  Philippa  Queen  of  England   their  patron  to  choofe  an 
abbot  in  room  of  Ralph  Afche  the  lad  abbot,  who  died  the   ift  of  March, 
1352,  the  word  of  God  being  firfl  expounded  and  an  hymn  de  Sanfto  Spiritu 
fung,  all  prefent  then  in  the  chapter-houfe  being  ordered  folemnly  to  depart 
■who  had  no  right  in  this  eleftion  of  an  abbot,  the  Queen's  letter  of  licence 
was  firft  read,  and  confideralion  had  among  themfelves  concerning  the  mode 
of  the  eleftion,  which  was  determined  to  be  by  fcrutiny  ;  three  fcrutators  out 
of  the  whole  were  then  chofen,  who  were  feparately   to  receive  the  vote  of 
each  prefent  in  a  fecret  manner  and  write  it  down,  and  fo  continue  the  fcru- 
tiny  till  the  major  part  of  the  canons  of  the  whole  convent  fliould  confent  to 
the  fame  fit  perfon  ;  which  being  done,  the  fcrutators  privately  retiring  to  one 
corner  of  the  chapter-houfe,  and  having  wrote  and  reckoned  the  votes,  they 
publifhed  their  fcrutiny  to  the  reft  in  common,  by  which  it  appeared  that  nine 
of  them   confentcd   to  name  William   Coke,  the  other  eight  of  them  divided 
their  votes  to  different  perfons.      The  beft  and  major  part  of  the  whole  con- 
vent having  thus  given  their  votes  for  William  Coke,  thereto   qualified  as  a 
religious  man^  profeffing  the  rule  of  St.   Auguftin  and  the   order  of  canons 
regular  inftituted  in  the  faid  monaftery,  honcft,  of  a  lawful  age  above  thirty, 
in  the  order  of  pricfthood,  born  in  lawful  wedlock,  on  all  which  accounts  the 
ele£lion  was  unanimoufty  ordered  to  be  made  by  Robert  Syde  thus:  "  In  the 
name    of  the    high    and   undivided   Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and   Holy    Spirit, 
Amen.     Whereas  the  monaftery  of  St.  Auguflin,  Briftol,  is  now  vacant  by 
the  death  of  Ralph  Afch  the  laft  abbot,  who  has  been  ecclefiaftically  interred, 
and  all  thofc  who  could  be  prefent  and  had  right  of  cicding  a  future  abbot  at 

I  I  2  a  day 


[       2Go      ] 

a  day  and  hour  appointed  for  fuch  eleftion  came  together  and  agreed,  that  the 
faid  clefiion   fhould  be  made   by   fcruliny,  which  was  accordingly  made  and 
piibliflied,  it  was  clearly  found  that  the  beft  and  major  part  of  the  faid  whole 
convent  agreed  upon  frier  William  Coke,  the  fub-prior,  a  provident  and  dif- 
crete  pcrfon,  competently  learned,  eminent  for  his  morals  and  converfalion 
in   life,  a    prieft   in    orders,  exprefsly  profeffing    the   rule    of   St.    Auguftin, 
and  the  order  of  canons  regular  in  the  faid  monaAery,  of  ripe  age,  begot  in 
iawful  matrimony,  prudent  in  all  temporal  and  fpiritual  matters,  whom  nothing 
prevents  of  canonical  inftitution.     Therefore  I  Robert  Syde,  precentor  of  the 
faid  monaltery  on  behalf  of  myfelf  and  the  whole  convent  by  the  power  given 
me  by  the  whole  convent,  invoking  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  do  eleft  our 
faid  brother  William  Coke  for  abbot  of  the  monaftery  aforefaid  :"  and  im- 
mediately afterwards  we  all  and  every  one  (the  faid  eleO:  only  excepted,  who 
then  neither  approved  nor  difapprovcd  the  faid  eleftion)  with  one  accord  con- 
fented  to  and  exprefsly  approved  of  the  faid  eleQion  fo  folemnly  celebrated; 
and  lifting  up  the  laid  elefted  brother  William  Coke  with  our  hands  amongft 
us,  and  finging   folemnly     Te    Deum    Laudamus,    we    carried    him    to  the 
high   altar   of    the   faid   monaftery,    and   reclined    him   upon   the    faid  altar 
according  to  cuftom,   and    faying    the    ufual  prayer    over    him,    we    com- 
manded the  faid  elcflion  to  be  publiflied  in  the  Englifh  tongue  to  the  clergv 
and  laitv   then  in  the  faid  monaflery  in  great  multitude  alTifting,  by  the  faid 
frier  Robert  Syde  there  prefent,  taking  on   him  that  order   by  our  direclion. 
The  day  following  i6th  March  at  three  o'clock  we  caufed  to  be  prefented  the 
procefs  of  the  faid  eleftion  by  our  follow  canon  and  pro6lor  Richard  Martyn 
to  the  faid  elecled  abbot,  defiring  that  he  would  vouchfafe  to  yield  confent  to 
the  faid  ele8ion  ;  he  willing  to  fee  the  faid  procefs  and  to  deliberate  concern- 
ing it  received  it,   and  at  nine  o'clock  the  fame  day  the  faid  proclor  required 
of  him  confent  to  the  faid  ele£lion  in  this  manner  :  "  I  frier  Richard  Martyn, 
the  proflor  of  the  prior  and  convent  of  canons  regular  of  St.  Auguflin,  Briflol, 
in  the  diocefe  of  Worcefter,  do  prefent  to  vou  our  cletl  lord  for  abbot  of  the 
faid  monaflery  the  procefs  of  eletlion  made  of  you;  I  alfo  require  in  my  own 
and  the  name  of  the  faid  prior  and  convent  humbly,  that  you  would  vouchfafe 
to  impart  your  confent   to  the  faid  elcfclion."      After  this   the   faid  elcft  after 
fhort  deliberation  anfwered  the  faid  proclor,  and  confented  to  it  in  this  man- 
ner :  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit.   Amen.      I  William 
Coke,  canon  regular  of  the  monaflery  of  St.  Auguflin,  Briftol,  in  the  diocefe 
of  Worccfler,  obferving  from  the  tenor  of  the  procefs  of  eleftion  of  an  abbot 
of  the  faid  monaflery  made  of  me,  which  procefs  has  been  offered  to  me   and 
examined,  that   the    fuid  clctlion  has  been  made   in   canonical  form,  rcpofing 

hope 


[      25i       ] 

hope  in  God  of  my  ability  in  the  faid  matter,  and  unwilling  on  this  occafion  to 
refifl  the  divine  will,  in  honour  of  God  and  the  glorious  Virgin  and  of  St. 
Auguftin  to  whofe  honour  this  monaftery  was  built,  do  confent  to  this  eleftion 
made  of  me."  Thus  was  the  eleftion  of  an  abbot  conducted  in  all  its  forms; 
nothing  now  remained  but  the  convent  applying  to  the  Bifliop  of  Worcefler  to 
confirm  their  choice  and  to  confer  the  bencditlion  of  the  abbot,  which  finifiied 
the  whole,  and  the  abbot  was  inducted  and  inllallcd  by  the  prior  of  St.  James, 
to  whom  a  commifTion  from  the  fee  of  Worcefler  was  directed  for  that  pur- 
pofe.  Whether  this  abbot  conduced  the  affairs  of  the  monaftery  with  pru- 
dence and  good  conduct  and  reformed  abufes  does  not  appear;  but  it  is  very 
certain,  fuch  abufes  often  exifted  there,  and  in  very  carlv  times. 

In  the  year  1234,  upon  the  refignation  of  David  the  abbot,  William  prior 
of  the  fame  church  (called  William  dc  Bradftone)  fucceeded,  and  received  the 
bcnediftion  of  an  abbot  at  Worcefter,  and  fatisfied  the  facrifl  concerning  his 
cup  and  alb  (or  gown)  and  the  convent  in  the  procurations  of  40  s.  (ann. 
Wyg.)  and  in  1242  Walter  de  Cantclupe  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  vifitcd  the 
monaftcry,and  upon  the  refignation  of  William  the  abbot,  Wm.  the  Camerarius 
de  Keynfliam  fucceeded  and  made  the  fame  fatisfa8ion. 

In  the  year  1278,  gth  Xov.  Godfrey  Bifhop  of  WorceRer,  in  his  vifitation 
of  the  abby  of  St,  Auguftin,  Briftol,  found  it  as  well  in  temporal  as  fpiritual 
matters  greatly  decayed,  (damnabiliter  prolapfam)  and  ordered,  "  that  in 
future  they  do  not  as  bees  fly  out  of  the  choir  as  foon  as  fervice  is  ended,  but 
devoutly  wait  as  become  holy  and  fettled  perfons,  not  as  vagrants  and  vat^a- 
bonds ;  and  returning  to  God  due  thanks  for  their  benefactors,  and  fo  receiv- 
ing at  laft  the  fruits  of  their  religion,  to  which  they  have  fpecially  devoted 
themfelves.  And  as  the  prefent  abbot  was  not  fufficiently  inftruQed  to  pro- 
pound the  word  of  God  in  common,  he  appointed  others  in  his  ftead  :  and 
that  filencc  be  better  obferved  than  ufual,  that  no  one  go  out  without  urgent 
neceflity,  and  not  then  but  when  two  are  in  company,  one  the  elder  the  other 
the  younger,  licenfed  by  the  abbot,  or  the  prior  in  his  abfence. 

In  the  chapter  corrc6lion  was  to  be  done  without  refpcct  of  perfons,  harder 
penance  to  be  impofed  on  the  more  grofs  and  frequent  offenders.  In  the  re- 
fectory the  friers  were  to  be  provided  as  was  reqviifite  and  the  eftates  would 
allow,  and  to  keep  filence  there  as  the  regular  obfervance  requires,  and  there 
all  were  to  live  in  common  and  cat,  unlefs  necelTity  force  them  to  do  other- 
wife,  and  no  brother  was  to  difpofe  of  the  fragments  of  the  table,  but  the 
whole  be  laid  up  for  alms.  In  the  infirmary  food  and  drink  was  to  be  pro- 
vided for  the  fick,  and  other  things  ufeful    for  them  :  and  he  forbad  under  a 

curfe 


[      262       ] 

curfe  that  any  feign  Iiimfclf  fick  when  he  is  not  fo,  to  live  a  difTolute  life  and 
fraudulently  defpife  God's  worfhip  ;  and  on  the  like  penalty  he  forbad  any 
fecular  perfons  being  introduced  to  them  except  the  phyfician  and  the  fervants 
of  the  infirmary,  nor  fhould  the  friers  that  were  in  health  meet  there  for  the 
fake  of  drinking  and  furfeiting.  Alfo  in  their  meals  all  were  to  abftain  from 
detraftion  and  obfcene  fpeech,  but  ufe  words  of  honefly  and  good  tcndcricy 
to  edify  the  foul.  The  abbot  was  to  correal  all  mifdoers  in  the  chapter-houfe, 
only  not  publicly  ;  and  when  the  abbot  eat  in  the  refeftory  or  infirmary,  his 
fervants  and  clerks  were  to  dine  with  the  ftrangers  in  fome  common  room  and 
not  in  their  own  chambers,  nor  have  any  drinking  there  as  was  ufed.  And 
as  the  temporal  revenue  was  not  well  managed,  he  ordered  that  the  abbot 
fhould  have  two  receivers  to  write  diflinftly  and  openly  from  whom,  what, 
and  when  they  received,  that  none  receive  but  thofe  two,  and  that  the  abbot 
fhould  provide  a  brother  to  keep  the  granary  in  the  abby,  and  receive  from 
the  manors  and  churches  the  corn  of  every  kind  by  diflinft  tallies  from  the  de- 
liverers, and  further  fhall  make  tallies  againft  thofe  who  have  the  cuftody  of 
the  bread  and  beer,  and  others  who  fell  corn  from  the  granary.  That 
the  abbot  fhould  fwear  all  his  fervants  for  the  faithful  difcharge  of  their  duty, 
and  for  rendering  a  jufl;  account  yearly  when  required;  and  that  the  bailiffs 
fhall  be  examined  and  their'accounts  approved  by  four  examiners  of  the  convent 
chofen  every  year  for  that  purpofe  :  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  what  was 
received  and  expended,  and  on  what  occafion,  and  what  remains  may  appear 
to  all. 

And  as  the  abbot  had  a  fuperfluous  family  and  ufclefs,  he  appointed  that  he 
fliould  have  a  moderate  family  as  William  his  predecelTor  ufcd  to  have,  one  or 
two  chaplains,  two  or  three  fcutiferos  and  no  more;  and  that  his  chaplain 
receive  the  expences  of  the  abbot  when  he  goes  abroad  from  tlie  receivers, 
and  receive  nothing  from  the  bailiffs  or  fervants,  and  account  with  the  receivers 
on  his  return  :  and  that  when  the  abbot  goes  from  his  principal  houfc  he  fee 
that  it  be  firR  well  provided  with  viftuals  and  other  things  that  may  be  want- 
ing in  his  abfence,  and  not  keep  fplendid  entertainments  out  of  his  houfe  as  he 
ufed,  unlefs  neceffity  and  evident  ufe  require,  and  this  with  the  confent  of  the 
convent.  And  that  J-fenry  of  the  granarv,  Hugh  the  feller  of  the  corn,  and 
Roger  the  porter  be  removed  from  their  offices  and  others  more  faithful  be 
appointed  in  their  room.  And  that  all  ufelefs  fervants  be  turned  out,  and 
only  the  ufcful  and  ncceffary  kept ;  that  in  his  next  vifitation  nothing  be  found 
offcnfive  but  whatfliall  be  profitable  to  the  monallery. 

And 


[     263     1 

And  in  the  year  1280  John  the  abbot  being  very  ill  detained  by  ficknefs, 
the  monaftery  was  again  on  the  decline,  and  the  monks  defpifcd  the  rules  of 
the  houfe,  for  which  the  bifliop  threatened  them  with  ecclchaftical  cenfure. 

But  in  the  year  1282  he  again  vifitcd  the  monallcry  and  (topped  there  three 
days;  the  firll  day  he  vifitcd  St.  Auftin's,  and  the  fecond  and  third  the 
houfe  of  St.  James  and  St.  Mark,  and  was  at  his  own  expence,  and  found  all 
well  (tarn  in  capite  quam  membris)  only  that  the  old  abbot  lived  out  of  the 
monaftery  in  fome  manor  of  his  to  the  lofs  of  the  convent;  and  that  they  were 
burdened  with  adebtof  300I.  fterling,  becaufe  Bogo  de  Clare  took  from  them 
that  year  a  certain  church  of  150I.  againfl;  all  juflice. 

In  the  vear  1320  the  Bifhop  of  Worceflcr  at  his  vifitalion  correfted  fcveral 
irregularities  in  this  monaftcry  ;  he  ordered  all  the  hounds  they  kept  to  be 
removed,  the  almoner  frier  Henry  de  Glouceftre  to  be  difplaced,  and  enquiry 
to  be  made  concerning  frier  John  de  Scheftebury  accufed  of  incontinence 
w'ith  certain  women  unknown,  and  concerning  ^^'illiam  Barry  for  fowing  dif- 
cord  among  the  brethren  ;  that  the  fick  be  better  provided  for,  that  the  bre- 
thren have  a  fufficiency,  but  in  cafh  as  hath  been  accuftomcd,  that  the  mafs 
of  the  Blcfled  Virgin  be  duly  and  folemnlv  celebrated,  that  the  4od.  be  diftri- 
buted  in  the  convent  and  not  be  detained  by  the  prior  or  fub-prior;  that 
William  Barrv  under  a  fentence  of  excommunication  for  apoftacy  be  ab- 
folved,  and  that  his  pennance  of  drinking  water  only,  which  he  has  done 
conflantly  on  a  Wednefday,  be  difpenfcd  with,  and  that  he  may  drink 
beer  and  eat  pulfe,  but  abftain  from  eating  fifh. 

In  the  year  1322  peace  was  reflored  and  the  difpute  fettled  between  the 
Tnonaftery  of  St.  Auguftin  and  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark  concerning  the  area 
or  plain  called  the  Cemitery  of  St,  Auflin's,  Briflol,  and  the  ufc  of  the 
fame. 

In  1371  the  King  fent  a  letter  to  William  Bifhop  of  Worcefter,  ordering 
him  to  vifit  the  abby  of  St.  Auguftin,  Briltol,  as  Henry  who  then  prefided 
over  it,  it  appeared  had  wafted  the  rents  of  the  faid  abby  by  incurring  excef- 
five  charges  and  other  mifmanagement,  whereby  the  divine  fervice  there  was 
almoft  at  an  end,  all  alms-giving  ceafcd,  and  the  canons  difperfed  for  want 
of  fupport,  unlcfs  remedies  were  foon  ufed. 

Silvefter  Bifliop  of  Worcefter  obliged  the  abbot  and  convent  of  St.  Auguftin 
to  pay  in  right  of  their  prebend  of  Berkeley  five  marks  a  year  to  the  facrift  of 
the  church  of  Worcefter,  to  find  a  lamp  to  burn  before  the  tomb  of  John, 
formerly  the  illuftrious   King  of  England,  buried    in  that  church,  (L.  Rub. 

Wygorn, 


[    264    ] 

Wv,<'orn,  p.  195.  6.)  which  was  confirmed  by  Walter  the  Bifhop  the  15th  of 
the  kalends  of  November  1310. 

Abbas  Santi  Auguftini  &c.  i.  e.  The  abbot  of  St.  Augulline's,  Briflol,  paid 
to  the  Lord  Bifhop  3I.  6s.  8d.  at  the  two  feails  that  is  at  Eafler  and  Michael- 
mas, out  of  a  penfibti  of  the  church  of  Berkeley,  which  is  the  funi  of  five 
marks  above-mentioned,  and  probably  on  the  fame  account. 

In  1374  the  prior  of  the  church  of  Worcefter,  the  fee  being  then  vacant, 
by  authority  of  the  court  of  Canterbury,  ifTued  a  decree  for  the  regulation  of 
thehoufc  of  St.  Auguflin,  by  Brifiol,  then  in  great  difputcs  and  diforders  ;  by 
which  he  ordained,  1.  That  alms  fliould  be  done  there  as  ufed  according  to 
cuftom  and  the  eftatcsof  the  monaftery.  2.  That  the  prior  in  the  abfence  of 
the  abbot  fliould  grant  the  licences.  3.  That  the  canons  in  the  Infirmary 
fhould  be  relieved  while  fick,  and  be  provided  with  viftuals  more  nice  than 
for  the  healthy  and  with  medicines  their  ficknefs  may  require  ;  and  that  the 
patient  have  40s.  as  a  favour  as  ufcd.  4.  That  feven  canons  worthy  of  trufl 
have  the  cuflody  of  the  common  leal,  and  each  have  one  key  of  it,  and  the 
faid  keepers  be  deputed  by  the  abbot.  5.  Alfb  that  the  canons  go  out  honefllv 
to  their  labour  according  tocuflom,  and  have  their  Icifurc  after  dinner  in  due 
places  as  the  time  permit.  6.  That  provifion  be  made  for  the  fecular  clerks 
ufcd  to  finging  in  the  chapel  of  the  Bleffed  Virgin,  and  that  they  be  fupported 
as  of  ancient  cullom.  7.  That  the  facrift  at  his  own  expence  provide  for  the 
wax  candles  that  ufed  to  burn  in  the  faid  chapel,  and  lamps  in  the  church  fix, 
&c.  that  the  chamberlain  (camerarius)  provide  the  fame  to  burn  in  the  dor- 
mitory. 8.  That  five  of  the  older  and  healthier  canons  be  chofcn,  with 
■whofe  advice  the  abbot  may  treat  of  the  greater  matters  relating  to  the  houfe, 
and  do  for  the  beR  ;  without  whofe  advice  tlie  corn  of  tlic  monaftery  above 
ten  pounds  value  fhall  not  be  fold  in  anvwifc,  and  that  thefc  advifers  be 
chofen  by  the  abbot  and  convent;  by  whofe  advice  officers  of  the  monaftery 
fliall  be  deputed  to  render  an  account  of  their  fervices  every  year  or  oftcner, 
at  the  will  of  the  abbot,  who  may  remove  them  at  his  pleafure.  g.  That  as  to 
the  fpiritualities  of  the  convent  for  their  habit  and  other  things,  colleftors  be 
deputed  and  two  receivers  by  the  abbot  and  convent,  who  may  faithfully 
deliver  and  keep  the  money  due  and  in  this  part  ufcd,  and  diftribute  it  among 
the  convent  by  the  fiipervifion  of  the  abbot  and  the  faid  five  advifers.  10. 
That  the  bedding  in  the  Infirmary  be  amended,  reftored,  and  honcftly  kept. 
1 1 .  That  as  to  the  fecular  fcrvants  in  the  Infirmary,  Refeclorv,  or  elfewhere  on 
the  part  of  the  convent,  they  ftiall  be  appointed  by  the  abbot  and  the  faid  five 
advifers,  which  fervants  fhall  fwear  not  to  divulge  to  any  one  the  fccrct  coun- 

fcls 


C    "So    ] 

fels  of  the  convent  but  faithfully  conceal  them;  and  that  they  will  miniiler  and 
maintain  no  matter  of  difagreement  betwixt  the  abbot  and  convent  and  any 
others,  but  cherifli  peace  and  love ;  whoever  is  found  culpable  to  be  removed 
from  their  offices.  12.  That  the  beft  bedding  of  all  that  die  in  the  convent  be 
removed  into  the  Infirmary  for  the  ufeof  the  fick.  13.  That  there  be  had  one 
(brevigerulus)  carrier  of  the  fervice  books,  to  do  his  office  and  have  his  vifual 
fupport.  14.  That  the  cook  have  no  fccular  perfon  about  him  in  his  office. 
15.  That  as  to  the  receival  of  the  common  money  of  the  monaftery  two  prudent 
men  of  the  convent  ffiall  bechofen  by  the  abbot  and  the  five  advifers,  and  the 
abbot  to  be  a  third,  and  they  to  have  three  keys  of  the  chcft  in  which  the 
faid  money  is  to  be  depofited  by  them,  and  each  ffiould  carry  one  of  the  faid 
three  keys,  and  then  at  the  command  of  the  abbot  and  the  council  of  the  faid 
five  advifers  the  ("aid  money  fliould  be  expended  for  the  ufe  of  the  monafterv 
and  convent  as  ffiould  feem  needful.  15.  Alfo  that  the  bread  and  beer  ffiould 
be  made  better,  and  alfo  be  in  more  competent  quantity  than  hitherto.  16. 
That  as  to  the  kitchen,  the  convent  ffiould  be  provided  with  two  forts  of  fleffi 
in  fufficient  quantity  at  the  difcretion  of  the  abbot  and  the  faid  five  advifers,  and 
that  the  like  be  done  concerning  fiffi  on  fiffi-da)S;  and  on  the  fabbath  days 
they  ffiould  be  ferved  with  freffi  fifli  when  to  be  got ;  and  the  convent  ffiould 
then  after  one  year  be  ferved  out  of  the  kitchen  as  had  been  accullomed,  unlcfs 
any  thing  ffiould  happen  to  prevent  fulfilling  it,  on  which  occafion  the  abbot 
and  five  advifers  were  to  determine.  17.  That  for  the  five  marks  claimed  by 
the  convent  out  of  the  manor  of  Bageruge  the  abbot  would  grant  fix  marks  out 
of  Marsfeid  if  the  profits  thereof  will  arifc  to  that  fum,  otherwifc  out  of  the 
other  proventiops  of  the  monadery.  18.  Alfo  that  as  to  knives  being  bought 
yearly  for  the  convent,  let  them  be  provided  as  had  been  accuftomed. 

Thefe  regulations  were  eftabliffied  and  done  in  the  chaptcr-houfe  of  the 
monaflery  in  the  year  1374,  the  27th  of  Augufl,  and  confirmed  by  the  official 
of  the  fee  of  Worcefter  fetting  his  fcal  with  witneffi^s,  as  appears  by  the  Latin 
deed  in  Regift.  ^^'ygor.  fed.  Vccante,  f.  179,  which  I  have  trandated  above. 

I"  i345>  if^  Jsn-  Wolflan  Biffiop  of  WorccRer  confirmed  to  the  monaflery 
of  St.  Auguftin  the  fcvcral  churches  of  Affielworth,  lierkclcy,  Wappcly,  Al- 
mondfbury,  alfo  St.  Nicholas,  St.  Leonard,  All-Saints,  and  St.  Augullin's  the 
Lefs  in  Briflol. 

In  1480,  in  the  time  of  William  Hunt  abbot,  the  prior  and  convent  granted  an 
obiit  and  mafs  to  be  called  Abbot  William's  Mafs,  to  bo  perpetually  celebrated 
by  one  Cofrcre  a  pried  at  fcven  o'clock  every  morning,  in  a  certain  new  chapel 
of  the  Klclfcd  Mary  the  \'irgin,  fituafe   in  the  Lad   end  of  the   conventual 

K  K  church, 


[    266    ] 

church,  for  the  good  cRate  of  the  faid  William  while  he  fhall  live  and  for  his 
foul  after  he  is  departed,  &c.  for  that  the  faid  William  devoutly  difpofed  had 
caufcd  to  be  eretled  at  his  own  expence  many  great  barns  houfes  and  other 
coflly  edifices,  as  well  in  divers  manors  belonging  to  the  faid  monaflery  as  in 
the  faid  monaftcrv  itfelf,  and  had  made  anew  the  covering  of  the  whole  con- 
ventual church,  as  well  by  battlements  with  ftones  and  pinnacles  decently 
placed  round  the  faid  church  as  by  timber,  lead  and  other  neceffaries,  and  had 
given  to  the  monaflery  there  for  ever  to  remain  certain  veffcls  filver  and  gilt, 
and  fome  other  jewels  (jocalia)  filver  and  gilt  of  no  fmall  value,  and  conferred 
many  other  gifts  and  benefits  on  his  monaflery  while  he  was  abbot.  The 
convent  enfuredto  theBifhopof  Worcefter  the  manor  of  Gorwell  in  Somerfet, 
v.ith  a  right  of  common  on  Mcnydepe  for  the  prior  to  pay  for  ever  for  this 
obiit,  which  was  eftimated  at  81.  a  year;  he  died  the  14th  March  1480. 

In  1481    John  Newland  alias  Ncilheart,  was  chofen  abbot  in  his  Head. 

The  foll6\ving  is  a  lift  of  the  abbots  from  Brown  Willis,  and  from  the 
regifters  of  Worcefter  and  abbot  Newland's  manufcript  compared  with 
others. 

1.  Richard  the  firft  abbot  was  inftituted  in  1148  and  governed  38  years, 
(28  according  to  Newland,)  till  his  death. 

2.  Phillip  fucccedcd  and  was  removed  1 196  (according  to  the  Mon,  Anglic. 
v.  J.  p.  1034.)  to  Bellelande  in  Yorkfhire. 

3.  John,  he  governed  29  years,  and  died  the  12th  of  February  1215,  and 
another  of  the  fame  name  fucceeded.  See  page  246. 

4.  John  (according  to  Newland  JofephJ  died  in  fix  weeks,  and  others  fay 
31  weeks  after  his  eleftion. 

5.  David  was  chofen  1216,  refigned  or  died  1234,  and  was  buried  under  a 
marble  with  the  figure  of  a  human  fkull  and  crofs  on  it,  near  the  Elder  Lady's 
Chapel,  ftill  to  be  feen  there. 

6.  William  de  Bradeftone,  his  arms  arc  in  the  window  over  the  high  altar, 
A.  on  a  canton,  G.  a  rofe  or.  barbed  proper.  He  was  of  Winterborne  in  the 
county  of  Gloccfter ;  he  refigned  the  20th  of  Auguft  1242,  after  which  he 
lived  ten  years. 

7.  William  Long,  called  Camerarius  dc  Cainftiam,  faid  to  have  been  a 
monk  there  ;  he  died  the  17th  of  May  1264,  and  lies  buried  in  the  North 
aileonthe  left  hand  of  Hugh  Dodington. 

8.  Richard  de  Malmftjury,  he  died  the  13th  of  September  1276,  after 
governing  1 2  years. 

9.  John 


C    26;    ] 

g.  John  de  Marina  ekaed  the  loth  of  Oclobcr  1276,  was  long  troubled 
vith  ficknefs  and  died  the  26th  of  February  1286,  having  governed  lo  ycars> 
and  was  buried  in  the  chapter-houfc. 

10.  Hugh  of  Dodington  was  confirmed  abbot  1287,  pat.  9th  of  Edward  ill. 
died  the  26th  of  November  1294,  after  governing  8  years,  and  was  buried  in 
the  crofs  Xorth  ailc  betwixt  two  other  abbots. 

11.  James  Barry,  he  obtained  the  royal  affent  the  16th  of  December  fol- 
lowing, pat.  2 2d  of  Edward  the  ift.  he  governed  12  years  and  died  the  12th 
of  November  1306,  and  was  buried  luider  a  marble  on  the  South  fide  of  the 
Rood  altar.  In  1299  going  to  Almondfbury  late  in  the  evening,  many  armed 
men  entered  fuddenly  and  broke  in  upon  him  and  took  away  what  the  abbot 
had  there  for  his  houfliold,  and  killed  his  fleward.     Annal.  ^Vygorn. 

12.  Edmund  Knowles,  or  de  Knolle,  was  elected  by  virtue  of  the  royal 
licence  dated  the  30th  of  November  1306,  (1311  Reg.  Wyg.)  he  governed 
about  26  years.  He  is  in  Newland's  account  faid  to  have  begun  rejjuilding  the 
church  anew  the  25th  of  Edward  the  ift.  the  20th  of  Augufl,  that  is  now  Hand- 
ing from  the  ground,  ("  Ecclefia  jam  funditus  diruta,"  Reg.  V/ygorn,)  with 
the  vellry  and  alfo  the  King's-hall  and  chamber,  and  the  fratry ;  and  procured 
of  the  King  a  confirmation  of  all  the  pofTcnions  of  the  monaftery.  The  fourth 
Maurice  Lord  Berkeley  was  a  great  promoter  of  this  grant,  and  procured  a 
papal  bull  to  get  benefatiions  towards  rebuilding  the  church,  fee  the  patent 
and  claufe  rolls  the  31ft  of  Edward  the  ift.  and  the  loth  of  Edward  the  2d. 
1317.  Abbot  Knowles  died  the  9th  of  June  1332,  and  was  buried  againft  the 
North  wall  before  the  Rood  high  altar;  his  figure  is  in  pontificalibus  carved  in 
freeftone,  lying  on  his  back  with  a  crofier  in  his  hand  and  mitre  on  his  bread  ; 
arms  G.or.  a  chevron  ar^r.  three  rofes  of  the  firft. 

13.  John  Snow  was  the  firfl;  abbot  of  this  monaflery  fummoned  to  parlia- 
ment, and  indeed  the  laft  ;  he  received  the  benedidion  from  the  Bifliop  of 
Worcefter  at  Hartlebury-palace  the  4th  of  July  1332,  (the  17th  of  June 
according   to  Newlandj ;  having    governed   9   years   he    died  July  the  12th, 

14.  Ralph  Afh,  or  Afcli,  was  confirmed  abbot  the  2d  of  Augufl  (2  id 
July  Reg.  Wyg.j  1341,  died  the  ift  of  March  1353,  and  was  buried  in  the 
iniddle  of  the  choir  :  he  bore  for  arms  a  tree  in  a  field  all  proper;  he  peti- 
tioned to  be  difchargcd  from  attending  the  parliament,  as  expenfive  to  his 
houfe,  and  obtained  it  in  1341. 

15.  William  Cook  was  inftallcd  bv  m  indate  from  the  prior  of  Worcedcr  in 
*he  vacancy  of  that  fee  the  7th  of  March  1353,  rtfigncd  in  Odober  13O3,  and 

K  K    2  died 


[     268     ] 

died  the  8th  of  April  following,  1364,  and  was  buried  before  the  door  entering 
the  Lady's  chapel,  where  the  crofs  of  lead  is  flill  to  be  fcen.  According  to 
Ncwlandhe  refigned  1365  and  died  1366,  and  that  in  his  time  it  was  found  by 
inquifition  what  lands  the  monaftery  ponefTed  as  by  efch.  the  45lh  of  Edward 
the  3d.  1330,  memb.  72,  in  the  Tower  of  London. 

16.  Henry  Shellingford,  alias  Blebery,  elcflcd  1366,  he  died  the  2d  of 
December  1388,  and  was  buried  in  the  nether  tomb  of  the  prefbytery  which 
he  caufed  to  be  made  befide  the  high  altar.  He  is  faid  to  have  wafted  the 
poflefTions  of  the  monaflery  by  injurious  leafcs  and  his  own  exorbitant 
cxpences,  Arc.  as  appears  by  a  letter  of  Edward  the  3d.  the  45th  year.  Reg. 
Wygorn.  Lynn.  fol.  48. 

17.  John  Cerny  governed  5  years,  he  died  the  5th  of  Oclobcr  1393,  and 
yas  buried  in  the  over  tomb  of  the  prefbytery. 

18.  John  Daubeny  governed  35  years,  and  died  the  26th  of  January 
1428. 

19.  Walter  Newbury  met  with  great  trouble  in  his  office,  being  unjuflly 
expelled  for  five  years,  and  one  Thomas  Sutton  intruded  into  his  place,  till 
thrufl  out  by  the  convent  for  dilapidations  and  other  wafles  committed  in 
fuffering  quit  rents  to  be  loft ;  hence  no  account  is  taken  of  his  death.  As  to 
the  abbot  Newbury  he  was  a  great  benefactor  to  his  church,  and  built  the 
offices  to  the  manor-houfe  of  Leigh,  alfo  the  manor-houfes  of  Fyfhead  in 
Dorfetfhire,  and  of  Almondfbury  and  Afhelwortli  in  Glocefterfhire,  belonging 
at  pVefent  to  the  bifhoprick  of  Briftol  :  he  governed  35  years,  died  1463  the 
3d  of  September,  (1473  Reg.  \^'yg.)  and  was  buried  againfl  the  North  wall  of 
the  chapel,  carved  in  ftone  in  pontificalia,  lying  on  his  back  with  crofier  and 
initrc. 

20.  William  Hunt  elcQed  the  11th  of  September  1463,  (gth  Od.  1473, 
Reg.  Wyg.)  and  having  governed  1 8  years,  (7  years  Reg.  W}g.)  died  the 
14th  of  March  1481  ;  he  was  a  liberal  bcnefadtor  to  his  monaftery;  rebuilt 
the  roof  of  the  church  and  ailcs,  and  caufed  the  lead  to  be  new  cafl  all  from 
the  tower  eaflward,  for  which  he  had  a  yearly  mafs  decreed  him  perpetually 
to  be  obfervcd ;  his  arms  were  az.  a  St.  Andrew's  crofs  or. 

21.  John  Newland,  alias  Naileheart,  ele£led  the  6th  of  April  1481  ;  arms 
arg.  three  nails  or.  pcircing  an  heart  vuln'd  proper  :  he  was  a  very 
learned  man,  of  great  abilities,  and  often  employed  by  King  Henry  the  7th. 
in  foreign  cmbafTies :  he  beautified  his  church  and  added  many  buildings  to 
it,  and  wrote  its  hiftory  and  account  of  the  family  of  the  Bcrkeleys,  ftill  in 
manufcript :  having  governed   34  years,  he  died  the  laih  of  June  1515,  and 

was 


C   269   ] 

was  buried  here  under  a  /lately  monument. — In  Wood's  Athenoe  Oxon.  v.  1, 
p.  639,  may  be  read  a  long  account  of  him,  "  that  he  was  called  the  good 
abbot,  a  perfon  folely  given  to  religion  and  alms  deeds,"  &c. 

22.  Robert  Elliot  elefled  the  27th  of  September  1515,  fyth  Sept.  Reg.Wyg.) 
he  enjoyed  it  10  years  before  J.  Somerfet,  which  I  take  notice  of  becaufe  his 
name  is  omitted  in  the  lift  of  abbots  in  the  chapter-houfe,  and  by  Brown 
Willis ;  he  had  fome  ftiarc  in  building  the  flately  gate-houfe  with  abbot 
Newland,  at  leafl  the  upper  part  of  it  above  the  arch,  where  they  made  nitches 
in  which  they  did  not  forget  to  place  their  own  flatues  with  their  arms  under- 
neath. On  the  floor  of  the  cathedral  are  a  great  many  fquare  bricks  with  the 
initials  R  E  for  this  abbot's  name  ;  alfo  fliields  of  arms  with  the  fame  initials, 
which  are  arg.  on  a  chief  G.  two  mullets  of  the  firfl. 

23.  John  Somerfet  elefled  about  1526,  died  1533  ;  he  bears  the  Somerfet 
arms. 

24.  William  Barton  elcfled  the  gth  of  September  1534,  he  with  John 
Giles  and  17  others  of  the  monaflery  fubfcribed  to  the  King's  fupremacy,  and 
three  years  after  deceafed,  the  28th  of  Henry  the  8th.  1537. 

25.  Morgan  Guilliam  ap  Guilliani  elefcled  1537,  being  tlie  lafl  abbot;  he 
furrendered  his  monaftery  into  the  King's  hands  the  gth  of  December  1539, 
and  obtained  a  penfion  of  Sol.  per  annum  for  life,  he  died  before  the  year 
1553. — In  Fuller  and  Speed's  hifiory  he  is  charged  with  keeping  fix  lewd 
women,  but  it  is  thought  without  very  good  evidence  ;  thefe  andworfe  crimes 
■were  imputed  to  the  monks  as  a  flrong  and  plaufible  excufe  for  diflblving 
their  houfes. 

As  this  houfe  was  one  of  the  great  abbies,  it  came  to  tlie  crown  by  the 
ftatute  of  the  3ifl;  of  Henry  the  8th.  and  Mas  certified  to  be  worth  in  old  rents- 
according  to  Speed  767I.  15s.  3d.  per  annum,  to  P  idg.  clear  670I.  13s.  iid. 
and  fome  little  provifion  was  made  for  the  monks  then  turned  out. 

The  following  account  appears  entered  in  the  book  of  pcnfions  on  the 
date  of  the  King's  commiffion,  which  has  this  entry  dated  December  the  gth 
31ft  Henry  the  8th.  1539. 

Firfl,  "  To  Morgan  Guilliam  late  abbat  there,  with  the  Manfion  Place 
of  Lee,  (that  is  Abbot's  Leigh,)  tlie  garden,  orchard  and  dove-houfe 
to  the  fame  adjoyning  and  yealding,  (and  alfo  20  loads  of  fyer-wood 
yearly  to  be  perccyved  and  taken  out  of  the  wood  of  the  faid  mannor 
by   the     alhgnmcnt    of    the     Kings    Ilighnefs's    furvcvor    or    keeper 

there- 


C  270   ] 

there  during   his  life  without  any    thing   yielding  or  paying  for    the 

fame,)                 _  _  _  - 
Item,  To  Ilumfry  Hicman  late  prior  there, 

JohnReftal,       _  -  -  - 

John  Carye,       -  -  - 

Nicholas  Corbett,  _  _  - 

Henry  Pavye,     -  _  _  - 

William  Wrington,  _  _  - 

William  Underwood,  _  _  - 

Richard  Hill,     -  _  -  - 

Richard  Orrell,  _  _  _ 

Richard  Sterley,  _  _  _ 

Richard  Hughes,  _  _  _ 


£80 

0 

0 

8 

0 

0 

8 

0 

0 

6 

13 

4 

6 

13 

4 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

Sum      £"151     6     8 


It  is  uncertain  what  became  ofthcfe  religious  afterwards.  In  the  year  1553 
John  Rcflal,  Richard  Orell,  Richard  Kerfey,  Richard  Hughes,  and  William 
Underwood,  were  living  and  received  their  penfions. — In  1554  Rich.  Hughes 
vas  made  a  prebendary  of  this  church. 

King  Henry  having  got  infinite  treafure  by  fupprefTing  thefe  religious  houfes, 
the  better  to  palliate  that  feeming  facrilege  doubtlcfs  greatly  cried  out  againft 
by  the  people  of  thofe  days,  made  a  fliew  of  refunding  part  by  ere£ling  fix 
new  bifhopricks,  of  which  this  diffolved  monaRcry  was  one,  which  in  the  34th 
year  of  his  reign  was  erefted  into  a  biflioprick,  confifting  of  a  Bifhop,  Dean 
and  fix  Prebendaries,  &c.  though  like  other  things  ordered  in  that  confufion 
the  diocefe  Avas  very  much  diftant  from  the  fee.  The  church  of  the  monks 
was  fixed  upon  for  the  cathedral;  which  began  to  be  demoliflied,  and  was 
like  to  undergo  the  common  fate  of  other  ancient  and  venerable  ftrutlures 
(once  the  glory  and  ornament  of  the  Englifli  nation  :)  If  my  author  rightly 
informs  me,  the  rapacious  difpofition  of  the  men  of  thofe  times  was  fuch,  that 
for  the  fake  of  the  lead  with  which  the  weft  part  of  tliis  church  was  covered, 
they  were  aQ.ually  fet  to  work  upon  the  fame,  and  after  they  had  uncafed  the 
roof,  quickly  proceeded  to  deftroy  the  ftruclure  itfelf  (which  was  in  part 
effecied)  but  a  ftop  being  put  to  the  fame  by  order  from  the  King,  by  his  being 
informed,  that  there  was  yet  left  ftanding  of  the  fabrick  fufficient  to  make  ii 
a  cathedral  for  the  biflrop's  fee,  the  further  deftruftion  was  prevented,  and 
it  was  left  in  that  ruinOus  condition   at  the  welt  fide  of  the  tower  ftill   to  be 

fcen, 


[      271       ] 

feen,  a  ftanding  monument  of  ihc  precipitate  and  confufed  difordcr  with  which 
matters  were  then  carried  on,  and  of  the  rage  then  (lirred  up  and  violence 
ufed  againfl  the  monks  and  their  fuperb  buildings,  where  great  hofpitality  was 
obliged  to  be  kept  for  the  relief  of  the  poor;  while  the  monafterics  ftood  there 
was  no  a6l  for  their  relief,  fo  amply  did  thofe  hofpitable  houfcs  fuccour  thofe 
in  want,  whereas  in  the  next  reign  39  Eliz.  no  Icfs  than  eleven  bills  were 
brought  into  parliament  for  that  fole  purpofc,  and  how  real  a  burden  the  poor 
tax  has  been  fince  needs  not  be  mentioned.  The  rcfeftion  and  fupport  of  the 
poor  was  one  of  the  articles  often  inferted  in  the  grants  to  thofe  houfes.  This 
good  cannot  then  be  denied  them. 

In   one  of  the  plays   attributed  to   Shakefpeare,  wrote  certainly  as  earlv, 
called   the   Life    of   Lord  Cromwell,  in    edition    of  Tonfon,   1728,   vol.   ix. 
p.    166.  this  ufe  of  the  monalterics  is  thus  inlifled  on  by  Gardiner. 
Gardiner.   Have  I  not  reafon  when  religion  is  wrong'd  •? 
You  had  no  colour  for  what  you  have  done. 
Cromwell.  Yes:  the  abolifhing  of  antichrift. 

And  of  his  Popifli  order  from  our  realms : 
I  am  no  enemy  to  religion. 
But  this  is  done  ;   it  is  for  England's  good ; 
What  did  they  lerve  for?  But  to  feed  a  fort 
Of  lazy  abbots  and  of  full-fed  friers  ? 
They  neither  plow  nor  fow,  and  yet  they  reap 
The  fat  of  all  the  land,  and  fuck  the  poor : 
Look  what  was  their's  is  in  King  Henry's  hands. 
His  wealth  before  lay  in  the  abby  lands. 
Gardiner.  Indeed  thefc  things  you  have  alledged,  my  Lord, 
When,  God  doth  know,  the  infant  yet  unborn 
Will  curfe  the  time  the  abbies  were  puH'd  down  ; 
I  pray  you  where  is  hofpitality  ? 
Where  now  may  poor  diflrcffed  people  go 
For  to  relieve  their  need  or  rcR  their  bones. 
When  weary  travel  doth  opprcfs  their  limbs  : 
And  where  religious  men  fhould  take  them  in 
Shall  now  be  kept  back  by  a  maftifFdog, 
And  thoufand  thoufands,  &c. 

Though  the  drones  were  turned  out  of  the  hive,  yet  the  buildings  fo  fupcib 
and  fo  ornamental  to  the  kingdom  might  have  been  fpared,  and  converted  to 

the 


[      272      ] 

the  ufes  of  charily  and  hofpitality  and  be  made  houfcs  of  induRry  to  em- 
ploy the  poor,  like  country  work-honfes  fo  much  talked  of  now,  though  fo 
flowly  put  in  praflice  on  account  principally  of  the  expence  in  erefling  them. 
To  conclude  the  account  of  this  abby,  I  here  add  a  copy  of  the  foundation 
charter,  preferved  flill  in  Berkeley  caftle,  with  a  tranflation,  referring  the 
reader  for  the  red  of  the  deeds,  &:c.  to  the  places  where  they  may  be 
confulted. 

Prioratus  SanQi  Auguflini  de  Briflol  in  agro  Glouceflrenfi. 
Carta  Roberti  filii  Hardingi,  de  fundatione  ejufdem. 
*  Robcrtus  filius  Hardingi,  omnibus  hominibus  et  amicis  fuis,  et  univcrfis 
fanflae  ecclefias  fidelibus,  ad  quos  ha?c  carta  pervenerit,  falutem  :  Scialis  quod 
cum  Dominus  Rex  Henricus  manerium  de  Berchalle,et  totamBerchaleiernell'e 
mihi  in  feodum  et  hzereditatem  dedifTct,  et  Carta  fua  confirmaflet,  cum  omnibui 
libertatibus  et  rebus  ad  Berchaleicrncffc  pcrtinentibus,  in  ecclefiis,  in  nemoribus, 
in  pratis,  et  paRuris,  et  in  omnibus  aliis  rebus,  ficut  fuerunt  tempore  Hcnrici 
regis  avi  fui  :  Ego  confenfu  et  afTcnfu  ipfius  domini  mci  regis,  ecclefias  de 
Berchaleiernefle ;  fcilicet,  ecclefiam  dc  Bcrchalc,  et  ecclefiam  dc  Were, 
et  ecclefiam  de  Beverftan,  et  ecclefiam  de  ElTeleward  ;  et  ecclefiam  de  Almo- 
defburi,  fingulis  cum  capellis,  et  terris,  et  libertatibus  ad  ipfas  ecclefias  pcr- 
tinentibus, pro  falute  animas  mea?,  et  domini  mei  regis,  et  antecefforum  meo- 
rum,  et  uxoris  mea-,  et  libcrorum,  dcdi  et  concefii  ecclcfiee  SanQi 
Auguftini  de  BriRoli,  ct  canonicis  regularibus  ibidem  domino  fervienti- 
bus,    in  perpetuam   et    liberam    clemoffinam,     nullo  jure  retento,    mihi   vel 

hseredibus     nieis,     in    przediflis    ecclefiis,    cum    eas   vacare    contigerit. 

Similiter  et  omnes  ecclefias  de  Berchaleiernefle,  ubicunque  fuerint,  cum 
capellis  et  omnibus  corum  pertinentiis  dedi,  et  conceffi  prccdidis  canonicis 
in  perpetuam  elcmofinam,  et  hac  mea  carta  confirmavi.  Iliis  tcRibus, 
Jlenrico  Decano  Moretoniae,  ct  Mauritio  fratre  ejus,  Giraldo  perfona  eccle- 
fiiae  de  cam,  "W.  de  Saltmaris,  et  Adamo  fratre  ejus,  Helia  filio  Hardingi, 
Richardo  fcriptore,  et  Alano  de  BcdmeniRra. 

The  priory  of  St.  AnguRin,  in  BriRol,  in  the  county  of  Gloccfler. 
A  deed  of  Robert  fon  of  Harding  Concerning  the  foundation  thereof. 
Robert  fon  of  Harding  to  all  men  and  his  friends,  and  all  the  faithful  to 
to  the  holy  church,  to  whom  this  charter  fliall  come,  health:  know  yc  that 
whereas  our  Sovereign  Lord  King  Henry  gave  to  me  in  fee  the  manor  of 
Berchalle,  and  all  Berchallcirenefle  and  all  that  belong  to  the  fame,  and  by 
his  deed  hath  confirmed  the  fame  with  all  the  privileges  thereto  belonging, 
with  its  appurtenances   both   in   churches,  woods,  meadows,  paflurcs,  and  In 

all 
*  Ex  ipfo  autographo  in  armario  cartarum  praenobilis  Gcorgii  Domini  Berkley,  apud   Berkley 
caflrum. 


[    273     ] 

all  other  things,  as  they  were  in  the  time  of  his  grandfather  King  Henry. 
I  therefore  with  the  full  afTent  and  confent  of  the  faid  Lord  my  King  have 
given  and  granted  to  the  church  of  St.  Auguftin  of  Briflol,  and  to  the  canons 
regular  there  ferving  God,  for  the  health  of  my  own  foul  and  the  fouls  of  my 
King,  my  anceftors,  my  wife,  and  children  all  ihofe  churches  belonging 
to  BerchaleirnefTe,  (to  wit)  the  church  of  Berchallc,  Were,  Bcverllan,  Efle- 
lefward  and  Almodefbury,  with  all  chapels,  lands,  and  privileges,  with  the 
appurtenances  to  thofe  churches  belonging,  to  be  held  in  free  and  perpetual 
alms,  no  right  being  retained  by  me  or  my  heirs  in  or  to  the  faid  churches, 
when  they  become  vacant:  I  have  likewife  given  and  granted  ail  the  churches 
belonging  to  Berchaleirnefs,  wherever  they  fhall  be,  with  the  chapels  and  all 
their  appurtenances  to  the  faid  canons  in  perpetual  alms,  confirming  the  fame 
by  this  charter.  Thefe  being  witneffes  :  Henry  Dean  of  Moreton  and  Maurice 
his  brother,  Girald,  the  parfon  of  the  church  of  Cam,  W.  of  Saltmarfli,  Adam 
his  brother,  Heli  the  fon  of  Harding,  Richard  the  fecretary,  and  Alan  of 
Bedminfter. 

[This   deed   is  of  about  the  year  1148.     Bifliop  Tanner,  in  his  Notitia 
Monaftica,  p.  480.  thinks  this  is  the  foundation  charter.] 

The  other  following  deeds,  public  records,  books,  &:c.  as  quoted  by  Bifliop 
Tanner,  in  the  Notitia  Monaftica,  (edition  by  J.  Nafmith,  A.  M.)  give  a  full 
and  fatisfaftory  account  of  many  particulars  of  the  hillory,  endowments, 
rig.its,  advowfons.  &c.  of  the  abby  and  bifliopric,  to  which  I  refer. 

Vide   in    Monaf.   Ang.    vol.   ii.    p.  See   Monafticon   Anglicanum,  vol. 

232,  233,  cartam  Roberti  filii  Hard-  ii.  p.  232,  the  deed  of  Robert  fon  of 
ingi  de  fundatione*  prioratus :  car-  Harding  of  the  foundation  of  the  priory 
mina  quasdam  Anglic,  de  Roberto  and  certain  Englifh  verfes  of  Robert 
Harding,  pat.  11,  Edw.  2d.  p.  2d.  Harding,  2d  Edw.  2d.  p.  2,  m.  29, 
m.  29.  per  infpcx.  recit.  cartas  Hen-  reciting  the  deeds  of  Henry  Duke  of 
rici  Ducis  Xormannias  confirm.  Al-  Normandy  confirming  Almondfbury, 
modefbcriam,  ■\\'appeleiam,  etc.  Ro-  Wappling,  &c.  Of  Robert  fon  of 
berti  filii  Harding!  et  Johannis  com.  Harding  and  John  Earl  of  Morton. 
Moriton. 

In  Willis's  Hiflory  of  Abbics,   vol. 

i.    p.    225,   &c.    an    account  of  this 

church,  with  a  catalogue  of  the  abbots, 

L  L  ibid 

*  Tlius  the  title  in  the  Monaflicon.  But  this  charter  was  not  iftadc  till  after  King  Henry  2d. 
came  to  the  crown,  and  this  inonaftery  was  certainly  founded  lieforc  his  reifjn,  he  having  whilft 
only  Duke  of  Normandy  made  fevcral  donations  to  it,  and  declaring  in  one  of  liis  giants  that  tliis 
monaftery  "  cepi  initio  juventutis  mcx  foverc  ct  juvare."  —  I  ratlier  think  llie  charter  of  Rols 
fil.  Harding.  Men.  .^ngl.  vol.  ii.  p.  232.  b.  lin.  64,  is  the  foundation  charier. 


[     274     3 


ibid  p.    324,  and   App.  p.  65,   66. 

In  his  Survey  of  Cathedrals,  vol.  i. 
p,  758,  a  further  account  of  this 
church,  an  account  of  perfons  buried 
there,  of  the  endowment  of  the  bi- 
shopric and  chapter,  with  a  catalogue 
of  the  bifhops,  deans,  archdeacons, 
and  prebendaries,  and  the  names  of 
all  the  pariflies  in  the  diocefe,  &c. 

In  Le  Neve's  Fafti,  p.  48,  thefuc- 
ceffion  of  the  bilhops,  deans,  arch- 
deacons, and  prebendaries  of  this  ca- 
thedral. 

In  Rileii  Plac.  Parliam.  p.  165, 
concordiam  inter  Bogonem  de  Clare 
et  abbatem  St.  Auguftini  Briftol,  21(1 
Edw.  ift. 

In  Dugd.  Baron,  vol.  i.  p.  358, 
359,  of  a  chantry,  &:c.  herein  founded 
by  Thomas  Lord  Berkeley. 

Year  Books,  35th  Hen.  6th.  Mich. 
^  43.  In  Stevens's  Supplement,  vol. 
ii.  p.  140,  a  catalogue  of  the  abbots. 

In  Rymeri  Conventionum,  &c.  torn. 
V.  p.  246,  pat.  15th  Edw.  3d.  p.  i. 
m.  13,  pro  abbate,  de  non  veniendo 
ad  parliamentum  quia  non  tenet  per 
baroniam  nee  de  fundationc    regis  * 


In  Ryley's  Pleas  of  Parliament,  p. 
165,  between  Bogo  de  Clare  and  the 
abbot  of  St.  Auguftine  of  Briftol,  the 
21ft  of  Edward  ifl. 


Tom.  .\iv.  p.  748,  pat.  34th  Hen. 
8th.  p.  10,  m.  26,  de  ereftione  epifco- 
patus. 

Tom.  XV.  p.  77,  pat.  37th  Hen. 
8th.  p.  g,  ni,  25,  fuper  diftributione 
40 1.  per  ann.  eleeraofynarum  per  de- 
canum  et  capitulum. 

*  Printed  alfo  in  Stevens's  Appendix,  p.  350. 


In  Ryder's  Conventionum,  &c. 
vol.  v.  p.  246,  patent,  15th  Edw.  3d, 
p.  1,  m.  13,  concerning  excufing  the 
abbot  for  not  coming  to  parliament, 
beeaufe  he  did  not  hold  the  fame,  by 
rcafon  of  the  barony  nor  as  the  foun- 
dation of  a  king. 

Concerning  the  ereftion  of  the  bi- 
fliopric. 

Vol.  XV.  p.  J  J,  patent  37,  Henry 
8th.  p.  9,  m.  25,  the  diftribution  of 
the  40 1.  per  annum  in  alms  by  the 
dean  and  chapter. 

Ibid, 


[     275     ] 


Ibid,  p.  370,  commifTionem  ad  de- 
privandum  Paulumepifc.  Briftol,  A.  D. 

1554- 

Ibid,  p.  459,  pat.  3  et  4,  Phil,  et 
Mar.  p.  lo,  m.  24,  pro  exoneratione 
Johannis  epifc.  Brillol.  a  primitiis  et 
decimis,  ratione  epifcopatus. 

Tom.  xvi.  p.  524,  pro  Joanne 
Thornborough  epifc.  elefto,  deca- 
natum  et  prebendam  in  eccl.  Ebor.  in 
commendam  pofTidentes,  eo  quod  epif- 
copatus Briftol  tarn  exilis  eft. 

Regiflra,  cartas  originales,  &c.  pe- 
nes R.  R.  dom.  epifcopum  et  decanum 
et  capitulum  eccle,  cath.  Briftol. 

Regiftrum  fivepotius  hiftoriam  fun- 
dationis  hujus  coenobii  a  Joanne  New- 
land  abbatc  contextani,  MS.  apud 
caftrum  de  Berkeley  in  com.  Gloceft. 

Abbreviaturas  quarundam  concefti- 
onum  huic  abbatias  in  MS.  Macro,  12, 
ii.  f.  2,  a.  f.  18,  a. 

Fin.  Buckingh.  5  Joan.  n.  125,  dc 
terris  in  Finemere  ;  fin.  in  div.  com. 
11  Joan.  n.  55,  de  advoc.  eccl.  de 
Lanvernac,  Glamorg. 

Cart.  36  Hen.  3.  m.  13. 
Plac.  in  com.  Somerfet.   8  Edw.  1. 
aftif.    rot.    27,    de    c.    acris  terras   in 

Legh. 

Cart.  13  Edw.  1.  n.  15,  pro  mcr- 
•calo  ct  fcria  apud  Almundefbury,  Glo- 
ceftcrfliirc. 

L 


The  fame,  p.  370,  a  commifTion  to 
deprive  Paul  Bufti,  Biftiop  of  Briftol, 
in  the  year  1554. 

The  fame,  p.  459,  patent  the  3d 
and  4th  of  Philip  and  Mary,  page  10, 
m.  24,  concerning  the  exemption  of 
John  Bifliop  of  Briftol  from  firft  fruits 
and  tvthcs. 

\'ol.  xvi.  p.  524,  concerning  John 
Thornborough,  his  being  eletled  Bi- 
fliop of  Briftol  and  his  holding  the 
deanery  and  prebendary  of  York  in 
commendam,  becaufeof  the  fmallnefs 
of  the  income  of  the  bifliopric  of  Briftol. 

The  Regifters  and  original  writings 
&:c.  in  the  keeping  of  R.  R.  Lord  Bi- 
fhop  and  the  dean  and  chapter  of  the 
cathedral  church  of  Briftol. 

The  Regiftcr  or  rather  the  hiftory 
of  the  foundation  of  this  monafterv, 
by  John  Newland,  abbot,  to  be  found 
in  the  caftle  of  Berkeley,  in  the  county 
ofGlocefter.     (Manufcript.) 

Abridgments  of  certain  grants  to 
this  abbot  in  Dr.  Macro's  manufcript, 
12.  ii.  f.  2,  f.  18,  a. 

Certain  fines  in  Buckinghamfliire, 
the  5th  of  John,  n.  125,  of  lands  in 
Finemere  :  fines  in  div.  com.  1 1  John, 
n.  55,  concerning  the  church  of  Lau- 
vernack,  Glamorganfliire. 

Pleas  in  the  county  of  Somcrfcl, 
8th  of  Edw.  ift.  in  the  rote  of  alTizes 
the  27th,  concerning  100  acres  of  land 
in  Lcgh. 

A    deed   the    13th    of  Edward  ifl. 
n.  15,  for  holding  a  fair  at  Ahnondf . 
bur\-,  in  the  county  ofGlocefter 
L  2  Ibid, 


[     276    ] 


Ibid,  n.  35,  pro  lib.  ^\•ar.  in  Al- 
mundelbury,  Harfold,  et  Crumhole, 
Gloceflr.  Leye,  Somcrfct.  Fifliide, 
Dorfct, 

Plac.  in  com.  Gloceflr.  15  Edw.  ift. 
quo  war.  rot.  1 6,  pro  libertat.  in  Berkc- 
lehernes,  &c.  pat.  23  Edw.  1.  m. 


Pat.  5   Edw.  2.  p.  1,  m.   22,  pro 
cccl.  de  Woiton  approprianda. 

Cart.  11  Edw.  2.    n.  17. 

Pat.  4  Edw.  3.  p.  2.  m. 

Pal.  8  Edw.  3.  p.  2,  m.  3,  pro  cccl. 
dc  Fifhyde. 

Pat.  1 1  Edw.  3.  p.  3,  m.  32,  vel.  33. 

Pat.  18  Edw.  3.  p.  2,  m.  6,  vel.  7, 
et  m.  46,  vel.  47,  de  excambio  cum 
priorc  S.  John.  Jerufalem. 

Pat.  26  Edw.  3.  p.  1.  m.  10. 

Pat.  26  Edw.  3.  p.  3,  m.  de  Claven- 
fwell.  efcact.  Somerfet.  27  Edw.  3. 
n.  52. 

Pat.  32  Edw.  3.  p.  2,  m.  12. 
,  Pat.  40  Edw.  3.  p.  1.  m.  35,  vel.  36. 

Efcaet.  Gloceftr.  45  Edw.  3.  n.  72. 

Efcact.  Dorfct.  49  Edw.  3.  p.  2, 
n.  46. 

Pat.  20  Rich.  2.  p.  2.  m.  1  i,de  ter- 
jis,  pafturis,  et  bofcis,  in  Berkeley, 
Gloceflr. 

Ibid,  m.  22,  pro  eccl.  de  Fifhide 
approprianda. 

Pat.  12.  Edw.  4.  p.  1,  m.  15.- 

Ibid,  p.  2,  m.  16  et  24,  rec.  in 
fcacc.  16  Hen.  8.  Mich.  rot.  10. 


The  fame,  n.  35,  for  a  free  War- 
ren in  Almonfbury,  Horfield,  and 
Cromhole,  in  the  county  of  Glocelter, 
Leye,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  and 
Fifhead,  in  Dorfetfhire. 

Pleas  in  the  county  of  Glocefter  the 
15th  of  Edward  ill.  by  which  are  war- 
ranted certain  privileges,  roll  the  16th 
in  the  hundred  of  Berkeley,  Sec. 
Patent  the  23d  of  Edw.  ill.  m. 

Patent  5th  Edward  ill.  p.  1.  m.  22, 
of  the  appopriation  oi'  the  church  of 
Wotton. 


For  the  church  of  Fifhead. 


Of  an  exchange  with  the  priory  of 
St.  John  of  Jerufalem. 

Of  Clavenfwell  efchaet,  Somerfet. 


Of  the  lands,  paflures,  and  woods,  in 
Berkeley,  Glocefterlhire. 

Of  appropriating  Fifhead, 


Pat. 


C  277   ] 


Pat.  34  Hen.  8.  p.  10,  (10  Jun.)  pro 
dotatione  epifcopatus. 

Ibid,  (Nov.  28.)  pro  dotatione  de- 
cani et  capituli. 

In  Atkyns's  Gloccfterfhire,  p.  212, 
manor  and  advowfon  of  Almondfbury, 
of  Afhelworth,  p.  222,  Arlingham, 
&c.  &c.  &c. 

In  Hutchin's  Dorfetfhire,  vol.  ii. 
p.  301,  advowfon  of  Fyfehead,  and 
lands  in  G.  Kington. 

In  Adamo  Domerham,  p.  197,  pof- 
fefliones  hujus  abbatise  infra  bundas  fo- 
reftarum  in  Somerfet. 

In  Dr.  Archer's  Account  of  Religi- 
ous Houfes,  p.  632,  advowfons  hereto 
belonging  in  the  diocefe  of  Bath  and 
Wells. 

William  of  Worceftre  Dimenfiones 
Ecclcfias,  p.  233,  289. 

Leland,  Colleft.  vol.  i.  85.  Itim 
vol.  i.  91,  94,  &c. 


Pat.   34th  Henry  8th.  (10th  June) 
endowment  of  the  bifiiopric. 

Endowment  of  the  dean  and  chap- 
ter, (Nov.  28.) 


In  Adam  Domerham,  p.  197,  the 
pofleffions  of   this   abby  within    the 
bounds  of  the  forefts  in  Somerfet. 


CHAP. 


C   278   ] 


CHAP.      IX. 


Of    the    B  I  S  II  O  P  R  I  C  K    of    BRISTOL,     iii    DIOCESE, 

CATHEDRAL,     &c 


TH  E  Abby  of  St.  Auguftin  fo  liberally  endowed,  fo  powerfully  pro- 
tcftcd,  and  fo  flrongly  fecured  by  royal  charters  and  confirmations,  was  now 
to  yeild  to  the  common  fate  of  other  religious  houfes  which  werefeized  for  the 
King's  ufe,  though  it  was  thought  their  riches  were  the  occafion  of  their  ruin, 
and  their  gold,  jewels  and  eftates  were  wanted  to  enrich  the  royal  coffers ; 
yet  fome  plaufible  excufcs  were  to  be  found  for  the  diffolution  ;  and  the  com- 
miffioners  fent  upon  this  bufinefs  in  many  .places  probably  had  fome  juft 
■warrant  for  their  proceedings,  yet  they  often  exceeded  their  commiflTions, 

The  low  finances  of  the  King  and  an  exhaufted  trcafury  were  the  principal 
Teafons  of  their  ufing  this  violent  meafure  ;  they  call  about  them  in  their 
necelTuies  and  here  found  a  ready  fupply  to  their  wants.  But  there  are  fome 
caufes  that  have  been  unnoticed,  which  furely  contributed  in  their  natural 
tendency  to  haflen  and  facilitate  the  diffolution,  and  abolifli  the  monaflic 
life. — The  late  great  increafe  of  trade  and  navigation,  and  the  difcovery  of 
America  not  long  before,  and  the  advantages  of  a  free  extended  commerce 
had  begun  now  to  open  men's  minds  and  to  give  a  fpring  and  a£livity  to  them 
unknown  before,  and  to  take  them  off  from  the  quiet  ftill  life  of  contempla- 
tion and  religious  retirement.  The  monks  themfelves  too  grew  Icfs  flritl  in 
their  difciplinc,  lefs  obfervant  of  their  rule,  mixing  more  with  the  world, 
which  was  often  complained  of  in  the  vifitations  of  their  houfes  by  thebifhops; 
their  number  being  feldom  kept  up,  in  many  not  enough  to  make  a  convent, 
or  fociety,  —  A  bufy  life  of  commerce  and  attention  to  trade  eagerly  purfucd 
Avould  probably  produce  finiilar  effe£ls  now,  would  foon  fupplant  religion 
and  banifli  it  out  of  the  kingdom,  if  our  conftitution  of  government  in  church 
and  flate  were  not  fo  intimately  blended,  and  our  religious  eflablifliment  not 
made  part  of  the  law  of  the  land,  fo  that  one  cannot  long  fubfifl  without  the 
other,  but  each  now  mutually  fupports  the  other,  and  will  neceffarily  do  fo, 
and   the    Chriftian  religion    will   thus  continue  in  England    ever  to  flourifh 

in 


C   279   ] 

in  its  purity  amongfl  us.  —  Henry  the  8th.  whofe  profufion  of  cxpencc  and 
ftron<T  pafTions  impelled  him  to  take,  and  undaunfed  fpirit  and  rcfoiution  ena- 
bled him  to  execute  this  bold  undertaking,  was  a  man  of  underflanding  and 
great  abilities,  and  if  we  may  believe  his  royal  word,  had  fome  good  motives 
in  this  ruin  and  defolation  of  monafteries,  intending  much  the  reformation 
ofabufes,  increafe  of  religion,  and  encouragement  of  learning  :  —  in  ere£ling 
fix  new  bidiopricks  out  of  the  fpoils  of  the  abbies  he  gave  fome  proof  of  thefc 
good  intentions.  His  exprcfTions  in  the  deed  of  eretlion  of  the  biflioprick. 
ofBriibl  are  very  pointed:  "  Divina  nos  dementia  infpirante,"  Sec.  i.e. 
"  Infpired  by  the  divine  clemency.  We  from  our  heart  affecting  nothing 
more  than  that  the  true  religion  and  true  worfliip  of  God  may  not  only  not  be 
abolifhed,  but  that  rather  it  may  be  wholly  rcRored  and  reformed  to  the  pri- 
mitive rule  of  its  own  genuine  purity  ;  and  having  correfted  the  enorirvitics  irwo 
■which  the  life  and  profefTion  of  the  monks  in  the  long  courfe  of  time  had"  molt 
deplorably  increafed,  (exorbitavcrat,)  we  have  endeavoured  as  far  as  human 
infirmity  can  provide  againft  it,  that  in  future  in  this  fame  place  inflrutlions 
out  of  the  holy  oracles  and  facraments  of  our  faving  redemption  may  be 
purely  adminiftered,  the  difcipline  of  good  manners  be  fincerely  kept,  youth 
be  liberally  inftrutled  in  learning,  old  age  failing  in  lirength  be  cheriflied  with 
things  neceflary  for  their  fupport,  that  alms  to  the  poor  may  abound,  and  the 
repairs  of  highways  and  bridges  may  from  hence  be  fupported,  &c.  We  have 
therefore  erected  this  biflioprick,  &c." 

Briflol  was  judged  fit  for  this  purpofe,  being  a  large  populous  place  and 
convenient  for  honour  and  dignity  with  regard  to  lituation,  thouglr  part  of  the 
diocefe  is  very  far  diflant  from  the  fee. 

For  the  foundation  of  it  is  taken  chiefly  out  of  Salifbury,  by  feparating  the 
countv  and  archdeaconry  of  Dorfet  from  that  diocefe ;  out  of  Worceiler, 
bv  taking  feveral  parifhes  in  Glocelterfliire,  (part  of  which  lay  in  Briflol  city, 
then  in  that  county  ;)  and  out  of  Wells,  which  had  three  churches  or  chapels 
aJfo  in  the  fame  city.  —  The  number  of  pariflies  in  this  diocefe,  which  befides 
Briftol  city  contains  the  whole  county  of  Dorfet,  arc,  as  Dr.  He)  lin  ti.-lls  us 
236,  of  which  64  are  impropriated;  though  in  tnidi  it  has  256  churches  and 
chapels,  of  which  221  are  in  the  county  of  Dorfet  in  that  archdeaconr)-,  3  in 
Briftol  city  on  the  Somerfetfhirc  fide  in  the  archdeaconry  of  Bath,  and  the 
reft  in  the  deanry  of  Briftol;  which  deanry  befides  15  parifhes  within  the 
liberties  of  the  city  comprehends  17  more  out-lying  churches  and  chapels  in 
Giocefterfhire,  mofl  of  which,  though  heretofore  under  the  archdeaconry  of 
GIoceHer,  (befides  little  St.  Auguftinc's  and  St.  Philip's  in  Briltol,  which  iUlI 

bclon? 


[     28o     ] 

belong  to  the  fame  archdeaconr)',)  are  now  fiibjeCt  to  the  immediate  jurif- 
diftion  of  the  Bifliop  of  Briftol  and  his  Chancellor,  and  exempted  from  arch- 
diaconal  jurifdiclion.  The  county  of  Dorfet  ftill  remains  under  its  proper 
archdeacon,  who  has  thcfc  deanrics  all  in  Dorfetfhire  under  him,  viz.  Dor- 
chefter,  Bridport,  Pimperne,  Shaftefbury,  Whitchurch,  firft  and  fecond  part; 
the  two  other  deanries  are  Briftol,  (all  of  it  heretofore  in  the  archdeaconry  of 
Glocefter  and  diocefe  of  Worcefter,)  and  Bedminfter  cum  Redclift  in  Somer- 
fetfliire,  in  the  archdeaconry  of  Bath,  (formerly  in  the  diocefe  of  Bath  and 
Wells.)  The  clergy  tenths  according  to  Heylin's  account  amount  to 
353I,  18s.  and  a  farthing. 


DIOCESE      OF      BRISTOL. 


Firft  Fruits. 

/.     5.       d. 


Yearly  Tenths. 
/.       S.         d. 


£94   n     oJ;         -         Biflioprick  of  Briftol  -         -         -         27   14     ^i 

The  cathedral — dedicated  to  the  Holy  and  undivided  Trinity — olim  the 
conventual  church  of  St.  Auguftin's  monaftery. 

N.  B.  The  yearly  tenths  were  altered  by  judgment  of  the  court  of  exche- 
quer Hilary  term  the  8th  of  Eliz.  to  27I.  14s.  4^d.  The  patent  of  ereflion 
of  this  biflioprick  bears  date  June  the  4th,  1542,  the  34th  of  Henry  the  8th. 
as  in  Rymcr,  v.  14,  p.  748.  The  deanry  of  this  church  is  in  the  gift  of  the 
King,  and  not  charged  with  firft  fruits  and  tenths. 


ARCHDEACONRY  of  BATH,  and  formerly  in  the  diocefe  of  Bath  and 
Wells:  DEANRY  of  REDCLIFT  CUM  BEDMINSTER  in  the  county 
of  Somerfet. 

CITY       OF       BRISTOL. 


iVflWfi  ofChuTchci  and  Chapels, 

Value  in 

King's  books. 

Rated  15,34. 

/.     s.     d. 
■>     4     2     St.     Crofs,    alias 

Temple  church 

cur. 

12     G     3  St.  MaryRedclift  vie. 

St.  Thomas,  cap. 

Abbot's     Leigh, 

Holy  Trinity. 


Patrons  of  Livings. 


Clear  value  as 
returned  1711. 


/.     s. 
■33     2 


(■40  13 


Rtligicus  Houfr, 

To  which  anciently 

impropriated. 

Yearly  Tenths. 

d.  I.    s.    d. 

8     City  of  Briftolj  Knight  Templars,     065 

f  Prebendary  ofBed- ' 
: 
bury, 


minfter    in   the     Prebendary    of 
hurch  of  Salif-  f     Bedminfter, 


4   7J 


Formerly 


[      28l      ] 

Formerly  in  the  ARCHDEACONRY  of  GLOCESTER  and  DIOCESE  of 

WORCESTER. 

Kamts  of  Churchis  and  Chapth.                    Patrons  of  Lwingt.  Rdigkus  Houfi, 

Value  in  To  which  anciently 

King's  books.                                Clear  value  as  impropriated. 

Rated  1534.                                 returned  1711  Yearly  Tenths. 

/.    s.     d,                                       I.    s,     d.  I,     s.     d. 

4     3     4  All-Saints  vie.           21   11     8     Chapter  of  Briftol,     Abby  of  Briftol.  084 

6  o     o  St.Auftin'sthclefsvic.  5  lo     o             Ditto.  Ditto.                       o  12     o 

11  o     o  Chrid-Church,  alias  "^ 

Trinity   rec.  /  3     8     o  )  City  of  Briftol.  120 

St.  Ewen's,  aliasSt,  f  o     6     8)  Ditto. 

Owen's  rec,  J 

r  Prioi-yof St.JameS, 
St.  James's  cur.  City  of  Briftol.       i    Briftol.  Abby  of 

t    Tewkefburj'. 

7  4     7  St.  JohnBaptiftrec.-v 

cum  St,  Laurences    581  Ditto.  o  »4     5| 

^J  now  demolilhed.    ) 

12  o     o  St,  Leonard's  vie,  4     1     5     Chaptcrof  Briftol.     Abby  of  Briftol.  140 

6  o     o  St,  Michael's  rec.  5   18  11     City  of  Briftol.  o  12     o 

St.  Mark's  car.  Ditto,  5  *^°"=§^  of  theGaunts 

C  in  Briftol. 

7  o     o  St.  Mar\'port  rec.  6     6   10     DukeofChandois,     Abby  of  Keynftiam.     o   14     o 
21      1     3  St,  Nicholas  vie.  7   i6     6     Chaptcrof  Briftol,     Abby  of  Briftol,  2     2     ij 

6     7     6  St.  Peter's  rec,  012     5     Cily  of  Briftol.  012     9 

1:     o     o  St,    Philip    and   St,)  ^  ^.  . , .       ,^      ,    „ 

,      ,  .      ■  M3  10     S  Ditto.  AbbyofTewken)ury.   1   10     o 

Jacob  s  VIC,  ^    v^  u 

i6     o     o  St.  Stephen's  rec.         20  13  it     The  Crown.  Abby  of  Glaftonbury.  i   12     o 

10     o     o  St.  Werburgh's  rec,     33     6     8  Ditto.  Abby  of  Keynlham.      100 

County  of  GLOCESTER,  DEANRY  of  BRISTOL,  and  ARCHDEA- 
CONRY of  GLOCESTER, 

20     o     o  Almondft)ur\'vic.      ■>  „.„  ..„.„,        .,,        r  n  -n  ^ 

'  (40  13  10     Bifhop  of  Briftol,     AbbyofBnftol.  sod 

Clifton  cur,  St.  An- 5  ^  ,,  ,,.,  „, 

,  C  10    o    o    Rev.  Mr. Taylor.       College  of  Wcftbury. 

700  ComptonOrecnfield  7 

f  48     1     3     Lady  Lippincott*  014     d 

■612     6  Elbcrton,    annexed  -j 

cur.    to01vcfton(46    o    o     Biftiop  of  Briftol.    Abby  of  Briftol,  o  13     3 

J  770.  ) 

M  M  Nanei 


[       282       ] 


Namts  of  Churches  and  Chapels. 
Value  in 
King's  books. 
Rated  1534. 
I.     s.     d. 
700  Filton  St,  Peter  rec. 

30 


Patrons  oj  Livings, 


Clear  value  as 
returned  1711. 
/.    s.     d. 


36 


o  Henburj',  St.  Miry,  "J 
vie.  cum.  Auftand  L28 
North  wick  chapels,  I 


27     7 


35 
20 


>7 
o 
o 


«4 


9  Littleton  rec. 
Mangotsfield  cur. 
Horfield  cur. 
o  Olveflon     vie.     St, 
Helen     cum    Cap 
de  Alvellon. 
Staplcton,  Holy  Tri- 
nity cur, 
o  Stoke-GifFord,     St.' 
Michael  cur.  this 
lies  in  two  pariflies, 
viz,    Wintcrbornc  ^20  1 2 
and  Almondlbury, 
but  is  prefented  to 
by 
Weftbury,HolyTri- 
nity  cur. 
6  W'interbome,      St,    j 
Michael  rec,  J 


»3 


M.Brickdale,Efq; 
'SirJ.  H.Smyth  and' 
Mr. Gores;  Lord 
Middlcton&Mrs. 
Colflon. 

Lady  Lippincott. 

Late  Mr.  Dowle. 

BilhopofBriftol. 


Religious  Houfe, 

To  which  anciently 

impropriated. 

Yearly  Tenths 
/.  s.  d. 
o  14    o 

•  See  of  Worcefter.       300 

PrioryofSt.James's,  Bridol. 
Abby  of  Briftol. 


Chapterof  Briftol.     Abby  of  Bath.  280 

Tho.  Smyth,  Efq;     Priory  of  St.  James's,  Briftol. 


Dutchefs  Dowager 
of  Beaufort. 


16     o     Mr.  Fane. 


St.John's  College, 
Oxford. 


College  of  Weftbury. 
I  2  »4     » 


Of  thefe  churches  above-mentioned  taken  out  of  Wells  and  Worcefter 
diocefe  Anno  1542,  all  thofe  of  Briftol  arc  fubordinate  to  the  bifliop's  chan- 
cellor, who  inftitutes  to  them  all,  except  St.  Auguftinc's  and  St.  Philip's, 
which  with  the  out-lying  pariflies  ftill  belong  to  the  archdeacon  of  Gloccftcr, 
though  the  remaining  part  of  the  diocefe,  which  is  entirely  in  Dorfetfliire  yet 
remains  to  that  archdeacon  as  it  did  heretofore  while  it  belonged  to  the  fee  of 
Salifbury. 

For  that  part  of  Briftol  diocefe  that  lies  wholly  in  the  county  of  Dorfet,  and 
the  names  of  the  feveral  pariflies,  I  refer  to  E£ton's  Liber  Valorum  republiflicd 
lately  by  Mr.  Bacon  under  the  name  of  Liber  Regis,  and  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Hutchins's  Hiftory  of  Dorfet. 


Of 


[    283    ] 
Of  the    CATHEDRAL    of   B  R  I  S  T  O  L. 

This  church  is  dedicated  to  the  Holy  and  undivided  Trinity  ;  the  feal  of 
the  Dean  and  Chapter  formerly  was  The  Trinity,  the  Son  in  the  bofom  of  the 
Father  on  a  crofs  with  a  dove  at  his  ear  ;  on  the  reverfe  the  figure  of  Henry 
the  8th. — The  grofs  impropriety  of  this  reprefentation  of  the  Triune  God, 
three  agents  in  one  Jehovah  or  Divine  Effence,  of  the  one  God  aQing  in  three 
perfons  in  the  gracious  plan  and  offices  of  man's  redemption,  induced  them  in 
1624  to  change  their  feal  for  three  ducal  coronets  in  pale,  a  faltier  crofs 
charged  with  three  flcurcs  de  lis  and  a  portcullis.  See  the  plate  of  the  cathe- 
dral.— It  has  belonging  to  it  a  dean,  fix  prebendaries  or  major  canons,  fix 
minor  canons  or  prieft  vicars,  (one  of  which  is  to  be  facrift,)  one  deacon,  fix 
lay-clerks  or  finging-men,  one  mafter  of  the  chorifters,  one  fub-deacon,  fix 
chorifters,  two  mafters  of  the  grammar-fchool,  four  alms-men,  one  fub-facrifl 
or  fexton,  one  proftor  who  was  to  be  the  virger,  one  butler,  two  cooks  ;  in 
all  39  by  Henry  the  8th's.  foundation  :  though  the  places  of  the  inferior 
members  being  of  fmall  value  are  feldom  kept  entirely  filled  as  provided  for  in 
the  ftatutes,  which  are  mutatis  mutandis  the  fame  with  thofe  of  Glocefler  and 
others  of  the  new  foundation. 

The  firft  Bifliop  was  Paul  Bufh,  and  befides  fix  major  canons  or  prebenda- 
ries, fix  minor  canons  were  then  appointed  at  ten  pounds  per  ann.  for  each 
minor  canon;  61.  13s.  4d.  for  the  gofpcller  and  epifleller;  the  fame  for  each 
of  the  fix  finTing-men.  and  lol.  for  the  organift.  In  the  old  liber  valorum  in 
firft  edit,  the  deanry  was  rated  at  lool.  per  ann.  and  each  of  the  prebendaries 
at  20I.  per  ann.  but  the  refcrvcd  rents  alone  of  the  dean  and  chapter  eftates 
amount  now  (1788)  to  845I.  per  ann.  which  however  fcarcely  pays  the  prefent 
expences  of  the  church  and  officers,  the  falaries  of  the  minor  canons,  organift, 
&c.  now  advanced;  but  the  renewals  of  leafes  of  eftatcs  on  lives  generally 
produce  near  200I.  per  ann.  to  each  prebendary  and  400I.  to  the  dean,  though 
the  amount  muft  var)'  every  year. 

Befides  the  falaries  to  the  officers  of  the  church,  Henry  the  8th.  has 
appointed  by  the  ftatutes  of  foundation  20I.  per  ann.  to  be  given  among  poor 
houfeholders  and  other  poor  people,  and  20I.  per  ann.  to  make  and  repair 
the  highways;  and  he  made  in  1515  the  chancellor  of  the  court  of  augmen- 
tations, and  dean  of  the  royal  chapel,  and  their  fucccftbrs  and  others  com- 
miffioncrs  to  fee  this  andotherlike  benefadions  out  of  the  new-erefted  cathedral 
chapters  duly  paid  every  year,  pat.  37th  of  Henr\'  the  8th.  p.  9  M.  25,  (Rymer. 
Feed.  v.  15.  p.  77,  78,  134.)     A  declaration  from  time  to  time  of  t!ic  bcftow- 

M  M  2  i»8 


C    284    ] 

ing  and  employing  the  faid  money  in  alms  and  highways  was  to  be  delivered 
yearly  into  the  court  of  augmentations  by  order  of  Edward  the  6th.  the  firll 
year  of  his  reign,  and  the  commifTioners  were  to  receive  from  the  deans  and 
chapters  yearly  40  marks  for  their  care  and  trouble  herein. 

According  to  the  ftatutes  the  above-mentioned  is  the  number  of  the  officers, 
and  it  is  put  out  of  the  power  of  the  dean  and  chapter  (bifhop  or  archbifliop) 
to  innovate  or  alter  any  thing  contained  in  the  body  of  the  flatutes,  fub  poena 
perjurii  &  amoiionis  perpetuae  ab  ecclefia  noftra,  (faith  the  King,)  refcrvamus 
tamcn  nobis  &  fuccelloribus  noflris  potcllatcm  miUandi  &c. 

The  dean,  "  Qui  femper  domi  apud  fuam  ecclcfiam  praefideat  &c."  vid. 
Hat.  c.  4.  et  c.  8. 

The  fix  prebendaries,  "  Domi  fe  continerc  &  in  ecclefia  noftra  femper 
refidentes  effe  volumus."     Stat.  c.  12. 

Six  minor  canons,  "  Quorum  refidentia  fit  perpetua,  ftat.  c.  22.  ad  dei 
laudes  in  ecclefice  noftra;  Templo  aftiduc  decantandas  conftituimus." 
Stat.  21.  c. 

One  deacon,  one  fub-deacon,  "  Qui  evangelium  &  epiftolam  legent." 

One  praecentor,  "  Sit  ex  minoribus  canonicis  unus,  oflicium  ejus  eft  in 
ecclefia  noftra  pfallentes  cum  decano  moderari  et  voce  alios  praecinere  ac 
veluti  Dux  efle  :  abfeniias  omnesnotare:  libros  choro  deputatos  bene  curare." 
Stat.  c.  23. 

Six  chorifters,   "  Vocibus  fonoris  et  ad  cantandum  aptis.  c.  25. 

One  orgainift,  "  Sit  honeftas  fama;,  vitas  proba-,  cantandi  et  organa  pul- 
fandi  peritus,  docendis  pucris  et  divinis  ofiiciis  cantandis  ftudiofe  vacabit." 
c.  25. 

It  no  where  appears  that  the  King  or  his  fucceflbrs have  ever  difpenfed  with 
or  changed  this  number,  or  the  refpeflive  duties  of  the  places;  and  the  bene- 
fits refulting  from  the  ftrift  obfervance  of  the  ftatutes  would  be  many  and 
great  in  this  and  every  other  cathedral  church,  the  open  violation  of  them  in 
fonie  and  negletl  of  them  in  others  have  been  known  to  contribute  much  to 
the  very  ill  performance  of  the  fervice,  Icflening  the  congregation,  ruin  of 
the  houfes,  decline  of  religion  and  piety,  neglect  of  hofpitality  and  charily, 
and  many  ancient  good  orders  belonging  to  the  churches. 

In  the  endowment  of  this  church  the  biftiop  had  a  large  though  not  a  very 
convenient  houfe  appropriated  to  him,  adjoining  to  the  cathedral,  which  was 
formerly  the  abbacy  or  abbot's  lodgings:  it  opens  into  the  eaft  cloifter  and 
confifls  of  fcveral  fpacious  apartments,  many  of  which  were  well  repaired 
and  neatly  fitted  up  by  Bifhop  Smalridgej  fince  his  time  it  was  fuffered  to  go 

to 


C   285    ] 

to  decay,  but  a  late  worthy  and  generous  Bifhop,  Dr.  Biiilcr,  in  1744,  had 
great  part  of  it  taken  down  and  rebuilt,  at  the  cxpence  of  near  5000I. 

Many  of  the  apartments  are  large  and  ornamented  in  a  grand  manner,  and 
the  whole  houfe  is  now  exceedingly  convenient,  by  means  of  the  prebendaries 
receiving  certain  lands  of  his  lordfhip,  which  lay  behind  the  fouth  fide  of 
Trinity-ftrcet  for  their's,  which  lay  contiguous  to  his  palace  :  this  enabled 
him  to  add  to  the  palace  a  handfome  garden  and  walks.  The  chapel  which  is 
in  the  houlfe  is  alfo  very  neatly  repaired,  and  wainfcoted  with  cedar:  it  is 
very  fmall,  being  only  fifteen  feet  long  and  eleven  broad  ;  in  the  windows  is 
a  great  quantity  of  painted  glafs,  which  was  lately  repaired,  and  there  is  more 
in  other  parts  of  the  houfe  yet  to  be  feen,  with  the  names  and  arms  of  two  or 
three  of  the  laR  abbots  and  the  firfl:  bifhop.  The  whole  fabric  is  a  handfome 
and  commodious  dwelling,  which  his  lordfhip  and  the  fucceeding  biDiops  have 
made  their  place  of  refidencc  for  about  five  months  in  the  year,  during  which 
time  once  a  week  they  keep  an  open  tabic  for  all  the  clergy  and  gentry  :  and 
Bifhop  Butler,  in  expending  fo  large  a  fum  upon  the  fabric  of  the  palace  then 
going  to  decay,  which  he  knew  himfelf  (hould  not  long  enjoy,  fhewed  his 
mod  noble  and  generous  fpirit  and  proved  him  worthy  of  his  high  office. 

In  1744,  whild  the  palace  was  rebuilding  a  parcel  of  plate  fell  through  the 
door  in  the  corner  of  one  of  the  rooms,  which  by  this  accident  was  found  to 
be  decayed,  and  occafioned  the  floor's  being  taken  up,  when  to  the  furpnze 
of  the  workmen  a  room  appeared  underneath,  in  which  were  found  a  great 
many  human  bones,  and  inflruments  of  iron,  it  was  fuppofed  to  punifh  the 
refrattory  and  criminals.  At  the  fame  time  was  difcovered  a  private  pafTage 
to  this  dungeon,  originally  conflru£led  with  the  edifice,  being  an  arched  wav 
juft  large  enough  for  one  perfbn  to  pafs  in  at  a  time  made  in  the  thicknefs  of 
the  wall,  one  end  terminated  in  the  dungeon,  and  the  other  in  an  apartment 
©f  the  houfe,  which  by  all  appearance  had  been  ufed  as  a  court  ;  but  both 
entrances  of  this  mural  pafTage  were  walled  up  and  fo  concealed  that  no  one 
could  fufpeft  it  to  be  any  other  than  one  folid  thick  wall. 

The  deanery  which  ftands  at  the  wcfl  end  of  the  church  appears  to  be  a 
good  houfe  :  it  was  repaired  in  the  time  of  Dean  Crefwick,  and  almoft  entirely 
rebuilt  by  Dean  Warburton.  The  prefent  yearly  value  of  the  deanery  is  efli- 
jnated  to  be  as  good  as  the  referved  rents  of  the  bifliopric.  The  fi.x  preben- 
daries have  all  houfes  within  the  cathedral  limits,  but  not  rcfiding,  they  let 
them  out  at  good  rents.  The  minor  canons  and  finging  men  are  now  dcfti- 
tute  of  habitations   within   the    church  precintls,  thou^jh  the   chapter-books 

fop 


[     286    i 

for  1529,  folio  33,  mention  the  petty  canons'  chambers  in  the  inner  green 
near  the  dean's  gardens. 

The  weii  and  fouth  fides  of  the  cloifters  are  pulled  down,  the  fite  and  ex- 
tent of  them  are  flill  to  be  feen.  The  eaft  and  north  cloiftcr  would  probably 
have  been  likewifc  demolifhed,  but  that  the  firft  leads  into  the  chapter-houfe 
and  bifhop's  palace.  What  remains  of  the  cloifler  is  covered  with  a  floped 
roof  of  (lone  like  a  fhcd,  which  was  not  the  original  roofing,  that  being  for- 
merly of  lead.  The  whole  formed  an  handfome  and  elegant  fquare,  but 
makes  now  a  very  mean  appearance  ;  for  in  the  year  1655,  Walter  Deyos 
being  mayor  of  Briftol,  the  lead  was  taken  off  from  the  cloifters  as  well  as 
from  the  cathedral,  and  depofited  in  the  chamberlain's  hands ;  but  a  ftop  be- 
ing put  to  any  farther  fpoil,  an  order  was  made  the  8th  of  January  1655, 
that  the  lead  removed  from  the  cathedral  and  cloifters  adjoining  fhould  be 
fi)ld,  and  laid  out  in  the  neceffary  repairs  of  the  faid  cathedral.  Tolzey 
Book,  p.  99.  This  was  the  fecond  pillage  this  cathedral  has  fuffered  fince  the 
general  fack  in  Henry  8th's.  rcign.  In  the  middle  of  the  cloifters  leading  out 
of  the  church  is  an  entrance  into  the  chaptef-houfe,  M'hich  is  a  very  elegant 
curious  building,  and  has  a  very  handfome  ftone  roof  of  two  arches,  the  pil- 
lars being  adorned  with  curious  twifted  carved  work  in  the  Saxon  ftile  of 
architecture,  and  it  is  in  length  46  feet  and  in  breadth  26  in  the  infide,  and 
was  as  much  in  height  till  the  floor  was  lately  raifed  four  feet  by  laying  a  deal 
floor  above  the  pavement,  to  render  it  lefs  damp  and  make  it  more  conve- 
nient for  the  chapter's  meeting  upon  bufinefs,  which  they  now  tranfafl:  alto- 
gether here  ;  and  they  have  fitted  up  a  prefs  for  their  books  and  rcgifters, 
and  in  place  of  the  fine  old  circular  window  have  put  in  four  large  modern 
fafhes.  There  is  fet  up  over  the  door  this  infcription  :  "  Capitularis  haec 
domusrcparata  ct  ornatafuit,  A.  D.  1713,  Honoiabili  et  Revercndo  Roberto 
Booth,  S.  T.  P.  decano,  Jacobo  Harcourt,  S.  T.  B.  vice-decano,  Hugonc 
Waterman,  A.  M.  ihefaurario." 

The  fquare  of  the  cloifters  was  103  feet  every  way,  there  is  a  door  yet 
leading  out  of  the  weft  part  of  the  church.  Adjoining  to  the  dcanerv  is  a 
noble  gate-houfc,  remarkable  for  its  well-'urned  arch  and  curious  workman- 
fliip.     (See  the  plate.) 

This  fine  gate  is  in  the  ftile  of  what  Sir  Chriftopher  Wren  calls  the  Saxon 
architeQure,  before  the  Gothic  or  rather  Saracenic  with  pointed 'arches  was 
introduced  in  this  ifland  after  the  crufadcs.  The  arch  is  of  fuch  curious 
workmanftiip,  that  words  cannot  pofTibly  give  any  idea  of  it,  the  engraved 
plate  but  an  impcrfcQ  one.     The  fcrolls,  twifts,  and  other  ornaments  arc  fo 

interwoven 


[     287     ] 

interwoven  and  intricate,  that  the  eye  is  puzzled  in  furvcying  them,  and  is  at 
lofs  where  to  fix  and  trace  them  out.     The  fweep  of  the   arch   is  very  much 
admired,  though  by  the  ground's  being  rofe  by  time  its  height  is  lefs,   and  fo 
the  proportion  of  it  originally  is  in  fome  refpeft  injured  by  it.     It  has  been 
very    well   preferved,    and  fufFered  very    little    by  time.       The  rooms  over 
the  arch  are  of  much  later  ereQion  than  the  arch  itfelf,  being   repaired  and 
jUered   by  the  abbots,  particularly  by  Abbot  Ncwland  alias  Nailheart,  who 
was  a  great  builder,  and  in  compliment  to  the  founder  of  the  monaftery  placed 
his  effigy,  with  a  model  of  the  conventual  church  in  one  hand  and  the  foun- 
dation charter  in  his  other,  in  one  of  the  niches  over  this  arch,  with   the   fla- 
tue  of  Henry  2d.  next  him,  and  underneath  them  and  juft  above  the  crown  of 
the  arch  the  following  infcription,  in   Gothic  letters,  rifing  out  of  the  flone  : 
"  Rex   Henricus  fecundus   et   Dominus  Robertus   filius  Hardingi  filii  Regis 
Daciae  hujus  monafterii  primi  fundatores  extiterunt."      There  is  no  date,  and 
had  the  infcription  been  placed  there  at  the  very  time  of  the  ereftion  of  the 
monaftery,  1148,  no  doubt  but  the  date  would  have  been  added.      On  the  fouth 
fide  are  the  ftatues  in  ftone  of  the  Abbots  Newland  and  Elliot,  in  whofe  time, 
1515,  the  rooms  over  the  arch  probably  underwent  fome  great  alteration, 
who  then  fixed  up  their  own  figures  there,  and  probably  the  Latin  infcription, 
Inflead  of  the  prefent  fa{h  window  there  was  formerly  a  projecting  bow  win- 
dow with  fmall  fquares  of  glafs  leaded;   this  I  have  preferved  in  the  plate,  aS 
it  was  the  original  form  of  the  building,  and  more  fuitable  than  the  prefent; 
and  a  kind  of  turret  of  old  was  carried  up  on  the  back  part  of  it,  which  was  the 
antient  ftair  cafe  leading  to  the  rooms  over  the  gate  ;  this  has  been  dcflroyed  by 
building  a  handfome  houfe  on  the  eail  fide  of  it.    On  the  weft  fide  is  a  poftern, 
now  fhut  up  and  uled  by  the  dean  for  a  coach-houfe  ;  over  it  is  a  room  for- 
merly the  porter's  lodge.      There  are  feveral  coats  of  arms  carved  in  ftone  on 
both  fides  of  this  fuperb  gate-houfe.      On  the  north  fide  at  top  is  Edward  the 
Confeffor's  carved,  which   points  out  the  antiquity  of  this  gate,  and  is  pre- 
ferved notwithftanding  the  alteration  it  has   undergone  ;   next  it  the   arms   of 
England  crowned,  and  Richard  de  Clare  Earl  of  Pembroke's,  being  chevro- 
uee  of  fix  or  and  gules,  below  Henry  2d.  and  Fitz-Harding's. 

On  the  fouth  fide,  bcfides  the  abbots  in  effigy  and  their  arms  under, 
are  two  figures  above  them,  one  the  Virgin  Mary  and  Child  and  the 
other  I  have  not  yet  found  the  name  of,  nor  of  the  two  upper  figures  on  the 
north  fide :  they  are  abbots  or  noblemen  who  had  been  fignal  benefaClors  to 
the  monafterv. 

Iti 


[     288    ] 

In  the  rebellious  time  of  1641,  among  other  ravages  then  committed  and 
lands  of  the  bifliopric  then  fold  was  "  the  gate-houfe  in  Briftol  fold  March  6, 
1649,  to  John  Birch  for  the  fum  of  18I.  13s.  4d."  as  the  palace  and  park 
were  at  the  fame  time  for  the  fum  of  240I.  to  Thomas  and  John  Clark. 

This  gate-houfe  was  leafed  out  by  the  bifhop  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sloper,  reftor 
of  Spetfbury  and  chancellor  then  of  this  diocefe,  who  being  a  very  charitable 
man,  among  other  benefaBions,  left  to  the  mayor  and  aldermen  of  Briftol  hii 
houfc  in  College-green,  &-c.  in  truft  out  of  the  rents  to  renew  the  leafes  from 
ihe  Biltop  of  Briftol,  to  Mary  Hort  his  neice  5I.  and  the  remainder  to  buy 
minion  bibles,  to  be  diftributed  to  poor  families  by  the  alderman  of  each  ward, 
the  number  to  be  in  proportion  of  the  fize  of  each  ward.  This  houfe  was  fold, 
the  bifliop  refufing  to  renew  the  lives  for  the  corporation,  who  then  put  it  into 
Chancery,  and  it  was  bought  out  of  Chancery  by  Hugh  Grove,  Efq;  whofe 
nephew  has  lately  renewed  with  the  bifliop.  The  corporation  had  the  pur- 
chafe  money,  and  now  difpofe  of  the  bibles  purchafcd  by  the  intereft  of  the 
faid  money  every  three  years. 

The  monaftery  or  conventual  church  itfelf,  though  not  to  be  extolled  for 
elegance  and  but  a  plain  ftru6lure,  yet  being  fituatcd  on  an  hilly  ground,  if 
now  compleat  as  in  the  print,  would  prefent  a  ftriking  front  and  elevation. 

William  of  Worcefter,  who  furvcyed  this  church  about  the  year  1480, 
gives  the  following  meafurements  :  "  The  choir  of  St.  Auguftin  in  Briftol 
contains  in  length  64  fleps  beyond  the  chapel  of  St.  Mary.  The  breadth  of 
the  nave  of  the  choir  with  the  two  ailcs  contains  50  fteps.  The  length  and 
breadth  of  the  fquare  on  every  fide  contains  22  fteps.  The  length  of  frayter.^ 
houfe  26  fteps,  its  breadth  16.  The  length  of  the  old  church  80  fteps,  of  the 
belfry  24,  its  breadth  64  fteps.  The  length  of  the  chapter-houfe  56  fteps,  its 
breadth  18."  In  another  place  he  mentions,  "  The  church  of  the  canons  of 
St.  Auguftin.  The  chapel  of  Su  Mary  contains  in  length  13  yards,  its 
breadth  gj  yards.  The  fpace  or  way  of  proceflions  behind  the  principal  altar 
before  the  chapel  of  St.  Mary  is  5  yards.  The  length  of  the  choir  from  the 
reredesof  the  principal  altar  to  the  end  of  the  choir  contains  29  yards,  begin- 
ning from  the  end  of  the  aforefaid  fpace.  The  breadth  of  the  nave  of  the 
choir  and  the  two  ailes  of  the  choir  contains  24  yards.  There  is  a  decent 
chapel  built  on  the  north  part  of  the  aile  of  the  choir  containing  in  length 
***  yards." 

We  can  colled  but  a  very  imperfed  idea  from  thefe  vague  meafurements. 
(Vide  the  print  or  ichnography.)  The  prefent  cathedral,  deprived  as  it  is  of 
its  weftern  part  home  to  the  tower,  confifts  of  the  choir  and  the  two  fide  ailcs, 

all 


[    289    ] 

all  of  equal  height  and  part  of  the  nave,  curioufly  vaulted  and  the  arched  roof 
well  fupporled,  with  a  crofs  aile,  and  fo  complcating  but  two  parts  of  a  crofs. 
As  it  now  ftands  unfinifhed,  it  is  in  length  from  call  to  weft  175  feet, 
whereof  the  choir  is  loo  feet,  but  in  its  compleat  (late  muft  have  extended  100 
feet  farther  weft  ward.  The  length  of  the  crofs  aile  from  north  to  fouth  is  128 
feet.  The  height  of  the  tower  is  127  feet,  which  ftands  in  the  midft  of  this 
aile  (as  it  would  in  the  middle  of  the  church,  if  the  weftern  nave  was  finiflicd) 
as  it  formerly  ftood.  It  has  one  fingular  beauty  not  to  be  met  with  in  any 
other  cathedral,  namely,  that  the  two  fide  ailes  are  of  equal  height  with  the 
nave  and  choir,  and  finely  arched  and  curioufly  fupported,  well  calculated 
both  for  ftrength  and  beauty.  The  low  fide  ailes  of  other  cathedral  churches 
take  away  much  of  their  grand  appearance  and  lofty  look,  fo  obvious  in  this  at 
the  firft  view.  The  breadth  of  the  body  and  fide  ailes  is  73  feet,  and  it  is 
43  feet  to  the  height  of  the  vaulting. 

How  the  church  prefents  to  us  this  imperfefl  mutilated  appearance  now  is 
a  matter  deferving  enquiry.  There  is  a  tradition  that  the  weft  part  was  demo- 
liftied  home  to  the  tower  in  that  great  confufion  in  Henry  8th's.  time,  and  the 
materials  fold  and  difpofed  of,  before  that  King  had  determined  to  convert  it 
into  a  cathedral  and  a  biftiop's  fee.  As  there  is  no  record  to  eftablifh  this 
fa£l,  others  have  thought  it  was  never  finiflied  :  the  builders  of  churches  are 
faid  firft  to  eftablifti  the  whole  plan  of  their  building,  then  begin  at  the  altar 
or  eaft  part,  ufing  that  for  the  religious  fervice  till  by  degrees  they  could  com- 
pleat the  whole.  Whether  they  ftopt  this  building  after  finifiiing  the  tower  is 
the  queftion.  That  this  is  not  the  firft  church  erected  on  this  fpot,  or  the 
fame  that  was  built  by  Robert  Fitzharding  the  firft  founder,  appears  from  a 
deed  I  met  with  in  the  Lib.  Alb.  Wygorn,  6.  f  20.  for  in  the  year  1311  the 
church  of  Wotton  was  appropriated  by  the  Biftiop  of  Worcefter  to  the  monaf- 
tery  of  St.  Auguftin,  which  was  then  much  decayed,  and  their  revenue  re- 
duced by  the  expences  in  rebuilding  their  church,  fumptuoufly  built  of  old 
by  their  pious  founders,  but  then  through  age  for  the  moft  part  pulled  down 
and  the  remainder  ruinous :  in  repairing  which  and  in  rebuilding  they  had 
fpent  much  and  ought  to  expend  much  more  in  the  work  newly  begun.  For 
the  relief  of  thefe  expences  and  their  other  great  neccfi^ities,  the  biftiop  appro- 
priated to  them  the  church  of  Wotton,  &c."  (Dated  at  London,  1 1  kal. 
July,  1311-}  The  original  fays,  "  Quod  ecclefia  cjufdcm  monafterii  a  piis 
ipfius  fundatoribus  antiquis  teniporibus  ad  cultum  divinum  opere  fumptuofo 
conftrucla  dudum  propter  ipfius  antiquitatem  ct  dcbilitatem  pro  majori  parte 
fundiius  diruta,  in  parte  refidua  gravem  minatur  ruinam  ;  ad  cujus  fabricae  ref- 

N  N  taurationem 


C     2go     ] 

taurationem  plures  famptus  appofueriint  ct  ampliores  apponere  oportebit  in 
opere  ibidem  novitcr  inchoato,  &c." 

In  the  year  1363,  in  the  time  of  Mamicc  Lord  Berkeley,  the  fourth  of  that 
name,  a  contributor,  it  was  greatly  repaired  and  partly  rebuilt,  as  appears  by 
another  deed;  by  which  it  is  clear,  that  the  whole  building  and  reparations  it 
had  undergone  were  not  compleatcd  till  about  that  time,  40th  Edward  3d.  — 
William  of  \^'ofcefter  mentioning  the  length  of  the  old  church  80  fteps  is  ano- 
ther proof  that  there  had  been  fuch  an  old  church  before  his  time,  1480,  and 
before  the  prefent  was  ercfled. 

In  the  lives  of  the  abbots  (p.  267.)  it  is  faid  Edmund  Knowles  (who  was  ab- 
bot 26  years)  beg\in  building  the  prefent  church  anew  from  the  ground,  &c. 
and  that  he  died  1332,  which  compared  with  the  deeds  above,  dated  1311 
and  1363,  fhews  by  the  length  of  time  the  building  was  carrying  on,  that  it 
muli  have  been  probably  compleated  in  that  time,  and  the  ruins  at  the  weftern 
part  (where  tenements  with  gardens  were  fuftered  to  be  erefted  to  increafe  the 
dean  and  chapter's  revenue)  feem  to  prove  that  part  to  have  been  pulled 
down,  and  a  large  ftone  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  garden  walls  evidently 
points  out  the  extent  of  the  whole  building,  and  was  the  weftern  boundary 
ftone  of  this  plain  but  magnificent  abby  church;  but  whether  thefe  be  the  ruins 
of  the  old  or  firft  built  church,  or  of  the  later  ercfled  one  by  Abbot  Knowles, 
may  be  ftill  an  objeQ  of  doubt  with  fome,  and  not  cafily  folved  by  any.  It 
is  certain  fome  remains  of  Gothic  arches  beyond  the  tower  ftill  ftiew  the  church 
was  once  continued  to  the  weftward. 

The  beft  idea  of  the  fabric  may  be  formed  from  a  view  of  the  copper-plate 
print,  which  reprefents  it  as  compleat,  though  from  the  tower  to  the  weftern 
end  be  at  prefent  wanting.  It  was  at  one  time  in  very  bad  repair,  but  it  ap- 
pears that  in  the  year  1670  1311  1.  were  laid  out  on  the  fabric  and  prebendal 
houfes,  and  that  in  the  years  1681  and  1685  i"  the  deanries  of  Towgood  and 
Ecvctt  300I.  or  more  was  laid  out  in  mending  the  floor  and  beautifying  the 
church,  painting  the  eaft  end  of  the  choir  and  other  works,  and  making  a  fine 
timber  cafe  for  the  new  organ,  erected  by  the  contibmion  of  the  dean  and 
chapter  and  many  other  well  difpofed  perfons  in  the  time  of  Biftiop  Wright,, 
about  the  year  1630,  at  the  expence  of  550 1.  in  the  whole  to  Mr.  Renatus 
Harris,  organ-builder.  The  ftalls  of  the  choir,  34  in  number,  (17  on  each 
fide)  are  very  regular,  and  fitted  up  about  1542,  when  it  was  made  a  cathe- 
dral, and  have  pews  under  them  of  a  modern  make.  There  is  a  grand  feat  for 
the  biftiop,  erefled  by  Paul  Bufti  the  firft  biftiop,  (his  arms  being  on  it)  and  ano- 
ther oppofitc  for  the  archdeacon  of  Dorfet.  The  floor  is  laid  with  black  and 
V  hite  marble,  and  you  go  up  to  the  high  altar  by  fteps  of  the  fame,  where  the 

large 


C      291       ] 

large  eaft  window  is  adorned  with  curious  Gothic  tracery-worls,  and  glazed 
with  painted  glafs,  on  the  top  the  King's  arms  (Henry  2d.)  the  Berkeley's  of 
Berkeley  and  of  Stoke  Gifford,  alfo  chevernois  of  6  or  and  G.  f.  argent  on 
a  canton  G.  a  rofe  proper,  for  Abbot  Braddone,  alfo  for  Hunt  and  Elliot, 
alfo  f.  argent  three  lozenges  in  fefs  gules,  alfo  feveral  figures  of  men  with  pro- 
pheta  wrote  on  them  in  a  fcroll. 

Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  gave  260I.  towards  beautifying  the  choir  and  laying 
the  marble  about  the  communion-table,  &c.  Above  the  communion-table, 
and  at  the  bottom  of  the  eaft  window,  are  a  variety  of  painted  arms  with  the 
letters  \V.  B.  interfperfed,  for  William  Burton  the  abbot,  who  is  faid  to  have 
built  the  altar  piece,  which  was  afterwards  gilded  and  repaired  by  the  Deans 
Towgood  and  Lcvct ;  on  each  fide  are  two  large  fliieldsof  arms,  Henry  the  2d. 
and  Lord  Berkeley's  on  the  right.  King  Henry  the  2d.  and  Clare  Earl  of 
Pembroke's  on  the  left. 

In  feveral  places  of  the  wainfcot  of  the  choir  and  on  the  front  of  the 
Bifiiop's  feat  are  the  letters  T.  W.  twifted  together  in  a  cypher,  which  fome 
fay  have  been  placed  there  in  compliment  to  Cardinal  Wolfcy,  but  the  truth 
is,  they  were  for  Thomas  Wright,  who  in  1541  was  appointed  Receiver- 
general  of  the  Chapter  at  their  firfl:  foundation,  and  had  the  ordering  of  their 
officers  and  fitting  up  of  this  church  for  a  cathedral,  and  took  care  to  fet  up  his 
cypher  in  all  parts,  as  Abbot  Newland  and  Elliot  had  done  before  him  and 
fhewed  him  the  example. 

In  the  North  aile  is  a  curious  painted  glafs  window  and  another  in  the 
South,  the  firft  reprefents  in  different  compartments  the  houfe  of  prayer,  with 
Domus  mea  domus  orationis,  and  driving  the  fellers  out  of  the  Temple  ; 
Our  Saviour  anfwering,  "  reddite  Ca;fari,  reddite  deo  ;"  Jacob's  ladder.  Sec. 
with  coats  of  arms  at  the  bottom  :  the  fecond  reprefents  Our  Saviour  in  the 
garden,  his  refurreclion  from  the  tomb,  his  afcenfion,  Abraham  about  to 
offer  up  Ifaac,  Jonah  coming  forth  from  the  belly  of  the  great  fifli  prepared 
for  him,  Elijah  in  his  fiery  chariot ;  thefe  are  faid  to  be  given  to  this  church 
by  Nell  Gwyn  miftrefs  to  Charles  the  2d. 

On  the  Eafl  and  South  fide  of  the  church  is  a  chapel  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ; 
an  arch  adorned  with  fhields  with  a  chevron  only,  (the  ancient  bearing  of  Fitz- 
hardings  before  they  added  the  ten  crolfes  patee,}  is  now  filled  up,  but  when 
opened  communicated  through  with  the  South  aile,  and  was  the  place  of 
burial  for  fome  of  the  family  ;  the  very  bricks  on  the  floor  of  this  chapel  have 
their  arms  burnt  on  them  and  fome  arms  of  the  abbots  alfo  ;  it  fccms  to  be 
appropriated  chiefly  to  the  ufe  of  the  Berkeley  family ;  it  is  now  tiie  veflry. 

N  .N  2  There 


[      292      ] 

There  was  given  to  this  cathedral  fome  plate  for  the  communion  fervicc 
the  loth  of  June  1710  by  Lady  Loyd,  a  filver  patin  gilt  and  filver  chalice 
frilt.  with  the  arms  of  the  cathedral  engraved  on  them  :  and  the  od  of  Auoufl 
1712  John  Rimifey  Efq;  prefented  to  this  church  a  pair  of  large  filver  can- 
dlellicks,  very  high  and  weighty,  they  coft  him  114I.  and  were  taken  in  1709 
by  the  Duke  and  Dutchefs  fhips  of  war  in  their  expedition  to  the  South  Seas  at 
Paita  by  Capt.  Woods  Rogers. 

The  tower  is  a  flrong  fquare  building,  not  very  high  but  well  proportioned 
to  the  fize  and  heighth  of  the  church  ;  in  it  hang  five  bells,  the  four  lead  were 
caft  by  Abbot  Newland,  who  died  in  the  year  1515,  as  appears  by  the  initial 
letters  of  his  name  upon  them  ?•  ji5.  three  of  them  bear  thefe  infcriptions, 
SanBe  Clemeni,JanUa  Margarita,  fanBa  Calharina  ora  pro  nobis,  on  the  fourth  is 
this,  Clara  vocor  Sclariorero;  the  biggefl  has  this  date,  1570  upon  it,  13th 
Q.  Eliz.  Here  were  defigned  to  be  five  more  as  appears  by  five  more  vacant 
frames,  out  of  which  there  is  a  tradition  the  bells  were  ftolen,  but  others  fay, 
they  were  fold  to  the  church  of  Redclift. 

The  following  Ichnography  prefents  to  the  eye  the  infide  of  the  prefent 
cathedral,  better  than  any  words  can  defcribe  it,  the  letters  of  refer- 
ence pointing  out  particulars.  A.  the  great  North  door  leading  down 
fteps  into  the  cathedral  out  of  the  College-green,  the  ground  having  in  time 
been  greatly  rofe  before  it.  B.  The  way  into  the  Elder  Lady-chapel  and 
fleps.  C.  The  door  leading  into  the  Cloiflers,  Chapter-houfe  and  Bifliop's- 
palace.  D.  The  fub-facrift's  veflry  built  on  the  imperfeft  part  of  the  church. 
E.  The  great  crofs  aile,  font  and  ftair-cafe  to  the  confiflory  and  regifter's 
office.  F.  The  ftone  pulpit,  feats  of  the  bifhop,  dean,  prebendaries,  and  cor- 
poration of  Briflol.  G.  The  choir  with  feventeen  flails  on  each  fide.  H.  The 
bifhop's  throne  and  the  archdeacon  of  Dorfet's  ftall.  L  The  veftry  and 
fealing-houfe,  formerly  St.  Mary's  chapel  for  the  Berkeley's.  K.  The  high 
altar  and  fteps  to  it.  L.  The  fite  of  the  chapter-houfe,  which  opens  to  the 
Cloifters.  M.  Tombs  of  Lords  Berkeley.  N.  Tombs  of  Sir  Richard  New- 
ton, or  of  Judge  Newton,  temp.  Hen.  6th.  of  Sir  John  and  Sir  Henry  New- 
ton. O.  Tombs  of  abbots  &c.  P.  Bifhop  Paul  Bufh's  tomb.  Q.  Tomb  of 
Sir  John  Young  and  his  Lady.  R.  Monument  of  Bifliop  Searchficld  and 
Dean  Chetwynd.  S.  Codrington's  monument.  T.  Tomb  of  Sir  Charles 
Vaughan.  U.  The  place  of  the  founder's  grave-ftone  now  removed  to  letter  u. 
W.  Gravc-ftones  of  Bifhops  Howcl,  Weftfield  and  Ironfide.  X.  Grave- 
flones  of  Dean  Tomfon,  CroITman  and  Towgood.  Y.  Grave-ftoncs  of  pre- 
bendaries 


Q 


C   293  ] 

bendaries  Saul,    Rainftorp  and  Towgood,       Z.    Stair-cafes  of  the    church, 
t  Mrs.  Weeks'  monument. 

On  the  North  fide  is  a  fmall  aile  called  the  Elder  Lady-chapel,  in  diftinc- 
tion  to  another  Lady-chapel  at  the  Eaft  and  South  end  of  the  church. — This 
on  the  North  fide  appears  to  have  been  part  of  the  old  church  before  it  was 
rebuilt  by  Abbot  Knowles,   being  much  lower  than  the  reft  of  the  church. — 
The  ftyle  of  the  architefture  in  the  pillars,  ceiling  and  windows  being  quite 
different  from  the  remainder  of  the   church  ;  and  the  name  feems  to  confirm 
its  antiquity  :  the   chapel  alfo  where    the   Newton    family  are   interred    and 
chapter-houfe  feem  alfo   to   be    of  the  old  foundation ;   as  do   the   Cloifters 
though  altered,  part  of  the  Bifhop's-palace  and  the  building  next  to  it,  being 
the  remains  of  the   common   hall,   refettory   or  dining-room  of  the    monks. 
From  this  fpecimen  of  the  architefture  in  the  Elder  Lady-chapel  we  may  form 
a  good   idea  of   the  firft  monaftery  church ;  the  neatnefs  of  the  black  marble 
pillars  with  which  it  was  adorned,  and  the  arched  roof  (hews  it  to  have  been  a 
very  rich  and  elegant  Gothic  building.      Though  the    fine   arch    itfelf  of  the 
gateway  leading  into  the  abby  (now  the  Lower  Green)  was  ofthe  old  founda- 
tion, yet   the    upper    part    over   it  appears  to  be  of  more  modern  date  ;  the 
ftatues  of  the  late  abbots  Elliot  and  Newland,  alias  Nailheart,  with  their  arms 
being  placed  in  niches  over  it  area  proof,  as  before  obferved  :  they  retained  in 
the  new-ere£ted  church  as  much   as  they  pofTibly   could  of  the  old  that  would 
fcrve  their  purpofe,  though  it  was  but  little,  without  deftroying  the  fymmetry 
and  proportion  of  the   whole  ;   yet  there  ftill  remains  enough  to  fhew  us  that 
the  prefent  is  of  anew  and  later  erection  than  the  original  foundation  building, 
if  records  had  been  wanting  to  prove  it — In  a  manufcript  of  Bitliop  Littleton 
in    the    library    of  the   Society   of  Antiquarians,  is  the  following  account: 
"  The  cathedral  appears  to  be  of  one  and  the  fame  ftyle  of  building  through- 
out, and  no  part  older  than  King  Edward  the  ift.'s  time,  though  forae  writers 
fuppofe  the  prefent  fabrick  was  begun  in  King  Stephen's  time,  but  not  a  fingle 
arch,    pillar  or  window  agrees  with  the  mode   which  prevailed  at  that  time. 
Indeed  the  tower  part  of  the  chapter-houfe  waits,  together  with  the  door-way 
and  columns  at  the  entrance  of  the  chapter-houfe  I  ftiould  pronounce  of  that 
age,  or  rather  prior  to  King  Stephen's  reign,  being  true  Saxon  architefturc 
The   infide  walls   of  the  chapter-houfe  have  round  ornamentat  arches  inter- 
fering each  other  like  thofe  in  St.    Nicholas's  chancel,  Warwick,  which  was 
part  of  the  old  Saxon   nunner)'  church.     The  great  gate-way  leading  into  the 
College-green   is  round,  arched  with  mouldings   richly  ornamented  in    the 
Saxon  taftc. — Qus^j'  If  this  part  of  the  gate-way   be   not  coeval  with  Fitz- 

harding 


C   294   ] 

liarding  founder  of  St.  Auguftine's,  temp.  Hen.  ill.  but  the  infcription  and 
upper  part  of  the  gale  \\  here  the  images  are  placed  are  far  more  modern." 

The  Collcgc-green  which  fronts  the  cathediai  and  adds  very  much  to  the 
beautv  of  the  place,  is  laid  out  in  pleafant  walks  with  rows  of  lime-trees 
planted  round  it,  and  is  the  rcfidence  of  many  genteel  families,  and  reforted 
to  bv  others  for  walking  on  account  of  its  airy  and  delightful  fituation, 
(propter  loci  ama;nitatem,  as  exprefTed  in  a  deed  as  early  as  the  year  1259.) 
The  BriRol  High  Crofs,  which  once  graced  the  center  of  it,  (as  appears  by 
the  little  print  annexed,)  was  removed  from  High-ftreet  hither,  for  the  fake  of 
widening  the  ftreet  and  rendering  it  more  commodious  for  paffengers ;  and 
here  it  remained  for  years  much  admired  by  all,  efpecially  by  flrangers  vifiting 
this  city,  till  wanting  repairs  from  the  injury  of  the  weather,  Dean  Barton 
ordered  it  to  be  given  to  Mr.  Hoar  at  Stourton,  to  adorn  his  elegant  gardens, 
(where  the  dean's  brother  was  rcBor  of  the  place.)  It  is  to  be  wifhed  fuch  a 
curious  local  piece  of  antiquity  had  remained  Itill  here  and  been  repaired 
occafionally,  as  a  monument  of  the  piety  and  gratitude  of  our  anceftors  to 
the  fevcral  Princes  who  had  given  charters  of  liberties  to  the  city  :  vid.  chap, 
on  All-Saints  parifh. 

This  green,  however  beautiful  now  and  the  refort  of  the  gay,  the  beaux 
and  belles  of  Briftol  to  walk  in  as  the  Mall  is  in  London,  was  formerly  the 
common  burying-placc  of  the  dead,  called  in  old  deeds  the  cemitery  of  the 
abbot  and  convent,  by  whom  a  folemn  proceffion  was  ufually  made  around 
it  on  feflival  days,  and  religious  rights  performed  and  fermons  preached  at 
the  great  crofs  (before  the  ereftion  of  the  Briftol  High  Crofs  there)  at  Eafter 
yearly  and  the  three  following  days.  There  have  been  found  here  tomb- 
ftones,  and  flaills  and  bones  dug  up  when  the  new  houfes  were  built  on  the 
Gaunts  fide  ;  and  at  digging  up  the  old  trees  the  9th  of  Henry  the  7th.  the 
like  bones  were  thrown  up,  and  more  lately  in  mending  the  walks  and  erefling 
the  rails. 

I  proceed  next  to  the  monuments  of  this  cathedral.  The  piety  of  our  an- 
ceftors was  fuch  that  they  were  not  content  to  rely  on  their  daily  devotions 
and  other  religious  afts  in  their  life  time  for  the  fafety  of  their  fouls,  but  they 
made  what  they  fimply  thought  a  provifion  for  their  fouls  after  their  deceafe, 
by  cQablifliing  chantries,  obiits,  &c.  whilft  their  children  have  receded  fo 
much  from  the  ways  of  their  fathers,  that  negligent  too  often  of  their  religious 
duties  to  their  God,  they  feem  to  pay  too,  too  little  attention  or  care  for  their 
fouls  even  in  their  life  time,  much  lefs  take  any  thought  for  their  fouls  or  thofe 
of  their  departed  relations  or  friends  after  their  death.     But  they  have  been 

more 


[    295    ] 

more  folicitous  about  depofuing  the  dead  bodies  of  their  relations  and  friends, 
and  erecting  tombs  over  them ;  whether  it  be  from  a  defire  of  convey^ing  to 
poflerity  the  names  of  their  family,  or  from  a  religious  perfuafion  and  hope  of 
meeting  them  again  in  another  life,  fuch  monuments  or  memorials  have  their 
ufe  and  muft  not  be  condemned,  as  is  too  much  the  cafe  in  this  age  of  levity 
and  affettation  of  more  enlightened  underflandings  than  their  anceflors. 

The  monuments  and  iafcriptions  worthy  of  notice  are  chiefly  the  following  : 
On  the  north  lide  in  the  Elder  Lady-chapel,  which  is  50  feet  long,  18 
wide,  and  the  fame  high,  under  an  arch  is  an  altar  tomb  with  the  flatues  in 
freeftone  in  full  length  of  Maurice  Lord  Berkeley  and  Margaret  his  mother, 
or  rather  of  Elizabeth  his  wife,  according  to  fome  manufcripts,  with  the  fa- 
mily arms  on  his  furcoat  G.  a  chevron  between  ten  crolTes  patee  argent.  At 
the  head  of  this  monument  is  the  following  infcription  on  a  table  under  the 
arch,  placed  therein  1712, — "To  the  memory  of  Robert  Fitzharding,  who  laid 
the  foundation  of  this  church,  he  lies  buried  with  his  lady  at  the  choir 
entrance,  *  over  whom  in  the  arch  of  the  door-way  is  a  lively  rcprefentation 
of  the  latter  judgment. — The  monument  of  Robert  Fitzharding  Lord  of 
Berkeley,  defcended  from  the  Kings  of  Denmark,  and  Eva  his  wife,  by  whom 
he  had  five  fons  and  two  daughters  :  Maurice  his  eldell  fon  was  the  firfl;  of 
this  family  who  took  the  name  of  Berkeley.  This  Robert  Fitzharding  laid 
the  foundation  of  this  church  and  monafl:ery  of  St.  Auguftin  in  the  year  1 140, 
the  5th  of  King  Stephen,  dedicated  and  endowed  it  in  1148,  and  he  died  in 
the  year  1170,  17th  Henry  2d,  From  the  faid  Robert  Fitzharding  Lord 
Berkeley  Auguftus  the  prefent  Earl  is  the  2zd  in  defccnt." 

Near  the  north  door  is  a  very  elegant  monument  againfl  the  weft  wall  for 
Mrs.  Draper,  celebrated  by  Sterne  under  the  name  of  Eliza.  Genius  and 
Benevolence  are  reprefented  by  two  beautiful  female  figures,  in  which  the 
fculptor  has  exerted  his  utmoft  (kill.  The  following  is  the  infcription  :  — 
"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Draper,  in  whom  Genius  and  Bene- 
volence were  united.     She  died  Auguft  8,  1778,  aged  35." 

Againft  the  pillar  near  it  is  another  with  an  infcription  to  Mr,  Wallis. 

In  the  north  aile  are  grave-ftones  with  Latin  infcriptions,  to  James  Har- 
court,  prebendary,  who  died  1739,  aged  59,  and  of  his  wife,  who  died  1733, 
aged  39,  and  four  children. 

Another  to  Richard  Towgood,  dean,  thus  : —  Hie  fitus  eft  Richardus  Tow- 
good,  S.  T.  B.   hujus  ecclefire  favente  Carolo  primo    prebendarius   nee  non. 

parochiae 

*  In  the  year  iGS.j  Dean  Tliompfon  ordered  the  two  large  ftones  which  once  had  brafs  plates, 
ief  into  them  and  were  then  much  worn  out,  10  be  removed  hence  under  the  Dcan'i  feat  in  thr 
body  of  the  church,  where  lliey  may  be  fccn  in  part  now. 


C   295  ] 

parocViia;  St.  Nicolai  (difla?)  concionator  egregius  et  frequens,  et  pra£licam  ci 
fcholaflicam  tlieologiam  apprime  calliiit  :  uttumque  nefcias  an  melius  intel- 
lexerit  an  candidius  impertiverit :  flagrante  bello  civili  ab  exulceratis  civibus 
ecclcfia  pulfus  eft,  et  quod  faclioni  difplicuerit  (cui  nefas  edet  placuifTe)  in 
carccrcm  detrufus,  reftituta  monarchia  ad  curam  revocatus,  atq;  baud  ita  poll 
favente  Carolo  filio  ad  Decanatus  dignitatem  proveElus  eft;  cui  fumma  cum 
prudentia  et  moderatione  prsefuit,  infulam  mcrvifTe  contentus.  Poftquam  per 
totam  vitam,  erga  Deum,  regem,  ecclefiam,  patriam,  fe  integerrime  geflerat 
dcfideratinimus  fenex  (oraculorum  facrorum  circiter  60  annos  in  hac  civitate 
laboriofus  idem  et  feliciffimus  interpres)  dierum  fatur  in  coelum  migravit 
Aprilis  21,  anno  aetat.  s.  8g,  Sal.  n.  1683.  Elizabetha  uxor  in  eodem  tumulo 
fepulta  jacet  quae  obiit  Novembris  22,   1685. 

Near  this  are  the  following  :  —  Here  lies  Mary  Blagdon,  daughter  of  Eli- 
zabeth Towgood,  wife  of  Richard  Towgood,  Dean  of  this  church,  who  de- 
parted this  life  Sept.  1699. 

Richardus  Towgood,  A.  M.  hujus  ecclefiae  przebendarius  Richardi  Towgood 
ejufdem  ecclcfias  Decani  juxia  inhumati  meritifque  laudibus  ornati  filius,  pa- 
ternas  virtutes,  pietatem,  fidem,  conftantiam,  haereditario  quafi  jure  vindi- 
cavit,  perantiquas  morum  integritatis  vir  ac  per  omnia  tempora  fui  fimillimus, 
defideratus  eft  11  0£l.  anno  aetatis  ^g,  falutis  1713,  cum  eodem  intumulata 
jacet  uxor  Elizabetha,  quae  mortalitatem  exuit  19  Augufti,   1726. 

Near  the  above  is  placed  the  following  infcription  :  —  In  memory  of  her 
renowned  anceftors,  Richard  Towgood,  S.  T.  B.  Dean  of  this  church  the 
grandfather,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  Richard  Towgood,  M.  A.  prebendary, 
the  father  and  Elizabeth  his  wife  ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Towgood  the  daughter, 
and  laft  of  the  family,  caufed  this  monument  to  be  erefted,  who,  having  inhe- 
rited the  virtues  of  her  forefathers,  and  exhibited  the  fame  illuftrious  pattern 
of  unaffefled  piety,  undiftembled  charitv,  and  unfuUied  integrity,  to  the  77th 
year  of  her  age,  followed  them  to  the  manfions  of  eternal  reft  Jan.  24,   1767^ 

Next  the  above  is  a  pyramidal  table  on  which  is  a  bafs -relief  head  of  the 
deceafed,  and  the  following  infcription  :  —  "  William  Powell,  Efq;  one  of  the 
panientees  of  the  Theatre-Royal,  Covent  Garden,  died  3d  of  July,  1769, 
aged  33  years.  His  widow  caufed  this  monument  to  be  erefted,  as  well  to 
perpetuate  his  memory  as  her  own  irretrievable  lofs  of  the  bcft  of  huftjands: 

Briftol !   to  worth  and  genius  ever  juft. 
To  thee  our  Powell's  dear  remains  we  truft  ; 
Soft  as  the  ftreams  thy  facred  fprings  impart. 
The  milk  of  human  kindnefs  warm'd  his  heart  ; 

Thfll 


C   297   ] 

That  heart,  which  every  tender  feeling  knew. 
The  foil,  where  pity,  love,  and  friendfhip  grew: 
Oh  !   let  a  faithful  friend  with  grief  fincerc 
Infcrihc  his  tomb,  and  drop  the  heartfelt  tear. 
Here  reft  his  praife,  here  found  his  noblcft  fame. 
All  elfe  a  bubble  or  an  empty  name. 

G.    COLEMAV. 

Oppofite  is  a  neat  monument ; 
"To  the  memory  of   Elizabeth  Waftfield,  who  died  at  the  Hotwells  the 
26th  December  1770,  aged  60,  wife  of  Robert  Waftfield,  Efq;  of  Mile-End 
near   London,    this    monument  from    a  juft  fenfe  of  her  merit  and  of  his 
own  lofs  is  erefled  by  her  difconfolate  hufband. 

Dear  fhade,  adieu !  the  debt  of  Nature's  paid  ? 

Death's  threaten'd  ftroke  we  parry'd  but  in  vain ; 
The  healing  fpring  no  more  could  lend  its  aid, 

Med'cine  no  more  could  mitigate  the  pain. 

See  by  her  dying  form  mild  Patience  ftand, 

Hope,  Eafe,  and  Comfort,  in  her  train  fhe  led : 

See!  gentle  fpirits,  waiting  the  command, 
Hufh  her  to  Silence  on  the  mournful  bed. 

In  vain  with  heartfelt  grief  I  mourn  my  friend. 

Fair  Virtue's  meed  is  blifs  without  alloy  : 
Bleft  change  !  for  pain,  true  pleafure  without  end. 

For  fighs  and  moans,  a  pure  feraphic  joy  ! 

When  Death  fhall  that  new  fcene  to  me  difclofe. 

When  I  fhall  quit  on  earth  this  drear  abode, 
Our  freed  congenial  fpirits  fhall  repofe 
Safe  in  the  bofom  of  our  Saviour-God. 
In  the  fame  aile  is  an   handfome   mural    monument  with  the   following 
infcription  :— »<  Mary,  the  daughter  of  William  Shcrmon,  of  Kingfton  upon 
Hull,  Efq;  and   wife   of  the  Rev.  William    Mafon,  died   March  24,  1767, 
*£ed  28. 

Take,  holy  Earth !  all  that  my  foul  holds  dear. 
Take  that  befl  gift,  which  Heaven  fo  lately  gavcs 
To  Briflol's  fount  I  bore  with  trembling  care 
•Her  faded  form ;  fhe  bow'd  to  tafle  the  wave 

G  o  And 


o 


C   298   ] 

And  dy'd.     Does  youth,  does  beauty  read  the  line  ? 

Does  fympathetic  fear  their  brcafls  alarm  ? 

Speak,  dead  Maria!  breath  a  drain  divine  ; 

Ev'n  from  the  grave  thou  fhalt  have  power  to  charm  : 

Bid  them  be  chafte,  be  innocent  like  thee ;  ^ 

Bid  them  in  duty's  fphere  as  meekly  move  ; 

And  if  fo  fair,  from  vanity  as  free. 

As  firm  in  friendfliip,  and  as  fond  in  love  : 

Tell  them,  though  'tis  an  awful  thing  to  die, 

('Twas  cv'n  to  thee)  yet  the  dread  path  once  trod, 

Heav'n  lifts  its  everlaRing  portals  high. 

And  bids  "  the  pure  in  heart  behold  their  God." 

Next  this  is  a  raifed  tomb  of  alabafter  and  freeflone  gilt,  with  two  marble 
pillars  fupporting  a  canopy ;  between  the  pillars  is  the  ftatuc  of  a  man  in 
armour :  at  the  top  thefe  arms :  f.  a  chevron  between  three  children's  heads 
couped  at  the  fhoulders  argent,  their  peruques  or,  enwrapped  about  the  neck 
■with  as  many  fnakes  proper,  by  the  name  of  \\iughan  :  motto,  "  ChriRi  fer- 
vitus  vera  libertas,"  with  along  Latin  infcription  to  the  memory  of  Sir  Charles 
Vaughan  : — "  Sacrum  memoriae  prinde  ac  honori  viri  praenobilis,  cujus  hie 
exuvicE  repulverefcunt,  Caroli  Vaughani  cquitis  aurati,  filii  et  hjcredis  Gaul- 
teri,  ordinis  itidem  equeftris ;  ex  antiquiffima  Vaughanorum  Cambro-Britan- 
norum  profapia  oriundi,  qui  quadraginta  circitcr  et  fcptem  annos  in  terris 
agcns,  poftquam  virtute  fuis  praeluxifTet,  eruditione  doftiflimis  quibufque  inno- 
tuifTet,  religione  plerifque  exemplo  fuiflct,  amoris  conjugalis  fpccimen  edidif- 
fct,  munera  publica  integcrrime  obiifTet,  res  privatas  fapienter  compofuifTct, 
ac  animae  faiuti  imprimis  confuluifTet ;  tandem,  marcore  et  phthife  confedus, 
mori  defiit,  Februarii  die  fexto  decimo  anno  fpei  fuae  noftrumq;  omnium  per 
Verbum  carnem  faftum  adfertae  millefimo  fexcentefimo  tricefimo  MDCXXX. 
Expefto  donee  veniat  immutatio  mea.  Job  xiv.  Omnia  mutantur  nihil  interit." 
On  two  tables  under  him  are  alfo  the  following  Latin  infcriptions : 

Vxores  duxit  primo  Francifcam  filiam  Roberti  Knolles,  equitis  aurati  qua: 
genere  forma  et  virtute  illuflris  verum  moribunda  defcruit  mortalitatem  ;  quo 
citius  el  Arflius  ChriRo  frucretur  vita  vitali,  aetatis  fuae  anno  vicefimo  quarto  et 
rcdemptionis  humanas  1614  : 

Delude  Dorotheam  filiam  Roberti  Melleri  equitis  aurati,  quae  marito  cha- 
rilTimo  ma:Ra  ac  (ni  deus  voIuiRet)  invite  fupcrRes  monumentum  hoc,  quale 
vidcs,  ad  memoriam  ejus,  quam  fieri  potcR  diutiRime  confcrvandam  propriis 
fumptibus  poni  curavit. 

At 


C   299   ] 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  north  ailc  is  a  very  handfome  monument  to  Tho- 
mas Cofter,  Efq;  formerly  member  of  parliament  for  this  city,  with  the  fol- 
lowing elegant  infcription.  He  married  Aftrea,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Smyth, 
of  Long  Afliton,  Bart,  left  one  daughter  by  his  firfl  wife  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Rous,  Efq;  of  Wotton-Underedge  ;  flic  married  Robert  Hoblyn, 
Efq;  of  Cornwall,  member  for  Briftol,  1742,  and  ere6led  this  monument  to 
the  memory  of  her  father. 

I,  S.  E. 

Thomas  Cofter,  Armiger 

Virtutibus  tum  privatis 

Tum  publicis  pra^ter  caeteros  infignis, 

Suos  ftudio  et  amore. 

Homines  quofcunque  benevolentia, 

Deum  O.  M.  egregia  pietate 

Profequebatur  : 

Ad  variam  fcientiam. 

In  machinamentis  praecipue  et  metallis, 

Perfpicaci  ingenio. 

Ad     opes    induftria. 

Ad  honorem  probis  moribus, 

Viam  munivit. 

A  Briftolienfibus 

Ad  Senatorii  ordinis  dignitatem 

Sine  ambitione,  fine  invidia  eveflus 

Eandem  fumma  fide  fuftinuit 

Suorum  civium  et  totius  reipublicae  bono. 

Natus  Decembris  20,  1684, 

Sept.  30,  1739,  morte  luduofa  abreptus ; 

Omnibus  quibus  innotuit, 

Sui  defiderium  reliquit, 

Illi  vero  longe  triftiffimum. 

Quae    optimi    patris    memor 

Virtutum  ejus  (quarum  exemplar  ut 

Poftcris    quam    diutiflime    prodefTct) 

Mcmoriam,  hoc  marmore  pofito, 

^ternam  voluit 

I.  H. 

In 


[     300     ] 

Under  the  eaft  window  and  by  the  fide  of  Bifhop  Paul  Bufh  is  the  grave 
ftone  of  Thomas  Weftfcild,  late  bifiiop  of  this  church,  with  his  and  his  wives' 
arms  on  the  fame  ;  the  infcription  is  in  the  account  of  that  bidiop. 

The  next  under  the  north  wall  is  :  — "Here  lieth  the  body  of  Mrs.  Anne 
Throckmorton,  daughter  of  Sir  Nicholas  Throckmorton,  late  of  the  foreft  of 
Dean,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter,  Knight.  She  died  the  9th  of  December, 
1698." 

In  the  choir  below  the  altar  fteps  are  grave-ftones  with  thefe  infcriptions, 
on  a  black  ftone  by  the  door  of  the  chancellor's  ftall :  —  "  Quod  reliquum  eft 
piiffimas  virginis  et  chariflTimae  filise  Hermiones,  Thomas  Goodman,  M.  D. 
pater,  non  fine  multis  lachrymis,  fub  hoc  marmore  depofuit:  heu !  nimis 
arfto  carcere  pro  tanta  virtute,  cujus  fedes  eft  ccelis.  Placide  in  Domino  ob- 
dormivit  11  Aug.  anno  falutis  MDCCXXIV.  statis  27.  Sub  eodem  mar- 
more  fepelitur  Thomas  Goodman,  M.  D.  pater  fenex  venerabilis  oftoge- 
narius  Gulielmo  III.^ 

Annae,  /  Medicus  regius,  obiit  Dec.  xxiii. 

Georgiol.         j  MDCCXXXVIII. 

Georgio  II.     -' 

On  an  old  white  ftone  thus :  —  "  Sub  hac  petra  tumulantur  ofta .  quon- 
dam prior' qui  obiit  vii.    Id.  Martii,  A.   D.    MCCCCLXXVI.  cujus 

animae  propitietur  altifllmus.  Amen."  Another  was,  "  Hie  jacet  Margareta 
Grene,  mater  Thomae  Grene,  quondam  canonici  hujus  monafterii  qu£e  obiit 
ultimo  .  .  .   ." 

On  a  black  ftone  by  the  bifhop's  throne  is  this  infcription,  with  his  arms : 
■— "  William  Bradn>aw,  D.  D.  Biftiop  of  Briftol,  and  Dean  of  Chrift  Church 
in  Oxford,  died  December  the  16th,  1732,  aged  62." 

On  the  next  is  an  old  freeftone  with  a  black  ftone  let  into  it,  under  which 
lies  Biftiop  Thomas  Howell,  of  this  church,  and  on  the  black  ftone  was  en- 
graven only  this  one  word,,  "  Expergifcar." 

And  the  next  is  an  old  freeftone,  under  which  lies  Biftiop  Gilbert  Ironfide, 
without  any  infcription. 

South  end  of  the  chancel. 
M.  S. 

Nathanielis  Fofter,  S.  T.  P.  nuperrime  hujus  ccclelia;  preb.  et  paucis  ab 
hinc  annis  C.  C.  C.  Oxon  Socii. 

Dignus  lane  erat,  qui  multifariae  laudis  exemplar  debeat  proponi ;  morum 
fidciq;  integritate,  qujE  Chriftianum  deceat,  inculpatus;  cruditione,  qua,- theo- 
logum  ornet,  inftruQifllimus  j  optimarumq;  artiuni  cognitionc  accurata  prscel- 

lens. 


[    3<^^     ] 

lens.  Eximiam  linguarum  peritiam  eo  unice  clirexit,  ut  inraam  cuilibet  geiui 
indolcm  penitius  infpicerct,  proprium  Tcriptori  cuiq.  ingenium  certius  eru- 
eret  puramq;  ex  ipfo  fonte  dcrivaret  facri  codicis  fimplicitatem:  hinc  natura 
fagax,  doftiina  folcrs  humanae  mentis  explorator,  philofophorum  veterum 
fedas,  primaria  quadam  placitoium  communicatione  fibi  inviccm  affines,  et  in 
diverfa  paulatim  diduftas,  fcholarum  difcrimina  prae  ceteris  calluit  notare,  et 
diftinguere.  Hinc  porro  reconditos  Platonis  fui  fenfiis  non  ut  plerumq;  fit, 
leviter  tantum  perftringit  ;  fed  quod  a  Platonis  olim  amico  et  familiari  quo- 
dam  expeclandum  fuiffet,  fpeciofo  verborum  involucro  exutos  coram  leftorem 
fidit,  fidus  interpres.  Ne  talem  virum  non  latis  ob  oculos  haberint  polleri, 
hoc  amoris  Iu£lufq;  fui  monumentum  exftare  voluit  uxor  fuperfl.es. 
Ob.  20"'°-  Oclo.  A.  D.  1757.  yEtat.  39"°- 
Under  the  ftaincd  glafs  window  the  call  end  of  the  fouth  aile. 
In  cemiterio  hujus  sedis  fepultus  eft:  Robertus  Booth,  S.  T.  P.  Decanus 
Briftolise,  filiusGeorgii  Baronis  Delamerifrater  HenriciComitis  de  Warrington. 
Horum  uterque  ficuti  dubiis  admodum  temporibus  fingularem  patriae  fidem  ac 
virtutem  prseftitit,  ita  ipfe  ecclefiee  majorem,  quam  ab  eo  acceperat,  dignita- 
tem reddidit^ 

Verum  inter  pfurimas  ejus  virtutes  eminuit  maxime  profufa  quasdam  in 
egenos  liberalitas,  quae  facerdotem  apprime  deceret,  vere  Chriftianum  vere- 
que  nobilem.      Nat.  A.  D.  1661,  Ob.  A.  D.  1720,   Dec.  Briftol,  A.  D.  1708* 

In  the  South  aile. 
Sacred  to  the  memory  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Love,  A.  M.  Fellow  of  Baliol 
College,  Oxford,  and  one  of  the  minor  canons  of  this  cathedral,  who  died 
Odober  i8ih  1773,  aged  29. 

When  worthlefs  grandeur  decks  the  embellifh'd  urn. 

No  poignant  grief  attends  the  fable  bier. 
But  when  diflinguifh'd  excellence  we  mourn. 
Deep  is  the  forrow,  genuine  the  tear. 

Stranger!   fhouldil  thou  approach  this  awful  fhrine 

The  merits  of  the  honour'd  dead  to  feek  ; 
The  Friend,  the  Son,  the  Chriftian,  the  Divine, 

Let  thofe  who  knew  him,  thofe  who  lov'd  him,  fpeak. 

Oh  !    let  them  in  fome  paufe  from  anguifh  fay. 
What  zeal  infpir'd,  what  faith  enlarg'd  his  breaft. 

How  foon  tlr  unfctter'd  fpirit  wing'd  its  way. 
From  earth  to  hcav'n,  from  blefling  to  be  bleft! 

This  monument  is  ercclcd  by   fome  intimate  friends  of  the  deceafed,  as  a; 
teftimony  of  his  worth  and  their  cftccm.  Againft. 


[     302     ] 

A'^aiiifl  tlic  communion  rails  on  the  North  fide,  in  the  wall  is  an  arch 
wherein  is  an  altar  tomb,  and  thereon  the  effigies  of  an  abbot  lying  in  full 
proportion  in  pontificalia,  carved  in  freeRonc,  with  a  mitre  on  his  head 
feeminglv  as  old  as  the  fiibrick  of  the  church.  This  was  in  memory  of  Abbot 
Edmund  Knowles,  who  died  Anno  1332,  and  built  the  prefent  church  (as  it  is 
faid)  leaving  vacant-arches  in  the  walls  to  contain  the  effigies  of  his  fuccefibrs, 
and  to  hold  other  •  monuments  in  future  for  perfons  to  be  buried  here. 
Sec  p.  267. 

Below  and  in  the  fame  wall  over  the  bottom  of  tlic  altar-ftcps  is  another 
arch,  and  therein  the  effigy  of  an  abbot  in  fall  proportion  in  his  habit,  with  a 
mitre  on  his  head  as  the  former,  probably  in  memory  of  Abbot  Walter  Newbery, 
who  died  the  3d  of  September  1463.     See  p.  268. 

Between  the  above  Abbots,  a  little  higher  againfl  the  wall  is  fixed  a  fmall 
black  marble  copartment  edged  round  with  freefione,  fet  in  the  wall  in 
memory  ofBifliopof  Rowland  Searchfield,  and  Dean  Chetwynd;  the  infcription 
is  given  in  the  account  of  that  bifhop. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  North  aile,  between  that  and  the  choir,  is  a  flone 
corps  of  Bifiiop  Paul  Bufli,  inclofcd  with  wooden  rails,  hing  on  a  low  tomb 
raifed  from  the  floor  about  18  inches,  the  tomb  is  compofed  of  fix  pillars  of 
the  lonick  order,  which  fupport  a  flat  canopy,  the  whole  of  frceflone;  between 
the  pillars  at  bottom  and  round  the  verge  at  top  is  painted  an  infcription  in 
black  letters,  to  be  given  in  the  lift  of  bifhops. 

In  the  South  wall  in  the  Choir,  below  the  altar-f^eps,  -which  are  all  laid  with 
black  and  white  marble,  is  under  an  arch  the  effigy  of  Abbot  John  Newland, 
with  his  mitre  on  his  head,  lying  in  full  proportion  as  the  other  abbots;  on  a 
fliield  at  his  feet  fupported  by  two  angels  is  his  rebus,  viz.  an  heart  pierced 
through  with  three  nails,  alluding  to  his  name,  he  being  often  times  written 
Newland,  alias  Nailheart.  For  the  further  particulars  I  refer  you  to  the  lift 
of  abbots,     p.  268. 

A  little  lower  in  the  place  of  the  confeffionary  is  a  large  handfome  tomb  with 
two  men  kneeling  in  armour,  and  a  woman  lying  along  before  them,  over 
them  is  a  canopy  fupported  by  two  black  marble  pillars,  at  bottom  eight 
children  kneeling  with  a  defk  between  them,  on  a  tablet  above  their  heads 
this  infcription  : 

Here  lie  the  bodies  of  Sir  John  Young  knight,  and  dame  Joan  his  wife; 
file  had  iffue  by  him  Sir  Robert,  Jane,  and  Margaret.  She  was  firfl  married  to 
Sir  Giles  Strangewaycs  knight,  by  whom  flie  had  ifTue  John,  Edward,  George, 

Nicholas, 


C   303    ] 

Nicholas,  Ann   and  Elizabeth;   flic  was  daughter  of  John  Wadham,  Efq;  and 
fhe  departed  this  mortal  life  the  i4ih  of  June  1603,  aged  70  years. 

In  the  South  aile  under  an  arch  of  the  thicknels  of  the  South  wall,  openin<T 
formerly  into  the  veflry,  is  an  altar-tomb  covered  with  a  broad  Rone  at  top, 
in  memory  of  Maurice  Berkeley,  who  died  1281,  (being  the  fecond  of  this 
name,)  his  arms  were  formerly  painted  on  the  infide  of  the  arch,  alfo  his  arms 
with  thofe  of  his  two  wives  and  that  of  King  Edward  the  ift.  were  carved  in 
freeftone  on  the  infide  next  the  veflry,  now  vifible,  but  no  effigies  on  his 
tomb  now  walled  up. 

On  the  other  fide  of  the  veftry  door  lower  down,  in  an  arch  in  the  South 
wall  is  the  effigy  of  a  man  in  armour  lying  on  an  altar-tomb,  in  memory 
of  Maurice  Berkeley  the  third  Lord  of  that  name,  who  died  the  19th  of 
Edward  the  2d.  1326  ;  his  arms  on  his  fliield  on  his  left  arm. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  South  aile  is  an  arch  in  the  fume  wall  with  a  like 
tomb,  and  the  effigy  of  Thomas  Lord  Berkeley  the  firll  of  that  name  in 
armour,  crofs  legged,  his  arms  are  on  his  fhield.  He  having  offended  King 
Henry  the  3d.  was  obliged  to  enter  himfelf  a  Knight  Templer.  He  died  in 
the  76th  year  of  his  age,  and  the  28th  of  King  Henry  the  3d.  1243. 

In  the  South  aile  Gilbert  the  14th  biffiop  of  this  church,  for  fo  he  is 
called  in  the  infcription,  placed  the  following  Latin  epitaph  to  the  memory  of 
Alice  GlifTon,  who  died  the  24th  of  June  1662  : 

In  piam  memoriam  lecliffimae  fceminae  Aliciae  Gliffon,  filize  Gulielmi  GlifTon 
de  Marnhill  in  com.  Dorfet  generofi  in  avito  hoc  tumulo  fepultae  Anno 
yCtatis  fua:  48  pofuit  moetliffmius  conjux  Gilbertus,  hujus  ecclefue  epifcopus 
decimus  quartus,  24  die  Junii  A.  D.  1662. 

Samuel  Croffinan  S.  T.  B. 

Hujus  ecclefiae  nupcr  Decanus  Juftorum  refurre£lionem  hinc  prasflolatur : 
onus  mortale  depofuit  4  die  Feb.  A.  D.  mdclxx.xii.   Militia?  vero  fuje  59. 

At  the  foot  of  the  fecond  pillar  from  the  organ  is,  on  an  old  freeftone, 
"  Elizabetha,  filia  Samuelis  Croffman,  hujus  ecclefias  prebendarii,  et  Gratiae 
uxoris  ejus;  obiit  Junii  21,  1668,  yEtatis  fuse  13.  Spcs  et  deliciae  parentum: 
praeiviRi,  fequemur." 

A  little  above  Bifliop  Paul  BuRi  is  a  handfome  freeftone  copartment  neatly 
painted,  containing  the  effigies  of  a  man  in  armour  and  a  woman  kneeling, 
having  books  before  them  under  a  canopy,  being  fupported  ;  under  them  are 
eight  fons  and  nine  daughters,  in  a  table  below  is  the  following  Latin 
infcription  : 

Gcnerofo 


C   304   ] 

Cenerofo  viro  domino  Roberto  Codringtonio,  a  Codringionia,  in  com. 
Cloucedr.  armigero,  atauorum  imaginibus  fplcndidifTimo,  fidei  morumque 
Candore  fpeftatiffimo  Februar.  i4poft  incarnatum  Deiim  1618  ^Etatis  fuae  46 
ex  hoc  vitae  ergaftalo  emancipate:  chariffimaconjux  domina  Anna  Codr.  ex 
qua  8  filios,  filiafque  9.  genuit 
Am  "Iff  Monu  -»  /-  -«  RobertusCodrintoncus, 

&    (.  oris  J  ergo  J  (.  Mentum  J  Msftiflima  I  Anagramma  : 

Hon  J  {_  I  Muni    J  I     pofuii:    J  ore&CordejuftusBeorv 

Plangite  ;  difcefTi ;  quin  plaudite,  vita  beata 
Eft  mihi  namque  folo,  gratior  inque  polo. 
Hie  mens,  hie  foboles,  volitatque  per  aethera  vaftum 
Fama  Codringtonei  non  moritura  pii : 
Os  homini,  domino  patuit  cor,  confcia  re£li 
Mens  mihi,  vel  nullis  contaminata  malis  ; 
Ore  fui  Juftus;  merces  durabiiis  annis; 
Corde  fui  Juftus,  prasmia  magna,  Beor. 
At  the  top  of  all,  this  under  the  fhield  of  his  arms  : 
Fides        ^  ^verbum     ■) 

Spes  >  Dei  ^pracmium  s.refpicit. 

Charitas    J  (fervum       j 

Codrington,  of  Codrington  in  the  county  of  Gloccfter.  This  family  was  or 
good  note  in  this  county  in  the  time  of  Henry  the  4th.  (vide  Sir  Robert 
Atkins's  State  of  Gloceflerfliire,  p.  391.)  Joh"  Codrington  Efq;  being 
flandard-bearer  to  King  Henry  the  5th.  in  his  wars  in  France  ;  and  as  it 
appears  by  the  heralds  books,  was  then  armed  in  a  coat  with  lions  in  tht 
fervLce  of  the  faid  King  in  battle  to  watch  and  ward  under  his  banner,  and 
for  the  good  fervices  that  the  faid  John  Codrington  had  done,  or  fliould  do, 
and  to  the  worfnip  of  knighthood,  as  it  is  there  expreffed,  a  farther  addition 
was  made  to  his  arms  in  the  23d  of  King  Henry  the  6th,  1445. 

Colonel  John  Codrington  Efq;  who  married  Elizabeth  daughter  of  Samuel 
Gorges  of  Wraxal  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  is  of  this  old  family,  whofe 
only  daughter  married  Sir  Richard  Warwick  Bamfield  of  Poltimore  in  the 
county  of  Devon,  Bart.  Member  of  Parliament  for  the  city  of  Exeter, 
and  in  the  Parliament  1747  for  the  county  of  Devon,  and  his  fon  Sir  Charles 
Bamfield  is  Member  for  the  city  of  Exeter  1788,  and  refidcs  at  Wraxal.— 
The  faid  John  Codrington  Efq;  was  three  times  chofen  Member  of  Parliament 
for  the  city  of  Bath,  1721,  1727,  1734.  The  great  grandfather  of  the  late  Sir 
"H-'illiam  Codrington  of  Dodington  in   the   county  of  Gloceflcr,  Bart,  was  a 

younget 


[    305     ] 

younger  fon  of  this  family,  he  was  Member  of  Parliament  for  Minehead  in 
Somerfetfhire  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  happened  December  the  17th 
1738  at  Dodington,  and  was  fuccecded  by  his  eldcll  fon  Sir  William 
Codrington  the  prefent  Baronet,  whofe  father  Sir  William  was  created  Baronet 
April  the  21ft  1721,  in  the  8th  year  of  the  reign  of  George  the  tft. 

Anne  the  fourth  daughter  of  Richard  Samwell  of  Upton  in  Northampton- 
{hire,  Efq;  by  his  wife  Frances,  eldefl  daughter  and  coheir  of  Thomas 
Vifcount  Wenman  of  Tuam  in  Ireland,  married  to  Robert  Codrington  of 
Codrington  in  Gloceflerfhire,  Efq;  as  may  be  feen  by  the  arms  and  infcription 
on  the  monument:  arms;  argent,  two  fquirrels  fejant,  addorfed,  gules,  by  the 
name  of  Samwell.  Crefl,  on  a  ducal  coronet,  or.  a  fquirrel  fejant,  cracking  a 
nut,  proper. 

Without  the  choir  under  the  dean  and  prebendaries  feat  is  an  ancient 
large  grave  ftone  that  had  on  it  brafTes. — N.  B.  This  feems  to  be  the  only 
grave  ftone  that  had  any  figure  cut  on  a  brafs  plate  in  the  whole  church,  it  lay 
originally  at  the  choir  entrance  between  the  abbot's  and  prior's  ftall,  and  was  in 
memory  of  Robert  Fitzharding  Lord  of  Berkeley  the  founder,  and  his  Lad\', 
before  it  was  removed  hither. 

In  the  great  crofs  aile  and  nave  without  the  choir  are  many  grave  ftones ; 
one  clofe  under  the  pulpit  in  memory  of  Robert  Perry  matter  of  the  Bluccoat- 
hofpital  founded  by  Queen  Elizabeth  &:c.  which  bears  this  infcription.  Hie 
jacet  Robertus  Perry,  orphanotrophii  magifter  vigilantiflimus  qui  mortem  obiit 
Aprilis  29,  1652. 

And  this  other  on  a  black  marble  Jying  near  the  fteps  leading  to  the  bifhop's 
confiftorv,  which  is  kept  in  a  room  above  ftairs: 

Herelyeth  the  body  of  Geo.  Smyth,  late  of  North  Nibley,  in  the  county  of 
Glocefter,  Efq;  who  depajted  this  life  the  29th  day  of  February  1712-13, 
aged  48.  (with  his  coat  of  arms.) 

There  are  alfo  many  buried  in  the  nave  or  body  of  the  church  with  the  name 
and  date  cut  in  a  white  marble  ftone  of  a  lozenge  ftiape,  fixed  in  the 
paving. 

In  a  chapel  at  the  lower  end  of  the  South  aile,  extending  itfelf  equal  with 
the  great  crofs  aile,  is  againft  the  Eaft  wall  an  ancient  tomb  of  grey  marble, 
it  contained  the  effigies  of  two  perfons  kneeling,  and  an  infcription  in  brafs 
underneath  them,  and  their  arms  behind  their  heads,  but  it  has  been  entirely 
taken  away  in  the  civil  wars  and  there's  no  memorial  to  whom  it  belonged;  how- 
tver  from  William  of  Worceftcr  it  appears  it  was  in  memory  of  Sir  Richard 
Newton    Cradock,  who   died    December  the   13th    14.14,  being   one  of  ihc 

P  p  judites 


[    3o6    ] 

jufticcs  of  ibe  common  pleas.  This  with  the  founder's  grave  flone  is  the 
only  monument  in  the  whole  church  that  had  in  brafs  infcriptions  or  fit^ures 
belonj^ing  to  them. 

This  monument  with  two  others  that  are  in  the  fame  chapel  were  in  the  year 
J  748  repaired  and  beautified  at  the  expence  of  Mrs.  Archer  of  London. 

The  place  where  the  braffes  were  fixed  when  taken  away  left  imprcffions 
againft  the  tomb,  which  when  repaired  was  filled  up  fmooth  and  thereon  is  now 
put  the  following  infcription  : 

In  memory  of  Sir  Richard  Newton  Cradock  of  Barrs  Court  in  the  county 
of  Gloucefter,  one  of  his  Majefties  Juftices  of  the  Common  Pleas,  who  died 
December  the  i3ih  1444,  and  with  his  Lady  lies  interr'd  beneath  this  monu- 
ment, which  was  defaced  by  the  civil  wars  and  repaired  by  Mrs.  Archer  fifter 
to  the  late  Sir  Michael  Newton  of  Barrs  Court  1748. 

His  arms  are  argent,  on  A  chevron  azure,  3  garbcs  or. 
Againfl  the  South  wall  in  the  faid  chapel  are  two  handfomc  tombs,  the  firll 
is  compofed  of  alabaftcr  and  freeftone,  and  has  at  top  three  fhields  of  arms;  on 
one  belonging  to  a  man  is  24  coats,  and  on  another  belonging  to  a  woman  12 
coats,  and  on  a  middle  fliield  only  two  coats,  viz.  of  the  man  and  woman 
impaled. 

Underneath  lie  the  effigies  of  a  man  in  armour  and   a  woman   in  full  pro- 
portion, and  under  them  two  fons  and  four  daughters,  above  them  is  a  tablet 
with  this  infcription  : — "  Here  lies  Sir  Henry  Newton  of  Barr's-Court  in  the 
county  of  Glocefter  Kt.  who  married  Katherine  the  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas 
Pafton,  of  Norfolk,   Kt.    by  whom  he  had  2  fons  &  4  daughters;  &  when  he 
had  lived  full  70  years  religioufiy  towards  God,  loyally  towards  his  Prince,  Sc 
virtuoufly  tovi  ards  men  ;  ended  his  life  in  the  year  of  grace  1599, 
In  aflurcd  hope  of  a  glorious  refurreftion. 
Gourney,  Hampton,  Cradock,  Newton  laft. 
Held  on  the  meafure  of  that  ancient  line 
Of  Barons  blood  ;  full  70  years  he  part. 
And  did  in  peace  his  facred  foul  refign  : 
His  church  he  loved  ;  he  lov'd  to  feed  the  poor ; 
Such  love  affures  a  life,  that  dies  no  more. 
The  other  tomb  below  his  is  of  freellone,  in  memory  of  Sir  John  Newton 
Bart,  fon  of  Theodore  Newton  and  his  Lady,  Grace  daughter  of  ****  Stone 
Efq;  who  died  without  iffue  1661.      It  is   fupported  by    two  twilled   pillars, 
having  the  effigy  of  the   defunft  lying  in   full  proportion  in  armour    with   a 
truncheon  in  his  right  hand,  over  him   is   on  two  tablets  painted  againfl  the 
wall  the  following  infcription  : 

1  ft  Tablet. 


[    307     ] 

ift  Tablet.  2d  Tablet. 

Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Sir  John  He  was  a  man  of  great  courage,  Sc 
Newton,  Bart,  fon  of  Sir  Theodore  the  greateft  loyalty  to  his  Prince,  an 
Newton,  Kt.    and    his    Lady    Grace,     honour  to  his  country,    a    credit  & 

daughter  of Stone  Efq;  who     noble  ornament   to     his     name    and 

dy'd  without  iffue  1661.  family. 

At  top  is  on  a  fliicld  thefe  arms,  argent,  on  a  cheveron  azure,  three  garbes, 
or.  by  the  name  of  Cradock,  impaled  with  the  arms  of  Stone,  viz.  Parte  per 
pale,  or.  &  gules,  an  eagle  difplayed  with  two  heads  azure. 

There  is  a  fhield  here  with  24  quartcrings  belonging  to  this  family  of 
Newton  of  Barr's-Court. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  South  aile,  extending  itfelf  equal  with  the  great 
crofs  aile,  is  againft  the  South  pillar  before  the  faid  chapel,  fixed  in  the  fame, 
a  handfome  copartment  of  black  and  white  marble  in  memory  of  Jacob  Elton 
Efq;  Captain  of  the  Anglefea  man  of  war  of  40  guns,  who  was  killed  in  an 
engagement  on  the  high  feas,  his  body  was  thrown  overboard  and  the  fliip  taken 
by  the  French  the  29th  of  March  1745,  the  infcription  is, 

Jacob  Elton 

Filius  natu  fecundus  Abraham!  Elton  Barti. 

Rebus  nauticis 

A  tenera  Eetate  alTuetus, 

Et  in  clalTc  Britannica,  etiamnum  Adolefcens 

Navarcha ; 

Anno  tricedimo  fecundo  nondum  perafto, 

Duni  contra  Gallos 

Pra?lio  navali  dimicaffet, 

Properata  quidem, 
Scd  pulcherrima  morte 
Occubvit, 
Die  Martii  29"°-   A:  D:  1745- 
Qualis  erat  morum  fuavitas,  Amici, 
Quae  Humanitas  et  Benevolentia,  nauts, 
Quam  intrepidc  ct  fortitcr  fe  geffit, 
Illc   Dies 
Satis  fuperque  teflatur. 
Leve  hoc  Amoris  fuae  et  Dcfiderii  Monumentum 
Vidua  ma^ftifTnna 
Carolina  Filia  ct  cohceres  Caroli  Yatc 
Dc  Coulthropc  in  agro  Gloccflrij! 
Poiii  curavit. 

p  I.   2  Thelc 


C   308   ] 

Thefe  are  the  principal  monuments  and  memorials  of  the  dead  whofe 
remains  lie  depofiied  in  thefe  facred  manfions.  Our  anceflors  were  very 
earncll  in  paying  all  due  honours  to  good  men  departed,  by  erefting  monu- 
ments and  tombs  over  their  bodies,  and  tranfmitting  to  lateft  pofterity  for 
our  imitation  the  charafters  of  the  deceafed,  their  piety  towards  God  and 
charity  towards  their  fellow-creatures  by  infcriptions  to  their  memories,  many 
of  which  as  they  are  very  learned,  moft  of  them  inflruQive,  and  all  convey 
fome  good  Icffons  of  piety,  charity,  religious  devotion,  &c.  have  their  ufe  in 
improving  the  minds  of  the  living  :  though  there  may  poflibly  be  a  mixture  of 
flattery  and  human  foible  in  fome  of  thofe  compofitions. — As  monuments 
exprefs  our  belief  of  an  immortality  by  fhewing  a  regard  for  our  departed 
friends,  they  fhould  not  be  accufed  of  vanity  and  ambition  who  pay  that 
grateful  regard  to  thofe  whom  they  wifh  to  meet  again  in  another  and  better 
world  :  though  thisfeems  to  be  one  reafon  why  many  worthy  men  and  good  fami- 
lies lie  now  a-da)"s  alniod  unnoticed  in  the  repofitories  of  the  dead;  a  tacit 
confcflTion  alfo  of  the  flight  impreflion  death  and  immortality  make  now  on  the 
minds  of  their  fucceflbrs. 

Having  thus  finiflied  the  defcription  of  this  cathedral  church  and  all  its 
parts,  I  fliall  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  its  endowment  by  Henry  the  8th. 
dated  the  i8th  of  November  the  34th  of  Henry  the  8th.  A.  D.  1542,  out  of 
the  ruins  of  nine  monafteries. 

Value  of  the  Rents. 
General  -         -         £  7Z9       4      ** 

Reprifal         -         -  60        1        o 

Clear         -  679       3      11 

The  following  fums  arife  thereout  (as  appears  by  the  rental)  in  this  manner,  viz. 

Out  of  the   Monaflery  of 

General  Value.  Reprifal.  Clear  I'altie. 

I.        s.         d.  I.        s.       el.  I.  s.     d. 

1.  St.  Auguflin,  Briflol,  the  Abbot    323   18  o\         22     8     3  301      9  9^ 

2.  Michclncy,  Somerfct,  the  Abbot 

and  comit.  Hertf.          -         -122      8      9  1316     3  108    12     6 

3.  Bruton,  Somerfet,  the  Abbot           88114  -      --  88114 

4.  Shafton,  Dorfet,  the  Abbot             77   13   \\  o   16     8  76  16  5^ 

5.  Bath,  Somerfet,  Priory     -         -     43    16     o  _       _      _  43    16     o 

6.  St.OfwaldnighGIoc'.PrioryAbbot42    17      8  14   10     8  28     7     o 

7.  Taunton,  Somerfet,  Priory          -14     00  ___  14     00 

8.  Frithelfloke,  Devonfliire,  Prior       18     o     o  891  9  10  11 

9.  Bradenftock  Com.  Wilts,  Prior         800  -__  800 

Total         -         739     411  60     o  11  679     4     o 

The 


[  309  ] 

The  particulars  of  each  of  thefe,  viz.  where  they  lie,  and  from  whence  the 
rents  ifTuc,  may  be  fcen  in  the  following  order: 
No.  I.     The  Rents  of  the  Monaftery  of  St.  Auguftin  in  fix  counties. 

1.  BriftoK 

General  Value.  Reprifat.  Clear  Vahe. 

t.       s.    d.  I.        s.      d.  L        s.      d. 

Rents  in  and  about  the  town  101      60       13     7     4         87    18     8 

Penfions  outof  reQories  6     8  8  6     8     8—94     7     4 

2.  Glocefter. 

1.  Southerney  manor  gio         068  8144 

2.  Blackfworth  manor  7^9         0100  6109 

3.  Codrington 

manor        -     6   13  4 

4.  Rectory  of  Wap- 

ley     -  -    4   13   4 

5.Erlinghammanor5   17  4  - 

6.  Henton  de  Ever- 

inghill       -      020 

7.  Bradley    tene. 

Witton     -36   8 — 20  12   8  368 

8.  Berkeley-Hernis  reftory    65     6   8 

9.  Clifton  tenement*       -  108 

3.  Somerfet. 

1.  Wear   reftory  in  penfion 

and  compofition       -         968 

2.  Tenement  in  Stanton  Drew  o   12  o 

3.  Three  fliops  in  Bath,  rent     050 

4.  Devon. 

1.  Halberton  manor         -      15   15  8^       1     6     8 

2.  The  retlory  there       -        33     o     o 

5.  Glamorgan. 
1.  Penarth  manor,  with  the 

great  tithes      -         -        19     9   11        o  10     o  18   19   it — 18  19   it 

6.  Wentlock,  Monmouth. 
1.  Peterfton  manor,  with  the 
reClory  of  Kemney  with  its 
appurtenances,  alfoSt.Melo  34124         3     oil  3111     5 — 31   n     5 

Total  fum      323   18  cj     22     8     3       301     9  g~  No. 

•  Clifton  one  acre  of  pafture  worth  il.  los.  per  annum,  cncompaffcd   with    fevcral   lands  of 
the  widow  Jane  Wilfon,  and  now  in  the  occupation  of   Mr.  William  Hodges.     Sec  the   fur\'ey 

in  1649,  fol.  30. Three  acres  and  a  half  in  Clifton  were  granted  by  .\bbot  Burton,  fee  chaptci 

book.  lib.  1.  fol.  Pcnultima, 


17 

6 

0 

65 

6 

8 

1 

0 

8—98 

18 

9 

6 

8 

0 

12 

0 

0 

5 

0 — 10 

3 

»4 

9 

oi 

33 

0 

0—47 

9 

C  310   ] 

No.  II.  Out  of  the  monaftery  of  Moclvelney  the  rents  are  in  two  counties. 

1.   Buckingham. 

General  Value,  keprifat.  Cleat  Value. 

I.    s.    d.  I.    $.    d.  I.     J.      d.         I.    s.    d. 

1.  Seymour  Court  meffuage 

in  Mario         --725  72     5 —  725 

2.  Somerfet. 

1.  Abbot's  Ifle  rcClory  with 

Stewnly         -  -        600         091  ij         5ioo|' 

2.  Meriot  reQory         -         1210  1210 

3.  Ilmifterreftory,  20I.  cum 
Horton,  il,  5s.   Ilcombe 

2I.  OS.  -  -        23     5  o  23     5     o 

4.  Somerton  reftory       -       44   13  4         6  16     4  37   ^7     ^ 

5.  Fifehead  rectory        -         400         o     9    ii4         3    10     Oj 

6.  Drayton  with 
the    tythes   of 

the  lands  1220 

Of  the  de- 
mean lands  of 
Weftover  2   13  4 

7.  Morton  tythes     1      5   o — 22     04  600  1604 

8.  Mildney  in  the  parifh 

of  Drayton  -  368  368 

Total  Sura    122     89        1316     3  108   12      6 

No.  III.   The  rents  out  of  the  monaftery  of  Brewton  are  in  the  county 

of  Somerfet* 

1.  Reflory  of  Banwell  with 

Puxton,  Churchill  38     3  4  38     3     4 

2.  South  Petherton  reflory 
with  four  chapels  annexed 

and  Swell  retlory  5080  50     8     o 

88  11  4 

Total  Sum     88  11  4  €8114 

No.  IV. 


[    311     ] 

No.  IV,   The  rents  out  of  the  monaQery  of  Shafion  in  the  county  of  Wilts. 

General  Value.  Reprifal.  Clear  Value. 

I.     s.     d.  I.     s.     d.  I.     s.     d.  I.     $.     d. 

i.Tifburyrec-    /.      ,.      j. 

tory  tythes     i6   i6     8 
The    glebe    or 

manor  of  the 

fame  reflory    3     g   10 — 20     6  6 
2.   Bradford  reclory,  with 

the    manor   and    four 

tenements       -         -  57     6  7^^       o  16     8         76  16     ^\ 


76  16  si 


Total  Sum     77    13    ij       o   i6     8  76   16     5-v 

N"o-  V.  The  rents  out  of  the  monaflery  of  Bath  are  in  two  counties. 

1.  Glocefter. 

1.  Olvefton  reclory         -      17   16  o  17   16     o — 17   16  o 

2.  Somerfet. 

1.  Bath-Hampton  re£lory     1000  1000 

2.  Bath-Ford  reclor)'  8     6  8  8     6     8 

3.  Bath-Wick  prebendary 

penfion  -  -068  068 

4.  The    vicar    of    Chew 

penfion  --  700  700 

5.  Of   Newton    St.    Loe, 

penfion  -  068  068 

Total  Sum     43   16  o  43   16     o 

No.  VI.  The  rents  out  of  the  monaflery  of  St.  Ofwald  near  Glocefler 
arc  in  the  county  of  Glocefter. 

1.  Compton  Abdale  retlory     900  610  2190 

2.  Norton  reftory  -         1368  6144  6124 

3.  Churchdean  reQory  with 

Hocalcot         _         -  1110  0144        10     68 

4.  St.    Ofwald's    in    four 
proportions,  or  St.  Ka- 

therine's  reflory         -         754  110         644 

5.  A 


C  312   ] 

General  Value, 
t-     s.     d.  I.     i.     d.  I.       s.      d.        I.       s,     d. 

5.  A  penfion  out  of  the 
reftory  of  Widcombe  o   13  4 

6.  A  penlion  out  of  the  rec- 
tory of  LafTenden  o     80 

7.  For  tythes  out  of  lands 
of  Northcerney         -  134  134 


Reprifal. 

Oear  Value. 

I.     s.     d. 

1.      s.      d. 

0    13      4 

080 

Total  Sum     42  17  8         14   10     8       28     7     o 


28     70 


No.  VII.    Out  of  the  monaftery  of  Taunton  in  the  county  of  Somerfet. 
t.   Kingflon  reftory  1400  1400 

No.  VIII.  Out  of  the  monaftery  of  Frethil  Stoke  in  the  county  of  Devon. 
1.  Brodwoodwiger    with 

Week  -  1800  891  9  10  11 

No.  IX.  Out  of  the  monaftery  of  Braden  Stoke  in  the  county  of  Wilts. 
1.  Marden  re£lory  -800  800 

General  Total  Sum    £  TZ9     4   11        60     1      o     679     3   n 

From  thefe  clearly  appear  the  rents  granted  by  King  Henry  to  this  church 
from  the  faid  nine  monafteries,  all  lying  Vithin  eight  counties,  (reckoning  the 
county  of  Glocefter  and  the  city  as  one)  and  in  thefe  eight  only  the  rents 
arife. 

J.  In  the  county  of  Buckingham.    /.      j.     d. 
From  the  monaftery  of  Mechelney  -  -  725 

2.  Glamorgan. 
From  the  monaftery  of  St.  Auguftin  -  18  19  11 

3.  Wentlock  als.  Monmouth. 
From  the  monaftery  of  Sti  Auguftin  -  31   11     5 

4.  Devon,  from  the  monaftery  of 

1.  St.  Auguftin  -  *.  47     9     o|- 

2.  Frithelftoke  -  -  9   10  11  — 56   19   11^ 

5.  Wilts,  from  the  monaftery  of 
1.  Shafton  >  .  .  76  16     54 

e.  Bradenftock  -  a  800  — 84   16     62 

6.  Glocefter. 


C    3'3    ] 


6.  Gloccflcr,  from 

the  monaftery  of 

/.        s.         d.              I. 

1. 

St.  Au^uftin 

- 

98  18     5 

2. 

St.  Ofwald 

-             - 

28     7     0 

8- 

Bath 

- 

17   16     0—145 

7.  Somerfct,  from  the  monaflcry  of 

1. 

Mochelney 

- 

101   10     1 

2. 

Bruton 

- 

88   11     4 

3- 

Bath 

- 

26     0     0 

4- 

Taunton 

- 

1400 

5- 

St.  Auguftin 

- 

10     3     8 — 240 

8.  Briftol,  from  the  monaftery  of 
1.  St.  Auguftin  there  -  -  -  94     7     4 

679     4     o 

And  laftly,  in  this  order  through  every  one  of  thefe  counties  enquiry  may 
be  made  into  each  of  the  faid  rents,  to  wit,  which  of  them  in  procefs  of  time 
is  loft  or  diminiflied  and  which  encreafed  and  enlarged,  fo  that  by  this 
means  the  true  value  and  ftate  of  the  whole  may  be  known,  according  to  which 
method  and  diftinftion  by  counties  (in  the  order  in  which  they  are  above 
placed)  the  treafurer's  accounts  of  the  yearly  rents  (hitherto  kept  in  a  moft 
confufed  or  rather  no  order)  may  for  the  future  be  made  up  with  great  eafe 
and  clearncfs. 

Befides  thefe  rents  fo  recovered  by  the  royal  letters  patent  to  the  dean  and 
chapter  of  this  church   (or  rather  intrufted  to  their  fidelity)   the  advowfons, 
donations,  and  rights  of  patronage  of  many  churches  are  granted,  of  which 
Some  fpecially  and  namely,  viz.  from  the  monaftery  of 

1.  St.  Auguftin,  Berkeley,  Wapley,   Halberton,   Peterftone  alias  Kempney. 

2.  St.  Ofwald,  Churchden,  with    Hocalcot,   Compton  Abdale,    Norton,  with 

St.  Ofwald. 

3.  Bath,  Olvefton,  Hampton,  Ford. 

4.  Bruton,  South  Petherton  with  Banwell. 

5.  Mochelney,  He  Abbots,    Ilminfter,  Ilcombe,  Horton,    Somcrton,    Mcri- 

ott,  Fifehead,  Mildney,  and  Drayton. 

6.  Shafton,  Bradford,   Tilbury. 

7.  Taunton,  Kingfton. 

8.  Bradenftock,  Marden. 

9.  Frithclftokc,  Brodwoodwigor. 

Q  o  In 


C  314   ] 

In  general  of  all  the  vicarages  and  other  churches  whofe  reflories  are  above 
granred  to  ihe  fame,  but  amongfl;  thofc  churclies  intrufted  to  them  fomc  have 
perpetual  vicars,  curates,   and  flipendaries. 

Some  churches  or  chapels  are  annexed  and  adjoin  to  another  parochial 
church,  (<".s  to  the  mother)  the  care  of.  providing  minifters  of  which  belongs 
to  the  vicar  thereof. 

Others  are  not  thus  annexed  or  only  providing  minifters  for  them  more 
properly  belongs  to  them  and  their  farmers. 

But  they  are  all  fituated  in  the  following  fix  diocefes  : 


1.  LlandafF. 

2.  Salifburv. 

3.  Exeter. 


4.  Gloceftcr. 

5.  Bath  and  Wells. 

6.  Briftol. 


"When  the  King  erefted  the  bifliopric  of  Briflol,  he  grants  to  Paul  Bufij, 
Bifliop  of  Briftol,  all  thofe  melTuagcs  called  the  abbots'  lodgings  within  the 
monaflery  of  Briftol,  to  him  and  his  fucccfTors. 

And  grants  him  the  manors  of  Leigh  and  Rowborrow,  in  the  county  of 
Somerfet,  the  rectories  of  Portbury,  Clevedon,  and  Ticknam,  and  advowfons 
of  the  vicarages  : 

The  manors  of  Aflileworth,  Cromhall,  and  Horfield,  in  the  county  of 
Clocefter  :  lands  in  Slimbridge  and  Ailberton  : 

The  reftories  and  advowfons  of  Aflileworth,  Almondftjurv,  Ailberton, 
Horfield,  Fclton,  and  Kingfwefton,  late  parcel  of  the  pofleffions  of  Briftol 
monaftery  : 

The  reflories  and  advowfons  of  St.  Hurft  and  Minfterwortb,  late  parcel  of 
St.  Ofwald's  monaftery  in  Glocefter: 

Rctlory  of  Tockington,  and  tythes  of  Over  Compton  : 

Reftory  and  advowfon  of  New  Church  in  the  Ifle  of  Wight,  parcel  of 
Battle  abby  : 

Reflory  and  advowfon  of  Limington,  in  the  county  of  Southampton,  parcel 
of  Chrift  Church  priory: 

Rcclory  and  advowfon  of  Buckland,  parcel  of  Hedington  monaftery,  in 
the  county  of  Wilts  : 

Manors  and  advowfons  of  Fifhead  cum  Crockefworth,  in  the  county  of 
Dorfet,  parcel  of  Briftol  monaftery,  habend.  to  the  bifhop  and  his  fuccefTors 
for  ever  in  puram  et  perpetuam  elymofinam.     Teft,  June  10th. 

The  value  of  thofe  lands,  in  a  furvey  taken  about  that  time,  I  find  to  be 
thus  rated : 

Aflileworth 


I. 

5. 

J. 

59 

6 

10 

^7 

3 

1 

49 

13 

10 

6 

0 

0 

i8 

15 

0 

lO 

19 

0 

8 

6 

8 

56 

3 

1 

20 

3 

5 

28 

16 

6 

39 

3 

0 

34 

17 

6 

8 

0 

0 

23 

;  4 

1 1 

[  315  ] 

Aflileworth  manor,  county  of  Glocefter  -  -  _ 

Cromhal  manor,  county  of  Glocefter  _  _  _ 

Horfield  manor  and    reftory,  county   of  Glocefter,  cum  Fclton 

and  Kingfwefton,  in  the  faid  county 
Albcrton  rctlory,  county  of  Glocefter  _  -  _ 

Almondfl)ury  reQorv,  county  of  Glocefter 
St.  Hurft  reclory,  county  of  Glocefter  -  -  _ 

Minfterworth  retlory,  county  of  Glocefter         _  _  _ 

Leigh  manor  cum  Membris,  county  of  Somerfct 
Rowborrow  manor,  county  of  Somcrfet  _  -  _ 

Portbury    reClory,    county    of  Somerfet,    cum    Tickenham    and 

Clevedon         -  _  _  .  _  _ 

Fifhead  and  Crockeford  manors,  county  of  Dorfet 
New  Church  in  Infula  Veftae  (in  Englifh)  Ifte  of  Wight,  in   the 

county  of  Southampton  _  -  «  _ 

Limington  reftory,  county  of  Southampton         -  -  _ 

Buckland  manor,  county  of  Berks  _  -  _ 

£^380  12   10 

The  whole  of  the  endowment,  according  to  the  firft  valuation, 

amounted  to  .  -  -  -  -  ^^  383     8     4 

The  lands  and  bifhop's  demefne  at  Briftol  not  given  in,  in  this  particular 
making  up,  no  doubt,  the  other  3I.  odd  ftiillir^gs. 

This  was  the  firft  demand  and  fettlement  for  firft  fruits  and  tenths,  which 
are  now  reduced  327 1.  5s.  yd.  by  the  following  alienations  from  Briftol 
biflioprick  : 

Paul  Bufti,  the  firft  bifiiop,  anno  4th  of  Edward  the  6th.  granted  to  that 
King  the  manor  of  Leigh  cum  Membris,  by  deed  made  May  the  25th,  1559. 
In  which  the  dean  and  chapter  joined  Sept.  21  following;  and  two  days 
after,  viz.  Sept.  23,  the  King  granted  the  reverfion  of  it,  after  the  death  of 
Paul  Bufti,  to  Sir   George  Norton  and  his   heirs    for  ever.     From  Norton's 

family    it    came    to   the   Trenchards, .      I   find    no   other  alienations   in 

the  patents,  though  the  rents  and  fines  may  have  been  afcertained,  and  fo 
funk  the  biftioprick  ;  in  which  refpecl  Bifhop  Fletcher  is  very  much  com- 
plained of  tempore  Eliz,  This  manor  of  Leigh,  rated  at  56I.  3s.  id. 
reduced  the  value  of  the  firft  fruits  as  above-mentioned,  from  383 1.  to  3^7). 
which  arc  now  paid. 

Q  Q  2  Sale 


[    3i6    ] 

Sale  of  the  lands  of  the  bifhoprick  in  the  Rebellion,  anno  1641. 
Horficld  parcel  of  the  manor,  fold  March   1,   1647,  to  Giles        /.      s.     d. 

Calvert  and  Adam  Haughton,  for  -  -  -  410  15    10 

Briflol  palace  and  park,  fold  June  22,   1648,  to  Thomas  and 

John  Clark,  for  -  -  -  -  -2  40     00 

Mifmore,   PreOon,  Longford,  and  Aflileworlh   manors,  parcel 

of  the  pofTefTion  of  Glocefler  and  Briflol  fees,  fold  Sept,  28, 

1648,  to  Alderman  Towke,  for  _  .  _  3819      1      o\ 
N.  B.  The  three  firft  belong  to  Gloccfter,  and  only  Aflile- 

vorth  to  Briftol. 
Fifhead  Magdalen,  county  of  Dorfet,  fold  June  1,  1649,  to 

John  Aclyft,  for         -  -  -  -  -  i333    t2     4 

Cromhall  Abbats  manor,  county  of  Glocefler,  fold   Sept.   28, 

1649,  to  Richard  Kirrington  and  Roger  Cook,  for  -         568     o     2 
Horfield  and  Filton  manors,  fold  Jan.   30,   1649,  to  Thomas 

Andrews,  for  -  -  .  _  _  lo^g   ,^     o 

The  Gale-houfc  in  Briflol,  fold  March  6,  1649,  to  John  Birch, 

for  -  -  -  -  -  -  18134 

Parcel   of  Ground  near  Briftol,  fold  Auguft  g,   1650,  to  John 

Lock,  for  -  -  -  -  -  -21100 

Rowborow  manor,  county  of  Somerfet,  and  lands  in  Marton, 
in  the  county  of  York,  parcel  of  Briftol  and  York  biflioprics, 
fold  March  21,   1650,  to  Philip  Nye  and  Thcophilus  Archer, 
for  -  -  -  -  -  722      1      1 


Total  £  8390  7  gi 
The  biftioprick,  notwithftanding  fomc  late  improvements  of  the  revenue  by 
leafing  out  the  park  for  building,  which  now  brings  in  a  ground  rent  of  70I. 
per  annum,  is  not  valued  at  more  than  about  500 1.  per  annum  ;  the  Bifliop 
of  Briflol  is  therefore  allowed  to  hold  fomething  in  commendam  with  it,  as 
the  deanry  of  Chrift  Church,  a  prebend  in  St.  Paul's  church,  London,  or 
fome  valuable  benefice. 

The  Bifhop  of  Briftol  collates  to  Dorfet  archdcaconr)'  and  Fifhead  vicar- 
age, county  of  Dorfet,  Almondfbury,  &c,  in  all  14  benefices,  which  will 
appear  more  clearly  with  their  valuation  in  the  King's  books,  yearly  tenths, 
lite,  dedications,  and  antient  patrons,  by  the  following  table. 

Diocefe 


C    317     ] 

Diocefe  of  Briflol,  Glocenerfliire. 

The  following  livings  are  in  the  gift  of  the  Lord  Bifliop  of  Brillol. 

The  Biflioprick  of  Brillol  *  was  taken  out   of  the  diocefe  of  Salifbury,  except 

Briflol  Deanry,  which  was  taken  out  of  WorceRer. 

Tirjl  Fruils.  Yearly  Tenths. 

1.      s.      d.  I.     s.      d. 

294   11     05  The  cathedral  church,  (HolyTrinity.oIim  St.  Auguflin.)  27   14    4^ 

The  deanry  of  this  church  is  in  tlie  gift  of  the  King, 

and  not  charged  with  the  payment  of  firft  fruits  or 

tenths,  (charter  of  eretlion  June  the  14th  1542.) 

'  Deanry  of  Briflol. t 

Livings  difcharged. 
Clear  yearly  Value.      Rectories  cSrc.  with  the  patron  and  proprietor. 
40   13   10     Aldmondfbury   vie.  (St.    Mary)   penf.  abb.  Sti.  Au- 
Xo.   1.  guftini  10s.  Bifhop  of  Briflol  patron,  and  impropriator, 

abb.  Sti.  Auguflini  Briflol,  olimimpr.  -         -        200 

Chapels,  donations,  and  curacies. 
No.  2.      Horficld  cur.  (Holy  Trinity)  3I.  certified  value,  abb. 
Sti.  Auguflini,  olim  prop.  Bifhop  of  Briflol,   now 
impr.  and  patr. 
46     o     8     Elberton,  alias  Aylbarton  vie.  or  chap,  in  the  county 

No.  3.  of  Glocefler,  Bifliop  of  Briflol  propr.  and  patr.  o   13     3 

Diocefe  of  Briflol. 
Deanry  of  Shafton,  Shatefbury. 
King's  Books.  Livings  in  charge. 

700     Fiflifield,  alias    Fifehead   Magdalen   vie.    (St.    Mary 
No.  4.  Magdalen)  penf.  abb.  Sti.  Auguflini,  Briflol,  60s. 

fynods  and  proxies  3s.  4d.  ecclef.  Sarum  2od. 
Mon.  fli.    Aug.  Briflol,  propr.    Mr.    Newman  1677, 
Sir   Richard    Newman    patr.     1725,     Sir     Robert 
Smyth  Bart,  prefentcd  1726,  the  Bifhop  of  Briflol 
impr. 

la 

*  Bifhoprick  of  Briflol. — The  tenths  were  altered  by  judgment  of  the  Court  of  Exchequer, 
Hilary  Term  the  8th  of  Elizabeth,  to  the  fum  of  ayl.  14s.  4jd.  as  above.  The  patent  of  ereftion 
of  this  Bifhoprick,  dated  June  4,  1542,  34th  of  Henry  the  8th.  may  be  feen  in  Rymcr's  Foedcra, 
vol.  1 4.  p.  748. 

+  Deanry  of  Briftol This  Deanry  and  two  churches  in  the  city  of  Briftol  arc  flill  fubjeft  to 

the  Archdeacon  of  Gloccfter, 


o 

o 

No. 

6. 

o 

o 

No, 

7- 

[  318  ] 

In  the  Diocefe  of  Gloceftev. 
Clear  yearly  Value.  Dean  Foreft.  Yearly  Tenlhs. 

L      s.    d.  Living    difcharged.  /.     s.    d. 

18     o     o     Minfterworth  vie.  *    (St.  George)  -  -110 

No.  5.  Pri.  Sti.  Ofwaldi,  Glocefter  impr.  the  Bifhop  of 
Briftol  impr.  and  patr.  but  let  by  leafc  to  Mr.  Pool, 
and   is  only  a  curacy. 

Deanry  of  Glocefter. 
Livings  difcharged. 
37     o     o     Afliehvorth   vie.    (St.    Andrew)  -  -  1      2   11 

Abb.    Sti.  Auguftini,  Briftol,   olim  impr.  Bifhop  of 
Briftol  impr.  and  patron. 
24     o     o     Santhurft    vie.    (St.     Laurence)  -  -         000 

Mon.  Sti.  Ofwaldi,  Glocefter,    olim   impr.  Biftiop   of 
Briftol. 

Diocefe  of  Saliftjury,  county  of  Berks. 
Deanry  of  Abingdon. 
In  the  Arch-deaconry  of  Berks. 
Living   difcharged. 
35     o     o     Buckland  vie.  (St.  Mary)  -  -  -  1    16     5-^ 

No.  8.      Epifc.  Briftol,  modernus  proprietor,  pri.  Edington  in 
Wilts,  olim  propr.   Mrs.    Mary   Miilington   1720, 
by  leafe  from  the  Biftiop  of  Briftol. 
Diocefe  of  Winchefter. 
Deanry  of  the  Ifle  of  Wight. 
Living    difcharged. 
50     o     o     New-Church  vie.  (All-Saints)  rcprif.  21s.  4d.  148 

No.  g.      Mon.  de  Belloloco  impr.  Biftiop  of  Briftol. 

Diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells. 
Deanry  of  Rcdclift  and  Bedminfter,  in  the  Archdeaconry 
of  Bath,  Somcrfet. 
Livings    difcharged. 
»2     G   11      Tickenham  vie.  (St.  Ouiricus  and  Julietta)  prox.  5d.     o  17     6^ 
No.   10.    Abb.  Sti.  Auguftini,  Briftol,  propr.  Biftiop  of  Briftol. 
The  King  by  lapfe  1753. 
23   18     7     Clevedon  vie.  (St.  Andrew)  -  -  1    1 1     55 

No.   ij.    Abb.  Sti.  Auguftini,  Briftol,  propr.  Biftiop  of  Briftol. 

Clear 
Mmllcrw'orth  vie— Sir  Robert  Alkyns  fays,  «  iliis  is  n  vicarage  turned  into  a  curacy,"  p.  557. 


C  319   ] 

Char  yearly  Value.  Yearly  Tenths. 

I.     s.    d.  I.     s.    d. 

27   15     8     Portbury  vie.  (St.  Mary)  prox.  6d.  -  -  i      i      1^ 

No.  12.    Abb.  Sti.  Auguftini,  Eriftol,  propr.  Bifliop  of  Biiftol. 

Deanry  of  Axbridge. 
In  the  Archdeaconry  of  Wells. 
Living  difchargcd, 
19  17     9     Rowborrow  rec.  (St.  Michael)  fynods  2s.  prox.  4d.  o  15     o 

No.   13.    Bifliop  of  Briftol. 

Diocefe  of  Gloceflcr. 

Deanry  of  Campden. 

Livings  difcharged. 

Re8;ories  &c.  Avith  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 

29     4     6      Eburton  vie.  *(St.  Edburgh)  fvnods  2s.  -  o   18   ii-^; 

No.    14.    The  King  by   lapfc   1714.     Bifhop   of  Briftol  1622, 

1638.     Abb.  Bittlefden  in  Bucks,  olim  propr. 

Endowments  of  the  Chapter  of  Briftol,   Anno  1542, 

The  King  grants  to  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Briftol  and  their  fucceflbrs,  all 
the  fite  and  circuit  of  the  late  monaflery  of  Briftol,  except  what  was  before 
granted  to  the  Bifhop: 

The  manors  of  Codrington,  South  Cerney  and  Blackfworth  t  cum  perti- 
nentiis,  parcel  of  Briftol  abby. 

A  tenement  and  two  clofes  in  Weftborne,  lands  in  Clifton,  and  mefluages  in 
Bradley  ;  lands  in  Henton  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  M'ith  other  hereditaments 
in  Eriingham,  Wapley,  Bradley,  Goodringion,  and  Hinton,  parcels  of  faid 
abby. 

The  reftories  of  Berkeley,  Hinton,  and  Wapley,  and  advowfon  of  the 
vicarages,  parcel  of  Briftol  abby. 

The  reftoriesof  St.  Ofwald,  Glocefter,  Churchdown,  Hoculcot,  Compton- 
Abdale,  and  Norton,  parcel  of  St.  Ofwald's  in  Glocefter  monaftery. 

Tythesof  hay  in  Wike,   Stone,  Bovington,  Bradfton,   Cadbury,  Oldminfter, 

Hamand  Hill  in  Berkeley  parifh,  late  belonging  to  Briftol  abby. 

•    Tythes  of Twigworth  and  North  Cerney,  reftories  of  Widcomb  and  LafTm- 

den,  and  twohoufes  called  the  Almorics  in  Briftol. 

A  diftil-houfe 

*  Eburton,  alias  Ebringlon  vie Sir  Wm.  Kite  has  given  lol.  yearly  to  the  vicar.     Alkyns's 

Gloceftcrfhirc. 

+  The  manor  of  Blackfworth  with  other  things,  was  fold  the  21  ft  of  March  1649  hy  com- 
minioners  appointed  for  abolifhing  deans  and  chapters  &c.  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of 
Briftol,  forthefumof  3838I.  is.  2d.  paid  to  Thomas  Noel  and  William  Hobfon,  two  of  the 
ireafurcrs  appointed  to  receive  the  fame. 


A  diftiUlioure  and  three  mills  in  Rcdclift  Juxta  Briflol,  and  a  mcfTuage 
called  the  Boar's- Head  in  Briflol. 

Three  (hops  in  Walcot-ftrcet  in  Bath,  the  rc6lories  of  Hampton,  Olweflon, 
and  Ford,  late  belonging  to  Bath  monaftery,  and  patronage  of  the  vicarages. 

The  reclory  and  advowfon  of  Kingllon,  parcel  of  Taunton  monadery. 

The  re£tories  of  South  Pethcrton,  Lopington,  Barrington,  Chcllington, 
Upton,  Sevington,  and  Banwell  in  the  county  of  Somerfet.  » 

ThercQories  of  Abbafs  Ifle,  Ilmindcr,  Horton,  Merriot,  Ilcomb,  Somer- 
ton,  Fifehead,  Mochelney,  Drayton,  and  Moreton  ;  advowfons  of  the  vicar- 
ages, late  poireffions  of  Mochelney  abby. 

Penfions  payable  out  of  the  churches  of  St.  Nicholas  4I.  6s.  8d.  St.  Auguf- 
tine's  2s.    All-Saints  2I.    St.  Leonard's  los.  and  St.  Michael's  in  Briftol  2s. 

Penfions  of  Bathwick  prebend,  reftories  of  Chew  and  Newton  St.  Loo, 
parcel  of  Bath  monaftery. 

The  manor  and  chapel  of  Pctcrflon  in  Wemlog,  parcel  of  Briflol  abbv. 

Advowfons  of  Kempney  and  PetcrRon  in  the  county  of  Monmouth,  the 
reftories  of  Tifbury,  Bradford,  Winfly,  Holt,  Atworth,  Wraxal,  Comberwcll, 
in  the  county  of  Wilts,  parcel  of  Shafteftury  abby. 

The  re£tory  of  Marden  in  the  county  of  Wilts,  parcel  of  Bradenflock  abby. 

Advowfons  of  Tifbury  and  Bradford  manor,  reflory  and  advowfons  of 
Halberton  in  the  county  of  Devon,  parcel  of  Briflol  abby. 

Reflory  and  advowfon  of  Brodwoodwigor  in  the  county  of  Devon,  parcel 
of  Frithelflock  priory,  with  all  their  rights,  privileges,  &c.  which  belonged  to 
the  late  monafleries,  &c.  and  were  parcels  of  the  faid  manors,  rectories,  &c. 
here  given  tenend.  to  the  dean  and  chapter  and  their  fucceffors  for  ever. 
Tefle.  Nov.  18th  A.  D.  1542,  and  the  34th  of  King  Henry  the  8th. 

St.  Nicholas  4I.  6s.  8.  All-Saints  2I.  St.  Auguflinc's  2s.  St.  Michael  2s. 
thefe  penfions  are  paid  by  the  minifler  of  each  parifli,  St.  Leonard  10s.  per 
ann.  is  paid  as  a  quit-rent  by  the  churchwarden  of  the  parifli  for  the  time  being 
forahoufein  Fiflicr-lane. 

The  whole  ground  rents  of  the  dean  and  chapter  eflates  amount  to  845I. 
per  ann.  which  do  not  pay  the  expences  of  the  church,  fees  of  office,  flipends 
to  the  feveral  officers,  "canons,  finging-men,  organifl,  fub-facrifl,  &c. 
amounting  to  about  iiiil.  per  ann.  befides  the  repairs  of  the  church,  &:c. 
But  the  renewals  upon  fo  many  eflates  upon  an  average  bring  in  fo  much  as 
renders  the  dcanry  worth  above  300I.  per  ann.  and  each  prebend  above  150I. 
per  ann.  though  it  has  fometimes  amounted  to  400I.  per  ann.  to  the  dean,  and 
200I.  per  ann.  to  each  prebendary,  but  the  funis  mufl  vary.     Lord  Paulet  for 

the 


C  321   ] 

the  tythes  of  Hinton  and  South  Pethcrton,  and  for  the  manor  of  Halberton  in 
Devon,  offered  4000I.  to  put  in  two  lives  in  1776,  which  was  under  the  value; 
he  died  1788,  by  which  thofe  eftates  fell  in  to  the  dean  and  chapter, 

Befidesthe  following  churches  and  chapels,  they  alfo  formerly  prefented  to 
Ilminfter  and  Somerton  vicarages  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  and  to  St, 
Melon's,  but  by  not  looking  after  their  right  have  loft  them. 

The  ftatutes  of  the  foundation  about  the  chapter,  refidence  of  the  dean  and 
prebendaries,  and  other  officers,  are  the  fame  with  thofe  of  Glocefter  col- 
legiate church,  printed  in  Sir  Robert  Atkyns's  ancient  and  prefent  ftate  of 
that  county  in  a  large  folio  volume. 

The  following  table  gives  a  particular  account  of  the  livings  in  the  gift  and 
patronage  of  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol,  their  value  in  the  King's  books, 
dedication,  tenths,  &c. 

Diocefe  of  Briftol,  in  Glocefter  county. 
Deanry  of  Briftol. 
King's  Books.  Livings  remaining  in  charge.  Yearly  Tenths, 

I.    s.    d.         Reclories  &c.  with  their  patrons  and  proprietors.  /.    s.     d. 

24     o     o  No.  1.    Olvefton  vie.  St.  Mary,  cum  cap.  Alvefton,  St. 
Helen,     pri.     Bath,     olim   impr.    dean    and 
chapter  of  Briftol,  -  -  280 

There  was  formerly  in  this  parifli  the  free  cha- 
pel of  Tockington,  St.  John  the  Baptift, 
which  did  belong  to  the  abby  of  St.  Auguf- 
tin  in  Briftol,  and  after  the  diftblution 
was  given  to  the  biftioprick  of  Briftol. 

Diocefe  of  Glocefter. 

Clear  yearly  Value.     Livings  difcharged  in  the  Deanry  of  Durfley. 

32     o     o  Hill  a  donative    (St.  Michael)   abb.  Sti.  Au- 

guftini  in  Briftol,  olim  impr.  dean  and  chap- 
ter of  Briftol,  now  impro.  Sir  Edward  Fuft 

Bart. 

City  of  Briftol. 

Livings  difcharged. 
ReClorics  &c.  with  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 
51    11      8   No.  2.    All-Saints  vie.    dean    and    chapter  of  Briftol 

propr.  and  patr.  -  -  -  084 

5   10     o  No.  3.    St.  Auguftin's  vie.  dedn  and  chapter  of  Bridoi 

propr.  and  patr.  -  -  -  0120 

R  p  Char 


C  322   3 

Clear  yearly  Value,  Yearly  Tenths. 

I.     s.    d.  I.     s.    d. 

415   No,  4.    St.  Leonard's  vie.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol 

propr.  and  patr,  -  -  -140 

7   16     6  No.  5.    St.  Nicholas  vie.  dean  and  chapter  ofBrillol       2    12      i^ 

Diocefe  of  Salifbury. 
Deanry  of  Pottern,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Sarum. 
Livings  difcharged. 
40     o     o  No.  6.    Marden  vie.  f  All-Saints)  archidiae.   4s.  dean 

and  chapter  of  Briflol  inipr.  and  patr.  o   17     9 

Diocefe  of  Gloceftcr. 
Deanry  of  Cirencefter  not  charged. 
No.  7.    Compton  Abdale  cur.  (St.  Ofwald)  7I.  certified 
value    pri.    Sti.    Ofwaldi    Glocefter,   olim 
propr.  church  of  Briftol  patr. 
Deanry  of  Glocefler,  not  in  charge. 
No.  8.    Churchdown  cur.  (St.  Bartholomew)  20I.  cer- 
tified value,   pri.    Sti.  Ofwaldi   olim  propr. 
dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol  patr. 
No.  9.    Norton  cur.    (St.  Mary)    20I.  certified   value, 
pri.    Sti.  Ofwaldi,  propr.  dean  and   chapter 
of  Briftol  patrons. 
St.  Catherine,   alias   St.  Ofwald's  vie.    dcmo- 
lifhed,  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol  patr. 
•    Diocefe  of  Saliftjury. 
Deanry  of  Pottern,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Sarufn. 
Livings  difcharged. 
42      o     o   No.  10.  Bradford  vie.  (Holy  Trinity)  with  fix  chapels,* 

Archidiae.    7s.  6d.    pri.    Shaftcftjury,   olim 
propr.   (vide  Leland's   Itin.    vol.  7.  p.  81.) 
dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol  propr.  and  patr.       1      o     i|- 
Diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells,  Somerfet. 
Deanry  of  Axbridge,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Wells. 
Livings  remaining  in  charge. 
King's  Books.       Reflories  &c.  with  their  patrons  and  proprietors. 
26     60^  No.  11.  Banwell  vie.  (St.  Andrew)  with  Puxton  chapel 

(St.  Saviour)  abb.  Brewton  20s.  -  2   12     7;^; 

Abb.  Brewton  propr.  dean  andchapter  of  Briftol.  King's 

*  Bradford  vie.  liath  fix  cliapcls,  viz.  W'cftwood,  Stoke  (St.  Edith),  Winfly  (St.  Mary),Wraxal 
(St.Jamcs),  Aldworth,  and  Molt  (St.  CathcrincJ. 


i  323  ] 

King's  Booki.  Yearly  Tenihs. 

I.     s.    d.  I.      s.    d, 

12  15}  NO'  12.  Were  vie.    (St.  George)  fynods  10s.  8d.  ob. 

proxies  2s.  abb.  Sti.  Auguftini,  Briftol,  9!. 
6s,  8d.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol,  abb.  St. 
Auflin,  Briftol,  propr.  -  -  i      4      i|; 

Chapels,  donatives,  and  curacies. 
Churchill  (St.JohnBaptift)  chap.  toBanwcll  16I. 
Puxton  (St.  Saviour)  chapel  toBanwcll  16I. 
Deanry  of  Bath,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Bath. 
Livings  difcharged. 

13  17  5j  No.  13.  Bathampton  vie.  (St.  Nicholas)  fynods  2S.  6d. 

pri.  Bath,  impr.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol.     o   15     8j 

25     3     o  No.  14.  Ford,  alias  Bathford  vie.  (St.  Swithin)  proxies 

lod.  pri.  Bath,   impr.   dean  and  chapter  of 
Briftol.  -  _  -  o   17     9^ 

Deanry  of  Crewkerne,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Taunton. 
Livings  remaining  in  charge. 

24     o     o  No  15.  South  Petherton  vie.  (St.  Peter   and  St.  Paul) 

fynods  2s.  3d.  proxies  iSd.  ob.  -  280 

Abb.  of  Brewton,   impr.   dean  and  chapter  of 
Briftol. 

Clear  yearly  Value.  Livings  difcharged. 

18   15      1   No.  16.  Fifehead  vie.  (St.  Martin)  abb.  of  Mochelney, 

imp.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol.  -  o  i4     85- 

43     2   11   No.  17.  Ifle   Abbots  vie.   alias   Abbots  Ifle,   abb.    of 

Mochelney,  appr.  dean  and  chapter  of 
Briftol.  -  -  -  o  16     o 

Diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells,  Somerfet. 

40  17  oj  No.  18.  Meriot  vie.  (All-Saints)  fynods  12s.  2d.  ob. 
proxies  13d.  abb.  of  Mochelney,  appr.  dean 
and  chapter  of  Brinol.  -  -  1      3      i|; 

45  9  3  ^'o-  '9-  Swell  vie.  (St.  Catherine)  fynods  9s.  8d.  ob. 
proxies  4d.  abb.  of  Brewton,  appr.  dean 
and  chapter  of  Briftol.  -  -  o  11     o|- 

R  R  2>  Clear 


C   324   ] 

Deanry  of  Ilcheftcr,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Wells, 
Clear  yearly  Value.  Livings  remaining  in  charge.  Yearly  Tenths. 

/.     s.    d.  I,    5.    d. 

10     o     o  No.  20.   Mochelney    vie.     (St.    Peter   and   St.   Paul) 

[a  curacy  only]  ftipend.*  dean  and  chapter 
of  Briftol  patr.  abbey  of  Mochelney  propr.       100 
Deanry  of  Taunton,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Taunton. 
King's  Books.  Livings  remaining  in  charge. 

18  7  11  No.  21.  Kingflon  vic.t  with  Cutfton  chapel,  fynods 
gs.  8d.  ob.  proxies  8d.  priory  of  Taunton 
15s.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol,  priory  of 
Taunton  impr.  -  .  -  1   16     9j 

Diocefe  of  York. 
Deanry  of  Bingham,  county  of  Nottingham. 
Livings  remaining  in  charge. 
i5     2     J   No.  22.  St.   Michael's  in  Sutton-Bonnington  rec.   ar- 
chiepifc.   pro.    fyn.    6s.    pro.  prox.    6s.    8d. 
dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol.  -  -  1    10     2j 

Diocefe  of  Exeter,  county  of  Devon. 
Deanry  of  Tiverton,  in  the  Archdeaconry  of  Exeter. 
Clear  yearly  Value.  Livings  difcharged. 

46     o     o  No.  23.  Halberton    vie.  +   (St.  Andrew)    epifc.    prox. 

2s.  8d.  Archidiac.  prox.  fyn.  and  cath. 
lis.  3d.  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol  propr. 
and  patr.  -  -  -  -320 

Diocefe  of  LandafF,  Monmouthftiirc. 
Deanry  of  Newport. 
Livings  difcharged. 
'20     o     o  No.  24.  Marisfield,  alias  Merfhfield  vie.  (belonged  for- 
merly to  the  abby  of  Briflol)  fyn.  and  prox. 
quolibet  tertio  anno   2od.  dean  and  chapter 
of  Briftol  patr.  and  propr.  -  -         o   12     3 

35     o     o  Xo.  25.  St.  Melon's  vie.  (belonged  formerly  to  the  abby 

of  Briftol)  fyn.  and  prox.  6s.  iid.  chapter 
of  Briftol,  impr.  Biftiop  of  Landaff.  1     o     if 

Clear 
•  Mochelney  is  certified  to  the  Governors  of  Q.Ann's  bounty  to  lie  of  the  cleJryearly  value  of  lol. 
+  Kingflon  vie.  is  certified  to  the  Governors  of  Queen  Ann's  bounty  lo  be  of  the  clear  yearly 
value  of  4f)l'  '8s.  8d. 

I  Halberton  in  the  original    is  called   a    rcftory, — it  was  in  the  year  i  725  augmcnled   by   llie 
Queen's  bounty,  and  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Briftol  and  others. 


[    325    3 

Clear  yearly  Value.  Yearly  Tenths. 

I.     s.    d.  i.     s.    d. 

lo     o     o  Rumpney  vie.    (St.  Auguftin's)   belonged  For- 

merly to  the  abby  of  Briftol,fyn.cSi^  prox.  2od.     O  11     o^ 
Chapels,  donatives,  or  curacies. 
No.  26.  Peterftone-Wenilog  cur.  (St.  Peter)  12I.  cer- 
tified value,  dean  and  chapter  of  Briflol  impr. 
A^.  B.  The  following  livings  did  formerly  belong  to  the 
abby  of  St.  Auguftin  in  Briftol. 
Diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells. 
Deanery  of  Poulet  alias  Pawlet. 
Livings  difcharged. 
47   14   11^  Poulet  vie.  alias  Pawlet  (St.  John  Baptift)  prox.  20 d. 
fynods  8  s.  5d.   ob.     The  King.     Abby  St.  Auguf- 
lini  Briftol  propr.  -  -  -  1      1      g|- 

Diocefe  of  Glocefter  and  Deanry  of  Giocefter. 
Livings  difcharged. 
30     o     o     Witcomb  magna  rec.  (St,  Mary)  Abby  St.  Auguftini 

in  Briftol,  olim  impr.     Sir  Michael  Hicks.  468 

Deanry  of  Hawkifbury. 
35     o     o     Wapley    vie.    (St.    Peter)    fynod   and   prox.    8s.    8d. 
chapter  of  Briftol,  (W.)  Abby  St.  Auguftini  Briftol 
olim   impr.      Robert    Codrington,  Efq;    1705,    te- 
nant to  the  dean  and  chapter.  -  -  0159 
Diocefe  of  LandafFand  Deanry  of  LandafF. 
Livings  difcharged. 
800     Pennarth  vie.  alias  Penmarth  (St.  Auftin)  epifc.  &c. 
Archdeacon  7s.  5d.     Abby  St.  Aug.  Briftol  propr. 
Thomas  Lewis,  Efq;   1716.                -              -  "     9     9i 
The  liberal  endowment  and  revenues  of  this  church,  we  are  told  by  Hey- 
lin,    were   very  much  impaired  in  the  time  of  Queen   Elizabeth,  when   for 
thirty-two  years   together   it  had  no  bifliop   but  was  all  that  time  held  in  com- 
mendam  by  the  Bifliops  of  Glocefter,  and  it  is  now  efteemed  almoft  the  leaft 
valuable  bifhoprick. 

The  pious  Charles  ift.  defender  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  church  of  England 
by  law  eftabliflied  therein,  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign,  made  a  very  neceifary 
provifional  order  for  the  prefervation  of  the  revenues  of  bifiiopricks,  inferted 
at  length  in  Sir  Robert  Atkvns's  Hiftorv  of  Glocefteriliire.  p.  12.  "  by  which 

bifliops 


C  326   ] 

bilhops  were  enjoined  not  to  let  any  leafe  belonging  to  their  bifhopricks  into 
lives,  which  were  not  in  lives  already,  but  that  the  leafes  fhould  be  for  years  ; 
for  by  turning  the  leafes  of  twenty-one  years  into  lives,  the  prefent  bifliop 
might  put  a  great  fine  into  his  own  purfe  to  enrich  himfelf,  wife,  and  chil- 
dren, and  leave  the  fucceeding  bifhops,  of  what  dcfert  foever  to  the  church, 
dcflitute  of  riiat  growing  means  which  elfe  would  come  in  unto  them  :  by 
which  courfc  if  continued  the  biOiop  would  fcarce  be  able  to  live  and  keep 
houfe  according  to  his  place."  This  evidences  the  great  care  that  monarch 
had  for  the  good  of  the  cliurch  and  its  right  government  by  bifhops.  For 
"  prelacy  and  under  it  a  fubordination  of  minifters  in  the  church,"  Sir  Robert 
Atkyns  obferves,  "  is  highly  becoming  the  Divine  Wifdom,  and  therefore 
belief  may  eafily  be  given  to  that  croud  of  primitive  writers,  who  tell  us  epif- 
copacy  was  inftituted  by  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  for  the  perpetual  policy  of  his 
church.  In  human  wifdom  indeed  it  feems  preferable  to  parity,  and  therefore 
it  is  natural  to  imagine,  it  was  inftituted  by  the  divine.  Parity  is  apt  in  all 
focieties  to  breed  confufion,  which  is  the  reafon  that  many  bodies  of  men  have 
been  forced  for  their  own  convenience  or  prefervation  to  fet  one  with  more 
or  lefs  authority  over  the  refl;.  In  the  very  arts,  fciences,  and  profelfions, 
we  fee  a  preference  :  the  fchools  have  their  doftors,  mafters,  and  batchclors  ; 
the  law  its  ferjeants,  barrifters,  and  attornies  ;  the  camp  its  captains,  lieute- 
nants, and  enfigns  ;  the  Romans  their  patricians,  knights,  and  plebians  ;  the 
country  hath  its  nobility,  gentry,  and  commonalty  :  and  therefore  fince  all 
mankind  have,  as  it  were,  received  thefe  three  degrees  of  fubordination,  we 
can  make  no  difficulty  to  prefer  the  epifcopal  (efpecially  if  we  confider  its 
firft  original  and  high  defcent)  before  any  other  form  of  church  policy,  or  to 
believe  that  the  three  orders  of  bifhops,  pricfls,  and  deacons,  were  a  divine 
inn;itution  for  the  adminiftration  of  the  church,"  which  being  carefully  vigi- 
lant over  its  own  members  of  the  eftablifhment  as  to  do6lrine  and  difciplinc, 
and  allowing  free  toleration  to  all  who  from  tender  confciences  diffent,  will 
thus  ever  flourifh,  the  glory  of  this  nation  and  the  envy  of  others. 

Briftol  being  anciently  a  part  of  Glocefterfhire  belonged  with  it  to  the  dio- 
cefe  of  Worcefler,  and  the  bifhops  of  that  fee  prefided  here,  till  itfelf  being 
erefted  into  a  bifliopric  by  Henry  8th.  Paul  Bufh  was  appointed  the  firfl 
bifhop,  fome  particulars  of  his  life  I  fliall  here  give  and  fome  account  of  each 
of  his  fucceflbrs  in  a  regular  order,  as  they  were  promoted  to  this  fee. 


BISHOPS 


[    327     ] 

BISHOPSofBRISTOL. 

The  arms  of  the  fee  are  thus  blazoned:  fable,  three  ducal  coroners  in 

pale  or. 

1-  Paul  Bufli,  S.  T.  B.  was  a  native  of  SomerfetfTiire,  and  entered  with  the 
AuguRin  friers  at  Oxford  in  1513,  was  of  Wadham  College,  laft  reftor  or 
provincial  of  the  order  of  Bonnes  Hommes  at  Edington  in  Wilts,  canon  refi- 
dentiary  of  Salifbury,  and  chaplain  to  King  Henry  8th.  who  appointed  him 
by  his  letters  patent,  4th  June  1542,  the  firfl;  bifhop  of  this  new-ere£led  fee, 
and  he  received  the  temporalities  of  it,  16th  June  1542,  and  was  confecrated 
the  25th  of  the  fame  month.  He  foon  after  alienated  the  manor  of  Leigh, 
near  Briftol,  a  part  of  the  endowment  of  the  biflioprick,  by  which  he  deprived 
it  of  its  beft  eftate,  to  its  great  injury  and  lofs.  On  Queen  Mary's  acceffion, 
having  broken  his  vow  of  celibacy,  and  knowing  himfelf  obnoxious,  he  freely 
gave  up  his  bifhoprick  1553,  and  had  the  reClory  of  Winterborn,  near  Briftol, 
conferred  upon  him,  having  buried  his  wife  that  year.  He  built  the  epifcopal 
feat  and  made  the  choir  ftalis  in  the  cathedral,  and  died  Od.  11,  1558,  aged 

68,  and  was  buried  on  the  north  fide  of  the  church,  near  his  wife's  grave. 

He  is  faid  to  have  had  great  flcill  in  phyfic,  and  wrote  a  treatife  on  falves  and 
curative  remedies.  There  is  the  ftatue  of  a  fkeleton,  the  emblem  of  mor- 
tality, lying  on  his  tomb.  He  had  a  grant  of  arms  by  Chriftopher  Barker,. 
Garter  king  at  arms,  July  7,  1542,  argent  a  fefs  G.  between  three  boars  paf- 
fant  fable,  their  tufks,  hoof,  and  bridles  or.  on  a  fefs,  a  rofc  between  two 
eagles  difplayed.  Vide  Wood's  Athen.  Oxon.  voU  i.  p.  8g.  more  of  him. 
He  has  this  infcription  on  his  tomb:  "  Hie  jacet  Dominus  Paulus  Bufh,  pri- 
mus hujus  ecclefias  epifcopus,  qui  obiit  11  die  Ottobris  Anno  Domini  1558,, 
setatis  fuae  68,  cujus  animae  propitietur  Chriftus. 

Dignus,  qui  primam  circum  fua  tcmpora  mitram 

Indueret,  jacet  hie  Bridolicnfc  Dccus  : 
A  patre  Bufh  di6lus,  Paulum  baptifma  vocavit, 

Virtute  implevit  nomen  utrumque  pari. 
Paulus  Edingtoniae  bis  meffes  preco  fecutus 

Inflituit  populum  dogmate,  Chrillc,  tuo  : 
Ille  animos  verbis,  impeiifis  pavit  cgcnos, 

Hinc  fruclum  arbufto  protulit  ille  fuo. 
Ut  Madidis  arbufta  juvant,  fic  faederc  rupto 

Inter  difcordcs  pacificator  erat." 

On 


C   328   ] 

On  a  (lone  in  the  choir  near  to  his  tomb  was  this  engraved:  "  Of  your 
tharitie  pray   for  the  foulc  of  Edyth  Bufla   olherwife  Afhely,  who  deceafed 

8  Oa.   1553-"  . 

2.  John  Holyman,  S.  T.  P.  a  zealous  Roman  Catholic  preacher  and  wri- 
ter af^ainft  the  Lutherans,  bred  at  Winchefter  fchool  ;  in  1554,  was  pro- 
moted to  the  fee  of  Briftol  upon  the  deprivation  or  refignation  of  Paul  Bufh, 
and  was  confecrated  1 8ih  November.  See  more  of  him  in  Wood's  Athenae 
Oxon.  vol.  i.  91 1  Fuller  commends  him  as  peaceable  and  committing  no 
bloodflied  in  his  diocefe.  He  died  20th  Dec.  1558.  Arms  were,  argent  a 
chevron  gules  inter  three  rofes  proper. 

3.  Richard  Cheyney,  B.  D.  after  three  years  vacancy  of  the  fee  fucceeded, 
which  he  held  with  Glocefter  in  commendam  fixteen  years,  Camden  fays, 
he  was  "  Luthero  addiciifTunus ;"  whilll  his  fucceffor  to  the  fee  of  Glocefter 
Dr.  Goodman  fays,  he  was  a  papift  with  all  his  fervants,  and  was  once  fuf- 
pended  for  popery.  He  died  25th  April,  1579,  and  was  buried  in  Glocefter 
cathedral.  Arms,  cheeky  or.  and  azure  a  fefs  G.  frctty  argent.  Vide 
Wood's  Athenae  Oxon.  vol.  i.  p.  592. 

4.  John  Bullingham,  S.  T.  P.  retired  beyond  fea  in  Queen  Mary's  reign, 
and  returning  was  1567  made  by  Queen  Elizabeth  archdeacon  of  Huntingdon 
and  re£tor  of  Withington  and  Boxwell  in  Glocefterfliire  j  1568  was  made 
Doftor  of  Divinity,  prebendary  of  Lincoln  and  Worcefter.  In  1581,  Bifhop 
of  Glocefter,  and  had  the  fee  of  Briftol  given  in  commendam,  which  he  held 
eight  years;  and  it  was  then  taken  from  him,  and  he  had  Culmington  or 
Kilmington,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  in  lieu  of  it.  He  died  20th  May,  1598, 
BiOiop  of  Glocefter,  and  was  buried  in  that  cathedral.  Arms,  azure  an  eagle 
difplayed  argent,  in  his  beak  a  branch  of  beech  oi".  on  a  chief  of  the  laft,  a 
rofe  betwixt  two  croftes  bottonee  gules. 

5.  Richard  Fletcher,  S.  T.  P.  bred  at  Cambridge.  In  1583,  was  Dean  of 
Peterborough  and  the  prebendary  of  Lincoln  :  elefled  Bifliop  here  14th  Dec. 
is  faid  in  Sir  John  Harrington's  View  of  the  State  of  the  Church,  &c.  p.  25. 
to  have  taken  this  fee  on  condition  of  leafing  out  its  eftatcs  to  courtiers,  which 
he  fo  extravagantly  did  that  he  left  little  to  his  fucceftbrs.  In  1593,  lie  was 
tranftated  to  Worcefter,  whilft  this  lay  vacant  thirteen  years.  He  attended 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots  on  the  fcaffold,  February  1586,  and  difturbed  her  much 
by  onicioufly  perfuading  her  then  to  change  her  religion.  At  length  marry- 
ing a  fecond  wife.  Lady  Baker,  a  very  handfomc  widow,  he  grew  very  dif- 
contented  through  the  Queen's  difpleafurc,  he  died  fuddcniv  by  the  immo- 
tlerate  ufe  of  tobacco,  15th  June,   1596,  after  having  fat  Bifliop  of  London, 

where 


[    329    ] 

v?here  he  had  little  enjoyment.     He  was  buried  in  St.  Paul's.     Arms,  fable, 
a  crofs  fleury  argent,  four  efcalops  of  the  fecond. 

6.  John  Thornborough,  at  King  James's  acceflion  to  the  throne,  after  ten 
year's  vacancy  of  the  fee,  was  tranflated  to  it  from  Limerick,  30th  May, 
1603,  with  liberty  to  keep  the  deanry  of  York  in  commendam.  He  incurred 
fome  ccnfure  on  account  of  a  marriage.  He  was  tranflated  to  W'orccllcr, 
17th  February,   1616.     Vide  Wood's  Athenae  Oxon.  vol.  ii.  p.  1. 

7.  Nicholas  Felton,  was  bred  at  Cambridge,  a  Norfolk  man,  retlor  of  St. 
Mary  le  Bow,  Eafton  in  Effex,  and  Blagdon  in  Somerfet,  was  confecrated 
Bifliop  18th  December,  1617,  but  tranflated  the  next  year  to  Ely,  and  died 
5th  Oftober,  1626.  Arms,  G.  two  lions  paffant  in  pale  ermine  ducally 
crowned  or. 

8.  Rowland  Searchficld,  was  of  St.  John's  College,  Oxford,  confecrated 
Bifliop  19th  May,  1619,  died  11th  Otlober,  1622,  and  was  buried  in  Briflol 
cathedral.  Arms,  azure,  three  crofs  bows  ftringed  argent,  a  chief  or.  Vide 
Wood,  vol.  i.   p.  622. 

g.  Robert  Wright,  was  warden  of  Wadham  college,  &c.  but  marrying  he 
refignedon  the  23d  of  March,  1622,  was  confecrated  Bifhop  here,  and  1632  he 
was  tranflated  to  Litchfield  and  Coventry.  In  his  time  the  ftone  pulpit  was 
made  in  the  body  of  the  cathedral,  with  the  feats  for  the  corporation  oppofite 
to  it.  Vide  Wood,  vol.  ii.  p.  654.  Arms,  party  per  pale  or.  and  argent,  on 
a  chevron  azure,  three  bezants  between  as  many  boars  heads  couped  proper. 
Motto  ;   Dominus  mihi  adjutor. 

10.  George  Cook,  was  bred  at  Cambridge,  confecrated  Bifliop  loth  Fe- 
bruary, 1632,  and  1636  tranflated  to  Hereford,  where  he  died  10th  Decem- 
ber, 1646,  and  was  buried  there.  Arms,  parted  per  pale,  ruby,  and  fapphire, 
three  eagles  pearl. 

11.  Robert  Skinner,  w^as  confecrated  15th  Jan.  1636,  and  kept  Launton 
in  Oxfordfhire  and  Greenfnorton  in  Xorthamptonfhire  in  commendam  with 
this  fee.  In  1641  he  was  tranflated  to  Oxford,  and  during  the  times  of  the 
ufurpation  having  fuffered  much  he  ncverthelefs  continued  to  confer  orders, 
and  was  the  only  Bifliop  that  did  it.  He  was  tranflated  to  the  fee  of  Worce- 
fler,  12th  Oftober,  1663,  and  died  in  1670,  being  buried  in  that  cathedral 
with  the  following  Latin  infcription  on  a  flat  marble  flone :  — "  H.  I.  E.  Rev. 
in  Ch.  pater  ac  Dom.  Robertus  Skinner,  Coll.  St.  Trinitatis  Oxon  focius, 
Carolo  primo  Britantiiarum  monarcha;  a  facri.s,  Doftoratum  in  Ss.  theoUxna 
almas  matris  diplomate  oblatum  fine  ambitu  ccpit.  a  rccloria  Launton  diocEef. 
Oxon.  ad  cpifcopatum  Briflolicnfcm  evocatus,  (tantus  ecclcfiec  filias  meruit 

S  s  cito 


[    330    ] 

cito  fieri  parens)  mox  ad  fedem  Oxonienfeni  tranflatus.  Turre  Londinenfi  a 
pcrduellibus  diu  incaiceratus  tarn  fine  culpa  quam  examine  exivit.  A  Ca- 
rolo  fcciindo  ad  fedem  Vigornienfem  promotus  poRquam  prebyteris  fanciendis 
affuctam  dextram  fufficiendis  pra.'fiilibu  mutuam  dcdiffct  (eorumq;  quinque  a 
fiio  collegio  a-vfp(fcvoK)  omnibus  ante  facrilegam  ufurpationem  cpifcopus  fuper- 
flcs,  junii  1],  A.  D.  1670,  Oclogenarius  ad  fummum  animarum  epifcopum 
afcendit  priiis  gratia  nunc  gloria  confecratus."  Arms,  fable,  a  chevron  or. 
between  three  griffins  heads  crazed  argent. 

12.   Thomas   'Weftfield,    S-   T.   P.    was   advanced   to  this  bifliopric,  28th 
January,  1641.      He  fuffered  much  from  the  rebels,  and  had  the  profits  of  his 
lee  unjuflly  detained  from  him  ;  though  afterwards  reftored  by  a  committee 
of  the   rebel  parliament,    being  of  fuch   an  unexceptionable  charafter  that 
when  they  reftored  to  him  his  rights,  the  committee  gave  him  a  pafs  to  go  to 
Brillol,  adding  therein  "  that  he  was  a  perfon  of  great  learning  and  merit." 
He  was  fuch  an   excellent  preacher,  that  Biffiop  King  faid  he  was   born  an 
orator.     He  was  fo  modcft  and  diffident,  that  it  is  faid   he  never  afcended  the 
pulpit  without  trembling,  and  once  fainted  away  when  he  was  to  preach  before 
the  King.      He  died  25th  June,   1644,  and  lies  buried  in  the  choir  of  Briftol 
cathedral  with  this  infcription,  which  he  compofed  himfelf  before  his  death : 
—  "  Hie  jacet  Thomas  Weftfield,  S.  T.  P.  cpifcoporum  infimus,  peccatorum 
primus,  obiit  25  Junii  1644  fenio  et  mserore  confedus  :  tu  lector,  quifcjuis  es, 
vale   et   refipifce.     Epitaphium  ipfe  ditlavit    fibi  vivus.     Monumentum  uxor 
mcEftiffima  Elizabetha  Weftfield   marito    defideratiffimo  pofuit  fuperftes."  — 
Arms,  f.  argent,  crofs  fable.     See  Walker's  Sufferings  of  the  Clergy,  part  2d. 
p.  3  to  5.      ^\''ood,  vol.  ii.   p.  724. 

13.  Thomas  Howell,  S.  T.  P.  nominated  by  the  King  Bifhop  July,  1644, 
and  confecrated  by  Archbiftiop  Ufficr,  and  enthronized  12th  April,  1645, 
was  barbaroufly  treated  by  the  rebels.  His  palace  which  was  then  covered 
with  lead,  under  pretence  of  having  bought  the  houfe,  they  luicovered  and 
fold  the  lead ;  which  expofed  his  wife,  whom  they  knew  to  be  then  in 
childbed,  to  the  rain  and  wind,  which  with  the  trouble  and  grief  foon  occa- 
fioned  her  death.  After  many  bafe  indigniiio.%  they  dragged  him  violently 
out  of  the  palace,  of  which  they  after  made  a  malthoufe.  He  ftruggling 
awhile  for  his  property,  catched  hold  of  the  ftaple  of  the  door,  not  knowing 
where  to  ffielter  his  poor  motherlefs  family  of  ten  children,  but  they  forced 
him  out  ;  and  there  they  ground  at  a  mill  crcttcd  there  as  well  as  made  their 
malt  for  feveral  years,  —  and  they  had  it  in  defign  to  put  up  a  furnace  for 
brewing  at  the  caft  end  of  the  choir  in  the  place  of  the  altar.     The  inhuman. 

ufa  sc 


[    331    ] 

irfage  he  received  at  their  hands  was  fuch  that  he  could  not  bear  it,  but  did 
not  long  furvive  their  cruelty,  and  died  in  lefs  than  a  fortnight  after  being 
thus  robbed  and  pillaged  and  maltreated.  He  was  efteemed  an  excellent 
preacher,  and  of  a  mild  and  meek  difpofition,  a  feeling  and  tender  heart, 
which  they  broke  by  this  treatment.  He  died  1646,  and  was  buried  in  h\i 
cathedral  at  the  entrance  of  the  choir  out  of  the  fouth  aile,  under  a  plain 
ftone  without  any  other  infcription  but  this  one  word,  "  Expergifcar."  He 
found  few  will  afFec\ed  in  his  dioccfe  at  his  coming  thither,  yet  he  left  few  ill 
affefted  in  it  at  his  death.  He  left  many  poor  children  behind  him  ;  but  it  is 
faid,  he  was  fo  well  loved  at  Briftol,  that  after  his  deceafc  the  city  took  upon 
them  the  care  of  his  children's  education,  in  grateful  fenfe  of  the  memory  of 
this  their  mod  worthy  father.  See  Wood's  yVthenas  Oxon.  vol.  ii.  p.  656. 
Arms,  G.  a  falcon,  wings  expanded,  argent. 

14.  Gilbert  Ironfide,  S.  T.  P.  was  born  at  Hawkbury  near  Sodbury,  in 
the  county  of  Glocefter,  was  fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Oxon,  1613,  re£lor 
of  Winterborn<  Steepleton  in  Dorfetfliire,  and  Yeovelton  in  Somerfetfliire, 
both  of  which  he  kept  till  the  Reftoration  ;  had  a  prebend  in  the  church  of 
of  York,  and  December  1,  1660,  was  elefled  to  the  fee  of  Briftol,  after  it 
had  been  vacant  fourteen  years.  He  was  looked  upon  as  the  fitteft  perfon, 
being  wealthy,  to  enter  upon  this  mean  and  reduced  biflioprick  after  fuch  long 
vacancy.  He  died  here  19th  September,  1671,  aged  83,  and  was  buried  clofe 
to  the  fteps  of  the  bifliop's  feat  without  monument  or  infcription.  Arms, 
quarterly  azure  and  G.  a  crofs  fleury  or. 

15.  Guy  Charlton,  S.  T.  P.  was  a  Cumberland  man,  educated  at  Queen's 
College,  Oxford,  was  proClor  1635,  vicar  of  Bucklefbury,  Berks,  and  reflor 
of  Havant.  He  took  the  fide  of  the  Royalifts  in  the  rebellion,  and  fuffered 
accordingly  with  the  reft.  After  the  Refloration  he  was  created  Doftor  of 
Divinity,  and  a  chaplain  to  the  King,  and  dean  of  Carlide  :  and  1660,  pre- 
bendary of  Durham.  And  the  20th  December,  1671,  was  elefted  to  the  fee 
of  Briftol,  confirmed  the  20th  January,  and  confccrated  in  Henry  the  feventh's 
chapel  the  11th  February  following,  keeping  his  prebend  in  commendam. 
On  the  8th  January,  1678,  he  was  tranflated  to  the  fee  of  Chichefter.  He 
died  at  Weftminfter,  6th  July,  1685,  and  was  buried  at  Chichefter.  Arms, 
or.  a  lion  rampant,  G.      Motto  :  "  Sans  varier." 

16.  William  Goulfon,  or  Gulfton,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Leicefterftiire,  edu- 
cated at  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge,  and  was  chaplain  to  the  Dutchefs  of 
Somerfet,  who  prefented  him  to  SymondftKin,',  Dorfet.  He  was  chofen  Bi- 
fhop  of  Briftol  16th  January,  and  confccrated  at  Lambeth  9th  of  Februar\-, 

S  s  2  1678, 


C    332     ] 

1678.  He  died  at  Symondfbury  4th  April,  1684,  and  was  buried  there  in 
the  chancel.  After  his  death  the  Rev.  Thomas  Long,  prebendary  of  Exeter, 
■was  offered  this  biflioprick,  but  he  fcrupling  it  at  firft  was  denied  it  after- 
wards. The  arms  of  Goulflon  are  argent  over  three  bars  nebiile  gules,  a 
bend  fable,  charged  with  as  many  plates.      See  Wood,  vol.  ii.  p.  684. 

17.  John  Lake,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Halifax,  Yorkfliire,  and  of  St.  John's 
College,  Cambridge,  bifliop  of  the  Ifle  of  Man,  was  trandated  to  Briftol  12th 
Augufl,  1684,  and  the  next  year  was  hence  trandated  to  Chichefter. 
He  was  one  of  the  feven  bifliops  committed  to  the  Tower  for  a  feditious  libel 
againfl  King  James  2d.  or  rather  for  fiibfcribing  a  petition  to  his  Majefty, 
wherein  he  and  the  reft  fhewed  their  great  averfenefs  to  the  diftributing  and 
publifliing  in  all  their  churches  the  King's  late  declaration  for  liberty  of  con- 
fcience,  <&:c.  After  King  William  came  to  the  crown  he  refufed  taking  the 
oaths  of  allegiance  and  fupremacy  to  him,  and  was  therefore  deprived  of  his 
bifhoprick.  On  his  death  bed  the  latter  end  of  Auguft,  1689,  he  publicly 
declared  againft  them.     Arms,  A.  on  a  faltirc  engrailed  f.  nine  annulets  or. 

18.  Jonathan  Trelawney,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Chrift  Church,  Oxon,  rcclor  of 
St.  Ives  and  Southill,  county  of  Cornwall,  was  confecrated  bifhop  8th  No- 
vember, 1685,  and  in  April,  i68g,  he  was  tranflated  to  Exeter,  and  1707 
thence  to  Wincheftcr.  He  died  igth  July,  1721,  and  was  buried  at  Plint  or 
Plenint  in  Cornwall,  the  place  of  his  birth,  with  his  anceftors.  Arms,  argent 
a  chevron  fable,  betwixt  three  laurel  leaves  flipt  vert,  with  the  arms  of  UHlcr 
as  a  baronet.      See  Wood,  vol.  ii.  p.  1183. 

In  Sir  John  Dalrymple's  Memoirs  of  Great  Britain,  &c.  vol.  ii.  p,  335. 
is  the  following  letter  from  this  Bifnop  of  Briftol  to  William  Prince  of  Orange 
then  in  the  kingdom,   1688. 

••  May  it  pleafe  your  Highnefs, 

"  I  received  the  great  honour  of  your  Highnefs's  letter,  and  beg  leave  to 
return  you  my  moft  humble  thanks  for  thofc  kind  opinions  you  have  been 
pleafed  to  conceive  of  me,  which  I  ftiall  endeavour  ftill  to  prefcrve. 

"  My  Lord  Shrewftiury  (with  whofe  conducl  we  are  all  extremely  pleafed) 
•will  give  you  a  full  account  of  what  hath  been  done  here,  which  if  your  High- 
nefs fliall  approve  of,  it  will  be  great  fatisfaBion  to  me,  that  I  have  borne  fome 
part  in  the  work  which  your  Highnefs  has  undertaken  with  the  hazard  of  your 
life,  for  the  prefervation  of  the  Protcftant  religion,  the  laws,  and  the  liberties 
of  this  kingdom. 

«  I 


C    333    ] 

"  I  defire  Almighty  God  to  prefcrve  you  as  the  means  of  continuing  to  us 
the  exercife  of  our  holy  religion  and  our  laws,  and  humbly  befecch  your 
Highnefs  to  believe  me  very  ready  to  promote  fo  good  a  work,  and  on  all  oc- 
cafions  to  approve  myfelf  your  Highnefs's 

Moft  obedient,  faithful,  humble  fervant, 

Brinol,  Dec.  5.  1688.  J.  B  R  I  S  T  O  L." 

19.  Gilbert  Ironfide,  fon  of  a  former  bifhop  of  the  fame  name,  was  confe- 
crated  to  this  fee  13th  October,  1689,  and  July  29,  1691,  was  trandated  to 
Hereford.  He  died  27th  Auguft,  1701,  aged  6g,  and  was  buried  in  St.  Mary 
Somerfet  church,  London. 

20.  John  Hall,  was  mafter  of  Pembroke  College,  Oxon,  and  reftor  of 
Aldgate,  and  was  confecrated  here  30th  Auguft,  1691.  He  died  February  4, 
1709-10,  at  his  college,  aged  77,  and  was  buried  at  Bromfgrove,  in  the 
county  of  Worcefter,  the  place  of  his  birth.  Arms,  A.  on  a  chevron  en- 
grailed, inter  three  lions  heads  erafed,  fable,  an  etoile  or. 

21.  John  Robinfon,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Cleafly,  in  Yorkfliire,  and  bred  at 
Oriel  College,  7th  Auguft,  1710,  was  made  dean  of  Windfor  and  prebendary 
of  Canterbury,  and  confecrated  bifhop  19th  November,  1710,  Lord  Privy 
Seal,  and  one  of  her  Majefly's  honourable  privy  council  and  firft  plenipoten- 
tiary at  the  congrefs  at  Utrecht,  1712.  He  was  13th  March,  1713,  tranflated 
to  London,  and  dying  11th  April,  1723,  aged  72,  was  buried  in  Fulham 
churchyard.  Arms,  vert  on  a  chevron  f".  between  three  bucks  paffant  oj-.  as 
many  etoiles  of  the  laft.  See  his  arms  in  the  wefl  window  of  Briftol  cathedral 
in  coloured  glafs,  alfo  a  runic  infcription.      See  Gent.  Mag.  for  Auguft,  1780, 

P-  373- 

22.  George  Smalridge,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Litchfield,  and  ftudent  of  Chrid 

Church,  Oxford,  from  Weflminftcr  fchool,  was  prebendary  of  Litchfield, 
minifter  of  St.  Dunftan's  in  the  Wefl,  which  he  quitted  June,  1711,  and  after- 
wards was  canon  of  Chrift  Church,  and  1713  dean,  and  wa.'j  coufecrated 
bifliop  4th  April,  1714,  and  was  foon  after  made  Lord  Almoner  to  Queen 
Ann.  Whilfl  he  was  bifhop  here  he  repaired  many  of  the  rooms  in  the 
palace  at  his  own  coft.  He  died  at  his  deanry  27th  September,  1719,  and 
was  buried  at  Chrift  Church,  Oxon.  Arms,  f.  a  crofs  engrailed  or.  between 
four  buftards  refpe£ting  each  other  argent. 

23.  Hugh  Boulter,  S.  T.  P.  was  of  Magdalen  College,  Oxon,  M.  A. 
12th  May  1693,  B.  A.  28th  March,  1705,  D.  D.  ift  July,  1708,  confecrated 
bifhop  here  15th  November,  1719,  being  before  archdeacon  of  Surrv,  rcClor 
St.  Olave's  and  dean  of  Chrift  Chrift,  and  one  of  George  ift's.  chaplains,  who 

attended 


[     334     ] 

attended  him  abroad.  On  the  3d  November,  1724,  he  was  tranflated  to  tlie 
archbiflioprick  of  Armagh,  and  was  made  Lord  Primate  and  Metropolitan  of 
all  Ireland  in  room  of  Dr.  Lindfey,  deceafed.  His  arms  are,  or.  on  a  chevron 
G.  three  men's  fl-wwlls  of  the  field. 

24.  "William  Bradfhaw,  was  born  at  Abergavenny  in  Monmoutlifliire,  and 
bred  at  Baliol  College,  Oxon  ;  took  his  degree  of  M.  A.  at  Cambridge,  was 
afterwards  D.  D.  and  dean  of  Chrift  Church,  Oxon,  ^sd  Auguft,  1724,  and 
was  elefted  bifhop  here  2ift  September,  1724.  He  was  prebendary  of  Can- 
terbury and  Oxon,  and  reclor  of  Fawleigh  in  Hampfliire.  He  died  at  Bath 
and  was  buried  in  Briflol  cathedral  16th  December,  1732,  aged  62.  Arms, 
argent,  two  bends  fable. 

25.  Charles  Cecil,  S.  T.  P.  of  Chrift  Church,  Oxon,  D.  D.  and  one  of 
his  Majefty's  chaplains  in  ordinary,  reftor  of  Hatfield  in  Hertfordfliire,  a 
defcendant  of  the  Cecils  Earl  of  Salifbury.  He  was  eleCled  Bifliop  of  Briftol 
15th  January,  1732-3.  In  the  year  1734  he  was  tranflated  to  the  biflioprick 
of  Bangor,  and  died  in  1737-  Arms,  barry  of  ten,  argent  and  azure,  over 
all  fix  cfcutcheons  fable,  3,  2,   i,  each  charged  with  a  lion  rampant  argent. 

26.  Thomas  Seeker,  L.  L.  D.  of  Exeter  College,  Oxon,  M.  A.  4th  Feb. 
1723,  for  which  he  was  grand  compounder.  July  9,  1733,  he  was  prefented 
to  a  prebend  of  Durham  and  the  reftory  of  St.  James,  Wcftminfter,  and  then 
to  the  biflioprick  of  Briftol  the  2d  January,  1734-5,  and  confecrated  the  19th. 
In  1737  he  was  tranflated  to  the  foe  of  Oxford,  and  thence  to  London,  and 
afterwards  to  the  archbiflioprick  of  Canterbury.  Arms,  gules,  a  bend  en- 
grailed or.   between  two  bulls  head.  or. 

27.  Thomas  Gooch,  D.  D.  was  mafter  of  Gonville  and  Caius  college, 
Cambridge,  and  elefted  bifiiop  here  28th  May,  1737,  and  the  year  following 
Avas  tranflated  to  Norwich,  and  thence  to  Ely,  and  died  at  Ely  houfe,  Holborn, 
14th  February,  1754,  and  was  buried  the  21ft  in  the  chapel  of  Gonville  and 
Caius  college,  where  a  monument  with  an  elegant  infcription  is  erefted  to  his 
memory.      Anns,  azure,  three  boars  paftant  argent. 

28.  Jofeph  Butler,  L.  L.  D.  of  Oriel  college,  took  his  degree  of  Bathelor 
of  the  Civil  Law  10th  June,  1721.  He  was  elefled  bifliop  here  6th  Novem- 
ber, 1738,  and  confecrated  3d  December.  He  held  alfo  the  deanry  of  St. 
Paul's,  London,  with  this  fee,  and  was  confirmed  therein  in  1740.  He  was 
clerk  of  the  clofet,  1736,  to  Queen  Caroline,  and  after  her  deccafe  clerk  of 
the  clofet  to  the  King.  In  Auguft,  1738,  he  was  made  prebendary  of  Ro- 
chefter  and  had  the  valuable  reftory  of  Stanhope  in  the  biflioprick  of  Durham, 
which  he  refigned  on  being  made  dean  of  St.  Paul's.     In  Auguft,  1750,  he 

was 


[    335     ] 

was  tranflitecl  to  Durham.  In  the  year  1714  he  rebuilt  the  bifiiop's  palace  at 
Briflol  then  going  to  decay,  which  cod  him  5000 1.  where  he  ulually  refidcd 
five  months  in  the  fummer.  Living  a  fingle  life  and  having  no  relations 
dependent  on  him,  he  laid  out  all  his  income,  and  gcneroufly  expended 
more,  during  the  twelve  years  he  was  Bifliop  of  BriRol,  than  he  received  from 
the  whole  fee.  In  the  year  1750  he  propofcd  to  the  corporation  the  feparation 
of  theout-parifli  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  and  building  of  a  new  church  in  Kingf- 
wood  for  the  better  inflruflion  of  the  colliers  and  poor  inhabitants  there  in  tiie 
Chriftian  religion.  -In  1750  an  a£l  of  Parliament  was  obtained  for  that  pur- 
pofe,  and  his  lordfhip  opened  the  fubfcription  with  400 1.  and  procured  400I- 
more  out  of  Queen  Ann's  bounty,  the  corporation  fubfcribed  tool.  &c.  It 
is  the  more  generous  a£l,  as  he  was  foon  to  leave  his  palace  here  and  quit 
the  diocefe,  being  about  this  very  time  to  be  trandated  to  Durham,  which 
took  place  the  fame  year  1750,  where  he  employed  130  workmen  to  i-cpair 
that  palace  alfo,  and  became  an  annual  fubfcriber  of  400 1.  to  the  county^  hof- 
pital  there.  He  died  Tuefday  i6thjune,  1752,  at  Bath,  in  the  63d  year  of 
his  age,  and  was  buried  in  a  deep  brick  grave,  in  which  Gilbert  Ironfidc  in 
1671  was  interred,  at  the  foot  of  the  bifliop's  feat  in  Brillol  cathedral,  Bifliop 
Howell  Iving  on  the  right,  and  Bifliop  Bradfliaw  on  the  left  fide,  with  the 
following  infcription  on  his  ftone  : 

H.  S. 
Reverendus  admodum  in  Chriflo  Pater 
Jofephus  Butler,   L.  L.  D. 
Hujufce    primo    diascefeos, 
Deinde  Dunelmenfis,  Epifcopus, 
Qualis  quantufq;  vir  erat. 
Sua  libentifTime  agnovit  aetas  : 
Et,  fiquid  praefuli  aut  fcriptori  ad  famani  valent 
Mens   altifTima,    ingenii   perfpicacis   et   fubafli   vis, 
Animufq;  plus,  fimplex,  candidus,  libcralis; 
Mortui  baud  facile  evanefcet  memoria. 
Obiit  Bathoniis 
.16  kal.  Jul.  A.  D.  MDCCLII. 
Annos  natus  LX. 
His  arms  are,  argent,  between  two  bendlcts  engrailed,   three  covered  cups 
fable. 


29.  John, 


C   336   ] 

29.  John  Conybeare,  S.  T.  P.  born  in  Devonfliire,  was  educated  at  Ti- 
verton fchool,  afterwards  fellow  of  Exeter  college,  Oxon,  where  he  took  his 
degrees  of  A.  M.  and  D.  D.  was  efteemed  learned,  and  cultivated  a  fine  gc- 
■liius  by  ftudious  application  ;  an  eminent  orthodox  divine  and  powerful  prea- 
cher. In  1742  he  was  made  Dean  of  Chrift  Church,  and  1750,  27th  Nov. 
Bifliop  of  Briftol,  and  1751,  9th  Auguft,  came  hither  being  his  firft  vifitation. 
He  died  13th  July,  1755,  and  was  buried  here  After  his  death  four  volumes 
in  oftavo  of  his  fermons  were  publiflied,  to  which  moft  of  the  nobility,  clergy 
and  gentry  fubfcribed. 

30.  John  Hume,  D.  D.  of  Chrift  Church  college,  Oxford,  reflor  of  Barnes 
in  Surry,  and  bifhop  here  23d  July,  1756,  and  in  1758  he  was  tranflated  to 
Oxford,  and  in  1774  to  Salifbury,  where  he  continued  to  his  death. 

31.  Philip  Young  fucceeded  bifliop  here  4th  Augufl,  1758  ;  had  heen  maf- 
ler  of  Jefus  college,  Cambridge,  and  canon  refidentiary  of  St.  Paul's,  and 
was  tranflated  to  Norwich  in  1761. 

32.  Thomas  Newton,  was  born  ift  December,  1703,  O.  S.  fon  of  John 
Newton,  a  confiderable  brandy  and  cider  merchant,  by  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Rhodes,  who  was  confumptive  and  died  of  that  diforder,  when  her  fon 
was  but  a  year  old,  from  whom  he  feemed  to  have  inherited  a  tender  conftitu- 
tion.  He  was  educated  in  the  free  fchool  of  Litchfield,  under  the  direftion 
of  Mr.  Hunter,  famous  for  having  produced  feveral  perfons  of  note  and  emi- 
nence. He  was  fent  at  fourteen  years  of  age  to  Weftminfter  fchool,  by  the 
advice  of  Dr.  Trebeck,  whofe  daughter  his  father  had  married  for  a  fecond  wife. 
The  fchool  at  that  time  was  never  in  higher  eflimation,  having  five  hundred 
fcholars,  under  the  aufpices  of  Dr.  Friend  and  Dr.  Nicholls.  In  1719  he  loft 
his  friend  and  patron,  Bifliop  Snialridge.  He  continued  fix  years  at  Wcft- 
niinfter  fchool,  in  the  laft  was  captain.  In  1  723  he  was  elefled  to  Cambridge 
through  Dr.  Bentley,  where  he  refidcd  eight  months  every  year,  till  he  had 
taken  his  Batchelor  of  Arts  degree,  when  he  was  chofen  fellow,  after  which 
he  went  to  fettle  in  London,  and  prepared  himfelf  according  to  his  inclination 
from  a  child  for  holy  orders,  and  compofcd  about  twenty  fermons,  which  he 
wrote  in  a  large  legible  charafter,  that  he  might  never  have  occafion  to  copy 
them.  In  all  his  compofitions  at  fchool,  at  the  univerfity,  and  every  where, 
always  his  method  was  to  finifli  the  whole  before  he  wrote  down  any  part  of  it ; 
and  to  fome  of  his  friends  he  repeated  feveral  of  his  fermons  word  for  word 
before  he  committed  a  tittle  to  writing,  fo  that  he  faved  abundance  of  paper, 
without  blotting  or  interlining,  and  could  eafily  have  preached  without  notes 
ifhepleafed.     His  title  for  orders  was  his   fellowfliip,  and  he  was  ordained 

deacon 


[    337    ] 

deacon  sift  December,  1729,  wVicn  twenty-fix  years  old  ;  and  prieft  in  Fe- 
bruary following  by  that  great  and  worthy  prelate  Bifhop  Gibfon.  He  became 
curate  at  St.  George's  church,  Hanover-fquare,  and  continued  for  fcvcral 
years  afTiftant  preacher  to  Dr.  Trcbeck,  whofe  ill  health  difabled  him  from 
performing  his  duty.  His  firft  preferment  was  that  of  reader  and  afternoon 
preacher  at  Grofvcnor  chapel  in  South  Audley-ftreet,  and  by  this  means  be- 
came tutor  to  Lord  Carpenter's  fon,  being  taken  into  that  family,  where  he 
lived  fevcral  years  much  at  his  cafe,  and  in  great  intimacy  and  friendfliip  of 
Lord  and  Lady  Curpenter  ;  and  living  at  no  kind  of  cxpencc,  he  was  tempted 
to  gratify  his  tafte  in  the  purchafe  of  books  and  paintings  and  prints,  and 
made  the  beginning  of  a  colleftion,  which  was  continually  receiving  confider- 
able  additions  and  improvements. 

Here  he  ftuck  for  fome  time  without  any  promotion,  fometimes  preached  the 
turns  of  fome  of  the  prebendaries  of  W'cflminflcr  Dr.  Friend   and  Dr.  Nichol, 
and  was  in  the  friendfhip  of  Bifliop  Chandler  and  the  Bifliop  of  Durham  ;  the. 
latter,  though  he  continued  bifhop   twenty  years,  yet  he  beftowed  no  prefer- 
ment on  this  young  man  (Newton),  of  whofe  company  he  was  ever  fo  very  de- 
firous  that  when  he   flayed  away  any  time  from  his  houfe  in  vifuing  him,  he 
fent  for  him  and  kindly  reproved  him.     In  1738  he  became  acquainted  with 
Dr.  Pearce,  afterwards  Bifhop  of  Rochefler,  who  freely  and  in  a  moft  hand- 
fome  manner  offered  to  appoint  him  morning  preacher  at  the  chapel  in  Spring 
Garden,  where  was  a  very  full  and  polite  congregation,  confiding  principally 
of  noble  families  from  Whitehall  and  of  thofe  of  the  Lords  of  the  Admiraltv, 
and  other  good  families  in  that  neighbourhood.     This  piece  of  preferment 
was  the  beginning  of  a  valuable  conneftion  with  a  very  learned  and   a  very 
good  man  Bifhop  Pearce.      Pie  was  afterwards  with  Dr.  Pearce  frequently  at 
dinner   at   Lord  Bath's,    who  proved  a  moft    fincere,  worthy,  and   valuable 
friend  to  him ;  and  by  means  of  Mrs.  Ann  Deane  Dcvonifli,  intimate  with  the 
Prince  and  Princefs  of  Wales,  he  became  noticed  bv  their  Royal  HighnefTes, 
and  introdiiced  to  the  acquaintance  of  the  Earl  of  Bath,  two  of  the  moft  fortu- 
nate circumftances  of  his  life.      He   was  now   appointed  firft   chaplain  to  the 
Earl  of  Bath,  by  -whofe  intereft  in    the   fpring  1744  he  was  preferred  to  the 
reclory  of  St.  Mary  le  Bow  in  Chcapfide,  fo   tlial  he  was  forty  years  old  be- 
fore he  obtained  any  living.      He  now  quitted  the   chapel  in  Spring  Garden, 
his  fcUowfliip  became  vacant,  and  in   1745  he  look  the  degree  of  Dotlor  in 
Divinity.     During  the  Rebellion  he  publifhed  two  fermons  on  the  occafion, 
and  one  preached  the  i8ih  of  December  before  the  Houfe  of  Commons.     In 
the  fpring  of  1747  Dr.  Xewton  waschofcn  lc8urerof  St.  George's,  Hanover- 

T  r  fijuarc, 


[    338     ] 

Tquare,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  Savage,  deccafed ;  and  in  the  month  of  Auguil 
following  he  married  his  firfl  wife  Jane,  eldefl  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Trebeck, 
an  unaffefted,  modeft,  decent,  young  woman,  with  whom  he  lived  feven 
years  very  happy  in  mutual  love  and  harmony.  As  they  had  no  children  they 
continued  to  board  in  the  parfonage  houfe  with  Dr.  Trebeck,  free  from  the 
trouble  ofhoufe-keeping.  In  1749  was  publiflied  Dr.  Newton's  quarto  edition 
of  Milton's  Paradife  Loft,  which  has  gone  through  eight  editions,  a  fign  of 
its  being  well  received.  The  Prince  and  Princefs  of  Wales  did  him  the  hon- 
our of  being  two  of  his  fubfcribers.  He  next  publiflied  the  Paradife  Regain'd 
and  other  poems  of  Milton.  In  1751  Dr.  Newton  preached  a  funeral  fermon 
on  the  death  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  at  St.  George's,  which  excited  the  no- 
tice of  the  Princefs,  who  made  him  one  of  her  chaplains,  and  was  particularly 
gracious  to  him  ever  after.  In  1754  he  loft  his  father  and  wife.  It  was 
happy  his  mind  was  now  much  engaged  in  writing  the  DifTertations  on  the 
the  Prophecies,  for  plunging  deep  into  ftudy  was  a  great  relief  to  him  in 
this  aflliclion.  This  work  was  well  received  and  tranflated  into  French, 
and  German  in  1761.  In  1757  he  at  length  after  many  promifes  and. 
difappointments  by  the  Duke  of  Newcaftle,  procured  a  prebend  of  Weflmin- 
fter,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  Green,  deceafed,  and  was  made  fab-almoner  to  Gil- 
bert, Archbifliop  of  York,  who  gave  him  alfo  the  precentorfliip  of  that 
church,  which  he  held  till  he  fucceeded  Dr.  Young  in  the  biflroprickof  Briftol 
and  refidentiaryfliip  of  St.  Paul's.  He  was  confecrated  biftiop  at  Chriftmas> 
1761,  the  King  having  of  his  own  motion  made  him  bifliop,  fo  that  he  was 
not  indebted  to  any  minifter  for  his  promotion.  Though  in  the  year  1764  he 
was  offered  the  primacy  of  Ireland,  yet  being  then  paft  fixty,  and  having  no 
family  to  provide  for,  and  preferring  a  quiet  competency  to  pomp  and  great- 
nefs,  he  continued  Biftiop  of  Briftol  and  Dean  of  St.  Paul's  to  his  death. 
He  ufually  refidcd  at  Briftol  all  the  fummer  fcafon,  attending  his  cathedral 
church  as  often  as  his  health  very  tender  and  precarious  would  permit,  la- 
menting the  too  frequent  abfencc  of  the  dean  and  non-refidence  of  the  pre- 
bendaries, and  even  remonftrating  againft  it.  Having  frequent  returns  of 
fpitting  of  blood  and  never  without  a  cough,  he  at  laft  expired  without  a 
groan,  finking  down  in  his  chair  as  he  attempted  to  take  out  his  watch  to  fee 
what  it  was  o'clock,  on  February  15,  1782,  and  was  buried  Thurfday  28th 
in  the  vaults  under  the  fouth  aile  at  St.  Paul's. 

33.  Lewis  Bagot,  a  very  learned  and  pious  man,  was  made  Dean  of  Chrift 

Church,  Oxford,   21ft  January,   1773,    M'hcre  he   prefervcd   good   difcipiine,. 

-and  was  promoted  to  this  biftioprick,  and  tranflated  to  Norwich  the  next  year. 

lie 


C    339    ] 

He  has  publiflicd  a  volume  of  very  ingenious  difcourfes,  in  which  he  has  con- 
futed ihc  fpecious  opinions  of  Dcifm  and  Infidelity  by  the  molt  convincing 
arguments. 

33.  Chriftopher  Wilfon  fuccecded,  being  one  of  the  prebendaries  of  St. 
Paul's,  London,  and  is  the  prefent  Bifliop,  1788. 


DEANS  of  BRISTOL,  with  the  time  of  their  innallation. 


William  Snow,  lafl:  prior  of  Bra- 
denftock,  4th  June, 


William  Levett,  loth  January,  1685 

1542     George  Royfe,   10th  March,  1693 

Hon,  Robert  Booth,   20th  June,  1708 

Samuel  Crefwick,  8th  Sept.  1730 

Tho.  Chamberlayne,  24th  Dec.  1739 

1570     William  Warburton,*  25th  Oct.  1757 

1590     Samuel  Squire,t  21ft  June,  1760 

1598      Francis  Ayfcough,  5th  June,  1761 

Cutts  Barton,       _         -         _  1768 

John  Hallam,  22d  February,  1781 


William  Whiteheare,  26th  July,  1551 

George  Carew,  5th  November,  1552 

Henry  Jolliffe,  gth  September,  1554 
John  Sprint,   16th  February, 
Anthony  Watfon,  21ft  July, 
Simon  Robfon,  21ft  April, 

Edward  Chetwyn,  26th  July,  1617 

Matthew  Nicholas,  22djune,  1639 

Henry  Glemham,  14th  Sept.  1660 

Richard  Towgood,   ift  May,  1667 

Samuel  Croffman,  4th  February,  1683 

Richard  Thomfon,  25th  May,  1684 

The  ARCHDEACONS  of  DORSET. 

The  endowment  of  this  archdeaconry  in  the  church  of  Briftol  is  the  impro- 
priation and  advowfon  of  Guflage  All  Saints  in  Dorfetfliire.  The  valuation 
of  it  for  the  firft  fruits  was  82  1.  12  s.  8d.  in  the  year  1534. 

T  T  2  Thomas 

*  lie  was  a  learned  man  and  great  writer  and  polcmic:il  divine.  His  Julian  is  eftccmcd  much, 
and  his  Divine  Legation  of  Mofcs  is  replete  with  Ifaming,  but  contains  fome  paradoxical  no- 
tions.    He  was  prcfented  to  the  bifhoprick  of  Gloceftcr,  in  which  he  continued  to  his  death, 

+  lie  wrote  fome  tracts  on  religion,  and  was  made  Bifliop  of  St,  David, 


[     340     ] 


Thomas  Cranmer,  loth  Dec. 

John  Cottrell,  4th  April, 

Toby  Matthews  fucceeded,  after- 
wards Archbifhop  of  York,  a 
native  of  Briflol. 

Henry  Tuckncr, 

Edward  Wickham, 

Richard  Fitzherbert,  27th  Aug. 

Richard  Meredith,  25th  July, 

Ralph  Ironfide, 

John  Fielding,  25th  March, 


1542 


1574 
1607 

1621 

1660 

1668 

1683 


Robert  Cooper,  5th  March,  1697 

Edward  Hammond,   lothMay,     1733 
John  Walker,  2. ft  May,      -        1740 
Died  at  82,   8th  November, 
1780,  after  being  forty  years 
archdeacon 
George  Hand,  18th  November,  1780 


PREBENDARIES  of  BRISTOL,  and  the   time  of  their  bein? 

prefented. 

It  has  been  ufual,  in  giving  the  fucceffion  of  the  prebendaries,  to  rank  them 
in  order  according  to  the  ftall  they  filled  when  living,  placing  the  fucceffor 
in  the  ftall  of  the  deceafed,  which  for  the  fake  of  method  fliall  be  followed 
here,  and  it  really  is  the  cafe  at  St.  Paul's  and  moft  other  cathedral  or  colle- 
giate churches ;  but  in  Briftol  the  fucceftbr  takes  the  loweft  ftall,  and  there  is 
a  general  remove,  though  it  is  uncertain  when  that  method  was  adopted.  But 
as  there  are  no  particular  eftates  or  livings  annexed  to  each  ftall  here,  and 
the  whole  chapter  income  is  thrown  together  and  divided,  it  is  a  matter  of 
little  confequence,  but  for  the  fake  of  order  and  the  cuftomary  method. 

FIRST     SLALL. 


John  Gough,  4th  June, 
John  Barlow, 
John  Rixman, 
William  Dalby, 
Arthur  Sawle, 
Richard  Hackluyt,     - 
Chriftopher  Green, 
Richard  Towgood,     - 
Samuel  Croflhian, 

Roger  Edgeworth,  4th  June, 
Chriftopher  Pacy, 
rhomas  Thackam,  11th  Sept, 
William  Buckle,  12th  Sept. 


1542  Richard  Thompfon,     -         -        1684 

1545  Walter  Hart,    13th  September,  1685 

*554  Deprived  1690,  for  not  tak- 

^55^  i"o  ''■'C  oaths  to  King  William 

1559  "^"^  Queen  Mary 

1585  Nathaniel  Lies,           -<         -          1S91 

1616  John  Sutton,  22djuly,       -          1723 

1660  Walter  Chapman,   i5ihFeb.         1740 
1667 


SECOND     STALL, 


J 54 2     Robert    Gullyford,     reflor    of 
1560  Wraxal,  Somerfet,  i6thSept.   1596 

1590     Thomas  Bifte,   19th  February,       1612 
1592     Thomas  Tucker,  23d  Nov.  1632 

Richard, 


[    341     ] 


Richard  Standfafi,  25th  Auguft,   1660     James  Harcourt,  24th  N'o v.  1711 

John  Raiiiftorp,  30th  Sept.  1684      Henry  ^^'aterhlnd,   16th  April,     1739 

Thomas  Cary,  2oih  May,  1693 


Henry  Morgan,  4th  June, 
Richard  Huys,     - 
John  Bridgewater, 
Clement  Forthe, 
Robert  Temple,     - 
Samuel  Davies,  12th  Sept. 


THIRD  STALL. 

1542  William  Yeamans,  26th  Dec. 

1554  John  Weeks,  3d  March, 

1563  Thomas  Home, 

1576  Richard  Smith,  30th  April, 

-    1584  Jofeph  Cafberd,  2d  June, 

1661  G.  Henry  Rooke,  23d  Nov. 

FOURTH     STALL. 


Roger  Hughes,  4th  June,       -  1542 

John  Cottrel,  31ft  December,  1572 

Thomas  Withered,       -         -  1573 

John  Saunders,         -         -  ^5-77 

John  Dixe,   24th  May,  -  1596 

John  Wilkinfon,   19th  Feb.  1613 


George  Cuthbert,  20th  0£l. 
William  Kempe,  23d  Ofl. 
Samuel  Wood,  29th  June,     - 
John  Chetwynd,  29th  June, 
Charles  Livefay,   10th  March, 
John  Caftleman,  22d  May, 


FIFTH     STALL. 


Richard  Broom,  4th  June,   .  - 
John  Williams,  4th  March, 
Thomas  Sylke,  4ih  June, 
Francis  Willis, 
Charles  Langford, 
William  Hill,  26th  February, 
Robert  Marks,   13th  Sept. 


1622 

1633 
1669 

1717 
1751 

1629 
1660 
1664 
1C68 
1693 

1739 


1542  John  Dafhfield,   16th  Jul\-,      -     1660 

1543  TheophilusSt.  Ouintin,  9th  Nov.  1665 
1546  Stephen  Crefpion,  3d  Augull,  1683 
1576  Hugh  Waterman,  11th  Dec.  1711 
1586  Richard  Monins,  30th  July,  174^ 
1606  John  Aylraer,  15th  September,    1750 


George  Dogeon,  4th  June,    - 
Thomas  Bayley,  23d  January, 
Edward  Green, 
William  Xorris,   12th  Xov.    - 
George  Williamfon,    7th  Aug.      1643 
Richard  Towgood,  30th  July,     1685 


-     1619 

SIXTH  STALL. 

1542     John  Baron,  24ih  November,  1713 

1552      Henry  Head,  2d  March,       -  1721 

1583      John  King.   12th  June,  -  1728 

1627      John  Billingdy,   20th  Sept.  1738 

Nathaniel  Forfter,*  1  a  Feb.  1754 


The 


*  He  publiOicd  a  neat  and  corrcfl  edition  of  the  Ilchrcw  Bible  in  4(0.  in  elegant  types,  not 
deformed  with  points,  an  invention  of  the  Rabbies,  and  was  (killed  in  Hebrew  learning,  fo 
nccefTary  to  a  divine. 


C  342   ] 

The  Prebendaries  that  regularly  fucceeded  after  the  Rev.  Dr.  Forfler  were, 
Horace  Hammond,  15th  June,  1754  Thomas  Po^vis,  30th  March,  1773 
Jofiah  Tucker,*  lolh  Oflober,  1756 
Bertie  Henley,  7th  January,  1758 
John  Cocks,  28th  Auguft,-  -  1758 
James  Welton,  21ft  July,  -  1760 
Charles  Tarrant,  9th  February,  1761 
Edward  Dicey,  28th  January,  1773 
William  Speke,  6th  February,     1776 

CHANCELLORS  of  BRISTOL  DIOCESE. 

John  Cotterel,  4th  June, 

William  Dalby, 

John  Sprint,        -         _  . 

William  Jones, 

Felix  Lewis,        -         _         _ 

William  Clark,  9th  March, 

Francis  James,  31ft  July, 

Sir  James  Huffey, 

Gilbert  Jones,  26ih  Auguft, 


1542     Henry  Jones,  16th  November,     1669 

1556     Charles  Sloper,  4th  June, 

1572      Carew  Reynell,  13th  Sept. 

1574     William  Cary,  28th  Jan. 

1580     James  Backhoufe, 

1584 

1590 

1603 

1625 


-  1695 

-  ^1^1 

-       ^759 


*  Afterwards  Dean  of  Glocefler,  diftinguifhcd  for  liis  various  ingenious  writings  on  trade, 
politics,  &c. 


CHAP. 


[    343     ] 


CHAP.      X. 


OJthe  COLLEGIATE  CHURCH  and  HOSPITAL  of  the  VIRGIN  MARY 

and  St.    MARK,    called  the   G  AUNTS     of    BILLESWYC  K, 

now  the    MAYOR'S    CHAPEL. 


THIS    Church  is  fometiincs  called  St.  Mark's,  being  dedicated  as  above, 
not  to  St.  Martin  as  Prynne  has  it ;  at  other  times  the  Gaunt's  of  Billef- 
wvck  from  the  original  founder  and  the  name  of  the   manor  in  which   it  was 
built,  and  with  part  of  which  it  was  endowed,  —  This  name  of  Billefwyck  was- 
probably    given    to  it  from   the   pleafantnefs  of  the  fite  of  it,  (Bellus  vicus.) 
It  is  not  a  very  large  or  elegant  {Iruflure,  but  by  a  generous  vote  of  the  cor- 
poration o/this  city,  the  patrons  of  this  curacy,  in  1722  it  was  repaired  at  the 
expenco^of  the  chamber  and   beautified,  and  it  is  now  made  a  chapel  for  the 
mayor'and   corporation  to  attend  divine  fervice  and  hear  a  fermon  every 
Sun(^y  morning  and  on  public  days,  for  which   the   reader  has  25I.  per    ann. 
anc'the  preacher   20s.   for   every  fermon.      It  was  before  this  time   by  their 
pemifTion  made  ufe  of  by  the  French  refugees  as  a  place  of  worfhip,  who  have 
ecfted  their  chapel  fmcc  in  Orchard-ftreet. 
It  is  obfervable  that  this  chapel  is  not  built  as  churches  commonly  are  Ead 
and  Weft,  but  rather  nearer  to  the  North  and  South,  for  which  fome  aflTigii 
/this  reafon,  that  it  was  to  point  to  the  place  of  refidence  of  the  joint  founders 
and  their  anceftors,  Berkeley  CalUc ;  others  that  it  fhould  point  towards  the 
lands  with  which  it  was  endowed. 

The  foundation  is  by  fome  fuppofed  to  be  begun  by  Robert  de  Berkeley^ 
alias  de  Were,  the  fccond  Lord  of  Berkeley,  who  married  Alicia  daughter 
and  heirefs  of  Robert  de  Gaunt  Baron  of  Folkingham,  and  to  be  finifhed  by 
his  only  fon  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  who  had  affumed  the  furname  of  Gaunt  from 
his  mother's  family.'  The  exact  year  when  built  is  a  little  uncertain,  one 
manufcript  has  it  in  the  year  27th  of  Henry  the  3d.  Maurice  died*  the  14th 
of  Henry  the  3d.  1230.  Robert  de  Gourney  his  heir  and  nephew  is  more 
jufllv  fuppofed  to  be  the  founder  by  order  or  by  the  will  of  his  uncle  Maurice 

dc- 
•  Maurice's  charter  is  extant  in  the  church  of  Wells.— Sir  Rob.  Afkyns,  p.  475. 


C    344     ] 

■de  Gaunt;  and  a  charter  belonging  to  St.  Auguftin's  monaftery  dated  1251, 
feems  to  point  it  out  that  the  year  of  its  ereflion  was  immediately  after  the 
death  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  1230.  William  of  Worccfler  fays,  "Ecclcfia 
rcli'-'ionimi  &c. — The  church  of  the  religious  called  les  Gauntes,  the  nave  of 
it  is  43  ftcps  in  length,  26  flcps  in  breadth."  p.  188.  And  in  p.  247,  "  in 
the  fanftuary  of  St.  AuguRin  on  the  North  pint  of  the  town  of  BriRol  is  tiic 
church  of  religion  dedicated  to  St.  Mark." 

The  church  at  prefcnt,  which  was  formerly  much  larger,  confifts  of  a  body 
and  one  fide  aile  ;  the  length  from  the  South  door  in  the  Green  is  about  123 
feet,  its  breadth  24  feet  andn  half,  the  height  from  the  floor  to  the  roof,  which 
is  neatly  wainfcottcd  in  the  infide,  is  about  37  feet,  the  covering  is  of  flone 
tiles :  behind  the  altar  is  a  lofty  window  of  painted  glafs,  which  has  been  taken 
away  and  plain  glafs  fixed  in  its  room.  It  reprefcntcd  in  the  moft  beautiful 
colours  Judas  betraying  our  Saviour  and  delivering  him  to  the  foldiers,  the 
fcourging,  the  bearing  of  the  crofs,  crucifixion,  taking  down  from  the  crofs  and 
afccnfion  from  the  tomb  ;  the  figures  were  large  and  in  good  drawing  ;  above 
ihefe  in  the  upper  part  of  the  window  flill  remain  painted  in  glafs  the  arms  or 
badge  of  the  houfe,  viz.  f.  gules  three  geefe  argent ;  alfo  the  arms  of  Robert 
de  Gourney,  a  founder  and  benefaftor,  viz.  f.  or.  three  pales  azuie ;  and 
iikewife  thofe  of  the  Berkeleys:  over  this  window  on  the  outfidc  is  a  daic  run 
into  the  freeftone  with  lead,  1R23  (1423.)  At  the  entrance  of  the  Southioor 
behind  the  large  window  there  is  a  gallery  with  this  infcription,  "  This  gall-ry 
was  ereQed  and  the  chapel  beautified  at  the  charge  of  the  chamber  of  this  cii-, 
John  Becher,  Efq;  mayor,  and  Noblet  Ruddock  and  John  Rich,  Efqrt 
flieriffs,  in  the  year  1722  ;"  and  in  the  year  1772  a  neat  organ  was  put  there 
and  tlie  whole  chapel  again  repaired  and  beautified. 

At  the  Eaft  fide  this  aile  is  joined  by  another  about  14  feet  and  a  half  broad, 
making  the  whole  church  next  the  Green  to  be  39  feet  broad  :  here  is  a  large 
freeftone  pillar  which  fupports  two  ardies,  making  the  wideft.  part  of  the 
church  about  36  feet  in  length,  and  about  36  feet  longer  it  is  walled  up, 
having  a  door  for  communication  out  of  the  greater  into  the  leffer  aile,  in  all 
72  feet  long  :  36  feet  of  which  is  a  flat  wainfcot  roof  with  feveral  carved  coats 
of  arms,  differing  much  from  the  other  part  of  the  aile.  In  this  aile  are  feveral 
handfome  monuments.  The  tower  at  the  North  end  of  this  aile  is  in  height  to 
the  leads  86  feet,  having  115  fteps ;  the  whole  building  is  of  freeftone  16  feet 
by  i7fquare,  witli  battlements  5  feet  high  from  the  leads  with  pinnacles  at 
each  corner;  in  the  tower  are  fix  bells:  the  beft  idea  of  it  may  be  formed 
from  the  copper-plate      Under  the  tower  at  the  Eaft  front  is  a  fmall  low  door 

to 


[    345     ] 

to  enter  the  church,  and  on  the  North  fide  another  by  which  you  enter  into  a 
fmall  room,  formerly  a  confeflional  with  two  arches  in  the  wall  between  tliis 
room  and  the  high  altar  for  the  pried  and  penitent;  there  arc  eight  curious 
niches  round  the  room  in  which  images  were  formerly  fixed.  The  roof  is 
vaulted  with  freeflone,  in  the  center  of  which  arc  two  curious  fliields  with 
fcveral  coats  of  arms  in  freeflone,  viz.  England  and  France,  the  Gourneys, 
Points  of  A£lon  in  the  county  of  Glocefter,  &c. 

The  floor  is  covered  with  fquare  glazed  bricks  having  many  coals  of  arms 
on  them,  and  under  the  floor  is  a  large  vault,  the  entrance  of  which  in  1730 
fell  in,  and  upon  examining  the  corps  there  depofited,  fuppofcd  to  be  thofe  of 
the  founders  of  the  church,  there  was  found  a  gold  bodkin  entangled  in  fome 
hair,  but  it  was  clofcd  up  again.  This  room  is  now  ufed  by  the  chaplains  ot 
the  church  to  put  on  their  furplices  &c.  On  the  Wefl  fide  of  the  great  aile  is 
a  large  arch  anfwering  to  that  under  the  tower,  and  probably  the  church 
might  originally  extend  further  that  way  ;  on  the  fame  fide  were  the  cloiftcrs 
belonging  thereto,  and  alfo  the  old  hofpital  of  Billefwyck,  fcarce  any  remains 
of  which  are  now  extant ;  and  the  orchard  belonging  to  it  was  ordered  the  41ft 
of  Elizabeth  the  19th  of  June,  then  holden  by  Mr.  Beach,  not  to  be  let  after 
to  any  perfon  but  to  be  referved  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  Hofpital ;  but  in  procefs 
of  time  it  was  built  upon  and  converted  into  a  ftreet,  now  called  Orchard- 
llreet. 

In  this  fmall  but  neat  church  are  many  ftatcly  and  fuperb  monuments  and 
fome  ancient  ftatues  in  ftone.  The  right  of  fcpulture  in  the  ground  before 
this  church  was  formerly  difputed,  and  William  Chew  perpetual' vicar  of  St. 
Auguftin's  the  Lefs  was  accufed  in  the  year  1426  at  a  court  held  in  the  faid 
church,  and  found  guilty  of  with-holding  and  receiving  to  his  own  ufe  the 
oblations  and  cuftomary  dues  and  oflx^rings  for  burying  the  dead  that  lived  and 
died  within  the  bounds  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Mark,  ufualiy  enjoyed  by  the 
mafter  and  brethren  there;  particularly  that  in  1420  on  Palm  Sunday  he 
carried  away  the  bodies  of  William  Leach  and  Chriftin  the  mother  of  John 
Hore,  and  Andrew  Hutchins,  from  the  cemitery  of  the  faid  hofpital  or  houfc 
of  St.  Mark,  though  they  lived  and  died  there,  and  feized  and  kept  dues  to 
the  value  of  a  100  fliillings  ;  and  that  the  faid  William  heaping  evil  upon  evil 
did  alfo  draw  away  and  folicit  Sybil  Hutchings,  who  lived  within  the  precincls 
of  the  faid  hofpital,  from  purification  after  childbirth  to  be  made  by  her  of 
right  in  the  faid  hofpital,  and  kept  the  wax  tapers  and  the  garment  called 
chryfmar,  the  offering  to  the  faid  hofpital  and  the  other  obventions  on  account 
of  the  faid  purification  belonging  to  the  religious  brethren  of  St.  Mark,  and 

U  u  unjuflly 


[     346     -J 

unjuftlv  refiifcd  giving  any  fatisfaflion  ;  which  the  faid  vicar  Chew  confelTed, 
and  was  therefore  condemned  in  ecclefiaftical  excommunication  for  his  obdi- 
nacv,  but  on  his  caufing  the  bodies  which  he  had  rafhly  and  injurioufly  buried 
in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Auguflin  the  Lefs  out  of  their  proper  burial  place  to 
be  carried  back  and  interred  with  all  cuftomary  forms  obferved  in  the  faid 
hofpital  of  St.  Mark;  and  on  his  returning  the  taper  and  chryfmar  and  the 
loo  fliillings,  the  mafler  and  brethren  there  acknowledged  themfelves  fatisfied, 
and  at  the  petition  of  the  faid  brethren  and  William  the  vicar,  he  was  ab- 
folved  from  the  fentence  of  excommunication  given  againft  him,  "  cum  Santla 
ecclcfia  nulli  claudat  gremium." 

The  right  of  fepulture  formerly  was  no  fmall  thing  to  contend  for,  fince 
many  of  the  befl;  families  and  the  grcateR  barons  in  the  land  often  by  their 
will  ordered  their  bodies  to  be  buried  in  fuch  a  particular  religious  houfe, 
and  it  was  very  beneficial  to  the  friers  to  enjoy  fuch  a  privilege,  fince  com- 
monly fome  endowment  for  a  chantry,  fome  annual  celebration  of  the  obiit 
was  left  them  at  the  fame  time  with  lamps,  maffes,  &c.  for  the  fouls  of  the 
perfons  there  depofited,  many  inftances  of  which  will  hereafter  occur.  To 
fliew  farther  the  difpofition  of  thofe  times;  I  find  alfo  in  the  time  of  William 
Long  being  abbot,  a  difpute  arofe  betwixt  the  monaftery  of  St.  Auguflin  and 
the  houfe  of  St.  Mark,  concerning  the  fite  of  the  faid  houfe  and  works  car- 
ried on  there,  and  their  inftitutinga  college  there,  and  concerning  the  pofTef- 
feffions  given  by  will  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt  the  founder  for  fupport  of  the 
poor,  and  fome  lofles  having  been  incurred,  and  concerning  the  right  of  fe- 
pulture there.  It  was  at  length  thus  fettled  :  that  the  faid  houfe  of  St.  Mark 
fhould  be  free  from  all  exaOiions  and  claims  of  that  of  St.  Auguflin,  and  have 
all  tenths  and  oblations  that  may  arife  within  its  bounds  ;  that  it  fliould  have  a 
free  monaftery  at  their  own  difpofal  and  management,  a  free  burying  ground, 
ornaments,  bells,  &c.  ;  that  the  bodies  of  any  dead  might  be  received  and 
buried,  but  that  the  plain  of  St.  Auguflin  was  the  common  burial  ground  be- 
longing to  St.  Auguflin's  monaflery,  &c.  &c.  and  to  finifh  the  matter  at 
length  Walter  Eifliop  of  Worcefter  to  prevent  any  more  contention  and  ran- 
cour between  them  ordered  that  neither  of  them  (hould  have  common  of  pa- 
fture  in  the  faid  plain,  as  they  both  agreed  in  its  being  the  cemitery  of  St, 
Auguflin;  but  if  any  animals  fliould  enter  the  faid  plain  or  green  for  paflure, 
and  the  owner  not  remove  them,  being  thrice  warned  by  the  vicar  of  St. 
Auguflin  the  Lefs,  or  fome  other  clerk  of  the  faid  church,  he  might  pound  them 
till  freed  by  difcharge:  the  delinquents  to  pay  half  a  mark  as  a  mulfl  to  the 
bifhop ;  that  the  bodies  lately  buried  before   the  gate  of  the   houfe  of  St. 

Mark 


C    317    ] 

Mark  remain  there,  but  that  the  earth  rofe  above  the  level  be  removed  and 
made  plain,  on  account  of  the  pleafantnefs  of  the  place  :  nevcrthelefs  it 
fhould  not  he  the  lefs  reckoned  a  ccmitery  by  the  removal  of  the  earth. 
He  ordained  that  on  account  of  the  pleafantnefs  of  the  place  the  dead  bodies 
fhould  be  buried  in  that  part  of  the  cemitery  where  they  were  ufed  to  be  and  no 
vhcre  elfe,  unlefs  the  diocefan  or  his  official  fliould  think,  that  ufe  required  it, 
and  that  thofe  of  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark  might  have  free  ingrefs,  egrefs,  in  and 
out  of  the  faid  plain,  for  the  fake  of  going,  walking,  and  wandering  where  thev 
pleafed,  of  driving  carriages,  drays,  and  carts  through  the  roads  ufeful  and 
neceffary  for  them,  and  accuftomcd.  He  ordered  alfo  that  the  abbot  of  St. 
Auguftin  might  mow  the  faid  plain  without  hindrance  of  any  one  and  ftrew 
the  grafs  in  his  churches  of  St.  AuguRin  the  Greater  and  the  Lefs,  with  this 
provifo  that  the  abbot  make  no  defence  called  Hayinge  in  hindrance  of  the 
granted  privileges  to^the  houfe  of  St.  Mark  ;  but  the  mower  while  there  muft 
not  be  hmdred,  referving  all  accuftomed  privileges  and  rights  to  the  monaf- 
tery  of  St.  Auguflin  and  thofe  that  dwell  there,  except  the  right  of  paflure. 
This  deed  is  dated  1251. 

This  right  of  fepulture  being  thus  acknowledged  here,  the  houfe  of  St. 
Mark  reaped  great  advantages  from  it,  and  efpecially  from  the  burials  in 
their  church,  lands  being  frequently  granted  them  by  families  buried  there, 
they  only  finding  a  prieft  to  pray  for  the  fouls  of  the  departed.  Few  fmall 
churches  have  fo  many  handfome  monuments,  many  belonging  to  noble  fami- 
lies, which  I  fliall  proceed  to  give  fome  account  of  as  they  occur. 

MoxuMENTS  in   the   church  of  St.   Mark. 

At  the  entrance  on  the  22d  of  Auguft,  1680,  was  buried  Captain  William 
Bcdlow,  without  any  memorial  or  infcription,  though  he  deferved  to  be  chro- 
nicled for  the  particulars  of  his  life.  He  is  faid  to  be  concerned  in  the  Rye- 
houfe  plot  in  Charles  2d's.  time,  and  with  Titus  Oates  pretended  to  difcover 
the  authors  of  the  death  of  Sir  Edmunfbury  Godfrey,  1678;  and  on  the 
oaths  of  thefe  two  many  were  executed,  who  all  denied  the  charge  with 
their  lateft  breath.  Bedlow  was  buried  near  the  great  door  next  the  green, 
and  his  funeral  expences  are  faid  to  be  difcharged  by  the  chamber  of  the 
city,  his  goods  having  been  feizcd  and  carried  out  of  the  houfe  for  the  large 
debts  he  had  contracted. 

At  the  weft  end  of  the  eaft  aile,  next  the  College-green,  is  a  lofty  hand- 
fome monument  with  the  following  infcription  thereon. 

U  u  2  Xear 


[     348     ] 

Near  tliis  place  lie  the  remains  of  William  Hilliard,  Efq;  who  was  born 
at  Sea  Houfe  in  the  parilh  of  Ilminfler,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet : 

After  having  by  his  bright  parts  foon  acquired  the  knowledge  ufually 
taught  in  fchool,  he  entered  himfelf  a  gentleman  commoner  in  Wadham  col- 
let^e  in  Oxford,  where  he  made  himfelf  mafter  of  the  liberal  fciences;  then 
travelled  over  the  greatefl  part  of  Europe,  and  returned  to  his  native  land  a 
compleat  gentleman,  and  mafter  of  the  European  languages  ;  was  put  into 
the  commiflion  of  the  peace,  for  which  he  was  well  qualified.  He  married 
Mary  the  widow  of  William  Blome,  Efq;  one  of  the  daughters  and  coheiref- 
fes  of  Gabriel  Goodman,  Efq;  wlio  by  her  laft  will  left  200 1.  to  crcft  this 
monument  to  his  memory.  Among  other  charitable  legacies  he  left  lool.  to 
the  poor  of  the  parifh  of  St.  Auguftin  in  this  city. 

The  following  was  infcribed  on  a  ftone  here  to  Dr.  Patrick  Keir :  — 
"  Morte  tandem  opprefTus  qui  olim  triumphos  reportavit  H.  S.  E.  Patrick 
Keir,  M.  D.  \"n  egregia  indole  ct  modefta,  eamorum  fuavitate  ut  quot  ufus 
eft  familiaribus  tot  fibi  conciliavit  amicos,  ea  morum  fuavitate  ut  conciliatos 
ufque  afTervaverit :  rei  medicce  eximie  peritus,  aliorum  falutis  curator  fedulus, 
prodigus  interim  fuas ;  fimilis  vitae  cultus  modeftus  et  luxuris  animofus  lioftis, 
cautus  in  necefTitudinibus  amicitiae  ineundis,  in  fervandis  fidus  :  fi  plura  velis 
zetas  prsfens,  quae  novit,  enunciet,  pereunte  ilia  huic  marmori  nepotes  cre- 
dant.  Obiit  17  Decembris.  ^tatis  37."  He  wrote  a  treatife  on  the  Briftol 
waters. 

In  the  fame  aile  are  fome  neat  monuments  againft  the  wall,  and  in  the 
tables  thereof  are  epitaphs  infcribed  : 

To  Henry  Walter,  Efq;  fometime  mayor  and  alderman,  &c.  who  died 
11  July  1742,  aged  75. 

Henrico  Blaake  de  Pinnels  Agro  Wilton',  obiit  10  Julii  1731,  aetat  72, 

To  John  Cookin  of  Highfield,  he  died  12  March  1627,  aged  11.— A  neat 
ftatue  of  a  boy  kneeling  on  one  knee,  well  executed. 

Memoriae  aternae  Georgii  Upton  Armigeri  viri  optimi  &  ornatifTimi  qui 
cum  55  annos  bene  vixiffet,  placide  obdormivit  Jan".  25*.  natali  fuo  A.  D'. 

1608. 

Quae  lux  prima  tulit  te,  te  abflulit,  ergo  fuperftes 

Cum  nequeas  vitae  vivere  vive  neci : 
Integra  vita  fuit,  pia  mors,  mens  dedita  Chrifto». 
Haec  facient  tumulo  te  fuperelTc  tuo. 

Lugens  pofuit  Edwardus  Bide. 

To 


[    349    ] 

To  the  never  dying  memory  of  Margaret  Throgmorton,  late  wife  of  Sir 
Baynam  Throgmorton  of  Clovcllwal  in  the  county  of  Glocefler,  Bart,  and 
youngefl  daughter  of  Robert  Hopton  of  Whiteham  in  the  county  of  Somerfet 
Efq;  fhe  died  18  Aug.  1635,  aged  25,  with  14  lines  of  poetry  in  herpraife  in 
Englifh.  Arms,  G.  or.  a  chevron  argent,  harry  of  fix  fable,  crefl.  on  a 
wreath,  a  falcon  volant  proper. 

To  John  Carr,  an  arched  tomb  in  the  wall  with  no  ftatue  on  it  or  epitaph 
but  in  the  front  fome  plain  fhiclds,  and  in  a  cypher  J.  C. 

To  Sir  Henry  de  Gaunt,  his  ftatue  at  length  on  his  back  in  an  arch.  He 
was  the  fecond  mafter  of  the  hofpital  of  Gaunts  about  1230. 

Gulielmo  Swift,  publicae  fcholae  hujus  civitatis  moderatori.  Obiit  pridie 
calend.  Junii  anno  falutis  1623,  zetat.  52. 

To  the  virtuous  Dorothy  Popham,  late  wife  of  the  Hon,  Col.  Al'.  Popham. 
She  died  March,  1643.  Alfo  Sir  Francis  Popham,  Knight,  who  died  16 
March,   1646.      Arms,  in  a  fhield  32  coats  quartered,   the   firft    is   two  bucks 

heads  for  Popham.      This  Dorothy  was  daughter  of Cole,  Efq;  of  Nail- 

fea,  Somerfet.     Alexander  fon  and  heir  of  Alexander  and  Dorothy  is  buried 
here.   May,    1642. 

At  the  upper  end  of  this  eaft  aile  on  a  raifed  tomb  lie  tlie  ftatues  of  two 
Knights  armed  in  mail  fave  their  faces,  their  right  hands  on  their  fword  hilts, 
on  the  left  their  fliield,  with  their  legs  acrofs,  which  fhews  them  to  be  knights 
of  the  holy  war  or  crufade,  which  ended  with  Henry  3d's.  reign,  1268. 
None  of  thefe  crofs-legged  monuments  are  of  later  date  than  Edward  2d.  or 
beginning  of  Edward  3d.  nor  earlier  than  King  Stephen.  It  is  uncertain 
whom  they  rcprefent,  probably  the  Bcrkeleys  or  Gourneys. 

In  the  weft  aile  next  the  pulpit  is  a  curious  monument  with  the  ftatue  of  a 
lady  kneeling,  and  on  each  fide  two  men  in  clergymen's  habits  drawing  afide  a 
curtain,  with  the  following  infcription  underneath  : — "  Memoriae  facrum  hie 
fita  funt  ofia  ornatiffimae  fa^minas,  Dominae  MaricC  Dom.  Edwardi  Baynton, 
nuper  de  Bromham  in  comitatu  Wiltoniae  reli£lce,  fiemina  fuit  ad  antiquum 
morem  compofita,  illibatae  vitae,  pietate,  forma  et  omni  laude  matcrnali  virtute 
muliebri  ornata  fuam  poft  quam  vitam  nimis  eheu  brevem  nee  a  molediis  peni- 
tus  liberam,  piam,  fidam,  pudicam,  caftam,  gcncrofam  hofpitalitate  cariiate, 
aliifq;  quam  plurimis  virtutibus  cxcultam  omnibus,  etiam  egenis,  caram  cgif- 
fet;  eam  cum  ingenti  omnium  utriufq;  fexus,  quibus  aut  fama,  aut  facie  nota 
fuit,  luftu  ac  dolore  reliquit,  pro  fieliciori  commutavit,  ct  Chrifto  plaridc 
obdormivit  aetatis  fua:  44,  Anno  Domini  MDC  fecundo.  Sordes  terra  tenet, 
tenet  ingens  fpiritus  acthra  aelhcrcofque  locos,  hie  reftant  ofFa  fcpulta. 

iluic 


[     350     ] 

Huic  ejus  filiigemini  dom.  Robcrtus  etdom.  Nicolaus,  quosfuo  utero  conju- 
gali  pcperit  friiflifero  pofuere  monumentum.     Arms  f.  a  bend  lozenge  argent. 

In  the  fame  aile  is  an  handfome  monument  with  a  fliield  of  the  arms  of 
Bcrkelev  of  Stoke-Gifford  at  top,  and  in  the  table  the  following  epitaph, 
over  a  ftatue  in  armour  at  full  length  —  "  Domini  Richardi  Berkla?i  niiliiis  in 
fuam  mortem  carmen  monitorium  : 

Cum  genus  et  nomen  cupiant  cognofcerc  cuncli, 
Mentem  nemo  :  fi  quis,  qui  fum,  inquirerc  pcrgat, 
Nefcio,  refponde,  hunc  vcrum  fc  noffe  moneto. 

Whom  youth  could  not  corrupt,  nor  change  of  days 

Add  any  thing  but  years  :  he  full  of  them 

As  they  of  knowledge  ;  what  need  this  flone  praifc 

Whofe  epitaph  is  writ  in  th'  hearts  of  men  : 

That  did  this  world  and  her  child  fame  defpifc, 

His  foul  with  God,  lo  here  his  coffin  lies. 

Obiit  Aprilis  26,  A.  D.   1604.      ^Etatis  fuse  71." 

In  the  chancel  is  a  large  finely  ornamented  and  carved  tomb  and  on  it 
within  an  arch  the  ftone  figures  of  Sir  Thomas  de  Berkeley  and  Catherine  his 
lady,  daughter  of  John  Lord  Bottetourtc.  Sir  Thomas  died  35th  Edward  3d. 
1361.  There  are  two  fhields  over  them  ;  one  has  the  Berkeley  arms  of  Stoke 
quartered  with  Bottetourtc,  which  are  or.  a  crofs  engrailed  fable  ;  the  other 
fhield  is  paly  of  fix  or.  and  azure  for  Gourney. 

Next  this  is  another  arched  tomb  for  Miles  Salley,  abbot  of  Einfliam,  after- 
wards Bifliop  of  Llandaff :  he  died  in  1516.  His  ftone  figure  with  mitre  and 
crofier  is  on  the  tomb. 

Againft  the  wall  above  is  the  following  on  a  monument:  —  "  Here  lieth  the 
body  of  Elizabeth  James,  late  wife  of  Francis  James,  Dotlor  of  the  Civil 
Law  ;  a  woman  for  her  excellent  virtues  and  fingular  wifdom  to  be  equalled 
by  few  of  her  fex.  As  fhe  lived  very  religioufly  and  godly,  fo  (he  died  May 
1,  1599.  Chariffimae  conjugi  pofuit  fuperftes  maritus."  Dr.  James  lies 
buried  at  Barrow-Minchin  church,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet.  Y\dc  Wood's 
Athenae  Oxon.  vol.  i.  p.  759. 

Under  this  is  a  very  grand  carved  freeftone  Gothic  arched  tomb  and  monu- 
ment with  the  figure  of  a  man  in  an  alderman's  gown,  with  a  fon  behind  him, 
with  the  following  epitaph  on  a  table  :  —  "  Thomas  Aldworth  obiit  Febru- 
arii  25,  anno  1598. 

Briftoliae 


[    351     ] 

Briftolias  quondam  qui  mercatoris  in  urbe 

Munere  fundus  eras,  bis  quoque  prastor  eras, 
Haec  cineris' Aldwortbi  tuos  tenet  urna,  fed  omnis 
\'irtutis  meritis  arflior  urna  tuis,  &c." 
TJnder  the  ftone  figures  is  the  following  infcription  :  — "  Hie  jacet  Johannes 
Alduorth,   civis,  mercator,  hujus  civitatis  vicecomes  hujufquc  orphanotrophii 
quondam  thefaurarius  qui  obiit  18  Decembris,   1615,  aetatis  fuae  51,  et  Fran- 
cifcus  filius  ejus  optimae  fpei  juvenis  qui  5  Septem.  1623  obiit,  aetatis  fuae  24. 
Terrara  cum  caelo  commutavit,  placide  in  Domino  requiens. 

En  pater  et  natus  tumulo  conduntur  eodcm 

Ille  rei  multae,  fie  fuit  ille  fpei  : 
Ille  probus  prudens,  pietatis  cultor  et  oequi. 

Qui  norit  Icflor,  crederct,  ifte  foret. 
Ille  viae  medium  cum  vicerit,  ifte  fed  oram. 

Cum  Chriflo  regnant  fuaviter  in  patria." 

Above  is  a  ftone  with  an  epitaph  to  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Hopkins 
Vaughan,  ofCaldicot,  who  died  6th  May,  1694.  Alfo  to  George  Vaughan, 
Efq;  his  fon  :  he  died  16th  Sept.  1701,  aged  38. 

Another  monument  is  here  to  Thomas  James,  mayor,  and  parliament  man 
for  this  city,  &c. :  he  died  1615.  Alfo  Thomas  James,  Barrifter  at  Law,  his 
grandfon  :  died   in    1685.      Alfo   Alexander  James,  of  Tydenham  :    he  died 

1713- 

In   the   chancel   is  a  very   fuperb  monument   for  William  Birde  thus  :  — 

"  Gulielmus  Birde  obiit  Oftobris  8,  A.  D.  1590. 

Clarus,  prasdives,  fapiens  et  pro  grege  ChriRi 
Sollicitus,  fedem  et  viclum  cultumque  miniltrans 
Dormit  in  hoc  tumulo,  fed  fpiritus  aethera  fcandit : 
\'ix  dedit  hifce  virum  Briftollia  noftra  diebus 
Confimilem,  feu  virtutem,  feu  castera  fpeQes. 
Cratus  erat  patrias  civis,  jucundus  amicis 
Progeniemque  fuam  multa  cum  laude  reliquit." 

The  fword  of  magiflracy  lies  on  his  tomb. 

On  a  (lone  here  is  the  following: — "  Here  lieth  the  body  of  Robert 
Gorges,  who  departed  this  tranfitory  life  March  i,  1619.  Alfo  Sir  Robert 
Gorges,  Knight,  and  Elena  his  wife,  who  died  5th  November,  1617."  This 
is  of  the  family  of  Gorges  of  \Vraxal  near  Briflol,  where  they  had  a  feat  and 
park.     They  bore  anciently  for  arms,  a  whirlpool,  in  allufion  to  the  name, 

afterwards 


C     352     ] 

afterwards  cheeky  or.  and  azure.  The  prefent  Lady  Dowager  Bampfylde  is 
the  lafl  of  tliis  family,  whofe  fon  Sir  Charles  Bampfylde  pofTefTes  the  manor  of 
Wraxal,  and  there  refides  in  1788,  Ralph  de  Gorges  by  Edward  ift.  was 
fiimmoned  to  parliament,  and  was  at  the  fiege  of  Karlaverock  caftle  in  Scot- 
land, of  whom  one  fays,  "  There  faw  I  Sir  Ralph  de  Gorges,  a  new  dubfeed 
knight,  more  than  once  beaten  down  to  the  earth  with  flones,  but  he  was  of  fo 
^ great  a  fpirit  as  not  eafily  to  dcfilt ;  all  his  harnefs  and  attire  was  mafcled  with 
gold  and  azure."  Many  of  the  Gorges  family  lie  buried  in  the  church  of 
Wraxal :  Sir  Thomas  Gorges  is  buried  at  Salifbury  cathedral,  with  a  long 
infcription  on  a  very  large  and  handfome  monument. 

On  a  table  againfl;  the  wall  above  Aldworth's  monument  is  the  following : 
"  To  the  pious  memory  of  Thomas  Moore  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  buried  ift 
the  fame  grave  near  this  place. 

Envying  their  loves  Death  them  divorc'd  in  fpight. 
But  now  in  kindnefs  doth  them  reunite  : 
She  fick'ning  ftole  from  him  with  lingering  pace 
He  hither  came  longing  her  to  embrace  : 
So  crofTes,  accidents,  the  felf  fame  fate 
Rob  man  of  blifs  and  make  him  fortunate. 
Their  virtues  were  admir'd,  their  hearts  were  one, 
One  faith  they  held,  one  pure  religion  : 
Living  belov'd  by  all,  fo  dead  they  have 
A  general  forrow  and  a  fingle  grave  ; 
Where  let  them  reft  in  peace,  till  both  fhall  rife 
With  bodies  glorified  above  the  flvies. 
She  departed  this  life  June  7,  A.  D.  1673.     He  September  16,  1675. 

As  the  church  (which  with  the  monuments  and  infcriptions  has  now  been  fully 
defcribed)  was  formerly  called  the  Gaunts  church,  fo  the  old  hofpital  thereto 
belonging  went  by  the  name  of  Gaunts  of  Billcfwick  according  to  Dr.  Tanner's 
account,  becaufe  "  Maurice  de  Gaunt  *  built  this  hofpital  in  Billefwick  ma- 
nar,  in  the  north-weft  fuburb  of  the  town  of  Briftol,  near  the  monaftery  of  St. 
Auguftin,  before  A.  D.  i229,t  for  one  chaplain  and  one  hundred  poor  peo- 
ple to  be  relieved  every  day.     For  which  ufe  he  gave  the  manor  of  Paulet  and 

fcveral 

*  Lcland,  Itin.  vol.  vii,  p.  73,  afcribes  the  foundation  of  this  houfe  to  Sir  Henry  dc  Gaunt, 
and  faith  it  was  intended  for  a  college  of  priefts,  &c.  But  Maurice's  charter  is  extant  in  the 
regiftcrs  at  Wells, 

+  Anfclm  Bifliop  cleft  of  St.  David's  is  one  of  the  witncnfcs  to  Robert  dc  Gourncy's  confir- 
mation of  his  uncle's  charter,  and  A.  D,  1289  was  the  year  of  hi;  clcftion. 


L    353    1 

feveral  mills.  Sec.  to  the  canons  of  St.  Auguftin,  and  feems  to  have  made  his 
hofpital  entirely  fubjeft  to  their  management  and  dircQion.  But  after  his 
deceafc  Robert  de  Gourney  his  nephew  and  heir  made  it  a  diftin£l  houfe  for 
the  maintenance  of  a  matter  *  and  three  chaplains,  and  the  relief  of  one  hun- 
dred poor  people  every  day."  It  was  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary  and  St. 
Mark.t  and  valued  26th  Henry  8th.  at  112I.  9s.  gd.  per  annum,  Dugd.  140I. 
as  Speed.  +  Lcland,  Collect,  vol.  i.  p.  83,  fays  140I,  and  calls  it  "  hofpi- 
tale  feu  prioratus  St.  Marci  evangeliflas  de  Bellifwike  alias  Gaunies." 


See  in  Monafticon  Anglicanum,  vol. 
''•  P-  455-  tbe  deed  of  Robert  de 
Gourney  of  the  manor  of  Poulet  and 
the  mills  of  Were  and  Redwicke,  &c. 
and  the  provifion  for  keeping  them  in 
repair,  &c. 


Vide  in  Monf.  Angl.  torn.  ii.  p. 
455.  cartam  Roberti  de  Gourney,  pro 
maner.  de  Poulet,  molendinis  de  Were 
et  Radewick,  &c.  ad  fudcntationem, 
&c. 

Dr.  Archer's  Account  of  Religious 
Houfes,  Sec.  p.  606. 

In  Prinn's  Records,  vol.  iii.  p.  i23i 
ex  bund,  certif. 

50  Henry  3d.  1266,  de  ecclefia  de  The  50th  of  Hen.  3d.  concerning  the 
Kantokcfheved  (dioce.  Bath.)  Ibid,  church  of  Kantokfliead  (in  the  diocefe 
p.  856.  prohibitionem  arcbiepifco.  of  Bath].  The  fame,  p.  85S.  the  pro- 
Cantuar.  quia  tenuit  placitum  de  ad  hibition  of  the  Archbifliop  of  Canter- 
advocatione  hujus  domus,  28  Edw.  1. 
1300. 


In  Raftall's  Entries,  p.  463.  b.  fub 
titulo,  quare  impedit  de  hofpital.  plac, 
dom.  Mauritii  Berkeley,  mil.  de  ma- 
giOro  eligendo.  Years  book,  7  Edw. 
3.  Hill  S.  17.  12  Henry  4.  Micha.  13. 

In  Willis's  HiRory  of  Abbics,  vol.  ii.  p.  85.  et  Append,  p.  g 

\V  w 


bury,  becaufe  he  held  pleas  concern- 
ing the  jurifdiftion  of  this  houfe,  the 
28th  Edward  ift.  1300. 

In  Raftall's  Entries,  p.  463.  b.  un- 
der the  title  of  quarc  impedit  of  the 
hofpital.  The  pleas  of  the  houfe  of  Sir 
Maurice  de  Berkeley,  Knight,  con- 
cerning chufing  a  mafter. 


Irt 


*  The  governor  of  this  houfe  is  fotrtctimcs  called  prior,  and  the  hoiifc  iifelf  a  priory  of  the  or- 
der of  St.  Auflin,  as  Lcland,  Collcft.  vol.  i.  p.  85. 

+  Not  St.  Martyn,  as  Pn,-nnc,  vol,  iii.  p.  123. 

:{:  Lcland,  vol.  v.  p.  74.  faith  it  had  300  marks  by  t'nc  year.  Page  53.  he  calls  the  Gaunts  of 
JSriilol  the  Bonnes  Hommes  (or  good  men),  an  order  of  friers  brought  into  England  by  Edinuud 
Earl  of  Corn-vall,  A.  D.  1283,  others  fay  1290,  placed  at  Aflirugg. 


[     354     ] 

In  regiftro  penes  rev.  W.  dccan.  et  capit  Wellenf.  Mauritii  de  Gaunt  fun- 
datoris  cartam. 

In  regiflro  Joannis  Drokensford  epifc.  Bathon.  et  Wellenf.  ordinationes 
Vicariorum  de  Stokland  (A.  D.  1317)  et  Overftowey,  A.  D.  1327. 

Cart.  31  Hen.  3.  m.  4.  pro.  lib.  war.  in  Paulet  et  Stokeland.  Pat.  4.  Edw. 
i.  m.  9.  Plac.  apud  Wilton.  9  Edw.  1.  afTif.  rot.  3.  de  maner.  de  AVinterborn 
Gunnore  :  Cart.  18  Edw.  1.  n.  69.  pro  cod.  maner.  a  rege  concefTo.  Rec.  in 
fcacc.  20  Edw.  1.  rot.  8.  dc  Ancelino  de  Gurney  olim  advocate.  Cart.  6 
Edw.  2.  II.  7.  pro  maner.  de  Paulet,  Stockland,  etc.  Pat.  8  Edw.  2.  p.  1.  m. 
3.  de  tcrris  ctpafturis  in  Compton  excambiatis  cum  epifc.  Bathon.  et  Wellenf. 
ibid.  m.  4.  pro  eccl.  de  Stokland  approprianda :  Pat.  20  Edw.  2.  m.  Pat.  16 
Rich.  2.  p.  1.  m.  4.  de  maner.  de  Winterborn  Gunnore  et  Winterborn 
Cherburgh.  Pat.  6  Hen.  4.  p.  2.  m.  23.  pro  Villis  de  Paulet  et  Buro:  Clauf. 
7  Hen.  4.  p.  1.  m.  11.  Efcaet.  7  Hen.  4.  n.  23.  Pat.  4  Hen.  5.  m.  26.  de 
commun.  paflur.  in  Southamme  et  Xorthamme.  Rec.  in  fcace.  14  Hen.  6. 
Mich.  rot.  9.  de  maner.  de  Paulet  et  claufo  vocat.  Gauntefliam. 

In  Itin.  Will.  Wore.  p.  188.  dimenfiones  Ecclefis.  Lei.  Coll.  v.  1.  85. 
Itin.  V.  5.  64.  vol.  7.  88.  92. — In  Atkyns  Gloc.  p.  214  of  the  manour  of 
Gaunt's  Urcot. 

The  i3tli  of  King  John,  Maurice  de  Gaunt  on  an  inquifition  for  knight 
fervices  for  each  county,  M'as  rated  for  Dorfet  1  milit.  Sc  dimid. 

Leland,  in  Itin.  v.  6.  f.  100.  fays,  "  Maurice  de  Gaunte  was  Lordc  of 
Beverflane  Caftle  by  Tetbyrie  :"  and  oppofite  has  this  note,  "  Loke  wither 
Mauric  whcr  not  firft  caullyd  Barkely  8c  then  Gaunle  a  loco  tantum  natalium." 
And  v.  8.  f.  67.  a,  he  fays,  "  Baronia  de  Gaunt  partita  inter  Rogerum  de 
Kerdefton,  Sc  Julianam  de  Gaunt  Sc  petrum  de  Marley  hceredes  Gilberti  de 
Gaunt — patet  rccorda  de  Anno  19  Edw.  1. — CoUcft.  v.  3.  p.  32.  1144 
Gilbertus  de  Gaunt  monafterium  de  Bridlington  Caftrum  fecit  fibi. 

Gilbert  de  Gaunt  accompanied  his  uncle  William  Duke  of  Normandy  into 
England,  who  having  vanquifhed  Harold  divided  his  enemies  lands  among  his 
Norman  friends  and  followers  of  his  fortune;  aniongU  whom  he  particularly 
favored  his  nephew,  and  gave  him  ample  poircffions  and  created  him  Earl  of 
Lincoln,  which  the  poflerity  of  Gilbert  de  Gaunt  enjoyed  for  five  generations, 
till  the  male  line  failed  in  1306.  It  appears  in  Doomfday  (in  iisd:  Comit:) 
what  exorbitant  grants  he  made  him,  for  in  10,  n,  12  and  13  year  of  his 
reign  this  Gilbert  de  Gaunt  alone  was  feized  of  one  lordfliip  in  Berkfhire,  two 
in  Oxfordfhirc,  three  in  Yorkfliire,  fix  in  Cambridgcfliire,  one  in  Hunting- 
donfliire,  five  in  Northamptonfliirc,  one   in  Rutlandfhire,  one  in  Warwick- 

fliirc» 


[    355    ] 

fhire,  eighteen  in  Nottinghamfliirc,  and  one  hundred  and  thirteen  in  Lincobi- 
fhirc,  being  154,  which  was  a  large  edate  indeed  for  fo  (hort  a  time,  lie 
married  Alice  daughter  of  Hugh  de  Monlfort,  a  great  baron  of  thofe  days, 
and  had  two  fens  and  one  daughter  by  her;  Walter  the  eldelt  fucceeded  his 
father  in  the  title  and  honour  of  the  earldom  of  Lincoln  about  the  year  1096, 
and  was  buried  at  Bardney  abby.  The  chief  feat  was  at  Folkingham  in 
Lincolnfhirc.  Robert  the  fecond  fon  married  Alice  daughter  of  William 
Pagancl  who  founded  the  priory  of  Drax  in  Yorkfliire,  and  by  her  had  two 
daughters  only;  Juliana  married  to  JeofFrey  Luttrel,  and  Alicia  married 
Robert  the  fecond  fon  of  Robert  firnamed  Fitzharding,  becaufe  the  fon  of 
Harding  a  younger  fon  of  the  King  of  the  Danes.  This  Robert  had  by  Alice 
de  Gaunt  his  wife  a  fon  named  Mauritius,  and  a  daughter  named  Emma  ; 
Maurice  took  upon  him  the  furname  of  de  Gaunt,  looking  on  that  as  the  mod 
noble;  and  Emma  his  filler  married  Anfelm  de  Gourney,  younger  fon  ot 
Hugh  de  Gourney,  a  Norman  made  Earl  of  Gourney  by  William  Rufus  ;  he 
bore  pallv  of  fix  pieces  or.  and  azure,  (the  arms  arc  in  painted  glafs  in  the 
window  of  St.  Mark's  church,)  he  had  iffue  Robert  dc  Gourney.  After- 
wards Maurice  de  Gaunt  dying  the  14th  of  Henry  the  3d.  without  iffue;  the 
15th  of  Henry  the  3d.  this  Robert  de  Gourney  as  heir  to  his  uncle  Maurice  de 
Gaunt  did  his  homage  and  had  livery  of  the  manor  of  Poulet  in  the  county  of 
Somerfct,  and  of  his  uncle's  manors  of  Beverfton,  WcRon,  Radwick,  Over, 
and  Aylburton  ;  and  made  a  folemn  declaration  in  the  King's  prefence  that  he 
did  not  lay  any  claim  to  the  three  hundreds  ofEedminfter,  Harecliffc,  and 
Portbury  in  the  county  of  Somcrfet,  acknowledging  that  his  uncle  Maurice  dc 
Gaunt  was  only  tenant  for  life  of  thofe  hundreds,  and  after  his  deceafe  without 
iffue  male  they  were  to  go  to  Thomas  de  Berkcly  by  virtue  of  an  entail. 

It  may  be  obfcrved  here,  that  though  the  family  of  the  Bcrkelies  arc 
defcended  from  the  ancient  barons  of  Berkley  before  the  conqueft,  and  fincc 
the  conqueft  by  Robert  Fitzharding  the  founder  of  St.  Auguftin's  monaflery 
juxta  Briftol,  from  the  ancient  kings  of  Denmark  ;  and  by  Alicia  one  of  the 
daughters  and  heirs  of  Robert  de  Gaunt,  from  Baldwin  Earl  of  Flanders  ;  yet 
this  Robert  de  Gourney  was  the  right  heir  at  law,  and  had  the  inheritable 
blood  both  of  Harding  and  Baldwin  preferable  to  the  Bcrkelies ;  and  entered 
and  claimed  all  the  inheritable  lands  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt  and  had  livery  of 
them. 

Robert  de  Gourney  performed  his  homage  in  the  fame  year  for  half  a  knight's 
fee  defcended  to  him  by  the  death  of  Robert  de  Harptree  his  grandfather:  he 
was  defcended  from  the  famous  Hugh  dc  Gorncy,  fo  called   from   their  caftlc 

W  w  a  »i>d 


C    356    ] 

and  feignory  in  Normandy,  xvhocamc  over  with  William  the  Conqueror,  and  his 
poftcrity  were  the  moft  confiderable  barons  in  the  kingdom  until  the  end  of 
the  reign  of  Henry  the  3d.  and  had  great  pofTeffions,  efpecially  in  Glocefter- 
fhire  and  Somerfetfhire,  (befides  his  royalties  of  de  Gournay  and  de  PlelTey 
in  Normandy,)  as  alfo  in  Wilts  and  Dorfet,  which  amounted  in  the  whole  to 
tweilty-two  knights  fees  and  a  half;  an  eftate  equal  if  not  fuperior  to  the  firft 
peers  in  the  kingdom  :*  and  as  his  anceflors  took  their  furnames  from  a  place 
in  Normandy,  fo  this  gave  name  to  feveral  places  in  the  county  of  Somcrfet, 
as  Harptree  Gourney,  Harington  Gourney,  Gourney  Slade,  Gourney  Were 
or  Nether  Were,  alfo  Barrow  Gourney,  where  he  founded  a  place  of  nuns. 
This  Robert  de  Gourney  was  the  founder  of  the  Gaunts  Hofpital  in  his  ancient 
manor  of  Bellifwyck,  (which  with  others  came  to  him  from  Maurice  de 
Gaunt  his  uncle  afore- mentioned,)  on  the  North  fide  of  the  hilly  ground  on 
which  St.  Auguftine's  monaftery  was  built ;  where  Robert  Fitzharding  formerly 
hadahoufe  he  lived  in  while  he  was  building  that  monaftery,  which  defcended  to 
Robert  de  Berkley  his  fon,  and  from  him  to  Maurice  de  Gaunt  his  heir,  and 

from  him  it  came   to    Robert  our  founder  his  nephew Leland  v.  7.  f  70, 

mentions,  "  Hardyng  and  Robert  his  funne  havynge  a  fayre  howfe  at  Port- 
chefter  and  another  yn  Bryftow  towne,  and  that  Sir  Henry  Gawnte  was  a 
knight  fometyme  dwellynge  not  farre  from  Brandon  Hill  by  Bryflow  :"  and 
f.  68,  that  "  Gurney  us'd  10  lie  muche  at  Richemonte  caflle  :  it  flondith  in 
the  roote  of  Mendipe  Eafte  of  Briflowe  in  the  paroche  of  Efte  Harptree  by 

the 

*  There  are  many  things  upon  record  of  the  family  of  (/f  Gourney s:  —  Hugh  de  Gourney  had 
his  lands  feizcd  by  a  precept  to  the  Conflable  of  Briflol  Caftle  from  the  King  for  hunting  in  the 
King's  chace  (Kingfwood)  by  Briftol  for  three  days  without  licence,  7th  of  Henry  the  3d.  M.  9. 
26th  of  Henry  the  3d.  Robert  our  founder  gave  20  pounds,  no  fmall  fum  in  thofe  days,  to  be 
cxcufed  attending  the  King  into  Gafcoyne  :  and  the  41(1  of  Hcniy  the  3d.  he  had  fummons  to  be 
at  Briftol  with  horfe  and  arms  to  march  againft  the  Welch.  — The  41ft  of  Henry  the  3d.  in  Dorfo 

N.  6.  and  the  42d  of  Henry  the  3d.  he  had  a  like  fummons  to  he  at  Cheflcr. \'id.  Maddox 

Formul.  Anglic  Chart.  100.  Hathevvifiade  Gurneio  Lady  of  the  fee,  confirms  a  grant  of  land  in  . 
Clive  Ware  made  by  Alexander  de  Badicumb,  one  of  her  valTals  in  the  court  of  Barow,  Somerfct, 
which  Robert  de  Gurney  her  father  gave  him  for  his  fervice  ;  this  land  is  furrendercd  to  the  Lady 
with  five  fardels  of  land  in  Bacwell  by  a  branch  of  a  tree,  and  by  the  fame  feifm  is  given  by  her  to  the 
purchafcr  to  hold  of  her  in  capite,  he  gives  a  gold  ring  for  his  rccognifance,  witncfs  Thomas  de 
Buritona  (Borefon),  Matthello  de  Gurney,  Roger  dc  Balvent,  and  fcventcen  others.  This  eftate 
of  Barrow  is  now  in  the  pofleffion  of  John  Gore,  Efq;  whofe  family  had  great  eftates  at  Gelfdon 
in  Hertfordftiire,  and  were  diftinguifhcd  for  their  loyalty  in  Charles  the  ift's.  time  :  at  Gelfdon 
church  there  is  a  handlome  monument,  with  a  long  infcription  of  the  antiquity  of  the  family  as 
coming  out  of  Wilifhire,  (Whitley  near  Devizes,)  "  ex  antiquo  Goroeorum  ftemmate  in  agro 
Wiltonicnfi." — Francis  James,  doftor  of  the  civil  law,  whofe  wife  is  buried  in  this  church  ot 
Gaunts,  lies  buried  at  the  church  of  Barrow,  which  was  the  oratory  of  the  nuns  there. 


N 


'< 


[    357     ] 

the  paroche  cliiiclie  of  yt ;  there  ftondith  yet  a  pecce  of  the  dongeon  of  it :  — 

that  there  is  another  village  by  Eft  Harptrce  caullyd  Well  iiarptrce  Gurney 

and  there  bee  varietie  of  amies  that  Gurney  gave  in  the  glafs  vvyndowes  and 
his  cote  armure  :  —  Gurneys  lands  came  to  Newton  *  of  Barrcs  Courte  :  — 
Gurney  was  Lorde  of  Stoke  Hamedcn,  and  there  lieth  buried  yn  a  col- 
legiate chappie  by  the  ruyns  of  his  caftic  :  hec  was  chefc  foundar 
of  the  howfe  of  Gauntz,  at  Briftow,  as  fomc  fay  —  he  was  foundar  of  the 
priorie  of  nunes  call'd  Baron  Gurnay  in  Somerfctniyrc — he  was  Lorde  of 
Whitcombe  and  Richemonte  Caftle,  by  Mcndepc  3  miles  from  Welles, —  it  is 
now  clene  downc  —  it  came  after  to  Hampton,  then  to  Cradock,  alias 
Newton:  — Gurney  had  the  fourthe  parte  of  the  Lordfhipe  of  Mendype."  — 
At  Stoke  under  Hambden  Leland  met  with  many  antiquities  of  the  Gurney 
family  ;  v.  2.  Itin.  f.  54,  "  I  fawe  at  Stoke  in  a  bottom  hard  by  the  village  very 
notable  ruincs  of  a  great  manor  place  or  caftelle,  and  yn  this  remaynith  a  very 
auncient  caftelle  whereyn  be  divers  tumbcs  of  nobil  men  and  wimcn.  — In  the 
fouth  weft  fide  of  the  chapelle  be  5  images  on  tumbes,  on  hard  joynid  to  ano- 
ther ;  3  of  menne  harnefhid  and  fliildid  and  2  of  women:  ther  hath  bene 
infcriptions  on  cche  of  them,  but  now  fo  fore  defacyd  that  thev  cannot  bee 
redde :  I  few  a  flielde  or  2,  al  verry  of  blew  and  white  —  ther  be  alfo  in  this 
part  of  the  chapelle  2  tumbes  without  images  —  there  is  in  the  north  fide  of  the 
body  of  the  chapelle  a  tumbe  in  the  waulle  without  image  or  writcing,  and  a 
tumbe  wyth  a  goodly  image  of  a  man  in  armes  in  the  north  fyde  of  the  quiere 
of  the  chapelle  with  a  fheld  as  I  remembre  al  verrey,  and  even  afore  the  quier 
dore,  but  withoute  it  lyiih  a  very  grete  flattc  marble  ftone  with  an  image  in 
braffe  flattelv  graven  and  this  wryting  yn  French  aboute  it: 

"  Ici  gift  le  noble  &  vailiant  Chivalcr  Maheu  de  Gurney  jadys  fencfchal  de 
Landcs,  &  capitain  de  Chaftel  Daqucs  pours  noftre  Seignor  le  roy  en  la  Duche 
de  Guyene,  que  en  fa  vie  fu  a  la  battaile  de  Bueamarin,  &  alia  apresa  lafiege 
D'Algezire  fur  la  Sarazines,  &  auxi  a  les  baitailes  de  la  Sclufc,  de  Creffy,  dc 
Yngcnefti,  de  Peyfters,  de  Nazara,  D'Ozrey,  &  a  pluziers  autres  batailles,  <fe 
afieges,  en  les  ques  il  gagna  noblement  graund  los,  &  honour  per  le  fpace  de 
"i  &  xvj  anns  Sc  moruft  le  xxvi  jour  de  Septcmbre  I'an  notre  Seignor  Jcfu 
Chrift  Mccccvi,  que  dc  falme  dieux  eit  mercy  Amen."  —  There  was  befydes 
this  grave  another  in  the  weftende  of  the  bodye  of  the  chapelle  having  a  grete 
flatc  ftone  without  infcription  :  —  I  markid  in  the  window  3  fortes  of  armes,  one 
al  verry  blew  and  white,  another  with  3  (Iripcs  gules  downright  in  the  ficlde 
of  gold,  the  3  wascrofs  lettes  of  gold  manic  intermixt  in  one  yn  a  felde  as  I 
remembre  gules:  —  Thereis  a  provoft  longyng  to  this  collegiate  chapelle  now 

yn 
•  Vid  chap.  9.  on  the  Caihcdral.  p.  306, 


[    358    ] 

yn  decay  where  fumtyme  was  gode  fervyce  and  now  but  amelTe  fayde  a  3  times 
yn  a  week." 

I  make  this  long  quotation  from  Leland  to  prove  the  greatncfs  of  this  family 
of  Gourney,  who  founded  our  hofpital  of  Billefwyke,  his  feat  and  manor, 
which  he  the  rather  chofe  for  its  fite,  either  by  order  of  his  uncle  Maurice  de 
Gaunt  in  his  willj  *  and  to  perpetuate  his  name,  he  having  died  without 
iffue  ;  or  becaufe  it  flood  nearly  oppofite  to  that  noble  monaftery,  dedicated 
to  St.  Augudin  by  Robert  Fitzharding,  grandfather  to  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  and 
his  own  great  grandfather.  Here  he  laid  the  foundation,  and  lived  to  fee  it 
completely  finifhed,  with  the  elegant  chapel  before  defcribed,  and  a  cloifter 
within  it,  though  built  low  after  the  manner  of  thofe  religious  houfes,  and  en- 
dowed It  with  lands,  &c.  and  appointed  by  a  deed  Henry  de  Gaunt  mafter  of 
the  hofpital,  who  alfo  was  a  benefa6lor  to  it,  as  appears  by  the  following  lift  of 
bencfaflors.  There  is  great  reafon  to  believe  that  he  founded  it  at  the  defire 
and  direction  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt  his  uncle,  who  might  be  willing  to  have  his 
name  preferred,  and  the  charter  feems  to  imply  as  much.  It  not  only  fays, 
"  when  I  am  in  full  fcifin  and  poirelTion  of  my  lands  by  defcent  from  my 
uncle,"  (bv  an  ouftcr  dc  main)  which  fliewed  he  did  not  intend  to  meddle  with 
the  profits  of  thefe  lands,  but  likewife  as  if  it  were  by  dirc£lion  from  his  uncle 
revokes  all  agreements  made  by  him  with  the  canons  of  St.  Auguftin  about 
tythes  of  corn.  The  family  of  Gaunt  being  now  cxtinQ  in  the  male  line,  we 
find  none  after  Henry  de  Gaunt  as  a  benefactor  to  it  of  that  name,  though 
many  others  gave  large  poffefTions  to  it  aftcwards,  as  will  hereafter  appear. 

The  original  deeds  relating  to  this  houfe  arc  fo  many  that  they  fill  a  large 
book  of  a  folio  fize  clofe  written  with  abbreviations,  a  copy  of  which  authentic 
curious  manufcript  I  have  in  my  pofTcflTion.  I  fhall  abftraft  from  it  thofe  only 
that  more  immediately  concern  the  endowment  of  this  religious  houfe  of  cha- 
rity,  and  give  any  light  into  its  ancient  foundation  and  original  inftitution.  I  fliall 
quote  thisalfo  under  the  title  of  Gaunt's  Book,  being  a  manufcript  never  feen 
by  any  of  our  writers  of  ccclefiaflical  hiftory  and  antiquities,  neither  by 
Dugdale,  Stevens,  Leland,  Tanner,  nor  Mr.  Willis.  There  were  feveral 
benefaclors,  who  very  liberally  endowed  it  after  its  firft  foundation  as  appears 
by  the  following  abftrafls,  in  which  (1.)  the  founders  names,  and  their  orders 
and  regulations  concerning  this  ancient  hofpital  will  be  recited,  (2.)  its  en- 
dowment with  lands,  houfes,  manors,  &:c.    by   fuccelTive  bcnefaftors,  (3.)  a 

lift 

*  By  a  deed  of  compofition,  dated  1251,  between  the  houfe  of  St.  Auguftin  near  Briftol  and 
the  houfe  of  St.  Mark,  "  ratione  teftamenli  vel  Doni  Mauritii  dc  Gaunt  et  clcmofincr^  cjufdcmj 
fuper  fitu  domus  ejufdem  ct  operc  novo  ibidem  inchoato  ct  coUcgio  ididem  habendo." — It  appears 
k  was  Maurice's  will. 


C    359    ] 

lift  given  of  the  maflcrs  of  this  hoiifc,  their  time  of  fucceffion  or  rcfignation, 
&c.  until  its  final  difTolutioii ;  alfo  an  account  of  the  prefciit  now  hofpital 
called  Oiicen  Elizabetli's  which  has  been  ercfcled  and  endowed  in  its  place. 

The  following  is  an  abftraft  of  the  principal  benefactors  of  the  religious 
houfe  and  hofpital  of  St.  Mary  and  St.  Mark,  &c. 

Maurice  Berkeley  de  Gaunt,  fon  of  Robert,  was  the  firft  principal  founder 
of  this  houfe  or  hofpital  of  the  Gaunts  by  direction  of  his  will,  or  beginning  it 
juft  before  his  death.  The  14th  Henry  3d.  1230,*  he  died  at  Portfinouth 
without  iffue,  leaving  Emma  his  only  filler  his  heirefs.  She  married  Anfelm 
de  Gourney,  who  defcendcd  from  Hugh  de  Gourney,  who  came  into  England 
with  \\'illiam  the  Conqueror,  by  whom  fhe  had  one  only  child,  named  Robert 
de  Gourney.  Maurice  at  his  death  gave  by  deed  to  the  King  Bcvcrfton 
Aylbyrton,  and  Wefton,  whence  it  is  called  Kingfwcfton  at  this  dav- 

Robert  de  Gourney,  t  the  only  heir  and  nephew  to  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  by 
his  deed  +  gave  or  confirmed  to  the  faid  houfe  his  manor  of  Paulet,  &c.  the 
mills  of  Were  and  Redwick,  with  all  ponds,  waters  and  water  courfes,  filli 
and  all  improvements  to  the  faid  mills,  and  four  marks  rent  in  Briftol,  viz. 
out  of  the  houfe  of  Robert  the  fon  of  Harding  which  David  la  Warr 
pofielfed  two  marks,  out  of  the  houfe  of  Peter  la  Warr  in  Broad-ftrcet 
one  mark,  out  of  the  houfe  of  Richard  the  cordwainer  near  the  fifhcry  one 
mark,  and  his  houfe  of  Billefwick,  for  the  fupport  of  three  chaplains  and  the 
feeding  of  twenty-feven  poor  perfons  every  day  §  with  pottage;  each  perfon 
to  have  the  weight  of  45  s.  in  bread,  made  of  wheat,  barley,  and  bean  flour. 
He  referved  in  the  faid  deed  a  power  to  himfelf  and  his  heirs  of  placing 
in-  a  matter  of  the  faid  houfe  as  often  as  the  mafterfhip  fhould  become  void  by 
death  or  otherwife,  (that  is  to  fay)  at  any  time  when  fuch  vacancy  fliall  hap- 
pen. 

*  In  the  regiftcr  of  Clerkcnwcll  in  Biblioth.  Cotton,  is  a  charter  or  grant  of  Maurice  do  Gaunt 
to  the  nuns  of  Clerkcnwcll  in  Middlcfex  of  all  rent  he  had  in  the  manor  of  Durdcy,  to  which 
deed  Saccr  dc  Ouinci  Earl  of  Winchcfler  was  a  witnefs,  who  was  carl  in  1207. 

In  an  inquifition,  13th  King  John,  of  knights  fcrvicc  in  each  county,  in  the  county  of  Somcr- 
fet  is  "  Mauritius  dc  Gaunt  i  inilit  et  dirnid." 

t  Atkyns's  Hifloiy  of  Gloccfkci-niire,  p.  475.  he  is  faid  to  give  the  manor  of  Gaunis  Ui  cot,  in 
the  county  of  Gloceftcr  to  this  houfe,  which  was  fold  to  the  city  of  Briftol  for  public  ults  the 
33d  Henry  8th.  1540.     Vide  p.  214. 

J  Now  extant  in  Gaunts  Book  of  Deeds  manufcript,  p.  ii.  and  Dugdale's  EngUfh  Monafticon 
Anglicanum,  p.  166,     Ibid,  vol.  ii.  p.  4,5.5.  i.<^-ftii 

^  His  deed  as  above  mentions  only  twcnty-fcven  perfons,  though  Dugdalc  fays  one  hundred 
perfons.  Vide  vol.  ii.  p.  455-  —  By  one  other  deed  he  adds  one  more  chaplain,  in  all  four,  and 
eight  clerks ;  all  which  was  confirmed  before  the  Jufticcs  of  Eyre  at  Ivclchcftcr  the  2d  Feb. 
1243.    Thofc  deeds  are  in  Gaunts  Book.  p.  3,  4. 


[    36o    ] 

ptn.  The  management  of  the  hinds  and  revenues  of  the  houfe,  togetlier 
with  the  difpofal  of  the  alms  belonging  to  the  fame,  fliould  remain  under 
the  direction  of  the  chaplains  for  the  time  being ;  to  whom  he  the  faid  Robert 
granted  a  power  to  choofe  a  mafter  out  of  themfelves  or  others,  and  to 
prcfent  fuch  mafter  to  him  and  his  heirs ;  when  fo  done,  the  faid  Robert 
iliould  prefent  him  fo  chofen,  and  approved  of  by  him  or  his  heirs,  for  admit- 
tance by  the  Bifhop  of  Worcefter,  ^vholnay  inftitiite  fuch  mafter  chofen  to  the 
almonary  of  the  faid  houfe.  And  if  at  any  time  hereafter  the  faid  Robert  or 
his  heirs  fliall  without  reafonable  caufe  oppofe  fuch  mafter  elcfled,  then  the 
Lord  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  may  notwithftanding  admit  him  on  the  prefentation 
of  the  chaplains.  And  at  any  time  hereafter  upon  the  miftjehaviour  of  the 
inafter,  the  bifliop  for  the  time  being  may  remove  him  upon  conviclion 
thereof,  and  may  admit  another  as  above  appointed.  * 

Accordingly  the  faid  Robert  de  Gourney  by  his  deed  t  duly  executed  pre- 
fents  and  approves  of  Henry  de  Gaunt  (who  calls  himfelf  clerk  and  brother  of 
Maurice  in  his  deed)  for  the  mafterfliip  of  the  faid  houfe,  which  Sir  Henry 
by  his  deed  +  confirmed  all  former  grants,  and  further  granted  the  manors  of 
Poulet,  ^  Stockland,  of  Erdecote,  and  lands  of  Bruham,  the  mills  of  Were  and 
of  Langford,  with  all  his  right  in  Delyamour  andLynaganin  Cornwall,  of  the 
donation  of  William  Cannel,  the  burgage  and  rents  in  Briftol  and  the  houfe  of 
Bcllifwick,  Ij  for  the  fupport  of  the  mafter  of  this  houfe,  and  twelve  brothers  cler- 
gymen 

*  This  deed  is  in  the  Gaunts  Book,  p.  3. 

:|:  Ibid,  p.  3,  At  the  death  of  Robert  de  Gourney,  which  h?ppened  in  the  53d  Vear  of  King 
Henry  3d.  1269,  he  left  by  Ilamifia  dc  Longcamp  his  wife  Anfelm  his  fon  and  heir,  who  alio 
died  the  14th  Edward  ift.  1286,  whofe  great  cftate  dcfccndcd  to  liis  fon  and  heir  John  de 
Gourney,  who  alfo  died  the  jgth  Edward  ift.  1291,  and  left  Elizabeth  his  only  daughter  and 
hcirefs,  who  married  to  John  Ap  Adam,  who  had  iffuc  Sir  Thomas  Ap  Adam.  He  fold  the 
manor  of  Kingfwcfton,  which  formerly  belonged  to  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  to  Sir  Maurice  Berkelcv 
the  4th  Edward  3d.  1330,  and  at  the  fame  time  fold  off  the  manor  of  Bcverfton  to  Thomas  Lord 
Berkeley,  vide  Atkyns's  Hiflor)-  of  Gloccfterfliire,  p.  273,  274.  and  475.  The  Ap  Adam  and 
Berkcleys  were  alio  bencfaftors  to  this  houfe  of  the  Gaunts. 

:f  Gaunts  Book,  p.  j, 

(j  In  this  manor  is  a  clofc  of  p.T(lurc  three  hundred  acres  called  Gaunts'  Ham,  mentioned  in 
in  old  deed  as  belonging  to  this  hofpital,  and  not  to  the  King. 

I]  The  mayor  and  corporation  of  Briftol  are  feized  of  another  manor  at  Winterboume,  in  the 
county  of  Glocefter,  for  the  ufc  of  Gaunts  hofpital  in  Briftol.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns's  Hiftory  of 
Gloccfterfhircj  p.  843.  In  a  deed  in  Gaunts  Book,  p.  12.  there  the  King's  writ  of  enquiry  is, 
whether  he  has  a  right  to  prefent  to  the  mafterftiip  of  St.  Mark's,  then  vacant,  on  account  of  his 
manor  of  Wynterboum  Gunnor,  which  the  brothers  of  St.  Mark  held  of  him  in  Soccagc,  aglh 
year  of  Edward  the  fon  of  Henry  jth*  But  this  is  by  S.-'.lifbury,  in  Wilts,  and  alfo  belonged  10 
this  houfe. 


[    36i    ] 

gymcn  and  five  brothers  laymen  and  twcnty-fevcn  poor  people,  out  of  which 
number  twelve  are  to  be  fcholars  to  fcrve  only  in  the  choir  in  black  caps  and 
furplices,  as  the  fame  was  ordained  and  confirmed  formerlv  by  A\'alter  Lord 
Bifhop  of  Worcefter.  This  Henry  is  faid  in  Leland,  Itin.  vol.  7.  to  be  the 
brother  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt,  and  that  he  lies  buried  in  the  vcfluryc  under  a 
flat  flonc. 

The  following  is  an  abflrafl  of  the  faid  bifliop's  ordinance  dated  in  1259. 
\\'alter  Bifliop   of  Worcefter,  with   confcnt   of  Robert  dc    C70urney  and 
Henry  de  Gaunt,  joint  founders  of  the  lands,  rents.  Sec.   by   them  given    to 
the  faid  houfe,  viz.   that  the  lands,  &c.  by  iliem  given  fhould  for  ever  remain 
to  that  houfe,  for  the  fupport  of  a  mailer   and  three  chaplains,  and   that   the 
aims  to  poor  Chriflians  agreeable  to  each  of  their  deeds  fhould  every  day  be 
obferved  ;    and  that  twelve  fcholars   be  admitted  or   removed  at   the  will  of 
the    mafler,    who    are    to  officiate   in    the    choir    in    black    caps   and   furpli- 
ces, according  to   the  direflion  of  the  chaunter,  mafler,  and  faculty  of  the 
houfe,  out  of  whom  one  is   to   be  chofen  to  direft  and  inftru6l  the  reft,  for 
which   his  ftipend  fliall  be  larger  than  tlie  reft  ;  and  it  is  ordained  that  three 
clerks  in  facred  orders  and  five  lay  friers  do  wear  the  fame  habit  of  thofc  friers 
of  the  hofpital  of  Lechlade,  *  differing  only  in  the  badge  of  the  faid  hofpital, 
v'hich  is  a  crofs  argent  and  the  fliield  gules   with  three  geefe  argent.      And   if 
it  fliould  happen  that  either  of  the  faid  fix  clerks  fhould  by  the  faid  mafter  be 
promoted  to  the  facerdotal  order,  neverthclefs  he  may  adminiftcr  in  the  church 
according  to  the  direftion  of  the  chaunter,  provided  the  number  of  chaplains, 
clerks,  and  friers,  fo  admitted  by  the  faid  mafler  not  having  tlie  habit,  exceed 
not  thirteen,  unlefs  in  procefs  of  time  the  revenues  of  the  houfe  increafe,  at 
which  increafe  let  as  many  be  added  to  the  charity  as  the  mafter  of  the  faid 
houfe  fhall  think  fit.      At  the  admittance  of  each  perfon  into  the  brotherhood 
he  fhall  have  the   fhicld  only  fixed  on  his  habit,   which  fhall    be  worn  during 
the  year  of  probation,  at  the  end  of  which  time  if  he  is  found  a  fit  proficient 
then  the  fliield  with  the  crofs  fliall  be   fixed  to  the  fame ;  or  within  the  time 
of  his  probation,  if  he  defire  or  plead  for  this  right,  he  may  have  the  ftiicld 
with   the  crofs  imprcfTcd   on  his  upper  habit,    by  vowing  the  fubftantials  of 
the  order,  viz.  continence,  obedience,  and  abdication  of  property,  and  other 
regulations  of  the  faid  houfe  to  be  obferved. 

Any  perfon  after  admiffion  and  within  the  time  of  probation,  if  he  fhould  be 
found  not  fit,  may  depart  or  be  removed  by  the  mafter.  In  fafting  and 
other  things  to  be  obferved  by  the  members  of  this  houfe,  let  ii  be  accord- 

X  X  ing 

•  Lechlade  was  a  priory  of  black  canons,  or  rather  an  hofpital  of  a  mafter  or  prior  and  cer- 
tain poor  and  infirm  brethren.     Leland's  Itin.  vol.  ii.  p.  17. 


[      3^2       ] 

ing  to  the  ciiflom  of  the  friers  of  the  hofpital  of  Lechlade;  but  in  divine 
ofHces  according  to  the  cuftom  and  order  of  Sarum.  In  burying  the  dead, 
whether  prince  or  prelate  be  fent  for  burial,  the  faid  chaplains  and  clerks, 
are  to  wear  the  habit  of  the  faid  hofpital,  or  in  their  more  folemn  apparel, 
according  to  the  cuftom  of  Sarum,  may  meet  the  fame,  provided  the  faid 
habit  is  not  ufed  clfcwhere,  but  in  the  choir,  or  elfewhere  when  free  from 
ecclefiaftical  office. 

As  to  mafs  and  its  folcmnities  the  faid  chaplains  and  clerks  are  to  obferve 
the  following  rules,  viz.  one  mafs  fliall  be  celebrated  in  the  morning  for  the 
Eleffed  Virgin  Mary,  the  fecond  for  the  dead,  and  the  third  for  the  day,  this 
to  be  continued  every  day  :  the  other  chaplains  may  celebrate  mafs  for  the 
living  and  the  dead,  and  chiefly  for  the  benefactors  of  the  houfe  at  the  difcrc- 
tion  of  the  mailer.  Divine  fervice  being  ended,  two  chaplains  and  the 
aforefaid  fix  clerks  wearing  the  badge  of  the  houfe,  with  two  lay-brothers  each 
with  a  little  knife  in  his  hand  fliall  cut  the  bread  for  the  impotent  and  weak, 
who  are  to  be  ferved  to  their  will  between  one  and  three,  before  the  chaplains 
and  clerks  fhall  dine :  that  receiving  their  prefcribed  portion  there,  they  may 
ncvcrthelcfs  get  elfewhere  what  is  neceffary  for  them. 

The  mafler,  chaplain,  clerks,  and  the  brethren  bearing  their  habit  may 
flcep  in  one  houfe,  and  may  eat  and  drink  in  the  dining-room,  but  no  fecular 
perfon  fliall  eat  there  or  any  where  within  the  bounds  of  the  hofpital  unlcfs 
by  fpecial  leave  of  the  mafler,  or  detained  there  by  ficknefs,  when  he  mult  be 
refreflied  in  the  infirmary.  If  any  ftranger  fhall  make  a  vifir  to  the  mafter,  he 
may  be  at  liberty  to  dine  in  his  chamber  or  elfewhere  at  his  choice ;  but  then 
he  is  to  have  one  or  two  of  the  aforefaid  chaplains  at  table  with  him.  If  the 
faid  mafter  fliall  dine  out  of  the  refeflory,  or  lie  out  of  his  bedchamber,  or 
travel  abroad  whether  within  or  out  of  the  town  of  Briftol,  one  or  two  chap- 
lains are  to  be  with  him,  firft  appointing  one  of  the  chaplains  or  brethren  of  the 
order  to  officiate  in  his  ftead.  No  chaplain,  clerk,  or  brother  fliall  cat  or 
drink  out  of  his  houfe  in  the  fame  town  unlefs  in  the  prefence  of  his  bifliop  or 
patron,  or  in  religious  houfes,  nor  without  confent  of  the  mafter  or  his  vice- 
gerent, and  then  fome  of  the  brethren  in  their  habit  fliall  be  with  him,  leaft 
any  of  them  fliould  be  feen  wandering  abroad  alone  in  the  town  out  of  the 
precincls  of  the  faid  houfe  ;  and  at  table  the  mafter  and  chaplains  fliall  ufe  only 
black  mantles  and  black  cowls,  but  elfewhere  they  fhall  have  the  arms  of  the 
houfe  outcrmoft,  a  f.  gules  three  geefe  paffant  arg.  If  on  horfeback  or  afoot 
within  the  town  they  ffiall  wear  black  caps  with  the  arms  of  the  houfe  worked 
thereon.     The  chaplains,  clerks,  and  brethren  fhall   eat  good  bread  of  good 

corn. 


C  363   ] 

corn,  and  be  fcrved  with  good  beer  and  good  pottage,  Szc.  at  the  direclion 
of  the  n^afler.  They  fliall  not  purchafc  any  wine  for  their  own  ufe,  nor  make 
feaftings  to  the  lofs  or  detriment  of  the  faid  poor. 

At  dinner  and  fuppcr  time,  or  at  the  entertainment  of  a  legate,  a  lecture 
fliall  be  fpoken  as  ufual  at  other  religious  houfcs,  to  be  directed  by  the 
chaunter. 

If  any  of  the  chaplains  and  clerks  know  how  to  write  or  account,  at  the 
command  of  the  maftcr  he  ought  to  write  and  note  down  thofc  things  which 
turn  out  for  the  ufe  of  the  houfe.  If  any  of  the  lay-brethren  have  been  verfed 
in  any  of  the  mechanick  arts,  he  may  follow  it  for  the  advantage  of  the  houfe 
at  the  will  of  the  mafter,  whofe  bufinefs  fhall  be  afTigncd  them  by  the  mafter 
as  well  within  as  without  the  houfe,  and  the  work  committed  to  them  be  care- 
fully attended  to  and  not  injured  by  their  removal  from  the  work.  And  in 
cafe  that  part  of  the  land  of  Paulet  belonging  to  the  faid  houfe  which  lies  near 
the  fea,  fhould  at  any  time  be  flooded  by  the  fea  and  deftroy  the  produce  of 
the  land,  notice  thereof  being  given  to  the  Bifliop  of  \Vorcefl;er  and  to  the 
patron  by  the  mafter  of  the  houfe,  and  an  inquifition  taken  of  the  truth 
thereof,  in  this  cafe  the  allowance  for  the  poor  with  all  charges  incident 
thereto  fliall  be  leflened  until  the  lofs  be  made  good. 

Finally  the  Bifliop  granted  for  himfelf  and  his  fucceflbrs  that  the  houfe  of 
St.  Mark  be  quit  and  freed  from  procurations  and  vifitation  of  the  arch- 
deacon of  the  place  or  his  official,  and  from  obedience  to  the  archdeacon  to 
be  obferved  as  far  as  relates  to  religious  matters  for  ever.  —  And  the  houfe 
and  faid  poor  to  receive  vifitation  of  the  Bifliop  or  his  official  according 
to  law. 

•  Walter  by  the  grace  of  God  Bifliop  of  Worcefter  having  feen  this  ordinance 
above,  confirmed  it  by  the  pontifical  authority,  fealed  with  the  faid  Bifliop's 
feal,  with  the  feal  of  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark,  and  that  of  Robert  de  Gourney 
patron,  and  of  Henry  de  Gaunt  mafter,  in  the  year  of  grace  1259,  on  the 
morrow  of  the  exaltation  of  the  crofs. 

Leland  is  of  opinion  in  his  Itinerary,  vol.  7.  p.  73,  that  "  this  houle  of  the 
Gaunts  was  intended  for  a  college  ofpriefts,  &c."  which  is  confirmed  by  a 
deed  dated  1251,  de  fitu  domus  &  novo  opere  Sc  collegio  ibidem  habendo  ; 
though  it  is  ufually  called  Elemofynaria:  —  lie  alfo  obfervcs  that  the 
governor  of  this  houfe  was  fometimes  called  prior,  and  the  houfe  itfelf  a 
priory  of  the  order  of  St.  Auguftin,  vol.  1.  p.  85.  and  it  is  fo  called  often  in 
the  Gaunts  deeds.  lie  alfo  affirms  the  religious  belonging  to  this  houfe 
were  called  Bonnes-homes,  or  good- men.     Vol.  5.  p.  58.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns 

X  X   2  ays, 


[    3^4     ] 

fays,  p.  534,  iliat  "  Edmoncl  Earl  of  Cornwall,  fon  of  Richard,  who  was 
brother  to  King  Henry  the  3d.  was  founder  of  the  firft  monaftery  or  college  of 
the  order  of  Bon-homes  in  England  the  5th  of  Edw.  ifl.  1277,  and  were 
diftinguiflied  by  wearing  a  blue  coat.  (Sec  Atkyns,  p.  3.  A.  D.  1283, 
Rennet's  Paroch.  Antiq.  p.  300.  Leland,  vol.  2.  p.  332.  but  R)mer'sFoedera, 
vol.  1.  p.  165,  fays,  A.  D.  1290.)  Which  was  at  Afhrug  in  Hertfordfhire. 
There  were  hut  iwoothermonaQeries  in  England  of  this  order;  the  Gaunts  at 
Briftol,  and  Edington  in  Wiltlhire,  the  laft  of  which  was  founded  by  William 
de  Edington  of  Winchefler  the  26th  of  Edw.  3d.  1352. 

The  following  BENEFACTORS  have  occurred  in  making  abflrads  from  the 
folio  manufcript  in  Latin,  called  Gaunt's  Book. 

The  manor  of  Paulet  and  its  appurtenances  were  given  by  the  aforefaid 
Robert  de  Gourney,  as  well  as  Were-Mill,  Radvvick,  and  the  four  marks  of 
rent  in  Briftol ;  and  of  the  gift  of  Andrew  Loterel  the  manor  of  Stockland  and 
its  appurtenances,  of  the  gift  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt  that  part  of  Stockland  next 
the  hundred  of  Canington,  &c.  were  all  confirmed  to  the  matter  and  brethren 
ofthe  hofpital  of  Billefwick  by  King  Henry  by  his  charter  dated  the  1 8th  of 
November  the  17th  year  of  his  reign  1233. 

Edward  the  ift.  gave  the  manor  of  Winterbourn  Gunnore  in  Wilts,  before 
he  was  King  in  the  52dyear  of  his  father's  reign,  and  confirmed  it  after  he 
was  King  the  13th  of  May  1290. 

Edward  the  3d.  confirmed  all  the  aforefaid  grants,  and  that  which  Alexander 
D'Aundo,  or  De  Anno  made  to  the  faid  hofpital  of  all  that  land  and  bofk  (wood) 
called  Halfbarrow,  with  its  appurtenances,  in  the  manor  of  Aychton,  and  that 
grant  which  Idonea  Gaunfel  the  wife  of  Richard  the  Huntfman  made  of  all  that 
land  and  tenement  which  flie  had  in  Erdicotc,  and  all  the  right  fliehad  in  La 
Lee  Hanedone,  and  Hogeftone;  and  the  land  called  Sturte  in  Gete  and  its 
appurtenances,  with  the  advowfons  of  the  chapels  of  Lee  and  Erdicote,  and  all 
rents,  villcnages,  cullodics,  liberties,  &c.  and  all  right  in  the  faid  land 
belonging  to  her  or  her  heirs:  he  confirmed  alfo  the  grant  which  Richard 
Curtcis  of  Briftol  made  to  the  maftcr  and  brethren  of  faid  hofpital  of  his  right 
to  a  meadow  called  Wambroke  ;  and  the  grant  which  William  Ganncl  made 
of  a  tenement  which  he  had  of  John  le  Brun  in  de  Lianour,  and  Linagon : 
datedthe  ift  of  May  in  the  6th  year  of  his  reign  1333. 

Several  houfcs  and  gardens  in  Frogmere-ftreet  (now  Frog-lane)  were  given 
to  this  hofpital  by  Gilbert  le  Colere  1286,  and  Henry  of  Devon;  Roger 
Gyngyure   1252,    Reginald   Bagge     1252,    Roceline    Tanner    1267,    Ralph 

MorcU, 


[    3^5     ] 

Morell,  Julian  Kepe,  Eglentine   Bulerin   1252,  Eve   KerdyfF  1256,  Elias  of 
Stoke  1271,  John  Droys  1418. 

Robert  Guyen  Burgefs  of  Briftol  gave  a  garden  called  Billefwyk,  and  a 
tenement  with  two  acres  of  land,  in  1290,  for  which  he  got  licence  againfl:  the 
Mortmain  ftatute  of  King  Edward. 

In  1326  the  Bifhop  of  Bath  and  Wells  appropriated  to  this  houfe  the  vicarage 
of  Overftowey,  and  in  1314  Stockland. 

Jordan  de  Berkeley  gave  the  houfes  oppofite  St.  Auflin's  the  lefs  and  garden, 
which  were  Henry  the  Archdeacon's,  the  fon  of  Robert  Harding,  to  Henry 
Gaunt  mafter,  his  heirs  and  fuccefTors  to  the  houfe  ol  St.  Mark,  paying  two 
fliillings  yearly  to  the  abbot  of  St.  Auflin,  1235. 

Richard  Palmer  granted  a  gout  through  his  garden  next  the  land  and 
curtilage  of  Henry  de  Gaunt  down  into  the  tide  in  the  Frome,  in  the  year 
1235;  and  1248  John  Carpenter  gave  the  ground  next  the  gout. 

Margeiy  Palmer  gave  a  tenement  next  the  Back  in  the  pariflr  of  St.  Auflin's 
the  lefs  in  1288:  Edyth  Whyttyngc  gave  another  tenement  with  the  ground 
next  Henry  de  Gaunt's,  1267. 

John  Balle  gave  a  croft  under  the  hill  of  St.  Brendan,  which  he  held  of  the 
hofpital  of  the  brethren  and  fillers  of  St.  John  of  Redclive,  1267;  and  Robert 
Cordar  granted  the  croft  next  it  on  the  faid  hill. 

John,  Cecily,  and  Nicholas  Aylwarde  granted  a  penny  rent  out  of  a  houfe 
in  Steep-flrcet,  a  penny  out  of  a  houfe  in  Thomas-flrect,  and  a  pound  of 
cummin  out  of  a  houfe  in  Broadmcad  in  the  year  1252.  Richard  Aylwarde 
gave  a  tenement  on  Bromehill  in  the  fuburbs  of  Briftol,  with  a  pigeon-houfe 
and  three  {hillings  rent  in  1233. 

Vincent  Bardftaple  gave  ten  fhillings  rent  out  of  a  houfe  in  LeM'in's-mead 
next  St.  Bartholomew's  hofpital  the  39th  of  Edward  the  3d. 

Alice  de  Mercer  gave  a  houfe  near  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas  without  the 
wall  and  beneath  it,  the  mafter  and  chaplains  of  St,  Mark  admitting  her  and 
her  hufband  to  partake  of  the  benefits  of  faid  college  every  year  on  the  day  of 
their  obiit  1256. 

Thomas  de  Emyngton  gave  a  meffuage  on  Fromcbridge,  alias  Knifcfmyth- 
(Ireet,  fix  fhillings  and  cightpence  rent  affize  out  of  a  houfe  in  I'aldwin-Ureet 
and  three  fhops  in  Temple-ftreet,  and  three  fhillings  rent  out  of  a  houfe  there  ; 
and  twelve  fhillings  rent  afTize  out  of  a  houfe  oppofite  the  flefh  fhamblcs  in 
Wells,  1248  : — John  mafter  of  St.  Mark's  quit-claimed  the  houfe  in  Baldwin- 
flreet,  which  extended  backwards  to  the  old  wall  of  the  town  of  Briftol,  to 
JohnTrcfour,  he  paying  2s.  yearly  rent  for  it,  1272. 

Robert 


C     S66    ] 

Robert  Cordar  gave  his  right  in  a  houfe  in  Redclift-ftreet  extending  from 
the  ftreet  forwards  to  the  Lagdiche  backwards,  for  a  lamp  to  the  houfe  of  St. 
Mark  about  the  year  1271,  Galfrid  Long  being  then  prepofitor  of  Radclive. 

Richard  Curteys  gave  a  houfe  in  the  market  (feria)  of  Briftul  next  a  lane 
leading  to  the  church  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  1267,  andoppofite  the  church- 
yard. 

John  Efterfield  gave  the  mafler  and  brethren  of  St.  Mark's  the  nomination 
of  8  poor  men  and  5  poor  women  to  the  alms-houfe  on  St.  Michael's-hill-fleps, 
and  to  appoint  a  pried  there,  to  fing  and  pray,  the  20th  of  Henry  7th. 

Henry  of  Mudiford  gave  Maurice  de  Gaunt  and  his  fucceffors  the  land  of 
Willcmaris  for  10  marks  fterling. 

Andrew  Luttrcl  gave  the  manor  of  Stockland,  the  executors  of  faid 
Maurice  paying  him  40  marks  (the  deed  being  witnefTed  by  Robert  de 
Gourney,  Gilbert  de  Gaunt  &c.  about  the  year  1269)  with  the  advowfonof  the 
church  of  Stockland-Gaunts  worth  about  10  marks  by  the  yeai-,  butdecreafing 
in  value  and  being  infufhcient  for  the  vicar  to  live  upon  it,  it  was  endowed  by 
Thomas  Bifliop  of  Bath  and  Wells  with  the  confcnt  of  ^^'illiam  maftcr  and  the 
brothers  of  St.  Mark's  with  lands,  and  tythes  of  hay,  rofes  or  reeds  of  the 
whole  parifli  —  of  wool,  milk,  apples,  flax,  lambs,  calves,  chicken,  pigs,  pigeons, 
all  oblations,  tenths  &c.  belonging  to  the  faid  church,  except  of  fwans,  which 
were  refervcd  by  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark's  who  paid  him  alfo   28s.  in  money, 

1453- 

Margery  Somcry  wife  of  Maurice  de  Gaunt  granted  tenths  of  the  mill  of 
Kantockefend,  and pafture  therefor  6  oxen,  3  cows,  and  2  heifers,  in  1247. 

Anfelm  de  Gourney  gave  Thomas  de  Lechlade  mailer  and  his  brothers  of  St. 
Mark's  3s.  rent  out  of  3  burgages  in  the  town  of  Were,  and  all  his  right  in 
Hyndmore  in  Compton  and  Ccddrc,   10  Edw.  2d, 

William  Cannell  gave  his  poffellion  of  Deliameur  and  Linagan,  with  all  its 
appurtenances  and  rights  in  fifliing,  meadows,  vineyards,  meffuages,  mills, 
&c.  &c.  for  40S.  1233. 

John  Bruin  gave  his  land  in  Brewham  till  the  Gaunts  were  in  full  pofTefTion 
of  Deliameur  and  Linagan,  which  was  confirmed  by  Ric.  de  Mufcegrofs. 

John  Bifliop  of  Bath  and  Wells  by  leave  of  King  Edward  A.  R.  20,  gave 
the  advowfon  of  the  church  of  Stowey  apud  Stoke-Courfcy,  worth  10  marks, 
dedicated  to  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  in  exchange  for  24  acres  of  moor,  a  mill, 
water-courfe  in  Compton,  Cheddre  and  Nether  Were,  1326. 

Henry  de  Gaunt  confirmed  the  grant  of  Erdicote,  and  gave  all  his  rent 
which  he  bought  of  the  abbot  of  Kaynfliam  next  the  church  of  the  frier 
preachers  in  Briftol.  Richard 


C    3^7     ] 

Richard  Gaurfel  confirmed  the  grant  of  his  mother  Idonca  of  all  his  claim 
in  Erdicotc  village  and  its  appurtenances,  as  well  in  Docham  as  Winterborne 
and  Ilambrook,  and  Lee  and  in  Hogefton  and  Havedon  and  Sturte,  in  the 
village  of  Yate. 

Anfelm  de  Gourney  confirmed  all  the  grants  of  his  father  Robert,  and  gave 
15  s.  rent,  affifc,  the  free  chapel  of  Over,  and  granted  that  he  would  never 
trouble  the  mailer  and  brothers  of  St.  Mark  concerning  the  manor  of  Paulet 
and  its  appurtenances,  mill  of  Were,  and  the  rents  in  that  town,  or  the 
rents  in  Bridol  and  polTeffions  and  houfes  at  Billcfwick,  or  other  poffeffions 
belonging  to  them  granted  by  his  father,  or  the '15  s.  rent  out  of  Lee,  or 
tythesfor  the  chapel  of  St.  Swithin  at  Over  or  Lee,   1337. 

Thomas  Ap  Adam  quit  claimed  all  his  right  in  Lee,  near  Over,  in  the 
parifh  of  Amandefbury,   1331- 

Robert  Scay  granted  and  confirmed  his  lands  in  Rugh-Erdicot,  1279;  and 
1299  all  his  lands  in  Erik-flreet,  and  his  claim  in  the  common  pafture  of  Ock- 
holt,  Thornes,  and  Stonely. 

Robert  Bylebofte  granted  one  virgat  of  land  in  Iron  A6lon,  which  he  held 
of  Ofbert  de  Giffard,  for  his  maintenance  in  food  in  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark, 
ferving  one  of  the  priors  there  as  a  fteward  or  head  clerk  of  the  faid  houfe, 
with  allowance  of  10s.  yearly  as  long  as  he  ftays  and  fervcs  there  ;  or  at  his 
option  to  have  fix  marks  for  the  faid  land,  inftead  of  his  food  and  the  los. 

Ifabel  Hildefley  gave  all  her  right  and  claim  in  a  meffuage,  croft,  and 
garden,  and  a  virgat  of  land  in  Iron  Afton.  And  Thomas  the  fon  of  Maurice 
Lord  of  Berkeley  releafed  the  yearly  rent  of  6s.  ilFuing  out  of  it  to  him. 

Richard  Dravton  releafed  an  annual  rent  of  a  mark,  which  he  ufcd  to  re- 
ceive out  of  a  field  called  Wambrok,  paid  him  by  Richard  Curtis,  who  gave  the 
faid  field  to  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark,  1235.  Wambrook  lay  towards  the  Barton 
of  Briltol  caftle,  alias  King's  Berton,  near  the  field  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Lau- 
rence, next  the  parroche  of  the  faid  leprous  brothers,  oppofite  Berehulle  on  the 
north  fide. 

John  Brues  granted  fix  acres  of  land  in  Coluwyfauri  in  Ireland,  in  the 
county  of  Waterford 

William  Lord  Botreaux  Lord  of  Clifton  allowed  the  plea  of  the  houfe  of  St. 
Mark  to  common  of  pafture  for  one  bull,  fix  cows,  and  twenty-four  flieep,  at 
Clifton. 

Ignatius  of  Clifton  granted  a  meffuage,  curtilage,  and  fountain  of  water  to 
be  brought  through  his  land  whither  they  plcafcd,   1235. 

Ratpti 


C   368   ] 

Ralph  of  Stourton,  leftor  of  Beverrton,  granted  his  land  of  Wytington, 
with  all  appurtenances  for  thirty-two  marks  of  filver. 

Peter  Burgcis  and  his  wife,  on  condition  of  a  yearly  gift  of  two  marks  of 
filver,  and  a  houfc  found  them  at  Briflol  as  long  as  they  or  either  of  them 
ftiould  live,  granted  their  land  in  Slymburgg,  Goffington,  Hurft,  and  Rynge- 
fton  ;  and  Maurice  de  Berkeley  granted  a  virgat  of  land  in  Slymbrugg,  be- 
longing to  the  Hamlet  of  Hurlle,  with  a  mefliiage,  garden,  and  all  his  right  in 
it,  except  the  fupport  of  a  lamp  in  the  church  of  Slymbrugg. 

Walter  AUayn  granted  all  the  mcfTuage  with  the  mill  at  Langford,  as  did 
Richard  dc  Portcfheued,  his  heir. 

Roger  de  Turba  gave  privilege  of  digging  in  the  moor  of  Tykcham  and 
mowing  there,  and  gathering  lefcas  et  fcirpos,  rufhes  and  reeds,  and  in 
thofe  places  where  it  was  ufual,   1280. 

Thefe  were  the  principal  grants  of  lands,  &c.  made  to  the  houfe  of  St. 
Mark  of  Bellifwick  ;  and  are  abfljrafts  of  the  feveral  deeds  in  the  manufcript 
book  in  my  pofTcfrion,  called  Thcfaurus  Chartarum  et  Munimentorum  Domus 
St.  Marci  de  Billefwyck,  except  fome  law  proceedings  in  relation  to  titles,  con- 
firmations of  the  fame  grants,  appropriations  of  churches,  ordinances  of  bifhops, 
and  agreements  between  difputing  parties  about  particular  rights  and  pri- 
vileges in  manors,  &c.  too  prolix  to  be  here  infertcd  at  length. 

The  grants  were  all  made  in  this  or  the  like  form  :  "  Omnibus  matris  cc- 
clefiat  filiis,  &c.  fciant  prefentes  et  futuri,  &c. ;  or  noverit  univerfitas,  me  H.  G. 
divinai  pietatis  intuitu  et  pro  falute  anima:  meae.  Sec.  conceffiffe  remififf^  et 
quietum  clamaffe  et  hie  prefenti  carta  mea  confirmalfe,  Deo  beatae  Marias  el 
beato  Marco  et  magiftro  eleomofynariae  St.  Marci  de  Billefwyck  juxta  Briftol, 
ct  confratribus  vel  capellanis  ct  clcricis  ibidem  Deo  fervientibus,  Sec.  et  eorum 
fuccefforibus  ad  eorum  fuftcntationcm  ct  ad  refeflionem  ejufdem  loci  pauperum 
fingulis  diebus  in  perpetuam  liberam,  Sic."  —  To  all  fons  of  the  holy  mother 
church,  &c.  know  all  men  prefant  and  future,  &c.  that  may  fee  or  hear  this, 
I,  H.  G.  from  a  view  of  piety,  and  for  the  health  of  my  foul,  my  father's, 
the  king's,  &c.  have  granted,  rcleafed,  ai'.d  quit  claimed,  and  by  this  prefcnt 
deed  confirmed  to  God,  the  bleffed  St.  Mary  and  St.  Mark,  and  to  the  mailer 
of  the  hofpiial  of  Pjillcfwyck  near  Driftol,  and  to  the  co-brethren,  chaplains, 
and  clerks,  there  fcrving  God  and  celebrating  divine  fervice  for  the  faithful 
and  their  fucceffors,  for  their  own  fupport  and  maintenance  of  the  poor  there 
for  ever,  in  free,  pure,  and  perpetual  alms,  See. 

In  the  year  1278  (reg.  wyg.)  Godfrey  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  vifitcd  the  houfe 
'jf  St.    Mark,  Briftol,  and   found    among  other  things   that  this   houfe  was 

founded 


[     3%     ] 

founded  originally  for  the  fupport  of  an  hundred  poor  in  certain  eatables 
and  drinkables  for  ever  every  day  in  the  year,  and  that  for  four  years  before 
it  had  been,  it  was  to  be  feared  not  without  God's  vengeance,  damnably  omit- 
ted, wherefore  he  ordered  this  alms  to  be  given  as  at  firft  appointed.  He 
found  alfo  that  it  was  unknown  how  the  houfe  is  governed,  as  there  were  no 
receivers  in  the  houfe  nor  ftewards  in  the  manors,  &c.  belonging  to  it,  who 
had  rendered  any  account  of  what  had  been  received  and  delivered  ;  where- 
fore he  ordered  receivers  fliould  be  appointed  to  receive  l)\  tail  all  money  arif- 
ing  from  the  faid  manors,  corn,  and  other  profits  of  the  laid  houfe,  and  fur- 
ther adminifler  bv  tail  to  the  officers  of  the  houfe  for  the  ufe  of  the  houfe; 
and  the  faid  receivers  abroad  and  fervants  fliall  firft  before  the  mafter  and 
three  or  four  others  of  the  faid  houfe  render  a  faithful  account  once  at  leaft 
in  the  year,  and  the  officers  at  home  do  the  like,  that  fo  it  may  appear  what 
and  how  much  the  faid  houfe  can  expend,  and  how  far  its  goods,  &:c.  will 
ferve,  and  what  remains  in  flore  and  the  like. 

The  like  complaint  of  withdrawing  the  alms  from  the  poor  by  the  houfe 
was  made  at  the  vifitation  of  the  Biffiop  in  May  1284.  In  1312  the  mafter, 
William  Beauver,  and  Friers  Robert  de  Redynge,  John  Yverney,  W.  de 
Cant,  and  J.  Belet,  were  all  at  variance,  accufing  each  other  of  great  ex- 
ceffes  and  enormities  to  the  biffiop,  and  the  mafter  kept  W.  de  Cant  confined 
in  prifon  for  penance  till  the  biffiop  ordered  his  releafe,  and  his  being  reftored 
again  to  his  place  in  the  houfe. 

Were  it  not  thefe  and  fuch  like  irregularities  that  gave  Henry  8th,  pretext 
for  diffijlving  the  religious  houfes  ? 

In  1346  John  de  Stokeland  precentor  was  with  great  form  elefled  mafter  or 
cuftos  of  this  houfe  by  compromife  and  agreement  among  the  nine  brothers 
which  then  made  up  the  convent,  who  carried  him  fo  chofen  to  the  conven- 
tual church  from  the  chapter-houfe,  and  laid  him  down  upon  the  high  altar 
according  to  the  ufual  form  finging  Te  Deum  aloud,  he  was  then  declared 
mafter  and  afterwards  inftalled. 

Notwithftanding  the  liberal  grants  and  ample  endowments  of  their  houfe,  I 
find  them  complaining  to  John  Biffiop  of  Bath  and  Wells  of  the  infufficiency 
of  their  revenues  and  cftatcs  to  their  fupport,  out  of  which  they  were 
obliged  by  cuftom  and  right  from  the  firft  foundation  of  their  houfe  to  relieve 
(reficerc)  an  hundred  poor  *  every  day  befidcs  other  almfgivings,  and  the  re- 

Y  Y  lief 

•  Tlic  original  grant  was  for  27  poor,  which  by  a  fc<!ond  founder  fccms  afterwards  to  have 
been  chanced  to  100,  when  the  endowment  was  cncreafcd.  Dugdale  fays,  "  «ii  hundred  poor," 
tho'  the  grant  quoted  by  him  mentions  only  27. 


[     370     ] 

lief  of  others  coming  iliuher  for  hofpitality  ;  and  that  they  the  faid  mafler 
and  brethren  without  any  fault  of  their's  on  account  of  the  fmallnefs  of  their 
income,  and  various  expences  daily  increafing  upon  them,  and  alfo  from  the 
floods  and  overflowings  of  the  fca,  by  which  no  fmall  part  of  their  lands 
there  fituated  in  his  diocefe  were  deftroyed,  had  been  fo  burdened  with 
debts,  that  unlefs  other  provifion  was  made,  they  fliould  be  obliged 
wretchedly  to  beg  in  future  "  contra  religionis  honeflatem."  On  this  repre- 
fentation  the  bifhop,  pioufly  commiferating  the  neceffities  of  their  houfe, 
conferred  on  them  the  impropriation  of  the  church  of  Stock,  with  its  rights, 
pQlfeffions,  and  appurtenances,  referring  only  to  himfelf  and  fucceffors  the 
appointment  of  a  vicar  for  the  faid  parifli,  to  ferve  in  the  church  to  be 
prefented  to  him  by  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark,  and  an  annual  penfion  of  two  (hil- 
lings to  be  paid  to  the  dean  and  chapter  of  St.  Andrew,  Wells,  and  one  mark 
and  an  half  to  the  archdeacon.  This  was  granted  in  the  year  J316,  loth  ka- 
lends of  November;  and  feventh  year  of  the  bifhop's  confecration. — But  in 
the  year  1326  they  made  the  fame  complaint  of  poverty,  and  the  bifliop  lif- 
tening  to  it  beftowed  on  them  the  church  of  Overftowey,  with  all  its  rights, 
fruits,  &c.  on  their  paying  a  penfion  of  forty  fliillings  to  the  dean  and  chap- 
of  Wells,  towards  the  repairing  the  fabrick  of  that  church,  referving  the  fole 
appointment  of  the  vicar  to  the  church  of  Overftowey.  Whether  their  necef- 
fities were  real  or  feigned,  this  bifhop  feems  to  have  greatly  favoured  thefe 
brethren  of  St.  Mark's  houfe ;  and  if  we  confider  how  defirous  the  religious 
houfes  or  regulars  were  then  of  appropriating  church  livings,  and  what  pre- 
tences they  fet  up  of  greater  charity,  fanctity,  and  more  religious  offices,  ob- 
ferved  among  them,  and  urged  in  their  loud  complaints  to  the  bifliop,  (orig. 
"  gravis  eorum  querela  auribus  noftris  infonuit")  it  is  no  wonder  the  bifliops 
■were  often  deceived  by  them,  and  the  fecular  labouring  parifh  clergy  thus 
deprived  of  lawful  fupport  from  the  reftorial  tythes,  through  the  canting  mif- 
reprefentation  and  hypocrify  of  thefe  religious.  By  this  we  may  fee  the 
means  made  ufe  of  by  the  religious,  as  they  were  called  of  thofc  days,  to  ad- 
vance themfelves  and  their  houfes.  They  deceived  the  people  by  an  outward 
ftrifter  difcipline  and  fuperftitious  difplay  of  religion,  miracles  of  their  faints, 
and  by  pretended  claims  to  infpiration,  and  by  the  greater  purity  of  the 
lives  of  their  monks,  nuns,  and  friers,  which  impreffed  the  minds  not  only 
of  the  laity,  but  of  fome  bifliops  in  their  favour;  whilft  the  fecular  clergy 
of  their  refpeftive  pariflies  grew  hereby  into  Icfs  efteem,  and  had  the  valuable 
part  of  their  livings  taken  from  them  without  a  caufe,  through  the  weaknefs 
and  lenity  of  the  bifliops  liftening  to  thefe  falfc  claims,    who  changed  the 

re£torics 


C  371   ] 

reftories  to  benefit  the  monks  into  vicarages,  by  appropriations ;  a  lofs  felt  by 
the  parochial  clergy  to  this  day,  many  thereby  being  reduced  to  great  fl raits 
now  for  a  moderate  maintenance  by  their  livings,  the  lords  of  manors  whofe 
anccftors  purchafed  the  abby  lands  and  therewith  the  reftorial  tythcs,  enjoying 
the  clergy's  right,  and  the  patrimony  of  the  church.  May  wc  not  fee  here 
the  bad  effects  of  liflening  to  the  falfc  pretenfions  of  religious  zeal,  and  the 
claims  of  fuperftition  ;  how  the  vulgar  are  again  deceived  by  this  outward  fliew 
of  ftricler  lives  and  a  ftrifler  religion  ;  the  true  religion  deformed  inflead  of 
reformed  in  its  doftrines,  the  clergy  treated  with  difrefpeft  if  not  contempt, 
their  tythes  however  fmall  difputed  or  withheld,  and  every  leader  of  a  new 
feft  (like  the  regulars,  monks,  or  friers  of  the  fcveral  orders  of  old)  preferred 
before  them,  to  the  neglefl;  and  perverfion  of  the  true  eflabliflied  Chriftian  doc- 
trine and  fubftitution  of  fome  ftrange,  falfe  opinions  in  its  flcad.  But  to 
return  from  this  digreffion.  Thefe  churches  of  Stockland  and  Overflowev 
■were  very  richly  endowed,  efpecially  by  Hugh  de  Bonville,  who  granted  to 
God  and  St,  Peter  the  apoftle  of  Overftowey  all  its  pofleffions  in  oxen,  cows, 
fheep,  fwine,  goats,  free  from  all  herbage  and  pannage  and  all  fecular  fervice 
and  gave  liberty  when  and  where  they  pleafed  for  hufbote,  heybote,  and  vir- 
bote,  and  for  all  other  bufinefs  they  had  need  of  or  defired,  which  liberty  he 
had  for  fome  years  hindered  againft  the  health  of  his  foul,  but  returnincr  to 
his  mind  and  afking  pardon  for  his  fault,  he  reflored  the  honour  and  privi- 
lege of  the  faid  churches  ;  (we  may  in  vain  expeB;  the  lords  of  manors,  the 
prcfent  poffefTors  of  tythes,  to  follow  his  example  in  this)  he  gave  alfo  all 
his  wood,  land,  and  meadow  of  Stowey-Harpet  near  the  old  caflle,  and 
feveral  more  acres  of  land  on  the  eaft  fide  of  the  caftlc,  and  a  mea- 
dow near  the  fountain  of  St.  Peter,  and  feven  acres  on  the  weft  fide  of 
of  the  caftle,  and  ten  in  Lamcrofte.  He  afterwards  gave  this  church  of  Over- 
ftowey* to  the  church  of  St.  Andrew  of  Stock,  and  the  monks  there  ferving 
God  free  from  all  fervice,  &c.  only  when  God  fliould  infpire  him  to  be  wil- 
ling to  take  to  a  ftrifter  life,  they  ftiould  receive  him  as  a  brother  or  monk, 
&c.  By  letters  patent  from  King  Edward,  A.  R.  20,  John  Bifliop  of  Bath 
and  Wells  granted  thefe  churches  wholly  to  the  mafter  and  friers  of  St. 
Marks,  for  their  better  fupport. 

Such  have  been  the  bciicfaQorsof  this  hofpital,  and  fuch  the  lands  with  which 
it  has  been  endowed,  which  at  the  dilfolution  being  purchafed  by  the  corpo- 

Y  Y  2  ration 

•  In  1625  there  was  a  great  diFputC  between  one  Scllcck,  fanner  of  this  rcftory  of  Overftowey, 
and  the  vicar,  Mr.  Arundel,  a  painful  and  honeft  miniller,  who  was  denied  his  right;  and 
Arthur  liifhop  of  Baih  and  Wells  tried  to  compromifc  t!ic  matter,  and  wrote  to  the  dean  to  apply 
to  the  corporation  of  Briflol  in  favour  of  the  vicar,  that  he  might  have  fome  part  of  the  coin 
ground  as  well  as  the  IcfTcr  tythes,  as  of  old  citftom  he  liad  beyond  the  memoiy  of  man. 


C   372   ] 


ration  has  added  many  fine  eftates  to  the  chamber  of  Briftol,  in  truft  for  pub- 
lic ufes  and  common  profit  of  the  citizens.  I  proceed  next  to  give  a  lift  of  the 
maftcrs  of  this  religious  houfe  of  Gaunts,  otherwife  St.  Mark  of  Bellifwick. 

The  firft  founders  vere  Maurice  de  Gaunt  and  Robert  de  Gourney  his 
nephew ;  the  firft  appointed  Henry  de  Gaunt  firft  mafter,  which  was  confirmed 
by  his  nephew. 

Patrons. 
Robert  de  Gourney.    Henry  de  Gaunt  continued  to  1268,  and  then  refigned 

the  year  before  his  death  through  weakncfs  of  body, 
and  was  fucceeded  by 
Gilbert  de  "\^'atham,  who  was  precentor  of  the  convent. 
Thomas  de  Lechlade   fucceeded  about  1274,  and  go- 
verned to  1285. 
Almaricus  French  fucceeded  in  the  reign  of  Edw.  ift. 
Robert  de  Rcdynge  in  1286,  refigned  1299. 
William  Belverc,  alias  Beaover  1312,  and  refigned. 
Lord  Tho.  ap  Adam.   Ralph  deTctbury  1334,  4  Maij  to  1344,  deprived. 
Maurice  de  Berkeley,  Richard  de  Yate  1344  to  1346. 
ad  nominationem     John  Stockeland  1346. 
conventus. 
The  Convent.  Walter  Brunynge  0£l.  12,        1360  (Regif.  Wygorn.) 

Thomas  de  Over  28  July  1370 

\^'m.  Lane  canon  of  St.  Auftin  1391 


John  St.  Paul  occurs  in 
Nicholas  Sterne  died 
John  Hall  fucceeded 
John  Moulton  refigned 
The  Bifliop  by  way     William  Wyne  elefled 
ofcompromifewith     William  Prowc 
the  convent.  John  Mede  died 

Richard  Collins  fucceeded 
Thomas  Tylar  died 
Richard  Bromficld  occurs 
J.Coleman  fucceeded  &rcfign'd  1534 
In  the  26th  year  of  King  Henry  the  8th.    A.  D.    1534,  this  houfe   or  col- 
lege of  Gaunts  was  refigned  by  John  Coleman  the  mafter  and  his  brethren  to 
commiftioners  appointed,  for  the    faid    King's  ufe,  in   form   as  followeth  :  — 
"  Know  all  men  by  thefe  prefents  &c.  that  wee  John  the  mafter  or  prior  of 

the 


1410 
1437 

1437 
1442 

1442  5Fcb.(Rcgif.Wyg.) 

1467 

1494 

1494 

1515 
1527 


[    373     ] 

the  hofpital  of  the  Gaunts,  and  the  brethren  of  the  fame  in  the  dioccfe  of 
Worcefter  with  one  confent  (uno  ore  &  voce)  &c.  have  fiibfcribed  our  names, 

dated  in  our  chapter  houfe  the  i  ith  day  of  the  month  of  September  1534. 

John  Coleman  mafler,  John  Helice,  Richard  f'itchett,  Robert  Benet,  Thomas 
Pynchyn  his  brethren.  Given  under  our  common  feal  with  two  labils  of 
parchment  fealed  with  red  wax." 

Thus  was  this  rich  houfe  with  all  its  lands  and  pofTcflions,  plate  and  orna- 
ments rcfigned  into  the  King's  hands;  its  value  was  then  computed  at  112I. 
9s.  gd.  per  ann.  as  Dugdale  reckons;  140I.  as  Speed,  a  manufcript  penes  me, 
makes  it  184I.  9s,  and  420  ounces  of  plate  came  to  the  King's  hands.  Leland 
fays,  *  "  It  hath  300  marks  of  land  by  the  year." 

It  was  granted  the  33d  of  Henry  the  8th.  1540,  from  the  crown  to  the 
mayor,  burgeflTcs  and  commonalty  of  Briftol  for  public  ufes,  who  are  now  in 
the  place  of  the  mafler  and  cobrethren  of  this  hofpital  of  St.  Mark,  and  are 
poflefTed  now  of  the  church,  the  fite  of  the  hofpital,  the  houfes  in  Billefwyk 
belonging  to  it,  the  orchard  ground  now  called  Orchard-flreet  &c.  and  other 
lands  and  eftates  with  which  the  houfe  was  originally  endowed. 

At  the  difTolution  the  manor  of  Paulet  and  vicarage  of  Over  Stowey  were- 
granted  bv  the  crown  to  the  family  of  the  Volgraves  and  Dorington  in  the 
county  of  Somerfet;  and  the  fite  of  the  hofpital  with  the  tenements  adjoining 
and  houfes  thereto  belonging  in  Briflol,  and  the  manor  of  Stockland-Gaunts,. 
and  the  advowfon  and  vicarage  of  Stockland  in  the  county  of  Somerfet  to  the 
city  of  Briflol;  but  for  the  further  evidence  of  the  difpofal  of  the  lands  and 
goods  belonging  to  this  houfe  here  is  annexed  an  abflraft  of  the  inquifitions 
taken  of  all  that  belonged  to  this  convent  the  31ft  of  Henry  the  8th.  as  they 
remain  on  record  in  the  Exchequer. 

"  Billifwyke,  otherwife  called  the  Gaunts  nigh  Briftol  late  a  religious  houfe 
furrendered  to  the  ufe  of  the  Kings  Majeflie  and  of  his  heiresfor  ever  by  deed 
thereof  made  bearyng  date  under  the  convent  feale  of  the  fame  late  monaflery 
the  ixth  day  of  December  31  year  of  the  reigneof  the  molt  dreadc  Sovcreigne 
Lord  King  Henry  the  Eighth  and  die  fam.e  day  and  year  clearly  didolved  and 
fuppreffcd. 

The  clere    yearly    value  of    all    the  pofTcflions   belonging  to      /.     5.     d. 
the   faid    late  religious  houfe,  as  well  fpiritual  as   temporal,  over 
and  befides  xixl.    vis.  vuid.   in   fees   and    annuities  granted  to 
diverfe  perfons  by   convent   feale  of  the  fame   late  rnonaftcry  for 
term  of  life,  ____--     165     2     4 

^\'hcreof• 
*  Itinerary  v.  7.  p.  85.  2il  c.l. 


.   /. 

s. 

d. 

40 

o 

0 

6 

13 

4 

1 
8 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

6o 

13 

4 

[    374     ] 

Whereof  pencions  affigned  to  the  late  religious  d\  fpatched,  viz.     /, 
John  Colman  clerk,  late  mailer  there  by  the  year, 
Richard  Fletcher  late  fteward  of  the  houfcholde  there, 
John  Ellis  clerk  affigned  to  be  curate  of  the  parifli  of  St.  Markc, 

fo  longe  as  he  fliould  fcrve,  if  he    refufe  the  fame  cure  then 

to  have  but  61.- 
Thomas  Pynthin  clerkc 


And  fo  remayneth  clerc       -  -     104     9     o 

Records  and  evidences  belonging  to  the  faid  late  houfe  remaine  in  the 
Treafury  under  the  cuftody  of  Edward  Came  dotlor  of  law,  the  keys  whereof 
remaine  in  the  cuftody  of  Richard  Powlet  Efq;  receiver. 

Church  houfes  and  buildings  appoynted  to  remaine  undefaccd,  viz. 
The  church  there  appointed  for  the  parifli  church — as  heretofore  hath  been 
ufed. 

The  lodgeings  called  the  mailers  lodgingc  with  hall,  bottery,  pantry  and 
kitchen — committed  to  the  cuftody  of  the  faid  Doflor  Came. 

Deemed  to  be  fupcrfluoufe,  devided  into  honed  tenentaries  with  convenient 
rents  referved — to  the  ufc  of  the  King. 

Leads  remaining  to  the  ufe  of  the  Kings  Majeflics,  none  but  onlie  upon  the 
faid  church,  which  is  the  parifli  church  abovefaid  efteemed  to  vij  foders — nil. 

.Bells  remaining  in  the  fteeple  there  vi.  whereof  iij  affigned  to  the  parifli  and 
remain  to  the  ufe  of  the  Kings  Majeftie  iij — poiz  by  eft.  mm  lb.  weight. 
Jewels  referved  to  the  ufe  of  the  Kings  Majeflie — none, 
Plate  of  filver  referved  to  the  fame  ufc,  viz. 

Silver  gilt  -  '^■j  oz. 
Silver  parcel  gilt  156  oz. 
Silver  white  180  oz. 

Ornaments  referved — none.  413  oz. 

Summe  of  all  the  ornaments,  goods  and  chattells  lately  belonging     /.     5.     d. 
to  the  faid  late  houfe,  fold  by  the  faid  commiffioners  as  particularly 
appeareth  in  the  bookcoffalc  thereofmade  ready  to  be  fhewn,  33     5     5 

Whereof  payments  to  the  late  religious  and  fervants  difpatched, 

viz To  iij  religious  perfons  late  priefts  of  the  faid  late  houfe  of 

the  Kings  Majefties  reward,     -  -  -  -  -600 

To  XVI  men  and  children  fervants  and  queriflors  of  the  faid  late 
houfe  for  their  wages  and  liveries,         -  -  -  -       10     9     4 

Of 


[     375     ] 

Of  debts  owynj?e  by  the  faid  late  houfe, — To  diverfe  perfons  for 
vitluals  had  of  them  to  the  ufe  of  the  faid  monaftery  with  xiijl. 
payd  tothelatc  mafter,  therefore  tlie  payment  and  d\  fcharge  of  all       /.     s.     d. 
the  rcfidue  of  the  debts  by  the  faid  late  houfe  by  covenaunte  13     o     o 

And  fo  remaynith  clere  -  -  2161 

Debts  owynge  to  the  faid  late  houfe  by  the  fame  — none. 

Patronage  of  churches  belonging  to  the  faid  late  monaflery. — Com.  Somerfet, 
vicaridge  of  Stockland-Gaunts  by  the  year — vicaridge  of  Overftowey  com. 
Somerfet." 

Ccrtianly  this  was  a  rich  hofpital  when  fo  much  was  found  and  accounted  for 
to  the  crown  four  years  after  it  was  dilTolvcd,  when  they  made  it  their  bulincfs 
to  fecure  their  eftates  by  gifts  and  private  grants,  after  flourifliing  from 
about  the  year  1230  to  the  fatal  time  of  the  diffolution  above  300  years  ;  and 
being  furrendered  to  the  King  in  1540,  three  years  after  being  vefled  in  the 
crown  by  aft  of  parliament.  And  though  they  dilTolved  the  hofpital  and  di- 
verted it  of  its  revenues,  yet  the  chapel  ftill  ftands,  1788,  as  a  monument  of 
the  unjud  abufe  of  a  noble  charity  by  the  religious,  and  application  of  its 
revenues  fince  to  other  purpofes,  and  as  a  memorial  to  preferve  the  memory 
of  the  pious  founders  and  benefactors  to  all  pofterity. 

The  churches  of  Stockland  Gaunts,  now  called  Stockland  Briftol  and  Over- 
ftowey, with  lands  thereto  belonging,  and  other  great  eftates  at  Overftowey 
and  Stoke  Courfey,  and  other  lands  elfcwhere,  recited  in  letters  patent,  33d 
Henry  8th.  were  with  lands  of  other  religious  houfes  then  diflblved  for  loool. 
granted  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  Briftol,  of  which  fum  528I.  10s. 
8d.  was  rifen  by  the  contribution  of  the  veftries  of  each  parifti  and  other 
private  perfons;  the  veftry  of  St.  Nicholas  gave  46I.  15s.  3d.  towards  it  and 
took  bond  of  the  chamberlain  to  acquit  and  favc  them  harmlefs  againft  the 
King  or  any  other  perfon,  and  the  other  pariflies  did  the  fame.  The  lands 
bought  with  the  money  fo  rifen  (the  city  alone  being  not  able  of  their 
then  public  ftock  to  make  this  valuable  purchafe  of  Henry  8th.}  were  all  that 
houfe  and  fite  of  the  hofpital  or  houfe  of  St.  Mark  de  Billcfwick,  alias  the 
Gaunts,  &c.      Seethe  particulars,  p.  133. 

The  corporation  aftiftcd  by  the  veftries  and  private  perfons  were  enabled 
by  the  acquifition  of  thefe  vaft  eftates  to  employ  them,  as  they  had  engaged 
to  the  citizens,  to  the  public  ufcs  and  advantage  of  the  city  ;  and  immedi- 
ately hereupon  fet  about  making  the  city  gates  free  and  quit  for  ever 
from  all  manner  of  toll  or  cuftom,  demanded  by  the  fheriffs  for  the  time 
being  ;  and  the  fheriffs  were  to  receive  out  of  the  chamber  44I.  per  annum  in 

lieu 


[    376    ] 

lien  tl-icrcof:  and  the  Key  and  the  Back  were  thenceforth  to  be  free  for  .lU 
provifions  brought  thither,  as  recorded  in  the  great  White  Book  of  Brifto!, 
folio  61,  vide  alfo  annilis  for  that  year,  1540,  and  pubhc  proclamation  was 
made  concerning  it.  This  was  applying  part  of  the  income  of  thefe  new 
acquired  cflates  to  fuch  public  ufes,  that  it  received  the  general  united  voice 
of  public  approbation  and  great  rejoicings  were  made  on  the  occafion,  and 
their  pofterity  reap  the  advantage  of  it  to  this  day. 

But  nothing  could  be  more  pioufly  defigncd,  and  indicate  a  nobler  fpirit  of 
charity  and  humanity,  than  erefling  and  new  founding  another  hofpital  on 
the  very  fpot  where  thefe  Bonnes  Hommes  or  good  men  ufcd  formerly  to 
difpenfe  with  fuch  a  bountiful  hand  relief  to  the  necefhtous  and  daily  food  to 
the  hungry  poor.  This  was  aftually  begun  by  the  munificence  of  John  Carr, 
Efq;  a  worthy  citizen,  who  by  his  will,  dated  April  10,  1586,  gave  his  manor 
of  Congerfbury  to  the  corporation  of  Briftol  (after  paying  his  debts  and  com- 
pounding with  his  brother  and  heir  Edward  Carr  to  the  fum  of  5000I.)  to- 
wards ere6ling  and  founding  an  hofpital  for  maintaining  and  educating  poor 
orphans  and  children  in  etFc6l  according  to  the  hofpital  of  Chrifl  Church  in 
London.  A  royal  charter  was  then  obtained  March  2 1,  1590,  in  the  32d 
year  of  Queen  Elizabeth  for  thispurpofe,  and  this  new  hofpital  was  eftablifhed 
on  tlie  petition  of  the  mayor,  aldermen,  and  commonalty,  by  an  aft  of  parlia- 
ment paffed  1597,  39th  of  Elizabeth.  *  The  great  capital  meffuage  or  man- 
fion  houfe  of  the  late  old  hofpital  (which  with  the  cloifters  was  taken  down) 
called  St.  Marks  of  Bellifwyck  or  the  Gaunts,  then  inhabited  by  Gabriel 
Bleek,  Efq;  and  granted  among  other  things  to  the  corporation  by  Henry  8th. 
was  fitly  appropriated  to  this  ufe  for  its  healthy  fituation.  And  that  "  the 
governors  of  the  faid  hofpital  might  daily  increafe  the  number  of  the  faid  poor 
orphans  and  children  to  be  relieved  and  fuftained  there"  (the  very  words  of 
the  aft)  the  Queen  granted  them  licence  to  purchafc  manors,  lands,  &c.  and 
feveral  other  bencfaftors,  whofe  names  (hould  be  recorded  with  honour  for 
promoting  fo  much  tlie  welfare  of  the  city,  contributed  large  funis  and  annual 
rents  for  this  laudable  undertaking. 

The  corporation  of  Briflol  gave  feveral  thoufand  pounds,  which  they  might 
eafily  fpare  out  of  the  large  eftates  the  chamber  had  acquired  by  the  pur- 
chafe  of  the  old  Gaunts  hofpital  here  of  Henry  8th.  and  it  mud  be  ever 
citeemed  a  well-judged  and  truly  commendable  application  of  the  public 
money  ;  but  their  trouble  and  long  care  in  procuring  the  firft  eftabliflimcnt  of 
this  hofpital,  as  well  as  fupporting  it  afterwards  and  Hill  improving  it,  mull 
not  be  forgot.  William 

•  A  private  aft,  vide  Statutes  at  large,  chap.  iii. 


C    377     ] 

William  Carr,  Efq;  gave  17 1  per  annum  ;  John  Carr,  Efq;  his  Ton,  gave 
his  manor  of  Congcrfbury  ;  the  Society  of  Merchant  Venturers  were  benefac- 
tor; William  Bird,  Efq;  mayor,  gave  530 1.;  Mr.  Samuel  Harincll,  33 1.  per 
annum;  Mr.  Robert  Dowe,  lool.  ;  Mr.  John  Barker,  17I.  16s.  per  annum ; 
Mr.  John  Gollop,  81 1,  per  annum  ;  in  1602,  the  Lady  Mary  Ramfey,  loool.  ; 
Anthony  Standbank,  15I.  per  annum;  Mr.  Thomas  Farmer,  400I.;  Edward 
Colllon,  Efq;  alfo  gave  70 1.  per  annum,  and  500 1.  in  the  year  1702  towards 
rebuilding  and  enlarging  the  faid  hofpital  ;  he  has  always  fix  boys  therein, 
and  has  provided  1  o  1.  to  put  each  an  apprentice  out  of  an  eftate  in  Congerdmry  ; 
the  whole  charge  to  him  being  about  1500I.  The  coats  of  arms  of  thefe 
benefaclors  are  painted  in  this  church,  with  the  funis  given.  Other  benefac- 
tions were  given  by  the  parifli  veftries  and  private  perfons  to  a  great  amount 
to  pay  off  the  mortgage  on  Mr   Carr's  manor  of  Congerfbun,-. 

In  1703,  the  great  and  truly  charitable  Mr.  Colflon  propofed  to  the  magi- 
ftrates  to  increafe  the  hofpital  of  Gaunts  or  Oucen  Elizabeth,  bv  a  farther 
endowment  by  himfelf  for  one  hundred  boys  inflead  of  forty-four,  then 
maintained  and  taught  there,  if  they  would  ere£l  a  fabric  equal  to  fo  great  a 
foundation  and  fit  for  their  reception  ;  but  through  the  private  oppofition  of 
fome,  a  narrow,  felfilh,  faftious  fpirit  of  others,  and  the  envy  of  not  a  few,  the 
undertaking  was  fpoiled  ;  but  his  liberality  was  not  withheld  notwithftanding 
from  the  place,  nor  did  his  charity  toward  this  his  native  city  Iliinc  with  lefs 
ardour  in  being  difappointed  in  this  open,  generous  intention  of  his  to  join 
his  charity  widi  that  of  the  city  :  for  reilrained  as  it  was  in  one  place  it  broke 
out  in  another,  and  he  then  turned  his  thoughts  towards  eretling  an  houfc  for 
one  hundred  boys  on  St.  Auguftin's-back  —  a  noble  nurfery  for  youth,  equal 
to  a  royal  foundation  !  Of  which  hereafter  in  the  chapter  on  St.  Auguftin's 
parifh. 

This  hofpital  of  Queen  Elizabeth  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  poor 
boys  in  1589,  and  William  Bird,  then  mayor,  gave  500I.  in  his  life  time, 
and  a  tax  on  lead  and  iron  was  laid  for  three  years  towards  its  fupport.  1596, 
J.  White  gave  lol.  1598,  John  Aldworth,  50I.  Mrs.  Ann  Colflon,  200I. 
which  with  200I.  out  of  the  chamber  and  the  loool.  of  L.  M.  Ramfey  pur- 
chafed  an  eftate  at  Winterbourn  of  lool.  per  annum.  William  Gibbs  gave 
10!.  in  1602  for  repairs  and  a  fcrmon  in  the  hofpital.  1685,  Andrew 
Barker  gave  fix  houfes  and  lool.  to  put  out  the  boys  apprentices.  In  1702, 
the  hofpital  began  to  he  rebuilt  in  a  large  and  more  commodious  manner. 
In  the  year  1716  the  fum  of  40s.  ufcd  to   be  paid  before  that  time  for  each 

Z  z  boy's 


[    378     ] 

bov's  admifTion  to  the  governor  thereof  for  the  time  being  was  laid  afide,  and 
the  boys  fince  admitted  gratis. 

In  1659  before  the  hofpital  was  rebuilt,  when  only  twenty-eight  boys 
were  maintained  there,  the  number  was  increafed  by  an  order  of  courhcil 
10  forty,  and  the  maflcr's  (Mr.  Siiecd's)  falary  from  7 1.  16  s.  per  annum^ 
was  augmented  to  16 1,  per  annum,  during  the  pleafure  of  the  houfe,  and  it 
was  ordered  he  fliould  not  prefume  to  be  abfent  above  three  days  together  in 
a  year  without  leave  of  the  mayor  ;  and  the  following  rules  of  admilTion  were 
agreed  on  : 

1.  That  no  boy  be  admitted  that  hath  any  loathfome  or  infeftioas  difeafe, 
or  any  deformity  or  imperfedion  that  may  prevent  his  being  placed  out  as 
an  apprentice. 

2.  No  boy  to  be  admitted  unlefs  his  petition  be  figned  by  the  mayor  and 
four  aldermen  and  the  treafurer,  importing  his  age,  name,  parifli,  and  the  time 
of  his  admittance,  to  be  recorded  by  the  mafler. 

3.  That  a  certificate  be  given  of  the  boy's  age  under  the  hands  of  the 
minifter  and  churchwardens  of  his  parifh,  that  he  is  ten  years  old  and  not 
under. 

4.  That  no  boy  be  chofen,  whofc  father  hath  not  been  a  free  burgefs  of 
Briflol,  or  a  poor  boy  of  Congerfbury,  of  which  parifli  there  fhall  be  always 
one,  fon  of  one  of  the  city  tenants  there. 

5.  No  boy  to  be  continued  pad  the  age  of  fixteen ;  if  not  placed  out  then 
to  be  returned  to  his  parents  or  friends,  or  overfeers  of  the  parifh. 

6.  The  mafter  is  not  to  teach  or  entertain  any  tablers  without  leave  of  the 
mayor,  four  aldermen,  and  the  treafurer. 

7.  The  boys  to  be  inftru£led  in  reading,  writing,  and  calling  accounts,  and 
rendered  capable  of  being  apprenticed  out. 

8.  That  upon  the  boy's  admifTion  forty  fhillings  be  paid  to  the  treafurer, 
and  the  boy  furnifhed  with  one  fuit  of  apparel,  two  fhirts,  two  bands,  two 
pair  of  flockings  and  fhoes. 

This  laft  rule  was  difpenfed  with  by  order,  1716,  and  the  rnafter  has  now 
lol.  a  year  allowed  him  for  maintaining,  cloathing,  and  inftruCling  each  boy, 
from  the  corporation,  under  their  direftion  and  vifitation. 

Thus  have  we  fcen  this  houfe  of  St.  Mark  or  Gaunts  ercflcd  and  fo  libe- 
rally endowed,  perpetually  to  remain  diffolved,  notwithflanding  the  care  of 
the  founders  to  fecure  it  by  royal  charters,  &c.  It  was  next  changed 
into  a  fchool  and  orphan-houfe  for  poor  boys,  natives  of  Briftol  and  of  Con- 
gerfbury, under  the  name  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  Hofpital,  who  granted  her 

charter 


[    379    ] 

charter  of  foundation,  appointing  the  corporation  of  the  city  governors  and 
a  body  corporate  for  eftablifliing  and  promoting  the  faid  hofpital,  which  was 
farther  confirmed  by  a6t  of  parliament  the  39th  )ear  of  her  reign,  1597.  But 
fee  the  inftability  of  human  ordinances,  notwithftanding  this  charter  of  the 
Queen  and  an  atl  of  parliament,  this  houfe  has  again  fufFered  another  change, 
being  in  (1783)  converted  into  a  public  Grammar-fchool  for  the  citizens 
fons  to  refort  to  for  education,  firfl  founded  in  another  place  lefs  convenient 
in  ChriRmas-ftreet  by  Mr.  Thorn,  formerly  the  Bartholomew  hofpital  or 
priory,  and  the  orphan  or  poor  city  boys  were  fent  to  occupy  the  faid  ancient 
fchool  at  St.  Bartholomew's,  henceforth  to  remain  and  be  called  Queen  Eliza- 
beth's Hofpital  in  the  place  of  the  other. 

The  exchange  of  the  houfes  thus  made,  it  was  afterwards  thought  proper  to 
get  it  confirmed  by  aft  of  parliament,  which  was  accordingly  done.  But 
though  the  places  or  fites  of  thefe  refpeftive  foundations  were  changed,  the 
endowments  of  each  remain  the  fame  and  dillinft  as  at  firft,  and  are  likely  fo 
to  continue,  unlefs  another  revolution  or  change  fliould  be  projcfted  and  take 
place. 

The  corporation  have  been  fo  provident,  and  the  eftates  the  Orphan-fchool 
ivas  endowed  with  have  been  fo  carefully  managed  and  the  revenues  fo  im- 
proved, that  the  boys  may  now  be  increafed  and  one  hundred  well  andfuffici- 
ently  fupported  therein,  as  recommended  by  Queen  Elizabeth's  charter;  but 
forty-four  alone  are  maintained  here,  and  the  addition  not  yet  made. 


CHAP.      XL 
Of  the  CHURCH  and  PARISH  of  St.  JAMES  and  PRIORY. 

TH  I  S  church  and  the  priory  to  which  it  belonged  were  built  in  the  north 
fuburb  of  the  city.  Leland  fays  in  his  Itinerary  concerning  the  priory, 
(vol.  vii.  p.  85.  2d  edit.)  "  it  flondith  by  Broadmeade  by  northe  from  the 
"  caflle  on  a  hilly  groundc,  and  the  mines  of  it  (londithe  harde  buttynge  to 
"  the  eft  ende  of  the  parifh  churche  of  that  name." 

It  was  founded  by  Robert  Rufus,  natural  fon  of  King  Henry  ift.  by  Nefta 
daughter  of  Rhees  ap  Tudor  after  the  death  of  Robert  Fitzhamon,  who  had 

Z  z  2  enjoyed 


[    38o     ] 

enjoyed  the  whole  honour  of  Glocefterniire,  and  died  in  the  year  1107, 
and  is  buried  on  the  north  fide  of  the  choir  at  Tewkflniry,  in  his  epitaph  cal- 
led "  hujus  loci  fundator,"  leaving  ifTue  only  four  daughters,  to  the  eldefl  of 
•whom  Mabilia  the  King  married  his  fon  Robert,  and  witli  her  gave  him  the 
entire  honour  belonging  to  her  father,  and  in  1109  created  him  firfl  conful. 
Earl  of  Cloceflcr,  and  Lord  of  Briflol.  *  He  was  the  molt  valiant  military 
CTcnius  and  warrior  of  that  age.  He  bore  the  following  arms :  G.  three  refls 
or.  (fee  the  plate)  and  they  were  fo  depifted  in  Tewkfbury  abhy.  He  built 
this  priory  t  and  a  chapel  here  on  his  domains,  dedicating  it  to  the  honour  of 
God,  the  blefTed  Mary,  and  St.  James  the  apoflle,  and  having  placed  therein 
black  monks  of  the  Benedictine  order,  he  endowed  it  with  lands,  liberties, 
and  poffefTions,  and  enriched  it  with  ornaments,  &c.  and  conflituted  it  a 
priory,  member,  or  cell  to  the  monallery  of  Tewkfbury,  and  fubject  thereto 
in  all  refpefts  as  the  priory  of  Cranbourne.  This  illuRrious  Earl  died  at 
Glocefter  of  a  fever  the  31ft  of  October,  the  12th  of  King  Stephen,  1147,  and 
was  buried  in  the  middle  of  the  choir  of  the  priory  chapel,  now  the  parifh 
church  of  St.  James,  in  a  fcpulchre  of  grey  marble,  (or  green  jafper, 
Dugdale)  fet  upon  fix  pillars  of  a  fmall  height.  In  his  tomb  was  found  (many 
years  after)  a  writing  of  parchment  concerning  him  and  the  time  of  his 
death :  Leland  fays,  vol.  vii.  p.  85.  "  a  brewer  in  Brightftowe  had  this 
wrvting." 

His  only  fon  William  fucccedcd  to  his  father's  honours  and  eftates,  and 
became  a  great  benefa£tor  to  this  priory  and  the  monaflcry  of  Tewkfbury,  as 
appears  by  King  Henry's  deed  of  confirmation  about  the  year  1181,  viz.  he 
gave  all  his  freehold  in  EfTelegia  (Afhiy)  and  right  to  the  fair  held  at  Whit- 
funtide  in  Briflol,  and  the  tenth  penny  of  his  mills  in  Newport  in  Wales, 
Runnc,  Stapleton,  and  Leovenath,  and  his  burgage  rents  +  out  of  Newport- 
meadow,  which  he  ordered  fhould  be  within  this  parifh  (now  Broadmead) 
fituated  between  the  cafUe  and  the  church  of  St.  James  in  Briflol  ;  and  all 
the  churches  that  were  the  fee  of  the  faid  earl,  with  a  meffuage  of  one  Allen's 
in  or  near  the  fliambles  of  Briflol.  {  He  died  in  the  caftle  of  Briftol  in  1183, 
and  was  conveyed  away  and  buried  in  his  abby  of  Kcynfliam,  which   he  had 

founded 

*  Vide  chapter  on  the  caftic,  p.  209.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns's  Gloceftcrfhire,  p.  714,  728. 

+  Leland,  Collcft.  vol.  i.  p.  217.  fays,  "  cclla  St.  Jacobi  de  Briftow  pertinet  ad  Tewkfbvri : 
Robcrlus  condil  Gloc.  primus  fundator  prioratus  St.  Jacobi." 

+  To  the  monaflcry  of  Tewkfbury  he  gave  "  decimam  de  exitibus  Briftolix,  called  alfo  deci- 
mam  ccnfus  BrlRol,"  the  tythcs  of  the  town  of  Briftol  ;  before  the  Conqueft  as  belonging  to  the 
honour  or  lordfhip  of  Cloceflcr  given  to  Robert  Titzhamon,  who  endowed  the  abby  with  it,  fmcc 
purchafcd  by  the  corporation.    The  tythcs  were  reckoned  at  14 1.  10s.  per  annum  fee  farm  rent. 

^  Moriafl,  Anglic,  vol.  i.  p.  513. 


[    38i     ] 

founded  the  nth  of  Edward^d.  in  memory  of  Robert  his  only  fon  deceafed, 
leaving  only  three  daughters.  About  the  year  1 193,  Henry  Bifliop  of  Worce- 
fter  by  deed  confirmed  all  the  benefatlions  of  Earl  William  to  the  church 
of  Tcwkfljury,  viz.  the  churches  of  St.  James  at  Briftol  with  the  priory  and 
its  appurtenances,  the  churches  of  St.  John,  of  the  Holy  Triuity  or  Chrift 
Church,  of  St.  Jacob  of  the  Market,  (or  St.  Philip  and  Jacob)  of  St.  Owen's, 
of  St.  Michael,  in  Briftol,  and  of  St.  Brendan  without  the  vill  of  Briflol,  and 
the  church  of  Edricfton,  &c. 

The  prior  had  not  only  the  privilege  of  a  fair  at  St.  James's  in  Ebdomana 
pentecofles  by  Earl  William's  charter,  confirmed  by  King  Henry  2d.  but  tlie 
full  prifage  of  wines  coming  to  the  port  of  Briftol  from  twelve  o'clock  the 
Saturday  before  the  fealt  of  St.  Janies  to  the  fame  hour  the  Saturday  follow- 
ing ;  and  by  inquifition  taken  4th  Edward  2d.  it  was  allowed  that  the  prior 
had  fuch  prifage  and  other  free  cuftoms,  and  the  liberty  for  taking  4d.  for 
every  hoofliead  fo  imported  bv  virtue  of  the  f;iid  charter,  on  which  the  Kin" 
granted  prohibition  againft  Thomas  Chaucer,  his  capital  pincerna,  in  favour 
of  the  prior.t  In  1673,  7  Aug.  the  mayor  and  commonalty  having  purchafed 
of  Sir  Charles  Gerard  this  prifage  of  wine  with  other  rents,  the  Whitfon 
court,  and  its  privilege,  &c.  the  Whitfuntide  preceding  a  court  was  held  in 
behalf  of  the  city,  and  fcveral  fliips  of  wine  happening  to  arrive  in  this  port 
that  week,  the  officers  of  the  faid  court  and  city  feized  feveral  tons  of  wine 
for  prifage,  which  being  fold  by  the  truftees  and  officers  of  the  city  to  Sir 
Robert  Cann  and  other  perfon.s,  it  was  engaged  to  fave  harmlefs  the  mer- 
chants againft  fuch  as  claimed  under  Sir  William  Walters'  patent  for  prifage, 
and  others  who  might  molefl  them  on  that  account.  Book  of  Orders,  K, 
p.  250. 

The  fite  of  this  priory  ^  was  large,  and  extended  from  the  weft  end  of  the 
prefcnt  church  or  Whitfon-court  (where  the  prior  held  court  for  his  lands 
without  Lawford's-gate  and  Redlonde)  to  the  barton  of  St.  James,  and  con- 
fiftcd  of  a  large  manor-place  or  manfion-houfe  with  a  fpacious  long  hall,  a 
buttery   adjoining    to   the  fame,  a   long   gallery   extending    weftward  to   the 

church 

+  Little  Red  Book  of  Briftol,  p.  96. 

J  Vide  charter  of  Edward  4th.  1461,  p.  82,  91,  s8b. 

§  The  endowment  of  it  1  find  thus  in  a  deed  :  William  Earl  endowed  it  with  the  manor  of 
Kcinfliam  or  Chainfham,  alfo  the  village  of  Chcwlon-Cainfliam,  Chcrlcton,  Stokcwood,  and 
Stokcton  and  Fclton,  with  its  woods,  members  of  ilic  manor,  and  feven  librates  of  land  in  Butli- 
ftoke,  alfo  all  the  manor  of  Mcrfefcld  except  the  advowfon  of  llie  church,  alfo  Ortum  de  Bcrtonu 
dc  Briflolle  cum  onulano  ct  tcnemcnto  tjuod  icnuit  :  cl    7  foUJatas  ct  6  nummatas  tcrrps  in.- 


[    382    ] 

church,  rooms  under  and  about  the  hall,  and  chambers  at  the  weft  end  of  the 
long  gallery,  that  adjoined  to  the  church  there,  a  great  green  court  adjoin- 
ing to  the  fame,  a  great  gate-houfe  entering  by  the  churchyard  into  the  faid 
green  court,  together  with  a  dwelling-houfe  adjoining  tlic  faid  gate-houfc, 
alfo  a  great  ftable  in  the  faid  court,  a  brew-houfe  and  bakc-houfc  near  to 
the  kitchen-door,  a  little  garden  adjoining  to  the  fame  brew-houfe,  and  ano- 
ther garden  lying  between  the  well  end  of  the  church  there  and  the  faid  great 
gate-houfe,  alfo  a  little  way  or  lane  leading  out  of  the  great  court  to  the  weft 
part  of  the  gate  entering  into  the  way  that  parts  Shooter's  clofe  and  the  Mon- 
tague's ;  all  which  is  the  weft  part  of  the  faid  manfion-houfc.  On  the  eaft 
part  or  fide  were  galleries  and  chambers  in  them,  parlour,  &c.  united  with 
the  weft  part,  a  little  fquarc  green  court,  and  inclofed  ground  with  a  pigeon- 
houfe,  a  large  barton  extending  from  the  gate  in  the  Bdrr's-lane,  whereby 
was  the  pound,  two  great  barns,  alfo  feveral  buildings  lying  on  both  fides  the 
faid  barton.  Such  is  the  dcfcription  met  with  in  a  manufcript  deed  of 
partition  between  the  heirs  of  H.  Braync,  1579,  which  fliews  it  to  be  a  large 
and  fpacious  priory. 

At  the  eaft  end  of  the  church  in  the  year  1753  part  of  the  ruins  of  the 
priory  was  ftill  to  be  leen,  being  a  fquare  room  with  niches  in  the  wall  round 
it,  in  length  24  yards,  and  of  breadth  in  the  clear  8  yards  ;  poftibly  the  refec- 
tory for  the  monks.  It  appeared  to  have  been  vaulted  with  frceftone,  of 
■which  the  fide  walls  were  built  very  ftrong.  Two  brick-fronted  houfcs  are 
now  built  on  the  fite  of  it. 

Biftiop  Tanner,  in  his  Not.  Monaf.  defcribes  this  priory,    and  refers  to  a 

great  number   of  deeds*  of  grants  to   it   by   different  Kings  and  others. — 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  priors  that  have  occurcd. 

1374- 

BercliuU  extra  fofFalum  ferix  inter  gardinum  quod  fuit  avi  mci  et  aquam  avcna;,  alfo  all  the  rents 
of  pepper  and  cummin,  which  my  grandrathcr  had  at  Briftol  within  the  town  and  without,  and 
that  part  of  the  land  which  was  of  my  fee  beyond  the  bridge  of  Avon,  at  the  head  of  the  bridge 
on  the  road  as  you  go  down  to  the  Avon,  alfo  the  churches  of  St.  Mary  and  of  St.  W'crburgh, 
Briftol,  &c.  &c. 

*  \''ide  in  Monaf.  Angl.  torn.  i.  p.  513.  ex  pat.  2d.  Henry  4th.  p.  2.  m.  7.  cartam  R. 
Henr)' 2.  confirm,  donatorum  concefliones  :  cart,  antiq.  T.  n.  24.  foil.  licnry  2.  dc  libcrtat.  apud 
AfTcliam. 

Regidrum  brevium,  f.  247.  fub  titulo  ad  quod  damnum,  dc  conccfr.  c.  marcar.  reddit.  ad 
invcniend.  duos  capcUanos. 

Stevens's  Supplement,  vol.  i,  p.  516.  Lcland,  Collcft.  vol.  i.  p.  85.  Itin.  vol*  vi.  p.  79. 
vol.  vii>  9it 


[    3^3    ] 

1374-  Thomas  Norton,  prior,  21  Richard  2d.  Riciiard  Byccfter,  prior, 
1  Henry  4th.  Riciiard  Winchcller,  prior,  6  Henry  6th.  1428.  William 
Newport,  prior,  35  Henry  8th.  Robert  Circefter,  prior,  who  furrendered 
his  priory  at  the  difToliition,  Jan.  g,  1540,  and  had  allowed  him  at  his  dif- 
milfion,  an  annual  penfion  of  131.  6  s.  8d.  for  his  life. 

Leland  in  Itin.  vol.  vi.  fol.  88.  fays,  "  Robertus  Nothus,  &:c.  i.  e. 
Robert  the  bafe  fon  of  Henry  ufed  on  all  folemn  days  to  have  with  him  the 
abbot  of  Tewkfbyri  with  twelve  monks  of  Brillol,"  and  that  "  this  Robert 
built  the  caftle  of  BriftoUe,  and  gave  every  tenth  flone  of  the  caftle  towards 
building  the  chapel  of  St.  Mary,  near  the  monaftery  of  St.  James  at  Brillol." 

^^'illiam  of  Worcefler  mentions  (1480)  the  meafurements  of  the  priory  and 
church.  "  The  length  of  the  church  of  St.  James  54  (leppys,  bredth  40  (leppys. 
The  length  of  the  priory  of  the  aforefaid  church  40  flcppys.  The  lengtli  of  the 
chapel  of  the  Bleffed  Mary  there  40  fleppys,  its  bredth  12  fteppys.  The 
bredth  of  the  churchyard  130  (leppys,  length  of  the  churchyard  of  St.  James 
150  lleppys."  In  another  place  he  fays,  "  The  chapel  of  the  Bleffed  Mary 
of  St.  James  contains  in  length  21  yards,  its  bredth  7  yards.  The  bredth 
of  the  chapel  of  St.  Ann  contains  4  yards,  the  length  of  the  faid  chapel 
8  yards.  The  length  of  the  nave  of  the  church  of  the  priory  of  St.  James  con- 
tains i5j  yards  or  26  Iteps.  The  length  of  the  nave  of  the  parifli  church  an- 
nexed to  the  nave  of  the  church  of  the  faid  priory  contains  22  yards  or  40  fteps.." 

This  priory  being  a  cell  to  the  abby  of  Tewkfbury  and  parcel  of  that 
great  houfe  was  diffolved  with  it,  and  granted,  35  Henry  8tb.  to  Henry 
Braync,  Efq;  citizen  and  merchant  taylor  of  London,  (together  with  the 
lordfliip  of  Hadnoke  in  the  marches  of  Wales,  belonging  to  the  dilFolved 
pi"  'ry  of  Lanthony  near  Glocefter)  for  the  fum  of  667 1.  7s.  6d.  yielding 
and  paying  to  the  King  and  his  heirs,  &c.  yearly   the  fum  of  3I.  10s.  g^d. 

for 

Munimcnta  nonnulla  pcrtinentia  ad  ccclcfiam  S.  Jacobi  prope  Briflol,  27  Henry  7.  MSS.  in- 
ter, codd.  R.  P.  Johannis  Moore,  n.  351.  in  bibl.  pubU  acad.  Cantab,  f.  In  Ilin.  Will,  dc  Wore, 
p.  t2o,  290.  Dimenf.  Ecclcf. 

In  cartulario  archicpifcopalus  Cantuar.  inter  libros  MSS.  autoris  in  bibl.  Bodl.  Oxon.  p.  iga, 
profeffioncm  dc  fubminioiie  vifitalioni  doixi.  aicliipifc.  Cantuar.  A.  D.  1260.  Atkyns's  Glocc- 
ftcrfhirc,  p.  547,  6*7,  727. 

Cart.  Antiq.  K.  n.  30  fcil.  R.  Hen.  2.  de  libertat.  pat.  25.  Hen.  3.  m.  i.  dc  amotionc  corporis 
a.iicnorJc  confanguineae  regis  a  prioratu  S.  Jacobi  Brillol  ad  monaR.  dc  Ambrcfbury. 

Pat.  28.  lidward  1.   1300,  n.  17.  dc  terra  dc  ciFclcga  ct  l.ria,   &c. 

Pat.  13.  Edward  3.  1339,  p.  2.  m.  16.  vcl.  17. 

Pat.  20.  Richard  2  .1396,  p.  2.  m.  22. 

Pat.  1.  Henry /J.  1399.  p.  7.  m.  6.  vcl.  7. 

Pat.  7.  Edward  4.  >467.  p.  1.  m. 


[     384     ] 

for  the  faid  priory  of  St,  James  and  lands  belonging  thereto,  manor-houfe, 
tenements,  and  hereditaments,  in  the  county  of  Gloccrter.  It  appears  by  a 
deed  of  falc  penes  me  the  following  churches  paid  H.  Braync  and  his  heirs  in 
right  of  patronage  an  annual  rent  or  penfion,  formerly  referved  to  the  monaf- 
terv  of  Tcwkfburv,  viz.  the  reflory  of  St.  Peter,  1 1.  retlory  of  Chrift  Church, 
los.  reftory  of  St.  John  for  the  church,  los.  and  the  churchyard,  13s.  4d. 
reftory  of  St.  Ewen,  6d.  and  1  lb.  of  wax,  the  reQory  of  St.  Michael,  4s. 
vicarage  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  1 1.  6s.  8d.  By  this  eafy  and  cheap  pur- 
chafe  Bravne  and  his  heirs  enjoyed  this  large  eflate  and  the  above  penfions  and 
advowfon  of  the  parfonage  or  reftory  of  St.  James,  as  it  is  in  fome  deeds 
called,  but  it  may  be  rather  deemed  a  donative,  as  by  the  deed  Braync  was 
always  bound  to  find  a  prieft  for  the  church  and  to  allow  him  a  flipend  for  the 
cure  of  fouls  there  ;  alfo  the  right  of  patronage  to  the  feveral  churches  in 
Briftol  above-mentioned  that  paid  him  the  penfions,  with  all  tythes  of  corn, 
hay,  wool,  lamb,  &c.  belonging  to  the  church  of  St.  Philip  and  St.  Jacob, 
and  the  cuftoms  and  all  profits  of  the  fair  and  prifage  of  wine  in  Whitfon 
Avcek,  which  belonged  to  the  priory  of  St.  James  ;  alfo  the  right  of  prc- 
fentation  to  the  vicarages  of  the  parifli  churches  of  Mangotsfield  and  Staple- 
Ion,  the  former  paying  him  lib.  of  wax,  the  latter  2 lb.  yearly.  Robert 
Braync,  Efq;  on  the  death  of  his  father  fucceeded  to  thefe  eftate.s,  and  from 
him  they  defcendcd  to  Dame  Emma,  wife  of  Sir  Charles  Somerfet,  and  to 
Ann  Winter,  wife  of  G.  Winter,  Efq;  fillers  and  co-heire(fes  to  the  faid 
Robert  Brayne,  as  appears  by  deed  of  partition,  dated  27th  January,  21ft 
Elizabeth,  1579,  penes  me.  Sir  Charles  Somerfet  enjoyed  the  fame  with  the 
patronage  of  the  churches  untilliis  death,  11th  March,  1598.  He  was  buried 
in  his  church  of  St.  James,  and  left  an  only  daughter,  who  married  Sir  Charles 
Rcdclilf  Gerrard,   Knight. 

By  an  old  deed  it  appears  that  this  churchyard,  &c.  was  leafed  for  thirty 
years  to  George  Harrington,  mayor,  and  other.-;,  the  parifliionens,  by  Sir  C. 
Gerrard,  15th  08ober,  1617,  for  the  fum  of  2GI.  13s.  .^d.  as  a  fine,  toge- 
ther with  the  herbage  of  the  faid  churchyard,  all  privy  tythes  and  oblations, 
alfo  tythe  pigs,  and  all  tythes  of  gardens  and  orchards  lying  and  being 
within  the  parifli  of  St.  James,  except  tythes  of  hay,  corn,  grain,  lambs, 
calves,  or  wool,  belonging  to  the  manor-houfe  of  St.  James,  yielding  and 
paying  yearly  to  the  faid  Sir  Charles  Gerrard  the  fum  of  3 1.  6  s.  Sd.  and 
providing  an  able  and  fuFRcient  paQor  or  curate  for  the  church,  and  paying  all 
tenths,  procurations,  &c.  going  out  of  the   faid  re£tory  or   parfonage,  and 

keeping 


C   385   ] 

keeping  the  church  and  chancel   in  good    reparations  when  required  to  the 
end  of  the  faid  term. 

About  the  year  1626  Sir  Charles  Gerrard  granted  and  conveyed  the 
premifes  then  in  Icafe  to  the  churchwardens  and  inhabitants,  to  Robert 
Aldworth  and  G,  Harrington  and  their  heirs  in  trufl:  for  the  mayor  and 
corporation,  who  then  received  the  3I.  66.  8d.  and  2s.  6d  or  a  couple  of 
capons  in  lieu  of  tythes,  and  for  the  church-yard  as  appears  bv  the  chamber- 
lain's receipt,  who  ftill  continues  to  receive  the  fame  ;  and  alfo  the  fevcral 
penfions  out  of  the  churches  of  St.  Peter,  Chrift-Church,  St.  Ewen's,  St. 
Michael,  and  St.  Philip's;  to  which  and  to  this  church  of  St.  James  the 
mayor  and  corporation  of  Briftol  have  now  the  right  of  prefentation,  the  firft 
time  they  exercifed  this  right  was  in  the  year  1627,  and  they  gave  for  all 
thefe  advowfons  the  fum  of  450I,  only,  as  appears  by  Sir  Charles  Gerrard's 
receipt  the  18th  of  May  1627.  After  this  leafe  had  expired  the  corporation  of 
the  city,  the  19th  of  July  1670,  by  an  a£l  of  common  council  agreed  to  grant 
the  parifiiioners  and  feoffees  of  the  parifli  another  leafe  for  30  vears,  if  Mr. 
Paul  the  minifter  fhould  fo  long  live  and  continue  minifter,  and  receive  the 
agreed  ftipend  of  40I.  per  annum,  being  a  moiety  of  the  profits  of  the  fair,* 
as  appears  by  an  entry  in  the  veftry  books,  except  and  referved  to  the  corpo- 
ration the  great  tythes  and  the  parfonage-houfe,  which  Mr.  Paul  then  let 
out,  built  lately  by  fome  well  difpofed  perfon,  and  which  houfe  is  for  the  fole 
ufe  of  the  minifter  and  his  fuccefTors  for  ever,  except  alfo  the  yearly  rent  of 
3I.  6s.  8d.  and  the  moiety  of  the  profits  of  the  fair  to  the  faid  minifter  to  be 
paid  half  yearly,  the  parifiiioners  to  pay  all  fubfidies,  tenths  &c.  and  repair 
the  chancel. 

The  17th  of  July  the  24th  of  Cha.  2d.  1672,  the  corporation  of  Briftol 
purchafed  of  the  King  the  feveral  rents  referved  to  the  crown  payable  by 
H.  Brayne  and  his  heirs  for  the  church  of  St.  James  and  the  lands  belonging 
thereto.     Vid.  p.  132. 

This  priory  and  its  fuperb  buildings  being  thus  fold  and  parted  between  dif- 
ferent perfons,  were  foon  difpofed  of  to  others,  and  the  old  eretlions  con- 
verted to  various  ufes ;  and  the  ruin  of  it  is  become  fo  compleat,  that  no  traces 
of  it  at  prefent  (j  788}  are  feen. 

The  church  alone  remains  to  point  out  its  fitc,  wliich  Robert  Earl  of 
Glocefter  founded  in  1130,  and  it  was  called  according  to  Leland,  "the 
chapel  of  the  Bleffcd  Virgin  Mary  and  St.  James,"  which  was  made  a  parifli 
church  (the  city  increafing  towards  the  then  priory)  upon  petition  of  the 
inhabitants  to  Thomas  Chefterton  then  abbot  of  Tewkclbury  and  to  the  priory 

A  A  A  of 

•  In  the  year  1689  the  churchwardens  received  for  the  (laildings  of  ihc  fair  about  8o!» 


[    386    ] 

of  St.  James,  who  admitted  them  to  hear  mafs  and  to  celebrate  all  other 
divine  offices  for  the  living  and  the  dead  as  in  other  diocefan  churches  on 
certain  conditions  agreed  upon  by  a  deed  of  indenture,  penes  me,  dated  at 
Tewkefbury  St.  Andrew's  day  1374  ;  the  prior  was  to  appoint  one  officiating 
minidcr  or  clerk,  called  in  the  deed  Aqusehajulum  or  carrier  of  the  holy 
water,  or  more  if  nccelfary  :  the  provilion  and  donation  of  which  office  was 
to  be  referved  always  to  the  prior,  and  he  was  to  be  fupportcd  by  a  moiety  of 
the  profits  arifing  from  the  fixing  of  pales  or  any  thing  cUe  penetrating  or  occu- 
pving  the  foil  of  the  church-yard  at  the  fair  annually  held  there  at  the  fcaft 
of  St.  James,  together  with  half  the  profits  arifing  from  ringing  the  bells  for 
the  dead,  and  at  their  anniverfaries,  and  two  proceffionals.  The  parifliioners 
on  their  part  were  to  build  one  fquare  belfry  (campanile)  of  flone  in  form  of  a 
tower,  at  their  own  expence,  but  the  prior  to  find  the  ftone  and  earth  for  the 
mortar,  as  much  as  was  neceffary  and  could  be  found  within  the  limits  of  the 
priory  and  its  demefnes ;  that  the  bells  ffiould  be  placed  therein  at  the  joint 
expence  of  both  parties,  and  not  to  be  removed  but  by  the  confent  of  both, 
and  to  be  ufed  in  common  by  both,  and  to  be  repaired  at  their  mutual 
expence. 

Hence  it  appears  that  this  church  was  part  of  it  parochial,  and  part  of  it 
conventual,  belonging  to  the  priory  or  convent :  and  William  of  Worcefter, 
p.  290,  defcribes  the  nave  of  the  one  as  joining  and  annext  to  the  nave  of 
the  other,  and  meafuring  22  yards  in  breadth  and  15^  yards  in  length:  and 
p.  247  he  mentions,  "  the  parifli  church  of  St.  James  near  the  church  of  the 
priory  in  the  Eall  part  of  the  town  ofBriftol."  It  had  a  chancel,  but  that 
is  pulled  down,  being  the  monaflery  church  or  chapel  aforementioned  ;  and 
fo  the  tower  is  left  Handing  on  the  Eafl:  end  between  the  church  and  chancel, 
and  ferved  formerly  to  the  ufe  both  of  the  parifh  and  convent. 

The  church-yard  or  fpacious  burying  ground  belonging  to  this  church  was 
confecrated  by  Simon  Biffiop  of  Worcefter  about  the  year  1129,  as  appears 
by  his  deed  of  confirmation*  of  ail  tythes  and  churches  which  this  church 
poffeffisd,  in  which  is  mentioned  that  of  St.  Peter  of  Briftol,  within  (infra)  or 
beneath  the  caftle  and  without  the  lordffiip  of  the  borough;  and  it  adds, 
"  moreover  in  that  day  in  which  he  dedicated  the  church-yard  of  the  church 
of  St.  James t  at  Briftol,  then  in  building,  (becaufe  the  burgeffes  ufed  to  be 
carried  to  burial  where  they  would  out  of  his  diocefe)  he  commanded  by  his 
epifcopal  authority,  that  none  of  the  faid  city  ftiould  now  be  carried  elfe- 
where   to  be  buried   except    to   Tewkefbury;    he    alfo    there  appointed  and 

ordained 
•  Stephens  Addit.  to  Dugd.  Monaft.  v.  2.  p.  191,  No.  161.   24. 
■t  "  Cemitcrium  Eccleiiac  Sanfti  Jacobi  apud  Briftol  scdificjnda:  dcdicavit." 


[    387     ]  ' 

ordained  that  the  church  fliould  be  fiibjccl  by  a  perpetual  right  to  the 
monaflery  of  St.  Mary  of  Tcwkcfbury  on  the  petition  of  maflcr  Benedicl  the 
abbot,  and  ^s'ith  the  confent  of  Robert  the  King's  fon  Earl  of  Gloccflcr,  and 
the  Countefs  Mabiliahis  wife." 

This  deed  afcertains  the  time  of  the  foundation  of  this  church  to  be  when 
Benedift  was  abbot,  who  continued  fo  from  1124  to  1137,  when  he  died, 
fo  that  at  a  medium  1130  may  be  deemed  nearly  the  time  when  it  was  firfl 
built  and  confecrated,  which  is  18  years  before  the  great  monaftery  of  St. 
Auguflin  in  this  city  (now  the  cathedral]  was  built. 

The  church  of  St.  James  being  at  firft  only  a  chapel  to  the  adjoining  priory, 
was  not  a  very  large  or  magnificient  ftrufture,  though  it  is  not  void  of  elegance 
and  beautv,  the  arches  of  the  ailes  however  are  admired  as  being  of  the  true 
Saxon  architefture,  femicircular,  with  pillars  round,  plain  and  maffive,  the 
capitals  a  very  little  ornamented  —  a  fpecies  of  arch  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter 
the  founder  feems  to  have  copied  from  fome  in  the  fine  old  caflle  of  Briftol, 
■which  he  was  repairing  and  enlarging  at  this  very  time  :  it  confifls  of  three 
ailes  of  equal  length,  the  middle  is  29  feet  and  a  half  broad  and  47  feet  two 
inches  high,  and  the  Avhole  breadth  of  the  church  from  North  to  South  is  66 
feet. 

At  the  Weft  end  is  an  organ  and  gallery,  towards  the  ercfling  of  which 
Edward  Colfton  Efq;  gave  lool.  The  tower  which  is  built  of  freeftone  is 
very  ftrong,  plain  but  neat,  29  yards  and  2  feet  in  height,  adorned  at  prefent 
with  a  modern  baluftrade  and  an  urn  at  each  corner:  here  is  a  very  mufical 
peal  of  8  bells,  with  a  clock  and  dial  at  the  South  fide:  —  The  vellry-room 
at  the  fouth  weft  end  defaces  this  fouth  view  of  it,  the  only  one  that  can  be 
taken  (vid.  plate).  —  The  weft  end  of  the  middle  aile  is  in  a  great  meafure 
hid  by  the  parifli  houfes,  which  buildings  bring  in  a  revenue  to  the  church.  — 
There  is  here  a  pretty  Gothic  window,  the  figure  may  be  feen  in  the  plate, 
and  other  embellifliments  in  that  tafle  ;  this  weftern  end  being  formerly  the 
entrance  ufed  by  the  monks.  —  This  church  was  repaired  at  the  expence  of 
600I.  by  the  veftry  and  pariflioners  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baylcy  was  incumbent, 
about  the  year  1698;  and  it  was  again  repaired  about  the  year  1768,  the 
altar  cmbelliftied  with  a  painting  of  the  transfiguration,  new  pews  and  fpacious 
galleries  erefted  the  better  to  accommodate  the  numerous  parifliioners  with 
room,  but  ftill  it  is  very  infufficient  for  fo  large  a  parifli.  Application  there- 
fore has  been  lately  (1787)  made  to  parliament  and  an  aCl  obtained  fin- 
dividing  it  into  two  pariflies,  and  creeling  another  church  to  be  called  St.  Pauls. 

So  flrict  obfervers  of  the  fabbath  were  the  people  of  this  parifli  no  longer 
ago  than  1679,  that  at  a  vcflry  liicn  held  here  four  pcrfons  were  judged  guilty 

A    A    A       2  flf 


C   388    ] 


Henry  Brayne,   Efq; 
Sir  Charles  Somcrfet 


of  a  mofl  heinous  crime  and  were  cited  into  the  fpiritual  court  for  purloining 
the  Lord's  day  in  travelling  to  Bath  on  foot,  to  the  great  difhonour  of  Almighty 
God  and  true  religion,  for  which  they  confefTed  their  fins  in  the  faid  court 
and  paid  20s.  for  the  ufc  of  the  parilh.  —  The  prefent  patrons  of  this  church 
are  the  corporation  of  Briflol,  and  the  value  of  the  living  above  400I.  per 
annum.  In  the  year  1291,  amongft  the  valuations  of  the  feveral  benefices 
taken  from  the  Lincoln  manufcript,  is  the  following,  "  the  priory  of  St. 
Tames,  Briftol,  without  the  borough,  paid  to  the  church  of  Tewkefbury  23 
marks  (15I.  6s.  8d.)  per  annum,  and  feveral  churches  paid  penfions  to  the 
prior  of  St.  James,  viz.   St.  Michael's,  St.  Ewin's  &c. 

The  following  is  a  L I  S  T  of  the  M I  N  I  S  T  E  R  S  of  this  Church. 

Patrons. 
Abby  of  Tewkcfbury.       1164   Picard,  clerk  to  William  Earl  of  Gloceftcr. 

The   monks   in    turn   belonging  to  the   priory 
performed  the  divine  offices  in  the  church 
till  the  diffolution. 
1544  Bartholemew  Owyne,  he  died  May  loth  1570. 
1571    William  Wolff. 

1576  David  Williams,  difplaced  the  next  year. 

1577  William  Jones,  died  1585. 
1586  Thomas  Twinborovv,  died  1594. 
1594  Thomas  Newton. 
1601   John  Powell. 
J  61 6    John  Mafon. 

Corporation  of  Briftol.    1629  William  Batchcllor,  died  the  30th  of  June  1636. 

1636-7  John  Paul,  not  conforming  he  refigned  1663. 
1663  Thomas  Home,  died  1697,  buried  in  this  church. 
1697   Benjamin  Baily,  died  the  25th  of  April    1720, 
aged  49,    he  publiflied    a   volume  of  Lent 
fermons. 
1720  Samuel  Crefwick,  D.  D.  1727  Dean  of  Briftol, 
and  afterwards    tranflated  to  the   deanry    of 
Wells,  but  held  this  cure  till  1753. 

1753 Price,  removed   from    Temple,    buried 

here  and  fucceeded  by 
1771   Carew  Rcyncl,  buried  here  and  fucceeded  by 
1783  Dr.  Small,  the  prefent  incumbent. 

The 


Sir  Charles  Cerrard. 


[    389    ] 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Batchellor,  Mr.  Paul,  and  Mr.  Home  had  feveral  funis  paid 
them  by  the  parifli  veflry  (befides  the  yearly  colleaiOn  from  the  parifhioners) 
as  wages,  fuch  as  30I.  40I.  and  50I.  which  as  lefTees  under  the  corporation 
bound  to  find  a  minifter  they  were  obliged  to  pav. 

The  impropriation  of  the  chapel  ofStapleton  dedicated  to  tlie  Holy  Trinity, 
as  well  as  Mangotsfield,  belonged  to  this  church  ;  and  becaufe  they  of  Stapleton 
ufed  always  to  bury  at  St,  James's,  the  abbot  of  Tewkefbury  the  5th  of  May 
1438  granted  them  licence  to  bury  at  Stapleton,  fo  as  they  came  to  hear  mafs 
at  St.  James's,  and  they  paid  two  pounds  of  wax  for  this  privilege  for  ever. 
By  ancient  deeds  without  date  it  appears  that  Poyntz  granted  to  the  church  of 
St.  James  tythe  of  hay  in  Tockyng  ton  manor. 

The  chauntries  in  this  church  were  three,  one  in  the  1  ft  year  of  Henry  4th. 
eftablifhed  by  John  Stone  by  licence  from  the  King;  he  gave  the  prior  two 
melfuagesand  one  fhop  in  Brift.ol  and  its  fuburbs,  for  one  monk  to  celebrate 
mafs  daily  for  his  foul  at  the  altar  of  St.  Thomas.  —  John  Spicer  flicrifFof 
Briftol,  by  will  the  igth  of  Henry  6th.  1440,  founded  a  chauntry  here  for  one 
prieft  and  feven  monks  to  fing  mafs  for  ever  for  the  repofe  of  his  foul  and  his 
wife  Avis's,  and  for  all  the  faithful ;  the  annual  rents  by  the  rent  roll  penes 
me,  amounted  to  lol.  is.  diftributed  to  the  prior,  monks  and  finging  priefts, 
to  the  mayor  and  flieriffs  for  attending  ;  the  bedcman  and  for  wax  tapers,  and 
for  bread  for  the  dole  to  the  poor.  —  William  Ponam  by  will  1454  gave  feveral 
tenements  for  a  chauntry  at  the  altar  of  the  Virgin  Mary  to  be  celebrated  for 
his  and  his  wife  Edith's  fouls,  and  for  his  obiit  the  9th  of  February,  the 
proQors  to  be  paid  for  attending  and  diftributing  bread  to  the  poor.  Thefe 
two  laft  chauntries  were  fequeftered  to  the  King's  ufe  the  ift  of  Edward  6th. 
for  non-payments  of  fubfidies  and  tenths.     See  p.  63,  64. 

There  are  in  this  church  but  few  monuments  :  —  The  firft  to  be  mentioned 
is  the  founder  of  this  priory  and  church,  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  of  whofe 
character  and  fame  fee  before  in  the  chapter  of  the  caftle,  pages  194.  209. 
Inthefouth  wall  once  there  was  a  ftone  figure  prefervedofa  man  habited  like 
a  pilgrim,  fuppofed  to  be  for  him,  which  is  remembered  by  fome  old  perfons 
now  living,*  which  in  the  feveral  repairs  this  church  has  received  is  now 
deftroyed  and  loft,  or  concealed  by  the  high  wainfcot  feats  there. 

The  Princefs  Eleonora  (called  the  Damoifellc  of  Brittany)  was  buriedthere 

after 

•  In  the  fouth  aile  near  the  bclfrj'  door  in  1710  was  a  tomb,  with  a  naked  figure  at  full  length, 
fuppofed  then  to  be  for  the  founder  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  manufcript  penes  nic.  —  +  1 .  Cart. 
Antiq.  K.  n.  30  Scil.  R.  Hcnr.  2d.  dc  libcrtatc.  patent  25  H.  3.  M.  i.  dc  Amotion?-  coporis 
Alionorx  confanguincae  Regis  a  prioratu  Sanfti  Jacobi  Briftol  ad  monaftcr.  dc  Ambrefbuiy. 


[     390     ] 

after  a  cruel  confinement  of  40  years  in  Briflol  caftle  by  King  John  her 
unnatural  uncle,  who  had  ufurpcd  her  right  to  the  crown  of  England  :  her 
body  was  removed  hence  to  the  nunnery  of  Ambrefijury  in  Wiltfhire,  to 
which  flic  had  given  the  manor  of  Melkfliam  near  Lacock  in  Wilts,  a  licence 
being  obtained  for  its  removal  of  King  Henry  the  3d.  the  25th  year  of  his 
reign,    1241. 

The  next  perfon  to  be  mentioned  is  Sir  Charles  Somerfet,  who  with  his 
lady  Emma  lie  buried  on  the  fouth  (ide  of  the  altar;  and  a  very  handfome 
monument  is  crefled  there  to  their  memory,  with  the  following  infcription  : 
againft  the  monument  is  the  ftatue  of  a  man  in  armour  kneeling  at  an  altar, 
and  oppofite  to  him  his  Avife  in  the  fame  poflure,  and  behind  her  an  only 
daughter  alfo  kneeling;  it  is  a  fpacious  lofty  monument  adorned  on  each  fide 
Aviih  Corinthian  pillars,  and  embelliflicd  at  top  with  the  arms  of  the  family 
in  a  large  fliield: 

Memoria?  &  pietati  facruni 
Carolus  hoc  parvo  tegitur  fub  marmore  magnus, 
Corpore  procero  &  prasluftri  ftemmate  magnus, 
Sed  fama,  virtute,  fide  (ut  f^is  credere)  major; 
Per  zelum  Caelum  fcandens  fit  maximus  ;  adde 
Principis  ut  vivens  fuerat  vexillifer  ide, 
Principis  ut  moriens  Chrifti  vexillifer  ifte. 

My  body  earth,  my  breath  was  borrowed  ayre. 
My  dated  leafe  expired  years  of  ftrife. 
My  foul  with  ftamp  of  God,  temple  of  prayer, 
Diffolv'd  by  death  mounted  to  glorious  life  : 
Life  was  but  lent  conditional  to  dye. 
Death  made  the  period  of  mortal  itye. 
And  gave  me  entrance  to  etcrnitye. 
Above  the  heads  of  the  figures  on  the  table  within  a  fcroll  is  the  following 
infcription : 

Sir  Charles  Somerfet  Knight  5th  fon*to  the  Right  Honourable  Henry 
Earl  of  Worccfler  and  flandard  bearer  unto  her  Majefiies  honourable  band 
of  gentlemen  penfioncrs  who  married  Eme  widow  of  Giles  Morgan  of  Newport 
Efquirc,  daughter  and  co-heirefs  to  Henry  Brayne  Efq;  by  whom  he  had  one 
fole  daughter  firfl  married  to  Ratcliff  Gerrard  Efq;  and  after  to  Edward 
Fox  Efq;  he  deccafed  the    11  day   of   March  Anno  Domini    1598,  being  of 

tlie 
*  Sec  tlie  pedigree  of  the  Earls  of  WorcCftcr,  and  Dukes  of  Beaufort  in  Atkyns's  GloccRcr- 
Hiirc,  p.  244. 


C    39>     ] 

the  a^e  oT  64  years  who  lyeth  here  intombed  with  his  wife  Eme  who  departed 
Aiiii  )  T")omini  1590. 

On  a  brafs  plate   at    the  entrance  of  the   middle   aile   was   the  following 
infcription  to  Robert  Daws,  fon   to  Samuel  Daws  of  Wotton-under-edge  in 
Gloceftcrfhirc,  clothier,  who  died  the  31ft  of  July  1667,  aged  i6. 
Matris  ego  quondam  fola  &  chariffima  proles 

Hie  jacco  tumulo  conditus  ecce  meo  : 
Doclrinae  ftudio  fimul  ac  pictatis  amorc 
Incubui,  fragilis  dum  mihi  vita  fuit : 
At  deus  incurfu  properantem  femper  eodem 
Abftulit,  &  caelis  eft  mihi  fola  quies. 

In  the  north  aile  againft  the  wall  arc  the  following  monuments  and 
infcriptions : 

To  David  Barrett  M.  B.  who  died  Feb.  28.  1734.  aged  40. 

To  Tho.  and  Eliz.  Hicks  grand  children  of  Henry  Dighton  Efq;  Tho.  died 
Sept.  the  J  ft,  i68g.  Eliz.  28  Dec.  1694.     Alfo 

To  Tho,  Hicks  Gent,  who  died  the  lo  of  Jan.  1716  aged  69  and  M,artha 
his  wife  who  died  6  July  1719  aged  68. 

To  Mr.  Henry  Dighton  who  died  the  15th  of  March  1673  aged  64  and 
Judith  his  wife  who  died  the  30th  of  Jan.  1721  aged  87  and  George  Dightou 
their  eldeft  fon  who  died  the  23d  of  April  1702  aged  68. 

Againft  the  weft  wall  is  a  marble  monument  with  an  infcription  : — To 
Mary  Scandrelt  daughter  of  George  Dighton  wife  of  Captain  Chriftopher 
Scandrctt,  who  died  Dec.  the  20th  1737  aged  66  with  Chriftopher  Mary  and 
George  their  children. 

In  the  fouth  wall  is  a  marble  monument  :  —  To  Mary  the  wife  of  Walter 
Edwards  Efq;  daughter  to  the  Right  Honourable  Richard  P'rceman  of 
Battford  in  the  county  of  Glocefter  Efq;  fofnetime  Lord  High  Chancellor  of 
Ireland,  diftinguiflicd  by  her  birth  but  much  more  by  her  virtues,  highly 
exemplary  in  the  characters  of  wife  and  parent;  conftant  in  her  devotions, 
unblemiftied  in  her  life.  She  died  the  12  of  July  1736  in  the  37th  year  of 
her  age  leaving  iffue  2  fons  Walter  and  Tho.  arms  F.  erm  and  S.  party  per 
bend  a  lion  rampant  or.  quartered  with  F.  az.  3  lozenges  in  fefT.  or. 

On  the  firft  pillar  next  the  fouth  window  is  a  handfome  monument  with 
the  following  infcription  and  arms,  F.  er.  and  S.  party  per  bend  a  lion  rampant 
or.  quartered  with  F.  G.  a  chevron  er.  between  3efcallops  or. 

J.uxta  banc  parietem  in  adjacente  area  triumphalem  Chrifti  fcrvatoris  reditum 
cxpeclat,  Thomas  Edwards  armigcr.  vir,  in  lege  municipali  cxcrcitatiftimus, 

fpeflatift 


[    392    ] 

fpcQatae  fidei,  probitatis  cximiee,  et  fingularis  induflrlse,  cui,  five  cHentiiim 
numerum,  five  varia,  qua:  expedivit  ncgotia,  fpe£lemus,  pancos  admodum  in 
his  omnibus  repfnemus  pares,  fuperiorcm  neminem.  illi  in  laboris  folatiiim 
(rara  vivendi  conditione)  concefTit  deus,  ut  non  imminiUo  aninii  vigorc,  non 
gravi'  morbo  impiicitus,  fine  taedio,  fine  vitas  faflidio,  fcelix  conjugc,  liberis, 
fortunis,  ad  cxtrcmum  deveniret  feneftutem  :  ct  cum  nihil  amplius  vel  in 
votis  reftaret,  ut  morte  facili,  et  optimo  cuique  invidenda,  inter  fuorum 
lacrimas  et  fufpiria  e  vivis  excederet :  nuptias  bis  fecit,  c  primis  filium  unicum, 
tres  filias  fufccpit ;  e  fecundis  fex  filios,  duas  filias,  ex  ambabufquinque  filios, 
duas  filias  reliquit  fuperftites.  Ipfe  obijt  7  mo.  die  Julij  A.  D.  1727°. 
iEtatis  fuas  83  tic  natus  17  die  Martii  1644  to. 

Jana  Edwards  filia  Johannis  Walter  Tiiomas  Edwards  uxor  dileftifiima,  Sc 
vere  vidua  cum  quo  conjunctifiime  vixit  annos  quadraginta  quinque  matrona 
omni  laude  dignifiima  eodem  loco  fuos  cineres  reponi  voluit,  obiit  Februarii 
oftavo  die  A.  C.  1733  tic.  vEtatisfuae  81  mo. 

On  a  brafs  tablet  near  the  upper  door  was  cut  a  figure  in  an  alderman's 
robes,  with  fijur  fons  behind  him;  oppofite  to  him  his  wife  with  four 
daughters  behind  her,  all  kneeling  before  an  altar,  with  an  infcription  to 
Henry  Gibbs  mayor,  who  died  the  19th  of  May  1636,  aged  73,  and  to  Ann 
his  wife  who  died  15th  December  1631,  aged  70. 

In  the  chancel  on  a  ftone —  Wm.  Batchelor  minifler  and  preacher  of  this 
parifli  died  3  Jan.  1636. 

On  another  thus  on  a  brafs  plate  —  Hie  jacet  Rev.  Benj.  Bayly  A.  M. 
hujus  ecclefiae  per  annos  prope  vigintitres  ReClor  cum  tribus  liberis  multifquc 
aliis  amicis,  Ouibufcum  affurgere  &  in  corporc  immortali  revivifcere,  O  ! 
Quantum  Gaudium  !  Ouantae  congratulationes  !  O  Deus  Bone !  O  Benigne 
Pater!  Tc  oramus  ut  acceleres  regnum  tuam,  nofquc  quamfubito  tubam  iftam 
carleftem  qua  ex  hifce  fordibus  ad  nubes  evocemur,  cxaudiamus:  O!  finuis 
ex  eorum  numero,  pro  quibus  Chrifti  fanguis  baud  incaffim  effundebatur, 
coclifque  recepti  Bcatifica  vifionc  fruamur:  tibi  pater  filioque  tuo  falvatori 
noflro  gratiaspro  tanto  muniere  in  seternum  agentes.  Obiit  23  Aprilis  A.  D. 
1720.   /Etatis  fus  4g. 

On  another  was  a  long  Latin  infcription  to  Wm.  Hobfon,  fon  of  Henry 
Hobfon  ;  he  died  1654,    /Etat  fuae  57,   with  the  arms  quartered  Hobfon  and 

Colfton And  near  this,   to  Margaret  Col  (Ion,  who  married  the  faid  Wm. 

Hobfon;  file  was  only  daughter  of  William  Colfton  the  elder,  fhe  died 
11  May  1647,  aged  41.  — John  Pears,  a  worthy  benefaQor  to  this  city,  died 
18  Aug.  1662. 

The 


[    393    1 

The  Che  fler  family  arc  buried  here  ;  on  a  raifod  tomb  covering  a  vauk 
againfl:  the  wall  of  trie  old  priory  were  infcriptions 

To  James  Chefter,  who  died  the  17th  of  March,  1560. 

To  William  Chefler,  who  died  the  ift  of  January,  1572-3. 

To  Edward  Chefter,  who  died  in  1580. 

To  Walter  the  fon  of  William  Chellcr,  who  died  the  2 ill  of  September, 
1641,  aged  88. 

Thomas  Chefter,  fon  of  the  above  William  Chefter,  was  mayor  of  Eriftol: 
he  purchafed  the  manor  of  Almondfljury,  and  was  high  fherift'  of  the  county  of 
Gloccftcr  in  1577,  and  was  buried  Sept.  24,   1583. 

As  this  parifli  is  very  large  and  confequently  is  burdened  with  many  poor, 
fo  it  is  very  happy  to  be  fo  liberally  endowed  with  charitable  inftitutions  and 
benefactions,  as  appears  by  the  following  accounts  and  the  tables  of  benefaclors. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  James's  Parifli. 
i^gg.  Alderman  Coale  gave  to  the  almflioufe  on  St.  James's-back        /.     s.    d. 
4I.  per  annum  for  ever       -  -  -  -  80     o     o 

1604,  Mrs.  Alice  Coale  gave  12I.  per  annum,  to  be  paid  by  20s. 

per  month,  to  three  almftioufes  in  this  parifli  for  ever         240     o     o 
Mr.  Thomas  Brooks  gave  a  tenement  to  the  almflioufe   in 

Lewin's-mcad  of  61.  per  annum  to  twelve  poor  for  ever     120     o     o 
Alderman  Robert  Kitchen  gave  40s.   per   annum  to   four 

houfe-holdcrs  quarterly  for  ever  -  -  40     o     o 

Alderman  Packer  gave  10s,  per  annum  to  the  poor  for  ever 

out  of  the  houfe  at  the  Crofs  Keys  by  the  Fifli  Market       10     o     o 
Mr.  Cox  gave  20s.  to  the  poor  for  ever  -  -  20     o     o 

1536,  Mrs.  Harrington  gave  2s.  in  bread  weekly. 

Alderman  George  Harrington  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  the 

poor  for  ever  -  -  -  -  -40     00 

Mr.  Thomas  Clements  gave  20s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  for 

ever     -  -  -  -  -  -  2000 

Mr.  William  Sage  gave  3I.  per  annum  to  the  poor,  and  20s. 

for  two  fermons  yearly,  for  ever  -  -  80     o     o 

Mr.  Pierce   gave  20s.  for  a  fcrmon  the  5th   of  November 

vearly  -  -  -  -  -  -20     00 

Mr.  Francis  Clecd,  fomc  time  ftierifF,  gave  40s.  to  be  paid 

xos,  qu'arterlv  to  four  houfekcepers  for  ever  -  40     o     o 

Alderman  Richard  Vickris  gave  is.  per  week  for  ever  52     o     o 

B  B  B  Aldcrmati 


C    394    ] 

Alderman  Miles  Jackfon  gave  a  garden  the  rent  thereof  to      /.     s.    d. 

the  poor  in  bread  for  ever, 
^^'illiam  Davis  and  his  wife  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to 

the  poor  for  ever         -  -  -  -  _gooo 

1668,  John  Lewis  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  10     o     o 

Mr.  Thomas    Walter,  woollen-draper,  gave    4s.   in  bread 

weekly  to  the  poor  for  ever         -  -  -  1080 

Alderman  Arthur  Farmer  gave  40I.  the  profit  thereof  to  fix 

houfekeepers  for  ever  -  -  -  -         40     o     o 

Thomas  Farmer,  gentleman,  gave  50I.   the  profit   thereof 

in  bread  and  coal  to  the  poor  for  ever  -  -  50     o     o 

Second    Table. 

1668,  Abraham  Birkins  gave  40s.  yearly  to  the  poor  for  ever  40     o     o 

Mr.  William  Hobfon  the  elder,  merchant,  fome  time  flierifF 
of  this  city,  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  of  tliis 
parifh  by  10s.  a  quarter  for  ever        -  -  -  40     o     o 

Mrs.  Farmer,  relift  of  Mr.  Thomas  Farmer,  gentleman,  gave 

40I.  the  profit  whereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever  40     o     o 

1670,  Mr.  Charles  Powell,  fome  time  fherifF  of  this  city,  gave  20I. 

the  profit  whereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever  -  20     o     o 

1671,  Thomas  Geft,  ofExon,  tucker,  gave  lol.  the  profit  whereof 

to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever  -  -  -         1000 

Henry    Price,  gentleman,  gave    lool.    the   profit  whereof 

to  poor  houfekeepers  on  St.  Thomas-day  yearly  for  ever   100     o     o 

1672,  Henry  Dighton,  of  this  parifh,  brewer,  gave  5I.  per  annum 

to  buy  ten  coats  for  ten  poor  men  of  this  parifh  for  ever     100     o     o 

1673,  Mr.    Robert    Markham,  of   London,    gave    5I.    the  profit 

thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  on  St.  James's-day  yearly 

for  ever       -  -  -  -  -  -500 

Third   T  a  b  l  e. 

1678,  Mrs.   Mary  Walter,  widow,   gave   20I.  half  of  the    profit 

to  be  given  to  the  minificr  for  a  fcrmon  on  the  firfl 
Lord's-day  next  after  the  9th  day  of  November,  in  the 
afternoon  ;  and  the  other  half  of  the  profit  in  bread  to  the 
poor  for  ever        -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1679,  Captain  Gabriel  Deane,  of  this  parifh,  gave  30I.   the  profit 

to  the  poor  for  ever  -  -  -  _         30     o     o 

1679, 


/. 

s. 

d_ 

50 

0 

0 

lOO 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

30 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

[    395    ] 

1679,  Richard  Chriftmas,  of  this  parifh,  gave  50I.  the  profit   in 

bread  weekly  for  ever       -  _  -  - 

1680,  Mr.  Robert  Haines  and  Mrs.  Catherine  Large  gave  lool. 

to  the  poor        -  .  _  _  _ 

1681,  Ann  wife  of  Mr.  Thomas  Hornc,  gave  20I.  to  the  poor 
1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Holway  gave  30I.   the  profit  thereof  to    the 

poor  in  bread  for  ever  _  _  _  _ 

Timothy  Parker  gave  5I.  the  profit  for  ever 

» 

Fourth   Table. 

1685,  Mrs.  Catherine  Dighton  gave  50I.  the  profit  of  it    to  be 

given  to  ten  poor  widows  of  this  parifli  by  5s.   apiece 

yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1686,  Mr.  Samuel  Hale,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the   profit   thereof 

weekly  to  the  poor  in  bread;  and  alfo  the  intereft  of 

230I.  towards  the  apprenticing  of  poor  children  in  feven 

pariflies  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this  is  one  240     o     o 

1687,  Sir  William   Cann,    Knight    and  Baronet,    gave  lool.   to 

four  parifiies,  whereof  this  hath  a  quarter  part,  the  pro- 
fit thereof  to  be  diflributed  to  the  poor  the  8th  of  January 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  -25     00 

Mr.   Godfrey  Vanitternc  gave  20I.  the  profit  to  the  poor 

yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

Mr.  Anthony  ^^'ood,  fugar-bakcr,  gave  20I.   the  profit  to 

eight  poor  houfekeepers  on  the  2d  of  April  for  ever  20     o     o 

i6go,  Mr.  Edward  Tilly,  merchant,  gave  25I.  the  profit  thereof 
to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  in  bread  weekly 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  25     00 

F  I   F  T  ir    T  A  E  L  E. 

1688,  John   Lawford,   Efq;  fome  time  mavor  and  alderman    of 

this  city,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to  the 
poor  of  this  parifh  in  bread  weekly  for  ever  -  50     o     o 

1690,  Mr.  John  Sandfordjjunr.  gave  lol.  the  intcrcfl  to  be  diflributed 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  the  14th  of  February  for  ever       1000 
Mr.  John  England  gave  lol.  the  churchwardens  and  over- 
feers  being  intrufled  to  diflribute  the  profit  thereof  to 
fix  poor  widows,  not  receiving  alms,  on  St.  Thomas'- 
day  for  ever  -  -  -  -  1000 

B  B  B     2  1690, 


C   396   ] 

1690,  Samuel  Pofkins,  of  this  parifii,  mariner,  left  5I.  to  be  given      /.     5,     d. 

in  bread  to  the  poor,  which  was  diftributed. 
1703,  Mrs.  Mary  Bickham,  widow,  gave  lool.  the  profit  thereof 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  in  bread  every  Sundiy  for  ever  100     o     o 
1705,  Ifaac  Davis,  £fq;   fome  time  fheriff  of  this  city,  gave  lOol. 
the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  in 
bread  weekly  for  ever  -  -  -  -100     00 

1713,  The  gift  of  Mr.  Stephen  Chapman,  fenr.  20s.   per  annum 
to  the  minifter  of  this  parifh  and  his  fucccffors  for  ever 
to  preach  a  preparatory  fermon   to  the  facrament  upon 
Good  Friday,  and  another  20s.  to  be  diftributed  equally 
to  eight  poor  houfekeepers  not  receiving  alms,  but  fre- 
quenting public  prayers  and  the  facrament,  at  the  will 
of  the  executor,  on   the  20th  of  December  yearly  for 
ever        -  -  -  -  -  -  40     00 

1716,  Mr.  John    Lord,   junr.   of  this  city,  merchant,  gave    lol. 
the    iiucrcft   thereof  to   be  diftributed  in   bread   yearly 
to  fuch  poor  inhabitants   of  this  parifh   as  the   church- 
wardens fliall  think  fit  -  -  -  -  1000 

William  M'hittington,  late  of  Stapleton,  in  the  county  of 
Glocefler,  Efq;  deccafcd,  gave  to  this  parifli  lool.  to  be 
laid  out  in  purchafing  of  lands  in  fee,  which  he  fo 
fettled  as  the  yearly  rents  thereof  may  be  by  the  minif- 
ter and  churchwardens  difpofed  of  according  to  their 
difcretion  for  the  ufe  of  fuch  decayed  and  poor  inhabi- 
tants as  fhall  not  receive  other  alms  or  afTiftance  too  o  o 
1718,  Mrs.  Eflher  Paul  gave  to  the  poor  of  St.  James  in  Briflol 
5I.  tlie  profit  thereof  to  be  laid  out  in  bread,  and  dif- 
tributed on  St.  Paul's-day  yearly  -  -  500 
1722,  Thomas  Winftone,  Efq;  gave  lool.  the  intercfl  thereof 
to  be  laid  out  in  buying  of  fix  coats  for  fix  poor  men  not 
receiving  alms,  to  be  delivered  to  them  on  the  Sunday 
next  after  the  2 2d  day  of  November  yearly  for  ever           100     o     o 

Sixth   Table. 

17*5>  The   Rev.    Mr.    Stephen   Chapman,    deccafed,    gave   40s. 
yearly  to  this  parifli  for  ever,  whereof  20s.  to  the  minif- 
ter for  a  fermon   on  the  30th  of  January,  and  20s.  to 
fuch  poor  of  the  faid  parifh  who  attend  fuch  fermon  4000 

1718, 


[    397    ] 

J718,  Mr.    Michael  Pope,  a  difTciuiiig  mini/ler  of    this  parifii,      /.     s.     3. 
gave  50I.  the   intereft   thereof,  viz.  20s.  for  a  fermon 
on  the  Sunday  next  after  the  feafl  of  St.  Michael,  and  30s. 
in  bread  to  the  poor  the  week  following  yearly  for  ever         5000 

1724,  Mr.  John  Brittain  gave   20I.    the   intereft  thereof  to  the 

poor  in  bread  on  Chrillmas-day  yearly  for  ever  20     o     o 

1727,  Mrs.  Alice  James,  widow,  gave  40I.  the  intereft  thereof  to 
the  poor  not  receiving  alms,  whereof  20s.  to  two  poor 
widows  and  20s.  in  bread  on  Chriftmas-day  yearly  forever     40     o     o 

1730,  Mr.  John  Haythorne  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof,  viz.   20s. 

to  the  minifter  for  a  fermon  on  Chriftmas-day  in  the 
afternoon,  6s.  in  bread  to  the  poor,  and  4s.  to  the  clerk, 
and  fcxton  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  30     o     o 

1731,  Mr.  Charles  Weekes  gave  lool.   the  intereft  thereof  to  be 

laid  out  in  fix  gowns  to  be  given  to  fix  poor  women  on 
the  1  ft  of  November  yearly  for  ever  -  -  100     o     o 

Mrs.  Martha  Stephens  left  by  her  will,  dated  1726,  two 
meffuages  or  tenements,  the  profit  thereof  (after  the 
deceafe  of  her  hufljand  William  Stephens)  to  be  given 
to  ten  poor  widows  (not  receiving  alms)  yearly  for  ever. 

1720,  George  Packer,  of  this  city,  merchant,  left  by  will  33s.  3d. 
per  annum  to  this  parifli  for  ever,  whereof  21s.  to  the 
minifter  for  a  fermon  on  the  28th  of  January,  5s.  to  the 
organift,  5s.  to  the  clerk,    and  2s.  6d.  to  the  fexton  33   10     o 

1723,  Mrs.  Ann  Merrick  gave  200I.  the  intereft  thereof  to  be 
paid  the  minifter  for  reading  prayers  in  the  church  once 
every  day  for  ever  -  -  -  -  2  00     00 

1729,  Mr.  Ifaac  Hollicr,  of  Woolvcrhampton,  left  per  will  lol. 
the  intereft  thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifn  in  bread 
yearly  for  ever         -  -  -  -  -looo 

1734,  Mrs.  Jane  Edwards  gave  2il.  the  profit  to  augment  the  gift 
of  her  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  Walter,  viz.  10s.  6d.  to  the 
minifter,  and  los.  6d.  to  the  poor  in  bread  on  the  firft 
Sunday  after  the  gth  of  November  for  ever  -  2100 

1741,  Mr.  James  Jeancs,  merchant,  left  by  will  130I.  the  intereft 
thereof  to  be  laid  out  in  fix  coats  for  fix  poor  men,  and 
fix  gowns  for  fix  poor  women,  inhabitants  of  this  parifh 
at  Chriftmas  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -         130     o     o 

In 


[    398    J 

In  the  middle  aile  are  two  brafs  branches.  That  before  the  pulpit  has  engraven 
on  it  thus :  "  The  gift  of  Hugh  Cornini,  of  this  parifh,  houfe-carpenter,  the 
21  ft  of  December,  1706."  That  near  the  organ-loft  thus  :  "  Jofeph  Badger, 
churchwarden,  Thomas  Jones,  William  Barwick,  Jofeph  Hifcox,  Jofeph 
Hook,  fcnr.  Jofeph  Wood,  and  William  Prior,  gave  this  branch  to  St. 
James's  church,   September  14,   1697. 

\.  B.  The  is.  per  week  given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  by  Alderman 
Richard  Vickris,  and  the  fame  fum  per  week  to  Redcliff  and  Temple,  &c. 
in  all  lol.  8s.  come  out  per  annum  of  two  tenements  in  High-flreet. 

It  appears  from  the  rent  roll,  that  the  annual  rents  paid  for  houfes  in  hand 
and  lands  on  leafe  for  lives  paying  lord's  rent  belonging  to  this  parifh  church 
amounted  in  1743  to  190I.  16s.  6d.  per  annum,  and  are  probably  fince  by  the 
good  management  of  the  veffry  much  increafed.  There  are  alfo  certain  annui- 
ties or  yearly  gift  money  payable  out  of  eflates  fettled  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh, 
amounting  to  84I.  18s. 

YEARLY  GIFTS. 
The  gift  of  Thomas  Walter,  woolien-drapcr,  out  of  Hook's  Mills    /. 
eflate  -  _  .  _  _ 

Of  Mr.  Packer,  out  of  a  houfc  on  the   Quay,  near  the 

Fifli  Market     _  -  -  -  - 

Of  Mr.  Cox,  for  coal,  paid  by  the  chamber  of  Briflol 
Of  Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  by  Chrift  Church  veflry 
Of  Mr.  I~Icnry  Dighton,  in  coats 

Of  Mr.  Charles  Weeks,  in  gowns         _  _  _ 

Of  the  Chamber  of  Briftol,  fundry  gifts 
Of  Mr.  Thomas  Clements,  by  Mr.  Simkin,  1630 
Of  Mrs.  Boucher  and  Langton,  by  the  Merchants'-hall, 
as  feoffees,  to  poor  widows,  at  5s.  each,  about  Sol.  to 
all  the  pariflies,  of  which  this  has  a  part,  perhaps  about     500 
Of  jMr.  Birkin,  paid  by  the  churchwarden  of  St.  Maryport      i2      o     o 
Of  Alderman  Vickris  -  -  -  -  2120 

Of  St.  Peter's  Hofpital,  for  the  poor-houfe  in  Barr's-lane  10  14     o 
Of  the  trcafurer  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  Hofpital  400 

Of  Mr.    Stephen   Chapman,    fenr.    by   Job    Gardener's 

executors  _  _  _  _  _ 

Of  Mr.  Stephen  Chapman,  junr.  by  Mr.  Okey's  executors 
Of  Mr.  James  Tucker,  out  of  a  houfc  in  the  Pithay 
Of  Mr.  Winflone  .  _  -  - 


/. 

5. 

d. 

10 

8 

0 

3 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

10 

4 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0     0 

1 

0     0 

0 

10     0 

5 

0     0 

The 

C    399    3 

The  gift  of  Mrs.  Dighton,  in  fliifts     _  _  - 

Of  Mr.  \\'hitiington,  out  of  a  houfe  in  the  croft 
Of  Michael  Pope,  for  a  fermon,  &c. 
Of  Mr.  John  Haythorn,  in  bread  and  a  fermon 


2 

lo 

o 

9 

o 

o 

2 

lO 

o 

1 

lO 

o 

Z'  84   i8     o 


This  parifli  is  of  great  extent,  and  has  been  every  year  increafing  in  build- 
ings and  number  of  inhabitants,  which  has  occafioned  it  to  be  divided,  1788, 
into  tuo  pariflies,  and  another  church  foon  td  be  erefled  here  to  be  called 
St.  Paul's  :  fee  p.  85.  A  line  drawn  through  Merchant-flrcct,  Barr's-lane, 
Stoke's-croft,  and  up  through  Hillgrove-ftreet,  marks  the  divifion  of  the  two 
parifhes,  all  on  the  right  being  allotted  to  St.  Paul's.  In  1749  it  appears  the 
whole  parifh  confided  of  1347  houfes  rated  to  the  poor  at  733I.  per  annum, 
and  there  were  that  year  398  marriages,  400  chriftenings,  416  burials;  but 
in  1559  there  were  only  8  marriage.^,  10  chriftenings,  7  burials.  In  1709  the 
poor  rate  was  207I.  14s.  5d.  King's  tax  588I.  3s.  4d.  burials  100,  chriltenings 
100,  weddings  50.  But  now  in  the  year  1788  each  of  thefe  have  been  fo 
amazingly  increafed  by  the  new  ftreets  and  numerous  acceflion  of  inhabitants, 
as  almoft  to  exceed  belief,  and  the  rates  for  the  poor  have  rifen  in  proportion. 
From  the  25th  March,  1565,  to  the  13th  February  following,  188  perfons 
died  of  the  plague  in  this  parifli  ;  from  the  3d  July,  1575,  to  the  20th  Jan. 
following,  137  ;  from  the  20th  Auguft,  1603,  to  the  22d  March,  1603-4,  390; 
from  the  nth  April,   1645,  to  the  18th  February,   1645-6,  340  perfons. 

There  were  in  this  parifh  two  frieries  ;  one  houfe  of  Francifcan  or  grey 
friers,  another  of  Dominican  or  black  friers.  Wbilft  the  order  of  grey  friers 
(louriflied  the  cuftodv  of  Briftol  had  nine  convents  under  it,  and  each  fricry 
had  a  common  feal  ;  this  of  Briftol  had  St.  Anthony  of  Padua. 

It  was  the  head  convent  of  this  cuftody.  William  of  Worcefter,  1480, 
thus  defcribes  it:  —  "  Chorus  ecclefue,"  i.  c.  "  The  choir  of  the  church 
contains  in  length  28  yards  or  50  paces,  the  breadth  of  the  choir  9  yards  or 
18  paces,  the  length  of  the  nave  of  the  faid  church  wiih  the  two  great  ailes 
contains  28  yards  or  50  paces,  the  breadth  of  the  nave  with  the  two  ailes 
contains  27  yards  or  52  paces,  the  breadth  of  the  belfry  fquare  tower  contains 
4  yards  or  7  fpaces  ;  there  are  4  arches  in  the  north  nave  of  the  church,  and 
as  many  in  the  fouth."  Leland  fays,  "  The  grey  friers  houfe  was  on  tlie  right 
bank  of  the  f>ome  water,  not  far  from  Bartholomew's  hofpital."  And  that 
rightly  defcribes  its  fituation,  as  on  the  fame  fide  of  Lewin's-mcad  with  it,  and 
at  no  great  diftancc  from  it  ;  the  Prelbyterian   mccting-houfc  and  the  large 

fugar-houfe 


C  400  ] 

fiigar-hoiifc  next  it  arc  built  upon  its  fitc,  and  not  a  trace  of  it  now  is  to  be 
fecii,  tliough  once  a  large  grand  and  noble  building,  being  one  of  the  capital 
cunodics  of  Francifcans  in  the  kingdom.  Bifhop  Tanner  notes  it,  and  refers 
to  fonie  old  deeds  concerning  it. 

In  an  old  deed  penes  me  Spencer's  almflioufe  flill  in  being  is  defcribed  as 
dIreQIy  oppofite  the  houfe  of  the  grey  friers,  which  points  out  the  fite  of  it 
as  above  given. 

In  the  year  1334  in  the  church  of  the  friers  minors,  Briflol,  were  ordained 
by  the  Bifliop  of  Worcefler  171  accolites,  150  fub-deacons,  39  deacons,  and 
73  priefts.  Before  the  diocefe  of  Glocefter  and  Brillol  were  taken  out  of 
Worcefler  the  Bifliop  had  very  numerous  ordinations. 

1485,  Brother  John  Whitfield  was  cuflos  of  the  cuftody  of  grey  friers, 
Briftol. 

This  fricry  was  founded  before  the  year  1234,  and  after  its  difTolution 
King  Henry  8th.  granted  the  fite  of  it  to  the  mayor  and  citizens  of  Briftol  for 
public  ufes:   fee  p.  134. 

The  black  or  Dominican  friers,  called  alfo  friers  preachers  from  their  office, 
was  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Froom  river,  according  to  Leland,  founded  by 
Maurice  de  Gaunt,  uncle  to  Robert  dc  Gourney,  fo  that  this  houfe  mufl  have 
been  founded  as  early  as  1228  or  1229.  I  refer  to  Tanner  for  the  ancient 
deeds  concerning  it;  though  few  of  the  houfes  of  the  friers  were  ever  endowed, 
yet  many  of  them  were  large  and  (lately  buildings  and  had  noble  churches, 
in  which  great  men  often  chofe  to  be  buried,  which  brought  great  honour  and 
profit  by  legacies  to  them  :  a  curious  grave  flone  was  dug  up  here  with  a  very 
old  date  to  it  by  the  workmen  in  making  foundations  for  building  here  in  the 
year  1748  :  fee  the  engraved  print.  This  church  bv  the  ruins  of  it  appeared 
to  be  of  large  extent,  and  muR  have  been  a  magnificent  pile  of  building.  It 
extended  from  the  Were  on  one  fide  towards  Rofemary-lane  on  the  other ; 
one  part  of  the  cloifter  is  turned  into  a  hall  for  the  fmiths  company,  and  ano- 
part  for  that  of  the  bakers ;  and  the  Quakers  meeting-houfe  together  with 
the  burial  ground  and  other  buildings  are  upon  the  fite  of  this  fricrv.  The 
infcription  on  the  engraved  plate  is  as  follows  : 
X  RENNALD  Golde:  GiQ  :   Ici 

Dev  :  [efiu]  De  Sa  Alme.  E G MCC  J. 

In  *  1321,  Nicholas  Saltford  was  prior  of  this  friery. 

In 

*  14  Ritliard  2d.  1 6th  June,  the  mayor,  &c.  made  a  compofuion  with  Nicholas  Sahfuid 
prior  of  the  friers  preachers  (near  the  Were),  whereby  he  granted  the  prior  a  feather  of  water, 
out  of  the  pipe  and  conveyance  that  runs  by  the  Barrs,  and   had  its  liead  near  the  chapel  mill ; 


anH'y\wr>-^'\' 


b M  a  I 


/ 


[       101       ] 

In  153O'  Jo'i"  Hilfey,  the  black  frier,  of  Briftol,  was  made  Bifliop  of 
Rochefter,  and  was  the  66th  bifliop  :  he  enjoyed  it  but  three  years.  Stow. 
William  of  Worceller  fays,  p.  233.  *•"  The  length  of  the  choir  of  the  church 
of  friers  preachers  contains  26  yards  or  44  paces,  the  breadth  of  the  choir 
8  yards  or  14  paces,  the  length  of  the  nave  of  the  church  31  yards  or  58 
paces,  its  breadth  21  yards  or  34  paces,  the  cloiftcr  40  paces  on  all  4  fides. — 
Maurice  de  Berkeley,  Lord  of  Beverflone  caftlc,  died  5ih  May,  1466,  and 
it  appears  was  buried  here,  as  were  (by  the  martyrology  calendar  of  thefe 
friers)  John  \"iel,  Efq;  firft  flierifF  of  Briflol,  who  died  gth  March,  Walter 
Frampton,  who  died  2d  January,  Richard  Spicer,  id  June,  Matthew  dc  Gur- 
nay,  one  of  the  founders  of  this  houfe  of  friers,  28th  Auguft,  Lady  Maud 
De]i)'s,  Otlober,  1422,  Sir  William  Daubeny,  Knight,  who  lies  in  the  choir: 
the  heart  of  Robert  de  Gurnay  is  buried  in  this  church,  Anfelm  de  Gurney 
lies  in  the  choir,  who  died  15th  November." 

The  fitc  of  this  fpacious  friery  was  granted,  31(1  Henry  8th.  1539,  ^^ 
William  Chefter,  Efq; 

Within  this  parifli  are  feven  almfhoufes  and  an  Infirmary,  which  have  fuc- 
ceeded  the  two  fricries,  the  Francifcan  and  the  Dominican  here,  to  the  much 
greater  advantage  of  the  public,  and  more  elfential  good  of  individuals.  In 
Lewin's-mead  an  almflioufe  was  founded  about  the  year  1493,  (dedicated  it 
is  faid  to  the  Holy  Trinity)  for  thirteen  perfons,  by  William  Spencer,  exe- 
cutor to  the  will  of  William  Canynges,  deceafed,  out  of  the  refiduary  goods 
and  eftatc  of  the  faid  Canynges,  and  by  his  direflion.  He  alfo  appointed, 
8th  Henry  7th.  67I.  6s.  8d.  to  be  lent  to  the  bailiffs  of  the  town  for  the  time 
being,  and  20I.  to  the  mayor,  they  paving  weekly  2s,  to  the  priefl  (or  chap- 
lain) of  St.  George's  chapel  on  every  Saturday,  who  fhould  immediately  dif- 
tribute  the  fame  to  the  poor  of  this  almflioufe,  which  Mr.  Spencer  had  built. 
(V^ide  Great  Red  Book  penes  camerar.  Briflol,  f.  317.  and  Book  of  Wills.) 
At  prefent  this  almfhoufe  is  much  out  of  repair  and  negle6lcd.  The  rooms 
are  upon  the  ground  floor,  low,  and  damp.  Mr.  Thomas  Brookes,  mayor, 
1526,  gave  a  tenement  in  Tucker-flrect  (called  the  Salmon)  of  61.  per  ann. 
for  ever  to   this  houfe  :   it  is  faid  he   charged  all   his  lands  in  Briflol  to  pay 

C  c  c  the 

and  the  water  of  the  fountain  near  the  faid  current  by  the  conduit  of  the  town  ufq;  ad  Ic  Key 
pipe  to  be  repaired  by  the  mayor,  and  brought  into  a  barrel  covered  with  an  arch  for  their  ufc  : 
and  on  that  condition  the  prior  granted  to  the  mayor  his  fountain  called  Pennywell,  and  the 
conduit  leading  from  it  to  the  garden  of  the  faid  friers,  paying  yearly  to  the  prior  of  St,  James 
lad.— Page  178.  Great  Red  Book.  In  the  deeds  referred  to  by  Tanner  are,  pat.  51.  Edward  3. 
m.  36.  de  fontc  vocat.  Pennywell,  p.  J5.  Richard  2.  m.  25.  pro  conduftu  aqux  facicndo  a  fonte 
vocat,  Pennywell,  19  Richard  2.  pro  mcdictate  prifarum  pifcium  rcgi. 

I 


[      402       ] 

the  annuity  of  61.  But  their  chief  fubfiftence  now  is  from  weekly  pay  of  the 
poor  from  St.  Peter's  Hofpital.  Alice  Cole,  reliB  of  Alderman  Richard 
Cole,  by  her  will,  dated  1604,  gave  to  thefe  poor  people  6s.  8d.  per  month 
for  ever;  it  is  paid  by  the  treafurer  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital.  The 
churchwardens  of  All  Saints  parilh  for  the  time  being  pay  them  2s.  6d,  per 
quarter,  as  the  gift  of  Alderman  Cole,  (fee  his  will  )  Thomas  Silk  gave  them 
il.  per  annum.  The  fite  of  this  almflioufe  is  defcribed  in  old  deeds  (penes 
me)  to  be  oppofite  the  houfe  of  the  grey  friers,  next  Point-makers-hall,  ex- 
tending from  Lewin's-mead  into  the  water  of  Froom  backwards,  and  over 
againil  the  diflblved  houfe  of  the  grey  friers.  It  was  granted  the  i3ih  of 
January,  18th  Elizabeth,  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty,  at  is.  rent  annually. 

Another  almflioufe  on  St.  }ames's-back  is  faid  to  be  built  by  William 
Chefler,  Efq;  mayor,  in  his  life  time  for  fix  perfons.  By  his  will,  dated 
1558,  he  gave  6d.  per  week  among  them  for  ever,  iffuing  out  of  his  lands 
called  the  Black  Friers,  within  this  parifii.  Ann  Colfton  (1602)  gave  4!.  per 
annum  to  this  almflioufe.  In  the  year  1557  Mr.  Philip  Griffith  gave  to 
thefe  poor  alms  perfons  20s.  per  annum,  as  did  (in  the  year  1582)  Thomas 
Chefler,  fon  of  William  Chefler,  4s.  per  annum.  In  1599  Alderman  Richard 
Cole  by  will  gave  them  4I.  per  annum,  alfo  Alice  his  relift  in  1604  gave  by 
will  6s.  8d.  per  month  for  ever.  William  Carr,  1547,  gave  il.  is.  4d. 
yearly  conditionally. 

In  a  lane  called  the  Barr's  is  alfo  another  houfe  for  twelve  poor  perfons  to 
inhabit,  which  was  purchafed  with  the  poor's  money,  in  the  year  1693,  by  the 
feoffees  of  the  parifli,  and  rebuilt  in  1752. 

On  the  wefl  fide  of  Merchant-flreet  is  an  almfhoufe,  built  A.  D.  1701,  by 
the  Worfliipful  Company  of  Merchant  Taylors  of  this  city,  where  are  nine 
rooms  for  the  reception  of  poor  men,  members  of  that  company,  their  wives, 
and  widows.  Their  weekly  pay  from  the  Company  is  3s.  each.  On  every 
faint's  day,  and  on  every  Wednefday  and  Friday  throughout  the  year,  are  to 
be  read  there  the  morning  prayers  of  the  Church  of  England. 

On  the  fouth  fide  of  Stoke's-croft  was  built  an  almfhoufe  in  that  memorable 
time  of  the  South  Sea  bubbles,  A.  D.  1722,  by  Mr.  Abraham  Hook,  mer- 
chant ;  his  intention  was  to  have  endowed  it  for  poor  Proteftant  Diff'enters, 
but  his  defign  never  took  place.  At  prefent  there  are  twelve  rooms  for  the 
reception  of  poor  decayed  women,  who  are  placed  in  by  the  truflees  of  the 
Prefhyterian  congregation  in  Lewin's-mead,  who  purchafed  this  houfe. — 
They  live  rent  free,  but  have  no  weekly  pay.  Here  is  alfo  an  uncertain 
number  of  poor  boys  educated  in  reading  and  writing  gratis,  but  their  fupport 
is  from  their  parents.  At, 


[     403     ] 

At  the  nortli-eaft  end  of  Milk-ftrcct  is  a  fniall  tenement  wlicrc  five 
poor  women,  maidens  or  widows,  being  Eaplills,  live  rent  free.  Their 
weekly  pay  was  is.  6d.  each.  This  houfe  was  given  and  endowed  by  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Blanchard,  who  had  never  been  married.     She  died  about  1722. 

In  the  year  1740  a  neat  hofpital  was  built  of  freeftonc  at  the  fouth-wefl  cor- 
ner of  Milk-ftreet,  (having  over  the  door  thefe  words  :  "  In  memory  of  Mr. 
Thomas  Ridley  and  Sarah  Ridley,  being  brother  and  fider  never  married,  ercfled 
A.  D.  1739.)  In  purfuance  of  Mrs.  Ridley's  will,  dated  1716,  her  truftees 
with  150I.  ariGng  from  the  intcrefl  of  2200I.  which  fhe  had  given,  purchafed 
in  the  year  1735  a  piece  of  ground  in  fee  farm  for  this  building.  This  hofpi- 
tal is  for  the  fupport  of  five  old  batchelors,  and  the  like  number  of  old  maids, 
being  Proteflants,  to  inhabit  there  during  life  or  till  they  fliall  marry.  In 
the  year  1742,  the  men  and  women  were  admitted  into  pay  at  3s.  each  per 
week.  StandfaR  Smith,  apothecary,  by  will,  gave  thefe  alms  people  all  a  fait 
of  cloathes  each  at  his  death,  and  lol.  per  annum  for  their  better  fupport 
during  the  life  of  Hannah  Powles,  his  fcrvant-maid. 

The  Infirmary,  the  next  charitable  inftitution  in  this  parifli,  was  firfl  thought 
of  in  the  year  1736,  and  in  November  that  year  a  fubfcription  was  opened  for 
erefting  it  ;  and  in  December  the  firR  general  meeting  of  the  fubfcribers  was 
held,  at  which  fome   general  rules  were  offered  for  the  well  governing  fuch  a 
fociety,  which  at  feveral   fucceflive  meetings  received  alterations  and  addi- 
tions.    Certain  buildings  and  ground  in  lower  Magdalen-lane   in  this  parifli 
being  judged  a  proper  place  for  it  were  purchafed  on  a  leafe  of  999  years  of 
Mr.  A.  Sharpe  of  Dublin,  the  ground  rent  being  2  il.  per  annum,  and  another 
ground  rent  of  2I.  16s.  per  annum.     In  1737,  20th  June,  it  was  opened  for 
the    reception   of  out-patients,    and  the    15th    December  following  for  in- 
patients,    Perfons  of  all  parties  and  perfuafions  joined  in  this  public  charity, 
defigned  tobe,  what  the  title  over  the  entrance  expreffes.  Charity  U.niversai, 
and  calculated  for  the  relief  of  the  human  fpecies  without  diftinttion.     Though 
it  was  capable  at  firft  of  holding  only  34  beds,  yet  as  the  fchemc  by  voluntary 
fubfcriptions   had  then   never    been  tried   out  of  London,  there  would  have 
been  great  reafon  of  doubting  its  fuccefs,  had  not  Mr.  Elbridgc,  comptroller 
of  the  cufloms  here,  undertaken  it  almofl  under  his  fingle  diretlion  and  at  his 
own  expence.     He  lived  long  enough  to  fee  himfclf  its  great  and  general  ufe, 
and  having  laid  out  in  his  life  time  in  the  building  and  furniture,  &c.    at 
leafl  1500I.   he  left  at  his  death  in  1738  the  fum  of  5000I.  to  it.     From  the 
year  1738  to  the  year  1756,  11532  in-patients  were  admitted  and  22343  out- 
patients.    How  much  it  has  fincc  improved   by  additional  benefadions,  the 

C  c  c  2-  annual 


[    404     ] 


annual  accounts  publifhed  by  the  fociety  fufficiently  ftiew,  and  the    tabic   of 
bcncfaftors,  aniongd  whom  the  following  (hould  be  recorded: 
1742,  The  Corporation  of  this  city,  during  pleafure,  per  ann. 

The  Society  of  Merchants,  ditto  _  _  _ 

1745,  The  Right  Hon.  Thomas  Earl  of  Thanet 
1751,  A  friend  of  Paul  Fiflier  _  -  - 

Richard  Percival,  Efq;  _  _  _ 

1757,  Onef.  Tyndall,  Efq;  -  -  -  - 

1761,  Martha  Payne  -  -  -  - 

1767,  John  Heylin,  Efq;  .  -  - 

1771,  Mary  Innys  .  _  .  - 

1772,  Right  Hon.  Thomas  Earl  of  Thanet 
1774,  Right  Hon.  Lord  Berkeley  of  Stratton,  in  the  3  per  cent. 

confols.  annuities  .  _  .  _ 

Peter  Wilder  _  -  -  - 

John  Scandrett  .  _  _  - 

1777,  Mary  Ann  Peloquin  _  _  _ 

1781,  William  Miller,  Efq;  by  his  executors 

1782,  Ann  Hort  _  _  -  - 
1786,   Elizabeth  Bridgeman,  New  South  Sea  annuities 
1788,  William  Turner,  of  Wraxal,  Efq;         _              _  _ 

From  the  year  1738  to  1788  (fifty  years)  the  money  given  to  this  charity  in 
particular  funis  at  different  times  (by  benefaftors  living  or  at  their  death  by 
will,  and  coUeQcd  at  places  of  public  worfliip  occafionally)  amounts  to  the 
fum  of  45550I.  and  upwards,  befides  the  yearly  contributions  and  the  fup- 
port  it  receives  from  the  annual  fubfcribers,  citizens  and  neighbouring 
gentlemen. 

In  the  year  1787  it  was  rcfolved  to  rebuild  this  Infirmary  upon  a  larger 
fcale  upon  the  fame  fpot.  In  1788  one  wing  was  compleated,  the  apartments 
are  more  fpacious  and  lofty  for  free  air,  fo  necelfary  to  prevent  infeftion  and 
diffipate  the  noxious  effluvia  from  the  difcafcd  crouded  together.  It  will  be 
a  noble  well-contrived  building  when  finifhed,  though  it  will  be  very  expcnfivc 
and  break  in  upon  the  capital  fund  of  fupport. 

There  are  alfo  in  this  parifli  at  prefent  one  Roman  Catholic  chapel  on  St. 
Jamcs's-back,  feven  meeting-houfes  of  Proteflant  Diffenters,  one  of  Ana- 
baptifts  in  Broadmcad,  one  of  Independents  in  Callowhill-dreet,  one  Taber- 
nacle of  Methodifts  under  the  rule  of  the  late  Mr.  Whitcfield's  preachers, 
one  of  McthodiUs   in  the  Horfe-fair  under  the   rule   of  Mr.  Wcdey,  one  of 

Moravians 


/. 

s. 

d. 

30 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

1000 

0 

0 

3000 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

1000 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

1000 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

5000 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

1000 

0 

0 

1000 

0 

0 

[     405     ] 

Moravians  in  Magdalen-lane,  one  of  Quakers  in  Rofemary-lanc,  and  one  of 
Prefbyterians  in  Lewin's-mead.  The  two  left  occupy  the  very  fpot  and  fite 
of  the  two  frierics,  the  Dominican  and  Francifcan  of  old.  The  Quakers 
meeting-houfe  is  a  neat,  fpacious  building,  in  a  quiet,  retired  (ituation  ;  and 
the  meeting-houfe  in  Lewin's-mcad  is  now  rebuilding. 


CHAP.      xir. 


Of  the   CHURCH  and  PARISH  of  St.  AUGUSTINE   the  LESS, 
and  the  CARMELITE  FRIERY,  its  Site,  &c. 


*"  I  ^HIS  Church  was  firft  founded  by  the  abbots  of  St.  Auguftin's  monaftery 
-*-  near  it,  as  a  chapel  for  the  accommodation  of  the  inhabitants,  who  had 
eretled  houfes  and  lived  without  the  claufum  or  precin6ls  of  the  convent.  It 
had  therefore  a  very  early  origin,  probably  foon  after  the  ere£lion  of  the 
monaftery.     It  is  mentioned  in  Gaunt's  deeds  in  the  year  1240. 

But  in  the  year  1480  it  was  fo  far  decayed  as  to  require  to  be  rebuilt  and 
much  enlarged.  Under  that  year  William  of  Worcefter,  p.  229,  thus 
defcribes  it,  EccleQa  Parochialis,  &c.  2.  e.  "The  parifh  church  of  St.  Auguftin 
newly  built  and  ere61ed  this  year  1480,  contains  in  length  with  the  two  ailes 
excepting  the  choir  24  yards.  The  breadtii  of  the  faid  church  contains  6 
yards  or  18  feet,  and  each  aile  contains  in  breadth  4  yards  or  12  feet ;  in  the 
whole  the  breadth  is  42  feet,  as  told  me  by  a  parifhioner.  The  length  of  the 
chancel  when  built  will  contain  10  yards." 

To  enlarge  the  church  the  ailes  have  been  lengthened  very  confidcrably  at 
their  Eaft  end  not  many  years  ago,  but  after  all  it  was  found  very  infulficient 
for  the  parifliioners,  many  new  ftreets  being  built  in  this  healthy  and  pleafant 
part  of  the  city.  Two  large  fide  galleries  were  therefore  creeled  of  late,  and 
an  organ  placed  in  front  at  the  well  end,  the  gift  of  Henry  Crugcr  Efq;  of 
this  parifh,  member  for  the  city.  Over  the  chancel  on  the  knots  of  the  fret 
are  thefe  two  coats — a  heart  pierced  with  3  nails,  with  J  N — •  for  John 
Newland,  alias  Nailhcart  —  the  other,  in  chief  two  mullets  pierced,  for  the 
abbot  Elliot,  —  both  were  great   builders  and    have    placed  their  arms  in  the 

glafs 


[    4o5    ] 

glafs  windows  of  this  chancel,  and  the  prebendal  houfes  as  well  as  in  the 
cathedral  — they  probably  contributed  towards  the  building  or  repairing  of 
this  church. 

It  is  a  plain  fabric,  has  three  long  ailes  M'ith  a  chancel,  and  is  neatly  pewed; 
has  a  tower  built  by  contributions  of  the  parifliioners  with  four  pinnacles  at 
the  weft  end  with  two  bells :  it  is  large  enough  now  conveniently  to  hold  the 
numerous  congregation  of  this  well-inhabited  parifh  :  the  church  is  well 
fituated  on  the  fide  of  the  College-Green  in  the  middle  of  a  fpacious  church- 
yard walled  in. 

The  following  have  been  VICARS  of  this  church  of  St.  Auguftin  the  Lefs. 
Patrons. 

Abbot  and  convent       1249  William ,  vicar. 

of  St.  Auguflin's.       1291    18  Jan.     Serlo  de  Steynenton. 
1302  Walter  Battayle. 

1311   6  July       Peter  Tredington. 
1348  7  Nov.      John  Besford. 
1361   29  April   Thomas  Janekin  or  Jackfon. 
1365  8  Feb.      Richard  Cobyngton — Rich.  Barnen)v 
1369   18  Oft.    John  Rovyare. 
John  Cook. 

1372  25  Dec.    William  Cote. 

1373  John  Rovyare. 
1391                    John  Balle. 

1416  8  March  William  Chew — by  death  of  Ballc. 
1464  26  Nov.    John  Frewen — by  death  of  Chew. 
1469  3  March   Richard  Faunt— by  death  of  Frewen. 

1471  22  June    Hugh  Lewys,  alias  Martyn — by  death 

of  Faunt. 

1472  31  July     Philip  King — by  refignation  of  Lewis. 

Walter  Morrys. 

John  GrylFyth. 

Edm.  Smallwood — by  death  of  Gryffyth. 

William  Wyett  — by  death  of  Smallwood. 

Henry  Collins. 

Walter  Ivye,  vie. 

William  Robinfon. 

Clement  Lewis. 

Robert  Watfon,  miniller. 

Patrons 


1488 

5  0cl. 

1506 

4  Dec. 

1514 

29  Nov 

Dean  and 

Chapter 

1541 

of  Bri 

ftol. 

1546 

1594 
1604 

161a 

Patrons. 

Dean  and    Chapter 

1632 

ofBriilol. 

1660 

[  407   ] 

Jacob  Read — died  Sept.  10. 

James  Read. 

Mr,  Wootton,  vicar  and  mafler  of  the 
grammar-fchool. 
1728  James  Taylor  M.  A. — died  14  Aug.  1734. 

1734  Jo'i"  Sutton. 

1745  J.  Cafberd,  D.  D. 


It  is  remarkable  that  this  church  of  St.  Auguftin  the  Lefs  is  not  valued 
in  the  Lincoln  manufcript  1291,  but  is  wholly  omitted,  perhaps  it  was  included 
under  the  cathedral.     It  was  fcqucRered  1  Edw.  6.  fee  p.  63. 

In  1394  Joan  Seys  gave  to  the  proftor  of  this  parifh  an  eOatc  to  have  a 
chaplain  to  celebrate  divine  offices  for  the  foul  of  herfelf  and  mother. — In 
1405  William  Folkynham  gave  lol.  to  the  fabric  and  feveral  tenements  to  the 
mayor  &c,  to  have  his  obiit  celebrated  here  yearly  by  two  chaplains. 

The  monuments  in  this  church  are  few.— On  the  fouth  wall  a  monument 
with  this:  M.  S.  Elizabethae  (fub  marmoriolo  juxta  pofita?J  Johan.  Goddard 
arm.  dileftiffimae  uxoris  quae  obiit  29  Oft.  1705. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  chancel  on  a  white  marble  ftone :  H.  S.  E.  Maria 
conjux — Prichard  Gen.  Chariffima  cum  6  natis,  quibus  hoc  pofuit  maerens 
pater — Maritus  obiit  8.  mater  4  Maii  (92). 

On  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  is  a  monument  and  infcription  to  Robert 
Cecil  fon  of  the  Hon.  Robert  Cecil,  brother  to  the  late  James  Earl  of  Salifbury  $ 
he  died  30  Jan.  1707,  aged  17.  Arms,  Barry  of  ten  arg.  and  azure  on  6 
fhields  fable,  a  lion  of  the  firft  on  each. 

Near  the  veflry  door :  H.  S.  E.  Robertus  Bafkcrville  M.  D.  natus  33 
annos. — Obiit  6  Julii  A.  D.  1700. 

Round  a  (lone  thus  :  "  Nathaniel  Pownel  Regiftrar  of  the  Diocefeof  Bridol 
and  Dorfet,  deceafed  28  March  1611." — He  was  alfo  reftor  of  Wraxal  in  the 
county  of  Somerfet,  and  built  the  parfonage  houfe  there — the  following  is  the 
infcription  : 

In  memoriam  viri  optimi  prudcntiffimi 
Mariti  fui  dilcflifTimi  Nathaiiiclis  Powncil 
Diocef:  Briftol  &:  Dorfet.  Regiftrarii  — 
Vix  natos  luxi,  cum  mors  ingrata  mariti 

Me  jubet  in  Lachrymas  protinus  ire  novas. 
Oh  !  bis  bina  mihi  fcrvet  tua  pignora  Chriflus, 
Parte  aliqua  fine  te  fic  fruar  ipfe  tui. 
Prifcilla  Powncil  uxor  lugcns  pofuit.  On 


[     4o8     ] 

Arms,  a  chevron  between  3  lions  g.  quartered,  with  a  crofs  fleury  between 

4  cfcalops. 

Near  this  is,  "  Robert  Watfon  niinifler,  deceafed  10  Sept.  1612." — Alfo  a 
handfome  monuinent  to   Sir  William  Daines,  with  a  long  epitaph,  who  died 

5  Sept.  1724,  aged   68;  and   to    Sir  Hugh  Owen,  who  died  13  Jan.    1698, 
aged  53- 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  ot"  St.  Auguftin's  Parifli. 

1594,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchen,   fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of      /.     5.     d. 
this  city,  gave  to  poor  houfe-holders  of  this  parifli  for 
three  quarters  of  a  year  10s.  per  quarter  forever  30     o     o 

1639,  Mr.   George  Harrington,  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman 

of  this  city,  gave  the  like  gift  as  above  -  -         30     o     o 

1661,  Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  fome  time  flierifF,  gave  10s.  a  quarter 

to  a  poor  houfe-holder  for  ever  -  -  40     o     o 

1659,  Mr.  Daniel  \''ivers  gave   lol.   the  profit  yearly   thereof  to 

two  poor  houfekeepers  not  receiving  alms  for  ever  1000 

1665,  Mr.  James  Read,  vicar  of  this  parifli,  gave  lol.  to  remain 
to  raife  10s.  per  annum,  to  be  given  to  ten  poor  people 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  1000 

1668,  Thomas  Farmer,  gentlemen,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof 
to  be  given  unto  poor  houfekeepers  of  this  parifli  at  St. 
Thomas-day  yearly  for  ever  in  coal  or  bread  -  50     o     o 

1672,  Henry  Price,  gentleman,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be 
given  unto  poor  houfekeepers  of  this  parifli  at  St.  Tho- 
mas-day yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  20  o  o 
Mr.  John  Haynian,  of  this  parifli,  merchant,  gave  22I.  the 
profit  thereof  to  be  diflributed  in  bread  to  the  poor 
weekly  for  ever                 -             -             -             -              2200 

1676,  Captain  John  Martin,  of  London,  born  in  this  parifh, 
gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  diflributed  weekly  to 
the  poor  in  bread  for  ever  -  -  -         50     o     o 

Mrs.  Mary  Boucher,  and  her  dauglner,  Mrs.  Joan  Lang- 
ton,  widow,  gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  los.  apiece 
to  fifty-two  poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of 
which  this  parifli  hath  a  proportion. 

1684,  Mr.  John  Read,  linen-draper,  of  St.  Nicholas  parifli,  gave 
20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  diflributed  to  the  poor  of 
this  parifli  weekly  for  ever  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1685, 


C  409  ] 

1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Hollway,  of  this  city,   merchant,  gave    15I.       /,     s.    d. 
the  profit  thereof  weekly  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this 
parifh  for  ever         -  -  _  _  -1500 

1689,  Sarah  the  wife  of  Thomas  Langton,  Efq;  and  daughter  of 
Sir  William  Hayman,  Knight,  gave  looi.  the  profit 
to  be  diftribiited  upon  Chridmas-day  to  ten  poor  widows 
of  this  parifli,  not  receiving  alms,   forever  -  100     o     o 

1701,  Mary   Bickham,  widow,  gave    lool.    the  profit   thereof  to 

the  poor  of  this  parifli  in^  bread  every  Sunday  for  ever       100     o     o 

1702,  Sir  William  Hayman,  Knight,  gave  4].  yearly  for  ever,  to 

be  diflributcd  equally  between  eight  poor  widows  of  this 
parifli,  not  receiving  weekly  alms,  on  Chriftmas-day 
yearly ;  alfo  20s.  for  preaching  a  fermon  yearly  for 
ever  on  Chriftmas-dav  in  the  morning:  thefe  monies 
together  with  Mrs.  Sarah  Langton's  gift  arc  payable  out 
of  a  houfe  in  Horfe-flreet  -  -  -         100     o     o 

1706,  Mr.  Thomas  Beames,  of  London,  gave  the  inheritance  of 
lands,  in  the  parifli  of  Shepton,  in  Somerfetfliire,  which 
now  yield  3I.  yearly  rent  clear  of  taxes,  the  profit  to  be 
diflributed  in  this  church  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  in 
good  bread  and  cheefc  on  the  firfl  Sunday  in  every 
month  for  ever  -  -  -  60     o     o 

170S,  Sir  William  Clutterbuck,  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman 
of  this  city,  gave  to  this  church  a  gilt  plate,  weighing 
28  ounces,  to  be  ufed  at  adminiflration  of  the  facrament 
of  the  bread,  and  alfo  40I.  in  money,  the  profit  thereof 
to  be  given  in  the  church  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  in  bread 
upon  every  Lord's-day  for  ever      -  -  -  5000 

1710,  Mr.  George  Rogers,  of  Cork,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever  -  -  1000 

1714,  AVilliam  Swymmer,  Efq;  alderman,  gave   lool.   the   profit 

thereof  to  be  diflributed  yearly  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh 

in  cloathing  on  All  Saints-day  for  ever  -  100     o     o 

1715,  Thomas  Cole,  Efq;   born  in  this  parifli,  gave  30I.  the  pro- 

fit thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever  -  30     o     o 

1716,  Mrs.  Sarah  Colwell,    of  this   parifli,    gave  to  the  church- 

wardens 20I.  the  interefl  thereof  to  be  paid  to  the  fup- 
port  of  the  charity-fchool  yearly,  and  in  failure  of  fuch 
fchool,  to  fuch  poor  widows  as  they  or  their  fucceffors 
fhall  think  fit  -  -  -  _  20     o     o 

Dun  1718, 


[     410     ] 

1718,  Mr.  Samuel  Hartnell,  of  this  parifli,  gave  the  inheritance        /.     s.     d. 
of  lands  in  the  parifli  of  Henbury,  in  Gloceftcrlhire,  now 
lettat  33I.  per  annum,  to  put  three  poor  boys  in  Queen 
Elizabeth's  Hofpital  for  ever,  two  of  which  are  to  be  out 
of  this  parifli  _  _  _  _  -  660     o     o 

Mrs.  Ann  Hartnell,  his  widow,  gave  50I.  the  profit  to  five 
poor  widows,  not  receiving  alms,  of  this  parifli,  on 
Michaelmas-day  for  ever  -  -  -  -      50     o     o 

1722,  July  30,  John  Romfey,  Efq;  late  town  clerk   of  this  city, 

gave  20I.   the  yearly  profit  of  which  is  to  be  diflributed 
to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  -  -  -  20     o     o 

Captain  John  Williams,  of  Caldy  ifland,  in  the  county  of 
Pembroke,  gave  lol.  the  profit  in  bread  to  the  poor  on 
the  25th  of  Augufl  forever  -  -  -  lo     o     o 

1723,  Mr.  Robert  Naylor,  of  this  parifli,  gave  the   fum   of  40s. 

per  annum  to   be  paid  unto  four  poor  houfe-holders  of 
this    parifh,  not   receiving  alms,  on   Chrillmas-day   for 
ever,  as  the  miniflcr  and  churchwardens  fhall  think  fit:     40     o     o 
Mr.  Charles    Ansforde,  of  St.   Stephen's  parifh,  gave  25I. 
the  profit   thereof    to  five  poor  houfekeepers   of   this 
parifh,  not  receiving  alms,  on  the  loth  of  June  for  ever     25     o     o 
1722,  Anthony  Swymmer,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman 
of  this  city,  received  from  the  churchwardens  and  veflry 
of  this  parifh  290I.  *  (as  will  appear  by  the  veflry-book) 
with  an  intent  to  put  more  to  it  and  build  a  houfe.     He 
dying  foon  after,  his  brother  Mr.  William  Swymmer  and 
executor,  knowing  his  promile,  gave  the  fouth  corner 
houfe   in  Orchard-ftreet,    nearefl   to   the  city   hofpital 
and  joining  to  Alderman  Beecher's,  to  the  poor  of  this 
parifh  for  ever,  and  the  rents  thereof  to  be  diflributed 
as  the  minifler  and  churchwardens  for  the  time  being 
fhall  think  fit ;   it  is  let  now  for  32).  a  year  on  a  Icafe 
for  feven  years     -  -  -  -  -31000 

1726 
*  Viz.  Sir  William  Clutterbuck's  gift  for  -  -  .         40 1. 

Mrs.  Mary  Bickham's  gift  for  ...  ,00 

William  Swymmer,  Efq;  his  gift  for         ...        loo 
And  Mrs.  Ann  Hartnell's  gift  for        -  -  -  50 

ego 


[    411     ] 

1726,  April  18,  Mr.  John  Mafkall,  of  the  parifli  of  Lye,  gave  /.  5,  d. 
lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  yearly  diftributed  to  the  poor 
of  St.  Augudinc's  parifh,  as  the  minifter  and  churchwar- 
dens of  the  faid  parifli  for  the  time  being  fliall  think  fit  10  o  o 
Mr.  William  Raymond,  fomc  time  of  this  parifli,  gave  lool. 
for  the  life  of  the  poor,  the  intereft  thereof  to  be  dif- 
tributed  as  the  minifter  and  churchwardens  for  the  time 
being  fhall  think,  fit  -  -  -  _         jqo     o     o 

1739,  John  Price,  Efq;  alderman    of  this  city,  in    his   life    time 

gave  the  fum  of  lool.  the  intereft  thereof  to  be  dif- 
tributed  yearly  on  the  15th  of  June  for  ever  equally  be- 
tween ten  poor  houfekeepers  of  this  parifh,  not  receiv- 
ing alms,  by  the  vicar  and  churchwardens  for  the  time 
being,  the  firft  payment  to  be  made  June  15,   1739  'oo     o     o 

1740,  Mr.  Peter  Wilkins,  late  of  this  parifti,  left  by  his  will  30I, 

the  intereft  thereof  to  be  diftributed  to  four  poor  houfe- 
keepers of  the  faid  parifli,  not  receiving  alms,  on  Good 
Friday  yearly  for  ever  -  _  _  30     o     o 

And  alfo  20I.  to  the  charity-fchool  in  the  faid  parifh  as 
long  as  the  faid  fchool  continues,  and  on  failure  thereof 
to  be  applied  as  above  -  -  _  20     o     o 

1733,  Mrs.  Ann  Winter  gave  50I.  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli,  the 
intereft  thereof  to  be  difpofed  of  at  the  difcretion  of  the 
churchwardens  for  the  time  being  _  50     o     o 

1777,  Captain  Prankard  gave  lOol.  to  the  poor,  feamen's  widows 

to  be  preferred.  lOo     o     o 

1735,  William  Hilliard,  Efq;  gave  lool.  to  the  poor  of  this 
parifh,  the  intereft  thereof  to  be  difpofed  of  as  theveftry 
fhall  direct.  100     o     o 

1745,  George  Packer  gave  50I.  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli,  the 
intereft  thereof  to  be  difpofed  of  as  the  minifter  and 
churchwardens  fliall  direfl  ;  alfo  50I.  the  intereft  thereof 
to  the  charity-fchool  in  this  parifh.  100     o      o 

1748,  Captain  William  Chaloner,  of  this  parifh,  gave  50I.  the 
intereft  thereof  to  be  difpofed  of  by  the  churchwardens 
to  eight  poor  houfekeepers,  not  receiving  alms,  on  the 
26th  day  of  January  for  ever.  5000 

1757,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Whitehead  gave  lOol.  the  intereft  thereof 

to  the  poor  as  the  vcftry  fliall  dirc£l         -  -         100     o     o 

D  D  D    2  1762, 


C  412   ] 

J762,   Mr.  Waiter  Laugher,  merchant,  of  this  city,  gave  lool.  to      /.     5.     J. 
the  minifter  and  churchwardens,  the  intereft  thereof  to 
eight  poor  widows  of  this  parifli,  not  receiving  alms,  on 
the  7th  of  December  yearly  for  ever         -  -  100     o     o 

1736,  Mrs.  Ann  Aldworth,  of  this  parifh,  gave  three  tenements 
in  Frog-lane,  the  houfe  called  the  Boar's  Head  and  Sal- 
mon being  the  corner  houfe  is  one,  with  two  others 
adjoining,  to  the  poor  of  All  Saints  and  this  parifii,  the 
25th  of  December  for  ever. 
Robert  Sandford,  ofBriftol,  Efq;  gave  lOol.  to  be  placed 
out  at  intereft,  which  was  to  be  paid  to  four  poor  houfe- 
keepers,  not  receiving  alms,  on  St.  Thomas-day  for 
ever  -  -  -  -  -  -100     00 

1758,  Mrs.  Ann  Thurfton  gave  by  will  300I.  to  be  placed  at 
intereft,  the  produce  thereof  to  be  given  to  fuch  poor 
fick  perfons  as  the  churchwardens  fhall  think  proper  ob- 
jcfts  at  3s.  6d.  per  week  to  each  during  their  illnefs  300     o     o 

1764,  Mr.  Edward  Gwatkin   gave  50I.   the  intereft  to  ten  poor 

houfekccpcrs,  not  receiving  alms,  on  the  20th   of  Fe- 
bruary for  ever         -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1765,  Mrs.  Mary  Griffith  gave  lool.   the  intereft  thereof  to  eight 

poor  houfekeepers  on  Good  Friday  for  ever  -         100     o     o 

In  this  parifh  was  the  houfe  of  the  Carmelite  friers.  Leland,  vol.  v.  p.  53, 
fays,  "  The  priory  of  the  Carmelites  was  the  faireft  of  all  the  houfes  of  the 
frieries  in  Briftol,  and  ftood  on  the  right  ripe  of  Frome  over  againft  the  Key." 
According  to  Speed  it  was  founded  in  the  year  1267  by  King  Edward  i  ft.  perhaps 
when  Prince  of  Wales.  It  was  granted  after  the  diftblution  by  King  Henry 
the  8th.  for  the  ufe  of  the  city.  According  to  William  of  Worcefter  in 
1480  the  church  of  the  priory  was  of  the  following  dimenfions:  "  The  nave 
or  body  contains  45  paces,  the  breadth  thereof  25  paces,  the  tower  and  fpire 
or  broche  is  200  feet,  the  breadth  of  the  tower  is  9  feet  each  way." 

In  the  12th  of  Henrv  4th.  1411,  Peter  Thomas  was  prior  of  the  frier 
Carmelites  of  Briftol ;  and  in  the  year  1466  John  Milverton,  who  for  oppofing 
the  biftiops  was  committed  prifoner  to  the  caftle  of  St.  Angelo,  Rome,  for 
three  years,  wrote  many  excellent  things,  at  length  loaded  with  grief  and 
age  he  died  at  London,  30th  of  January,  1496.  John  Stow,  a  Briftol  Car- 
melite, was  an  ingenious  poet  foon  after  the  time  of  Chaucer.     John  Spine,  a 

native 


[     413     ] 

native  of  Briflol,  and  a  Carmelite  frier  there,  became  Doflor  and  ProfefTor  of 
of  Divinity  in  Oxford,  and  a  noted  preacher,  writ  fermons  for  the  clergy  and 
folemn  difputations,  and  died  in  1454.  Frier  John  \\alton,  D.  D.  and  prior 
here  the  26th  of  December,  the  13th  of  King  Henry  6th,  1434.  Nicholas 
Cantilupe  was  a  Carmelite  frier  here,  and  D.  D.  of  Cambridge,  and  died  at 
Northampton,  1441,  leaving  many  monuments  of  his  literature:  thefe  were 
in  the  catalogue  of  the  moft  celebrated  learned  men  of  Englifh  birth  that  were 
w-riters  of  the  order  of  the  Carmelites.  John  Hooper,  S.  T.  P.  was  a  man 
of  great  learning,  took  upon  him  the  habit  of  the  white  friers,  Bridol,  went 
abroad  after  the  difFolution  of  monafteries,  and  getting  acquainted  with  fome 
of  the  refomers,  on  his  return.  May  15,  1550,  was  made  Bifhop  of  Glocefter, 
and  was  burnt  the  9th  of  February,  1559,  before  the  wcR  end  gate  of  his 
cathedral,  in  the  time  of  Queen  Mary. 

The  fite  of  the  Carmelite  priory  was  moft  certainly  where  Mr.  Colfton's 
fchool  now  ftands  :  feveral  verv  ancient  arches  are  now  extant,  and  its  being 
oppofite  the  Key  fhews  it  to  be  fo  ;  and  though  there  is  a  place  called 
White  Friers  in  Lewin's-mead,  yet  I  rather  think  it  to  be  an  error  bv  con- 
founding it  with  the  Grey  Friery  acknowledged  to  be  there  (ituated.  In  old 
deeds  of  RedcUfF'parifii  I  find  the  hill  near  Colfton's  fchool  called  Frier's- 
hill,  and  a  garden  there  defcribed  as  on  one  fide  the  friery. 

The  old  deeds  in  the  cuftody  of  the  Merchants-hall  indeed  prove  this  to  be 
the  fite  of  the  Carmelite  friery.  The  area  and  extent  of  their  friery  and 
church  on  the  fouth-weft  fide  thereto  belonging  was  very  fpacious,  and  in  a 
deed,  Otlobcr  1,  5th  Edward  3d.  1376,  mention  is  made  of  a  eiftern  near 
the  Carmelites,  called  the  eiftern  of  the  pipe  of  St.  John  in  Broad-ftreet, 
which  goes  through  Pipe-lane  next  the  fite  of  this  friery,  which  had  a  feather 
from  the  faid  pipe  allotted  for  its  ufe,  which  is  ftill  continued  to  Mr.  Colfton's 
fchool. 

This  Carmelite  friery  was  of  large  extent  occupying  all  the  ground  from 
the  Red  Lodge  and  garden  down  the  hill  to  St.  Auguftin's-Back,  now  Mr. 
Colfton's  School,  and  was  bounded  by  Pipe-lane  on  the  weft  and  Steep-ftreet 
on  the  eaft:  and  befides  the  houfe  and  lodgings  for  the  friers,  which  Leland 
celebrates  as  the  "  faireft  of  all  the  houfes  of  friers  ;"  their  church  was  moft 
elegant  and  fpacious  with  many  chapels  in  it,  and  I  find  in  manufcripts  many 
very  good  families  lie  buried  therein. 

Upon  a  view  of  frank  pledge  made  the  12th  of  Hen.  4th.  by  John  Fyftier 
mayor,  and  John  OlyfFftieriff  &c.  for  the  town,  Peter  I'homas  prior  of  the 
Carmelites  renounced  to  the  faid  town  12^  feet  and    n   inches  of  land  near 

the 


[     4H     ] 

the  cluirch  ofilic  convent  of  the  Carmelites  in  the  fouth  part,  which  had  been 
orantcd  bv  Robert  Dudbroke  late  mayor  to  the  prior  and  his  brethren. 

The  fite  of  tliis  hoiiTe  was  j^ranted  the  6th  of  May  the  33d  of  Hen.  8th.  by 
the  name  and  title  of  "  all  that  hoiifc  or  fite  of  the  late  difTolvcd  houfe  of 
Friers  Carmelite  commonly  called  the  White  Friers  within  the  faid  town  of 
Briflol,  and  the  niefTuage  and  houfe  called  the  Hoopers'  Hall  with  tlic  appur- 
tenances, within  the  (iic  of  the  faid  late  houfe  of  Friers  Carmelites,  and  for 
all  yards,  orchards  &c.  as  well  within  as  near  adjoining  to  the  faid  fite, 
fept,  walk,  circuit  and  precinft  of  the  faid  houfe  of  Friers  Carmelites  here- 
tofore in  occupation  of  David  Hobbes  Sec." 

It  was  purchafed  at  the  dilTolution  together  with  the  Gaunts  (vid.  p.  134.) 
by  the  corporation  of  the  city,  who  afterwards  loth  Eliz.  fold  the  fite  of  the 
friery  to  Thomas  ChefterEfq;  but  the  lodge,  the  gardens,  orchards  on  Stoney- 
hill  &c.  belonging  to  it  Mere  fold  to  Thomas  Rowland  merchant,  who  for  the 
fum  of  26I.  13s.  4d.  conveyed  it  in  fee  the  7th  of  April  the  20th  of  Eliz.  to 
Sir  John  Young,  whofe  fon  and  heir  Robert  Young  of  Hafclborough  in  the 
county  of  Wilts,  the  28th  of  March  the  41ft  of  Eliz.  fold  the  Red  Lodge  and 
the  houfe  on  St.  Auftin's-Back  then  new-built  and  called  Sir  John  Young's 
lower  houfe,  in    occupation  of  dame   Joan   Young  his   widow,  to  Nicholas 

Strangewavs  of  Bradly  in  the  county  of  Glocefter  Efq Queen  Elizabeth  on 

comin'T  to  Briftol  kept  her  court  and  held  a  council  at  this  houfe  of  Sir  John 
Young  ;  and  it  was  the  ufual  refidence  of  the  nobility  vifiting  Briftol.  —  In 
1642  it  was  inhabited  by  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges,  and  was  offered  by  him  for 
entertaining  the  Marquis  of  Hertford  here  at  that  time.  It  was  afterwards 
purchafed  by  Mr.  Lane  and  converted  into  a  fugar-houfe,  till  the  pious  and 
charitable  Mr.  Colfton  in  the  year  1708  bought  it  to  ere6l  a  fchool  for  a  mafter, 
two  ufliers,  and  100  boys  to  be  cloathed,  maintained  and  inftruQed  in  reading, 
writing  and  arithmetic,  and  in  the  church  catechifm  from  feven  years  old  till 
they  are  fourteen,  when  they  are  to  be  placed  out  apprentices,  he  allowing 
lol.  to  each  at  their  going  out:  the  expcnce  of  erefting  and  endowing  this 
fchool  compleatly  finiflied  by  him  in  his  life  time  was  40,0001.  the  eftates  in  lands 
and  ground  rents  he  gave  for  endowing  it  produced  then  1318I.  15s.  6d.perann. 
and  the  charge  of  fitting  up  the  fchool  and  dwelling-houfe  &c.  amounted  to 
about  ii,oool.  Out  of  the  eftate  a  clergyman  is  to  be  paid  lol.  per  ann.  for 
inftrutting  the  boys  in  the  church  catechifm. -^  He  alfo  gave  at  his  death  to 
continue  twelve  years  after  it  lool.  per  ann.  either  to  thofe  who  had  been 
apprenticed  from  the  hofpital  of  St.  Auguflin's-Back,  or  for  the  apprenticing 
of  boys  from  Teinplc  School  by  lol.  each,  the  charge  about  i2ool. 

John 


[     415     ] 

John  Piirrier  Efq;  merchant  of  London,  out  of  a  jiift  fcnfe  and  grateful 
acknowledgment  of  the  advantage  he  received  in  early  life  from  being  educated 
at  this  fchool,  did  in  his  life  time  about  the  year  1782  fettle  fo  much  money 
in  the  funds  as  would  make  an  addition  of  5I.  to  the  lol.  each  boy's  apprentice 
fee  given  by  Mr.  Colfton,  making  it  15I.  and  alfo  prefented  100  new  filver 
badges  worn  bv  the  boys,  and  100  brafs  ones 

Befides  this  fchool  or  hofpital  of  Mr.  Colfton,  and  alfo  the  hofpiial  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  (of  which  fee  page  376,)  this  pari fh  can  alfo  boaft  of  a  very  noble 
charity  by  Alderman  Whitfon  called  the  Redmaids  Hofpital,  who  by  his  will 
dated  the  27th  of  March  1627  left  many  and  great  benefaftions  to  the  city, 
(vid.  his  will  hereafter)  among  the  reft  an  endowment  out  of  his  manor  of  Burnet 
(formerly  belonging  to  Tewkefbury  abby)  for  the  educating  and  maintaining 
of  40  maidens,  who  were  fome  to  learn  reading  and  needle-work,  fome 
houfehold  bufinefs  and  other  employment  to  fit  them  the  better  for  fervice ; 
and  the  firft  12  maids  chofen  out  of  12  parifhes  were  by  order  of  common 
council  placed  in  a  houfe  the  4th  of  Oftobcr  1634,  fituate  near  the  College- 
Green,  on  the  fite  of  the  Gaunts  Hofpital  or  houfe  of  St.  Mark's.  —  In  the 
year  1655  the  3d  of  April  it  was  referred  to  the  city  furveyorsto  confider  about 
erefting  an  hofpital  for  maids  adjoining  to  the  houfe  hitherto  ufed  for  that 
purpofe  according  to  Alderman's  Whitfon's  gift,  and  how  the  work  fliould 
be  fully  carried  into  execution  according  to  the  intent  of  the  founder  and  for 
the  honor  of  the  citv  :  by  which  order  it  appears  the  endowment  had  hitherto 
but  partially  taken  place,  or  had  been  difcontinued  during  the  rebellion  and 
ufurpation  of  Cromwel,  and  was  now  rcftored,  the  houfe  or  hofpital  being 
new-built  and  enlarged,  which  is  now  a  very  commodious  houfe  for  the  defign, 
in  a  quiet  retired  fituation,  and  is  managed  with  great  prudence  and  CEConomy 
to  the  relief  of  families,  lafting  advantage  to  the  poor  girls  and  general  good 
of  the  community. 

The  fettlcment  of  this  charity  was  long  in  agitation  betwixt  the  feoffees  of 
Alderman  Whitfon  and  the  corporation;  atlaftthe  city  agreed  to  add  30I,  per 
ann.  to  Mr.  Whitfon's  endowment  of  the  manor  of  Burnet  near  Cainfham  then 
let  at  90I.  per  ann.  and  in  lieu  of  monies  theperfonal  eftateof  Mr.  ^^'hitfon  left 
to  the  chamber  for  good  ufes  within  the  city  and  paid  into  the  city  ftock,  40I. 
per  ann.  more  was  agreed  to  be  advanced  towards  the  new  building  and  addi- 
tional endowment  of  the  Red-maids  Hofpital. 

On  the  2dof  September  1659  ^^^^-  Mayorefs  and  Joan  Hobfon  widow  were 
appointed  vifitors  of  the  maids  hofpital,  with  thefe  inftruflions,  1.  To  vifit 
two  days  in  each  month  in  pcrfon  the  fald  children,     2.  To  make  due  enquiry 

into 


C   416  ] 

into  tlieir  bodily  health.  3.  To  obferve  their  cleanlinefs  and  convenient 
change,  fo  that  they  be  kept  neat  and  free  from  vermin,  4.  To  enquire  into 
the  wholcfomencfs  and  proportion  of  their  diet.  5.  To  take  due  notice 
whether  they  are  tauglit  to  read  Englifli  and  employed  in  work  that  may  be 
for  their  future  preferment.  6.  To  fee  that  two  of  them  be  every  week 
employed  about  houfehold  affairs.  7.  To  take  care  that  the  vacant  places  be 
fupplied  by  dire6lion  and  approbation  of  the  mayor  and  aldermen.  8.  On  all 
occafions  to  reprefent  to  the  mayor  and  aldermen  what  is  amifs  that  remedy 
may  be  applied.     G.  Hcllier  mayor,  Tolfcybook  II. 


CHAP.      XIII. 

OJ  the  C  H  U  R  C  II  and  PARISH  0/  St.  iM  I  C  H  A  E  L. 

'nr^H  I S  church  is  a  reftory  dedicated  to  St.  Michael  the  Archangel,  fituated 
-■■  on  a  hill  of  great  height,  on  the  north  fide  of  Briftol.  The  founder  of 
it  was  probably  Robert  Fitzhaymon,  who  endowed  his  abby  of  Tewkfbury 
with  this  church.  Two  large  figures  in  painted  glafs  in  the  eaft  window  over 
the  communion  table  were  fome  years  paft  taken  down  and  deftroyed,  with 
the  following  infcription  without  date  :  "  Orate  pro  animabus  Johis  Burlington 
et  Johanna;  Uxoris  ejus  qui  Johannes  et  Johanna  iftam  feneftram  fecerunt  et 
fpcciales  erant  benefaflores  hujus  ecclcfize."  In  the  year  1193  it  was  in  the 
prefentation  of  the  monks  of  the  abby  church  of  Tewklbury,  as  appears  by  the 
confirmation  of  Henry  Bifliop  of  Worcefter  of  all  the  benefaftions  which 
Simon,  bifhop  of  the  fame  diocefe,  had  granted  to  the  church  of  Tewkfbury, 
the  monks  thereof  having  then  lately  prefented  Richard  Cumblan  to  it.  In  the 
the  year  1291  this  benefice  was  in  the  archdeaconry  of  Glocefter  and  dcanry 
of  Briftol,  and  its  yearly  value  then  taken  was  fix  marks  and  a  half,  and  it 
was  fubje£l  to  an  annual  payment  of  four  fliillings  for  the  prior  of  St.  James's 
part  or  ftiare. 

At  the  diffolution  of  religious  houfes  the  prefentation  of  this  church  (whh 
many  others  in  Briftol,  appendages  and  parcel  of  the  abby  of  Tewkftjury)  were 
for  667I.  7s.  6d.  fold  oft"  by  letters  patent  tlie  35th  of  the  ftiid  King  to  Henry 

Braync, 


[     417     ] 

Bravnc,  Efq;  who  became  patron  and  proprietor  of  this  and  the  other  churches 
in  Briftol.  And  as  this  was  then  fubjetl  to  a  yearly  rent  orpenfion  of  four  (hil- 
lings, the  fame  became  payable  to  the  faid  Brayne  and  his  heirs  for  ever,  and  now 
to  the  corporation.  The  reftor  of  St.  Michael  for  the  time  being  now  pays 
an  yearly  ftipendof  2s.  to  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Hriftol,  which  was  formerly 
paid  to  the  monaftery  of  St.  Augufliii. 

The  church  confifled  of  two  ailcs  and  is  but  fmall,  fcarcely  fufBcient  to  ac- 
commodate the  parifliioners.  The  tower  is  at  the  weft  end,  from  which  it 
extends  in  length  to  the  then  altar  73  feet,  the  aile  on  the  fouth  fide  including 
the  old  vcftrv  room  at  the  call  end  was  about  73  feet.  The  height  of  the 
roofs  (which  were  of  timber  plaftered)  was  about  26  feet,  fupported  with  4 
freeftone  arches  and  3  pillars,  and  was  covered  with  (lone  tiles.  The  breadth 
of  the  two  ailcs  37  feet.  Before  the  north  and  fouth  doors  were  porches, 
over  the  fouth  door  the  veftry  room. 

William  of  Worceller  fays,  "  In  length  it  contains  46  paces  or  26  yards, 
in  breadth  10  yards  or  20  paces,  the  fquare  tower  of  the  new  belfry  contains 
a  fquare  of  four  fides  each  5  yards  without  the  wall,  the  fouth  porch  of  the 
church  is  1 1  feet  long  and  10  broad."  The  tower  is  ftrong,  and  at  top  has 
freeftone  battlements  with  four  pinnacles  of  a  moderate  height,  and  is  fur- 
niflied  with  a  peal  of  fix  bells,  which  were  cad  and  put  up  by  a  fubfcription 
and  pound  rate  in  the  year  1739.  On  the  eaft  fide  of  the  tower  over  the  roof 
is  a  niche  wherein  is  fixed  a  figure  of  an  abbot,  or  as  fome  imagine  that  of 
St.  Michael  the  patron  faint. 

Some  years  paft  the  worthy  benefaftor  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  gave  50I.  for 
the  repair  of  this  church. 

It  was  fequeftered  on  the  ift  of  April  in  the  ill  year  of  Edward  6th.  1547. 
(See  page  63.)  The  clear  yearly  value  in  the  King's  Books  was  5I.  18s.  nd. 
Yearly  tenths  were  12s. 

In  the  year  1749  this  parifh  confifted  of  380  houfes  which  were  rated  to  the 
fupport  of  the  poor  that  year  227I.  at  about  iid.  in  the  poond  :  but  the  poor 
rate  is  fince  greatly  incrcafed,  as  well  as  the  number  of  inhabitants. 

In  the  year  1774  a  furvey  was  made  of  the  fabrick,  and  it  was  found  fo 
decayed  in  the  walls  and  roof  that  it  would  require  985I.  19s.  at  a  moderate 
computation  to  put  it  in  good  repair.  It  was  therefore  judged  better  to  build 
a  new  church  entirely  for  the  better  accommodation  of  the  increafed  pa- 
rifhioners,  which  was  done  by  fubfcription  of  the  inabitants  and  others,  being 
77  feet  long  and  62  broad,  with  a  vault  or  croud  under  it  for  a  place  of 
burial :  this  was  20  feet  broader  on  the  north  and  5  on  the  fouth  fide  than  the 

E  E  K  former 


[    4i8     ] 

former  church :  the   Corporation  gave  300I.    and  the  Merchant's-Hall    150I. 
vhich  with  the  funis  collcflcd  amounted  to  upwards  of  2200I.  the  foundation 
was  laid  with  great  formality  the  4lh  of  July  1775,  and  the  church  was  opened 
the  22d  of  June  1777.     The  old  tower  is  preferved. 

Theredor  chiefly  depends  on  the  voluntary  benevolence  of  theparifliioners. 

The  annual  rent  of  his  parfonage  houfe  at  the  fouth  gate  of  the      /.     s.     d. 

church-yard  -  -  -  -  -  -1500 

For  monthly  prayers  &c.  at  Forflcr's  chapel,  paid  by  the  corpora- 
tion of  Briftol  per  ann.  -  -  -  -  -        10     o     o 

For  a  fmall  houfcat  the  north  gate  of  the  church-yard  per  ann.  500 

For  Queen  Ann's  bounty,  it  being  fettled  in  two  chief  rents  iffuing 

out  of  two  houfes  in  St.  James's  church-yard,  Briflol  -  700 

For  tythe  of  the  two  parks         -  --  -  -  1180 

For  a  paddock  -  -  -  -  -  -040 

For  two  fermons  -  -  -  -  -  -220 

Ditto  Mr.  Peter  Davis  on  the  1  ft  of  March  in  the  evening  -  1    10     o 

Which  with  voluntary  contributions  &c.  amount  in  all  to  about  200I.  per 
annum. 

The  prefent  patrons  arc  the  corporation  of  Briflol,  who  purchafed  the  fame 
in  the  year  1627  of  Sir  Charles  Gerrard  Knight,  who  married  Elizabeth 
daughter  of  Sir  Charles  Somerfet  Knight,  and  grand  daughter  of  the  aforcfaid 
Henry  Brayne  Efq. 

The  prefent  incumbent  is  the  Rev.  George  Wilkins  A.  M. 

A  LIST  of  the  RECTORS  from  old  deeds  and  the  regiflers  of  Worceftcr. 

Patrons. 
The  abbot  and      1193   Richard  Cumblain  was  reftor. 
convent   of       1282   Robert  de  la  More  prieft. 
Tewkefbury.       1286   13  kalend.  June,  Wm.  de  Bleyngel. 

1308  8  kalend.  Nov.  Wm.  de  Bath,  accolit. 

1309  7  id.  May,  Ralph  de  Baketon. 
Helia  was  chaplain  there. 

1313  4  kalend  June  Johannes  de  Wygornia  pricfl. 
1334   1 1  non.  Oft.  John  Wycheforde. 

1360  11  Dec.  Peter  de  Dodmancote  clerk  by  refignation  of 

Thomas  Southwel. 

1361  15  Feb.  Symon  de  Collewell  prieft. 

Patrons. 


C  419  ] 

Patrons. 

1369  4  Dec.  Richard  de  Marchvnton  priefl  by  refignationof 
William  Allen. 

1376  5  July  John  Pitwcll. 

1402  12  Oct.  J(>lin  Hogkerc  by  change  with  John  Chamber- 
lain rector  of  this  church. 

1405  9  May,  John  Hoy. 

1411   31  Aug.  John  Bourc. 

1420  9  Nov.  Philip  Briftow  by  change  with  Thomas  Faucon- 
bcrg  the  lafl;  ir.cumbcnt. 

1460  17  May,  Mailer  David  Cokland  by  refignation  of  John 
Harptree. 

1464  12  July,  John  Free  by  the  death  of  Cokland. 

1465  24  Sept.  John  Berfey  by  refignation  of  John  Free. 
1470  6   Oct.   Thomas   Howell  reftor    of  St.    Maryport,   by 

change  with  John  Berfey. 
1483   1   Aug.   Thomas   Galcon  by   refignation  of    Leonard 

Davy  the  laft  reftor. 
1512  6   April,    Thomas  Hall    by  refignation  of  Alexander 
Overton  the  laft  reSlor,    referving  a  penfion   of 
10  marks. 

1523  3  April,  John    Morys  by   refignation  of  Thomas  Hall, 

referving  40s. 

1524  4  Feb.  Thomas  Nichols. 
1526  4  Sept.  John  Fyflie  A.  M. 

1648   Philip    Perry    reStor,    died    17    Feb.    1649    and   was 
buried  here. 
Mayor    and       1665  Mathias  Bradie  reftor,  buried  here  22  Dec.  1676. 
Corporation  of     1677  John  Rainftorp  reftor,  died  1  May  1693. 

Briftol.  1693   Samuel  Paine  re£tor,  buried  here  20  April  1721. 

1721  James  Taylor  reftor,  buried  at  St.  John's  March  1722. 

1722  Samuel  Jocham  re£tor,  buried  here  May  30,  1743. 
1743   Rumney  Penrofe   retlor,  died  19  July  1749,  buried  at 

Bedminfter. 
1749  John  Culliford  reftor. 
1766   Samuel  Seyer  M.  A.  rector. 
1776  George  Wilkins  M.  A.  rcclor. 


E  E  F.  2  MONU- 


[       420       ] 

MONUMENTS. 

On  the  north  wall  was  formerly  a  brafs  plate,  fince  ftolen  away,  with  the 
following  infcription  : 

Mors  fpcrnitatra  gloriam   B  .  .   .   . 
"  Pray  for  the  dead,  for  thou  muft  dye  Jehu  mercy." 
At  one  end  of  this  monument  this  coat' — parted  perpale  arg.  and  G.  a  bend 
counterchanged — for  Chaucer  of  Woodftock  t.  Ric.  2. 

A  monument  by  the  church  door  with  a  Latin  infcription  : — "  To  Nicolas 
Hill  a  lawyer,   who  died  Nov.  1597,  and  to  his  wife  Dorothy  who  died  Nov. 

In  the  further  north  window  of  the  chancel,  a  table  thus  infcribed  : 

C  dedit. 
Dominus^^^j^^,;^ 

Anna  filia  Richardi  Afh  vEtalis  fuas  tertio,  obiit  24  Maii 

With  the  figure  of  an  afh  tree  with  a  fmall  branch,   and  dated  1645. 

C  Sprouts  the  fame  day 
This  Afli  ^  ,         5-cut  down"  ' 


C  In  May     ^ 
^  was  then    j 


yet  lives  for  aye. 
On  the  grave-ftone  : 


Rak<J.  up  in  afhes  here  doth ")  i  remain 

In  hope  that  afhes   fhall   be^  ^  again. 

Afhes  to  Afh  return  fhall  and  arife, 
Which  Afh  in  aflies  here  expctling  lies. 
On  the  floor  is  a  flone  infcribed  to  Mr.  Richard  Afh  merchant,  who   died 
2t  Aug.  1666,  aged  70,  4  of  his  children,  and  Margery  his  wife,  M'ho  died 
23  Jan.  1693,  aged  79. 

Under  the  communion  table  : — "  Samuel    Paine  hujus  ecclefiae  ret\or  obiit 
18  Jan.  setat  57.  1721-22." 

"  Thomas  Percivall  obiit  1741." 

"  Thomas  Percivall  eldcfl  fon  of  Jofeph  Percival  merchant,  died  \S  June 
1741,  aged  20." 

There    is   at   the  fide  of  the  altar  a  magnificent    monument    to   Jofeph 
Percivall  Efq;  with  a  great  but  jufl  charafler  :  he  died  28  June  1764. 

On  a  brafs  plate  -was  : — "  Philippus   Perrey  hujus  ecclcfise   paflor  obiit  17 
calend  Feb.  1649. 

Philippus,  filius  Philippi,  matris  amicae 
Primitias  debitas  qui  rediere  Deo." 
On  a  flone  : — "  William  Strctton  fen.  departed  this  life  the  28  June  1694, 
aged  37. 

On 


C  421    ] 

On  a  monument  in  the  foiitli  aile  was  the  following  infcription  : 

Hie  jiixta  fitus  eft  Thomas  Alvy  generofus  equeftri  familia  jurorum  in 
comitatu  Wilt:  criuriduf;  qui  cum  innuraeras  fere  hujus,  nonnullas  etiam 
prioris  feculi  vicfTitudines  expertus  effet;  Jacobum  regcm  triplici  unitum 
regno  vidiffet ;  Carolum  primum  barbare  divifum  ploraffet ;  expirantes  leges, 
fcrnimortuam  ecclcfiam,  dominantcm  rempublicam,  prementem  tyrannidem 
horruifTet:  aufpicanle  tandem  Deo,  Carolum  fecunduni  primi  filium  redi- 
vivum,  leges  et  ecclefiam  repullulantes  grate  falutafTct  :  ingrucntc  tandem 
improborum  confilio  rcpctcnda  palluifTct  ruina,  aliorum  faepius  compofuifTct, 
lites  fuas  vero  frugaliter  confuluiflct,  vivendo  quafi  fefTus  caelum  maturus 
petiit :  perge  viator  fortcfque  humanas  humanus  meditaris,  obiit  Jan.  24 
A.  D.  1682  et  jetatis  go. 

Jn  Englifli  thus: 

Hard  by  is  placed  Thomas  Alvy  gentleman,  fprung  from  a  knightly  family 
of  the  Jurors  in  the  county  of  Wilts:  who  after  he  had  experienced  the  almofl 
countlefs  changes  of  this  and  fome  alfo  of  the  former  age,  had  feen  King  James 
joined  to  a  treble  kingdom,  had  bewailed  Charles  the  ift.  barbaroufly  fepa- 
rated  from  it  ;  had  dreaded  the  ftate  expiring,  the  church  half  dead,  a  com- 
monwealth ruling,  tyranny  oppreffing,  at  length  by  the  favour  of  God  having 
gratefully  faluted  King  Charles  the  2d.  the  fon  of  the  ift.  on  his  return,  the 
church  and  ftate  beginning  again  to  llourifh ;  the  council  of  the  wicked  at 
length  getting  into  place  having  grown  pale  at  the  return  about  to  be  repeated, 
after  he  had  often  fettled  the  difputes  of  others,  but  fparing  in  council  for  his 
own  as  if  tired  of  living,  in  a  ripe  age  he  went  to  heaven  :  Go  palTcnger  and  as 
a  man  meditate  on  man's  condition.  He  died  the  24th  of  January  1692,  in  the 
90th  year  of  his  age. 

In  the  fouth  aile: — "  Anno  1743  obiit  Samuel  Jocham  A.  M.  hujus  ecclefiee 
reflor  anno  aetatis  50." 

Near  this: — "  Expeflat  refurrcftionem  Sara  Samuelis  Jocham  hujus ecclcfiae 
reflor  amabilis  uxor,  mulier  omni  virtute  inftrufla,  apta  vivere,  parata  mori. 
obiit  29  Maii  1736  astatis  45." 

Near  the  veftr\'  a  handfome  monument  with  a  long  Latin  infcription  : — 
"  To  John  Ridout  Efq;  of  Dorfetftiire,  who  died  1670  the  26th  of  Auguft,  in 
his  grand  climafteric. — Arms,  parted  per  pale  arg.  and  gules  a  griffin  rampant 
counter-changed. 

Many  ofthcfe  monuments  and  infcriptions  have  been  deftroyed  in  rebuilding 
this  church. 

BEXF- 


[       422       ] 

B  EXE  FACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Michael's  Parifh. 

1586,  Mr.  John  Carr  gave  :ol.  per  annum  to  the  poor,  to  be  paid  by  the 
trcafurer  of  Queen  Elizabeth'.s  Hofpital  for  the  time  being. 

ijoj,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchen  gave  30s.  per  annum,  to  be  paid  by  the  chamber- 
lain of  Brillol,  to  three  poor  burgcfies  of  this  citv,  or  to  three  poor 
widows  of  burgcffes,  on  the  three  following  days,  viz.  los.  to  one 
on  the  third  Saturday  after  Lady-day,  10s.  to  another  on  the  tenth 
Saturday  after  Midfummer,  and  los.  to  another  on  the  firfl;  Saturday 
after  Chriflmas ;  the  three  perfons  to  be  nominated  by  the  mayor 
and  aldermen  and  churchwardens  and  overfeers  of  the  poor  of  St. 
Michael's  parifli. 

1639,  Mr.  George  Harrington  gave  30s.  per  annum,  to  be  paid  by  the  cham- 
berlain in  the  fame  manner  as  that  of  Mr.  Kitchen's. 

1634,  Mr.  George  White  gave  5I.  per  annum  to  the  poor  of  faid  parifli.  It 
is  charged  on  a  houfe  near  the  Red  Lodge,  as  may  appear  by  the 
Book  of  Wills  in  the  chamber  of  Briflol,  which  houfe  was  late,  in  the 
poffeffion  of  Capt.  John  Kitchens,  and  fincc  Henry  Woolnough  and 
Mrs.  Henvil.  This  is  received  and  paid  by  the  fenior  churchwarden 
of  St.  Werburgh. 

1639,  Mr.  Thomas  Clement  gave  20s.  per  annum  to  the  poor.     It  is  charged 

on  a  houfe  in  Broadmead,  late  Mr.  Baugh's,  payable  by  Mr.  Abra- 
ham Pope. 

1640,  Mr.  Thomas  Harrington  gave  52s.  per  annum,  to  be  given  to  the  poor 

in  weekly  bread,  to  be  paid  half  yearly  by  the  chamberlain. 

1660,  Mrs.  Joan  Langton  gave  50s.   per  annum,  to   be  given  to  the  poor  in 

weekly  bread.  This  is  charged  upon  a  garden  oppofite  the  parfon- 
age  houfe,  late  in  the  tenure  of  Mr.  Anthony  Hodges,  the  leafe  of 
which  when  expired  comes  to  St.  Michael's  pariOi. 

1661,  Mr.  Francis  Gleed  gave    10s.  a  quarter  to   a  poor  houfe-holder,  not 

receiving  weekly  alms.  This  is  payable  out  of  a  houfe  in  High-flreet, 
late  Slooper's  and  now  Sedon's.  The  perfons  that  are  to  reeeive 
the  faid  charity  are  to  be  nominated  by  the  churchwardens  of  the 
faid  parifh,  and  no  perfon  to  receive  the  faid  gift  more  than  once 
in  one  year.  The  feoffees  are  thofe  of  ChriR  Church  in  Briftol.  It 
is  paid  by  the  veftry-clerk. 
1661,  Mr.  Thomas  Farmer  gave  50I.  which  purchafed  an  annuity  of  50s.  per 

annum 


[     123     ] 

annum  for  ever  of  Edward  Smitli,  currier,  charged  on  and  payable 
out  of  a  houfe  in  Lcwin's-mcad,  and  now  received  of  the  widow  of 
John  Smith,  and  the  fame  to  be  given  in  bread  or  coal. 
1671,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Farmer  gave  50].  which  purchafcd  from  the  chamber 
of  Briflol  three  fee  farm  rents,  viz.  one  of  26s.  8d.  charsjed  on  and 
payable  out  of  a  certain  houfe  at  the  head  of  the  Key  belonging  to 
Mr.  Charles  Harford,  and  24s.  charged  on  and  payable  out  of  a 
certain  houfe  called  the  Tower  of  the  Key,  another  of  5s.  6d. 
charged  on  and  payable  out  of  a  houfe  in  Chriftmas-Qrcet.  This 
is  difpofed  of  to  the  poor  in  weekly  bread  according  to  the  donor's 
direftion. 
Mr.  Edward  Cox  gave  lol.  to  the  fevcral  parifhes  in  this  city,  for  coal 
in  the  month  of  December,  of  which  the  mayor  for  the  time  being 
ufed  to  fend  17s.  6d.  to  this  parifli  by  the  fenior  ferjeant,  but  by 
fome  means  it  is  now  reduced  to  15s.  a  year. 
1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  HoUwey  gave  15I.   the  profit  thereof  to  be  given   yearly 

in  bread  or  coal  for  ever. 
i68g,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wiggens  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to  the 
poor   in    bread  every  firit   Sunday  in    the   feveral  months,    houfe- 
holder.s  to  be  preferred. 
1690,  Mr.  Thomas  Stratton,  fenior,  gave   25I.   the  profit  thereof  to  be  given 
\veekl\-  in  bread  for  ever. 

Thefe  three  lad-mentioned  gifts,   with  lol.  that  remained  undifpofed 
of  in  Mr.  Richard  Gravet's  year  of  churchwardenfliip,  being  part 
of  the  annual  gift  of  Mr.  Carr  and  Mr.  White,  were  by  an  order  of 
veftry  paid  into  Mr.  George  Skufe  the   ifi  of  January,   1704,  for 
one  annuity  or  chief  rent  of  50s.  per  annum,  charged  on  and  pay- 
able  out    of  two  'houfes   in   Horfe-ftreet,    next   above  Skinner's 
Slip. 
1693,  Mr.  James  Seward  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  be  paid  at  Chrillmas  to  eight 
poor  widows  5s.  each,  they  not  receiving  alms,   to  be  nominated   by 
the  jchurchwardcns,  &c.   and  that  no  perfon  is  to  have  the  benefit  of 
the  faid  gift  two  years  together.    This  40s.  is  charged  on  and  payable 
out  of  a  houfe  over  the  gate  at    the  lower   end    of  Small-rtreet  in 
Briflol,  and  is  paid  by  James  Seward. 
1690,  Mr.  Eufebius  Brooke  gave   7I.  per  annum   to  the  poar,  to  be  difpofed 
of  at  the  difcretion  of  the  churchwarden.';,  &c.     This  is  charged  on 

and 


[     424     ] 

and  payable  out  of  the   building  in  a  ground  near  the  Royal  Fort 

called  Tinkers  Clofe,  which   is  now   leafed  out  for  lives,  or  years 

^      which   when  expired   an  addition  of  3I.  per  annum  will  be  made  to 

the  above  7I.      It  is  paid  by  the  tenants  or  by  Robert  Holmes,  Efq; 

Mrs.  Jane  Mixon  gave  lol.  Alexander  James,  Efq;  lol.  Mr.  Benja- 
min Wilioughby,  5I.  '\\'ith  this  25I.  and  the  intercfl;  of  Mr. 
Mixon's  and  Mr.  James's,  which  was  made  up  5I.  more,  with  part 
of  Mr.  Carr's  gift  money,  was  purchafed  of  Jacob  Knight,  Efq;  one 
fee  farm  rent  of  13s.  4d.  payable  out  of  a  tenement  in  Baldwin- 
ftreet,  now  in  the  poffeflion  of  Thomas  Cother  Smith,  paid  by 
Lydia  Gregory,  and  one  other  tenement  fee  farm  in  Back-ftreet  of 
of  20S.  4d.  which  is  to  be  given  to  the  poor  in  bread  (to  be  paid  by 
Mary  LawTence)  on  cvcrv  Chriftmas-day,  as  the  gifts  of  Mrs.  Jane 
Mixon  and  Alexander  James,  Efq;  The  other  5s.  is  to  be  given 
every  29th  of  September  in  two-penny  loaves  of  bread  immediately 
after  the  fermon  is  ended  to  thirty  poor  people  of  this  paridi,  who 
have  been  prefent  all  the  time  of  divine  fervice  and  the  fermon  that 
evening,  and  behaved  themfelves  decently  all  the  time,  as  the  gift 
of  Mr.  Benjamin  Wilioughby. 

Richard  Haynes,  Efq;  gave  10s.  per  annum,  to  be  paid  to  the  minifler 
of  this  parifli  for  preaching  a  fermon  every  29th  of  September  in 
the  evening.  It  is  chargeable  on  and  payable  out  of  two  acres  of 
ground  in  Charlton  Field,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter,  being  part  of 
the  eftate  of  him  the  faid  Richard  Haynes. 
1664,  Jofeph  Jackfon,  Efq;  in  the  year  1664  gave  unto  the  poor  of  this  city 
iiol.  which  was  put  into  the  chamber  on  the  fecurity  of  the  com- 
mon feal  of  the  mayor,  burgeffes,  and  commonalty,  and  continued 
there  until  the  21  ft  of  January,  1707,  without  any  diftribution  of 
the  intercft,  it  never  being  demanded,  which  the  common  council 
at  that  time  taking  into  confideration  did  then  order  that  the 
faid  feal  fhould  be  taken  up  and  a  new  one  given  for  300I.  in  lieu 
of  the  iiol.  and  the  interefl  of  it  from  the  year  1664,  and  that  the 
chamberlain  fhould  pay  every  22d  of  January  12I.  for  the  intereft 
thereof;  and  in  the  year  1712  it  was  agreed  by  the  mayor  and 
aldermen  that  it  fhould  be  paid  to  the  officers  of  the  five  pariflies 
or  places  following,  viz.  St.  Michael's,  40s.  Caflle  Precinfts,  41. 
St.  Philip's,  40s.  St.  Thomas,  40s.  St.  Mary  Rcdcliff,  40s.  to  be 
by  them  diftribuied  in  the  fame  manner  as  Mr.  Kitchen's  and  Mr. 

Harrington's 


C   425   ] 

Harrington's  gifts,  according  to  the  direBions  of  the  faid  benefac- 
to  the  poor  of  the  faid  five  places  or  parifhes,  viz.  10s.  apiece  to  a 
poor  burgefs  or  widow  of  fuch.  * 

Mr.  Anthony  Hodges  gave  a  piece  of  Ground  at  Shirehampton,  the  pro- 
fit thereof  to  be  diftributcd  in  bread  every  year  on  the  11th  and  17th 
days  of  June  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh. 
Richard  Gravett  gave  50s.  a  year  (and  at  the  requell  of  George  Gravett 
his  fon,  deceafed,  50s.  a  year  more)  for  ever,  to  be  difpofed  of  and 
laid    out  as   followeth,  viz.  3I.    6s.  thereof  for    coal   and  22s.  for 
bread;  3s.  worth  of  which  coal  and  one  i2d.  loaf  is  to  be  given  to 
each  to  ten  poor  inhabitants  of  the  parifh  of  St.  Michael,  who  are  or 
have  been  tradefmen,   artificers,  or  mariners,  not  receiving  weekly 
alms,  or  to  the  widows  of  fuch  ;   but  if  no  fuch  are  to  be  found  who 
need  or  defire  it,  the  number  is  to  be  made  up  with  labourers  or 
their  widows  (thofe  who  frequent  God's  holy  worfliip  and  attend  his 
ordinances  in  the  church  to  be  preferred.)     This  is  to  be  given  on 
the  15th  of  November  yearly.     The  5I.  per  annum   is  charged   on 
payable  out  of  a  houfe  in  Chriftmas-ftreet,  late  in  the  tenure  of  Mr. 
Standing,  apothecary. 
Mr.  Thomas  Morgan  gave  50I.  to  the  poor  which  is  to  be  difpofed  of 

at  the  difcretion  of  the  parifh  officers. 
Mr.  William  Cook  gave  lol.  to  be  put  out  at  interefl  at  los.  per 
annum,  which  is  to  be  laid  out  every  Chriftmas  in  fixty  two-penny 
loaves,  and  given  to  the  poor  of  faid  parifli  as  the  parifh  officers 
fhall  think  fit. 
1625,  Bartholomew  Ruffell,  blackfmith,  by  his  will  dated  the  3d  of  February 
gave  his  houfe  wherein  he  then  dwelt  in  Horfe-ftreet  (after  the  death 
of  Agatha  his  wife)  to  the  feoffees  of  the  parifh  of  St.  Michael,  the 
rent  thereof  to  be  yearly  given  to  the  poor,  and  alfo  to  repair  the 
faid    parifli   church  when  need  fliould  require  it.     This  houfe    was 

lately  occupied  by  Samuel  Jones  or Stephens. 

The  houfe  built  on  the  triangular  ground  in   Sieep-llrce^  near  and  ad- 
joining to   Trenchard-lane,    now    in    the   fcvcral   tenures    of  John 

Roach, Sturton,  and  the  widow  Teague,  belongs  to  this  parifli 

church,  but  not  known  for  what  particular  ufe  given. 
Richard  Gravett,  Efq;  paid  into  the  hands  of  the  Reverend  Samuel 
Jocham,  reftor,  and  thofe  of  the  churchwardens  of  this  parifh,   lol. 
interefl  thereof  10  defray  the  expcncc  of  thofe  who  fliall  meet  agrce- 

Ff  f  able 


C  426  ] 

able  to  his  deed  of  fettlement,  wherein  twenty-two  poor  people  are 
by  them  to  be  nominated  for  his  gift  the  15th  of  November  and  the 
^  18th  of  December  for  ever.  And  at  the  fame  time  for  them  to 
infpeft  the  Green  Book  to  fee  if  it  be  diftributed  according  to  the 
aj)pointment  of  the  donor. 
Mrs.  Anne  Longman,  widow,  gave  195I.  to  the  poor  of  this  city,  of 
which  this  pari(h  hath  a  part. 

Within  tliis  parifli  were  of  old  two  religious  houfes  ;  one  dedicated  to  St. 
Mary,  confiflcd  of  nuns  under  a  priorcfs,  the  other  to  St.  Bartholomew,  cal- 
led the  houfe  or  hofpital  of  St.  Bartholomew,  confided  of  friers  or  brothers 
and  fillers  ;  the  nuns  alfo  it  appears  had  a  reel  or  and  fome  friers  with  them. 
John  is  called  reftor  hofpitalis  Marias  Magdalene  in  Gaunt's  deeds  about  the 
year  1300. 

The  foundrefs  of  this  nunnery  to  St.  Mary  Magdalen  *  was  Eva  daughter  of 
Godiva,  filler  to  William  the  Conqueror.  It  is  not  certain  whether  fhc  built 
it  whilft  the  wife  or  widow  of  Robert  Fitzharding. 

Hiftory  informs  us  that  fhe  largely  endowed  this  houfe  of  nuns  with  lands 
and  tenements,  and  became  the  firft  priorefs  thereof,  t  and  fo  continued  to  the 
time  of  her  death,  in  the  year  1173.  She  was  buried  next  her  Lord,  between 
the  abbot's  and  prior's  cell  in  the  monaftery  of  St.  Augudin.  The  fite  of  this 
houfe  was  pleafant  and  it  extended  from  the  King  David  inn  on  the  fouth  up 
the  hill  northward  adjoining  to  a  lane  called  the  Montague's,  from  thence 
up  the  faid  lane  eaftward  to  a  lane  oppofite  the  Fort-lane  leading  down  into 
Magdalen-lane  fouthward,  and  then  up  the  faid  lane  wcltward  to  the  King 
David  inn. 

The  number  of  inhabitants  that  rcfided  within  its  walls,  or  the  regulations 
of  this  houfe  are  uncertain.  The  21ft  of  Edward  the  3d.  1347,  Agnes  de 
Gloucefter  was  priorefs  thereof  and  Brother  John  was  reftor,  and  the  Bifhop 
of  Worcedcr  was  patron.  The  following  accouut  is  given  by  Leland  of  its 
fupprcllion  in  the  reign  of  King  Henry  8th.  or  the  next  fucceeding  reign. 
He  fays,  "  On  the  north  fide  of  tiie  town  of  Briftol  flood  St.  Magdalen's 
houfe  of  nuns,  which  was  fupprefi'ed  of  late  years,  when  fuch  as  were  under 
300  marks  of  rent  by  the  year  were  put  down,  and  that  it  was  valued  the 
26th  of  Henry  8th,  at  21I.  11s.  3d.  per  annum,  and  granted  the  31ft  of  the 
faid  King  (1540)  to  Henry  Brayne,  Efq;  and  John  Marfli."     The   fite  of  it 

is 

*  Leland's  Itin,  vol.  vii.  p.  72,  Prynnc,  iii.  714,  and  vide  pat.  4.  Edw.  3d.  {1330)  p.  1.  m. 
40.  vcl.  41. 

\  Dugdalc's  Baronage,  vol.  i.  p.  331,  vide  Atkyns's  Miftory  of  Glocefterfhiie,  p.  261. 


[    427    ] 

is  now  in  the  pofTeffion  of  the  family  of  — — .  Jones,  Efq;  at  Stowey,  in  the 
countv  of  Somerfet.  In  the  id  year  of  King  Edward  6tli.  1547,  this  houfc 
was  fequeflcred  to  the  King's  ufe,  p.  134. 

We  are  much  obliged  to  the  ingenious  John  Warburton,  Efq;  Somerfet 
herald,  for  communicating  his  manufcript  of  the  particular  fums  arifing  from 
the  fale  of  many  religious  houfes  in  all  parts  of  England,  amongfl  which  arc 
thefe  lands  and  tenements,  viz.  in  Wefton  St.  Laurence,  Filton,  and  Hen- 
bur)',  in  the  conty  of  Glocedcr,  which  was  parcel  of  the  late  priorv  of  St. 
Mary  Magdalen,  near  Briflol,  &c.  as  by  the  King's  letters  patent  under  the 
great  feal  of  England  more  plainly  appear. 

This  nunnery  and  hofpital  being  endowed  with  the  following  lands,  &c. 
was  fold  off  the  37th  Henry  8th.  1546,  viz.  in  Weftbury,  South  Mead,  at 
Iron  Afton  a  tenement,  at  Berton  Regis  a  meffuage  and  meadow,  at  Codring- 
ton  lands  called  Magdalen-croft,  at  Filton  a  meadow,  at  Laurence  WcRon 
fix  acres. 

In  the  year  1284  Bifliop  Giffard  of  Worcefter  vifited  the  nuns  (moniales)  of 
the  Magdalen  houfe  at  Briftol,  where  he  found  nothing  to  be  amended,  except 
that  the  vicar  of  St.  Michael's  detained  from  the  nuns  for  three  years  2s.  and 
2lbs.  of  pepper  and  cummin  yearly  rent,  to  the  reftitution  of  which  he  was 
condemned  by  the  biflaop,  who  preached  there  :  his  text  was  "  Filiae  tibi  funt, 
ferva  corpus  illarum,"  &c.     Eregiftris  ecclefias  Wygorn. 

PRIORESSES. 

1347,  Agnes  de  Gloucefter.     Giff.  f.  210.  a. 

1349,  27  March,    Maud  de   Luttleton,   a  nun,   was   fet  over  this   houfe  as 
priorefs.      Wolft.  v.  i.   146. 
She  refigned  21  July,   1356,  and  the  bifhop  committed  the 
care    of  this    houfe   to  Julian,  a    fifter   nun,  during  its 
being  void.     Brian,  v.  1.  i8.  b. 
1363,  2  Augufl,  Margery  Longe,  one  of  the  nuns  there.     Barnet,  f.  27. 
1369,  29  October,   Elizabeth  Wodecroft.      Lyn.  f.  20.  b. 

Alice  Claybile  died  priorefs,  and  was  fucceeded  by 
1421,  4  December,  Joan  Walys,  a  nun  of  the  fame  houfe.     Morgan,  v.  1.  f,  66. 

Catherine  Brown  died  priorefs,  and  was  fucceeded  by 
1520,  4  March,  Eleanor  Graunte,  a  nun  of  the  fame  houfe,  moribus  undiquf 
ornata  ct  virtutibus  infignita. 


F  r  f  2  There 


C   428   ] 

There  was  another  religious  houfe  called  the  Ilofpital  of  St.  Bartholomew 
the  Apoflle  for  the  fupport  of  men  and  women.  It  Rood  at  the  weft  end  of 
Lewin's-mead,  near  the  Grey  Friers  houfc,  and  the  garden  of  it  extended 
backwards  and  lay  over  againft  the  hofpital  of  St.  Mary  Magdalen  on  the  hill 
of  St.  Michael. 

This  like  many  other  fimilar  foundations  was  in  ancient  times  both  a  priory 
and  an  hofpital  under  the  government  and  direftion  of  fome  regular  canons : 
for  in  William  of  Worcefter,  p.  208,  itislliled  "quondam  prioratus  &c."  i.  e. 
formerly  a  priory  of  canons  regular  founded  by  the  anccflors  of  Lord  de  la 
Ware,  and  now  an  hofpital  of  poor  perfons.  And  p,  252,  "an  hofpital  houfe 
for  the  poor  with  a  church  formerly  of  canons  of  St.  Auguflin,  and  now  an 
hofpital  houfe  for  fupport  of  poor  perfons  in  the  church  of  St.  Bartholomew." 
The  following  account  from  a  parchment  writing  under  the  name  of  T. 
Rowley  calls  it  a  priory — and  it  is  fo  far  confirmed  in  this  by  William  of 
Worcefter's  manufcript,  which  was  never  feen  by  Chattcrton. 

The  Rolle  of  Seyn6te  Bartholemeweis  Priorie. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lorde  Chryfte  m.cclv  Syre  Gawyne  *  de  Rokeflialle  Sc 
Syre  Johnne  dc  Toedmage  founded  thys  pryoric  to  the  honore  of  Seynfte 
Bartholomewe  :  itte  lycth  onnc  the  fyde  of  SeynQe  Mychaels  Hylle,  whych 
parte  there  lyeynge  ys  the  pryorie  for  twentie  Auftynians  ande  pryncipall 
havyng  a  long  courte  to  Froome  Gate  ande  the  arrowe  toweres  whyche  there 
bee.  Atte  the  ende  of  the  courte  ys  the  Lazarre  howfe  for  thylke  who  havethe 
the  leprous  brennynge.  Everich  abbotte  hydertoe  haveth  encreafed  this 
houfe  ande  meynte  knights  Sc  cytyzens  ycven  londcs  &  monies  thereto,  fo 
that  even  nowe  the  place  ys  full  pleafaunte  to  beholdc.  The  gate  is  hyghe 
botte  the  modde  maie  ryfe  to  the  annoie  thereof.  Above  itte  on  eyther  fyde 
bee  imageries,  the  one  of  the  vyrgyne  &  chylde  &  the  other  of  a  warriourc 
and  moche  enfeemynge  to  bee  for  Johnne  de  Barklie  who  ybuylden  the  gate 
&:  yeven  xx  markys  ande  a  tcncmcnte  there  toe  fhryve  the  leperes  wythe  10 
markys  bie  the  yeere  to  a  fadre  of  the  blackc  fricrie  to  fhrive  the  lepeirys  and 
50  markys  in  lyke  tyme  to  drelfe  ande  docke  theyre  forres,  fayinge,  Icttc  us 
cure  both  fpryte  &  bodye.  From  the  yate  we  pafle  toe  the  ache  chambrc 
where  attendeth  foure  maftre  barboure  furgeonnes  under  the  behylte  of  the 
Auftynian  Frere  aforefayde — This  havethe  the  ufe  of  the  rollcs  whyche  here 
bee  yeven  fome  bye  Johane  de  Barkelie  &  others  bie  Syrre  Walterre  Derbic 

and 

*  One  Sir  Galfrid  dc  Wrokcfhalc  was  6  Edw.  1.  1278,  at  the  perambulation  of  the  bounds  of 
Mcnedip,  as  appears  by  a  deed  in  Adam  de  Domerham,  v.  a,  p.  685. 


[    429    ] 

and  Syr  John  Vyel  *  knyghfes  &  citizens  &  nunie  others :  the  befle  rolles  of 
the  ^vhole  bee  Cylbcrtincs  t  rolle  of  Ypocrates  :— The  fame  fryarrcs  booke 
of  brcnnynge,  +Johan  Stowc  of  the  cure  of  morinalles^&  the  watcrie  leprofie — 
the  rolle  of  the  blacke  mainger:  F.  Lewis  a  Wodcfordcs  booke  of  ailes— tlie 
booke  of  tvmes  &  Phantafies  &  Chryflmas  maumeries  bie  F.  Gualter  de 
Tockington — further  other  maumeries  &  plaies  of  myracles  bie  meinie  wythe 
fomme  of  Roberd  de  Cheddcr  in  Frenche  &  Englyfh,  one  as  plaied  at 
comitatynge  the  cyttye  the  whyche  is  a  quainte  pcece  of  wytte  &  rhyme  : 
Thcfe  bee  alle  the  bookesynne  the  ache  Camberre  &  of  the  refte  of  the  Lazar 
houfe  bee  cellis  &  bcddis  for  the  Lazars,  beeynge  manie  in  number,  the 
onlie  roome  elfe  ys  the  hallc  ^^■here  the  pryoure  fummoneth  councel  of 
Bredrenne  of  phyfique  blacke  whyte  grey  &  odhers :  \dianne  fome  doughtie 
vorke  ys  to  bee  donnc  on  a  Lazar,  and  the  maftre  barber  furgconne  recevyth 
theyre  order,  the  fryeres  havethc  for  attendance  iij  groates  fothe  fyttynge 
as  was  lefte  bie  the  wordhie  knyghte  Syr  Johan  Somerville— leftc  hurte  ande 
fcathe  bee  done  to  the  lepers,  the  whych  mote  bee  avoyded ;  the  fayings  &: 
notifes  of  the  freeres  bee  wrote  yn  a  rolle  from  the  whych  the  harbour  fur- 
geones  learn  muche  ande  none  botte  thofe  of  Seynte  Bartlemews  maye  loke 
thereynne  :  by  whych  meanes  the  barboure  furgeonis  wyll  bee  fervytours 
there  wythoute  paye  to  gayne   knowleche  of  aylimentes  &  theyr  trew  curis.  j| 

Here 

*  Thefc  arc  mentioned  in  the  charter  of  Edw.  3d.  as  commiiTioned  to  fettle  the  bounds  of  the 
citv. 

+  This  author  is  mentioned  in  Chaucer  as  a  fkilful  phyfician  :  his  real  name  was  Raufc  de 
Blondcvillc,  called  (iilbcrtine  from  being  of  the  order  of  St.  Gilbert. 

J  Whether  this  be  the  Icprofy,  fome  burning  eruptive  fkin,  or  the  lues  venerea  has  been  dif- 
putcd. — Becket  firgcon  in  a  trcatife  on  theBrenning  of  the  ancients  makes  it  the  latter, 

^   Chaucer  fays,  '•  on  his  fkin  a  mormallc  had  he  &  a  blacke  manger." 

II  It  js  to  be  admired  how  few  books  of  phyfic  were  in  the  library  of  this  hofpital — but  our 
wonder  ccafcs  when  we  confider  how  few  Leland  met  with  in  that  vilit  he  made  to  the  religious 
houfcs  before  the  diffolution— in  fome  houfcs  were  the  following  phyfic  books  found  : 

V.  4.  I-el.  Coll.  p.  46.     In  Bibliothcca  Ramfey  Cxnob.  "  Praftica  Gilberti  Anglici." 

P  273.  Chiriirgia  Joannis  de  Baro.  de  Ca:nob.  Albani  Oribafius. 

P.  264.  LibellusGaleni—Galenusde  Morbo— Liber  de  fcbribus  ex  Arabic©  tranHatus  Con- 
ftantino  Monacho — de  Bathe  Vulnerarius  a  furgcon — I.cprofus  Sax.  hrcofrig. 

P.  17.  Tabula:  Ludovici  de  Carlion  Doftoris  Medicinac  de  eifdem  rebus— Scripts:  Londini 
1482 — Rogcrus  Bacon  de  Erroribus  Mcdicorum — Volumen  Magillri  Ricardi  de  re  Mcdica — 
Compendium  totius  mcdicinx  feu  praftica  Gilberti  Anglici— Gull.  Holm.  Francifcanus  de  fimpli- 
cibus  mcdicintsjuftum  volumen — Fuit  dcflorator  mcdicorum,  vixit  1415.  ^gidius  de  plantis. 
Ricardus  Mcdicus  dc  fignis.  Plinius  fecundus  de  re  mcdica.  Oribafius  dc  fimplici  mcdicina 
Anlidotaiius  Nicolai  d<-  re  medica — Expofitio  fupcr  libros  aphorifmorum  autorc  Cilbcrto  Anglito 
&  Compendium  Medicinx. 


C   430   ] 

Here  bee  iwa  wyndows  of  paynClid  glafe  :  &  fortie  featis  for  the  Freeres 
wythe  the  walles  carvcn  &  peynfted,  beeynge  in  all  fuUe  faire  &  of  goode 
handiwurcke.  From  the  Lazar  hoiife  to  the  pryouric  bee  a  large  cloyflered 
coiirte  wyth  windowes  thereto.  Innc  the  middeft  of  thys  cloyftcr  bee  the 
bochorde,  wyth  fulle  maintc  bookes  thcreyn  yeveii  bic  dyvers  wordie  knyghtes 
whofe  armoures  bee  there  to  bee  fcene.  The  roUes  bee  fyrfte — a  texte 
Hebraike  &  Englyflie  wyth  floddes  of  goulde,  the  notes  fome  bie  Bradwardin, 
fome  by  pryoure  Walter  de  Lofynge  &  here  bee  the  pHiulmes  in  godelic 
verfe  bie  Johan  Stowe  the  Bryftoe  Carmelyte — alfoe  mainte  bookes  of  the 
Trynitie  eniprovynge  what  Maftre  Canynge  &  myfelfe  thynkethe,  yalte  the 
*'  hallie  fpryte  ys  yatt  whyche  gyveth  wyfdom  &  holdethe  up  t  heaven  Sc 
earthe  &  lyfe  &  brethe  bie  the  powers  of  kynde  whych  fpryngeth  from  that 
allene.  The  rolle  of  Symon  de  Gaunte  de  principio — pattcrne  of  Seynfte 
Luke— Turgottes  roUes.  Bede,  Aflerius,  Ingolphe — Meinte  rolles  of  lyttle 
vorthe  to  Goddis  fervyce.  Scripture  myracles  &  maumeries — The  legendc 
of  the  Earlesof  Glouceftre — plaiesofthe  Earlcs  of  Glouceftre  bie  Johan  Stowe 
fulle  of  wytte  &  godelie  wordes. 

Legende  of  the  knyghtes  of  the  Swanne,  twa  plaies  of  the  fame  by  Johan 
Stowe — Legende  of  the  Seynftes.  Maumeries  of  the  lyke  by  the  Freeres  of 
the  grey  ordre  wyth  other  Maumeryes  by  divers  wryters. 

Inne'the  bochorde  bee  alfo  peynfteynges  &  there  bee  one  onne  the  walle 
of  Bryftouc  ynne  the  reygn  of  W.  Roufe  as  walled  bie  Geoffrie  Byflioppe  of 
Conflance  &  a  drawynge  of  GeofFreis  Logge  &  walls  of  the  fame,  wythe 
dreeynges  of  Robert  of  Gloucefterre  his  caftle  ande  eke  dreeynges  of  a  fpyre 
&  cndeynge  botte  of  a  chyrche  the  whyche  I  have  ne  feene  butte  ytte  mote 
bee  made  for  the  pryourie  toure  whyche  havethe  no  fpyre  to  be  putte  onne 
the  famme — the  fpyre  bee  a  quaynte  wurcke,  the  botte  lyke  that  of  Wefte- 
burie  ybuylden  by  Maftre  Roberte  Canynge  ;  others  bee  alfoc  yn  this 
bochorde — a  fmall  rolle  of  elf-lockes  bye  John  Stowe  emproveynge  them  not 
to  be  the  worke  of  fprytes  as  meynt  do  owlyflilie  enthyncke — From  the 
bochorde  come  wee  to  the  chapele  where  bee  meynte  naumeries  as  depyfted 
ynne  the  rolles  hereon  of  Syr  Gawyne  de  Rokefliall  &  others :  inne  the 
wyndowe  bee  manie  hatchmentes   in  heraldiquc  manner,  the  whych  bee  alfoe 

here 

+  Thai  is,  the  natural  agents  called  here  the  powers  of  kind,  aft  by  and  under  the  dircfiion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  the  infpirer  of  wifdom,  fcriptural  wifdom. — It  is  faid  tliat  J.  Milvcrton  and 
olliers  held,  that  God  governed  the  world  &c.  without  any  natural  agents  :  but  Rowley  fpcaking 
of  them  fays,  "  tlicie  cider  mcanc  Godde  be  tlie  powers  of  kindc  or  natural  agents  or  thcie  know 
not  what  thcmfclvcs  mcane." 


[    431     ] 

here  drecne.  Here  bee  toe  a  quainte  pcece  of  cofier  wurcke  bie  a  nonne  of 
Tuckefburye  of  the  lyfe  of  Seynfte  Barptholomew.  From  the  chapele  to  the 
friourie  is  a  fmall  fpacc.  The  friourie  haveth  little  thereyn  that  is  of  worthe, 
but  the  ccUis  bee  dernic  &  well  yroughten  in  wodc — but  the  buyldynge  be 
not  compyghte. 

Thus  endeth  the  rolle  of  SeynQe  Bartholomew  &  here  foUeweth  a  lyfte  of 
the  pryoures. 

M.C.C.OV.  Richard  the  broder  of  Syr  Gawyn  dc  Rokefhall. 
M.C.C.XXII.  John   the    chanter   who    fyrlle    had    the    fetyve   amerheaded 
crofier,  whych  croficr  bee  yn  the  revetrichavynge  dcpyQed 
therconne  the  12  apoftles  of  our  Lordc  under  dy vers  ftonis. 
M.C.C.X.L.I.X.  Walter  Bronefcombe  afterwardes  Byflioppe  of  Exonecefter- 
M.C.C.L.  John  de  Kynton. 
M.CC.L.XXXX.II.   Engelram  de  Courcie. 
M.C.CC.X.   Wyllyam  de  Blondeville. 
M.CCC.XV.  Walter  de  Lofynge. 
M.CCC.XXXVI.  Robert  de  la  Corner. 
M.CCC.LX.   Johannes  le  White. 
M.CCC.LXX.  Rogerus  de  Somerville. 
M.CCC.XCIII.  Everarde  de  la  Yate. 
M.CCCC.XX.  Edmonde  Holbeck. 
M.CCCC.XXXVI.   John  Warlewafte. 
M.CCCC.L.   Reginald  Mottecombe. 

M.CCCC.LVII.  Radulph  de  Beckington,  who  now  doth  hold  the  fame 
priourie.  Thus  dothe  ende  the  rolle  of  Seyn£le  Bartho- 
lomewis  priourie  bie  Thomas  Rowley. 

It  appears  from  ancient  deeds  there  was  alfo  a  priorcfs  appointed  for  this 
hofpital ;  though  by  inquifition  it  was  proved  that  it  was  a  very  ancient  foun- 
dation, of  which  there  was  no  account  but  by  public  fame,  that  the  cuftody  of 
it  was  always  in  men  and  not  in  women  ;  the  following  occur  prioreffes  what- 
ever their  authority  might  be — 1  Aug.  1363  Elizabeth  Batte — Joan  Joye— 
1368  Maud  Covelcv. — In  1382  Robert  Chcddre  leaves  a  legacy  to  the  filters 
of  St.  Bartholomew's,  book  of  wills,  p.  8. 

It  is  faid  in  a  deed  1386  that  Lord  dc  la  War  was  the  true  patron  to 
prefent,  and  that  the  rents  and  profits  of  it  confided  in  lands  cultivated  and 
rents  to  the  value  of  30  marks &c. 

This  houfe  with  all  the  lands,  &c.  thereto  belonging  was  by  licence  from 
King   Henry  8tli.   anno   rcgni   24,  purchafcd   bv    tbc    executors    of   Robert 

Thorn, 


C   432    ] 

Thorn,  Efq;  of  Sir  Tliomas  Weft,  Knight,  and  Lord  la  Warre,  patrons  and 
founders,  George  Croft,  mafter,  and  the  brethren  and  fitters  of  the  faid  hof- 
pital,  and  conveyed  to  the  mayor,  burgeffes,  and  commonalty  of  Briftol,  for 
erefling  a  free  grammar-fchool,  in  purfiiance  of  the  will  of  the  faid  Robert 
Thorn.  This  and  fome  other  hofpitals  in  Briflol  were  probablv  in  bad  con- 
dition in  Leland's  time,  he  having  placed  this  amongft  thofe  in  ruin.  Robert 
and  Nicholas  the  fons  of  Robert  Thorn  were  alfo  great  benefaflors  to  this 
fchool.  The  head  mafler  thereof  is  at  prcfent  allowed  60I.  the  under  mafter 
or  uftier  40I.  per  annum. 

The  bailiff  who  coUeQs  the  rents  for  the  corporation  of  Briftol  pavs  at 
Michaelmas  to  the  head  mafter  of  this  fchool  il.  13s.  46.  and  the  uftier  16s.  8d. 
as  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Netheway  to  buy  each  of  them  a  hat. 

There  are  certain  lands  and  tenements  called  the  Bartholomew's,  (the  rents 
colleftcd  by  the  bailiff)  lying  and  being  in  Wickwar,  Horfield,  Stapleton, 
Winterbourn,  Briftington,  Almondfbury,  and  in  Briftol,  to  the  amount  in 
1740  of  89I.  4s.  6d.   in  ground  or  referved  rents. 

For  the  greater  encouragement  of  freemen's  fons  educated  at  this  fchool, 
feveral  well-difpofed  pcrfons  have  left  exhibitions  for  fuch  when  fent  to  the 
imiverfity  of  Oxford,  as  appears  by  enquiry  made  in  the  Chamber  Book  of 
Orders  the  23d  of  Auguft  and  12th  of  William  3d.   1700. 

Mrs.  Ann  Snigg  gave  two  exhibitions  of  61.  each  payable  yearly  for  ever 
towards  the  maintenance  of  two  youths  in  the  univerfity,  fons  of  free  burgef- 
fes, to  be  chofen  out  of  the  Grammar-fchool  of  Briftol  by  the  mayor  and 
common  council. 

Mr.  White  gave  an  exhibition  of  5I.  yearly  for  the  fame  purpofe  for  one 
young  man,  in  the  fame  manner  to  be  chofen. 

Mr.  Alderman  WhJtfon  gave  two  exhibitions  of  lol.  per  annum  to  two 
young  men,  to  be  chofen  out  of  the  fame  fchool. 

About  the  year  1700  it  was  agreed  to  fend  all  thefe  fcholars  that  were  exhi- 
bitioners to  Baliol  college,  and  Dr.  Maunder,  the  prefident,  agreed  to  receive 
them  there,  that  by  their  friendftiip  and  mutual  affiftance,  after  being  bred  at 
Briftol  Grammar-fchool,  they  might  affift  each  other  in  their  ftudies,  and  the 
corporation  be  more  eafily  informed  where  they  were  and  what  progrefs  and 
improvement  they  made  in  their  learning,  and  the  corporation  ordered  lool. 
as  a  prefent  from  the  city  towards  completing  the  additional  buildings  of  Baliol 
on  this  occafion ;  but  fince  that  time  they  arc  not  confined  to  one  college, 
and  the  exhibitioners  are  placed  to  what  college  the  parents  may  think   beft, 

and 


C    433    ] 

and  the  exhibitions  given  to  freemen's  fons  of  Briftol,  to  whatever  college 
they  may  happen  to  belong. 

Bv  a  decree  upon  a  comminion  of  the  High  Court  of  Chancery,  12th  July, 
8th  James  i(L  it  was  ordered  that  the  mayors  for  the  time  being  fhouid  con- 
tinue to  be  fpecial  governors  of  this  fchool  and  yearly  vifit  if,  and  from  time 
to  time  with  advice  of  the  aldermen  and  common  council  for  ever  here- 
after as  often  as  they  fee  occafion  difplace  or  place  the  fchool-maftcr  and 
uflier, -and  from  time  to  time  make  orders  and  rules  for  the  education  of  youth 
there  in  grammar  and  other  good  literature,  fo  that  they  be  not  repugnant  to 
the  laws  and  ordinances  fet  down  by  the  founders.  It  was  alfo  decreed  that 
only  4d.  fliould  be  taken  by  the  fchool-mafter  for  every  fchool-boy's  admif- 
fion,  and  in  fuch  form  freely  to  be  taught  as  fet  down  by  the  founders. 

This  fchool  has  long  fltiuriflied  under  tlic  care  and  patronage  of  the  corpo- 
ration, and  the  diftinguiflicd  abilities  of  the  mailers  who  have  prefided  here,  and 
have  greatly  fupported  its  credit.  For  encouragement  of  the  mafter  and  bet- 
ter accommodation  of  boarders  (and  he  is  allowed  to  take  fome)  the  houfe  at 
the  Bartholomews'.s,  being  old,  dark,  and  in  a  low  inconvenient  fituation, 
was  exchanged  for  the  more  airy  and  fpacious  hofpital  of  Queen  Elizabeth  in 
Orchard-flreet  ;  but  the  endowments  of  each  feparatcly  remain  the  fame, 
the  place  only  being  charged  (fee  page  379)  fo  that  this  free  grammar-fchool 
continues  to  grow  in  efleem,  to  the  great  advantage  of  the  citizens  of  Briftol, 
who  are  inclined  to  give  their  fons  a  learned  education  at  little  expence, 
and  prepare  them  for  the  univerfity  or  any  of  the  profcfTions  of  divinity,  phy- 
fic,  or  law,  and  who  have  a  natural  right  and  gratuitous  claim  to  the  privileges 
of  this  fchool  and  the  fellowfliip  and  exhibitions  in  Oxford  belonging  to  it. 
There  are  certain  rules  and  ordinances  for  the  well-governing  of  this  fchool  and 
about  the  qualifications  of  fchool-mafter  and  ufher,  which  have  been  agreed 
on  and  confirmed  by  the  corporation,  the  truflees  and  vifitors  of  the  fchool, 
who  from  time  to  time  have  advanced  the  falaries  of  the  mafter  and  uftier, 
that  the  founder's  good  defigns  of  a  free  grammar-fchool  be  punftually  ful- 
filled, and  not  fruftrated  by  deviating  from  the  original  foundation  calculated 
for  the  eafe,  relief,  and  emolument  of  the  citizens. 

There  is  in  this  parifti  a  chapel  dedicated  to  the  Three  Kings  of  Cologn, 
and  an  almfhoufe  to  it  adjoining,  having  fourteen  chambers  for  the  habitation 
ofoneprieft,  eight  poor  men,  and  five  poor  women.  Its  fituation  is  at  the 
top  of  Queen-ftreet  and  Stcep-Ilreet,  and  it  was  founded  about  the  :9th  year 
of  Henry  7th.  1504,  by  John  Foftcr,  mayor  in  1481.  After  his  death  this 
charity  was  augmented  by  John  Eftcrficld,  ma\or  in  1488,  1495,  one  of  his 

G  G  G  executors. 


[    434     ] 

executors.  The  land  on  which  it  is  built  was  purchafed  by  Mr.  Fofler  only 
for  a  term  of  years  of  the  abbot  of  Tewkfbury,  but  was  afterwards  bought  in 
fee  by  Mr.  Efterficld.  No  perfon  was  to  be  admitted  on  this  charitable  foun- 
dation but  Englifh,  and  none  under  the  age  of  fifty  years  or  married.  The 
mayor  and  aldermen  of  Briftol  for  the  time  being  had  power  to  place  in  feven 
men,  and  Mrs.  Mayorefs  four  women  ;  the  other  two  pcrfons  were  to  be 
placed  in  by  the  mafler  of  the  houfe  of  St.  Mark  of  Billefwyck  for  the  time 
being.  The  pricft  was  daily  to  fay  mafs  between  the  hours  of  eight  and  nine 
in  the  morning  for  the  good  eflate  of  the  fouls  of  John  Fofler  and  Elizabeth 
his  wife,  their  fathers  and  mothers  ;  for  James  Venables,  the  faid  John  Efter- 
ficld, merchant,  and  for  Alice  and  Maud  his  late  wives,  &c.  for  which  the 
prieft  was  to  have  5I.  6s.  8d.  per  annum.  The  whole  accounts  of  this  charity 
are  to  be  produced  by  the  bailiff  that  colle6ls  the  rents,  &c.  on  the  11th 
of  November  yearly,  and  then  audited  before  the  mayor  and  the  town  clerk, 
when  if  prefcnt  the  mayor  was  to  receive  5s.  the  town  clerk  is.  8d.  and  the 
bailiff  2od.  for  their  trouble. 

This  charity  was  further  augmented  by  Dr.  George  Owen,  phyfician  to 
King  Henry  8th.  which  in  the  year  1748  brought  in  861.  tgs.  lod.  per  annum. 
The  rents  of  the  lands  given  by  Fofter,  &c.  in  the  fame  year  produced  77I. 
lis.  per  annum,  being  chiefly  out  upon  lives.  The  government  of  this  houfe 
at  prefcnt  is  in  the  magiflratcs  of  Briftol,  by  whofe  care  and  good  menagement 
the  poor  there  (fourteen)  are  now  paid  each  of  them  2s.  6d.  per  week.  In 
the  Chriftmas  they  have  double  pay,  and  in  Eafter  and  Whitfon  weeks  they 
are  paid  5s.  more  than  their  ufual  pay,  and  at  fome  time  in  the  year  they  have 
fhirts,  fhifts,  and  coal  given  them. 

The  rcBor  of  this  parifli  is  paid  by  the  chamberlain  of  Brillol  lol.  per 
annum  for  prayers  and  a  monthly  fermon  to  be  preached  in  this  chapel,  to 
the  clerk  26s. 

The  annual  difburfcmcnts  out  of  Fofter's  lands.  Dr.  Owen's,  and  thofe  cal- 
led the  Bartholomew's,  ail  blended  together  for  the  fupport  of  Fofter's  almf- 
houfe,  Bartholomew's  grammar-fchool,  and  for  the  fchool  in  Redcliff  church- 
yard, are, 

To  the  mafter  of  the  grammar-fchool  at  Rcdclifi 
To  the  mafter  and  uflier  of  the  Bartholomew's  grammar-fchool, 

one  year  -  _  _  _  _ 

To  fourteen  pcrfons  in  Fofter's  almflioufc  at  2s.  6d.  each,  one  year 
To  the  rector  of  St.  Michael's  parifh  for  fcrvicc  there 
To  the  clerk  of  that  parifli,  his  yearly  falary 


/. 

5. 

d. 

4 

0 

0 

02 

10 

0 

91 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

1 

6 

0 
To 

C    435     ] 

To  other  contingencies  paid  by  the  bailiff  one  year,  with  other      /.     s.     d. 
difburfements,  amounting  to  about  40I.  per  annum  -  40     o     o 

£  248   16     o 

On  the  fide  of  St.  Michael's-hill  in  this  parifli  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  having 
purchafcd  of  the  mayor  and  commonahy  of  the  city  of  Briflol   two  acres  and 
three  quarters   and  thirty-feven  perches   of  paflure  ground,    known  by   the 
name  of  the  Turtles,  alias  Jonas  Lcafes,  on  part  of  this  ground  in   the  year 
1691,  he  built  and  finifhed  an  hofpital  or  alm(houfe  of  frceftone  with  a  chapel 
for  divine  fervice,  the  charge  of  which  amounted  to  about  2500I.  having  three 
meffuages  or  tenements   erefled  upon  fome  other  part  of  the  faid  ground  ad- 
joining to   the  hofpital.     And  in  the  year  i6g6  he  endowed  the  fame  with 
lands  and  fee  farm  rents,  &c.  in  Northumberland.     This  houfe  hath  twenty- 
four  apartments  for  twelve  men  and  twelve  women,  freemen,  or  the  widows, 
fons,  or   daughters   of  fuch  freemen,  or  born  in  the  city  of  Briflol,  or  that 
have  lived  in  the  faid  city  for  twenty  years  before  admittance,  which  houfc  is 
for  ever  to  be  called   Colfton's  Almdioufe.     The  founder  during  his   natural 
life  referved   a  power  to  himfelf  of   placing  in  the  poor  when  any  vacancy 
fhould  happen,  and  after  his  deceafe  he  gave  the  fame   power  for  ever  to  be 
in  the   maQer,    wardens,  afTiftants,  and   commonalty    of  the    Merchant   \'en- 
turers    within   the   city  of  Briftol,  and  appointed  them  vifitors  or  governors 
thereof,   and    invefted  them    with    lands,  rents,  Sec.  for   its    fupport,  viz.  to 
each  perfon  of  this  houfe  3s.  per  week  ;  but  upon  the  death  of  any  perfon  there 
belonging,   no  fucceflbr  fhall  be  intitled  to  that  pay  till  three  months  after  the 
death  of  the  predecefTor,  which  fhall  be  kept   in  flock  for  keeping   the  houfc 
in  repair,  and  that  out  of  the  twelve  men  one  fliall  be  chief  brother  of  the 
houfe,  who   fhall  weekly  or  once  in  a  fortnight  receive  the   allowance  of  3s, 
each  from  the  mafler  wardens.  See.  for  every  perfon   there,  and  for  his  care 
and  pains  he  fhall  be  allowed   full  6s.  per  week,  and   at  his  death  another 
elder  brother  (hall  be  chofcn  by  the  company  of  merchants  out  of  thofe  men 
in  the  houfe      And  that  each  perfon  in  the  houfc  cither  before  or  after  Chrifl- 
mas   fhall  receive   twenty-four   facks  of  coal   and  10s.  for  foap  and  candles. 
And  that  in  the  chapel  room  fliall  be  read  the  Common   Prayer   according  to 
the  liturgy   of  the   Church  of  England  by  a  perfon  in  holy  orders,  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  founder  during  his  life,  and  after  that  by  the  mafler,  wardens, 
&c.  of  faid  company,  who  fhall  pay  him  lol.  per  annum.     And  if  the   flock 
of  the  houfe  fhould  fall  fhort,  then   to  deduCl  is.  per  week  out  of  every  one's 
pay,  but  not  to  continue  above  one  year.     And  if  that  '     not  fufficient  then 

G  G  G   2  the 


[    43^    ] 

the  reiidue  to  be  fupplied  by  not  filling  up  the  places  of  any  of  the  fix  decayed 
failors  in  the  Merchant's  almflioufe,  all  which  endowments  came  to  about 
8500I. 

The  accounts  of  this  houfe  are  always  to  be  kept  feparate,  and  once  a  year 
the  houfe  to  be  vifited  by  the  twenty  truflees  or  lefs,  and  when  by  death  they 
are  reduced  to  four  then  to  convey  to  twenty  others. 

Rules  to  be  obfervcd  in  this  hofpital. 

1.  That  prayers  be  read  in  the  chapel  every  mornin  and  evening  in  the 
year,  except  Sunday,  \\'ednefday,  and  Friday  mornings,  when  there  are 
prayers  at  the  parifli  church:  if  the  reader  neglcft,  then  is.  to  be  flopt  for 
each  negleO;  out  of  his  pay. 

2.  Prayers  to  begin  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  at  three  in  the  after- 
noon from  Lady-day  to  the  2gth  of  September,  and  from  the  2gth  of  Septem- 
ber to  the  25th  of  March  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  three  in  the 
afternoon. 

3.  All  pcrfons  belonging  to  the  houfe  fhall  attend  the  prayers  in  the  chapel, 
or  in  the  parifh  church,  fickncfs  only  excepted,  on  the  forfeiture  of  6d.  for 
each  default. 

4.  All  fines  fliali  be  applied  to  the  flock  of  the  houfe,  and  that  the  chief 
brother  do  keep  a  book  to  note  down  all  the  affairs  of  the  houfe,  which  fhall 
be  produced  to  the  mafter,  wardens,  &c. 

5.  The  houfe  to  be  vifited  by  the  governors  twice  a  year. 

6.  That  once  a  year  the  accounts  fliall  be  made  up  relating  to  the  h^jufc. 

7.  That  none  be  chofen  into  the  houfe  but  thofe  of  the  communion  of  the 
Church  of  England,  nor  under  the  age  of  fifty,  unlefs  for  a  chief  brother,  nor 
any  vicious  perfon,  &:c. 

8.  That  there  be  in  the  houfe  always  four  men  or  women  out  of  Temple 
parifh,  two  of  Chrift  Church,  and  two  out  of  St.  Michael,  provided  the  prc- 
mifes  be  not  rated  to  the  poor  of  St.  Michael's  parifh. 

9.  No  inmate  fliall  lodge  in  the  houfe,  or  child  or  children  be  kept  there 
by  day  or  night. 

10.  The  chief  brother  fliall  have  the  care  of  the  houfe  and  the  inhabitants 
therein,  and  remark  in  a  book  what  is  done  amifs. 

11.  The  gate  fliall  be  locked  every  night  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  fummer, 
and  in  the  winter  at  eight:  and  that  lying  out  three  nights  in  the  year  fliall  be 
fuilicicnt  for  expulfion.  The  elder  brother  fliall  appoint  one  of  the  houfe  to 
lock  the  doors  and  to  ring  the  bell  for  prayers. 

12.  Thefc  rules  fhall  be  read  at  the  time  of  vifitation. 

At 


C    437     ] 

At  the  north-cafl  entrance  into  the  Royal  Fort-lane  in  this  parifh  Is  a 
fchool  credled  by  John  Elbridge,  Efq;  in  his  life  time.  At  his  death,  which 
happened  the  2 2d  of  February,  1739,  ^e  left  by  his  will  3000I.  to  endow 
this  charity  for  the  cloathing  of  twenty-four  female  children  once  a  year  and 
educating  them  in  reading,  writing,  cyphering,  and  fewing:  there  is  no  allow- 
ance for  diet  or  lodging.  In  purfuance  to  his  will  in  the  year  1748  his  truf- 
tecs  ereclod  a  handfome  houfe  with  two  apartments,  which  coft  287I.  for  the 
habitation  of  the  i'chool-mafler  and  miftrefs.  The  mailer's  falary  is  20I.  and 
the  miflrefs's  15I.  per  annum,  fhe  having  the  benefit  of  their  work,  and  both 
allowed  coals  and  candles.  The  annual  income  for  the  fupport  of  this  cha- 
rity is  about  90I.  per  annum,  which  arifes  from  South  Sea  annuities,  fettled 
by  the  Lord  Chancellor,  and  inveftcd  in  the  hands  of  feoffees  and  truftees  for 
the  faid  ufes. 

A  charity-fchool  is  eflablidied  by  the  parifliioners  of  St.  Michael  and  St. 
Auguftin,  for  keeping  the  poor  boys  belonging  to  eacli  parifh  at  fchool  and 
inffrucling  them  in  reading,  writing,  cyphering,  and  the  church  catechifm. 
It  is  chiefly  fupported  by  the  contributions  of  a  few  gentlemen  of  each 
parifii,  and  has  few  benefattions  as  yet  bellowed  on  it. 


CHAP.      XIV. 

OJ  the  CHURCH  o/"  A  L  L  SAINTS,  ani  HOUSE  and  SOCIETY 

o^KALENDARIES. 


THIS  church  is  very  old,  being  one  of  thofe  built  in  the  center  of  the 
city  fuppofcd  to  be  founded  by  one  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Earls  of 
Glocefler,  dedicated  to  All  Saints,  a  feflival  kept  on  the  firft  of  November. — 
It  is  mentioned  by  Leland  as  early  appropriated  to  the  monaflery  of  St. 
Auguflin,  Robert  Fitzharding  with  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefler  then  Lord  of 
Briftol  tranflated  the  fraternity  of  Kalendaries  from  the  church  of  Holy 
Trinity  or  Chrifl  Church  to  this  of  All  Saints.  It  is  but  "a  fmall  church  of 
three  ailes,  the  north  and  fbuth  being  of  equal  length  ;  at  the  wefl  end  of  thcic 
a  honfc  projefts  over  two  large  frceflonc  pillars  into  the  church,  which  hurts 

the 


[     438     ] 

ihe  appearance  of  it  and  flattens  the  found  of  the  organ,  crefted  between  tlicm 
in  the  year  1740  at  the  cxpence  of  249I.     The  middle   aile    is  in   length   70 
feet,  and  in  height  about  49  ;  the  fide  ailes  are  each  about  30  feet  high;  the 
roof  is  all  of  timber;  the  outfide  covered  with  Cornifli  tile,   repaired  the  10th 
of  Henry  8th.  by  Robert  Elliot,  then   abbot  of  St.  Auguftin,  as  alfo  was  the 
chancel  by  a  decree  from  the  Bifliop   of  Worcefler.      On   its  north-eaft  fide 
was  a  low  freellone  tower  taken  down  in  the  year  1713,  and  in  the  year  1716 
it  was  begun  to  be  rebuilt  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  citizens  at  the 
expence  of  589I.  10s.  3d.  towards  which  Edward   Colfton,  Efq;  gave   250I. 
The  church  books  fay  that  ini  4  43  the  fteeple  was  repaired.  William  of  Worcefler 
mentions  the  length  of  it  to  be  in  toto  23  yards  or  74  fteps,  and  its  breadth 
20  yards  or  34  fleps.     In  1451    Sir  John  Gyllard,  prior  of  the   Kalendaries, 
built  the  curious   wainfcot  ceiling  over  the  north  aile  called  Jefus's  aile,  on 
■which  are  carved,  gilt,  and  painted  many   curious  emblems  of  the  fufFerings 
of  Chrift,  but  growing  to  decay  and  found  dangerous  was  taken  down  in  the 
year   1782   and  rebuilt:  over  this  aile  at  the   fame  time   was  conflruded    a 
large  room  for  a  public  library  under  the  government  of  the  prior  and  mayor. 
And  it  appears  from  deeds  that  the  houfe  at  the  north-weft  end  of  the  church, 
part  of  which  was  over  the  public  conduit  and  at  its  back  part  projected  into 
the  church,  was   the   houfe  of  the  Kalendaries,   out  of  which  by  a  door  they 
communicated  with  the  library.      The  houfe  at  the  fouth-wefl  end  reRing  on 
the  pillars  of  the  church  is   the  vicarage-houfe,  built   by  Thomas   Marfliall, 
vicar  and  one  of  the  Kalendaries,  about  the  year  1422.      There  is  a  deed  in 
the  regifters  of  the  church  of  Worcefler,  (Morgan,   vol.  i.   folio  70)  entitled, 
*'  Fundatio  Manfi  Vicarii  omnium  SanClorum."   The  founder  Marfhall  erefted 
the  building  at  his  own   expence,  partly   on  the  ground  of  the  church  and 
partly  on  the  churchyard,  for  the  perpetual  refidence  of  all  the  future  vicars, 
and  he  obtained  of  Philip  Bifhop  of  Worcefler  confirmation  of  it  for  that  ufe, 
who  ordered  an  annual  obiit  on  the  7th   of  January  and  prayers  for  the  foul 
of  the  faid  Marfhall,  to  be  celebrated  in  this  church  by  all  fucceeding  vicars, 
and  that  they  fhould  pay  6s.  8d.  in  the  following  manner:  fix  groffos  monetas 
(groats)  equally  between  fix  chaplains  then  prefent,  at  the  exequies  and  mafs 
i2d.  for  two  wax  candles,  lod.  to  theparifh  clerk  (clafficum  vel  campanas  pul- 
fanti)  2d.  to  the  crier  for  proclaiming  the  obiit,  and  2od.  worth  (denariatus)  of 
bread  to  be  diflributed  among  the  poor,  and  6d.  each  to  the  proQors  of  the 
church  to  fuperintend  the  faid  ordinance.     This  church  was  new  pewed  in  the 
year  1757  in  a  neat  and  elegant  manner,  the  ground  floor  then  very  low  much 
rifen,  and  the  pulpit  removed  to  the  oppofitc  fide;  but  in  the  year  1770  was 

farther 


[    439    ] 

farther  cmbelliflied,  the  feats  being  taken  up  and  fixed  anew  and  the  whole 
painted  and  beautified  at  a  very  great  expence,  and  though  fimall  it  now  makes 
a  very  neat  appearance ;  a  painting  of  the  falutation  of  tlie  \'irgin  Mary  is 
fct  up  over  the  altar.  In  the  year  1728  eight  new  bells  were  cafl  at  the 
expcnce  of  134I.  los.  gd.  befidcs  the  fix  old  ones,  the  tenor  not  to  exceed 
17001b.  weight,  and  the  reft  in  proportion.  There  were  fevcral  altars  in  this 
church,  at  which  obiits  were  celebrated.  In  1241  yVlicc  Hazlc  left  a  tene- 
ment called  the  Green  Lettice  in  High-ftreet  of  5I.  6s.  8d.  per  annum,  to  dif- 
charge  the  expence  of  her  obiit  on  the  10th  of  July  annually  at  the  crofs  or 
rood  altar  entering  the  chancel.  In  1433  Martin  Draper  gave  izd.  a  year  to 
maintain  a  lamp  to  burn  there,  and  John  le  Gate  gave  4s.  per  annum  to  find 
five  tapers  to  burn  before  our  Lady's  altar.  The  following  perfons  founded 
chauntries  here  for  the  good  of  their  fouls  and  for  their  friends :  John  Haddon, 
vintner;  Sir  Thomas  Marfliall,  vicar,  who  died  the  i7ih  of  January,  1434; 
Sir  William  Rodberd,  vicar,  who  died  the  6th  of  June,  1453  5  Thomas 
Holway,  who  died  the  13th  of  December,  1454;  Everard  French  eftabliflied 
a  chauntry  here,  and  Henry  Chefter,  who  died  the  14th  of  February,  1470, 
for  himfelf  and  his  wife  Alice,  who  died  the  16th  of  December,  1485.  The 
obiit  of  John  Snigg  was  kept  the  i8th  of  September,  1490,  and  that  of  Sir 
Nicolas  Parker,  vicar,  Vz'z  8th  of  Auguft,  1436,  he  gave  8s.  per  annum  to 
provide  lolb.  of  wax  for  two  tapers  to  burn  before  the  high  altar.  The  gifts 
to  the  ufe  of  this  church  in  rich  ornaments  and  veftmcnts  arc  furprizingly 
great,  and  it  appears  by  the  church  deeds  that  on  the  14th  of  Auguft,  1459, 
there  was  upwards  of  423  ounces  of  filver  plate  belonging  to  thefe  altars.  It 
would  be  endlefs  to  reckon  up  the  number  of  chalices,  patens,  croffes  both 
gold  and  filver  of  great  weight,  fome  weighing  upwards  of  ninety  ounces,  em- 
bellifhed  with  rubies  and  other  precious  ftones,  tabernacles,  fpoons  of  gold, 
ampullas,  cenfers,  candlefticks,  paxes,  cruets,  fliips,  fcpulchrcs,  bells,  gilt 
crowns,  angels  painted,  ftained  cloths  for  the  coronation  of  our  Lady,  Lent 
cloths  for  the  rood  altar,  curtains,  veftments  of  velvet,  filk,  gold,  filver,  &c. 
fringes,  banners,  frontels,  corporaffys,  &c.  mafs  books,  antiphoneryes,  pfaw- 
ters,  books  for  the  organs,  legends,  proceflTionals,  grayles,  ordinals,  &c. 

On  the   14th  of  Auguft,   1549,  the  following  jewels  were  weighed   at   All 
Saints  church  by  which  the  riches  belonging  ihcrclo  may  be  cftimatcd. 

Ounces. 
A  great  crofs  of  filver,  all  gilt,  weight  -  -  159 

A  finall  crofs,   all  gilt,  with  a  crucifix        -  r-  -60 

One  pax  of  filver,  all  gilt,  with  a  little  cup  and  fpoon         -         44;! 

Two 


[     440    ] 

Oimres, 

Two  cenfers,  all  gilt  -  -  -  -  -       68 

Two  candlefticks  of  filver,  part  gilt,  with  a  little  pax,  and  a 
fhip  of  filver,  part  gilt  -  -  -  -       gi^ 


4237 


y 


All  thefc  valuables  with  many  more  too  tedious  to  enumerate  fell  into 
tlie  hands  of  Henry  8th.  and  Edward  6lh.  at  the  diffolution,  and  the  plate  it 
appears  by  the  following  receipt  was  all  coined  for  his  Majefly's  ufe. 

"  On  the  )3th  of  Auguft,  1549,  was  received  by  me,  Robert  Recorde, 
"  comptroller  of  his  Majefly's  mint  of  Briflol,  to  his  Highnefs's  ufe,  of  Mr. 
"  William  Younge  and  John  Pykes,  pro£lors  of  All  Hallows  in  Briftol,  in  gilt 
"  niver  iglb.  ii|^oz.  and  in  parcel  gilt  151b.  30Z. 

"  ROBERT  RECORDE." 

There  was  annually  performed  in  this  church  a  general  obiit  for  all  good 
doers  about  the  year  1500,  the  expence  thereof  paid  by  the  churchwardens 
as  follows :  I.     s.     d. 

To  the  vicar  4d.  to  five  priefls  for  the  dirge,  is.  3d.  -  017 
To  the  clerk  for  his  labour  and  bell  -  -  -012 

To  three  budielsanda  half  whcatcn  meal,  at  IS.  6d.  per  bufliel  053 
To  three  ounces  and  a  half  faffVon  4s.  4d.  and  2  oz.  cloves,  8d.  050 
Bread  to  poor  people,  'jA.  pottle  of  oil,  is.  -  017 

To  three  gallons  of  claret  wine  -  -  -  020 

To  three  gallons  of  malfmy  wine         -  -  -  030 

To  two  gallons  of  fack  -  -  -  -014 

To  the  fexton  for  laying  the  hearfe  -  -  002 

To  baking  the  cakes,  is.  4d.  finging  ale  two  dozen,  2s.  2d.    036 

£  1  4  7 
In  1552  much  plate  ftill  remaining,  it  was  on  the  6th  of  Augufl,  6th  year 
of  King  Edward  6th.  delivered  to  his  commilTioncrs  for  the  ufe  of  his  mint 
then  at  Briflol,  two  chalices  and  fix  bells  excepted,  which  were  left  till  the 
king's  pleafure  was  further  known.  The  plate  in  ufe  at  prefent  confids  of  two 
filver  flaggons,  92  ounces;  one  filver  cup  and  cover  gilt,  32  ounces;  one  fil- 
ver gilt  plate,  14^  ounces  ;  one  ditto,   14  ounces. 

This  vicarage  is  valued  in  the  King's  Books  at  the  clear  yearly  value  of 
21I.  lis.  8d.  the  yearly  tenths  now  difcharged  were  8s.  4d.  An  annual 
crown  rent  of  4s.  is  paid  out  of  a  houfe  in  High-Rreet  and  one  in  Broad-llreet. 

The  patrons  arc  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Briflol. 

The 


[     441     ] 

The  living  is  eftimated  to  be  worth  to  the  vicar  annually,  /.     s.     d. 

In  Eafter  dues  and  furplice  fees,  about        -             -  60     o     o 

By  a  free  gift  out  of  the  veftry  ftock     -            -             -  30     o     o 

By  the  annual  rent  of  the  vicaragc-houfe,  if  let         -  2600 

£  116     o     o 
And  to  a  lefturer  annually  for  fcrvicc  every  Sunday 

afternoon,  per  annum  -  -  -  20     o     o 

A  colleftion  for  him  at  Eafter,  about  -  -  1500 

£  35     o     o 

VICARS  of  All  Saints  Church. 
Patrons. 
The  abbot  and  William  Santocke. 

convent  of         1278   Michael  RufTelyn. 
St.  Auguftin.       1280  Sir  William  Selke,  of  the  fraternity  of  Kalendaries. 
1286   William  Scoche. 

1304  Sir  William  Lenche,  a  frier  of  the  Kalendaries. 
1307  Sir  Walter  Ifgar,  a  Kalendary,  died  1  Dec.  1321. 
1311   Adam  de  Weflbury. 
1326  Richard  le  White. 
Sir  William  Salle. 
Sir  William  Moochc. 
Sir  William  Colas,  a  Kalendary. 
1407  Sir  Thomas  Marfhall,  a  Kalendary,   and  was  a  great 
benefa£ior  to  the  church. 
William  Ryall,  chaplain. 
1434   Sir  Richard  Parkhoufe,  a  Kalendary,  died  8  Aug.  1436. 
1436   Sir  William  Rodberd,  died  1453. 
*453  Sir  William  Were,  died  1482. 

Sir  John  Gyllarde,  prior  of  the  Kalendaries,  built  the 
aile  of  Jefus  and  library  aloof,  and  expended  on  the 
library  217I.  died  1451. 
J  453   Sir  Maurice  Hardwyk,  gave  the  great  ledger-book  lo 

record  all  tilings.  Hill  in  being. 
1472   Sir  William  Howe,  a  Kalendary. 
1479  Sir  John  Thomas,  ceiled  the  roof  of  the  choir. 
1484  Sir  Thomas  Haxby,  a  Kalendary,  died  19  June,  1484. 
1  i86  Sir  John    Harlow,    prior  of    th.e    Kalendaries,    died 
6  Dec.  that  year. 

Hmu  1488 


Patrons. 


[     442      ] 


1488  Sir  John  Thomas. 

Sir  Thomas  Turber,  a  Kalendary. 

1503  Sir  Richard  Bromficld. 

1518  John  Flook. 

1533  Thomas  Molence. 

1536   Thomas  Pacy. 
Dean  and  1541    Humphrey  Hyman.  "^ 

chapter   of  Robert  Roolate,  died  1567. 

Briftol.  1567  Thomas  GlefTon. 

1577  'William  Hafllen. 

1591    John  Knight, 

1598   Francis  Arnold,  died  13  July,   1611. 

1611    Robert  Marks,  alfo  vicar  of  South  Pctherton. 

1617  William  Gregory. 

1620  Richard  Towgood. 

1626  George  Williamfon.     Of  him  fee  Wood's  Ath.  Oxon 

1685  Richard  Roberts. 

1686  John  Rainftorp,  died  1  May,   1693. 
1693  Thomas  Paradice,  died  1701. 
1701    Thomas  Gary,  died  30  Oft.    1711. 

1711   James  Harcourt,  and  vicar  of  South  Petherton,  died 

1739- 
1739  Thomas  Gardiner,  died  foon  of  a  fever. 

1739  Jofiah  Tucker,  precentor  of  the  cathedral,  afterwards 

Dean  of  Glocefler. 
1749-50  William  Pritchard,  died  1753. 
1753  John   Berjew,  the   prefent  vicar,   1788,   and   vicar   of 

Bathford. 


There  are  fome  verv  neat  and  elegant  monuments  in  this  church.  One 
very  large  was  at  the  upper  end  of  the  north  aile,  fupported  with  three  fluted 
pillars,  &c.  with  the  following  infcription,  but  in  the  late  repairs  removed. 

"  Ilumfridus  Toius,   Londinenfis,  jacet   in   hoc  tumulo  qui  obiit    16  06t. 

^577- 

Hunc  mors  peccati  merces  fubtraxit  amara 

Qui  Deo  dives  erat,  religione  pius  : 
Qui  fibi  purmultum  coluit  cocleftes  alumnos 
Fortunae  que  bonis  pavit  et  ipfc  pios : 

ChriRicola 


C    443     ] 

Chriflicola  ut  vivus  fuit  is,  tumulatus  abibat. 
Turn  Chrifti  pofuit  vulneribufque  fidem. 
Impcnfas  cgit  in  hoc  tunuilum  Margeria  conjux  predicli  Humfridi  Toii." 

In  the  middle  ailc  is  a  monument  eretlcd  by  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  to  the 
dear  memorv  of  his  father  and  mother,  four  fons,  and  two  daughters.  Wil- 
liam the  father  died  21  November,  1681,  aged  73  ;  Sarah  the  mother  died 
22  December,  1701,  aged  93.  Edward  Colfton,  junr.  died  5  April,  1719: 
Sarah  his  daughter,  28  January,  1721,  aged  15;  Mary  his  wife,  29  Novem- 
ber, 1733,  aged  49. 

On  an  old  ftonc  under  the  reading  deflv  was  the  following:  —  "  Thomas 
Colfton,  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  died  16  November,  1597,  with  the 
following  lines: 

"   Death  is  no  death,  now  Thomas  Colfton  lives. 

Who  fourfcore  years  hath  lived  to  his  praife  : 

A  joyful  life  now  Chrift  doth  to  him  give. 

Who  wrong'd  no  wight,  each  man  commends  his  ways. 

Death  him  commands  to  bid  this  world  adieu  ; 

Thrice  happy  thofe  who  die  to  live  anew. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  fouth  aile  is  the  following  infcriplion,  and  a  monu- 
ment :   fee  the  print. 

"  To  the  memory  of  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  who  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Briftol,  and  was  one  of  the  reprefentativcs  in  parliament  for  the  faid  city  in  the 
reign  of  Queen  Ann.  His  extenfive  charity  is  well  known  to  many  parts  of 
this  kingdom  ;  but  more  particularly  to  this  city,  where  his  bcnefaftions  have 
exceeded  all  others.  A  lift  of  which  is  on  his  monument  as  followeth.  He 
lived  84  years,  ii  months,  and  9  days,  and  then  departed  this  life  the  11th 
of  October,  1721,  at  Mortlake  in  Surry,  and  lieth  buried  in  a  vault  by  his 
anceftors  in  the  firft  crofs  alley  under  the  reading  deftc  of  this  church. 

The  PUBLIC  CHARITIES  and  B  ExNEFACTIONS  given  and 
founded  by  EDWARD  COLSTON,  Efquire. 

In    B  R  I  S  T  O  L.  < 

On  St.  Michael's-hill. 
1691,  An  almflioi/c  for  12  men  and  12  women  ;  the  chief  brother  to 
receive  6s.  the  other  3s.  per  week  bcfides  coal,  c'cc.  To 
a  chaplain  lol.  per  annum.  The  whole  to  be  paid  by  fee  farm 
rents  on  eftates  in  Northumberland,  Cumberland,  and  Dur- 
ham, and  by  fomc  houfcs  and  lands  near  the  houfc.  The  /. 
charge  about  -  -  _  _  -  8500 

I!  II  II   2  In 


[     444     ] 

In  King-ftreet. 
Six  failors  to  be  maintained  in  the  Merchants'  almfhoufe,  by  a         /. 
farm  in  Congerfbury,  Somerfet.     The  charge  about  -  goo 

In  Templc-flrect. 
1696,  A  fchool  for  40  boys  to  be  cloathed  and  taught,  endowed  with 
an  annuity  out  of  the  manor  of  Tomarhcar,  Somerfet.     An 
houfe  and  garden  for  the  mafter.     The  charge  about  3000 

In  the  College-green. 
1702,  To  the  rebuilding  the  boys'  hofpital  -  _  _.         goo 

And  for  6  boys  to  be  cloathed,  maintained,  inftruftcd,  and 
apprenticed.  A  farm  of  70I.  per  annum  in  Congerfbury. 
The  charge  about     -  -  -  _--  1500 

In  St.  Peter's  parifii. 
To  the  Mint  workhoufe  _  _  _  -  200 

And  for  placing  out  poor  children     _  _  -  _  200 

On  St.  Auguftine's-back. 
1708,  An   hofpital   for   a  maflcr,    two  ufliers,    and    a    catechift,    and 
100    boys    to   be    inflrufted,    maintained,    and  appienticed. 
The  charge  about      _  -  _  -  -  40000 

One  hundred  pounds  per  annum  to  be  given  for  twelve  years 
after  his  death,  either  to  thofe  who  have  been  apprenticed 
from  the  hofpital  of  St.  Augufline's-back,  or  from  the  appren- 
ticing of  boys  from  Temple  fchool,  by  lol.  each  -  1200 
To  the  feveral  charity-fchools  each  lol.  per  annum,  given  for 
many  years  while  he  lived,  and  to  be  continued  for  twelve 
years  after  his  death. 

To  the  repairing  and  beautifying  of  churches. 


All  Saints 

-     250 

St.  Michael 

-     50 

Cathedral 

260 

St.  Stephen's     - 

-       50 

Clifton     - 

-       50 

Temple 

160 

St.  James 

100 

St.  Thomas 

-     50 

St.  Mary  RedlifF      . 

100 

St.  Werburgh 

160 

-1230 

For  reading  prayers  at  All  Saints  every  Monday  and  Tuefday 

morning,  7I.  per  annum               -              -              -  140 

For  twelve  fermons  at  Newgate,  61.  per  annum              -              -  ;i20 

For  fourteen  fermons  in  Lent  20I.  per  annum,  now  difcontinued  400 

In   London. 

To  St.  Bartholomew's  hofpital          _              -              -             3  2500 

To  Chrill  Church          ditto            _              _             _               _  2000 

To 


[     445     ] 

To  St.  Thomas's  hofpital                _             -  _             •             500 

To  Bethlehem       ditto         _             _             _  •             -         500 

To  the  new  workhoufe  without  Bifhopfgatc  -             -               200 

To  the  Society  for  propagating  the  Gofpel          -  -          300 

To  the  Company  of  Mercers                -              -  -             -       100 

In  Surry  at  Suez  n. 
An  almflioufe  for  fix  poor  men,  built  and  endowed. 

At    MORTLAKE. 

For  the  education  and  cloathing  of  12  boys  and  12  girls,  45I. 

per  annum       -  -  .  _  _  _  goo 

To  85  poor  people  at  his  death  -  -  -         -  85 

In   Lancashire. 
Towards  building  a  church  at  Manchefter         -  -  -  20 

To    1 8  charity-fchools  on   fcvcral   parts   of  England   for  many 

years  after  his  death,  90I.  per  annum. 
To  the  augmentation  of  60  fmall  livings  -  -  6000 

In  all     £  70695 
This  great  and  pious  benefaflor  was  known  to  have  done  many  other  excel- 
cellent  charities,  and  what  he  did  in  fecret  is  believed  to  be  not  inferior  to 
what  he  did  in  public. 

On  the  pedeftal  under  him  is  :  "  Edward  the  fon  of  William  Colfton,  Efq;  and 
Sarah  his  wife  was  born  in  this  city,  November  2,  1636.  Died  at  Mortlakc, 
Surry,  October  11,  1721,  and  lies  buried  near  this  monument."  He  was 
buried  Oflobcr  27,  1721.  See  more  of  him  in  the  chapter  of  the  lives  of 
eminent  Briftol  men  hereafter. 

Over  the  north  door  is  a  neat  monument  "  To  the  memory  of  Edward 
Colflon,  Efq;  cldeft  fon  of  Alexander  Colfton,  Efq;  and  Sophia  his  wife,  and 
great  great  nephew  of  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  He  died  November  12,  1763, 
aged  24." 

Sir  John  Duddleftone,  Bart,  lies  buried  with  dame  Sufanna  his  lady  under 
the  firft  pew  coming  into  the  church,  on  the  right  hand,  at  the  north  door.  — 
He  was  created  a  baronet  Januarv  u,  1691.  He  was  the  fuft  baronet  of 
his  family,  and  was  an  eminent  tobacco-merchant  in  the  houfe  fronting  the 
fouth  fide  of  St.  Wcrburgh's  tower,  the  back  part  of  which  is  now  called 
Shannon-court,  within  the  parifh  of  St.  Wcrburgh,  who,  on  Prince  George  of 
Denmark's  arrival  to  fee  this  citv,  was  the  firft  perfon  that  invited  him  to 
his  houfe,  whereupon  when  that  Prince  came  to  London,  he  got  him  firft 
knighted  and  afterwards  a  baronet's  patent. 

In 


[     446     ] 

In  the  middle  aile  vas  a  Rone  Aviili  this  :  —  "  Hie  jacet  Thomas  Marfliall, 
vir  bonae  memoriae,  quondam  vicarius  hujus  ecclefiae,  qui  obiit  17  die  Junii, 
A.  D.  1434,  cujus  anima-  propitietur  Deus,  Amen,"  Out  of  the  month  of 
his  figure  in  brafs  on  the  flonc  proceed  three  fcrolls  thus  infcribed — Redemptor 
meus  vivit — De  ten  a  furrctlurus  fum. — In  carne  mca  videbo  fervatorem 
meum. 

Near  this  — "  Ilic  requiefcunt  corpora  bonac  memorias  Johannis  Haddon, 
vynter  ct  chryRins  uxoris  fuas  et  Aliciae  filiae  difti  Johannis  qui  obiit  11 
Martii,  1433,  quorum  animabus  proprietur  Deus,  Amen," 

"  Gulielmus  Rodbert,  quondam  vicarius,  obiit  6  fun.  1453." 

"  Richardus  Roberts,  A.  M.  nupcr  vicarius,  obiit  25  Sept.   1686." 

"  Robert  Aldworth,  town  clerk,  20  March,  1675." 

"  Chriflophcr  Kedgwin,  mayor  and  alderman,  died  14  February,  1617, 
aged  68." 

In  the  chancel  is  a  monument  with  his  Ratue  half  length  of  Mr.  John 
Doughty,  mayor  and  alderman  and  burgcfs  in  parliament,  with  Englifli  verfes 
underneath.      He  died  1629,  aged  6j.     Arms,  f.  or.  a  crofs  Reury  gules. 

In  the  chancel  a  neat  monument  againR  the  wall :  —  "  In  a  vault  near  this 
place  lies  interred  the  body  of  Deborah  Freeman,  wife  of  John  Freeman, 
of  Clifton,  Efq;  flie  departed  this  life,  April  8,  1766,  aged  62  years.  If  the 
lofs  of  an  endearing  wjfe,  affetlionate  mother,  fincere  friend,  and  generous 
benefcftrefs,  diflreR'cs  her  huR)and,  children,  acquaintance,  and  neceRitous 
poor;  yet  the  confideration  that  all  thefe  focial  and  moral  charaflcrs  were 
fpiritualized  and  immortalized  to  the  life-giving  principles  of  ChriRian  faith 
and  divine  love  revives  the  hearts  of  all  that  knew  her  in  the  glorious  hope 
of  meeting  her  purified  in  her  eternal  Rate." 

On  another  near  this  :  —  "  To  the  memory  of  John  Freeman,  Efq,  late  of 
Clifton,  formerly  of  this  pariRi,  who  by  the  bleRing  of  Divine  Providence  on 
great  natural  abilities,  prudence,  integrity,  and  induRry,  acquired  an  affluent 
fortur>e,  which  he  employed  in  adminiRering  relief  to  the  diRrefled,  and  in- 
ftruftion  to  the  ignorant.  His  charity  was  not  the  tranfient  impulfe  of  cafual 
compaRion,  but  the  regular  cRcft  of  fettled  principles.  He  adorned  an 
honourable  old  age  with  the  exaft  excrcife  of  the  focial  and  religious  duties, 
and  by  a  Rric-1  courfe  of  temperance  attained  to  the  age  of  84.  As  he  lived 
in  the  ChriRian  faith,  he  died  in  the  full  pcrfuafion  of  the  ChriRian  hope  on 
the  28th  of  AuguR,  1786." 

On  another  :  —  "  To  Abigail  Freeman,  wife  of  John  Freeman,  junr.  Efc); 
{he  died  iGlii   March,   1764,  aged  28.     Abigail  their  daughter  13th  January, 


o 

12 

o 

o 

2 

6 

o 

1 

6 

o 

8 

o- 

[     447     ] 

1784,  aged  2  years  6  months ;  alfo   Elizabeth    their  daughter  16  April  1787, 
aged  6  years. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  All  Saints  pai  iHi. 

Robert  Colfton  the  fon  of  William  Colfton  Efq;  deceafed,     /.      s.     d. 
a  native   of  this   city,  gave  61.    per  ann.    for  prayers  to 
be    read    Monday  and   Tuefday    throughout  the  year, 
and  to  the  clerk  and  fcxton  10s.  per  ann.  -  130     o     o 

1701,  John  Hicks  Efq;  fometime  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  cii\-, 
gave  the  fum  of  12I.  los.  the  income  yearly  to  fuch  poor 
of  All  Saints  parifh  as  do  not  receive  alms,  -  12    10     o 

1709,  Samuel  Bayley  Efq;  fometime  fherifFof  this  city,  gave24l. 
the  intereft  thereof  to  be  applied  on  St.  Andrew's  day  in 
every  year  as  follows  : 
For  a  fermon 
To  the  clerk 
To  the  fexton 
To  each  of  the  8  alms-women  is.       -08     o 24     o 

1714,  Thomas  Bayley  of  this  city  merchant  gave  lol.  the  intereft 
thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  the  almflioufe  in  bread 
the  16th  of  April  for  ever,  -  _  _  10     o     o 

1724,  John  Cook  of  this  city  diftiller  gave  20I.  for  the  payment  of 
20s.  for  preaching  a  fermon  on  the  30th  of  January 
for  ever,  -  -  -  _  _  20     00 

1738,  Thomas  Gibbs  late  of  this  pariOi  gave  50I.  for  payment  of 
5I.  for  cloathing  the  8  poor  women  in  the  almflioufe  on 
the  8th  day  of  April  every  fecond  year  for  ever,  by 
the  churchwardens  and  veftrvmen,  -  -  ,-0     o     o 

159  i,  Robert  Kitchen,  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  by  his  will 
dated  the  9th  day  of  June,  gave  10s  per  ann.  to  a  poor 
houfliolder,  to  be  paid  by  the  chamberlain  of  this  city  on 
the  25th  day  of  March,  -  -  -  10     o     o 

1639,  Alderman  George  Harrington  gave  los.  per  ann;  for  ever 
to  a  poor  houfekecpcr  of  this  parifli,  to  be  paid  by  the 
chamberlain  the  25th  of  March  yearly,  '    -  -  10     o     o 

Mr.  Roger  Hurtc  by  his  will  gave  lol.  to  the  churchwardens 
of  this  pirifh  as  a  ftock,  that  the  churchwardens  for  the 
time  being  fhall  every  year  give    to   each  of  the   poor 

women 


C   448   ] 

women   in    the   parifli  almfhoufe  is.   each,  viz.  at  Mi-     /.      s.     d. 
chaelmas  and  at  Chriflmas  to  buy  them  wood  and  coals,      10     o     o 
Alfo  he  gave  the  faid  parifh   5I.  more   provided  the   faid 
churchwardens  fhall  procure  a  fermon  to  be  preached  in 
the  church  of  All  Saints  on  the  firft  Sunday  in   Lent  in 
the  afternoon,  the  preacher  to  have  6s.  8d.             -  500 

^599>  J""e  f^^e  20th,  Mr.  Richard  Cole,  then  deceafed,   gave  a 
tenement  in  the  Barrs  called  the  Greyhound,  let  at  il.  8s. 
per  ann.  rented  by  Richard  George  brewer,  and  two  gar- 
dens in  St.  Philip's  parifli,  each  let  at  8s.  in  all  per  a:nn.  240 
To  be  given  as  follows  : 
To  the  prifoners  in  Newgate  in  coals          -              o   10     o 
To  ditto  for  three  truffes  of  rye-ftraw         -              090 
To  ditto  in  bread              -              _             _              030 
To  the  almfhoufe  in  Lcwin's-mead            -              o   10     o 
To  the  Taylors  almfhoufe               -              _              o   10     o 
To  the  churchwardens  of  All  Saints  for  time  being  o     2      o 2      4     o 

Gift  SERMONS  to  be  preached  at  All  Saints  Church  &c.  in  a  frame  in  the 

veftry-room. 
BENEFACTORS     NAMES.  l.    s.    d. 

January  30th,  the  martyrdom  of  K.  Charles  the  ill.  by  Mr.  John  Cook, 

February  2d,  the  Purification,  by  Dr.  White, 

The  firft  Sunday  in  Lent,  by  Mr,  Rogert  Hurte, 

May  ill,  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  by  Dr.  White, 

Sunday  after  St.  James's  day,  by  Alderman  Richard  Cole, 

Sunday  before  September  the  J5th,  by  Alderman  Richard  Cole, 

November  ifl,  All  Saints  day,  by  Dr.  White, 

November  17th,  Queen  Elizabeth's  accefTion,  by  Mr.  Peter  Millard,  010     o 

November  30th,  St.  Andrews,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Bayly,  -  0120 

December  28th,  Innocents  day,  by  Dr.  White,  -  -  2100 

For  reading  morning  prayers  every  Monday  and  Tuefday,  by  Mr. 

Robert  Colflon  fon  of  William  Colflon  Efq;  -  -  600 

The  ground  rents  arifing  from  the  lands  and  tenements  leafed  out   on  lives 

belonging  to  the  parifli  amount  to  150I.  per  ann.   what  the  renewals  for  lives 

yearly  produce  mufl  be  uncertain  and  vary. 

The  almflioufcs  and  public  ftrufturcs  within  the  precinQs  of  this  parifh  come 

next  to  be  confidcrcd. — The  firft  and  earlieft  to  be  noticed  is  the  houfc  of 

Kalcndaries, 


1 

0 

0 

2 

lO 

0 

0 

10 

0 

2 

10 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

10 

0 

2 

10 

0 

C    449    ] 

Kalendaries,  wiucli  was  fituatcd  at  the  foiith-weftern  part  of  the  church. 
William  Botoncr,  (p.  igo,  253,  170.)  whofc  uncle  Thomas  Botoncr  was  a 
brother  here,  defcribes  it  "  a  college  of  pricfls  founded  of  old,  or  fraternity 
in  honour  of  the  feaft  of  Corpus  Chrifli,  long  before  the  Conqucfl,  about  the 
year  700,  as  I  myfelf  faw  and  read  in  letters  certificatory  of  an  old  hand  in 
the  time  of  Wolftan  the  bifhop.  The  church  is  fituatcd  on  the  fouth-weft 
part  of  the  parifh  church  of  All  Saints,  and  before  the  time  of  Edward  3d.  was 
fituatcd  in  the  parifli  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  as  was  certified  to  mc  by  a 

relation  of ,  prior  of  the  faid  priory."      He  adds  farther,  "  a  pretty  houfc 

or  conduit  for  water  is  under  the  houfc  of  Kalenders." 

Thcfe  Kalendaries  were  fo  antient  and  fo  fingular  an  infiitution,  that  no  city 
in  this  nation  can  boaft  of  the  like  either  with  rcfpecl  to  antiquity  or  ufe. 
A^'illiam  Botoner  is  a  good  evidence  of  their  early  origin,  and  could  not  be 
miftaken  in  what  he  faw  and  read  in  the  certificatory  letters  or  writings  of  their 
antiquity  before  the  Conquefl  in  the  year  700.  And  the  confirmation  of  the 
rights  of  this  focieiy  by  Gualo  the  cardinal  and  pope's  legate  after  crowning 
King  Henry  3d.  at  Glocefter,  1216,  in  thefe  words,  "  Propter  antiquitates 
et  bonitates  in  ea  Gilda  repertas,"  fhews  the  antiquity  and  ufefulnefs  of  this 
fraternity,  which  flourifiied  in  Briftol  from  fo  early  an  age,  and  continued  to 
diffufe  knowledge  and  inftruflion  amongft  the  clergy  and  laity  fo  long,  and 
was  not  difTolved  till  the  time  of  Henry  8th.  at  the  general  difiolution  of  reli- 
gious houfes. 

It  appears  from  records  that  they  were  a  fociety  of  religious  and  laity  like 
a  college  de  propaganda  fide,  wherein  Jews  and  other  Infidels  were  converted, 
youth  inflrufled  and  liberally  maintained,  in  tlie  fame  manner  and  under  the 
like  dircQion  as  at  the  Rolls  in  Chancery-lane,  London,  and  as  the  cuftody 
of  the  rolls  was  committed  to  the  latter,  fo  the  former  preferved  the  archives 
of  the  town  of  Briflol,  whence  they  were  called  the  Fraternity  of  the  Kalen- 
ders,* from  keeping  a  kalendar  or  monthly  regifler  of  all  the  public  a6ts,  re- 
gifiering  deeds,  rolls,  &:c.  as  that  of  London  took  the  Rolls,  both  implying 
the  fame  office  of  chroniclers  or  public  regifters,  of  which  no  great  cities  were 
deditute. 

The  following  copies  of  original  deeds  flill  extant  in  the  chamber  of  Briflol 
arc  convincing  proofs  of  fuch  an  eftablifhment  here,  and  of  the  fire  that  hap- 

I  I  1  pened 

•  The  law  diftionarics  call  ihcfc  kalcndae  rural  deans'  rliaplei-s  and  conventions  of  the  clergy, 
fo  called  becaufc  formerly  held  on  the  kalends  or  firft  day  of  eveiy  monlii ;  but  our  fociety  here 
confiftcd  of  clergy  and  laity,  and  were  of  a  j)CculiMi  kind  and  »  more  cxtcnfivc  inllitution,  as  will 
appear  hereafter. 


[     450     ] 

pened  in  their  bochord  or  library  over  All  Saints  church,  which  deftroyed  the 

the  moft  valuable  records  of  this  city. 

By  indenture  under  the  feal  of  Tohn  ("by  divine  permif- 
Fridav  after  the         .J    ,     ,  ,,         ^    ,  a  re      a        a-  r 

„       '-     „  milnon)    then  abbot  of  the  monaliery  oi  St.  Ausulline   ot 

feaft  of  St.  Peter     „.„/.,..       .      .  „,         n  ,     , 

,  ^     ,       ^  ,         Briitoi,   in  the  diocele  or  Worceiter,   and   the  convent  oi 
and  Paul,  7  Edw.       ,.  ,  ,.  r,..r 

the  lame  place,  to  whom  impropriation  01  the  church  ot 
qd.    1333.  .  .  . 

All  Saints  in  the  diocefe  and  city  aforefaid  belonged,  re- 
citing that  the  co-brethren  of  the  fraternity  of  the  Kalendaries  of  Briflol,  out 
of  a  devout  zeal  for  the  increafe  of  divine  worfliip,  being  defirous  of  erefting 
a  houfe  contiguoufly  adjoining  to  the  faid  church  and  on  the  walls  thereof, 
and  of  the  dimenfions  after  mentioned,  to  be  appropriated  for  the  ufe  and  ha- 
bitation of  the  priefts  and  co-brethren  of  the  faid  fraternity,  who  then  did  and 
thence  after  for  ever  in  future  fliould  celebrate  divine  fervice  for  the  fouls  of 
their  co-brethren  and  of  all  the  faithful  deceafed,  agreeable  to  the  rights  and 
rules  of  the  faid  fraternity,  had  humbly  requefted  his  (the  abbot's)  fpecial  li- 
cence and  confcnt  for  that  purpofe  ;  he  (the  abbot)  being  willing  to  grant 
their  requeft  as  far  as  may  be  without  prejudice  to  the  faid  church  or  his  own 
rights,  did  out  of  regard  for  the  faid  co-brethren  and  their  fraternity  as  far  as 
he  had  pov.-er  grant  for  him  and  his  fucccffors,  that  it  (hould  be  lawful  for  them 
to  build  and  when  built  always  topoffefs  a  houfe  of  that  fort  for  their  ufe  upon 
the  wall  of  the  north  fide  of  the  faid  church,  that  is  to  fay,  extending  down- 
wards from  the  door  on  the  fame  fide  and  the  pillar  oppofite  it  30  feet  in 
length,  and  containing  towards  Corn-flreet  acrofs  the  faid  pillar  23  feet  in 
breadth.  To  be  had  and  holden  to  the  faid  co-brethren  priefts  or  their  fuc- 
ceflbrs  co-brethren  for  ever,  fo  that  the  faid  co-brethren  priefts  or  their  fuc- 
cefTors  priefts  fliould  in  future  no  wife  be  molcfted  in  the  premifes  contrary  to 
the  then  grant  by  him  the  faid  abbot  or  his  fucceffors  or  any  other  perfon  in 
their  name,  which  faid  grant  was  agreed  by  them  fo  to  be  reftrained  as  that 
the  faid  church  under  tiie  faid  houfe  fhould  by  no  means  be  made  nar- 
rower, fliorter,  or  more  confined,  or  the  foot-ftanding  for  the  parifliioners  or 
others  of  the  faithful  who  fliould  come  there  be  Icftcned  :  and  ihefe  condi- 
tions were  therefore  added  to  the  faid  grant,  faving  likewife  always  to  the  faid 
monaftery  and  him  (the  abbot)  and  his  fucceffors  the  right  of  appointment 
and  prefentation  to  the  vicarage  of  the  faid  church. 

N.  B.  The  imprcffion  of  the  feal  of  this  deed  is  three  men's  heads,  proba- 
bly defigncd  to  reprefent  the  three  perfons  of  the  Trinity,  faid  to  be  the  general 
feal  of  the  Kalendars. 

This  fecm.'?  to  be  the  grant  of  a  place  for  rebuilding  and  enlarging  their 
houfe.  Why 


[    451     ] 

Why  this  gild,  called  GilJa  autfrairia  communUalis  cleri  ^ populi  viUa:  Brijlollicr, 
■was  removed  from  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  or  Chrifl  Church  does  not  fo 
clearly  appear,  unlcfs  we  fuppofe  it  to  be  done  at  the  folicitation  of  Robert 
Harding,  who  was  a  great  favourite  of  Henry  2d.  and  the  founder  of  the 
monaftery  of  St.  Augudin,  to  which  he  had  given  the  church  of  All  Saints. 
Thefe  particulars  are  recorded  in  the  little  Red  Book,  p.  83,  84.  wrote  in 
good  Latin,  now  in  the  chamber  of  Briftol.  I  obtained  a  fight  of  the  origi- 
nal deed  concerning  thefe  Kalcndaries,  which  I  have  tranflated  and  inferted 
at  length,  as  it  is  a  very  curious  deed  and  mentions  thefe  Kalendarics  as 
extant  and  having  their  place  of  meeting  at  Chrift  Church  even  before  tha 
Conqueft. 

"  Venerabili  in  Chrifto  patri  Domino  Thomae  Dei  gratia  Wygornias  epifcopo 
fuus  humillims  ct  devotis  Robertus  Hazell,  rector  ecclefiae  de  Derham  et 
decanus  Chriflianitatis  BrifloUiae  fubjeftionem  omnimodam  tanto  patri  debet 
revercntiam  et  honorem,  &c." 

"  Wt  have  received  your  order  containing  the  following  tenor  :  Thomas, 
by  divine  permifTion,  Bifliop  of  Worcefter,  to  the  beloved  in  Chrift  Matter 
Robert  Hazell,  and  dean  of  Briftol,  grace  and  benediftion,  &c.  In  the 
year  1318,  June  8,  at  ChifTebury,  mandate  was  ifFucd  for  an  inquifition  into 
the  rights,  charters,  and  liberties  of  the  fraternity  of  Kalcndaries,  to  which 
inquifition  were  called  the  abbot  and  convent  of  St.  Auguftin,  Briftol,  frier 
John  de  Leye,  proflor,  and  certain  burgefles  of  Briftol,  alfo  the  mayor  and 
commonalty  of  the  faid  town,  and  the  other  reftors  and  vicars  of  the  faid 
deanery,  fome  appearing  perfonally  and  others  by  their  proQors,  in  the  church 
of  All  Saints,  we  proceeded  in  the  enquiry  ;  by  which  we  have  found  that 
formerly  the  faid  fociety  was  called  the  Gild  or  fraternity  of  the  community 
as  well  clergy  as  laity  of  Briftol,  and  the  place  of  meeting  of  the  brothers  and 
fifters  of  the  fame  was  ufed  to  be  at  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Briftol, 
in  the  time  of  Aylward  Mcau  and  Briftric  his  fon.  Lords  of  the  faid  town, 
before  the  Conqueft ;  the  beginning  of  which  gild  and  fraternity  exceeded 
the  memon,'  of  man.  But  after  the  Conqueft  in  the  time  of  William  tlic  Bal- 
lard, William  Rufus,  and  Henry,  Kings  of  England,  and  of  Robert  Fitzha- 
man,  conful  of  Glocefter  and  Lord  of  Briftol,  and  founder  of  the  monaftery 
of  Tewkfljury,  and  the  fubfequent  time  of  Stephen  the  King,  taking  the  town 
of  Briftol  by  war  from  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  founder  of  the  priory  of 
St.  James  and  caftle  of  Briftol  and  its  lord,  which  King  Stephen  being  dead 
in  the  time  of  Henry  fon  of  Maud  the  Emprcfs  King  of  England,  one  Robert 
Harding,  burgefs  of  Briftol,  by  the  confent  of  the  faid  King  Henry  and  Earl 

I  I  1   2  Robert 


[     452     3 

Robert  and  others,  whom  it  concerned,  removed  tlie  faid  gild  or   fraternity 
from   the  cluirch  of  Holy  Trinity   and   eRabliflied  fchools   at  Briftol  for  the 
converfion  of  Jews  and  the  inftruflion  of  youth,  under  the  difpofal  of  the  faid 
fraternitv,  and  protection  of  the  mayor  of  Briltol  for  the  time  being  and  monaf- 
tery  of  St.  Auguftin   in   its  fuburbs,   and   he   appropriated  the  church  of  All 
Saints   to  the  faid  monaflery,  and  he  caufed  a  vicar  to  be  chofcn  out  of  the 
chaplains  of  the  faid  gild  or  fraternity,  and  to  be  prefcnted   by  the  abbot  and 
convent  of  the  faid  monaflery  to  the  Bifhop  of  \\'orccfler,  of  which  vicarage 
the  faid  monaflery  every  year  ordered  a  third  part  to  be  appropriated   in  the 
name  of  the  reSory.      And  when  the  heirs  of  the  faid  Robert  Harding  and  the' 
mayors  of  Briflol  for  the  time  being,  in  the  time  of  Richard  and  John  Kings 
of  England,  prote61cd  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the   faid  gild    and  fraternity, 
Gualo,  cardinal  of  the  apoftolic  fee  and  general  legate,  fent  to  the  kingdom  of 
England,  came  to  Briftol,   who  after  he   crowned  Henry   fon  of  King  John 
at   Gloceflcr  King   of  England,   kept  a  general  council   at  Briftol,  in  which 
council  the  king  and  cardinal  approved  and  confirmed  the  faid  gild  and  fra- 
ternity  on  account  of  its  antiquity  and  goodnefs  found  therein,  which  legate 
commanded   and   enjoined  William  de  Bleys,  Bifhop  of  Worcefler,   and  his 
fucceffors,  to  protetl   the  faid  gild  to   the  praife  of  God   and   all  faints  and 
amendment  of  devotion,  and  union  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  Briftol :  he  more- 
over procured  a  confirmation  of  all  the  rights  of  the  faid  guild,  as  the  poffefTion 
of  all  the  goods  they  then  pofTefTed  or  that  they  fhould  get  in  a  juft  manner, 
and  efpecially  all    the  houfes,  lands,  poffefTions,  rents,  and  all  other  goods, 
he  took  under  the  proteflion  of  the  apoftolic  fee,  which  the  Bifhop  of  Worce- 
fler approved,   and  tolerated  the  faid  gild  and  fraternity.      Many  other  things 
we  made  inquifition ;   of  all  which  for  their  diffufenefs  we  cannot  now  write, 
arid  thus  we  have  executed  your  command  diligently.     Given  at  Briftol,  &c." 
After  an  inquifition  taken  by  Wolftan  Bifhop  of  Worcefler  in  Briftol,    July 
lo,  1340,   it  was  by  him  ordained  with  confcnt  of  the  prior  and  chaplains  of 
the  college  or  fraternity  of  Kalendaries  of  All  Saints  church,  ••  that  the  antient 
rules  obfervcd  time  immemorial   fliould  be  eftabliflied   by  authority  ecclcfiaf- 
tical,  that  the  faid  college  fhould  have  one  prieft-prior,   to  be  chofen  by   the 
major  part  of  the  chaplains  and  co-brethren  without  any  folemnity  of  confir- 
mation, confecration,  or  bencdi8.ion   of  any    one  required,  and   eight  chap- 
lains, fccular  brothers,  to  celebrate  for  their  defunft  brethren  and  bencfaClors 
every  day  ;  the  admiffion  of  which  ever  belonged  to  the  founders  of  fuch  their 
titles  or  chauntrics,  Mhether  one,  two,  or  three,  &c.  during  the   life   of  fuch 
founder,  but  after  their  death  to  the  prior  and  cofrcres  of  the  college  with- 
out 


[    453     ] 

out  prefentation  or  inftitution  elfewhcre  fought,  which  if  they  neg!e£l  for  two 
months  then  it  devolved  to  the  Bifliop  of  Worcefler,  unlefs  any  difpute  arife, 
which  however  if  not  decided  in  fix  months,  it  was  flill  to  devolve   to  him. 
On  the  firft  Monday  in  every  month  after  the  firft  bell  in  the  church  of  All 
Saints,  the  brethren,  cler^)'  and  laity   were  all  to  meet,  being  fummoned  be- 
fore hand,  and  commendation  being  faid  by  the  prior  and  chaplains,  mafs  was 
to  be  celebrated  by  note  by  one  of  the  chaplains  deputed  for  that  purpofe  in 
his  turn,  and  oblations  to  be  offered  by  all  the  co-brethren  for  the  fouls  of 
the  brethren  and  all  the  faithful  departed,  and  as  well  for  the  dead"  as  for  the 
living,  efpecially  for  the  infinn  brethren  prayers  were  to  be  faid  particularly. 
And  in  the  middle  of  the  month  the  prieft  was  to  celebrate  mafs  for  all  the  bre- 
thren then  alive,  and   if  any   fhould  die   the   brethren  were  all  to  attend  his 
funeral,  and  were  to  fay  every  day  placebo  et  dirige  and  one  fpecial  coUefl  in 
their  mafs  for  thirty  days  after  his  deceafe.     The  laymen  and  thofe  who  were 
not  priefls   of  the   faid  fraternity  were  to  fay  for  thirty  days   thirteen  pater- 
nofters  and  aves   for  the  foul   of  the  defuncl,  unlefs  they  had  rather  celebrate 
one  fpecial  mafs  for  him.     If  any  brother  fliould  be  declining  to  want  or  fall 
into  ficknefs,  he  was  to  be  fupported  by  the  alms  of  the  co-brethren   for  a 
whole  year,  or   lodged  in   fome  hofpital  by  the  alTiftance    of  the  brethren.  — • 
They  were  ordered    to   promote  peace,    avoid  contentious  difputes,    extin- 
guilh  fchifms.     All  the  profits  of  the  fraternity  and  oblations  were  to  be  col- 
letled  by  two  fit  perfons,  chofen  by  the  prior  and  priefts,  and  to  be  kept  in  the 
common  chefl.   for    the  nccelfary  ufcs   of  the  college  and  for   pious    ufes  and 
aJmfgivings ;  they  were  to  render  account  twice  a  year  of  all  receipts  and  ex- 
pences.     And  if  the  brothers  were  not  prefent  and  the  maflcs  omitted,  they 
fhould  be  fined  or  expelled  the  fraternity.     In  the  year  1464  John  Bifliop  of 
■\Vorcefter  bv  deed  eflablifhed  the  ordinance  of  the  houfe  of  Kalendars  to  fet- 
tle all  difpules  betwixt  the  mayor  and  the  brethren  or  chauntry  priefls  there, 
concerning  the  election  of  a  prior  and  his  duty  there  ;  that  as  often  as  the  prior 
by  death  or  refignation  fliould  become  void,  the  mayor  of  the  town  holding 
confultation  with   the   chaplains   or  chauntry  priefls,  with    the  confent  of  the 
greater  part  of  them  and   of  the  common  council  of  the  town,  fhould  name 
and  prefent  under  the  feal  of  the  town  to  the  bifhop  and  his  fucceffors  within 
two  months  a  chaplain,  a  batchelor  of  divinity,  or  maflcr  of  arts,  and  a  fcho- 
lar  in  theology    fufficiently  inflrutlcd  in  holy  fcripture   and  preaching  of  the 
word,  to  be  prior  of  the  faid   houfe  of  Kalendars,  and   nothing  fhall   prevent 
his  being  inflituted  and  canonically  admitted,  if  he   be  found  fit  in  all  things, 
&c.     And  if  the  mayor  defer  prefcnting  beyond  two  months,  then  it  fliall  be 

lawful 


[    454     ] 

lavful  foT  the  bifhop  to  confer  the  priory  on  one  graduate  duly  in- 
ftruQed,  and  he  ordered  that  John  Shipward,  mayor,  and  his  fucceflbrs 
fhould  when  chofen  into  their  office  take  their  oath  to  fupport  and  defend  the 
faid  pHor  and  his  co-freres  or  cliauntry  priefts  and  their  tenants  in  all  their 
rights ;  and  in  cafe  of  the  mayor,  &c.  not  complying,  he  fliould  lofe  the  pre- 
fentation  to  the  faid  priory  when  void,  and  it  might  be  then  lawful  for  the 
chauntry  priefts  themfelvcs  to  prefent  one  duly  inftrufted,  &c.  for  prior  to  be 
admitted  by  the  bifliop.  The  prior  thus  entituled  and  inlUtuted  as  before  fhall 
conflantly  refide  in  the  faid  houfe,  and  fliall  take  cuflody  of  a  certain  library 
newly  erefted  at  the  bidiop's  expence  in  the  faid  houfe,  fo  that  every  feflival 
day  at  two  hours  before  nine,  and  for  two  hours  after,  free  accefs  and  recefs 
may  be  granted  to  all  willing  to  enter  for  the  fake  of  inftruftion,  and  the  faid 
prior  if  duly  required  fliall  lay  open  doubtful  and  obfcure  places  of  fcripture 
to  all  that  afk  him  according  to  his  beft  knowledge,  and  fhall  read  a  public 
Icflurc  every  week  in  the  faid  library  according  to  the  appointment  of 
the  bifliop  and  his  fucceffors  :  and  left  through  negligence  of  the  faid  prior 
the  books  fhould  in  any  wife  be  alienated  or  loft,  he  ordered  that  three  inven- 
tories fliould  be  made  of  all  the  books,  one  to  remain  with  the  dean  of  Briftol, 
another  with  the  mayor  for  the  time  being,  and  the  other  with  the  faid  prior, 
fo  that  as  often  as  any  book  fliall  be  given  or  bequeated  to  the  faid  librarv, 
within  fifteen  days  after  it  is  acquired  it  fhall  be  by  the  faid  dean  or  other 
honeft  perfon  appointed  by  the  mayor  placed  and  chained  in  the  faid  library, 
and  wrote  down  in  fome  part  of  the  inventory  with  its  true  value.  He  ordered 
alfo  that  once  every  year  there  fliould  be  a  due  collation  of  all  tlie  faid 
books  with  the  inventories  or  catalogues  by  the  dean,  prior,  and  another  ap- 
pointed by  the  faid  mayor,  on  a  certain  day  between  the  feaft  of  St.  Michael 
and  All  Saints  at  their  own  choice;  and  if  it  fliould  happen  that  fome  book 
through  neglefl  of  the  faid  prior  fliould  be  carried  out  of  the  faid  library 
and  ftole,  the  faid  prior  fliall  reftore  the  faid  book  to  the  library  under 
penalty  of  40s.  above  its  true  value  ;  and  if  he  cannot  reftore  it  again,  then 
the  value  of  the  book  and  40s.  befides,  20s.  to  the  mayor  and  the  reft  for  the 
ufe  of  the  library,  chaining  the  books,  &c.  was  to  belong,  and  be  appro- 
propriated  to  the  faid  library.  And  it  was  ordered,  that  as  often  as  the  faid 
prior  or  any  of  the  chauntrv  priefts  fliould  preach  within  the  town  of  Briftol, 
in  the  conventual  church  of  St.  Auftin,  or  at  the  crofs  near  the  faid  church,  in 
their  fermons  they  fhall  pray  for  the  good  flate  of  the  bifliop  whilft  living, 
and  for  his  foul  ^s'hen  departed,  and  alfo  for  the  good  ftate  of  the  mayor  for  the 
time  being  and  true  patron  of  the  faid  houfe  or  priory ;  and  the  prior,  for  his 

pcrfonally 


[    i55     ] 

perfonally  refiding  and  for  his  diligence  about  the  library  and  the  books  therein 
depofited,  fhall  annually  receive  out  of  the  fruits  and  proceeds  of  the  faid 
houfe  of  Kalcndars  at  the  four  ufual  terms  of  the  year  in  equal  portions  lol. 
and  the  reft  of  the  profits  of  the  faid  houfe  fliall  be  converted  to  the  fupport  of 
the  reft  of  the  brethren  as  many  as  can  be  fupported  at  the  difcretion  of  the 
bifhop  and  of  the  prior  for  the  time  being,  fo  as  none  of  them  fliall  receive  more 
than  twelve  marks  annually,  and  the  furplus  of  the  profits  to  be  depofited  in 
the  common  treafury  fafely  for  the  reparation  of  the  houfe  and  its  tenements. 
And  if  the  faid  prior  abfent  himfelf  for  fome  honeft  caufc,  he  fhall  declare  the 
reafon,  to  be  approved  of  or  not  by  the  bifliop  or  mayor,  fo  as  he  mav  by  no 
means  be  abfent  above  one  month  in  a  year  together  or  at  times  unlefs  upon 
very  urgent  occafion  to  be  approved  of  by  the  bifhop  or  mayor,  and  then  in 
his  abfence  the  fenior  brother  fhall  have  the  keeping  of  the  faid  library.  All 
thefe  things  more  firmly  to  obferve,  the  prior  was  to  fwear  at  his  inftitution  ; 
and  that  no  prior  fhould  ever  obtain  any  difpenfation  contrary  to  this  ordi- 
nance, he  was  to  be  bound  by  an  oath,  under  penalty  of  privation. — Signed 
by  John  Harlowe,  prior,  and  John  Shipward,  mayor,  exprefTing  their  confent. 

In  the  year  1466  one  John  Chaunceler  of  Keynfham  gave  100  marks  for 
the  reparation  and  rebuilding  of  the  houfe  of  Kalendars  and  its  ruinous  tene- 
ments, and  to  augment  and  promote  the  divine  worfliip,  for  which  at  the 
inftance  of  the  Bifhop  and  of  William  Canynges  mayor  patron,  the  prior  was 
to  make  four  fet  fermons,  two  at  Keynfliam  and  two  at  Briftol,  (one  at  the 
conventual  church  of  St,  Auftin  or  at  the  crofs  near  it,  and  the  other  at  the 
church  of  Redclift,)  every  year ;  and  in  thefe  fermons  was  to  exhort  the  people 
to  pray  for  John  and  Edyth  Chaunceler  and  for  their  fouls  after  they  are 
departed  ;  and  their  fouls  Vvcre  to  be  fpecially  named  in  the  bcde  rollc  or 
memento  ;  and  a  fpecial  colleft  faid  every  day  for  their  fouls  by  a  chaplain 
and  a  paternofter  and  ave  maria,  and  after  their  deaths  folemn  exequies  by 
note  were  to  be  done  in  the  church  of  All  Saints  for  the  fouls  of  the  faid  John 
and  Edyth. 

We  may  hence  conclude,  that  in  the  time  of  W,  Canynges  mayor  a  regular 
library  was  inftituted  in  Briftol,  and  open  to  all  fo  early  as  1464,  and  weekly 
leflures  given  at  it,  which  fliews  literature  was  not  at  fo  low  a  ftatc  here  as  many 
would  have  us  imagine;  on  the  contrary  that  it  was  early  cultivated  by  this 
fociety  under  the  patronage  of  the  Bifhop  of  Worccfter  and  the  nia)or,  and 
at  the  very  time  too  in  which  Rowley  is  faid  to  have  lived  and  llouriftied, 
which  thofe  engaged  in  the  controverfy  about  him  would  do  well  to  obferve. — 
The  names  of  the  priors  of  this  houfe  fo  little  known  or  noticed  bv  ouv  nionaf- 

tic 


[     456    ] 

tic  writers  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge  are  the  following:  1440  John 
iG)  ::artl— 1451  John  Ilemmynge  alias  Davy — 1464  John  Hcrlow — 1526 
Roger  Eggeworth — 1542  Thomas  Sylke  —  12th  of  Henry  the  8th.  Wm.  Crofs 
prior. 

There  were  five  chaiintrics  belonging  to  this  houfe  and  five  chaplains  or 
chauntry  priefts,  one  of  which  was  chofen  prior,  though  the  Jiifliop  of  W'or- 
ceflerLynne  in  i369in{lituted  a  chaplain  herewith  this  caution,  that  it  fliouki 
remain  as  of  old  it  had  been,  a  Fraternity  of  Kalendars  ;  the  fociety  was  fo 
ancient  andof  fo  long  Handing,  they  were  at  a  lofs  whether  to  call  it  a  priory 
or  not. 

That  they  preferved  the  records  of  the  city  and  regiftered  the  public  tranf- 
aBions  as  well  as  thofe  of  their  own  fociety  is  proved  by  fuch  a  kalendar  now 
extant  in  the  chamber  of  Briftol,  written  bv  Robert  Ricaut  a  Kalendary,  who 
was  town-clerk  here  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  4th.  To  him  we  owe  the 
many  curious  notices  we  have  not  only  in  the  two  red  books,  the  book  of 
wills,  orphans  &c.  but  more  efpecially  in  the  kalendar  or  mayor's  regifler, 
which  was  firfl;  undertaken  by  him.  — He  was  of  this  fraternity  and  feems  to 
have  been  one  of  the  chaplains  above  mentioned,  and  favours  Geoffrey  of 
Monmouth  as  to  hiflory  and  matters  of  antiquity. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  kalendar  he  fliews  his  monkifli  genius  and  turn  of 
mind.  He  firfl  exhibits  the  pifclure  of  the  infant  Chrifl  lying  naked,  God  the 
Father  on  one  fide  in  the  clouds  like  an  old  man,  and  oppofite  to  him  the 
Bleffed  Virgin  on  a  throne  or  fella  of  flate,  over  which  is  a  canopy  amidft  flars, 
an  angel  on  the  left  hand  with  a  trumpet,  on  the  corner  of  a  chequered  pave- 
ment a  matron  llirring  a  poflet  or  bafon  of  broth  for  the  babe,  and  under 
the  whole  thefc  words  : 

*•  In  honorem  Dei  omnipotentis  gloriamq;  laudem  fuas  benediflae  matris  pro 
tranquillitate  pacis  ac  profperitate  villam  Briftolliae  inhabitantium  nee  non  pro 
confuetudinibus,  ordinationibus  libertatibus  et  franchefiis  diflae  villtc  melius 
in  poflerum  corfervandis  et  manutenendis,  ad  rcquifitum  ct  mandatum  vcnc- 
rabilis  viri  Williclnii  Spencer,  majoris  dc  villa  et  omnium  difcretorum  virorum 
dicti  majoris  conlultorum  ego  Robertus  Ricaut  extunc  ibidem  communis  clc- 
ricus  cleBus  a  feflo  Sanfti  Michaelis  Archangcli,  anno  regni  regis  Edw.  4. 
poU  conquellum  18:  iflum  librum  incepi  compofui  et  confcripfi  de  diverfis 
croniclis  confuedinibufq;  legibufq;  libertatibus  ac  aliis  meniorandis  neceffariis 
diverfis  ad  perpetuam  rei  memoriam  inviolabiliter  obfervandis, 
Adfit  principio  SanQa  Maria  meo.     Amen." 

On 


[    457    ] 

On  the  other  fide  is  written  thus  : 

"  Jefus  facri  ventris  frudus —  Pise  niatris  prccc  dutlus  j 
Sit  mihi  viae  dux  eduttus —  Libciitcr  in  hoc  opcrc.      Amc-n. 

Thanked  be  thehighe  name  of  our  Lord  and  famous  Chrirte  Jefu,  excellent 
glorie  &  eternal  reverence  to  his  bleffcd  moder  Scinte  Marie,  honour  lauda 
&z  due  preifinge  be  to  all  the  faintes  of  hev\  n  :  for  as  moche  as  this  noble  &• 
worlhipful  town  of  Brinowe,"  &c.     Page  i.  a. 

By  the  foregoing  authentic  deeds  not  only  the  exigence  of  fuch  a  focicty, 
but  alfo  their  place  of  abode  is  clear  beyond  a  doubt.  Before  the  Kalendarics 
were  removed  to  All  Saints  and  had  their  library  in  the  rood-loft  or  chamber 
adjoining  to  the  ftreet  on  the  north  fide  of  that  church,  their  houfe  and  fchool 
were  in  Wine-ftreet  near  Chrifl;  Church,  probably  at  the  corner  of  Pligh-ftreet, 
where  was  their  church,  formerly  one  of  the  four  churches  round  the  High 
Crofs,  the  old  ribbed  arches  in  the  cellar  there  ftill  pointing  it  out.  This 
fociety  had  great  benefaclions  beftowed  on  them,  and  many  grants  of  land  in 
town  and  country;  their  lands  are  often  mentioned  in  old  deeds,  fomc  in  the 
Old  Market,  Baldwin-ftreet,  &c.  and  by  an  inquifition  taken  anno  1547,  ifl 
Edward  6th.  by  John  Cottrel,  Dotlor  of  Laws,  vicar-general  to  Paul  Bufli, 
firfl;  Bifhop  of  Briflol,  the  "  Domus  Kalendariorum"  before  its  difiblution, 
paid  to  the  crown  21s.  lo^d.  and  there  were  two  chauntries  there,  one  by  Sir' 
Thomas  Merryfield,  whereof  he  was  prieft,  rated  at  16s.  (fee  p.  62.)  In  pat. 
34,  Edward  3d.  p.  2.  m.  11.  the  Domus  Calendariorum  is  mentioned,  and 
an  original  deed  in  Latin  of  John  Harlow,  prior,  and  his  cofreres  under  their 
common  feal,  dated  6th  of  Edward  4th.  1466,  of  lands  in  Marlh-ftreet  was 
in  poireffion  of  Peter  le  Neve,  Efq;  Xorroy.  The  above  does  fufficiently 
evidence  the  antiquity  and  reputation  of  this  fociety,  which  being  diffolved 
was  valued  the  26th  year  of  Henry  8th.  1534,  at  lol.  18s.  8d.  per  annum,  * 
and  penfions  were  paid  to  fome  of  the  fociety  after  the  difTolution.  Mayftcr 
Leland  in  his  Itinerary  thus  dcfcribcs  this  fraternity,  as  if  he  had  fccn  here  the 
above  deeds. 

Itin.  vol.  vii.  p.  87.  "  A  remembrauncc  of  memorable  acles  done  in  Brii^ht- 
ftow  out  of  a  lide  boke  of  the  antiquities  of  the  houfe  of  Calendarics  in 
Brightllow. 

"  The  antiquities  of  the  Calendaries  were  for  the  mode  parte  brent  by 
xhaunce.  The  Calendarics  othcrwyfc  cawlyd  the  Gilde  or  Fraternitie  of  the 
Clergie  and  Commonaltie  of  Brightftow,  and  it  was  firftc  kepte  in  the  churche 
of  the  Trinitie,  fens  at  All  Hallowcs.     The  original  of  this   fraternitie  is  out 

K  K  K  of 

•  Dug  J.  Monafl.  vol.  i.  p.  1040. 


[    458     ] 

of  mynd.  Ailardc  Mean  and  Bitrick  his  funne,  Lords  of  Brightnow,  afore 
the  Conquefle.  Hamon  Erie  of  Glocefter  afore  the  Conqueft  and  Lorde  of 
Brighftow.  Robertc,  conful,  funne  to  Hamon  was  Erl  of  Glocefter  and  Lorde 
ofBn'shtftow  and  founder  of  Tewkfburv,  &c.  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  and 
Robert  Harding  tranflated  the  fraternity  of  Calendaries  from  Trinitie  to  the 
churche  of  All  Hallows.      In  it  were  fchools  for  converfion  of  Jews,  &:c." 

The  houfe  where  they  inhabited  after  their  removal  from  Chrift  Church  or 
Trinity  adjoined  the  churcli  of  All  Saints  at  the  wcftern  end,  as  by  the  deed 
appears,  and  on  the  fite  of  it  was  built  the  London  Coffee-houfc,  now  a  dwcl- 
ling-houfe,  and  the  conduit  of  All  Saints;  and  it  pofTibly  extended  farther, 
as  at  building  the  Exchange  a  vaft  quantity  of  bones  were  dug  up,  poftibly 
out  of  the  burying-ground  there  of  this  fociety.  I  have  a  drawing  of  it  under 
the  name  of  Rowleie,  about  the  year  1467,  which  he  calls  "  the  chyrche  ora- 
torie  of  the  Calendaries,  whereof  the  weftern  fpyre  bevnge  brent,  the  fland- 
eynge  parte  was  pyghte  downe,  and  the  refcftorie  ybuylden  wyth  ytts  roiens. 
Inn  itte  was  8  hundredthe  bookes,  in  die  bochorde  mcintc  Sexonnc  Hyftorie 
and  Lege.  Itte  was  ybuilden  by  Eva  Fytzhardynge  and  Lewis  de  Ghentc  inn 
1092." 

This  account  feems  to  agree  with  the  original  deed  above  mentioned  of  John 
Chauncellor  of  Keynfliam,  granting  100  marks  for  rebuilding  this  houfe  in 
1466.  The  lofs  fuftained  by  this  fire  was  irreparable,  as  the  fociety  was  fo 
ancient,  and  as  the  records  of  the  city  as  well  as  thofe  of  their  own  fraternity 
were  in  cffefl  deftroyed  by  it,  fo  that  any  uncertainty  concerning  the  firit 
foundation  and  early  ftate  of  this  city  may  be  eafily  accounted  for,  by  deriving 
it  from  this  deftruftive  accident  by  fire  ;  a  lofs  greatly  to  be  lamented,  but 
never  to  be  repaired. 

There  was  a  library  room  over  the  north  ailc  of  the  church  of  All  Saints, 
oot  long  fince  to  be  fccn,  to  which  the  Kalcndaries  had  a  communication  by  a 
door  out  of  their  houfe,  but  by  late  alterations  of  the  church  and  houfe  ad- 
joining it  has  been  deftroyed. 

The  old  church  books  mention  a  fire  happening  here  in  1466  through  the 
t  arclcffncfs  of  a  drunken  point-maker,  which  burnt  two  houfes  next  the  fteeplc, 
William  Rowley  and  |ohn  Compton  being  churchwardens  that  year. 

About  1 350  Stephen  Gnowfale  gave  this  parifh  a  tenement  in  All  Saints-lane, 
which  was  made  convenient  for  an  almfhoufc,  which  was  fold  for  420I.  in 
1739,  and  the  fouih  and  caft  part  of  the  Exchange  is  built  on  its  fite,  and 
the  feoffees  built  a  new  almflioufc  adjoining  to  St.  John's.     In   1400  the 

grand 


[    459    ] 

grand  prior  and  pro6lor  of  the  priory  of  St.  James  granted  the  parifliioncrx  a 
little  conduit  of  water,  to  which  the  fpring  rifing  in  the  Prior's  Orchard  (now 
Bird's  garden)  was  conveyed,  and  thence  in  leaden  pipes  under  ground  to  a 
public  ciftern  in  Corn-llreet  for  the  ufe  of  the  city,  to  which  Thomas  White, 
Efq;  gave  20s.  per  annum  for  its  repair  in  the  year  1541,  payable  by  the  cham- 
ber out  of  an  eflate  at  Hinton  Derham,  Glocefterfhire.  This  ciftern  in  1601 
was  rebuilt  at  the  e.xpence  of  125!.  us.  id.  defrayed  by  the  veftry. 

As  great  part  of  the  Exchange  and  new  market  arc  in  this  parifh,  fome  ac- 
count of  them  fhould  find  a  place  here. 

In  the  year  1720  a  fchemc  was  fet  on  foot  to  build  an  Exchange,  but  it 
proved  abortive.  But  in  1721  an  act  of  parliament  was  obtained  to  enable 
the  mayor,  burgelTes,  and  commonalty  of  Brillol  to  build  an  Exchange,  and  a 
committee  of  fifteen  gentlemen  were  appointed  to  carry  the  work  into  execution 
and  extend  their  defign  to  a  general  market,  in  lieu  of  thofe  which  incum- 
bered the  ftreets  of  the  city,  who  in  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1738  came  to  a 
refolution  to  purchafe  the  proper  lands,  and  proceed  with  their  intended  work. 
In  1740-1,  30th  January,  they  agreed  witli  Mr.  John  Wood,  a  learned  and 
and  ingenious  architetl,  to  contrive  a  building  round  an  area,  for  about  600 
people  to  aflemble  in,  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  have  the  outward  appearance  of 
one  grand  ftruQ:ure  to  front  Corn-ftreet,  with  two  taverns  in  front,  tlie  fides 
forhoufes,  infurance  and  other  public  offices,  the  back  part  for  an  arcade  with 
rooms  over  it,  part  of  the  general  market. 

The  loth  of  March,  1740-1,  the  firfl;  ftone  was  laid,  the  following  infcrip- 
tion  being  firft  cut  on  its  uppermoft  bed. 

Regnanti  Georgio   II.' 

Pio,  Felici,  Augufto,  ♦ 

Libertatis  et  Rei  Mcrcatoriac 

Domi  Forifque  V'indicc 

Primarium  Lapidcm  hujus  yEdificii 

Suffragio  Civium  et  /Ere  publico  extrucli 

Pofuit 

Hcnricus  Combe,  Pra^tori 

A.  C.  M.D.CC.XL. 

Several  pieces  of  new  coin  were  thrown  under  the  ftono,  wliich  was  nou 

laid  with  great  folemnity,  amidft  ringing  of  the  bells  and  joyful  acclamations 

of  the  citizens.     The  mayor  firft  and  the  reft  of  the  gentlemen  attending  ftrik- 

ingthc  ftonc  with  a  mallet  when  fixed  in  its  place  three  tiines.  They  then  with.* 

K  K  t;  2  drew 


L   4^0   ] 

drew  from  the  foundation  to  the  Council-houfe,  vherc  they  drank  profperity 
to  the  work  begun.  In  the  afternoon  the  populace  were  treated  with  ale, 
upon  the  Exchange  ground,  at  the  chamber  expence. 

After  the  work  was  thus  begun,  it  was  carried  on  according  to  the  tlrift 
rules  of  ceconomy,  and  with  all  the  expedition  and  difpatch  ;  fo  that  the 
whole  fhould,  now  built,  extend  110  feet  in  front,  by  148  feet  in  depth. 

This  firuclure  is  fituated  almoft  in  the  center  of  the  city,  and  fronts  north- 
ward to  Corn-flrcet.  The  whole  building  as  well  infide  as  oulfide  is  fronted 
with  white  frcellone  of  the  Corinthian  order,  upon  a  ruftick  bafement,  or  ra- 
ther a  bafement  compofed  of  regular  flones,  fome  with  chamfered  edges, 
fome  with  plain  edges.  The  central  parts  break  forwards  and  make  a  tetraf- 
tyle  of  almoll  whole  columns,  fuppoiting  a  pediment,  in  the  t\mpan  of  which 
the  King's  Arms  are  carved  in  (tone  ;  the  chamber  windows  are  dreffed  with 
rich  tabernacles;  the  attic  windows  are  fquare  with  architraves  round  them, 
and  they  rife  no  higher  than  the  bottom  of  the  capitals  of  the  order;  fo  that 
the  fpaces  between  the  capitals  of  the  columns  and  pilaflers  in  this  front  are  fil- 
led with  feftoons,  which  reprefent  Great  Britain  and  the  four  quarters  of  the 
world,  with  the  chief  produfts  and  manufactures  of  every  country. 

The  leveral  parts  whereof  this  front  is  compofed  are  fmall,  which  mud  be 
attributed  chiefly  to  the  narrow  Ilreet  wherein  they  are  to  be  viewed  ;  all  the 
mouldings  proper  to  be  carved  arc  enriched;  the  framing  of  the  doors  of  the 
front  gate  is  divided  in  a  fort  of  Mofaic  work  by  large  iron  nails  ;  the  pannels 
of  the  doors  are  adorned  with  ornaments  in  cafl;  metal ;  and  the  front  of  the 
building  on  each  fide  thefe  doors  are  defended  from  the  ftreet  by  deep  areas, 
Avith  handfome  iron  pallifadoes  upon  the  back  walls  of  thofe  areas. 

The  fouth  front  to  the  general  maket  is  quite  regular.  The  central  part  of 
the  front  breaks  forward  to  fupport  a  pediment,  in  the  tympan  of  which  the 
arms  of  the  city  are  carved  in  (lone,  and  over  that  there  is  a  turret,  in  the  front 
whereof  the  dial  of  a  clock  is  fixed  for  the  ufc  of  the  market  people.  The 
ends  of  this  front  break  forward  likewife  and  are  finifhed  with  a  dome  at  each 
end,  upon  which  there  are  flone  pedeflals,  wherein  fome  of  the  funnels  of  the 
chimnies  are  with  fome  difficulty  brought  up.  The  domes  and  pedeflals  are 
fix  feet  more  in  flank  than  they  are  in  front,  which  was  owing  to  the  increafe 
of  the  arcade. 

The  fouth  front  and  fo  much  of  tk:  fide  fronts  as  is  level  with  it  confifls  of 
two  flories  of  building,  in  which  the  outfide  of  the  arcade  appears  ruflicated,  and 
all  the  apertures  in  the  remainder  of  the  firlt  ftory  of  the  fide  fronts  are 
drcffcd  in  the  lame  laflc,  that  is,  with  flones  cut  out  in  a  regular  form.     The 

windows- 


[    46i     ] 

■windows  over  the  arcade  are   of  the  tabernacle  kind,  as  well  as  the   central 
wind  ws  of  the  fecond  flory  of  the  fide  fronts. 

The  roof  over  the  ve^ibules  and  over  the  middle  of  the  arcade  is  finifhed 
with  domes  fupporting  flone  turrets,  and  thofe  domes  are  fo  contrived  as  to 
appear  part  of  the  architefture  of  the  infide  of  the  building,  in  thofe  turrets 
fome  of  the  funnels  of  the  chimnics  of  the  back  work  are  with  difficulty  brought 
up.  The  turret  facing  the  principal  entrance  of  the  Exchange  has  a  clock 
and  dial  placed  therein,  for  the  ufe  of  fuch  as  frequent  the  place  of  Exchange. 
The  merchants  arms  adorn  the  weft  front  of  the  turret  on  the  eaft  fide  of  the 
periftyle,  as  a  compliment  for  their  benefaflion  of  2000I.  towards  the  work, 
and  the  mod  ancient  arms  of  the  city  are  carved  on  the  eaft  front  of  the  turret 
on  the  weft  fide  of  the  place  of  Exchange.     Sec  the  prints. 

The  building  was  fo  far  compleated  by  the  beginning  of  Auguft,  1743> 
that  the  21ft  of  September  was  named  as  the  day  on  which  it  Ihould  be  opened. 
The  corporation  of  Brillol  having  ordered  that  the  market,  which  was  to  have 
been  held  on  W'ednefday  the  21ft  of  that  month,  fliould  be  kept  upon  Tuef- 
day  the  20th,  and  public  notice  was  accordingly  given  by  the  crier,  upon 
Friday  before  the  Exchange  was  opened  the  chamber  relblved  to  difcharge  at 
the  city  expence  the  poor  prifoners  confined  in  Newgate  for  debt,  that  every 
citizen  might  enjo)  liberty  upon  the  day  of  opening  the  Exchange.  They  alfo 
refolved  to  treat  the  workmen  employed  in  the  building  with  a  handfome  din- 
ner, and  directed  that  bread  and  wine  fliould  be  ready  at  the  Council-houfe,. 
after  the  Exchange  fhould  be  opened,  for  all  gentlemen  without  diftinftion  to 
refrefli  therafelves  with. 

The  mayor  of  Briftol,  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  invited  the  corporatioa 
and  fociety  of  merchants  to  dine  with  him  at  the  Merchants-hall  upon  the  day 
of  opening  the  Exchange,  and  propofed  to  the  mailers  of  the  feveral  trading, 
companies  to  treat  the  members  of  thofe  companies  with  wine  at  their  rcfpeClive 
halls,  which  was  accordingly  performed. 

As  the  Exchange  is  the  fole  property  of  the  corporation  of  Briftol,  fo  it  was 
ordered  that  the  ceremony  of  opening  it  ftiould  confift  in  the  corporation  meet- 
ing the  fociety  of  merchants  and  other  traders  of  the  city  at  the  Guildhall  in 
Broad-ftrcet,  in  walking  with  thcni  from  that  hall  in  procetfion  to  the  Ex- 
change. Now  the  dawn  of  the  day  appointed  for  doing  all  this  was  proclaimed 
to  town  and  couiitrv,  by  the  difcharge  of  feveral  cannons  from  Brandon-hill, 
and  then  the  morning  was  ufhered  in  with  ringing  of  bells»  The  Ihips  were 
foon  drefted  with  their  proper  colours  ;  Hags  were  difplaycd  upon  fome  of  the 
churches,  and  the  ftrcets  through  which  the  procefTion  was  to  be  made  were  by 
an  order  of  the  magiftratcs  fwept  and  cleared  froniever\-  annoyance. 

The. 


[     4S2     J 

The  fame  morning  (lie  mayor  made  a  prefcnt  of  five  guineas  lo  the  maflcr 
wprkmen  of  the  building  to  drink  to  the  good  fuccefs  of  the  Exchange 
and  profperity  to  the  city  of  Briflol.  He  alfo  gave  them  25I.  to  be  expended 
in  wine  and  other  liquors  upon  their  men.  Soon  after  this  the  keeper  of 
Newgate  carried  the  prifoners  confined  in  that  gaol  for  debt  to  the  mayor's 
houfe,  and  Mr.  Mayor  after  releafing  them  at  the  chamber  expcncc  gave  each 
perfon  fomething  to  begin  the  world  with.  He  likewife  ordered  the  poor 
people  in  the  Merchants'  almflioufc,  &c.  to  be  entertained  in  a  handfomc 
manner,  that  the  hearts  of  all  denominations  of  men  in  the  city  might  be 
cheered  upon  the  day  of  opening  this  building. 

Ten  o'clock  was  the  time  appointed  for  the  general  meeting  of  fuch  as  were 
concerned  in  the  ceremony  of  opening  the  Exchange,  by  which  hour  the  par- 
ties began  to  repair  to  the  Guildhall,  and  then  as  the  weather  was  fine  the 
ftreets  and  houfes  were  foon  lined  with  an  infinite  number  of  people  from 
all  parts  of  the  town  and  country.  At  eleven  the  proceffion  began  from  that 
hall  in  the  following  order,  or  as  near  it  as  it  was  pofTible  for  the  companies 
to  fall  in  with  the  train.  —  Mr.  Colfton's  boys  under  the  tuition  of  their  maf- 
ter  led  the  way,  and  they  were  followed  by  the  city  hofpital  boys  governed  by 
the  mayor  and  aldermen,  then  caine  the  exchange-keeper  with  a  noble  flaff  in 
in  his  hand,  and  he  was  followed  by  the  incorporated  companies  of  the  city  in 
their  formalities,  with  their  colours  borne  before  them,  \vith  each  of  their  ref- 
peclive  wardens.  The  mafons  company  went  ift,  tylers  2d.  porters  3d.  hal- 
liers  4lh.  carpenters  5ih.  tobacco-pipe-makers  6th.  turners  7th.  hatters  8ih. 
fadlers  gth.  innholders  loth.  bakers  11th.  butchers  12th.  tanners  13th.  cord- 
wainers  14th.  uire-drawcrs  15th.  joiners  16th.  dyers  lylh.  whitetawers  18th. 
hoopers  19th.  fmiths  20th.  furgeons  2 id.  (with  mufie  before  them)  weavers 
2 2d.  taylors  23d.  The  citv  m.ufic  with  the  addition  of  two  French  horns 
went  next  after  thcfe  companies,  and  they  were  fuccecded  by  the  city  officers 
who  walked  according  to  their  ranks,  with  the  flcward  of  the  flierifF's  court  in 
his  barrifters  habit,  and  the  chamberlain  in  his  gown  bearing  a  mace  of  gold. 
The  town  clerk  \vas  ill,  and  could  not  attend  the  proccflion.  Then  came  the 
corporation  in  their  fcarlet  robes,  with  their  fword  of  ftate  borne  before  them 
by  the  fword-bearer  in  his  gown  and  cap  of  maintenance.  The  mavor  and 
mayor  elcft  went  firfl,  the  fenior  alderman,  and  after  them  the  rcU  of  the  cor- 
P'oration  according  to  their  feniority.  To  thefe  fuccecded  the  mailer,  war- 
dens, affiflants,  and  members  of  the  Merchants-hall,  and  the  whole  was  clofed 
with  a  long  train  of  coaches  and  chariots  to  48  in  number. 

This  proceffion  paffed  up  Broad-flreet,  down  High-flrcct,  and  fo  on  to  the 
Back,  from  thence  they  went  into  Quccn's-fquarc  at  the  north-caft  corner,  and 

paffing 


[     463     3 

pafled  through  the  ftrccts  on  the  eaft  and  fouth  fide  of  that  fpacious  area,  came 
out  upon  the  lower  end  of  the  Key  oppofite  the  place  where  the  Princefs 
Auf  ufta,  a  letter  of  marque  fliip,  lay  repairing  from  the  damages  fhe  had  re- 
ceived, in  the  laft  of  four  viflorious  battles  with  the  Spanifh  privateers  in 
the  prefent  war,  one  of  which  privateers  her  captain  blew  up  in  the  king's 
channel,  and  was  particularly  rewarded  by  the  Admiralty  for  his  gallantry, 
good  conduft  and  courage  in  that  brave  aflion.  From  this  glorious  objefl; 
the  proccfTion  was  continued  up  the  Key,  and  then  from  the  north  end  of  it 
the  parties  entering  Small-ftrect  pafTed  from  that  ftreet  to  the  Exchange. 

This  circuit  of  ground  was  about  2000  yards  in  length,  the  whole  train  of 
people  and  coaches  extended  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  and  the  procef- 
fion  lafted  about  two  hours,  during  which  time  the  bells  kept  ringing  and  the 
cannons  firing. 

When  the  corporation  came  to  the  Exchange  they  entered  the  building  by 
the  gate  in  the  north  front,  pafied  through  the  hall  to  the  perifiyle,*  walked 
along  the  porticos  thereof  to  the  wefl,  and  from  thence  came  towards  the  cen- 
ter of  the  piazza,  where  an  haut-pas  or  rather  a  fquare  plinth  t  was  prepared, 
which  Thomas  Stevens,  Efq;  fleward  of  the  flieriff's  court,  direQly  afcendcd 
from  the  eall  fide.  Then  the  mayor  commanded  filence  to  be  kept,  and  the 
doors  of  the  front  gate  which  were  fluU  to  keep  out  the  populace  to  be  opened, 
after  which  Mr.  Stevens  addrefTed  himfelf  to  the  merchants  and  tradefmen, 
by  the  order  of  the  corporation  firft  named  the  building,  and  then  gave  them 
the  ufe  of  the  periftyle  of  it  for  a  place  of  Exchange  in  a  long  fpeech. 

When  the   fpeech   was  ended   the  mayor  began   three  huzzas,    then   Mr. 
Stevens  retired,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Fane,  clerk  of  the  Merchants-hall,  took  his 
place,  and  addreflfing  himfelf  to  fhe  corporation  in  thefe  words  : 
"  Mr.  Mayor  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Corporation, 

"  The  merchants  are  very  fenfible  of  the  obligations  they  are  under  to 
"  you,  for  the  great  care  you  have  taken  in  building  this  Exchange,  and  I  am 
"  commanded  in  this  public  manner  to  return  you  their  thanks  for  the  fame." 

This  being  over,  Mr.  Mayor  began  three  huzzas,  after  which  the  corpora- 
tion and  fociety  of  merchants  with  the  mufic  before  them,  &:c.  walked  to  the 
Council-houfe,  where  they  were  refrcfiicd  with  wine,  and  from  thciicc  in  their 
coaches  went  to  the  Merchants-hall  to  a  dinner  which  was  prepared  for  them. 
The  refpe£live  companies  alfo  retired  to  their  refpeftive  halls,  to  regale  them- 
fclves  with  the  wine  Mr.  Mayor  had  prefcntcd  them  with,  and  the  evening  of 

the 

*  Periftyle  is  a  place  cncompafTed  with  pillai-s  (landing  round  about  on  the  infidc, 

+  A  plinth  is  the  lowcnnoft  pari  of  the  foot  of  a  pillar,  being  the  form  of  a  tile  or  f^^jare  bnc.li. 


C   464   ] 

I  his  day  was  concluded  with  ringing  of  bells,  difcliarging  guns,  and  making 
bonfires  in  proper  places:  all  which  with  the  whole  tranfaflions  of  the  day  was 
condufted  without  any  ill  accident,  or  any  of  tliofe  diforders  too  frequently 
committed  at  public  rejoicings,  which  may  be  attributed  to  this,  that  the  fefli- 
val  of  opening  the  Exchange  was  in  the  nature  of  it  agreeable  to  all  parties, 
and  if  pageantry  on  this  occafion  had  been  thought  necelTary,  the  public  had 
certainly  been  gratified  with  it.  But  what  pageantry  could  exceed  a  folemn 
procefTion  of  the  magifirates  and  wOiole  colletliye  trading  body  of  a  city,  that 
pays  the  government  a  cuftom  for  their  goods  of  above  150,000!.  a  year  ? 

The  firfl  Wcdncfday  after  Lady-day,  being  March  27,  1743,  the  General 
Market  behind  the  Exchange  was  firfl  opened. 


CHAP.      XV. 


0/  the   CHURCH  and  PARISH  0/  the    HOLY    TRINITY    or 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  with  SI.  EWEN's  confoMated. 


CHRIST  Church  is  a  reftory  rated  in  the  King's  Books  at  3I.  8s.  clear:' 
its  Yearly  Tenths,  now  difcharged,  il.  2s.  It  is  of  very  great  antiquity, 
though  the  exaft  time  when  founded  is  a  little  uncertain.  Rowley's  manu- 
fcript  fays,  "  it  was  founded  920  by  Ella,  lord-warden  of  the  caflle,  and  that 
it  was  fpired  by  Alricvs  Sneaw  in  1004,"  perhaps  Aylwardus  Sncaw.  It  is 
eertain  in  taking  down  part  of  the  fpire  to  rebuild  it  in  1765  a  date  in  lead  was 
found  let  into  the  ftone  near  the  top  1003  or  1004,  as  the  workmen  affirmed  ; 
and  in  1787,  when  this  church  was  taken  down  to  be  rebuilt,  a  Ratuc  of  a 
Saxon  earl  fitting  in  a  niche  was  difcovered  walled  in  at  the  front,  dcfigned 
very  probably  for  the  founder  of  it,  cither  Ella  above  mentioned  or  Aylwar- 
dus Sneaw,  in  whofe  time  the  fraternity  of  Kalendaries  flouriflicd  here.  But 
its  antiquity  is  fully  afccrtaincd  from  its  being  the  refidcnce  of  that  fociety 
before  the  Conquell.     Philip  the  priell  in    1153  granted  a  moiety    of  this 

church 


C  465   ] 

ciiurch  which  he  pofTefTed  to  the  church  of  Tewkfbury,  in  the  time  of  Robert 
Earl  of  Glocefter,  which  was  confirmed  bv  Earl  William  and  John  Bifliop  of 
Worcefter.     (See  Stephens,  vol.  ii.   No.  161,  31.  Add.  to  Diigd.) 

The  Earls  of  Glocefter  were  patrons  to  prefentto  this  benefice,  and  it  is  thence 
moft  probable  that  the  Saxon  carls  were  the  founders,  and  Robert  Fitzhaymon 
and  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  his  fon-in-law  received  it  from  them  as  part  of  the 
honour  of  Glocefter.  It  is  certain,  that  the  latter  founded  the  priory  of  St. 
James,  (which  fee)  and  made  it  a  cell  to  the  abby  of  Tewkfbury,  and  this 
church  being  an  appendage  to  the  fame  abby,  by  right  of  patronage  paid  a 
penfion  or  yearly  rent  to  it  of  10s.  As  that  abbot  and  convent  had  the  patro- 
nage, fo  not  content  with  that  in  the  year  1469  they  procured  of  John  Bifhop  of 
Worcefter  the  appropriation  of  it,  whereby  they  got  the  whole  profits  of  the 
church,  a  common  artifice  with  them,  which  has  laid  the  foundation  of  fo 
many  poor  vicarages  now,  they  finding  only  a  chaplain  to  do  the  duty,  and 
paving  to  the  church  of  'Worcefter  yearly  3s.  4d.  and  to  the  archdeacon  of 
Glocefter  3s.  4d.  but  this  appropriation  was  after  fome  time  revoked  by  the 
biftiop. 

"  In  this  church,  fays  Leland,  was  fyrfte  kepte  the  Calendaries,  otherwifc 
called  the  Gilde  or  Fratcrnitie  of  the  Clergie  and  Commonaltie  of  Brightftowe, 
but  fens  removed  to  All  Hallows.  The  original  of  it  is  owt  of  mynde."  He 
there  (Itin.  vol.  vii.  f.  87,  88.)  mentions  their  having  been  tranflated  thither 
by  Robert  Fitzharding,  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter,  and  William  his  fon,  all 
out  of  a  book  of  the  antiquities  of  the  Kalendaries.  The  prior  and  brethren 
here  are  mentioned  in  pat.  34.   Edw.  3.  p.  2.   m.  11. 

This  church  was  no  very  beautiful  ftrufture.  It  ftands  upon  the  north 
quarter  of  the  center  of  the  town,  where  four  ftreets  meet,  High-ftreet  and 
Broad-ftreet,  Corn-ftrect  and  Wine-ftreet.  -  It  was  a  low  building  of  the  mo- 
del of  a  quarter  cathedral,  the  tower  being  very  near  in  the  center  ;  from  the 
ground  to  the  battlements  of  the  tower  about  70  feet  high,  on  the  center  of 
which  a  fpire  of  freeftone  rofe  about  the  fame  height,  on  which  was  a  copper 
dragon,  inftcad  of  a  weather-cock.  The  tower  handfome,  very  high,  and 
had  four  pinnacles  of  folid  freeftone  about  12  feet  high,  with  copper  vanes  on 
them.  In  the  tower  was  a  peal  often  bells,  which  chimed  at  the  hour  of  one, 
fix,  and  eleven,  with  two  dial  plates  to  the  clock  at  the  weft  end  of  the 
fouth  aile,  one  facing  Corn-ftreet  and  the  other  High-P.rcet;  on  the  fides  of 
this  dial  were  two  men  carved  in  wood,  with  a  hammer  in  the  hand  of  each  that 
ftruck  a  bell  everv  quarter  of  an  hour. 

L  L  >.  The 


The  middle  aile  in  length  from  the  high  altar  to  the  weft  door  was  94  feet, 
from  the  ground  to  the  cieling  of  the  fame  aile  41  feet  high,  the  length  of  the 
chancel  i8  feet.  The  north  and  fouth  ailcs  each  59  feet  long.  The  body  of 
the  church  was  fupported  on  the  north  and  fouth  fide  with  four  arches  and  five 
pillars.  The  width  of  the  church  from  the  north  to  the  fouth  door  54  feet, — 
William  of  Worcefter  (p.  216)  fays,  "  The  length  of  the  church  of  the  Holy- 
Trinity  is  22  yards,  its  breadth  35  fteps.  The  road  of  High-ftrect  there  at 
the  High  Crofs  is  24  fteps  broad,  of  Wynch-ftreet  16  fteps,  of  Broad-ftrect 
14  fteps,  of  Corn-ftreet  at  the  High  Crofs  14  fteps." 
There  was  a  good  organ  belonging  to  this  church. 

In  the  year  1751  this  church  was  greatly  repaired  and  beautified  and  new 
pewed.  A  new  ftrong  arch  was  turned  under  the  belfry  by  the  pulpit  with  in- 
verted arch  under  ground.  The  old  tower-ftairs  were  at  the  fame  time  con- 
verted into  folid  wall  and  filled  up,  to  ftrengthen  and  fupport  the  tower,  which 
was  much  cracked,  and  a  new  ftair-cafe  was  made  in  the  churchyard.  Alio  a 
ftrong  arch  was  built  under  the  old  one  at  the  eaft  end  of  the  fouth  ailc.  The 
organ  was  gilt  and  repaired.  After  this  church  had  been  two  years  and  ten 
month  repairing,  it  was  opened  for  divine  fervice  on  Sunday,  November  18, 
1753.      The  expence  of  the  whole  was  15001. 

But  in  the  year  1783  the  walls  of  the  church  and  roof  were  found  to  be  fo 
very  ruinous  and  decayed,  that  the  2d  of  June  application  was  made  to  parlia- 
ment, and  leave  given  to  bring  in  a  bill  for  rebuilding  it  and  widening  the  ftreets 
near  it.  And  1786  they  began  pulling  it  wholly  down,  and  in  1788  it  was 
rebuilt  on  the  fame  ground,  only  allowing  fome  fpace  to  widen  the  ftreet 
there,  and  will  foon  exhibit  a  beautiful  ftruflure  in  the  center  of  the  city, 
and  afford  a  good  accommodation  fur  the  pariftiioners  reforting  to  it.  The 
new  fpire  is  beautiful,  and  the  whole  building  much  admired,  and  is  a  great 
ornament  to  the  center  of  the  city,  as  you  go  up  High-ftreet. 

In  the  year  1547  were  fequeftered  to  the  king's  ufe  all  fruits,  profits, 
and  emoluments  whatfoever,  &c.  for  non-payment  of  fubfidies  and  tenths  due 
1  May  and  25  December  laft.     See  p.  63. 

In  1491  Richard  Erie,  Efq;  by  will  gave  nineteen  tenements  and  a  garden 
to  find  a  chaplain  daily  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Michael  in  the  church  of  Holy 
I'linit)-,  to  officiate  for  ever  at  mafs  for  the  foul  of  himfelf  and  Thomafin  his 
wife. 

The  24th  of  Henry  5th.  Balle's  chauntrie  of  Bryftoe  was  eftabliftied,  the 
prieft  to  have  81.  per  annum.     Sir  John  Chycwe  prcfented. 

Some 


[     4^7     ] 

Some  of  the  lands  with  which  thefe  chauntries  were  endowed  through  over- 
fight  were  not  taken  to  by  the  crown  fo  late  as  the  15th  of  Elizabeth,  for  Wil- 
liam Yate,  late  fherifF,  and  Thomas  Fawcct,  of  this  parifh,  proftors,  fet  forth 
that  they  had  received  the  rents  of  fundry  meiruagcs,  &c.  fince  the  dif- 
folution  of  chauntries,  and  had  ufually  employed  the  fame  among  other  rents 
for  the  wages  of  theprieft,  curates,  and  clerks  of  the  parifh,  the  ornaments  of  the 
church  and  the  charges  of  fuch  preaching,  and  the  relief  of  the  poor  ;  but  that 
they  were  often  conftrained  to  fuits  of  law  for  the  defence  of  the  title  to  the 
premifes  :  and  it  appearing  that  the  queen  had  fome  title  thereto  by  the  (latute 
of  1  Edward  6th.  (divers  of  the  tenements  having  been  employed  before  to 
fuperflitious  ufes)  they  folicited  to  purchafe  them  of  the  queen,  who  by  letters 
patent,  July  13,  in  the  30th  year  of  her  reign,  granted  the  fame  to  the  church- 
wardens and  parifhioners  the  loth  of  January,  31  Elizabeth,  under  certain 
quit  rents;  and  they  for  a  perpetual  continuance  of  the  fame  to  the  parifli  cn- 
feoffeed  the  fame  to  the  mayor  Aldworth  and  fourteen  others  of  the  parifli, 
that  they  might  apply  the  fame  tenements  to  the  ufes  afore  mentioned  in  future. 
When  the  feoffees  are  reduced  to  fix  or  four  perfons,  a  new  feoffment  was  to 
be  made  to  fourteen  others,  &c.  which  was  continued  to  be  renewed  to  the 
prefent.  The  reffor  in  1776  had  fome  difpute  with  the  feoffees  on  account  of 
his  prevailing  on  the  veftry  to  grant  lool.  if  he  could  get  another  lool.  as  a  gift 
from  the  corporation  the  patrons,  procuring  400I.  Queen  Ann's  bounty  to  his 
church,  which  he  obtained;  but  the  feoffees  judging  it  a  mifapplication  of  the 
church  flock  in  the  veffry's  granting  this  lool.  refufed  to  allow  it.  This  putting 
the  reftor  upon  an  enquiry  into  his  right  to  certain  wages  paid  him  out  of  the 
church  flock,  fometimcs  25 1,  fometimes  30I.  per  annum,  as  a  gift  of  the 
veflry  he  found  that  he  had  a  jufl  right  and  claim  even  to  more  than  they  al- 
lowed him  as  a  boon,  and  therefore  as  they  refufed  him  to  examine  the  parifli 
deeds  and  papers  locked  up  from  him,  he  filed  a  bill  in  chancery  in  OQober, 
1776,  which  was  anfwered  by  the  feoffees  and  a  few  of  the  veflry,  and  the 
caufe  was  heard  May  6,  1780,  after  great  trouble  and  expence  to  the  reftor, 
and  the  court  declared  the  charity  mufl  be  confirmed,  and  the  lands,  &c.  ap- 
propriated as  in  the  deeds  of  31  Elizabeth,- &c.  The  i8ih  of  June,  1782,  the 
mafler  it  was  referred  to  made  his  report,  and  the  rector  was  now  confirmed 
in  having  the  fum  of  Sol.  per  annum  for  ever  from  the  25th  of  March,  1772. 


L  L  L  2  The 


L 

s. 

d. 

43 

10 

0 

20 

0 

0 

3 

n 

0 

5 

0 

0 

4 

1 

4 

1 

12 

^ 

[  468  ] 

The  other  appropriations  were. 
Gifts  to  the  poor  and  intereft  of  monies  whereto  they  are  entitled 
A  tenement  bequeathed  to  the  organift         _  -  _ 

A  gift  to  the  redor,  clerk,  and  fexton,  for  a  fermon 
A  gift  to  the  church  _  _  _  _  _ 

Sheriff's  dues  --.--- 

Ground  rent  to  the  chamber  of  Briftol 

£  11  15  "3 
The  anxiety  the  "  law's  delay"  in  this  fuit  gave  the  reClor,  it  was  thought, 
very  much  impaired  his  health,  as  he  confidcred  himfelf  very  unjuftly  opprcfl: 
and  perfecuted  by  the  feoffees  in  this  matter  :  it  is  certain  he  vifibly  declined 
in  his  health,  had  feveral  fits  of  illnefs,  and  a  paralytic  flroke,  of  which  he  for 
fometime  recovered,  but  at  laft  in  May,  1 785,  died  fuddenly,  about  three  years 
after  the  decifion  of  this  caufe,  which  will  be  of  fuch  benefit  to  his  fucceffor, 
having  been  at  a  very  great  cxpencc,  which  he  could  ill  afford,  and  not  living 
long  enough  to  receive  any  advantage  from  it. 

The  law  expence  out  of  the  church  flock  for  this  fuit  amounted  to  upwards 
of  1400I.  much  wanted  then  to  repair  or  rebuild  the  church,  and  to  which  it 
had  been  much  better  applied. 


Patrons. 

Abbot  and 
convent  of 
Tcwkfbury. 


RECTORS  of  Chrift  Church. 

1147   Philip ,  pricfl. 

1282   ^^'illiam  de  LachefTcrd. 
1294    John  de  Haukefbure. 
1296  John  de  Bredon, 

1298    Ricardus  de . 

1323  William  dc  Bekcford :  taxatur  ecclefia  ad  .\x  libr. 

1360  Thomas  de  Aflon. 

1369  William  de  Overyngton. 

1406  Johannes  Pcdewellc. 

1415  Thomas  Drayton,  a  Lollard,  preached  againfl   image 

worfliip  and  the  proud  religious,  &c. 
1421   John  Wright. 
1425  William  Fydian. 
1427  John  Dyer. 
1450  John  Fytfwarren,  died  1455. 
1456  John  Stcphys. 

1462 


Patrons. 


[     469     ] 


1462   John  Drover,  A.  M. 

John  Carew. 

La%s'rence  Cokkys. 
1485  William  Jonys. 
1510    John  Godryche,  S.  T.  P. 
1538   Johannes  Terrel. 
Corporation.         1588  Morgan  Jones,  died  1616. 
1616  Nicholas  Leigh. 
1618  Edward  Shaw.     Had    a  re£lory-houfc    in   the  Pithay 

granted  him,  and  taken  away  1683. 
1621    Morgan  Williams. 

1630  Richard  Standfaft,  re£lor  51  years:    being  blind,    his 
fon  John  afliftcd  him.    See  his  monument,  epitaph,  &c. 
1682   Charles  Brent. 
1729   William  Smith. 

Daniel  Debat,  D.  D. 
1785  Thomas  Ireland,  D.  D. 


M    O    N    U    M    E    N    T    S. 

Amongft  the  memorials  of  the  dead  that  dcfervc  our  notice  is  a  very  An- 
gular little  mural  monument  in  the  chancel.  It  is  infcribed  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Standfaft,  is  a  plain  white  marble  table,  with  an  hour-glafs  in  a  kind  of  pedi- 
ment on  the  top,  and  a  death's  head  below  it. 

"  Xear  this  place  lieth  the  body  of  Richard  Standfaft,  Mafter  of  Arts,  of 
Sidney  College  in  Cambridge,  and  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  his  Majcfty  King 
Charles  id.  who  for  his  loyalty  to  the  king  and  ftedfaftnefs  in  the  edabliflied 
religion  fuffered  fourteen  years  fcqueftration.  He  returned  to  his  place  in 
Briftol  at  the  refloration  of  King  Charles  2d.  was  then  made  prebendary  of 
the  cathedral  church  of  Briftol,  and  for  twenty  years  and  better  (notwithdand- 
ing  his  blindnefs)  performed  the  offices  of  the  church  exaQly,  and  difcharged 
the  duties  of  an  able,  diligent,  and  orthodox  preacher.  He  was  reftor  of 
Chrifl  Church  upwards  of  fifty-one  years,  and  died  Auguft  24,  in  the  78th 
year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  year  of  our  Lard  1681. 

He  fhall  live  again." 

The  following  vcrfes  were  compofed  by  himfelf  to  be  put  upon  his  monu- 
ment, and  were  taken  from  his  own  mouth  two  days  beferc  his  death  : 

Jacob 


C   470   ] 

Jacob  was  at  Eelliel  found. 

And  fo  may  we,  though  under  ground. 

With  Jacob  there  God  did  intend 

To  be  with  liim  wlicre'vcr  he  went. 

And  to  bring  him  back  again, 

Nor  was  that  promife  made  in  vain. 
I'pon  which  words  we  rcfl  in  confidence 
That  he  which  found  him  there  will  fetch  us  hence. 
Nor  without  caufc  are  we  perfuadcd  thus. 
For  where  God  fpake  with  him,  he  fpake  with  us. 

This  worthy  divine  fuOered  greatly  in  the  time  of  the  rebellion,  befides  be- 
ing deprived  of  this  his  living,  which  was  given  to  one  Evans,  a  taylor,  he 
was  in  March,  1645-6,  confined  in  Briflol  caflle,  "  for  his  difaffeflion  to  the 
Parliament  of  England  and  their  proceedings,  which  in  his  printing,  praying 
and  preaching  he  had  exprefled."  However  during  his  fcqueflration  and 
troubles  he  was  fo  well  beloved  by  the  vellry  of  Chrift  Church,  that  they  con- 
tributed to  his  fupport  by  an  annual  falary  during  his  abfence  from  them,  as 
appears  by  a  letter  in  the  hand  of  Dean  Towgood,  a  fellow  fufferer  with  him, 
complaining  of  his  parifliioncrs  of  St.  Nicholas  not  aQing  fo  generoufly  to  him 
as  the  others  did  to  Dr.  Standfafl. 

Dr.  Standfafl  was  fo  noted  and  well-received  a  preacher  in  this  city,  that  he 
was  appointed  by  the  mayor  and  corporation  (of  which  body  feme  of  his  an- 
ccftors  had  been)  to  preach  the  public  leftures  at  feveral  churches,  gift 
fcrmons  appointed  by  benefaflors  to  the  city. 

He  publifhed  a  little  traEl,  called,  A  Handful  of  Cordial  Comfits,  Avhich 
breathes  a  true  Chridian  fpirit,  and  fliews  his  true  and  orthodox  principles.  — 
It  was  reprinted  in  the  year  1767  by  his  great  grandfon,  Mr.  Standfall  Smith, 
apothecary.     Alfo  a  Caveat  againfl  Seducers. 

He  was  once  purfued  by  his  malicious  accufers,  but  putting  on  the  habit  of 
a  thatcher,  where  he  lay  concealed  near  Thornbury,  in  Glocefterfltire,  he 
was,  when  they  came  to  look  for  him,  aflually  upon  the  houfe,  pretending  to 
be  bufy  at  his  work. 

There  were  but  few  monuments  in  this  church;  one  with  the  following  infcrip- 
tion  to  the  Rev.  Charles  Brent,  rcflor  of  this  parifii  :  — "  Reverendus  Carolus 
Brent,  A.  M.  antiqua  ftirpe  oriundus,  hujus  ecclefiae  reftor  St.  Werburgae 
vicarius,  ac  canonicus  refidentiarius  menevenfis  cum  duabus  uxoribus  toti- 
demque  liberis  juxta  requiefcit ;  concionator  erat  cgregius,  affiduus,  perpoli- 
tus :  vita:  probitate  ornavit  et  fplendorc  fcrmonum  illullravit.     Magnas  Ciirif- 

tianae 


C     471     ] 

tianse  rcligionis  veritates,  difficillimas  theologiae  queftiones  mira  fagacitate  ex- 
plicare  ac  latentem  veritatem  erucre  optime  novit.  cum  acumine  ingenii,  fua- 
vitate  morum  aniini  candorc,  benevoleniiacruditione,  modeflia  inter  pkirimos 
excelluifTet,  emigravit,  Jun.  13,  A.  D.  1729,  aetatis  63." 

Another  monument  near  with  the  following  infcription  :  —  "  Hie  juxta  re- 
conditur  Elizabetha  Samuelis  Pye,  chirurgi  uxor  perdilefta,  obftetrix  fida, 
prudens,  perita  remimifcimini,  leQores,  quarum  ope  nafcimur;  dein  vita 
probe  funclcE  baud  inviti  recordamini  obiit  28  Apr.    1725." 

Underneath  was  an  infcription  to  that  eminent  furgeon  Mr.  Samuel  Pye, 
■who  was  buried  here  September  20,  1759. 

Juxta  etiam  requiefcit  Samuel  Pye, 

qui    varia   fcientia,  experientia   longa 

et  judicio    fagaci    in    morbis    difficilioribus 

fanandis  chirurgiam  et  obftetriciam  r 

in  hue  urbe  fumma  ad  faftigia 

provexit : 

probitate  morum  intaminata,  conftanti, 

infenefcens,  honore  plenus  ac  annis 

banc  vitam  meliori  commutavit. 

20  Sept.   1759, 

JEt.  74. 

In  the  firft  crofs  aile  was  a  brafs  plate  with  a  device  of  two  hands  holding  up 

a  heart,  out   of  which  proceed   three   fcrolls,  on   which   the  following  words 

were  infcribed : — "  Credo  quod   redemptor  meus   vivit,  deterra  furreflurus 

fum,   in  carne  mea  videbo  Dominum  falvatorcm  meum."     And  underneath  the 

following  epitaph:  — *'   Orate   pro  animabus   Thomae  Balle,    burgenfis  villas 

Briftolias  et  Aliciae  uxoris  fuas  et  pro  ilia  Margerettas   filias  eorundem  qui  qui- 

dcm  Thomas,  obiit  A.  D.  1400,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus." 

On  a  freeltone  on  the  ground:  — "  Hie  jacet  Johannis  Scynte,  obiit  1467." 
On  a  (lone  is  an  infcription   to  Francis  dead,  who,  having  done  well  for 
the  poor  departed  this  life,  June,   1,   1661,  aetatis  67. 
If  fbewards  will  be  true  to  their  intent, 
Their  works  fhall  be  a  lading  monument. 
In  the  middle  aile  on  a  Hone  :  —  "  To  Sufanna  the  wife  of  Auflin  Goodwin, 
linen-draper,  and  daughter  of  Cornelius  Lyde,  of  Stanton  Wick,  Efq;  Somer- 
fet.      She  died  the  13th  of  June,   1738,  aetatis  59." 

"  To  Robert  Yate,  of  this  city,  merchant,  who  died  tha  3 1  ft  of  December, 
1682,  aged  67." 

In 


C  472   ] 

In  the  chancel  was  a  biSI's  figure  of  a  man  with  three  fcrolls  coming  from 
his  heart :  —  "  Credo  quod  redemptor  meus,  &c."  And  underneath  the  fol- 
lowing:— "  Hie  jacct  magifter  Johannis  Fitzwarren  quondam  rc6lor  hujus 
ecclcfiae,  qui  obiit  6  Sept.  1455,  cujus  anim^  propitietur  Deus." 

The  following  are  the  particular  BENEFACTORS  to  this  parifli. 
1594,  Robert  Kitchen  gave  4I.  12s.  per  annum,  los.  a  quarter  to       /.      s.    d 

the  poor,  and  52s.  in  bread  -  -  02     o     o 

1636,  Henry  Yate  gave  a  chief  rent  of  4I.  per  annum,  il.  for  a 

fcrmon  and  3I.  for  the  poor. 

1639,  George  Harrington  gave  2I.  per  annum,   los.  a  quarter  to 

poor  houfekeepers  -  -  -  -         40     o     o 

1640,  Abel  Kitchen  gave  2I.  12I.  per  annum  to  the  poor  in  bread     52     o     o 
1661,   Francis  deed  gave  a  chief  rent  of  3I.  per  annum,   il.  for  a 

fermon  and  2I.  for  the  poor. 
1668,  Thomas  Farmer  gave  lands  of  2I.  per  annum  for  bread  or 

coal  for  the  poor. 
Arthur  Farmer  gave  2I.  per  annum,   to  be  laid  out  in  lands, 

the  produce  to  be  given  to  fix  poor  families  -  40     o     o 

1676,  Robert  Markham  gave  10s.  per  annum  in  bread  for  the  poor 

on  St.  Jamcs's-day  -  -  -  -1000 

1678,  Edward  Hearn  gave  2 1.  per  annum  in  bread  for  the  poor  on 

St.  Jamcs's-day  -  -  -  -  40     o     o 

1684,  Elizabeth  Hearn  gave  los.  per  annuiTi  in  bread  for  the  poor 

on  St.  James's-day  -  -  -  10     o     o 

Mrs.  Boucher  and  Langton  gave  lands  in  Bedminfter  of  Sol. 
per  annum  to  poor  widows  of  the  city,  of  Avhich  this 
parifh  has  a  fhare,  at  10s.  each. 

1685,  William  Colllon  gave  5I.  per  annum  to  fix  poor  houfekeepers  100     o     o 

1686,  Philip  Tiler  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  one  poor  houfekeepcr       10     o     o 

1687,  Martha  Lane  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  the  22d  of 

December  -  -  -  -  -  1000 

168.8,  John  Lawford  gave  2I.  10s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  in  bread 

to  be  given  every  Sunday  -  -  -  50     o     o 

Nicholas  Shute  gave  a  tenement  of  2I.  perann.  to  the  poor. 
1701,  Arthur  Grant  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  two  poor  widows  jo     o     o 

1708,  Sir  William  Clutterbuck  gave  2I.  los.  per  annum,  il.  for  a 
fcrmon,  10s.  to  the  clerk,  and  the  remainder  to  the  poor 
in  bread  *  ».  «  *  50     o     o 

1712, 


s. 

d. 

o 

o 

o 

o 

[    473     ] 

/. 

1712,  Mary  Grant  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  two  poor  widows  10 

1740,  Nicholas  Baker  gave  2!.  10s.  per  annum  to  four  poorVidows     50 
Alderman  Gibbs  gave  a  chief  rent  of  3I.  per  ann.  to  the  poor. 
George  Saltern  gave  a  chief  rent  of  2s.  per  ann,  to  the  poor. 
1715,  Alice  Sloper  gave  lool.  for  the  ufe  of  the  church. 

1767,  Robert  Bolter  gave  3I.  los.  per  annum  lo  the  poor         -        100     o     o 
Avis  Brown  gave  14s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  -  -       20     o     o 

Cox  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  in  coal  -  10   10     o 

This  parifh  is  poflefTcd  of  various  eftatcs  for  charitable  ufcs,  to  promote 
divine  fervice,  to  repair  the  church,  and  relieve  the  indigent,  amounting  to 
about  i6ol.  per  annum  in  1759,  befides  fines  for  renewals  on  fo  many  leafc- 
hold  tenements :  though  the  expences  of  repairing  the  church  from  time  to 
time  and  fome  ill-judged  law  fuits  have  greatly  impaired  their  income,  that 
they  were  obliged  to  folicit  the  benevolence  of  the  public  towards  rebuilding 
the  church  in  1787. 

The  Briflol  High  Crofs  ^s•as  firfl  erecled  near  this  ehurch,  in  tlie  center, 
where  four  ftreets  meet.      See  the  plate. 

The  year  1373  may  be  deemed  the  asra  from  which  Briflol  may  date  fome  of 
its  greateft  improvements,  and  the  citizens  in  commemoration  of  Edward  3d. '4 
feparating  it  from  the  countv  of  Glocefler  and  conftituting  it  a  county  within 
itfelf,  and  fixing  its  pomerium  or  boundaries  by  an  ample  charter  for  that  pur- 
pofe,  rebuilt  the  removed  Crofs  on  the  very  fpot  where  the  old  one  flood, 
embellifhed  it  in  a  mofl  fuperb  manner,  and  placed  King  Edward  3d.  together 
with  three  preceding  royal  benefa8.ors,  very  well  carved  for  the  time,  in  the 
vacant  niches  of  the  then  perhaps  defaced  faints.  Thus  gratitude  and  the  loy- 
alty of  the  citizens  were  the  laudable  motives  to  this  undertaking. 

King  John  was  placed  northward  fronting  Broad-flreet.  He  gave  the  city 
the  firfl  and  very  cxtcnfive  charter  of  privileges,  efpecially  all  the  void 
ground  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  thereby  "  to  amend  the  town  by  build- 
ing," &c.   vide  annals  for  the  year. 

King  Henry  3d.  was  fixed  fronting  Wine-flreet  eaRward.  He  confirmed 
Henry  2d's.  charter,  that  eflablifhed  it  a  mayor  town  and  that  of  King  John, 
and  joined  Redcliff  to  Briflol,  making  it  one  corporate  town.     Vide  annals. 

King  Edward  3d.  was  fixed  towards  Corn-flreet  wcflward.  He  made  Briflol 
a  county  of  itfelf,  &c.  as  above.  Annals  1373,  the  year  of  re-ere£ling  the 
Crofs  in  High-ftrcet  by  voluntary  contributions. 

King  Edward  4th.  they  added  afterwards  to  the  other  three  figures,  placing 
him  to  front  Kigh-fircet  fouthward.     \'idc  annals,  i\Gi. 

AI  .M  M  Tbui- 


[     474     ] 

Thus  it  flood  greatly  admired  for  its  antiquity  and  for  its  ornaments  in 
which  they  had  been  very  lavifh  for  at  leaft  260  years  ;  but  in  the  year  1633 
the  city  having  continued  to  receive  frefli  and  repeated  inftances  of  royal  fa- 
vour, and  the  Crofs  itfelf  by  this  time  perhaps  wanting  fome  neceflary  repairs, 
it  was  this  vear  taken  down  in  part,  enlarged,  and  raifed  higher  in  the  fame 
ftvle  of  architcflure,  and  four  other  ftatues  of  kings  were  now  added. 

Henry  6th.  was  placed  in  a  new  niche  eaftward.  He  granted  and  confirmed 
all  the  charters  of  his  predecefTors.     Annals. 

Oueen  Elizabeth  was  placed  weflward,  who  had  alfo  confirmed  the  charters. 

King  Charles  ift.  northward.  He  granted  a  new  charter,  and  fold  the  caf- 
tle  and  its  dependencies  to  the  city,  which  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  inha- 
bitants was  before  out  of  the  mayor's  jurifdiflion. 

King  James  ift.  who  had  renewed  the  charters,  was  placed  fouthward. 

By  this  additional  fuperftruflure  and  the  new  figures,  it  became  an  objeft 
flill  more  admired  by  flrangers  and  more  efteemcd  by  the  citizens.  It  was 
therefore  now  moft  curioufly  painted  and  gilded  and  inclofed  with  an  iron 
pallifade,  and  furroundcd  with  freeOonc  fleps,  where  all  public  proclamations 
were  read  to  the  people,  and  which  ferved  the  market  people  to  fit  round 
when  the  market  was  kept  in  High-flreet.  Thefc  improvements  colt  the  cham- 
ber 207I.   and  its  height  from  the  ground  was  39  feet  6  inches. 

In  the  y.ear  1697  in  fuch  a  public  eftimaiion  was  this  Crofs  held  that  it  was 
thought  proper  to  have  it  frelh  painted  and  gilded,  which  was  done  in  fuch  a 
coflly  manner,  that  no  crofs  in  the  kingdom  is  faid  then  to  have  exceeded  it- 
Here  it  flood  apublic  ornament  to  the  city  and  the  admiration  of  flrangers  refort- 
ing  hither,  efpecially  all  lovers  of  antiquity,  until  the  year  1 733  a  filverfmith  who 
lived  fronting  it,  out  of  enmity  to  this  flru£lure  fo  efleemed  by  others,  offered 
to  fwear  before  the  magiflrates  that  every  high  wind  his  houfe  and  life  were 
endangered  by  the  Crofs  fliaking  and  threatening  to  fall  fthough  it  was  not 
generally  then  believed)  and  fo  requefled  its  removal.  On  this  pretence  and 
of  its  obflru£ling  the  road  by  filling  up  the  flrectj  it  was  taken  down  and 
thrown  by  in  the  Guildhall  as  a  thing  of  no  value,  though  its  removal  was 
much  regretted  by  mofl  of  the  citizens.  Here  it  lay  for  a  long  time  totally 
difregarded,  till  bv  the  interpofition  of  Alderman  Price  and  a  few  gentleman 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  College-green,  it  was  refcued  from  oblivion  by  a 
voluntary  contribution  for  ereCling  it  in  the  center  of  the  green,  with  the  ap- 
probation of  the  dean  and  chapter.  Here  it  made  a  mofl  confplcuous  figure 
(fee  p.  294)  and  was  greatly  ornamental ;  it  adorned  its  new  flation,  and  its 
ftation  reflefted  an  ornameot  to  it,  and  it  was  here  viewed  with  pleafure  by 

ail 


C    475     ] 

all  as  a  moft  curious  piece  of  antiquity.  But  even  here  in  time  tlie  Crofs  loft 
that  reverence  and  regard  that  had  been  hitherto  paid  it  throughout  all  ages, 
for  in  the  year  1763  it  was  at  leiigth  found  out  that  this  beautiful  ftruCture 
by  interfefting  one  of  the  walks  interrupted  gentlemen  and  ladies  from  walking 
eight  or  ten  abreaft.  One  Mr.  Champion,  a  great  projeQor,  interefted  him- 
felf  .much  in  its  removal,  and  folicited  fubfcriptions  of  money  to  be  laid  out 
in  removing  the  Crofs,  and  widening  and  rendering  more  commodious  the 
walks  in  College-green.  The  dean  and  chapter,  on  whofc  ground  it  was 
erecled,  gave  leave  for  its  removal.  But  many  people  who  fubfcribed  for 
widening  and  improving  the  walks,  fubfcribed  alfo  for  rebuilding  the  Crofs  in 
any  unexceptionable  place,  but  no  fuch  could  be  found  in  Briilol  — all  the 
money  fubfcribed  for  the  Crofs  was  fpent  folely  in  laying  out  the  walks,  the 
Crofs  itfelf  rudely  torn  down  and  much  injured  by  the  workmen  employed,  was 
thrown  by  in  a  corner  of  the  cathedral,  where  it  lay  for  a  long  while  neglected, 
till  Dean  Barton  gave  it  to  Mr.  Hoar  of  Stourton,  who  perceiving  its  value  and 
out  of  love  for  antiquities  has  ereftcd  it  in  a  moft  fuperb  manner  at  his  elegant 
feat  of  Stourhead  at  the  expence  of  300I. 


SECT.  II.— Of  the  CHURCH  of  St.  AUDEN,  OWEN,  or  EWEN, 

confolidated  in  1788  with  Christ   C  .4  u  r  c  h. 

THIS  church,  fituated  in  the  center  of  the  city  at  the  meeting  of  four 
ftreets,  is  well  dcfcribed  1480  by  William  of  Worcefter  :  "  The  parifli  church 
of  St.  Auden  with  the  chapel  of  the  fraternity  of  St.  John  the  Baptift  is  fituated 
in  a  dire6l  line  betwixt  the  church  of  St.  Werburgh  on  the  weft  and  the  ftreet 
called  Broad-ftrect  on  the  eaft,  and  the  great  eaft  window  of  the  altar  of  the 
faid  church  is  fituated  in  Broad-ftreet."  p.  227.  And  "  The  length  of  the 
church  of  St.  Ewen,  i.  e.  of  St.  Auden,  contains  22  yards,  and  the  breadth 
of  the  faid  church,  whofe  caftern  part  or  altar  is  direclly  oppofite  the  church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  contains  15  yards  meafured  by  me  or  30  fteps  ;  and  it 
has  one  nave  on  the  north  part  of  the  aile,  and  one  aile  which  is  the  chapel 
of  the  fraternity  of  St.  John  the  Baptift."  p.  215,  253.  In  1631  a  tower  was 
ercQed  at  the  expence  of  196I.  in  the  churchyard. 

This  church  though  the  fmallcft  is  of  greater  antiquity  than  moft.  It  ap- 
pears by  deeds  that  "  Robert  Earl  of  Glocefter  gave  the  church  of  St.  Auden 
to  Thurftan  the  prieft  of  Briftol,  and  William  the  Earl,  his  fon,  confirmed  it 

M  M  M   2  in 


C   476   ] 

in  the  time  of  Simon  Bifliop  of  Worcefter,  and  requefted  the  bifliop  to  main- 
tain him  therein,  as  he  had  admitted  him  in  the  time  of  his  father  Robert."  — 
This  M-as  about  the  year  1130  or  1140,  as  Simon  died  in  1150.  St.  Thomas 
Archbifhop  of  Canterbury  by  deed  confirmed  to  Thurftan  this  church  with  all 
its  appurtenances,  which  Robert  Earl  of  Gloceftcr  had  given  to  him  in  alms, 
to  hold  the  fame  freely  as  Simon  Bifliop  of  WorccQer  had  confirmed  it  to 
him.  This  Thurftan  afterwards  gave  it  to  God  and  the  church  of  St.  James, 
Brillol,  and  the  abby  of  Tcwkfliury,  to  which  it  paid  yearly  a  fmall  pcnfion. 
This  was  confirmed  by  William  Earl  of  Glocefter. 

The  great  caft  window  of  the  altar  of  this  church,  fituatcd  in  Broad-ftrcet, 
as  well  defcribed  by  William  of  Worcefter,  p.  227.  was  the  place  where 
King  Edward  4th.  ftood  to  fee  Sir  Baudwyn  Fullford  pafs  by  to  his  execution, 
vhich  is  confirmed  by  an  entry  in  the  churchwardens  book  of  account, 
t  Edward  4th.  "  Item,  for  waftiynge  the  church  payvcn  againft  K.  Edward  4th. 
is  comvnge  to  Bryftow,  iiii  ob."    Which  was  in  September,   1461. 

The   fouth  aile  that  joined   the   nave  as  part  of  this  church  was   a   chapel 
dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptift,  belonging  to  a  fraternity,  called,  the  Maf- 
ter.  Wardens,  or  Keepers,  and  Society  of  Taylors,  confifting  of  brethren  and 
fifters,  who  always  kept  it  in  repair  till  its  difFoIution.      It  had  two  altars,  one 
to  St.  Catherine   and   the  other  to  St.  Margaret.     This  gild  was  ere6ed   and 
the  chapel  founded  by  John  Thorp  and  John  Sherp,  burgcftcs,  who  obtained 
a  charter  of  King  Richard  2d.   Oclober  16,   1398,  and  the  22d  year  of  his 
reign,  to  found  a  chapel  for  a  chaplain  to  celebrate  divine  fervice  for  the  good 
eftate  of  the  king  and  queen  whilft  alive    and  for  their  fouls  when  departed, 
and  for  the  fratcrnitv  here  perpetually  founded  and  incorporated,  and  he  gave 
them  power  to  choofe  a  culh)s  or  warden  always  to  be  chofen  by  the  co-bre- 
ihren,  and  to  hold  lands,  tenements,  &c.    for  the  fupport  of  the  faid  chaplain 
and  his  fucceftbrs   to  the  value  of  100s.  per  annum  for   ever,  the   ftatute   of 
Mortmain  notwithftanding.     This  was  confirmed   by   Henry  4th.  in  the    ift 
vcar  of  his  reign,  and  John  Thorp  and  John   Sherp  put  Robert  of  Glocefter 
in  pofteflTion  of  the  faid  chapel,  who  was  to  celebrate  divine  fervice  at  the  altar 
of  St.  John  in  the  church  of  St.  Ewin,  and  to  be  difplaccdby  the  mafters  and 
pro8ors  of  the  fraternity  in  cafe  of  wilful  neglecl  upon  the  third  admonition. 
In  procefs  of  time  by  divers  benefadions  this  fraternity,  called  afterwards  the 
Mafters,  Wardens  or   Keepers  and   Company  of  Merchant  Taylors,  became 
poftcftedof  a  very  confiderable  eftate  to  the  amount  of  97I.  16s.  8d.  in  rents  and 
ground  rents,   bcfides  renewals  of  lives  upon  their  tenements  yearly  happening. 
They  had  additional  privileges  alfo  granted  them  by  Queen  Elizabeth  in  1571, 

which 


[    477     ] 

■which  cofl:  them  15I.  16s.  id.  and  obtained  others  of  the  mayor  and  common 
council  at  the  expence  of  lol.  which  tiic  queen  confirmed.     Tlicy  had  then 
a  book  of  ordinances  containing  35  articles,  a6ls,  and  rules,  which  were  all 
confirmed  by  letters  patent  of  King  James,  dated  Augull  28,  1615,  the  fame 
were  again  ratified  by  King  Charles  ift.  May  15,  1640.     This  company  in  the 
year  1701   ovit  of  their  great  revenues  founded  an  ahr.flioufe  in  Merchant- 
ftreet  with  a  chapel   in  the  parifli  of  St.  James.     The  old  chapel  in  St.  Ewen's 
church  in  1551,  4th  of  Edward  6th.  was  granted  by  the  parfon  and  parifhioncrs 
with  all  their  right  and  title  to  the  mayor  and  com.monalty  of  Briftol,  paying 
6s.  8d.  per  annum,  giving  the  parfon  and  parifhioncrs  power  to  diftrain  for  the 
faid  rent  upon  any  of  the  city  lands,  with  provifo  that  if  the  church   were  at 
any  time  difFolved  then    the   rent    fliould  ceafe.     Upon   this  the    corporation 
taking   down  this  chapel    being  one   ailc   of   the   church  built   on    the  fame 
ground    a    Council    Houfc    in    the  year    1552,    with   a    fhcd    covered   with 
lead,  fupported  with  five  ftonc  pillars  before  it  for  the  council  to  walk  under 
in  the  drv,  which  mud  have  greatly  darkened  the  room  below.      The  council 
chamber  above  had  four  high  windows  of  fione  tracery  work  with  fmall  glafs- 
fquares  with  the  king's,  the  city's,  and  merchants'  arms  on  top  ;  between  the 
windows  was  a  niche,   wherein  a  ftatue  of  Charles  2d.  was   afterwards  placed, 
which  being  fliewn  to  one  of  the  court  ladies  coming  to  BriRol  as  an  honour  to 
that  auguft  monarch,  fhe  fmartly  replied,  he  looked  more  like  a  great  clumfy 
porter  placed  there  to  keep  the  entrance.      This  old  Council  Houfe  was  taken 
down   and  another  in  a  more  modern  flyle  rebuilt  in  the  vear   1704,  and  tlie 
flatuc  was  then  placed  againfl  the  Guildhall. 

The  RECTORS  of  St.  Ewcn  or  OweTi. 

Patron- s.  ^397  Thomas  Lye. 
Abbot  and  convent  of  Tewkfbury.        1403    John  Laury. 

1130  Thurflan ,  prieft.  1407  Thomas  Ocklcy. 

1292   Adam  de  Moreton.  1421    Richard  Collyns. 

1317   John  Scrovarc.  1448  Richard  Hankyn. 

1330   Jacobus .  145"  Thomas  Gyles. 

1348   Symon  Bullockc.  1452   Thomas  Smyth. 

J370  William  Botiller.  »454  Thomas  Jacob. 

J379  Thomas  Botte.  ^459  Sir  Thomas  Seward. 

1381   Stephen  Swell.  1501   Thomas  Pennant. 

J 390    John  Darcll.  '5' 5   Edward  Watcrhoufc. 
1393  John  Podwclle, 

Mr. 


C   478    ] 

Patrons.  1643  Timothy  Whatley, 

Mr.  Brayne.  1664  James  Pownall. 

1549  Joli"  Rawiyns.  1670   Henry  Jones. 

1580  Thomas  Long.  1673  Tobias  Higgins. 

1591   William  Welles.  J701   James  Fielding. 

Sir  Charles  Gerard.  1730  Thomas  Taylor. 

1631  Thomas  Gawen.  1770  Rumney  Penrofe. 

Corporation. 
1639  Matthew  Hazard. 

There  are  few  monuments  in  this  church.  There  was  on  the  afcent  to  the 
pulpit  the  following  infcribed  on  a  flone  :  — •'  Hie  jacet  Johannes  Coleinan, 
nupcr  reflor  iRius  ecclcfia?,  qui  obiit  8  die  Mali,  A.  D.  1502." 

Alfo  on  a  (tone  :  —  "  Thomas  Hobfon  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  daughter  of 
Edmund  Wynch,  Efq;  of  London.  She  died  March  18,  1642.  He  June  7, 
1660,  aged  "/-J. 

Thus  doth  the  glory  of  this  world  pafs 

Wc  die  and  wither  like  the  flower  and  grafs  ; 

But  fince  on  earth  we  are  of  life  bereaven. 

We  flew  from  earth  to  Chrift  our  life  in  heaven." 

It  appears  by  the  receipt  of  Robert  Recorde,  comptroller  of  the  king's 
mint,  that  they  received  in  gilt  plate  107  ounces,  and  in  parcel  gilt  142 
ounces ;  249  ounces  at  one  time,  which  belonged  to  this  church.  Befides 
this,  which  confifted  of  chalices,  pyxes,  croffes,  cenfers,  fliips  for  carrying 
frankincenfe,  fpoons,  boxes,  there  was  a  long  lift;  of  ornaments,  filk  and  vel- 
vet embroidered,  venments,  curtains,  copes,  &c.  belonging  to  this  church 
and  to  the  chapel  of  St.  John. 

This  church   is   a  reClory,  the  corporation    being  patrons  ;   but   the  parifh 

confifling  of  not  more  than  27  houfcs  and  warehoufes,  the  benefit  to  the  redor 

would  be  very  fmall  if  the  veflry  did  not  allow  him  a  ftipend  out  of  the  church 

flock  of  igl.  per  annum,  befides   the  contributions  from  the  parifhioncrs,  and 

a  gift  fermon  by  Mr.  Hobfon  6s.  8d.  * 

In 

*  The  coR  for  a  brcakfafl  on  Corpus  Chrifli  day,   1460,  is  lliiis  cnlcrcd  in  this  church  book  : 
Item,  for  a  calvc's  head  and  hinge  -  -  -  3d. 

Item,  for  two  rounds  of  beef  -  -  .  -      6 

Item,  for  bread  and  ale         -         -  .  .  -  8 

Item,  for  Maftcr  Parfon  for  his  dinner 
Item,  for  the  clerk       -  -  .  .  . 


4 

s 


Item,  for  bearing  tlie  crofs  ....  a 


[    479    ] 

In  1787  this  church  was  confolidated  with  that  of  Chrift  Church,  and  an 
aft  of  parliament  obtained  for  taking  'his  down  and  for  rebuilding  Chrift 
Church,  which  laft  was  compleated  in  1788. 


CHAP.      XVI. 
Of  tht  CHURCH  ani  PARISH  of  SI.  WERBURGA. 

T  T  is  a  rectory,  dedicated  to  St.  Werburga,  fuppofed  to  be  the  daughter  of 
-■■  Wulferus  King  of  Mercia,  who  had  a  nunnery  erefted  and  dedicated  to 
her  honour  at  Chcfter  about  the  year  670.  Others  fay,  flie  was  made  abbefs 
by  her  uncle  Ethelred  over  an  ancient  nunnery  at  Trickingham  in  StafFord- 
fliire,  where  flie  died  in  683.  It  is  fituated  in  Corn-ftreet,  called  in  deeds  of 
the  year  1200  Old  Corn-ftreet,  near  the  center  of  the  city  ;  its  eaft  end  joins 
the  upper  end  of  Small-ftreet.  It  has  three  ailes,  the  length  of  each  from  eaft 
to  weft  is  72  feet,  its  breadth  is  in  the  clear  58  feet,  and  the  height  of  the 
middle  aile  is  26  feet,  having  an  arched  plaiftered  cieling,  the  outfide  cover- 
ing being  of  Cornifti  tile,  as  are  alfo  the  north  and  fouth  ailes,  the  height  of 
each  being  22  feet,  and  on  each  fide  the  middle  ailes  are  five  neat  fluted  free- 
ftone  pillars,  on  which  are  turned  fix  arches  of  the  fame  ftone,  which  fupport 
the  whole  roof  of  the  church.  William  of  Worcefter,  p.  200,  fays,  "  It  con- 
tains in  breadth  ig  yards  or  34  fteps,  and  the  fquare  tower  5  yards  on  each  of 
the  four  fides."  It  had  no  tower  to  it  for  near  200  years  after  its  foundation, 
when  by  indenture  dated  the  11th  of  April,  1385,  between  the  feoffees  and 
pariftiioners  of  the  one  part  and  John  Warwyke  then  reftor  on  the  other,  it 
was  agreed  that  in  confidcration  of  their  granting  and  confirming  to  the  reftoi 
and  his  fucceftbrs  for  ever  a  houfc  belonging  to  the  parifli  fituated  in  the 
churchyard,  the  faid  reftor  granted  to  them  and  their  fucceftbrs  for  ever  his 
meftuage  fituated  in  Corn-ftreet,  on  which  ground  the  tower  is  now  built, 
being  finifticd  with  freeftonc  in  an  elegant  manner,  having  160  fteps  in  afcend- 
ing  to  the  top  at  6  inches  each,  which  make  the  height  26  yards  and  2  feet;  ii 
is  adorned  with  four  pinnacles  one  at  each  corner  about  10  feet  high  with  a 
copper  vane  on  each. 

In 


C  480  3 

In  the -center  of  the  floor  at  top  is  built  a  curious  hollow  work  pinnacle  about 

20  feet  high  with  a  gilt  ball  and  weather  cock,  and  in  the  tower  is  a  peal  of  fix 

bells.      A\'alter  Derby,  mayor,  by  will  dated  1385,  gave  40I.  towards  building 

this  church,  and  Mr.  Humphrey  Brown,  by  deed  dated  the  10th  of  January, 

1624.  fc-ttlcd  7I.  per  annum  for  ever,  ifl'uing  out   of  his   farm  at  Elberton,  in 

the  county  of  Gloceller,  for  reading  prayers  every  Monday  morning   ia  the 

year,  at  fix  o'clock,  5I.  per  annum  to  the  rcBor,   20s.  to  the  clerk,  and  20s. 

to  provide  candles  during  the  winter  feafon.      Thomas  Aldworth,   1598,   gave 

4I.  to  repair  this  church.     Mr.  Burroughs,  in  1622,  gave  50I.   for  the  fame 

ufe.     As  to  the  other  charitable  benefactions  I  refer  to  the  lift  of  them  in  the 

church  tables.     The  5th  of  January,  the  11th  )ear  of  Edward  2d.    1318,  the 

king  confirms  amongft  other  things  the  church  of  St.  A\'erburge  and  that  of  St. 

Mary  le  Port  in  Bridol  given  to  the  canons  of  the  priory  of  Keynfliam,  in 

the  county  of  Somerfet,  by  William  Earl   of  Glocefier,  for  their  better   fuf- 

tentation.      The   churchwardens    for    the   time   being    tiicn   paid   an    annual 

acknowledgment  of  6s.  8d.  to  that  priory,  which  fo  continued  to  the  final  didb- 

lution  of  that  houfc,  the  fitc  of  which  with  part  of  its  lands  was  fold  to  the 

Bridges  family  with  the  prefentation  to  the  church  of  St.  Maryport  in  Briftol, 

to   which  the  Duke  of  Chandos  ftill  prefents;  but  this  of  St.  Werburge   was 

retained  in  the  gift  of  the  crown,  whofe  receiver  ftill  continues  to  receive  the 

annual  fum  of  6s.  8d.      This  church  being  much  decayed,  and  obllrufting  the 

entrance  into  Small-flreet,  was  partly  taken  down  and  rebuilt,  and  opened 

again    for  divine    fervice  the  8th    of  PY^bruai)-,   1761  ;    the   tower   was    only 

repaired  at  top. 

Many  benefaflions  were  made  to  this  church  by  fundry  perfons  for  obiits, 
chauntrics,  and  to  find  lamps  at  the  fcvcral  chapels  and  altars  within  it.  In 
1245  Simon  Clerk,  mayor,  granted  i2d.  annually  for  a  lamp  to  burn  in  the 
choir  of  the  chapel  founded  and  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  as  did  Peter 
Martur  3s.  for  divine  forvice  at  the  fame  chapel  in  the  year  1261,  and  Nicolas 
le  Barber,  in  1304,  gave  2s.  annually  for  the  fame  purpofc,  and  alio  many 
others. 

This  parifli  is  offmall  extent,  confifting  of  about  46  houfcs,  and  the  reflory 
is  valued  in  the  King's  Books  at  33I.  6s.  8d.  clear  yearly  value.  Yearly  Tenths, 
now  dicharged,  il.  But  in  the  Lincoln  manufcript  it  appears  that  in  the  year 
1241,  the  19th  of  Edward  1  ft.  this  church  was  taxed  at  fix  marks  and  a  half  per 
annum,  and  by  a  manufcript  (Annal.  Wygorn)  it  is  faid,  "  1236  confirmavi- 
mus  canonicis  de  Keynfliam  C.  folidos  dc  ccclcfia  Smd^  Werburga?, Briftol." 

The 


C  481   ] 


The  Lord  High  Chancellor  prefents  to  this  living.  The  re£lor  pays  to  the 
crown  3s.  4d.  per  annum. 

In  the  veflrv'-room  over  the  door  on  the  infidc  is  the  following  infcription : 
"  Fabricatum  fuit  hoc  facrarium  in  nicnfe  Julii  Annoque  Domini  MDCXCIV, 
quo  etiam  tempore  condccorata  fuit  heec  Integra  ecclefia  fumptibus  parochia- 
norum  Carolo  Brent,  A.M.  reftorc,  Georgio  Irifli,  Abrahamo  Eltono,  guar- 
dianis." 

In  the  fame  room  is  hung  up  in  a  frame  a  lift  of  the  GIFT  SERMONS 
to  be  preached  in  this  church.  — 


January  6,  Dr.  Thomas  White's. 
May  22,  Mr.  Humphrey  Brown's. 
March  25,  Dr.  Thomas  White's. 
May  6,  Mr.  Humphrey  Brown's. 


June  24,   Mr.  Humphrey  Brown's. 
June  29,   Dr.  Thomas  White's. 
July  1,  Mr.  Humphrey  Brown's. 
Dec.  27,  Dr.  Tho.  Wiiite's,   1729- 


By  the  rent  roll  of  the  lands  belonging  to  this  church  the  annual  amount  of 
the  ground  rents  thereof  in  1750  was  47I.  J 7s.  4d.  which  has  fince  been  pro- 
bably improved. 


1281 
1290 


1292 

1333 

1339 
1360 

1364 

1367 

1401 

1404 

1410 

1416 

1430 
J436 
1440 

M72 


A  Lift'  of  the 
Patron. 

Abby  of  Keynfham. 
Roger  de  Sowey. 
Thomas  de  Mersfeld. 
William    Ic   Roper,  removed 

becaufe  married. 
Adam  de  Solweye. 
Thomas  de  la  G reeve. 
John  de  la  Leech. 
Thomas  de  Berewycke. 
Thomas  de  la  Crone. 
Hugo  de  Penbrugge. 
John  Warwycke. 
John  Molfliam. 
William  Congerft)ury. 
William  Hawevylle. 
William  Fehon. 
Robert  Beaumont. 
Thomas  Tongc. 
William  Sutton. 
Thomas  Merflie. 


RECTORS. 

1474  Thomas  Pyttes,  refigned  with  a 

penfion  of  fix  marks. 
1491   Richard  Woode. 
1500  John  Pecke. 

The   King,   Patron. 
1545   Chriftopher  Pacev. 

Sir  William  Carr. 
1577   Maurice  Durant. 
1605   Edward  Toore. 
1608  Richard  Collyns 
1610  John  Farmer. 
1634  John  Till  Adam. 

Stephens,  afterwards  maflcr 

of  the  Grammar-fchool. 
1686  Thomas  Palmer. 
1694   Charles  Brent. 
1729   Rumney  Penrofe. 
1743    John  Culliford. 
175      Richard  S)nies. 


N 


N    N 


M  O  X  U- 


C  482   ] 

M     O    N    U    M    E    N    T    S. 

In  the  north  aile  is  the  following  infcription  :  — "  Hie  jacet  Johannes 
Punchardon,  qui  obiit  10  Apr.  A.  D.  1379,  ciijus  animae  propitietur  Deus, 
Amen."     Arms,  f.  fable,  five  balls  arg. 

Near  this  a  monument  "  To  Alderman  John  Barker,"  a  carved  figure 
leaning  on  his  right  arm  in  the  robes  of  a  magiflrate.  He  was  mayor  in  1607, 
and  died  in  his  mayoralty.  Arms,  f.  az.  five  cfchallops  or,  quartered  with 
f.  gules,  a  chevron  arg.  three  goats  heads  of  the  fccond.  He  died  1636. 
"  Terrena  fperno,  fuprema  fpero,"  with  ten  Englifh  verfcs. 

Near  this  on  a  ftone  on  the  floor  an  infcription  to 

*'  Abeli  Rogers,  generofo,  qui  obiit  29  Jan.  1632,  act.  20. 
Filius  ad  parcntes: 
Vivo,  fruor  tandem  vcris  (ne  flcte  parentes) 
Deliciis,  caelo,  pofteritatc,  Deo."     . 

By  the  veftry  a  neat  monument  to 

"  Robert  Earle,  Efq;  fomc  time  mayor  of  this  city,  who  died  25  January, 
1736,  aged  68  ;  —  a  man  of  drift  honour  and  juflicc,  and  remarkably  punc- 
tual in  all  his  dealings.  He  difcharged  the  offices  of  mayor  and  alderman  to 
the  general  fatisfaflion  of  the  citizens."   Arms,  G.  three  efchalops  or. 

Near  this  a  table  monument  to  Nathaniel  Boucher,  merchant,  who  died 
the  22d  of  March,  A.  D.  1627,  aged  40,  leaving  behind  him  nine  children. 

Under  a  flat  (lone  by  the  vcllry  door  are  buried  Giles  Earlc,  gentleman  : 
he  died  the  ()th  of  January,  1676,  aged  85.  Alfo  Sir  Thomas  Earlc,  Knight, 
mayor  and  alderman,  who  died  the  24th  of  June,  1696,  aged  67.  Alfo  Dame 
Elizabeth  Elianor  Earlc,  widow  of  Sir  Thomas,  who  died  the  7th  of  June,  1 709, 
aged  74.  Alfo  Jofeph  Earle,  Efq;  M.  P.  for  Briftol,  who  died  the  13th  of 
March,   1729. 

In  the  corner  of  this  aile  was  a  finall  fquare  flone  table  to  the  memory  of 
Mr.  George  Boucher,  merchant,  who  was  hanged  in  Winc-flrcct,  May  30, 
1643,  by  the  Rebels,  with  the  following  verfes  on  it : 

Sanguis  Martyrum  femen  ccclefias. 

Whoever  chanceth  this  way,  pafs  not  by 
Thefe  fainted  aflies  with  a  carelefs  eye  ; 
They  are  undaunted  duft  and  did  outbrave 
Whilft  they  retain'd  a  foul  Death  and  the  Grave ; 
And  ftill  bear  witnefs  in  our  Martyr's  right. 
That  they  dare  murd<er,  who  yet  ne'er  durft  fight. 

Ne'er 


[    483     ] 

Ne'er  was  fo  bold  a  lion  bv  fuch  hares 

Worried  to  death,  fo  mercilefs  their  fnarcs  ; 

Yet  he  fo  flout  that  whether  none  can  tell 

His  courage  or  their  cruelty  did  excel. 

Mirror  of  Patience  !  Loyalty  !  thy  fall 

Hath  proved  yet  a  fuccefsful  funeral : 

Since  'twas  guilt  of  thy  death,  no  battery 

That  ftorm'd  thefe  forts,  that  gain'd  us  vi6lory  : 

For  though  our  foes  were  fenced  with  walls  and  roof. 

Yet  there's  no  wall,  no  fence  is  confcience  proof : 

Thus  is  thy  murdering  wreath  to  us  become 

A  laureate,  to  thee  a  crown  of  martyrdom. 

G.  B. 
At  the  caft  end  is  a  fuperb  monument  gilded  and  painted  with  feveral  coats 
of  arms  on  brafs  to  Nicholas  Thorne  and  his  family,  with  the  following  Latin 
lines. 

Hac  Nicolaus  humo  Thornus  jacet,  optime  lector, 

Olim  mercator  nobilis  atque  probus ; 
Cujus  di£la  fides  conftantia  facia  regebat, 

Et  virtute  vacans  aftio  nulla  fuit, 
Briftoliae  natus  fato  quoqut  funftus  ibidem. 

Qui  magis  seternuni  vivcre  dignus  erat. 
Hanc  ctenim  praetor  rexitque  fcolaque  fuperba 

Ornavit,  fratis  fumptibus  atque  fuis, 
Munificumque  patrem  fenfit  refpublica  tota 

Briflolia?,  cujus  jam  bonitate  viget  : 
Huncquc  fcnes,  juvencs,  pucri,  innupteeque  puelhc 

Totaque  plebs  deflct  tam  cccidiffe  cito, 
Conjugc  quern  gemina  et  bifquina  prole  beatum 

Sedibus  his  miferis  fuRulit  omnipotens  : 
Cujus  in  aetherias  animus  penctravit  in  auras, 

Reliquias  tantuni  corporis  area  tenet  ; 
Uxoremque  eadem  fidam  tenet  area  priorcm 

Atque  hunc  qui  primus  nalus  utrique  fuit. 

Qui  obiit  19  Aug.  A.  D.  15.16,  actatis  fuae  50. 
At  the  call  end  of  the  north  ailc  was  a  large  handfomc  Gothic  tomb  with  bra^^ 
plates,  wuh  the  engraved  iigurc  of  a  man  at  his  devotions  and  fevcn  fons  be- 

N  N  N   3  hind 


[     484     ] 

hind  him  ;  oppofite  him  a  woman  with  two  daughters  behind  her  ;  in  the 
center  is  fufpcndcd  a  fliield  with  the  family  arms,  f.  gules  on  a  chevron  be- 
tween three  cinqucfoils  arg.  as  many  leopards  faces  fable.  Underneath  on  a 
brafs  plate  the  following  verfes. 

Johanni  Smithe  et  Johanna?  uxori  ejus 

Hugo  et  Mattheus  corundum  filii  pofuerunt. 

Par  jacet  hoc  tumulo  fociale  uxore  maritus 

Jungitur;  ut  leftus,  fic  tenet  urna  duos  : 
Smithus  Johannes  conjux,  vir  dignus  aipari, 
Sumpfit  Johaiinam,  par  in  amore  decus  : 
Pignorc  multiplici  par  felix  luflra  peregit 

Plurima  :  nunc  rcgnat  junQus  uterque  Deo.      1556. 

The  creft  of  the  Smith's  arms.  On  the  helm  on  a  wreath  arg.  and  G.  a  grif- 
hn's  head  erafed  G.  with  two  gcmmels  or.  The  loth  Eliz.  a  new  creft  was 
granted  by  Garter,  a  roebuck  or.  horned  and  clawed  arg. 

For  rebuilding  the  church  and  fliortening  it  to  widen  the  road  into  Small- 
ftreet,  this  monument  was  taken  entirely  down,  and  the  ground  it  ftood  on 
dirown  into  the  ftreet. 

This  John  Smith,  Efq;  was  a  commiflioner  under  Hcnrv  8th.  1544,  to  take 
the  furrender  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  John  without  Redcliff-gate.  Part  of  thefe 
lands,  which  he  purchafed,  belong  to  the  prefent  Sir  John  Hugh  Smyth,  Bart, 
of  Afliton  Court,  nearBriftol,  his  defcendant  at  this  day. 

Againft  a  pillar  in  the  north  aile  is  a  neat  monument  to  John  Day,  Efq;  with 
a  long  Latin  infcription.      He  died  the  20th  of  June,   1718,  a;tatis  44. 

In  tiie  chancel  :  "  Johannes  Perke,  clericus  quondam  re£lor  iftius  ecclcfise, 
obiit  1518." 

Near  this  an  infcription  to 

"  Humphrey  Brown,  merchant,  who  died  March  22,  1630,  and  Elizabeth 
his  wife,  daughter  of  George  White,  of  this  city,  merchant. 

Here  lies  a  Brown  a  White,  the  colours  one 
Pale  drawn  by  Death,  here  fliaded  by  a  ftonc  : 
One  houfe  did  hold  them  both  whilft  life  did  laft, 
One  grave  do  hold  them  both  now  life  is  paft. 

Sir  John  Seymour,  of  Bitton,  fccond  huft)and  of  the  above  Elizabeth 
hoc  fuum  amoris  fubjunxit  teftimonium, 

Novimus  excelfo  monumento  ex  marmore  dignum 
Te,  licet  cs  parvo  nunc  fita,  vcllc  tuum  ell; 

Sic 


[     485     ] 

Sic  (fiiplex  rpccimen  gemini  produxit  amoris, 

Hie  pofito,  et  vivo  complaciiiflTe  viro: 
\'irtutcm  ct  coelis  animam  fruitura  dicavit 
£t  cineri  cinercs,  offibus  ofTa  dedit." 
At  the  eaft  end  of  the  fouth  aile  is  a  large  altar  monument  to  William  Carr 
and  his  wife.      He  was  father  of  John  Carr,  founder  of  Oucen  Elizabeth's  hof- 
pital.     There  were  fome  Englifh  verfes  on  the  back,  of  the  monument  in  the 
year  1 759  concealed  by  the  pew,  which  began  thus : 
Lo  here  the  end  of  mortal  man 

Compaft  in  flender  room  ; 
The  clue  of  Carr's  unfpotted  life 
Wound  up  by  fatal  doom,  &c. 
In  rebuilding  the  church  this  monument  was  alfo  deftroycd. 

Under  the  fouth  window  is  a  handfome  monument  with  a  half  arch  for  the 
family  of  Sir  Robert  Cann,  of  Compton  Greenfield,  Bart.  Arms,  az.  fretty 
arg.  on  a  fefs  gules,  three  leopards  faces  or.  crelt  in  a  mural  crown,  gules,  a 
plume  of  fix  feathers  arg.  and  az. 

The  following  are  the  BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor 

of  St.  Werburgh's   Parifh. 
1624,  Humphrey  Brown   gave   an  eftate  at  Elberton  of   j\-   per      /.     s.     d. 
annum,  for  reading  prayers  at  fix  o'clock,  mornings,  at 
St.  Werburgh's,  and  2I.  for  four  fermons  there. 
.1622,  Dr.  Thomas  White  gave  lands  of  lol.  per  annum  for  four  fer- 
mons in  this  church. 
15941  Robert   Kitchen  gave  10s.   per  annum  to  a  houfekeeper  of 

this  parifh  for  ever. 
1635,  George  Harrington  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  a  houfekeeper 

of  this  parifh  for  ever. 
1661,  Jofcph  Jackfon  gave  200I.   the  interefl  thereof  for  promot- 
ing divine  worfhip  in  this  church  -  -  200     o     o 
Samuel  Heal  gave  230I.   the  intcreft  for  apprenticing  poor 

children  in  fcven  parifhes,  and  lol.  to  be  laid  out  in  bread  230     o     o 
1699,  Ann  Longman  gave  >95l.  to  the  poor  of  the  city,  of  which 
this  parifh  has  part. 

1711,  George  Lyfons  gave  50I.  the  interefl  to  be  laid  out  in  bread 

for  the  poor  on  Sainis  da)  s         -  -  -         50     o     o 

1712,  Richard  Long  gave  il.  5s.  per  annum  to  poor  houfeholdcrs       25     o     o 

1711. 


C  4S6  ] 

1714,  James  Crofts  gave  2!.  10s.  per  annum  to  poor  houfehoiders     50     o     o 
1727,  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  gave  2I.  10s.  per  annum  to  five 

poor  houfckecpcrs  not  receiving  alms,   paid  Sept.  1 1  50     o 

1  736,  Robert  Earlc  gave  5I.  per  annum  in  bread  weekly  to  the  poor  100     o     o 
Mrs,  Boucher  and  Mrs.  Langton  gave  lands  in  Bedminfler 

to  poor  widows  of  the  city  at  10s.  each. 
Edward  Colfton  gave  160I.  to  ereSt  a  new  altar-piece. 


o 


CHAP.      XVII. 


0/  the   CHURCH   and  PARISH   0/  Si.    JOHN  the  BAPTIST, 
ukh  that  0/  St.  LAURENCE  confoUdated. 


THIS  church  confifts  but  of  one  aile  ;  the  length  of  the  cliurch  80  feet, 
the  height  is  about  15  feet  ;  there  is  a  neat  but  (inall  chancel,  with  a 
liandfome  altar,  behind  which  is  a  convenient  vedry-room  ;  the  breadth  of 
the  church  is  24  feet.  The  tower,  topt  with  a  flender  fteeple,  is  built  upon  a 
lofty  arch  over  the  ftreet,  in  which  are  a  peal  of  fix  bells.  The  founder  of 
the  church  was  Mr.  Walter  Frampton,  who  had  been  three  times  mayor.  This 
reftory  is  worth  about  lool.  per  annum  by  voluntary  contributions  and  of  the 
vefiry  15I.  per  annum.  Mr.  "\^'illiam  Burroughs,  in  1622,  gave  a  houfe  in 
Chriftmas-fireet  for  the  refidence  of  the  minifter. 

The  yearly  value  in  the  King's  Books  for  St.  John  and  St.  Laurence  rcflories 
is  5I.  18s.  id.      The  Yearly  Tenths,  now  difcharged,  was  \^s,.^\d. 

William  of  Worcefler  fays,  "  Dedicatio  ecclefise  St.  Johannis,  &c.  The 
church  of  St.  John  was  dedicated  the  17th  of  July.  The  length  of  the  vaulted 
roof  of  St.  John's  confifls  of  fix  arches  with  fix  windows  on  one  fide  towards 
the  fouth,  and  two  windows  towards  the  north  frette  vowted.  It  is  16  ftcps 
high,  each  ftep  8  inches.  It  is  29^  yards  long  befidcs  the  chancel,  and  7 
yards  broad.  The  gate  of  St.  John  Baptift,  upon  which  is  built  a  fquare  tower 
and  a  fpirc  above  it  of  frecflone  with  two  battlements  upon  the  tower,  contains 
in  length  17  ftcps,  and  was  built  anew  with  the  church  of  St.  John  by  Walter 
Frampton,  a  noble  merchant  of  the  town  of  Briftol."  p.  167,  197,  208,  216. 

On 


[    487     D 

On  each  fide  of  the  arched  gateway  fouth  are  the  two  figures  ofBellinusand 
Brennus,  two  Britifli  kings  of  uncommon  prowcfs  and  fuccefs  in  war,  if  we 
believe  the  fabulous  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  witli  their  coat  armour,  an  ef- 
cutcheon  with  a  portcullis  over  one,   and  a  flower  dc   lis   or.   over  the  other  ;  |J> 

but  it  is  clear  they  were  put  up  fince  the  church  \va.s  erected,  to  give  fome 
fanflion  to  the  flory  of  Geoffrey,  quoted  by  William  of  Worcefter  and  others, 
who  have  made  them  the  founders  of  BrifloJ,  of  as  little  credit  as  the  flory  of 
Brute  and  his  Trojans  peopling  England. 

Mr.  Robert  Strange,  who  had  been  three  times  mayor  of  this  town,  the  firft 
time  in  the  year  1475,  the  fecond  in  1483,  the  third  in  1490,  founded  an  hof- 
pital  ora  Imfhoufe  in  this  parifh,  by  the  foot  of  the  fteps  going  into  St.  James's 
out  of  Tower-lane,  and  endowed  the  fame  with  lands  by  the  Caftle  mill  up  to 
Newgate,  alfo  tlie  Spur-inn  in  Vrinc-flreet  did  belong  to  the  fame  ;  but  by  the 
wickedproceedingsof  the  people  then  in  trull  for  this  charity  they  had  embezzled 
the  revenues  of  it.  A  commiffion  to  enquire  into  it  As-as  held  by  Dr.  Robert 
Wright,  Bifliop  of  Briftol,  and  many  others,  who  found  that  feveral  leaves 
had  been  cut  out  of  the  parifh  books  which  related  to  this  charity,  alfo  the 
infcription  on  his  tomb  in  St.  John's  churchyard  was  entirely  defaced,  and  the 
commiffion  proved  of  no  cffe£l  ;  it  was  held  in  the  year  1640.  The  great  re- 
bellion foon  after  fpread  over  the  kingdom,  which  put  a  flop  to  any  further 
proceedings.  The  almfhoufe  became  ruinous,  and  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt 
in  the  year  1  721,  where  now  thirteen  poor  women  do  inhabit:  they  are  put 
in  by  the  veftry  of  this  parifh,  but  there  are  no  lands  at  prefent  with  which  it 
is  endowed..  The  pay  to  each  perfon  is  is.  6d  per  week  from  St  Peter's  Hof- 
pital,  which  is  an  incorporated  body  of  guardians  for  the  poor  of  the  whole 
city,  edabiiflied  by  aO.  of  parliament  paffed  in  the  7th  and  8th  year  of  his  Ma- 
jefly  King  William  the  3d.   1696. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Powell  1664  gave  money  to  the  chamber  to  pay  2I.  per  ann. 
to  St.  John's  almfhoufe.  Alice  Cole  1604  gave  4I.  per  annum.  Thomas 
Sylk  il.  IS.  per  annum,   1565. 

The  feoffees  and  veftry  of  this  church  are  poffeffed  of  near  fifty  tenements, 
leafed  out  on  lives,  the  rcferved  or  ground  rents  of  which  amounted  in  the 
year  1754  to  the  fum  of  861.  8s.  annually  befides  renewals. 


RECTORS 


[     488     ] 


RECTORS  of  the  Church  of  St.  John. 


Patrons. 
Abbot  and  convent  of  Tewkfbury. 
J 285  William  Bcind. 
1286    John  de  Stowcy. 
1304   Thomas  de  CiRon,  habiiit  cuflo- 

diam  ccclcf.  Sti.  joannis. 
1309  Dom.  Pagan  de  Brillol. 
1337   William  de  Bermingham. 
1361   John  Loveftoke  de  Afton. 

John  Bonecocke. 
1369  Ilcnrv  Cammile. 
1379   Richard  Wodecote. 

William  Wade. 
1385   Richard  Maykyn. 
1388  Richard  Wormbrugg. 
1392   Richard  Crokc. 
1406    John  Shaw. 
1420  John  Mybbys. 
1427   Richard  Clerk. 
1433   Thomas  Wheton. 
1460  Nicholas  Runel. 
1465  Thomas  Clent. 


1482  William  Thomas,  refigned,  and 
had  a  penfion  yearly  of  five 
marks. 
1505   Walter  Walflie. 
1507   John  Tofte,  by   refignation   of 

Walflie. 
1531   Tho.  Tafker,  by  death  of  Tofte. 

Sir  Charles  Somerfet,  Patron. 
1567   Roger  Price. 

Mayor  and  aldermen.  Patrons. 
1580  Roger  Rife,  22  Eliz 
1604  Wm.  Davells,  Si.  verbi  minifler. 
1634   Nicholas  Pownall. 
1660  Thomas  Coleman. 
1730    James  Taylor. 
1746   Carew  Reynell,    and  chancellor 
ofBriftoi, 
Thomas  Bound. 
John  Davie,  M.  A. 
1779  Rev.  J.  Johnes,  M.  A. 


There  arc  few  monuments  in  this  church.  The  firft  is  the  founder's  on  a 
a  raifed  tomb  with  his  figure  at  length  in  his  alderman's  robes  enclofcd  with  a 
a  railing,  at  the  top  of  which  is  the  following  infcription  : — "  Ilic  jacet 
corpus  Gualteri  Frampton,  mercatoris,  et  hujusecclefiae  fundatoris  terque  villae 
BriftoUiae  mayoris  1357." 

On  the  ground  near  this  tomb  arc  the  effigies  of  a  man  and  woman  in  brafs 
let  into  the  flone,  with  fix  fons  and  fix  daugiitcrs,  and  the  following  infcription  : 
—  "  Hie  jacet  Thomas  Rowley,  quondam  mercator  et  vicecomes  hujus  villae 
Briftolliae  qui  quidem  Thomas  obiit  23  Jan.  A.  D.  1478,  et  Margaret  uxor 
quae  obiit  A.  D.  1470.  Quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus,  Amen."  Out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  man  comes  a  fcroll  and  thereon,  "  SanBa  Maria  ora  pro 
nobis."  Out  of  the  woman's,  "  San6la  Trinitas  unus  Deus  miferere  nobis." 
In  the  cript  or  vault  under  the  church  is  a  large  tomb  of  alabaficr,  and  on  its 

fide 


[    489    ] 

fide  the  figures  of  the  fix  fons  and  fix  daughters  with  their  father  and  motlior 
vilhout  epitaph,  but  fuppofed  to  be  for  the  above  Thomas  Rpwlcv. 

Againft  the  fouth  vail  in  tlie  chancel  is  a  marble  monument  to  the  memory 
of  Andrew  Innis,  gentleman,  who  died  the  29th  of  December,  1733,  aged  82, 
and  his  wife  Joan,  who  died  the  3d  of  May,  1672,  and  Elizabeth  his  fecoud 
wife,  who  died  1711,  by  whom  he  had  fourteen  children, 

Againft  the  north  wall  is  a  handfome  monument  to  "William  Donning,  Efq; 
alderman,  who  died  the  15th  of  November,  1695.  John  his  fon  died  the 
15th  of  April,  1701.  James,  mayor  and  alderman,  died  the  8th  of  March, 
1745- 

There  were  two  chauiitries  here  founded  by  Walter  Frampton  in  St.  John'.'^, 
one  called  Cantaria  St.  Marine,  of  which  Richard  fon  of  John  Coke  was  chaun- 
try  prieft,  another  of  which  in  1531  John  Poppely  was  prieft.  The  faid 
Frampton  inftituted  alfo  a  chauntry  in  the  church  of  ^V'raxhal,  in  the  county 
of  Somerfet,  a  delightful  village  feven  miles  from  Briftol,  and  ordered  the 
naming  of  a  chaplain  to  be  always  by  the  mayor  of  Briftol  for  die  time  being. 
There  was  another  chauntry  at  St.  John's  alfo  by  Thomas  Rowley,  and  a 
chapel  of  the  Holy  Crofs. 

It  may  be  remarked  here,  that  Rowley  was  the  name  of  a  family  that  flou- 
riftied  in  Briftol  for  many  years  and  at  different  periods.  Whether  the  fo 
much  celebrated  Rowley,  of  whom  we  have  fuch  difputed  accounts,  was 
chauntry  prieft  of  this  chauntry,  founded  here  by  his  relation,  muft  be  left  to 
the  opinion  and  judgment  of  the  reader.  It  is  recorded  in  Chatterton's  hand- 
writing that  Rowley  was  chauntry  prieft  of  St.  John's.  That  it  was  a  Briftol 
family  appears  from  many  deeds,  in  which  they  are  often  mentioned.  One 
Thomas  Rowley  was  chauntry  prieft  at  Redcliff. 

And  in  a  Bcde-roll  of  All  Saints  church  Walter  Rowley  and  William  Rowley 
are  to  be  prayed  for  by  name  among  the  benefaftors  to  that  church.  In  the 
year  1479  ^^'^'Hiam  Rowley  of  this  city  was  buried  at  St.  Mary's  church  of 
Dam,  in  Flanders. 

At  the  weft  fide  of  the  toWer  was  an  old  church  formerly,  dedicated  to  St. 
Lawrence.  William  of  Worcefter  dcfcribes  it  as  having  been  28  yards  long, 
and  9  yards  wide.  When  it  was  built  is  uncertain,  but  it  is  of  a  very  old 
foundation,  and  going  to  decay  and  iiaving  but  a  nnallparifti  belonging  to  it, 
it  was  united  and  incorporated  with  St.  John's  in  the  22d  of  Elizabeth,  1580, 
having  Ijccn  fold  in  the  lime  of  Henry  8th.  to  H.  Brayuc,  whofc  fucccHbr  Sir 

O  o  o  Charles 


C   490   ] 

Charles  Somerfet  fold  the  fite  of  it  for  buildings  upon  lives.  John  Hawkys 
twice  mayor,  by  will,  4  May,  16  Henry  8ih.  gave  a  third  part  of  his  cfhite 
to  the  retlor  and  proftors  of  the  church  of  St.  Lawrence,  the  whole  cllatc 
valued  at  that  time  at  gool.  Some  remains  of  arched  windows  do  now  alone 
point  out  its  fite  next  to  St.  John's-gate. 

There  was  alfo  not  far  dillant  from  this  another  church,  dedicated  to  St. 
Giles,  over  the  gate  at  the  bottom  of  Small-ftreet.  This  has  alfo  undergone 
the  fame  fate,  and  was  united  to  St.  Leonard's  about  the  time  of  Edward  3d. 
and  is  noticed  by  William  of  Worcefter,  p.  248. 

The  following  were  the  RECTORS  of  St.   Lawrence. 
Patron's. 
Robert  le  Ware.  1303   Robert,  diclus  Ware,  de  Briftol  fubd.  13  kal.  Feb. 
John  le  Ware.      1321   John  de  Wedmore  cap.  kal.  Maii,  taxat  ad  v  marc  as. 
1348    John  de  Quenyngton,  pbr.  26  March. 
John  Forfter. 
Tho.BrokeMiles.1406  William  Dene,   12  May. 

1414   Nicholas  Schaldere,  5  May. 
John  Wyllc. 
Roger  Saunders. 
J.  Dom.de  Lyfle.  1446  William  John. 

1457  Thomas  Wandre,  7  May. 
1460  Robert  Chaloner. 
1467  William  Adice. 
Thomas  Talbot.  John  Newton. 

Vice  C.  Lyfle.      1499  Thomas  Tappefcote,  9  December.  1 

Arthur  Planta-    1524  Oliver  Browne,  6  October, 
genet  and  Eliz. 

Uxor  ejus.          1526  John  Funtayne. 
Corporation.         1548  — • 

B  E  N  E  F  A  C  T  O  R  S  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  John  Baptift  Parifh. 
Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Mary  Langton,      /.     s.     d. 
widows,  gave  lands  for  payment  of  10s.  apiece  to  52 
poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this 
parifli  hath  a  proportion. 
1683,  Mrs.   Elizabeth  Horn  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  the 

poor  of  this  parifh  for  ever         -  -  _  10     o     o 

1685, 


I  491   ] 

1685,  Mr.  Richard  Stubbs,  merchant,  gave  50I,  the  profit  thereof     /.     s.     d. 
to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever  -  -  5000 

1701,  Mr.  John  Dunning,  of  this  parifii,  merchant,  gave  to  the 
churchwardens  25I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  in 
bread  on  the  ift  day  of  January  yearly  for  ever  25     o     o 

1 709,  Capt.  John  Price,  late  of  this  city,  gave  to  the  churchwar- 
dens of  this  parifli  lol.  the  intereft  thereof  to  be  given  to 
the  poor  in  bread  on  St.  Jolin's-day  yearly  for  ever  1000 

Mrs.  Hannah  Cole  gave  30I.  the  interefl.  thereof  to  be  paid 
to  fix  poor  widows  of  this  parifli  on  St.  Thomas's-day 
yearly  for  ever  -  -  _  -  30     o     o 

Mr.  Robert  Kitchen,  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  20s.  per 

annum  to  the  poor  for  ever  -  -  -  20     o     o 

Mr.   George  Harrington,  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  20s. 

per  annum  to  the  poor  for  ever  -  -  -  20     o     o 

Mr.  Thomas  White  gave  to  the  maintenance  of  this  parifli 
conduit-pipe  20s.  per  annum,  to  be  paid  by  the  cham- 
berlain of  this  city  for  ever  -  -  -2000 
Mr.  William  Griffin  gave  10s.  for  a  fermon  to  be  preached 
upon  St.  John's-day,  and  3s.  4d.  in  bread  to  be  diftri- 
buted  the  fame  day  to  the  poor  -  -  -1300 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Colfl^on,   widow,  gave  10s.  per  annum  for  a 

fermon  to  be  preached  on  New  Year's  day  for  ever  lo     o     o 

1669,  Mr.  Edward  Langley,  of  this  parifli,  merchant,  gave  two 
tenements  for  58  years,  the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftribu- 
ted  in  bread  weekly  to  poor  houfekeepers. 

1678,  Mr.  Edward  Hurn,  fome  time  flieriff  of  this  city,  gave  30I. 

the  profitthereofinbread  to  thepoor  of  thisparifliforever     30     o     o 

1687,  Thomas  Edwards,  late  of  this  parifli,  Efq;  gave  20s.  per 
annum  for  ever,  iffuing  out  of  lands  in  the  parifli 
of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  in  the  county  of  Glocefter, 
which  by  his  will  he  directed  fliould  be  applied  for  preach- 
ing two  fermoMs  yearly  for  ever  in  tiiis  church,  one  on  St. 
Thomas's-day  and  the  other  on  Good  Friday  -  20     o     i> 

1733,  Mrs.  Jane  Edwards,  widow  of  the  above-named  Thomas 
Edwards,  by  her  will  gave  20  guineas  to  this  parifli,  the 
profit  arifing  therefrom  to  be  laid  out  in  bread  annually 
on  St.  Thomas's-day,  and  diflributcd  by  the  church- 
wardens to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  -  _  21     0     o 

O  o  o   2  Mr. 


[    492    ] 

/.     5.     d. 
Mr.   Robert  Strange,  fomc  time    mayor  of  this  city,  was 

founder  of  this  parifli  almnioufe. 
Mr.  William  Chefler,  feme  time  mayor  of  this  city,  gave 

four  tenements,    the    profit   thereof  to    the   poor,    and 

7!.  los.  per  annum  quit  rents. 
Mrs.  Margaret  Tindal  gave  a  dwelling-houfe   and  20s.  per 

annum  in  money. 
Mrs.  Cole,  the  wife  of  Alderman  Cole,  gave  to  the  poor 

of  the  almihoufe  6s.  8d.  per  month      -  -  -       6  10     o 

Mr.  Thomas  Coleman,   fome  time  reQor  of  this  church, 

gave  to  the  poor  of  the  almflioufc  4s.  per  month  5200 

Mr.  Andrew  Yates  gave  16s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  of  the 

almflioufe. 
Mr.  William  Burrowes  gave  a  dwelling-houfe  to  the  reftor 

of  this  parifli. 
1661,  Mr.  Francis  deed  gave  40s.   per  annum   to  four  houfe- 

kccpers  quarterly,  los.  each  to  fuch  as  receive  no  alms       40     o     o 
1669,  The  parifliioners  have  purchafed  5I.  4s.  per  annum  for  2s.  a 

week  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever. 
1719,   Mr.  Samuel   Hartnell,   of  Sf.  Auguftine's  parifli,  gave  the 

inheritance  of  lands  in  the  parifli  of  Henbury,  in  Glocc- 

flerfliire,  now  let  at  33I.  per  annum,  to  put  three  poor 

boys   in   Queen   Elizabeth's   Hofpital   for  ever,  one  of 

which  is  to  be  of  this  parifli. 

jull  under  the  tower  on  the  fouth  next  Broad-ftreet  is  St.  John's  ciftern, 
to  which  is  brought  by  lead  pipes  from  Park-fl;reet  the  fpring-hcad  a  conftant 
fupply  of  water.  To  repair  the  pipe  when  out  of  order  Thomas  White  left 
20s.  per  annum.  A  large  feather  from  this  ufed  to  fupply  the  Carmelite 
friery,  afterwards  called  Sir  John  Young's  Great  Houfe,  (now  Colflon's  Hof- 
pital) and  in  1654  this  feather,  which  had  been  made  fo  large  as  to  deprive  the 
citizens  of  the  water,  was  ordered  by  the  mayor  and  commonalty  to  be  cut  off 
and  the  pipe  laid  level  in  the  ftrcet,  the  conduits  and  pipes  of  the  city  being 
under  their  care,  and  the  churchwardens  of  St.  John  were  ordered  to  fee  it 
duly  executed,  and  to  enter  into  any  ground  or  place  to  the  fountain  head  to 
view  and  amend  the  defe£ls.  As  early  as  Oftober  i,  50  Edward  3d.  1376, 
Walter  Derby  being  mayor,  an  agreement  was  made  with  Hugh  White,  plum- 
ber, at  his  own  cofl  during  life  to  bring  the  water  to  the  Key  pipe.  All  Saints 

pipe 


C    493     ] 

pipe  and  St.  Jolin's  pipe,  at  the  yearly  fum  of  lol.  Mention  is  made  of  a 
ciltcrn  near  the  Carmelites  called,  "  the  ciftcrn  of  the  pipe  of  St.  John's,  in 
Broad-flreet." 

In  this  parifli  of  St.  John  is  the  Guildhall  of  the  city,  a  very  ancient  ftruc- 
ture,  thus  dcfcribed  by  William  of  \\'orcefter,  in  1480,  p.  239,  "  The  breadth 
of  the  Gylhalle  of  Briftol  in  Broad-ftrcet  contains  23  yards  with  the  chapel  of 
St.  George,  founded  by  Richard  Spicer,  a  famous  merchant  and  burgcfs  of  the 
town,  about  the  time  of  King  Edward  3d.  or  Richard  2d.  There  is  a  very 
worthy  fraternity  of  merchants  and  mariners  belonging  to  the  faid  chapel. 
This  chapel  contains  in  length  20  flcps  befide  the  fpace  of  the  chancel,  its 
breadth  12  fleps." 

The  Guildhall  is  a  loftv,  long,  fpacious,  and  airy  room,  arched  with  wood 
work,  and  well  adapted  for  the  bufincfs  of  holding  the  quarter  fefTions  and 
yearly  aflizes.  The  jury  retire  into  St.  George's  chapel  to  agree  about  the 
verdict;  and  there  is  a  very  convenient  grand  jury  room  and  galleries  fitted 
up  for  the  witnefTes  and  fpectators  upon  trials,  feats  for  the  judge,  mayor,  al- 
dermen, and  flieriffs,  and  a  court  for  the  counfellors  ajid  a  bar  for  the 
prifoners. 

The  Taylors'-hall  is  alfo  in  this  pariflr,  built  on  void  ground  given  to  the 
fraternity  of  Taylors  of  St.  Ewen's,  wherein  they  meet  on  feftival  days  in  their 
gowns  to  v.-ait  on  the  mayor,  and  where  they  tranfacl  the  bufinefs  of  their 
fociety. 

Bridewell,  of  old  called  Monkenbridge  or  Munkbridge,  the  common  pri- 
fon  of  the  city,  was  once  an  old  tower  and  fortification,  new  built  in  1577, 
and  rebuilt  in  1721  by  the  chamber  at  the  cxpence  of  1053I.  3s.  To  this 
there  were  many  benefaftors.  Thomas  Chefter,  1582,  gave  2I.  per  annum, 
and  Thomas  Kelky  20I.  And  1507  Peter  Matthew  lool.  to.kecpthe  poor  in 
Bridewell  at  work.  Sir  John  Young  20I.  Sir  William  Young  50I.  and  1597 
Margaret  Brown  lol.  Thomas  Aldworth  15I.  to  the  fame  ufe  and  to  buy  them 
bedding.     In  the  year  1694  Froom-gate  in  this  parifli  was  removed. 


C   II  A  P 


C     4,94     ] 


C    H    A    P.      XVIII. 


OJ  ihe   CHURCH    and  PARISH    of  Si.  NICHOLAS,   wiih  Si. 

LEONARD'S  conJolidaLed. 

Til  I  S  church  of  St.  Nicholas  is  of  great  antiquity,  being  one  of  thofe 
which  bounded  the  old  citv,  and  was  built  on  a  line  with  the  city  wall, 
fo  that  the  account  in  the  manufcript  under  the  name  of  Rowley  as  it  is  the 
only,  fo  it  may  probably  be  the  trucfl.  "  Thys  chyrch  was  founded  by  Erie 
Britr)cke  in  M...XXX,  and  fy thence  was  yeven  to  SeynQe  Auguftynes  myn- 
flerre  in  Bryftowc,  as  we  may  fee  wyth  the  ftorie  of  the  mynftcrre  ynne  the 
notable  worke  of  the  abbate."  Now  it  is  very  certain  that  Abbot  Newland  left 
in  manufcript  the  hiftory  of  his  church  and  the  Berkeley  family,  and  mentions 
Robert  third  fon  of  Robert  Fitzharding  (about  1172)  having  given  unto  that 
monaftery  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas  in  Briflol.  The  dean  and  chapter  of  the 
cathedral  are  the  patrons.  In  the  year  1503  this  church  was  partly  rebuilt, 
for  in  the  will  of  Thomas  Knapp,  an  eminent  merchant  and  late  mayor,  20I. 
is  given  "  towards  building  St.  Nicholas  church."  The  building  was  fpacions 
laid  out  in  the  form  of  two  ailes,  the  one  north  terminated  with  a  beautiful 
chancel,  adorned  with  an  altar-piece,  being  a  painting  on  the  wall  in  per- 
fpeQive,  to  which  there  was  an  afcent  by  twelve  ftcps,  with  a  pavement  of 
black  and  white  marble,  which  had  a  noble  efFeft  as  you  approached  the  altar. 
It  was  fituated  over  the  arched  gateway  called  Nicholas-gate,  where  was  a 
clock,  and  over  it  a  ftatue  in  ftonc  of  Henry  2d.  who  in  his  young  days  was 
educated  at  Bridol,  and  at  a  fchool  in  this  parifh.  The  roof  of  the  church 
was  covered  with  lead,  and  fupportcd  with  four  arches  and  five  (lender  pillars< 
all  of  freeftone,  which  on  the  fouth  fide  leaning  threatened  to  give  way,  and  in 
1730  being  repaired  the  following  infcription  was  placed  near  the  entrance  of 
the  church  there  :  "  Hasc  compta  Dei  domus  modo  collapfura  quatuor  novis 
columnis  fuffulta  et  ornata  ftabilimen  ct  ornamentum  recepit.  Pirmius  fla- 
biliatur  precibus,  evangelio,  puritate  morum,  clarius  ornetur  continuato  caetu 
congrcgantium."  There  was  a  veftry-room  on  the  fouth  fide  that  projected 
over  the  ftrcct.     Here  you  entered  into  an  arched  place  or  vault   called  the 

Croud, 


[    495    ] 

Croud,  of  almofl  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  church,  which  had  a 
row  of  four  large  pillars,  and  on  the  nortli  fide  five  arciied  openings  with  iron 
bars  for  windows,  to  let  in  light  into  this  dark  repofitury  of  the  dead.      Leland 
takes   notice  of  this,  Itin.   p.  85.    "  where  is  a  churcii   of  St.  Nicholas  cum 
crypiis."     Croud  is  then  an  abufe  of  the  word  crypt,  from  the  Greek  y^vTp.v,  to 
hide,  a  hiding  place  for  the  dead.      Vv'illiani  of  Worceller   defcribes   it  thus, 
p.  201.  "  The  breadth  of  the  whole  vault  or  croud  with  the  two  ailcs  arched 
with  the  number  of  five  pillars  contains  12  yards,  and  five  great   pillars   and 
five  arches   are  un  the  faid  croud.      Alfo   the   fquare   belfry   tower   contains  5 
yards,  ex  omni   parte."      And   p.  284.    "  T!ie    Icngtii    of  the   croud  of  St. 
Nicholas  contains  befides  the  chapel  widi  7  yards  for  the  breadth  of  the  chapel 
of  Holy  Crofs  31  yards,  its  breadth  contains  12  yards,   13  foot."     The   high 
fpire  or  fieeple  was  conftriiftcd  of  wood,   ftrongly  and  curioufly  framed  toge- 
ther and  covered   witli  lead,  the  pieces  jointed   and   let   one   into  the  other^ 
which  William   of  Worcefter   calls  "  magnum  pinnaculum  feu  fpera  de  mea- 
renno  elcvata  cum  plumbo  cooperta." 

There  were  fix  bells  in  the  tower,  and  the  great  clock  bell  was  fixed  in  the 
fteeple  above  the  reft,  with  this  infcription  on  it  :  "  Georgius  Campana  Briftow 
ad  voluntateni  maior  et  communit.  rcmovetur  tempore  Walteri  Darby,  maioris, 
A.  D.   1369." 

"When  the  pafTage  over  the  old  bridge  and  through  the  arch  of  St.  Nicholas- 
gate  up  High-ftrect  was  become  fo  very  inconvenient  and  dangerous,  that  it 
was  thought  neceffary  to  take  down  the  bridge  and  St.  Nicholas-gate,  upon 
which  the  chancel  of  the  church  flood,  it  was  long  debated  whether  it  would 
not  be  better  to  rebuild  the  church  wholly,  as  it  was  a  very  old  llruflure,  and 
removing  a  part  might  endanger  the  whole.  Accordingly  the  bridge  com- 
miflioners  having  allowed  the  veftry  1400I.  for  the  damages  the  cliurch  muft 
neceffarily  fuftain,  and  loool.  more  towards  building  it  anew,  the  plan  for 
rebuilding  the  church,  though  it  might  be  at  an  additional  expence,  was  ap- 
proved of,  and  in  October,  1762,  they  began  taking  down  the  church.  In 
two  old  arches  in  the  fouth  wall  were  found  two  fkclctons  of  pcrfons,  who  muft 
have  been  buried  there  foon  after  or  at  the  erection  of  the  wall  of  the  church  ; 
perhaps  when  rebuilt  in  the  time  of  Thomas  Knapp  before  mentioned  in  1403. 
In  conftruCling  the  new  church  they  prcfcrvcd  the  croud  without  diflurbing 
the  afhes  of  the  dead  ,-  but  found  the  tower  and  fpire  too  defetiive  to  be  kept 
{landing,  they  therefore  took  them  down  alfo,  and  built  the  prefent  noble 
ftone  tower  and  fpire  in  the  fame  place,  which  was  not  iiniflied  till  1768.  The 
old  Ijx  bells  were  new  call  into  a  fine  peal  of  eight  belli  befides  the  clock  belL 


in  the  ilet?plc.  Tlie  A\'Hffl(?'"buiMing  brought  a  great  charge  upon  the  parifli 
ellatcs,  and  cod  above  6000I, 

The  prefent  church  however  is  a  very  fine  building,  being  one  broad  and 
lofty  room  with  a  flat  cicling,  and  an  elegant  ftucco  raifed  cornice  round  it, 
adorned  with  mahogany  feats  and  an  elegant  pulpit.  The  old  organ  was  creded 
here  again  in  a  handfome  gallery. 

The  prefent  new  ftrufture  has  a  iiglu  and  airy  appeirance,  and  the  room 
being  not  intcrfecled  with  pillars  and  arches  is  more  open,  and  fecms  well 
calculated  for  the  audience  all  to  fee  and  hear  the  preacher,  yet  in  the  opi- 
nion of  moR  it  has  not  fo  ftriking  an  eifecl  as  the  old  form  of  building  ; 

•— the  high-embowcd  roof 

With  antique  pillars  maffy  proof. 

With  ftoripd  windows  richly  dight. 

Calling  a  dim  religious  light.  Mii.ton'. 

Divine  fervice  is  no  where  better  kept  up  than  in  this  church.  Befides 
dailv  prayers  here  celebrated  from  time  immemorial,  there  is  a  lethire- 
fermon  preached  every  Tuefday  afternoon,  for  which  the  preacher  is  paid 
25I.  per  annum  by  the  chamber  of  the  city  and  a  fermon  morning  and  after- 
noon on  Sundays.  For  the  afternoon  Jermon  the  vicar  is  paid  20I.  per  annum 
out  of  the  chamber,  the  gift  of  Humphrey  Brown  in  the  )ear  1629,  who  vefls 
an  ellate  at  Filton  in  GloceRerfliire  in  tlie  mayor  and  commonalty,  for  them 
"  to  provide  and  maintain  for  ever  a  learned  Icfture-fermon  on  every  Lord's 
day  in  the  afternoon  at  St.  Nicholas  in  Briftol,  or  at  St.  Werburgh's,  or  fome 
other  church  in  the  city,  by  fome  able,  learned,  and  godly  preacher,  a  Batche- 
lor  in  Divinity  at  Icalt,  for  the  better  inftrucling  the  people  in  the  deep  myfte- 
ries  of  God,  and  of  his  faving  health,  &c." 

There  was  a  vicarage-houfe  and  garden  formerly  belonging  to  the  vicars  of 
this  parifh,  but  it  was  taken  away  by  the  vellry  in  1625,  and  upon  complaint  of 
Mr.  Towgood  they  allowed  him  4I.  per  annum  in  lieu  of  it;  but  upon  his  re- 
turn after  his  fequeftration  they  promifed  to  allow  him  14I.  per  annum  toward.^ 
houfe  rent,  which  however  it  appears  they  never  performed,  alledging  he  had 
nothing  to  fliew  for  it,  fo  they  revoked  their  promifc.  The  houfe  is  defcribed 
in  deeds  as  fituated  in  Back-flreet,  in  the  Rackcy  on  the  north  fide,  22  Feb. 
9  Eliz.  p.  447.  of  Book  of  \\'ills  and  Enrolment  of  Deeds  in  the  chamber  of 
BriRol. 

This  vicarage  is  worth  to  the  minifler  above  200I.  per  annum,  by  coUeftions 
■from  the  parifliioners,  bcfidcs  the  gift  fermons  and  furplice  fees. 

The 


C    497     ] 

The  following  is  a  Lift  of  the  VICARS  from  the  year  1240. 

Patrons.  Dean  and  chapter.  Patrons. 

Abbot  and  convent  of  St.  Auguftin.      1551   JohnRaflal. 


1593   George  Harris. 
1602   William  Robinfon. 
1620   George  Hanis. 
1626  Richard  Towgood. 

Samuel  CrofTman. 
1700  John  Read,  vie.  to  1713. 

John  Gadcarth,    by    nomination 
of  Lord  Guilford,  in  a  letter 
to  Dean  Tompfon. 
William  Goldney,  died  1747. 
1748  John  Caftehnan. 

John  Camplin,  D.  D.  precentor 
of  the  Cathedral,  vicar  of 
Olvefton  and  of  Elberton  in 
the  county  of  Glocefter,  and 
lefturer  of  the  church  of  St. 
Mary-RedclifF. 


1240  'Walter  Filomena. 

1286  Michael  RuHTelyn. 

1301  Adam  Ic  Jeovene. 

1 3  n  Walter  de  Saunford. 

1313  Walter  de  Kemefcote. 

1341  Thomas  Egifton. 

1348  John  de  Beitoner. 

1349  William  de  Tormerton. 
1352  Walter  Afch. 
1361  Thomas  Spette. 
1369  John  Cromme. 
1378  William  Brythlampton. 
1387  Nicolas  Adams. 

1404  Thomas  Yotflete. 

1405  John  Vaughan. 
1430  William  Parker. 
1446  Tohn  Arffos. 
1493  John  Burton. 

1508  Thomas  Coke,  A.  M. 

1515  Thomas  Hannibal. 

There  were  formerly  the  following  Chauntries  belonging  to  the  Church  of 

St,  Nicholas.  /.      s. 

A  chauntry  by  Richard  Spyccr  -  -        12      7 

Four  by  Everard  Le  French  -  -       26     3 

Another  by  "William  Spencer  -  _         5     o     o 

Two  others  by  Thomas  Knappe  -  -       13     6     8 

There  was  a  religious  gild  or  fraternitv  of  the  Holy  Ghofl  within  the  crowd 
of  St.  Nicholas,  cum  capella  in  honorem  Santas  Crucis  ibidem;  they  received 
rents  \vith  the  brothcriiood  and  caiualtics  18I.  5s.  per  annum. — The  expences 
of  the  priefls  and  clerk  for  celebrating  the  Holy  Ghoft  mafs  and  anthems, 
yearly  falary  ,was  61.  13s.  4d.  which  with  wine,  ringing  the  bells  and  cleaning 
the  croud  amounted  to  .ibout  9I.  per  annum  in  toto,  and  colts  "  for  the  drynk- 
yng  of  the  brotherhoode  on  Holy-rood  day"  amounted  to  5I.  6s.  where  tlie 
wheat  in  1529  is  charged  2id.  per  bufhel,  candles  id.  per  pound,  14  gallons 
of  milk  IS.  2d.  double  ale  2d.  per  gallon.  Sec. 

P  p  p  The 


d. 

1 1 

9 


[    498     ] 

The  following  are  the  principal  MONUMENTS  to  be  met  with  here. 
John  'W'hitfon  alderman,  and  a  great  benefaftor  to  the  city,  lies  buried  in 
the  crowd,  his  figure  in  ftone  well  carved  and  painted  in  his  alderman's  gown, 
on  a  handfome  arch  tomb,  with  fquare  pyramidal  pillars  on  the  fide,  and  over 
him  a  tabic  with  the  following  infcription  : — The  particulars  of  his  charitable 
endowments  and  gifts  will  be  fliewn  in  the  lift  of  wills  and  charitable 
donations,  ar.d  are  fct  down  on  the  monument. 

"  In  memory  of  that  great  benefa£lor    to   this    city  John    Whitfon,  mayor 
and  alderman,  and  four  times  member  in  parliament  for  the  fame,  who  died  in 
the  72d  year  of  his  age,   A.  D.  1629  ;  a  worthy  pattern  to  all  who  came  after 
him  :   out  of  his  fcvcral  eftates  he  bequeathed,  viz.  /.      s.     d. 
To  52  poor  childbed  women 
To  the  Redmaids  Hofpilal 
To  Redcliff  Grammar-fchool 
To  the  Merchants'  Almflioufe 
To  poor  fcholars  at  O.xford 
To  poor  houfekeepers 
To  poor  widows 
To  St.  Nicholas  parifii 
To    the    ufe   of  merchants   and   poor 

tradcfmen  intereft  free  -  -  500     o     o 

The  grave  where  he  and  his  three  wives  lie  and  one  daughter  is  clofe  before 
the  monument;  he  was  buried  the  9th  of  March  1629  :  he  was  hurt  by  a  fall 
from  his  horfe,  which  was  the  fuppofed  caufe  of  his  death  ;  and  being  captain 
of  the  trained  bands  of  the  city,  they  attended  his  corps  to  St.  Nicholas  church, 
and  the  mufquctcers  gave  him  three  vollies  over  the  grave  at  the  interment, 
according  to  the  military  cuftom. 

In  the  north  wall  of  the  crowd  is  a  monument  with  a  Latin  infcription  : 
'■  To  Francis  Knight  Efq;  who  died  20th  Aug.  1616." 

In  the  eaft  wall  of  the  chancel  was  a  fmall  marble  monument  to  Edward 
Runcomb  Efq;  of  the  ifland  of  Montferat,  born  at  Goathurft  in  the  county  of 
Somerfet ;  he  died  the  1  ith  of  Sept.  171  2,  aged  53. 

Near  this  another  to  Elizabeth  Hart,  daughter  of Wynnof  Denbeigh, 

(he  died  Oft.  1734. 

Alfo  to  Sir  Richard  Hart,  who  died  Jan,  16,  1701. 
In  the  wall  was  this  infcription  in  a  table  at  the  foot  of  the  veftry  ftcps ; 
"  Dum  precaturusafcendis  ad  domum  Dei 
Moriturus  refpicc  domum  morluorum  : 

En 


52 

0 

0 

per  annum. 

120 

0 

0 

ditto. 

8 

10 

6 

ditto. 

26 

0 

0 

ditto. 

20 

0 

0 

52 

0 

0 

26 

0 

0 

S 

0 

0 

C    499    ] 

En  fub  hoc  facro  fornice  criptam  vetuflam 
V'etuftiorem  fordibus  collapfoque  folo  fa6lam 
Simplex  munditiis  nitet  ; 
Ut  decet  eccle(iani  Anglicanam  : 
Nam  in  honorem  Dei 
In  ufum  fepulturae 
In  gratiam  fuperftitum 
Hoc  ccrmiterium  ad  planiticm  reda£liim 
Repurgatumque  novis  ornabatur  cancellis 
Impenfis  parochianoruin 
Cura  yEdilium 
A.  D.    1718." 
Near   the   fleps   was   the  following  infcription  :  — "  Hie    jacet  Johannes 
Papinham,  quondam  mercator  et  burgenCs  villas  Briflollias,   qui    obiit  7  Apr. 
1438." 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.   Nicholas  Parifii. 

1583,  Mr.   William  Tucker,  alderman,  gave  40s.  per  annum,   at      /,     s.     d. 
Eafter  20s.    and  at   Chriftmas  20s.    and  6s.  8d.  for  a 
fermon  next  Sunday  after  Trinity  Sunday  for  ever  46     o     o 

1595,  Mr.   John  Brown,    alderman,    gave    twelve   fhifts,    fix  for 
men   and  fix  for  women,  to  the  value   of  26s.  8d.  per 
annum,  one  year   to   the   Merchants'   almfhoufe  in  the 
Marfli,  and  two  years  to  this  parifh,  and  fo  to  continue 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  _  26     o     o 

Mr.  Matthews  gave  40s.  per  annum,  20s.  at  Eafter  and  20s. 

at  Chriflmas,  for  ever  -  -  -  -         40     o     o 

Mrs.  Alice  Webb  gave  20s.  per  annum  upon  Good  Friday 

for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  20     00 

1597,  Mr.  George  Snow  gave  20s.  per  annum,  10s.  at  Michaelmas 
and  10s.  at  Chriftmas,  and  6s.  8d.  for  a  fermon  the 
Sunday  before  the  24th  of  June  for  ever  -  26     o     o 

1620,  Mr.  William  Challoner  gave  i2d.  per  week  in  bread,  and 

10s.  for  a  fermon  the  9th  day  of  January         -  -         62     o     o 

1628,  Mr.  John  Whitfon,  aldernian,  gave  50I.  per  annum  to  poor 
houfe-holdcrs  of  this  parifh,  and  20s.  for  two  fermon.s, 
viz.  upon  the  2  8lh  day  of  Oclobcr  and  the  7th  day  of 
November,  for  ever  -  -  -  70     o     o 

P  pp  2  1594, 


[    500     ] 

1594>  Mr.  Robert   Kitchen,    alderman,  gave  40s.  per  annum  to      I,     s.     d. 
four  poor  houfe-holders  quarterly  for  ever  -  40     o     o 

Mr.  John  Langton,  alderman,  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  four 
houfe-holders  quarterly,  and    12s.  for   a   fcrmon   to   be 
preached  at   Horficld   on  the  firft  Sunday  in   Lent,  for 
ever  -  -  -  -  -  -5200 

1639,  Mr.  George  Harrington,  alderman,  gave   40s.   per  annum 

to  four  houfe-holders  quarterlv  for  ever  -  40     o     a 

Mr.  William  Pitt,   merchant,  gave   50I.  the  profit  thereof 

to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever         -  -  -  50     o     o 

Mr.  Roger  Hurt  gave  6s.  8d.  for  a  fermon  on  the  24ih  of 

June  for  ever  -  -  -  6100 

Mr.  '\\'illiam  Burro wes  gave  20s.  for  a  fermon  on  the  3d  of 

May  for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  2000 

Mr.  John  Henry   gave  10s.  for  a  fcrmon  upon  St.  John's- 

day,  the  27th  of  December,  for  ever  -  -         10     o     o 

Mr.  George  Hart  gave  20I.   the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  in 

bread  for  ever  -  -  -  -  2000 

Mr.  Abraham  Birkin  gave  40s.   per  annum  to  four  poor 

houfe-holders   (receiving  no  alms)  quarterly  for  ever         40     o     o 
Mr.  Michael  Deyos,  merchant,  gave  i2d.  per  week  in  groat 
bread    to  three  poor  houfe-holders  (not  receiving  other 
alms)  for   ever,   and    13s.    4d.   to   the  minifler  of  this 
parifh   for  a  fermon   to  be  preached  on   the  3d  day    of 
Auguft   in  the  morning,  and   4s.  8d.  to   the  clerk   and 
fexton  for  ever  -  -  -  -  70     o     o 

Sir  Thomas  Langton  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the 
poor  in  bread  weekly  for  ever,  and  20s.  for  a  fcrmon  to 
be  preached  upon  Good  Friday  for  ever  -  70     o     o 

Mr.  John  Dymer,  fheriff  of  this  city,  gave  lol.  the  profit 

thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  quarterly  for  ever  -  1000 

1675,  ^^-  Edward  Baugh,  of  this  parifh,  linen-draper,  gave  lool. 
the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  in  bread 
weekly  forever  -  _  .  _  100     o     o 

Mr.  Thomas  Bevan,  of  this  parifh,  a  member  of  the  com- 
mon council,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  given 
to  the  poor  in  bread  weekly  for  ever  -  -         20     o     o 

1678, 


[    501     ] 

1678,  Mr.  Ricliaid  Holland  gave  lol.  the  profit  in  bread  to  the      /.     s.     d. 
poor  of  the  almfhoufe  on  Eafler-day  for  ever,   and  lol. 
towards  building  it,  founded  by  thcparifh  1638  -  20     o     o 

1680,  Alexander  James,   Efq;  fomc  time  mayor  and  alderman  of 

this  city,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  this 

parifh  for  ever  -  -  -  -  -20     00 

1681.  Mr.   Timothy   Parker,    fomc   time    fherifF,   gave   lol.     the 

profit  thereof  in  bread  weekly  to  the  poor  for  ever  10     o     o 

Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Joan  Langton, 
widows,  gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  10s.  apiece  to 
52  poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this 
parifh  hath  a  proportion.  (N.  B.  The  lands  lie  in  the 
parifh  of  Afhton,  and  let  at  Sol.  per  annum.) 

1683,  Mr.  George  White,  fome  time  flieriflFand  alderman  of  this 
citv,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  four  poor  houle- 
holders  not  receiving  alms  quarterly  -  -  1000 

i686,  Mr.  John   Hart,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to 

be  given  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  paridi  weekly  forever   10     o     o 

1687,  Mr.  George  Morris,  merchant,  and  member  of  the  com- 
mon council,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor 
at  Chriftmas  and  Eafter  for  ever  -  -  20     o     o 

Mr.  Richard  Vaughan,  a  member  of  this  parifh,  gaveiol. 
the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  on  St.  Thomas's- 
day  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  1000 

Sir  WilliaiTi  Cann,  Knight  and  Bart,  gave  lool.  to  four 
parifhcs  of  this  city,  whereof  this  hath  a  fourth  part, 
the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed  to  the  poor  the 
8th  day  of  January  for  ever  -  -  -         25     o     o 

Mr.  Charles  Herbert,  grocer,  gave  lol.  the  profit  to  be 
given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  upon  the  28th  day  of 
June  for  ever  -  -  -  -  1000 

Mr.  Stephen  Watts,  merchant,  once  a  member  of  the  com- 
mon council,  gave  lol.  the  profit  to  be  dillributed  to 
the  poor  at  Chriftmas  for  ever  -  -  1000 

i688.  The  23d  of  January,  the  Lady  Ann  Cann,  reli£l;  of  Sir 
Robert  Cann,  of  this  city.  Knight  and  Bart,  born  in 
this  parifli,  gave  lol.  per  annum  for  twenty  years  to  the 
poor  of  this  parifh,  widows  chiefly  to  be  relieved. 

i6go. 


[     502     ] 

1690,  Mis.  Elizabeth  Hall,  widow,  gave   lool.  which    according     /.     s.     d. 
to  her  will  was  laid  out  in  the  purchafe  of  a  houfe,  the 
rent  whereof  (all  charges  deduQed)  is  for  the  preach- 
ing of  twelve  fermons  yearly,  viz.  on  the  firfl;  Saturday 
in  each  month  in  the  afternoon  for  ever  -  100     o     o 

Mrs.  Margaret  Abbey,  widow,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof 
for  the  better  relief  of  the  poor,  which  was  accordingly 
to  her  will  diftributed  -  -  -  -         50     o     o 

Mr.  John  Sandford,  junr.  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to 
be  difiributcd  to  the  poor  on  the  14th  of  February 
yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  10     o     o 

Mr.  George  White,  fome  time  fherifF  of  this  city,  gave 
lol.  the  profit  thereof  in  fix-penny  bread  to  the  poor 
(not  receiving  alms)  at  Chriflmas  for  ever  -  1000 

1693,  Sir  William  Cann,  Knight  and  Bart,  a  former  bencfa6lor 
to  this  paridi,  gave  103I.  for  payment  of  40s  per  annum 
for  a  fermon  yearly  on  St.  Gcorge's-day  againft  Atheifm 
and  Prophanenefs,  and  13s.  4d.  yearly  to  the  clerk,  or- 
ganift,  and  fexton,  and  3I.  los.  per  annum  to  be  equally 
divided  to  feven  poor  houfe-holders  of  this  parifli  the 
fame  day  (fuch  as  frequent  divine  fervice  to  be  prefer- 
red) for  ever  -  -  -  -  103     00 

1694,  Mr.  Jedidiah  Pickford,  a  member  of  the  common  council, 
gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  atChrift- 
mas  and  Eafter  for  ever  -  -  -  30     o     o 

Mr.  David  Reynon,  churchwarden,  (born  in  this  parifh) 
gave  30I.  for  payment  of  36s.  to  nine  poor  families  on 
Candlemas-day  for  ever  -  -  -  30     o     o 

1699,  Mrs.  Ann  Longman,  widow,  gave  195I.  to  the  poor  of  this 
city,  of  which  this  parifli  hath  a  proportion. 

1 706,  Mrs.  Jane  Mitchell  gave  lol.  the  profit  in  bread  to  the  poor 

at  Chriflmas  yearly  -  -  -  1000 

1708,  Mr.  Charles  Roynon,  of  this  parifli,  gave  20I.  the  profit  in 

bread  on  every  Lord's- day  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1710,  Mr.  William  Higgs,  late  of  this  parifli,  gave  sol.  to  poor 
houfe-holders  and  others  within  this  parifli,  which  fum 
was  diftributed  to  them  accordingly  the  23d  day  of 
December  -,  -  -  -  -  20     00 


1712 


[    5^3    ] 

1712,  Augufl  tlie  6th,    Mr.  William    Evans,    of  this  parifli,  in      /.     s.     d. 

memory  of  Iiis  dutiful  daughter  Martha  Evans,  gave 
20I.  to  pay  los.  to  the  miiiiAcr  for  a  fermoii  on  the 
fame  day,   and  los.  in  bread  to  the  poor  for  ever  20     o     o 

1713,  The  Rev.    John   Read,  D.  D.    late  vicar   of  St.  Nicholas 

church,  gave  20].  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh,  the  intereft 
thereof  is  to  be  diflributed  in  bread  at  the  difcretion  of 
the  churchwardens  on  the  firft  Sunday  after  the  15th  of 
February  for  ever  -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1714,  Mr.  James  Croft,  of  this   parifii,  gentleman,  gave  50I.  the 

profit  thereof  to  poor  houfekeepers  of  this  parifh  yearl)', 

at  the  difcretion  of  the  overfeers  and  churchwardens  50     o     o 

1716,  The  23d  of  January,  William  Jackfon,  Efq;  fome  time 
mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  50I.  the  intereft 
thereof  to  poor  houfekeepers  of  tliis  parifh  (not  receiv- 
ing alms)  in  coals  for  ever,  as  the  veftry  fhall  direct  50     o     o 

1718,  Mr.  William  Bayly,  fome  time  flieriff  of  this  city,  gave 
50I.  the  intereft  thereof  to  poor  houfekeepers  of  this 
parifln,  not  receiving  alms,  on  the  25th  of  March  for 
ever  -  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1722,  Capt.  John  Williams,  of  Caldee  ifland,  in  the  county  of 
Pembroke,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  in  bread  to  the 
poor  on  the  25th  of  Auguft  forever  -  -  10     o     o 

1725,  Mr.  Chriftopher  Wallis,  a  member  of  the  common  coun- 

cil, and  churchwarden  of  this  parifti,  gave  30I.  the  intereft 
whereof  is  to  be  diftributed  to  poor  houfekeepers  on 
the  24th  day  of  October  for  ever  -  -  30     o     o 

1726,  Capt.  Jofcph  Whitchurch,    late    of  this   parifli,  merchant, 

gave  20I.   the  intereft   thereof  to  the  poor  of  the  almf- 

houfe  on  the  firft  Sunday  in  December  yearly  for  ever      2000 

1727,  Mr.  Derrick  Popley  gave  los.  per  annum  for  a  fermon  on 

the  firft  Sunday  in  Lent  for  ever  -  -  10     o     o 

1728,  Mr.  John  Brittain,  tobacconift,  gave  20I.  the  profit  to  the 

poor  of  this  parifti  on  St.  John's-day  yearly  for  ever  20     o     o 

1729,  Mrs.   Alice  James,  widow,  gave  20).  the  profit  in  twelve- 

penny   bread   to  the   poor  of  this  parifti,  not   receiving 
alms,  on  Chriftmas-day  yearly  for  ever         -  -         2000 

17301 


C    504    ] 

1730,  Mr.  Richard  Bradley,  late  of  Bewdley,  gave  lol.  to  the  poor      /.     5.     d. 

of  this  parifh,  which  was  accordingly  to  his  will  dif- 
tributcd  -  -  -  -  -10     00 

Mr.  Richard  Leverfedge  gave  50I.  the  intcrcO  whereof  is 
yearly  on  the  18th  of  Augufl  to  be  paid  to  five  poor 
houfekcepcrs  of  this  parifli  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1731,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Tudor  gave  10s.  per  annum  to  be  dlRributcd 

on  the  8th  day  of  June  to  two  poor  widows  not  receiv- 
ing alms  -  -  -  -  -  1000 

1732,  Dr.  John   Gafkarth,  late  reftor   of  All  Hallows  Barkin  in 

London,  formerly  vicar  of  this  parifh,  gave  30I.   to  the 

poor  of  this  parifli,  as  the  veflry  fhould  direfl  -  30     o     o 

1733,  Mr.  John  Haythornc,  fenr.   formerly   of  this  parifli,  whi- 

tawer,  gave  lol.  the  intereft  to  be  diflributed  to  the  poor 
of  this  parifh  in  bread  yearly  on  the  24th  of  June  for 
ever  -  -  -  -  -  -1000 

1734,  Mr.  John  Stephens,  late   of  this  parifli,  hooper,  gave  20I. 

the  intercfl  to  be  diflributed  to  the  poor  yearly   on  the 

26th  of  January  for  ever         -  -  -  -     20     o     o 

1737,  Ilenry  Walter,   Efq;  alderman,  gave   50I.   to   the  poor  of 

this  parifli,  which  was  diflributed  according  to  his  will       50     o     o 

1741,  Mr.  Thomas  Hungerford,  fenr.  formerly  of  this  parifh, 
linen-draper,  gave  50I.  the  interefl  thereof  at  4  per 
cent,  to  be  diflributed  to  the  poor,  20s.  in  coal  and 
20s.  in  bread  yearly  on  St.  Thomas's-day  for  ever  50     o     o 

1741,  Mr.  Paul  Weflon,  late  of  this  parifh,  grocer,  gave  20I.   the 

interefl  thereof  to  the  poor  on  St,  Paul's-day  for  ever  20     o     o 

1742,  Mr.  Richard  Willet,  late  of  this  parifli,  diflillcr,  gave  24I. 

the  interefl  thereof  to  fix  poor  houfe -holders,  not  re- 
ceiving alms,  on  the  2gth  of  May  for  ever  -  2400 
1683,  John  Read,  linen-draper,  gave   30I.  to  the   poor  in  bread 

weekly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  30     o     o 

In  a  table  in  St.  Xicholas  church  is  the  following  lift  of  GIFT  SERMONS. 

/.    5.    d. 
Firft  Sunday  in  every  month,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hall's  -  600 

January  9,  or  Sunday  after,  William  Chaloner's  -  -         o   lo     o 

Good  Friday,  Sir  Thomas  Langton's  -  -  -  100 

April 


C    5<^5     ] 

April  23,  Sir  William  Cann's,  Knight,  1693 

May  3,  William  Burrowes's  -  _  _  _ 

Sunday  after  Trinity,  William  Tucker's,  alderman 

Sunday  before  the  2.1th  of  June,  George  Snow's 

June  24,  Roger  Hurt's  -  _  _  _  . 

Augufl  6,  Mr.  William  Evans's,  1712 

Augufl  3,  Mr.  Michael  Deyos's  -  -  - 

Oaober  28,   ;> 

November  7,SJ°''"^^'^''''"°"'  ^'^'l'  "  '  '  '     °     ° 

December  27,  Mr.  John  Henry's  -  -  -         o   10     o 

Firfl  Sunday  in  Lent,  to  be  preached  at  Horfield,  the  gift  of  John 

Langton,  alderman  -  -  -  -  -  0120 

Firll  Sunday  in  Lent,  Derrick  Popley's  -  -  -         010 


/. 

S. 

d. 

2 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

6 

8 

0 

6 

8 

0 

6 

8 

0 

10 

0 

0 

13 

4 

o 


The  ground  rents  and  tenements  belonging  to  this  parifh  produce  annually 
about  190I.  per  annum. 

In  this  parifli  was  formerly  a  chapel  dedicated  to  St.  John,  and  another  on 
Briftol  Bridge,  ereBed  and  founded  by  King  Edward  3d.  and  his  Queen  Phi- 
lippa,  and  endowed  by  the  mayor  and  burgeffes  of  Briftol,  to  which  many 
left  legacies^  John  Hanker  and  John  Hackft.on  gave  two  meffuages  and  three 
Ihops  on  the  Back  of  Avon  to  John  Gweyn,  chaplain  there,  to  pray  for  their 
fouls  and  their  wives,  &c,  49  Edward  3d.  Pope  Boniface,  the  nth  year  of 
his  pontificate,  by  a  fpecial  letter  denounced  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty  and  of 
the  apoflles  Peter  and  Paul  againft  any  one  who  fliould  hinder  divine  offices  being 
performed  in  this  chapel,  faving  neverthclcfs  to  the  church  of  St.  Nicholas  its 
proper  rights,  dated  at  Rome  the  nth  year  of  his  pontificate  ;  which  chapel 
howrver  has  long  fincc  been  defecrated. 

The  Cooper's-hall  in  King-flrcet  in  this  parifli  prefents  a  building  with  a 
handfome  front,  the  elevation  of  whitih  was  publiflied  by  Halfpenny,  the  ar- 
chitect, in  1744.  The  weft  front  is  6^  feet  g  inches  broad,  and  the  fcclion 
6^  feet  4  inches.     See  the  plate. 

The  Cuftom-Houfe  is  a  large  and  fpacious  brick  building  in  the  center  of 
the  north  fide  of  the  fquare,  conveniently  fiiuated  for  the  merchants  to  have 
lecourfe  to,  was  built  by  the  corporation  and  pofTellion  taken  of  it  in  1711. 

There  isalfo  here  an  almflioufe  ercclcd  on  ground  next  the  then  city  wall, 
granted  to  the  veftry  of  this  church  for  this  purpofe.  It  ferves  for  the  habi- 
tation of  fevcral  poor  people;  but  it  has  no  cndowmciit,  all  l;ere  receiving 
parifli  pay, 

Qqq  SECT. 


[    5o6    ] 

SECT.   U.  —  O/lhc  CHURCH  and  PARISH  of  Si.   LEONARD. 

AT  the  wed  end  of  old  Corn-ftreet  formerly  flood  three  arched  gateways 
forming  togeiher  a  triangle.      The  fouth  gate  led  to  Baldwin-flrect,  the  north 
to  the  Key,  and  the   eaft  which  was  largeft   led  to  Corn-ftreet,  over  which 
flood  a  plain  freeftone  tower,  65    feet  high  from  the  ground,  and   18  feet   in 
front  from  north  to  fouth  and  from  eaft  to  weft  10  feet,  having    four   fmalK 
freeftone  pinnacles  at  the  top,  furrounded  with  freeftone  battlements.     In  the 
tower  were  only  two  bells,  one   large  and  the  other  fmall.     Under  the  bell- 
loft  within  the  church  was  built  againft  the  eaft  window  a  beautiful  neat  altar. 
The  communion  table  and  rails   round  it  were  of  mahogany,  and  part  of  the 
floor  was  laid  with  black  and  white  marble.     The  body  of  the  church  confifted 
but  of  two  ailes,  extending  over  the  three  gateways;  and  as  part  of  the  floor 
was  of  timber  covered  with  paving  ftones  and   over  the  arches,  it  could  not 
admit  of  any   corps    being    buried    there,  but  on  the  north  fide  was  a  fmall 
crvpt  where  the  dead  ufually  were  interred,  at  the  end  of  which  you  afcended 
by  a  flight  of  thirteen  flone  fteps  to  the  only  door  of  the  church,  at  the  weft  end 
of  the  north  aile,  which    was  in  length  35  feet,  and   the   fouth  aile  from    the 
altar   to  the   weft  window  about  55  feet  and  30  feet  high   to  the  ceiling:  the 
width  of  both  ailcs  was  30  feet.      Hence  it  appears  the  church  was  but  fmall, 
plain,  and   of  an  anticnt  fabric,  being  fuppofed   to  be  built  foon  after  laying 
out  the  firft  boundaries  of  the  old  town,  to  the  walls  of  which  it  joined  on  each 
fide.      It  is  faid  in  the  manufcripts  of  Rowlie,  "  Itte  was  ybuilden  bie  Algar, 
a  Saxon,  in  1010.      It  has  a  chauntrie  to  the  honour  of  St.  Baldwynne,  whofe 
fliryne  was  therein  keppen."      It  is  mentioned  in  a  deed,  25  Edward  ift.   1297, 
wherein  Simon   de  Burton,   about  this  time   founding  RcdclifF  church,  grants 
the  tenements  he  then  lived  in  in  Corn-ftreet,  newly  built  within  the  gate  of 
St.  Leonard,  to  John  DiQo,  which  afterwards  paid  6$.  8d.  twice  a  year  for  the 
maintenance  of  a  lamp  to  burn  in  this  church.      It  is  a  vicarage,  rated   in  the 
King's  Books  at   4I.   is.   5d.  clear   yearly   value,    the   number  of  dwelling- 
houfes  about  fcventy-four,  and   nine   warchoufes.      Mr.  William  Pennoycr,  a 
native  of  the  parifli,  in  the  year   1670,  gave  16I.  per  annum  for  preaching  a 
Icflure-fcrmon  here  once   a  week,    and  it  was  endowed  with  200I.    Queen 
Ann's   bounty,    which   with    the  voluntary   contributions  of  the  parifliioners 
made  the  living  about  55I.  a  year  to  the  vicar.      It  was  in  the  prefcntation  of 
the  dean  and  chapter.     The  laft  incumbent  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Davie,  who 
removed  to  St.  John's,  to  which  he  was  prefented  April   1766,  in  lieu  of  this 
church,  which   was  then  pulled  down  to  lay  open  a  new   ftrect  called  Clare- 

ftreet. 


C    5^1     ] 

ftreet,  and  the  parifh  confolidated  with  St.  Nicholas.  In  1319  the  chapel  of 
St.  Giles  which  belonged  to  this  church  being  ruinous  was  pulled  down,  the 
chancel  bells,  books,  and  veftments  dcftroyed,  and  in  1331  its  revenue  being 
impaired  it  was  wholly  annexed  to  St.  Leonard,  to  which  it  had  been  of  old 
fubjeft,  and  the  facraments  and  religious  offices  were  to  be  no  more  continued 
there  without  licence  from  the  vicar,  to  whom  all  tenths  and  oblations  were  to 
be  paid. 

In  this  parifli  in  St.  Leonard's-lanc  is  a  free  fchool,  endowed  by  Mr.  Pen- 
noyerwith  lol.  per  annum  to  a  mafter  to  teach  20  boys  to  read,  write,  and  cy- 
pher, and  the  accidence.  He  gave  alfo  lol.  per  annum  to  an  honeft  widow 
woman  to  teach  twenty  girls  to  read  and  few,  and  5I.  per  annum  to  the  poor 
of  the  faid  parifh  for  ever. 

This  church  was  fhut  up  in  June  1766,  and  January  28,  1771  they  began 
to  take  it  down,  and  fold  the  altar  piece  to  Backwell  in  Somerfetfhire. 


A  lift  of  the  V I  C  A  R  S  of  St.  Leonard's  church,  fo  far  as  can  be  found  in 
the  church  books,  and  in  Regift.  Wygorn. 


Patrons. 
Abbot  and  convent  of  St.  Auguftin. 
1274   Richard deSt.  AuguftinoCapell. 
1290  John  Dumyng,  3  March. 
1323   Robert  le  Toyt,  3  March. 


1492  William  Clark. 

1525  Francis  Pollard. 

1530  John  Hawks. 

1534  Thomas  Silkc. 

1559  Mr.  Vaughan. 


1326  Philippus    de  Caftro  GodcriQi,     1575  Thomas  Cavcrleyc,  the  firft  Pro- 


died  1328. 
1328   Hugh  de  A6lon. 

Philip  Sherer. 
1393  William  Brytlampton. 
1409  Thomas  Chamberleyn. 
14J0  Nicholas  Clerkclap. 
1420  Roger  Pert. 
1426  Robert  Pcwfey,  25  March. 
1447  Thomas  Knight. 
1450  John  Tornour. 
1453   Sir  John  Lewis 
1479  William  Croffe. 


teftant  minifter. 
1600  Mr.  Dickley. 

1612  Mr.  Waltfon. 

1613  Richard  Williams. 
1626  John  Norton,  M.  A. 
1690  Samuel  Payne. 
1721   Robert  Clark. 

1732   John  Sutton. 

1734  Samuel  Jocham,  12  September. 

1743  William  Prichard,  9  July. 

1750  John  Berjew,  19  July. 

1753  John  Davie,  9  May. 


In  the  year  1615,  the    20th  of  March,  Robert  Redwood  by  will  gave  an 
houfc    in  King-ftreet  adjoining  the   town  wall,  there  to  be  converted  to  a 

Q  Q  Q  2  library 


[     5o8     ] 

library  for  the  public  ufe,  and  ordained  that  the  vicar  of  St.  Leonard's  fliould 
be  librarian,  if  a  graduate  in  the  Univerfity  and  his  religion  anfwerablc 
thereto,  to  be  approved  of  by  the  mayor  and  aldermen.  This  houfe  with 
feme  additions  was  farther  granted  the  12th  of  April  1636,  by  Richard 
Vicaris  merchant  to  the  mayor  or  comonalty  to  the  fame  ufe.  The  27th  of 
October  1738,  it  was  agreed  by  a  committee  of  the  corporation  to  rebuild 
this  houfe,  now  become  ruinous,  from  the  ground,  of  the  following  dimen- 
tions,  38  feet  long,  25  feet  wide  in  the  clear,  with  cellars  underneath  and 
offices  not  exceeding  ten  feet  high  for  the  librarian,  and  the  library  room 
over  that  16  feet  high,  and  the  front  above  the  ground  fhould  be  built  with 
freeflone.  This  plan  was  executed  in  the  year  1739,  with  an  handfome 
elevation.  The  old  books  which  were  given  by  Tobias  Matthews,  Arch- 
bifliop  of  York,  a  native  of  Briftol,  and  various  people,  to  the  number  of 
500  were  depofited  during  the  building,  in  the  Council-houfe,  and  then 
brought  back  to  the  library  room,  and  replaced  in  elegant  oak  cafes.  In  the 
year  1738-9,  it  appears  ^\'m.  Jeffries  Efq;  mayor,  expended  in  building  the 
library,  -  -  -  -  -  184     6     7 

1739-40,  Stephen  Cluiterbuck  Efq;  mavor,      -  -  681      3     o 

Henry  Combe  Efq;  mayor,  -  -  435    18     6 

Total     /"  1301      8      1 
But  this  library    has  received  great  improvement  and  a  new  eRablifliment 
by  the  Briftol  Library  Society,  having  this  place  granted  them  witli  the  ufe  of 
the  books  of  the  old  library  by  the   corporation,  and  by  a   new  wing  being 
added  to  the  former  building  in    1786,    to  hold   the   number  of  books    now- 
added  yearly   to   the  former  coUeClion,  purchafcd  by  the  money  arifing  from 
the  annual   fubfcribers  and  other   bcnefaftors,    that  it   now   contains  a  large 
felefl:  coUeftion  of  books  in  various  fciences  and  languages  of  the  beft  editions, 
which  each  fubfcriber  under  certain  rules  and  regulations,  has   the  liberty   to 
take  home  to  perufe  at  his  leifure,  and  the  library   is   opened  three  times    in 
the  week  mornings  at  n  o'clock,  and  four  times  a  week  at  6  o'clock  in  the 
evenings,  for  the  citizens  fubfcribing  yearly  one  guinea  to  rcfort  there  to  read. 
Several  lands  and  tenements  were  given  to  this  church  for  obits  and  chaun- 
tries.     In  1482  Elias  Spelly  gave  lands  yielding  yearly  5I.  8s.   8d.  and  Agnes 
his  wife  ditto  il.  13s.  4d.  and  20  marks  in  money.     John  Barr,  in  1501,  gave 
40I.  to  buy  veftments,  and  60I.  for  achauntry  for  priefts   to  fing  for  his  foul 
lor  ten  years  after  his  death.     Wm.  Cooder,  2I.  per  ann.   and  a  chalice  wt.  23 
ounces  alfo  20  ounces  of  filver  to  make  the  oil  vat,  and  40I.  to  buy  the  bcfl  fuit 
of  blue  velvet  with  branches  of  gold.     Wm.  Wodington  gave  to  the  gilding  of 

the 


C  509  ] 

the  figures  of  our  Lady,  St.  Leonard,  and  St.  Giles,  61.  The  plate  belonging 
to  this  church  amounted  to  222  ounces  and  half,  which  was  taken  to  by  King 
Henry  8,  and  Edward  6,  and  13th  Auguft  1549  was  delivered  into  the  king's 
mint  of  Briftol  for  his  highnefs's  ufe  by  virtue  of  his  majefty's  letter,  the  jew- 
els and  plate  belonging  to  this  church  131b.  8  ounces  two  chalices  excepted  as 
appears  by  Mr.  Records  receipt.  In  1553  a  frefh  demand  was  made  upon 
the  parifh,  when  they  left  them  only  one  chalice,  wt.  g  oz.  and  three  bells. 
In  1424,  fome  remarkable  charges  occur  which  fhew  the  price  of  things  at 
that  time,  paid  2d.  for  a  quart  of  wine,  8d,  for  wafhing  the  fepulcre,  paid, 
for  two  facks  of  coaL^  2d.  (by  which  it  appears  coalpits  were  opened  near 
Briftol  as  early  as  that  year,)  paid  for  two  pounds  of  candles  2d.  In  the  year 
1476  the  annual  income  from  ground  rents  &c.  for  the  fupport  of  the  church 
amounted  to  9I.  18s.  4d.  In  1514,  it  amounted  to  nl.  18s.  4d.  In  1751, 
to  34I.   10s.  4d-. 


CHAP.      XIX. 
0/  Ike    CHURCH    and    PARISH    cf  Si.    STEPHEN. 

nf  HIS  church  is  dedicated  to  St.  Stephen  the  protomartyr,  and  former- 
-*•  ly  belonged  to  the  abbots  of  Glaftonbury,  who  were  probably  the 
founders,  being  patrons  of  it  till  the  diffolution.  It  paid  yearly  two  marks  to 
the  infirmary  of  that  abby,  (fee  Johann.  Glafton.  v.  2.  p.  417.)  which  was 
the  gift  of  Henry  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  about  the  year  1378  :  it  paid  alfo  a 
pound  of  cummin  to  Glaftonbury,  which  had  five  meft^uages  in  Briftol  fituated 
in  Marfh-flreet,  at  a  place  called  Glaftonbury-court  to  this  day.  The  church 
ftands  between  theoutwardandinward  walls  of  the  city  on  the  banks  of  the  Frome, 
which  ground  the  tide  formerly  flowed  over,  whence  the  ftrcet  adjoining  took 
the  name  of  Marfti-ftreet  alias  SkadpuU-ftreet,  the  river  Frome  running  nearer 
this  church  of  old  and  through  Baldwin-ftrcet  into  the  Avon:  it  is  frequently 
mentioned  in  very  old  deeds.  In  1304  the  re£lor  had  alegacy  left  him. 
"William  of  Worcefter,  p.  282.  fays,  "  The  height  of  the  tower  of  St.  Stephen 
from  the  erthe  table  to  the  gargylc  is  21  fathom  or  42  yards,  and   the  height 

from  i 


C    510    ]     ' 

from  the  gargyle  to  the  crope  which  finiflies  the  floiie  work  is  31  feet,  and  its 
breadth  the  eafl  and  weft  part  is  12  feet,  and  north  and  fouth  14  feet  and 
from  the  ground  to  its  very  deep  foundation  is  31  feet  ;  and  it  has  four  ftories, 
and  in  the  fourth  ftory  are  the  bells."  And  p.  235.  he  fays,  "  The  church  is 
30  yards  long  and  19  broad,  and  44  high,  and  has  feven  arches  on  each  fide 
and  feven  windows,  and  in  each  fide  and  each  window  four  dayes  ;  and  that 
the  tower  is  (p.  120.)  125  feet  high,  befides  31  feet  below  the  ground  ;  and 
(p.  268.)  that  the  foundation  for  building  is  here  fo  bad  that  they  dig  47  feet 
to  make  a  foundation,  and  that  they  found  a  boat  there  and  a  togh  of  bay 
cloth  and  a  great  tree  fquared  of  16  feet  long  found."  There  was  no  tower 
to  this  church  till  die  reign  of  Edward  4th.  about  1470.  Camden  fays,  (after 
Leland,  vol.  vii.  f.  61.)  it  was  ercfted  by  John  Shipward,  a  wealthy  mer- 
chant, with  great  charge  and  moft  curious  workmandiip.  This  is  confirmed 
by  an  old  infcription  formerly  on  painted  glafs  under  the  effigies  of  a  man  and 
■woman  in  the  great  weft  window,  now  deftroyed :  "  Orate  pro  animabus  Jo- 
haniiis  Shipward  ct  Catheriiiae  uxoris  ejus,  qui  Johannes  iftam  fencftram  fecit 
et  fuit  fpecialis  benefa£lor  hujus  ecclefiae."  This  tower  is  very  lofty  and 
finely  proportioned,  and  a  fpedator  is  ftruck  with  its  beauty.  It  has  from  the 
ground  to  the  top  177  ftone  fteps,  each  8  inches  high,  and  meafures  on  the 
cutfide  39  yards  and  1  foot,  and  is  adorned  on  the  top  with  four  neat  Gothic 
hollow  worked  pinnacles,  each  15  feet  high;  in  one  of  them  the  largeft  a 
bell  is  fixed  on  which  the  clock  ftrikes  the  hour.  In  1703  three  of  thefe  pin- 
nacles were  blown  down  in  a  hurricane  on  November  27,  which  by  their  fall 
did  great  damage  to  the  fouth  aile.  There  are  eight  bells  in  the  tower,  lately 
new  caft.  The  church  has  three  aUes,  the  middle  one  88  feet  long,  the  fouth 
aile  88  feet,  at  the  end  of  which  is  the  new  veftry  room  :  the  north  aile  60 
feet.  The  church  is  56  feet  broad  :  the  middle  aile  above  50  feet  high,  the 
fide  ailes  25  feet.  The  whole  church  is  neatly  wainfcoted,  and  was  new 
pewed  with  mahogany  by  a  fubfcriplion  of  the  parifhioners  in  1733.  There 
were  formerly  feven  chauntries  endowed  for  finging  mafs  for  the  fouls  of  the 
founders,  (fee  p.  63.)  According  to  the  Lincoln  manufcript,  this  church  was 
rated  at  fix  marks  and  a  half.  The  value  of  the  reftory  to  the  incumbent  is 
thus  to  be  computed,  viz.  in  Tucker-ftrcet  12I.  and  RedclifF-pit  5I.  at  Law- 
rence Wefton,  Glocefterfliire,  4I.  voluntary  contributions  and  furplice  fees 
make  the  whole  amount  to  about;  250I.  per  annum. 

In  Regift.  Wygor.  is  a  Latin  deed,  confirming  to  the  monks  of  Glaftonbury 
an  annual  pcnfion  out  of  this  church  of  two  marks  to  their  infirmary,  dated 

the 


[    51^     ] 

the  8th  of  the  calends  of  May,  1315.  In  1375  Richard  Brandon  gave  100 
fhillings  to  the  fabric,  and  1398  John  Vyel  "  legavit  ecclefiae  Stephani,''  i,  e. 
"  gave  to  the  church  of  St.  Stephen  one  ring  in  which  was  fet  a  ftone,  part  of 
the  very  pillar  to  which  Chrift  was  bound  at  the  fcourging,  to  be  kept  among 
the  relics  for  ever."  In  1473,  ^^^^  14th  of  December,  John  Shipward,  fenr. 
was  interred  here  :  he  left  large  eftates  to  the  poor,  efpeciallyto  the  fraternity 
of  St.  Clement,  and  gave  this  church  two  curious  miffals,  a  large  gilt  chalice, 
rich  veflments  for  the  high  altar,  the  Guillows-inn  in  High-ftreet  with  other 
tenements,  fix  gardens  for  two  chaplains  to  celebrate  his  obiit,  the  reClor  with 
nineteen  chaplains,  and  the  mayor,  fhcriffs,  and  their  officers  to  attend,  who 
where  to  choofe  the  chaplains,  and  difmifs  them  if  incorrigible.  Mrs.  Ann 
Peloquin  left  400I.  to  this  church,  and  her  houfe  in  Prince's- ftreet  for  the  per- 
petual habitation  of  the  vicar.  The  prefent  patron  is  the  King,  and  it  is  pre- 
fented  to  by  the  Lord  Chancellor.  The  learnedand  Rev.  Jofiah  Tucker,  D.  D.  is 
the  prefent  incumbent.  The  lands  and  ground  rents  belonging  to  this  church 
amount  to  about  50I.  per  annum.  At  the  diffolution  154  ounces  of  filver 
plate  belonging  to  this  church,  befides  many  coftly  veflments,  were  fold  for 
the  ufe  of  the  king. 


RECTORS  of  St.  Stephen's  Church. 

1504   Richard  Collyns,  mailer  of  St;. 


Patro.vs. 
Abbot  and  convent  of  Glaflonbury. 
1304  "Walter  de  Mynte. 
1330  William  de  Beynton, 
1337   Hugh  de  Babynton. 
1344  Walter  le  White. 
1348  Thomas  le  Younge. 
J360  Roger  le  Teflayre. 
1387  Thomas  Barton. 

William  Eflcourtc. 
1436  Robert  Catrykc. 
1438  John  Gomond. 
1465  John   Ilarlowe   de   Stoke,  died 

December  6,   i486. 
1480  William  Bokct. 
1494  Sir  Thomas  Manfon. 
1498  John  Eflrefeld,  A.  M. 


John's  hofpital,  Redclive.. 
The  Crown,   Patron. 
1554   Hugh  Jones. 
1562   John  Knight 
1588  John  Tyfon. 
1610  Alexander  Lawes. 
1621   Robert  Higgins. 
1628  Hugh  Hobfon, 

1641  Richard  Harward. 

1642  Henry  Jones,  chancellor  of  this- 

diocefe,  died  1695. 
1671    Nicholas  Penwarnc. 
1691    Charles  Livefay. 
1708  Thomas  Frankland. 
1731   Henry  Becher, 

1743 


[     5^2     ] 

1743  Alexander  Siopfoid  Catcott,  a     1749-50  Jofiah  Tucker,  D.  D,  the  prc- 
good  poet,  profound  linguift,  fent  incumbent,  1788. 

well  flcilled  in  the  Hebrew 
and  the  fcripture  philofophy, 
and  judicious  fchoolmallcr. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Stephen's  PariOi. 

/.     5.     d. 
1594,  Alderman  Robert  Kitchen  gave  10s.  a  quarter  for  ever  40     o     o 

1674,  Mr.  John  Dymer,  fome  time  fheriff  of  this  city,  gave  lol. 

the  profit  thereof  in  bread  quarterly  for  ever  -  10     o     o 

Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Joan  Langton, 
widows,  gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  10s.  apiece  to  52 
poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  St. 
Stephen's  hath  apart 
1678,  Mr.  John  Miner,  mariner,  gave  two  tenements  and  a  cellar, 
the  profit  to  be  employed  for  the  binding  of  apprentices 
of  Teamen's  fons  for  ever;  alfo  the  moiety  of  fix  tene- 
ments, a  flable,  and  two  gardens,  for  the  maintenance 
of  a  fermon  to  be  preached  in  St.  Stephen's  church  the 
firft  Friday  in  every  month  for  ever,  and  20I.  the  profit 
thereof  to  be  given  in  bread  to  the  poor  the  beginning 
of  December  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -         20     o     o 

1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah   Holloway,  merchant,  gave   20I.    the  profit 

in  bread  to  the  poor  of  St.  Stephen's  parifli  for  ever  2000 

Mr.  Thomas  Ware,  roap-maker,  gave  gd.  a  week  in  bread 

for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  3850 

1686,  Elizabeth  Dickefon  gave  5I.  the  profit  in  four-penny  bread 

the  2d  of  February  for  ever         -  -  -  500 

1687,  Mr.  George  Morris,  a  member  of  the  common  council, 

gave  20I.  the  profit  to  the  poor  at  Chriftmas  and  Eafier 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  20     00 

Sir  William  Cann,  Knight  and  Bart,  gave  lool.  to  four 
pariflics  in  this  city,  whereof  this  hath  a  quarter  part, 
the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed  to  the  poor  the  8th 
of  January  for  ever  -  -  -*  -1000 

1690,  Mrs.  Margaret  Abbey  gave  40I.  to  the  poor,  which  was 
diflributed  according  to  her  will,  and  given  in  bread  every 
J.ord's-day  .  -  _  .  -40     00 

1594. 


C    5^3     ] 

159-i,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchen,  mayor  and  alderman   of  this    city,      /.     i.     di 
gave  IS.  per  week  for  ever  _  _  _  52     o     o 

1637,  Mr.  Francis  Derrick,  merchant  of  this  city,  dcceafed,  gave 

is.  per  week  for  ever  -  _  _  5200 

1638,  The  parifhionersof  this  parifli  have  purchafcd  5I.   4s.  per 

annum  for  2s.  per  week  in  bread  to  the  poor  for  ever        104     o     o 
Mr.  William  Eaton  and  Mary  his  wife,  of  this  parifh,  dc- 
ceafed, gave  lid.  per  week  for  ever  -  -  47   10     o 
1649,  ^''-  Richard  Long,  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  dc- 
ceafed, gave  60I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  weekly, 
paid  by  the  chamberlain  3I.  per  annum         -              -         60     o     o 
1659,  Humphrey  Hooke,  Efq;  twice  mayor  and  alderman  of  this 
city,  gave   4s.   in  bread  and  4s.   in  coal  weekly   to  the 
poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever             _                _              _         416     o     o 
1661,  Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  fome  time  flieriff  of  this  city,  gave  10s. 

a  quarter  to  a  poor  houfe-holder  for  ever  -  40     o     o 

1701,  Arthur  Grant  gave  20I.  the  profit  to  be  diftributed  at 
Chriflmas  yearly  to  four  poor  houfe-holders  not  receiv- 
ing alms  --  -  -  -  20  00 
1709,  Captain  John  Price,  late  of  this  city,  gave  to  the  church- 
wardens of  this  parifh  lol.  the  interefl  thereof  to  be 
given  to  the  poor  in  bread  on  Twelfth  day  yearly  for 
ever               -                -                -                -                -              10     00 

1713,  Mrs.  Mar)'  Showell,  of  this   parifl),  widow,  gave  lol.   the 

interefl  thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  on  the  firfl  Friday 

after  the  18th  of  Augufl  yearly  for  ever  -  10     o     o 

1714,  Mr.  Ifaac  Elton,  of  this  parifh,  merchant,  and  member  of 

the  common  council,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be 
diflributed  in  bread  and  coal  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli, 
not  receiving  aim.-;,  on  the  2 2d  day  of  November 
yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1722,  Captain  John  Williams,  of  the  ifland  of  CaUly,  in  Pem- 
brokefhire,  gave  jol.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to 
the  poor  in  bread  on  the  25th  day  of  Augufl  yearly  for 
ever,  by  the  churchwardens  -  -  -1000 

Mr.  William  Proffer,  needle-maker,  gave  20I.  the  profit 
to  a  poor  family,  having  more  than  one  child  and  not 
receiving  alms»  on  the  i6ih  of  Augufl  for  ever,  by  the 
churchwardens  -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

R  R  R  ■^7271 


C   514    ] 

»727,  Mr.  John  Newman,  of  this  parifh,  plumber,  gave  26I.  the       /.     5.     d. 
intereft  to  tlie  poor  in  bread  weekly  for  ever  -  26     o     o 

J 701,  Mr.  William   Freke,    merchant,    gave    50I.     the    interefl 

thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  yearly  for  ever  5000 

1732,  Mr.  Thomas  Freke,  merchant,  gave  50I.  the  interefl  thereof 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  yearly  for  ever  -  5000 

Mr.  James  Couch,  apothecary,  gave  lol.  the  interefl  thereof 
to  four  poor  widows,  not  receiving  alms,  on  Michaelmas- 
day  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  1000 

1738,  Mr.  James  Brown,  of  this  parifli,  gave  lol.  the  interefl 
thereof  to  poor  people,  not  receiving  alms,  on  Good 
Friday  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  lo     o     o 

1744,  A  dial  over  the  weft  door,  the  gift  of  Mr.  Thomas  Horwood, 
of  this  parifli. 

1639,  Alderman  George  Harrington,  of  this  city,  gave  40s.  per 

annum  to  four  houfekeepers  for  ever  -  -  40     o     o 

1781,  Mrs.  .'\nn  Peloquin  gave  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  400I.  and 

a  houfe  for  the  re^Efors        _  _  _  _  ^00     o     o 

The  following  are  the  principal   MONUMENTS  of  this  Church. 

In  it  was  buried  the  9th  of  April  1575,  Margery  wife  of  George  Snigge, 
Efq;  who  this  year  was  mayor   of  Briflol,  flie   died  of  the  plague. 

George  Snigge,  Efq;  alderman,  was  buried  the  13th  of  P'cb.  1582. 

Sir  George  Snigge,  Knt.  Son  of  the  above  George  Snigge,  was  buried  the 
23d  of  December,  1617.  He  died  the  11th  of  Nov.  and  lay  in  flate  fix 
weeks,  at  Merchant  Taylor's  Hall  in  Broad-flreet,  from  which  hall  he  was 
conveyed  to  this  church  and  buried. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  chancel  where  "the  communion  table,  now  flands, 
againfl  the  altar,  was  the  tomb  of  Sir  George  Snigge,  Km.  being  incloled 
with  iron  grating,  and  thereon  a  flatue  leaning  on  his  right  fide,  in  the  habit 
of  a  judge.  His  body  was  buried  in  a  leaden  cofTin  under  the  monument, 
but  when  the  church  was  new  pewed  with  mahogany  in  the  year  1733,  this 
monument  was  taken  down  and  removed  to  tlic  cad  end  of  the  fouth  aile 
where  it  now  flands,  with  a  Latin  infcription  tranflated  into  Englifli  thus  : 

"  Here  lies  the  body  of  George  Snigge  Knt.  ferjeant  at  law,  one  of  the  Barons 
of  the  Exchequer,  a  mofl  fldlful  judge,  formerly  recorder  of  this  famous 
city,  who  ill  his  life  time  zcaloufly  applied  himfelftothe  worfliip  of  God  ; 
he  impartially  adminifleredjuflice,  was  a  diligent  promoter  of  virtue,  and  a 
fevere  oppofer  of  vice;  he  was  always  a  charitable  reliever  of  the  poor  and 
needy.      He  died  to  the  great  lofs  and  grief  of  this  his  honoured  city  and  much 

loved 


[    5^5    ] 

loved  country  (whofc  interefl  he  had  always  at  heart)  the  nth  day    of  Nov. 
1617,  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age. 

His  loving  daughter  Ann  Snigge  hath  erefled  and  dedicated  this  monument 
in  perpetual  tcflimony  of  her  pious  gratitude  and  duty  to  her  moft  deai? 
father. 

Conditur  hoc  tumulo  juris  lequamque  pcritusj 

Jus  aliis  vitae  dixerat  atque  necis ; 
Jus  rigidum  favas  mortis  vitare  nequivit. 

Omnia  fub  leges  quas  vocat  atra  fuas. 
At  vero  fpolium,mors  atra  reportat  opimuni, 

Exultans  viclrix,  lo  triumpe,  canat. 
Eripuit,  fateor,  miferam  mors  improbavitam,' 

Morbis,  zerumnis,  anxietate  gravem. 
Afl  iuvita  refert  etiam  mors  improbavitam, 

Plenam  caelefli  lumine  luce  Dei. 
Eripuit  veros  quos  praebet  mundus  honores, 
Caeleftique  dedit  femper  honore  frui. 
Againfl:  a  pillar  is  a  neat  monument  to  "  Thomas  Freke,  Efq;  merchant,  and 
Frances  his  wife  and  five  children,  flie  died  the  22d  of  Nov.   1724,  aged  31, 
he  died  the  12th  of  July  1732,  aged  38.     Arms  barre  or  and  fable  on  a  chief 
3  mullets  of  the  ift." 

Another  handfome  monuhient  to  '^  Martin  Pring,  merchant,  fometimc 
general  to  the  EaO.  Indies,  &c. 

Hie  terris  multum  ja£latus  et  undis. 
He  died  1626,  aged  46." 

Another  to  "  John  Frankland,  D.  D.  dean  of  Gloucefler,  and  mafter  of 
Sidney  College,  Cambridge,  22  years  reftor  of  this  parifli,  he  died  Sept. 
the  3d  1730,  aged  56." 

On  a  ftone  is  an  infcription  to  "  Sir  Humphry  Hook,  of  Kingfwefton  in 
the  county  of  Gloucefler,  he  died  the  16th  of  OClober,  1677,  and  his  wife 
Florence  daughter  of  Sir  Hugh  Smyth  of  Long  Afliton,  Bart,  fhe  died  the 
3d  of  Sept.  1692,  aged  60,  alfo  2  fons  and  4  daughters." 

Another  to  "  Samuel  Clarke,  merchant,  who  died  the  20th  of  Ocl.  1679, 
Caelum  erat  in  votis  vivi,  port  fata  potitum, 
Affequitur  vitam  vitabeata  piam. 
In  the  fouth  aile  is  a  monument  to  "  Robert  Kitchen  and  his  wife,  he  died 
the  5th  of  Sept.  1594,  he  was  a  great  benefaflor  to  the  poior  of  this  city." 

R  r.  R  2  'I'hc 


[    5^6    ] 

The  parifh  of  St.  Siephen  is  large,  extending  from  along  Clare-ftreet,  the 
Quay,  iMarfh-nrcet,  King-ftrcet,  Prince's-ftreet,  into  the  Square,  one  half 
of  which  is  in  this  parifh,  in  which  was  a  chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Clement, 
now  demoliflied  :  on  the  fite  of  it  is  built  a  fpacious  hall  for  the  Society  of 
Merchant  \'enturers,  incorporated  by  King  Edward  6th's.  letters  patent,  and 
afterwards  confirmed  by  Queen  Elizabeth  and  King  Charles  ift.  It  is  built 
of  frceftone,  and  confills  of  two  noble  lofty  rooms,  forming  the  fliapc  of  an  L, 
adorned  in  the  infide  with  the  portraits  in  full  length  of  fome  principal  mer- 
chants, benefaftors  to  the  fociety  and  the  commonalty  of  BriRol.  The  bed 
idea  of  it  may  be  formed  by  viewing  the  plate.  This  fociety  are  feized  of 
divers  manors,  lands,  and  tenements  in  trufl,  for  the  maintenance  and  fupport 
of  fundry  hofpitals,  fchools,  and  almflioufes,  particularly  thofc  of  Edward 
Colfton,  Efq;  once  a  worthy  member  and  great  ornament  of  this  fociety,  as 
he  was  an  honour  and  blefhng  to  the  houman  race,  of  whom  fee  p.  443.  In 
1699  they  built  their  left  wing  of  their  almflioufe  for  poor  failors  and  their 
widows,  contiguous  to  their  hall,  rebuilt  the  old  one,  and  united  both  angles, 
for  the  maintenance  of  nineteen  men  and  twelve  women  ;  fix  of  the  men 
have  2s.  a  week  granted  them  by  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  by  fee  farm  rents 
for  ever. 

The  merchants  and  traders  of  Briftol  not  free  of  this  corrpany  pay  certain 
fees  for  wharfage  on  fhipping  goods,  which  freemen  of  the  city  and  company 
are  exempted  from,  which  produces  a  confiderable  income  to  this  fociety, 
who  hold  it  as  lelTees  under  the  corporation  for  90  years.  The  leafe  lately 
expired  has  been  again  renewed. 

I  find  in  a  deed  the  "  Senefchallos  Gild^e  Mercatorum"  mentioned  as  early 
as  1 240,  which  proves  the  exiRence  then  of  a  gild  of  merchants  in  Briftol,  and 
to  have  been  of  great  antiquity. 

In  1595  the  poor  in  the  Merchants  almfhoufe  were  maintained  by  one 
penny  in  the  pound  on  feamcn's  wages,  and  three  halfpence  on  every  ton  of 
(hipping  ;  but  thefc  payments  are  now  difcontinued,  and  others  fubftituted  for 
the  relief  of  feamen  in  diftrefs,  under  the  title  of  the  Seaman's  Hofpital,  for 
which  a  fund  is  rifen  but  no  building  ercfled. 

The  Ouay  conduit,  fo  ufcful  not  only  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  parifli,  but 
alfo  to  the  merchants  \yhofe  fhips  are  fupplied  with  water  and  the  water  cafks 
belonging  to  them  arc  oftentimes  filled  there,  was  in  the  year  1601  built  anew, 
for  which  work  this  parifh  gave  lol.  Mr.  J.  Barker,  merchant,  25I.  and  the 
chamber  of  Briftol  was  at  the  remaining  expcnce.  The  water  is  brought  in 
lead  pipes  from  Clafs  Mill,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  city.     This  conduit  was 

removed 


renioved  in  1782,  when  the  tontine  warehoufes  were  built,  and  the  old  houfcs 
in  the  Fifli-market  taken  down  and  a  new  and  commodious  ftreet  built  called 
Stcphen's-flreet  in  their  place. 

The  acl  for  ihe  relief  and  fupport  of  maimed  and  difabled  feamcn  and  the 
widows  and  children  of  fuch  as  fliall  be  killed,  flain,  or  drowned  in  the  Mer- 
chants fcrvice  was  made  in  17.17,  the  20th  of  George  2d. 

The  corporation  of  the  Merchant  Venturers  of  Briftol  are  appointed  truflees 
for  the  duties  received  there. 

The  fund  arifes  from  6d.  per  month  to  be  paid  by  fcamen  in  the  Merchants 
fervice  from  all  fliips  belonging  to  Eriflol,  and  the  mafters  of  fhips  are  im- 
powered  to  keep  in  their  hands  6d.  per  month  out  of  the  wages,  fliares,  or 
other  profits,  payable  to  each  fcaman. 

No  hofpital  is  built,  though  ground  was  once  laid  out  for  it  under  Brandon- 
hill,  it  being  alledged  the  truftces  can  relieve  many  more  unfortunate  objects. 


C   II   A   P.      XX. 


0/  (he   CHURCH    0/  S/.   PETER    and    Si.  PAUL,    and   thai   of 
St,   MARY  LE  PORT. 


TT  is  a  reclorv,  founded  before  the  Xorman  Conqucd  by  one  of  the  Anglo- 
-*■  Saxon  Kings  or  Earls  of  Glocefler  foon  after  the  caftlc,  to  which  it  feemcd 
at  one  time  to  have  belonged.  And  when  the  earldom  of  Glocefler  was  given 
to  Robert  Fitzhamon  the  founder  of  Tcwkfliury  monaOery,  he  gave  this  rec- 
tory to  it;  and  in  1130  Simon  Rifliop  of  Worccder  confirmed  by  deed  all  the 
churches  to  that  monaOery  which  it  then  pofTcircd,  among  which  the  church 
of  St.  Peter  of  Bricflon  with  the  tythcs  of  the  rents  of  Bricflon  is  particularly 
mentioned  with  its  appurtenances  within  the  caRle  of  Briftol  (which  it  had 
anciently  enjoyed)  as  well  as  out  of  the  domains  of  the  borough  of  the  town. — 
In  1106  King  Henry  ift.  confirmed  all  things  given  by  Robert  Fitzhamon  and 
others  to  the  church  of  Tewkfbury,  among  which  is  the  church  of  St.  Peter  of 
Briflol,  then  written  Bricflou,  and  the  tythes  of  the  rents  of  Briflol.  (Atkyns's 
Clocefferfliirc,  p.  738.}     And  in  the  year   1191    Henry  Bifhop  of  W'orcefler 

by 


[    5^8    ] 

by  his  charter  teftifies  that,  on  the  preTentation  of  the  monks  of  Tewkfbury,  he 
had  admitted  Richard  Cumblain  to  the  moiety  of  the  church  of  St.  Peter, 
vhich  Stephen  de  Ripum  held  before  him,  paying  a  yearly  penfion  out  of 
it  of  3$.  to  the  church  of  St.  James  in  Briftol,  then  a  cell  to  Tewkfbury.  In 
the  IJncoln  manufcript,  1291,  lis.  was  paid  to  the  prior  of  St.  James,  and  in 
1553  augmented  to  20s.  per  annum,  afterwards  received  by  Henry  Brayne, 
Efq;  the  purchafer  of  this  and  other  churches  of  Henry  8th.  at  thedilfolution. 

It  was  fituated  near  to  the  wall  of  the  caftlc  next  the  barbicana  caftri,  de- 
fcribed  to  be  at  the  eafl;  end  of  the  church.  It  has  three  ailes,  the  north  and 
fouth  being  96  feet  long,  the  middle  is  111  feet  long  ;  their  height  about  36  feet  • 
the  width  of  the  whole  body  of  the  chuixh  is  54  feet.  The  arched  roofs  co- 
vered with  Cornifli  tiles  are  fupported  with  feven  neat  pillars  of  frecdonc,  on 
which  are  turned  fix  arches.  The  tower  is  large  and  plain,  not  very  lofty,  26  yards 
and  1  foot  high,  with  four  pinnacles  of  folid  freeftone,  each  about  12  feet 
high,  and  battlements  round  it._    It  has  eight  bells,   with  a  clock  and  dial. 

This  church  was  decaying  and  out  of  repair,  and  1749  a  faculty  was  ob- 
tained out  of  the  Bifliop's  Court  to  repair  and  beautify  the  whole,  which  coft 
upwards  of  800I.  out  of  which  42  il.  12s.  was  raifed  by  a  pound  rate  on  the 
land  holders  at  4s.  3d.  in  the  pound,  and  the  reft  taken  up  on  the  parifli  fecu- 
rity.  At  the  eaft  end  of  the  fouth  aile  was  a  chapel,  dedicated  to  the  honour 
of  the  Blcffcd  Mary  of  Bellhoufc.  It  belonged  to  a  fraternity  then  newly  be- 
gan fo  called,  to  which  ^\'illiam  Spicer  in  the  year  1500  gave  a  garden  and 
houfe  in  Marfliall-ftrcct,  as  did  others.  John  Eftcrfield  in  1504  had  a  yearly 
obiit  folemnized  here  for  ever  on  the  18th  of  February. 

RECTORS. 

Patroks.  1362   Pctrus  dc  \\'oodmancote. 

Abbot  and  convent  of  Tewkfbury-  1369  Nicholas  de  Walfebourne. 

1181   Stephen  de  Ripum.  1384  Thomas  Vcfey. 

1184   Richard  Cumblain*  1392  Thomas  Pine. 

1224   David .  1399  John  Grey. 

1285   Robert  de  Lcche.  1401    James  Fitz  Hugh. 

1288  Gregory  de  Wanbcrge.  1409  Thomas  Lye. 

1332  John  de  Draycotc.  1425   Thomas  Stevens. 

1333  ]ohn  de  Kemefegh.  1431   William  Edwards. 
1338  Richard  de  Grencville.  1446  Robert  Loude. 
1347   John  de  Wolfringion.  1450   Hugh  Pavis. 
1352   Philip  Maris.  1462  Thomas  Bcver. 

15^4 


[    5^9    ] 


1464  Nicholas  Smyth. 
1488   William  Tyfher. 
1499  John  Thomas. 
1510  ^\'illiam  Fadur. 
1526  John  Williams 
1533   John  White. 
1542   John  Pill. 
1546  Sir  John  ap  Howel. 

Corporation,   Patrons. 
1561   Sir  John  ap  Alrede. 
1565   Robert  Commandrc. 
1574   David  Martyn. 


1582  Thomas  James. 
1610  John  Burnley. 
1618   Robert  Pritchard. 
1642   John  Blagroe. 
1664   Robert  Forfith. 
1667    jofias  Pleydell. 
1689  Hugh  Waterman. 
1746  John  Jones. 
1760  Dr.  Barry 
1781   Thomas  Broughton. 


M    O    X    U    M    E    N    T    S. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  church  on  a  large  flat  flone  were  three  brafs  figures, 
now  taken  away,  and  the  following  infcription:  "  Sub  hoc  marmore  tumula- 
tum  eft  corpus  clariffimi  viri  Johannis  Efterfield,  hujus  oppidi  mercatoris  et  ejuf- 
dembismaioris  et  aldcrmanniuna  cum  corporibus  Alicia;,  fcolaftica?,  et  Matildis 
uxorum  cjufdcm  Johannis,  qui  obiit  18  Feb.  A.  D.  1507,  quorum  anima- 
buspropitietur  Deus."     Underneath  on  a  fcroll :  "  Domine  mi  miferere  mei." 

In  the  middle  aile  on  a  large  ftone  were  three  biafs  figures  for  Andrew 
Norton,  Efq;  and  his  wives  Elizabeth  and  Helen,  he  died  the  ift  of  Sept. 
1527. 

In  the  fame  aile  is  a  magnificent  monument  to  the  memory  of  Robert  Aid- 
worth,  merchant  and  alderman  of  this  city,  who  died  the  6th  of  Nov.  1634, 
with  a  long  latin  infcription.      He  was  a  great  benefactor  to  this  city. 

In  the  north  aile  a  monument  to  George  Harrington,  Efq;  mayor  and 
alderman  of  this  city,  he  died  the  2d  of  Jan.   i68g. 

Upon  a  ftone  in  the  middle  aile  was  this  "  Sir  John  Cadaman,  Knt.  was 
beheaded  in  the  caftle,  for  killing  Miles  Callowhill  an  ofiiccr  of  the  garrifon, 
while  Prince  Rupert  had  poffeffion  of  Briftol,  and  was  buried  la  this  church 
the  gth  of  April,   1645. 

In  the  fouth  aile  is  a  very  large  tomb  within  a  Gothic  arch,  adorned  with 
a  great  deal  of  curious  workmanfliip  and  various  arms  without  any  infcription, 
there  is  the  figure  of  a  lady  carved,  lying  upon  the  tomb  who  was  of  the 
family  of  the  Newtons,  of  Barrs  Court,  Glocefterfliire,  as  appears  from  the  arms. 

In  the  churchvard  was  buried  the  poet  Savage,  who  having  experienced  a 
variety  of  good  and  bad  fortune,  at  length  died  in  Newgate,  and  was  buried 
here,    Newgate  being  in  this  parifli. 

Near 


C   520   ] 

Near  the  churchA'aid  was  formerly  an  almflioufc,  now  dcHroycd,  ercfted 
bv  Robert  Aldworth,  whoalfo  built  the  parfonagc-honfe,  oppofite  to  which  is 
St.  Peter's  pump  or  well  of  St.  Edith,  remarkable  for  fine  water. 

St.  Peier's  church  plate  confiRs  of  one  flnggon,  y.^y  ounces,  coft  20I.  17s. 
4d.  infcribed,  "  Ex  dono  parochianorum  in  ufum  facrae  euchariftia-,  A.  D. 
1G82,"  one  filvcr  chalice,   1570,   tuo  filvcr  plates,   1682. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Peter's  Parini. 

1625,  Mr.  Richard  W'icLham   gave  42I.  8s.  the  profit  thereof  to  the   poor 
for  ever. 
Mr.  Chriftopher  Kedgwine  gave  los.  a  year  for  a  fermon  for  ever. 
Mr,  Thomas  Clements  gave  a  houfc  for  two  fermons  yearly,  and    the 

reft  to  the  poor  for  ever. 
Mr.  Robert  Aid  worth  gave  lool.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1591,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchen  gave  40s.  a  year  to  the  poor  for  ever, 

1639,  Mr.  George  Harrington  gave  40s.  a  year  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1658,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Spurt  gave  40s.  February  17,  1657,  ^os.  for  a  fermon 
the  29th  of  June  and  20s.  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  yearly  for  ever. 

1661,  Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  fome  time  flierifF,  gave  los.  a  quarter  to  a  poor 
houfe-holder  for  ever. 

1673  Mr.  Henry  Northall  gave  a  houfe  in  Broadmead  for  the  ufc  of  the  poor 
for  ever. 

1661,  Mr.  Wniiam  Balman  gave  52s.  yearly  to  the  poor  alms-folks  of  this 
parifh,  being  i2d.  in  bread  every  Lord's-day  for  ever. 

1677,  Mrs.  Mary  Davis  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  10s.  for  a  fermon  on   the 
1 7th  of  July,  the  reft  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever. 
Mrs.    Mary  Boucher  and  her   daughter  Mrs.  Joan   Eangton,  widows, 
gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  los.  apiece  to  52  poor  widows  of  this 
city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this  parifh  hath  a  proportion. 

ifj'i2.  Mr.  Vincent  Thorn,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor 
for  ever. 

1683,  William  ColRon,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  two  poor 
houfckeepcrs  of  this  parifh  yearly  forever. 

1685,  Mr.  Nicholas  Tilly,  of  this  parifh,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  in  two- 
penny bread  to  poor  houfekeepers  weekly  for  ever. 

168G,  Mr.  Samuel  Hall,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  weekly  to  the 
poor  in  bread  forever,  andalfothe  intercftof  230I.  towards  the  plac- 
ing apprentices  of  poor  children  in  fevcn  pariflies  of  this  city  yearly 
for  ever,  of  which  this  parifh  is  one. 

1688, 


[      521       ] 

i688,  John  Lawford,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,   gave 
i2d.  a  week,  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever. 

1690,  Mr.  Edward  Tilly,  of  this'  parifh,  gave  lool.  to  four  parifhes  in  this 

city,  whereof  this  parifh  hath  a  quarter  part,  the  profit  thereof  to 
be  given  weekly  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever. 

1691,  Edward  Fielding,  Efq;  and  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  2ol.  the  profit 

thereof  to  be  given  to  two  poor  houfekeepcrs  of  this  parifli  (receiv- 
ing no  alms)  on  St.  Thomas's-day  yearly  for  over,  and  formerly 
gave   lol.  towards  fetting  up  the  bells. 

1692,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fielding,  widow,  gave  lol.  the   profit  thereof  to   one 

poor  inhabitant  of  this  parifli  (receiving  no  alms)  on  St.  Thomas's- 
day  yearly  for  ever. 

1695,  Mr.  William  Opie,  fome  time  fherifF  of  this  city,  and  inhabitant  of 
this  parifli,  gave  26s.  a  year,  to  be  given  weekly  in  bread  to  three 
poor  people  of  this  parifh  for  ever. 

1699,  Mrs.  Ann  Longman  gave  1951.  to  the  poor  of  this  city,  of  which  this 
parifli  hath  a  part. 
Samuel  Wallis,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  gave 
20s.  for  preaching  a  fermon  annually  in  this  church  on  the  day  of 
elefting  a  governor,  cS:c.  for  the  better  providing  for  the  poor  of  this 
city,  and  5s.  to  the  clerk  and  fexton  to  be  divided  between  them, 
received  from  the  treafurer  of  St.  Peter's  Hofpital. 

1698,  Mr.  Thomas  Harris,  late  of  this  parifli,  apothecary,  left  lol.  to  be  dif- 

tributed  to  five  poor  houfekeepcrs,   10s.  each,  for  four  years. 

1699,  John  Hicks,   Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  the 

profit  of  a  houfe  in  Temple-flreet,  to  be  didributed  yearly  to  fix  of 
the  poorefl  men  or  women  of  this  parifh  (not  receiving  alms)   on 
the  13th  day  of  February  for  ever. 
1703,  Mr.   Richard  Beauchamp,  late  of  this  parifli,   now  of  London,  gave 
30I.  the  profit  to  be  diflributcd  io  three   poor  houfekccpers  of  this 
parifli  (not  receiving  alms)  on  Good  Friday  for  ever. 

1706,  Mr.  Robert  Berkeley,  late  of  this  parifh,  gave  the  fum  of  lool,   the 

profit  thereof  to  be  employed  for  the  placing  of  a  poor  boy  of  this 
parifh  apprentice  every  year  for  ever,  the  faid  boy  not  belonging  to 
the  Mint. 

1707,  Mrs.  Sufanna  Havncs,  of  this  parifli,  gave  30I.   the  profit  thereof  to  be 

diflributcd  among  fix  poor  women  of  this  parifli  equally  on  the  13111 
of  April  yearly  for  ever. 

S  s  s  1713, 


C      522       ] 

ijt2,  Mrs.  Hannah  Fielding,  daughter  of  Alderman  Fielding,  gave  20I.  tlie 
profit  thereof  for  the  keeping  at  fchool  a  poor  child  or  children  of 
this  parifh  yearly  for  ever. 

1714,  SirWilliam  Clutterbuck,  Knight,  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of  thi>s 
city,  gave  40I.  to  this  parifli,  the  profit  thereof  to  be  given  to  the 
poor  in  bread  every  Lord's-day  for  ever. 
Thomas  Trye,  of  Hanham,  Efq;  gave  40I.  to  this  parifh,  the  profit 
thereof  to  the  payment  of  40s.  per  annum  for  ever  to  the  minifter  of 
the  faid  parifh,  for  inftrufting  the  youth  in  the  church  catechifm 
during  the  time  of  Lent. 

1720,  Mr.  John  Short,  of  the  Caftle  Precinfls,  gave  30I.  the  profit  to  four 
poor  widows  of  this  parifh  (not  receiving  alms)  on  the  ift  of  Novem- 
yearly  for  ever. 

1724,  Mr.  Richard    Gravett,   Efq;  gave    20!.    the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor 
of  this  parifh  on  the  firfl  Sunday  in  every  month  for  ever. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fitzall,  of  the  Caftle  Precinds,  gave  the  fum  of  tool, 
the  intereft  of  it  to  be  diflributcd  half  yearly  in  bread  among  poor 
houfekeepers  in  this  parifh  (not  receiving  alms.) 

1728,  Thomas  Moor,  Efq;  of  St.  Michael's  parifh  in  this  city,  gave  50I. 
the  intereft  thereof  to  be  laid  out  by  the  churchwardens  in  cloath- 
ing  poor  houfekeepers  in  this  parifh  on  the  4th  of  January  yearly, 
and  one  moiety  of  81.  15s.  being  the  ground  rent  of  two  houfes  on 
St.  James's-back,  to  be  likewife  laid  out  by  the  churchwardens  in 
cloathing  poor  men  on  St,  Thomas's-day  yearly  for  ever. 

1753,  Mr.  James  Birch,  late  of  this  parifli,  gave  60I.  the  profit  thereof  for  a 
fcrmon  in  this  church  and  a  dinner  for  the  veflrv  on  the  10th  of 
December  yearly  for  ever. 
1746,  The  Rev.  Mr.  Hugh  Waterman,  fifty-fcven  years  reftor  of  this  parifh, 
gave  lool.  viz.  20s.  part  of  the  intereft  thereof  for  a  fermon  the 
fecond  Sunday  in  Auguft;  the  remaining  intereft  to  cloath  fonie 
poor  pcrfon  or  pcrfons  of  this  parifh  (frequenting  the  communion  of 
the  church  of  England)  at  Chriftmas  for  ever. 

Thp  ground  rents  and  tenements  belonging  to  this  church  eftate  produce 
about  Sol.  per  annum,  befidcs  renewals.  This  parifh  is  of  no  large  extent, 
confifting  only  of  203  houfes  in  1749,  paying  225I.  poor  rate  to  St.  Peter's 
Hofpital  at  1  lid  in  the  pound.  This  hofpital  was  erected  at  the  great  houfc 
in  St.  Peter's  church  yard,  formerly  inhabited  by  Thomas  Norton,  Efq;  M.  P. 
for  this  city  in  isgg  &c.  afterwards  by  Robert  Aldworth,  Efq;  and  in  the 

years 


[    523    ] 

years  tSgG,  and  1697,  the  7th  and  8th  of  William  3d.  the  hofpital  wag 
cftabliflied  by  aCl  of  parliament,  with  a  governor  and  deputy  governor,  trea- 
furer  and  guardians.  The  money  they  -were  empowered  to  raife  in  the  year 
1696,  for  the  city  poor  was  2380I.  i6.s.  in  1716,  3500I.  in  1736,  3500I. 
in  1756,  4500I.  in  1763  it  was  6842I.  7s.  g~d.  and  in  1783,  16548!.  12s.  2^6. 
which  maJces  the  fum  of  9706I.  4s.  5d.  increafe  of  expenditure  in  20  years, 
owing  c?liiefly  to  the  number  of  poor  gaining  fettlemcnts  by  renting  houfcs  of 
lol.  a  year,  and  being  charged  and  paying  in  their  own  name  to  the  poor 
rates.  Befides  being  ereCled  as  an  hofpital  for  the  fupport  of  the  poor  of  the 
city,  fundry  benefaflions  were  given  at  different  times  to  eftablifli  an  infirmary 
there  for  the  relief  of  the  fick  and  difeafed,  which  amounted  in  the  whole  to 
4905I.  10s.  od.  as  appears  by  the  tables  in  the  committee  room.  The  cor- 
poration of  the  poor  have  a  feal,  being  a  hive  of  bees  flying  about,  with  this 
infcription,  "  Sigillum  Guber  :  dep :  Ga;b  :  affiftant :  ct  Guardian  -  pauper: 
Civitat :  Briftol  :"   with  this  motto  "  Hyemis  memorcs  Eeftate  laborant." 

Newgate  in  this  parifh  was  built  by  a  tax  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  city,  for 
fcvcry  lool.  ftock  is.  6d.  for  every  20I.  per  annum  3d.  It  bears  the  follow- 
ing infcription  on  the  front. 

yEdificatum 
Sumptibus  Civium  et  incolarum 
Hujus  Civitatis. 
Anno  Domini  MDCXCI 
Johanne  Knight  Equite  Prastore 

Roberto  Dowdin      ^ 

,,„„,,  >  Vicecomitibus. 

Johanne    \  eamans   ) 

SECT.    II.— 0/  the   CHURCH    of  Si.  MARY    L  E  P  O  R  T. 

1 T  is  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  moft  probably  had  William  Earl  of 
Clouccltcr  for  its  founder:  for  he  is  expreily  faid  about  11  70,  in  the  time 
of  Henry  the  2d.  to  have  granted  and  confirmed  this  church  to  the  priory  of 
Keynfliam,  for  the  fuftcntation  of  the  canons  there,  as  appears  in  the  recital 
of  King  Edv.-ard  2d  deed  dated  5th  Jan.  1318,  confirming  that  donation. 
In  the  Lincoln  nianufcript  1291,  is  the  valuation  of  this  re6lor)-  thus,  "  Ec- 
clefia  Beata^  Mariae  portus  Abbati  Keynfliam  20s." 

It  has  two  ailes  and  flands  on  a  rifing  ground  above  the  Avon  the  north 
fide  of  it;  and  there  formerly  was  a  gradual  afccnt  to  it  from  the  river:  where 
Ihips  of  old  time  ufually  difcharged  their  cargoes  —  fee  p.  97,  note,  whence  it 
•took  the  name  of  Mary  of  the  port.     The  fouth  ailc  from  the  great  weft  door 

S  s  5  2  under 


[    524    ] 

under  t^ie  tower  to  the  altar  is  in  length  107  feet,  the  north  ailc  73  feet,  the 
two  ailes  arc  37  feet  in  breadth,  the  fouth  aile  is  26  feet  high:  and  the  roof 
covered  with  Cornifh  tile,  and  the  whole  fupported  with  fix  freellone  arches 
and  feven  pillars  neatly  fluted  and  painted,  the  pews  are  of  Dutch  oak,  and 
the  altar  piece  neatly  embelliflied  and  painted,  infcribcd  at  the  top  with 
lohovah  Alliinu,  in  Hebrew  charaflcrs  within  a  glory  ;  i"rhti  m.li  Jehovah 
OUR  Aleim  is  one  Jehovah.  The  tower  has  108  fleps,  and  is  from  the 
ground  to  the  floor  of  the  leads  72  feet,  on  it  arc  four  pinnacles,  in  it  arc  eight 
bells  put  up  in  1749,  being  then  recafl; ;  on  the  tenor  very  old  was  this  infcrip- 
tion  in  Gothic  letters,  "Maria:  filii :  tui :  auxilio :  Guberna:  parochias : 
tuae  in  Mora." — There  were  many  chapels  in  this  church. — Phillis  HoUoway  in 
1417  gave  20I.  by  will  to  found  a  chapel  for  a  prieft  to  pray  for  her  foul. — Mr. 
John  Inhyng  1457  by  will  gave  fifteen  fiiops  and  a  rack  in  Bear-lane  in 
Tcmple-ftreet,  and  a  houfe  there  for  niafs  to  be  celebrated  for  ever  on  ^'^alen- 
tine's  day  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Kathcrine,  and  that  eight  pricfls  fliould  attend 
the  celebration,  each  to  have  4d. —  John  Newman  fettled  the  rent  of  his  tene- 
ment in  the  Shambles  for  another  mafs. — Thefe  chauntries  were  all  fupprelTed 
37  Henry  8th.  1546,  and  given  to  the  King. 

The  following  curious  account  of  this  church  was  given  by  Chatterton,  as 
Iranfcribed  by  him  from  Rowley,  which  is  fubmitted  to  the  judgment  of  the 
reader : 

Seynfte  Maries  Chyrchc  of  the  Porte. 

Thys  chyrche  was  ybuyldennc  in  M..XVI.  by  a  Saxonne  manne  clepcd 
Eldred,  botte  fomme  thynkethe  he  allein  dyd  itte  begynne  leevynge  odcrs  to 
fynyfhe  ytte  fromme  a  (tone  in  the  futh  walle  onne  whyche  ytte  was  wrotenne, 
Eldredrus  pofvit  primum  lapydem  in  nomine  patris  filii  et  fpiritus  fanfli, 
M.XVI.  butte  underllonders  of  auntyauntrie  fynde  ytte  enured  in  buyldcynges 
lolclie  reared  bie  the  manne  emcntioned.  Itte  was  endowed  wythe  the  landes 
•w/theoute  the  walles  of  Eryflowc,  and  exempted  for  its  paryflie  from 
caftlc  tync.  Ynne  ytte  was  a  manne  ynne  Chrieflenmas  M.C.X.XX.  fleene 
wythe  a  Lcvyiibrondc.  Ynne  M.CCC.  ytte  was  rcpayred  bie  Roberte 
Canynge  of  the  houfc  of  Wylliam  Canyngc.  Bie  the  bochorde  of  the  rcvcf- 
trie  ytte  appeeres  thatte  manie  dowghtie  dyfputes  haven  beene  ban  of  the 
Flefhe  Shammble  daymen  bie  the  queene  ynne  dower  ynne  caftle  garde.  Be- 
fore the  dales  of  Roberte  Canynge,  greete  fyre  of  Wyllyam  Canyngc,  greetc 
barkes  dydde  ryde  before  Corporatyonne  flrcete,  butte  MaOre  Roberte  have- 
yiige  twoe  of  large  howfen  in  Radclcfte  and  workehowfcs  meinte  wilieile 
drewe  the  trade  to  the  oder  fyde   of  the   brugge  toe   the  greetc  annoie   of 

Seynflc 


[    525     ] 


Sevnfle  Marie  of  the  Porte  the  honowre  of  SeynQe  Marie  of  Redclefte,  the 
enlargemente  of  thatte  fyde,  and  the  honowre  and  dygnenefs  of  hys  ownc  fa- 
milie.  From  him  dyd  the  glorie  of  the  Canynges  ryfe  ;  Mr.  Wyllyam 
Canynge  having  his  pyfture,  whereyn  ys  he  commandeynge  houfes  to  ryfe 
from  the  moddie  bank.es  of  ryver.  He  repaired  as  aboove  yn  atone  for  for- 
vyninge  the  trade,  and  was  there  imburyed  undorre  a  ftonc  full  fayre  of 
whommc  dydde  I  thus  wrytc,  whyche  ys  graven  onne  brafs  and  wyllc  eftfoones 
bee  putte  on  hys  ftone  : 

Thys  Morneynge  Starre  of  Radcleves  ryfynge  raie, 

A  true  man,  goode  of  mindc,  and  Canynge  hyghte 

Benethe  thys  ftone  lies  moltrynge  ynto  claie, 

Untylle  the  darkc  tombe  flicen  an  aetcrne  lyghte. 

Thyrdc  from  hys  loyns  the  prefentc  Canynge  came ; 

Houten  are  anie  wordes  to  telle  his  doe, 

For  aic,  fhall  lyve  hys  heaven  recorded  name, 

Ne  fhalle  ytte  die  whannc  tyme  fliall  be  ne  moe. 

When  Mychaels  trompe  fliall  founde  to  rize  the  foullc 

He'lle  wynge  toe  heaven  with  kynne  and  happie  be  their  dole. 

RECTORS  of  St.  Maryport. 
Patrons.  150*   Richard  Boyce. 


Keynfham  abby. 

1272  Robert ,  reClor. 

1288  John  Homme. 

1314  Simon  de  Welles. 

1327  John  le  Leche. 

1335  William  de  Pendleford. 

1342  '\^'■ilIiam  Horfeley. 

1348  William  de  Taverner. 

1388  John  WeRon. 

1396  William  Ryel. 

1400  Richard  Roche. 

14H  Walter  Ellyott. 

1417  Thomas  Stephens. 

1436  David  Brcnny. 

1448  John  Kemeys. 

1453  Roger  Rygelyne. 

1465  John  Talbot. 

1470  John  Berfcy. 
1482  John  Hawley. 


1534   Lodowick  Johns. 

1543  Bartholomew  Lcweck. 

Sir  Thomas  Bridges,  Patron. 

1544  Thomas  Greede. 
1547  John  Pitt. 
1560  Richard  Arthur. 
1605  Alexander  Lawcs. 
1620  Edward  Alman. 

1663  Robert  Forfith. 

1664  George  Willington. 
1671   Jofias  Pleydell. 
1689  Hugh  Waterman. 

Duke  of  Chandois,  Patron. 
1746  'William  Saunders,  D.  D. 
1750  John  Collinfon. 
1779  J°^"  Ncal.. 


The 


[    526    ] 

The  Monuments  and  Epitaphs  in  this  church  \vorthy  notice  are  th-e 
following : 

At  the  eafl  end  of  the  north  aile  is  an  old  arched  monument  \s'ith  two  pillars 
at  the  fideSj  at  the  top  of  each  are  the  letters  J.  E.  but  what  names  they 
defignate  it  does  not  appear  from  any  infcription. 

In  this  aile  arc  three  neat  marble  monuments  againft  the  north  wall, 

"  To  the  memory  of  Thomas  Smith,  apothecary,  fon  of  Bernard  Smith, 
apothecary,  mayor  of  Taunton,  and  Catherine,  daughter  of  Nicholas  Stand- 
fad,  apothecary,  grand  daughter  of  Richard  Standfaft,  M.  A.  chaplain  in 
ordinary  to  his  facred  Majefty  King  Charles  ift.  who  on  account  of  his  invio- 
lable loyalty  to  the  king  and  firm  attachment  to  the  church,  was  for  fourteen 
years  deprived  of  the  reftory  of  Chrift  Church  in  this  city,  whereof  he  was 
incumbent  upwards  of  fifty-one  years  ;  but  on  tlie  refloration  of  the  king 
reftorcd  to  his  benefice,  and  promoted  to  the  dignity  of  a  prebendary  of  the 
cathedral  church  of  this  city,  wherein  notwithftanding  a  total  privation  of 
fight  he  continued  to  difcharge  the  refpetlive  duties  of  each  province,  as  an 
able,  diligent,  and  orthodox  divine  Thomas  Smith  died  Oftober  8,  1730: 
Catherine,  his  wife,  April  15,   1743." 

Within  the  north  door  under  this  monument  about  three  feet  on  the  cafl; 
fide  of  the  door  was  to  be  feen  in  the  ground  an  old  mooring  pofl,  preferved 
till  lately,  to  which  fliips  were  formerly  moored,  when  they  were  difcharged 
on  the  beach,  where  the  Shambles  lately  were,  now  Bridge-flreet,  fee 
William  of  Worcefter,  p.  170.  i8g.  before  the  building  of  the  ftonc  bridge 
over  the  Avon  in  1247. 

Another  near  the  form  er,  '•  To  the  memory  of  Standfaft  Smith,  apothe- 
cary, a  native  of  this  parifh,  this  flone  is  infcribcd  by  Thomas  Smith,  his  elder 
and  furviving  brother.  Inheriting  the  found  principles  of  his  family,  he  was 
ever  a  ftrenuous  advocate  for  our  mod  excellent  conftitution  in  church  and 
ftate,  and  having  lived  in  great  efieem  for  his  free  and  public  fi>irit  and  libe- 
rality on  all  occafions,  he  died  much  lamented  the  18th  of  Oftober,   1774." 

Another  thus:  "  Beneath  this  monument  are  depofited  the  remains  of 
Thomas  Smith,  gentleman,  late  of  the  parifli  of  St.  fames,  apothecary,  but  a 
a  native  of  this.  He  died  the  28th  of  October,  1779.  Being  folicitous  of  giving 
fome  teftimony  of  his  veneration  and  regard  for  the  religious  offices  of  the 
church  of  England,  which  when  living  from  principle  he  admired  and  loved, 
he  left  by  will  400I.  the  intereft  thereof  for  celebrating  divine  fervice  every 
Wednefday  and  Friday  morning  in  this  church  of  St-  Maryport  for  ever." 

Another, 


C   527   ] 

Another,  "  To  the  memory  of  Thomas  Kington,  of  Notton,  Wilts,  E{q; 
who  changed  this  fliort  life  for  a  blelTed  immortality,  OQober  15,  1786,  aged 
48  years.  He  married  Sufanna,  youngefl  daughter  of  Auflin  Goodwin,  Efq; 
formerly  one  of  the  fheriffs  of  this  city  :  by  her  he  had  nine  children,  four  of 
whom  lie  buried  with  him  in  the  fame  vault.  Under  the  deepeft  fenfe  of  her 
own  and  of  her  children's  lofs,  his  afflifted  widow  infcribes  this  ftone  to  the 
beft  of  hufbands,   and  the  beft  of  fathers." 

At  the  entrance  of  the  weft  door  was :  "  Hie  jacet  corpus  Johannis  Borus 
hujus  villcc  . . .  et  Agnetis  quondam  uxoris  ejus.  Obiit  10  Feb.  1476,  quo- 
rum animabus  propitietur  Deus." 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  this  Parifii. 

1594,  Robert  Kitchen  gave  10s.  a  quarter  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1639,  George  Harrington,  alderman,  gave  10s.  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1661,  Francis  Gleed  gave  10s.  a  quarter  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1668,  Abraham  Birkin  gave  los.  a  quarter  in  bread,   and  20s.  for  a  fermon. 

1685,  Mrs.  Boucher  and  Langton  gave  los.  apiece  to  feveral  poor  widows. 

1690,  Mr.  Edward  Tilly  gave  25].  the  intereft  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever. 

1695,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pitt  gave  10!.  the  intereft  yearly  to  the  poor. 

1736,  A  private  donation  often  guineas,  the  intereft  in  bread  yearly. 

1774,  Standfaft  Smith,  apothecary,  gave  this  church  the  branch  and  crimfon 
velvet  furniture  for  the  defli  and  pulpit,  &c. 

1782,  Thomas  Smith  gave  400I.  40s.  to  the  clerk  and  fexton  and  the  remain- 
der of  the  intereft  to  the  rcftor  for  reading  prayers  twice  a  week. 
The  money  was  laid  out  in  the  funds. 

There  is  a  fmall  churchyard  adjoining  walled  round. 

In  the  year  1749  this  pari fti  confifted  of  about  96  houfcs,  then  rated  to 
the  poor  128I.  at  lo^d.  in  the  pound  ;  but  is  fince  much  enlarged  and  im- 
proved by  the  new  buildings  in  Bridge-ftreet.  The  churchwardens  ufed  to 
receive  a  fum  for  the  penns  for  fheep  and  fwine,  which  ufed  to  be  placed  every 
market  day  in  front  of  the  church  and  the  houfes  there,  before  the  new  prefent 
market  was  laid  out. 

This  parifh  eftate  in  the  rents  of  tenements  and  ground  rents  produces  about 
78I.  per  annum,  and  the  church  has  in  plate  one  lilver  flaggon  57  ounces  10 
pennyweights,  one  filver  cup  and  cover  gilt  57  ounces  5  pennyweights,  and 
two  filver  plates  28  ounces  15  pennyweights. 

C  H  A  P. 


C  528  ] 


CHAP.      XXI. 

OJ  Iht  CHURCH  ani  PARISH  of  St.  PHILIP  ani  JACOB. 


THIS  Church  was  founded  early,  being  firft  a  chapel  to  a  religious houfe 
or  priory  (probably  Tcwkefbury)  of  the  order  of  St.  Bencdift,  fituated  at 
the  eafl  part  of  the  prcfcnt  church  ;  which  was  afterwards  enlarged  as  the  inha- 
bitants increafed,  and  the  old  market  held  here  for  the  ufe  of  the  caflle  and  the 
town  brought  a  great  conflux  of  people. — The  cxaft  lime  when  it  became 
parochial  is  not  known,  but  it  was  very  early,  being  mentioned  in  Gaunt's 
deeds  before  the  year  1200,  and  like  St.  James  became  aparifli  church  through 
the  acceffion  of  inhabitants. — The  prefent  church  is  large  and  fpacious,  con- 
fiding of  a  body  and  fide  ailes,  and  a  handfome  embattled  tower  (with  eight 
bells  and  a  clock)  on  the  fouth  fide  between  the  church  and  the  chancel.  It 
appears  to  have  been  built  at  diiTercnt  times,  and  was  repaired  not  long  fince  at 
a  very  large  expcnce. 

It  was  a  re£lory,  but  afterwards  made  a  vicarage  and  appropriated  to  the 
abby  of  Tewkefljury,  and  purchafcd  by  H.  Brayne  of  Henry  8th.  in  1578: 
Sir  Charles  Somerfet  and  G.  Winter  Efq;  who  married  the  coheirefTes  of 
Brayne,  had  the  right  of  patronage,  and  fold  it  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty 
of  BriRol,  the  prefent  patrons. 

It  is  rated  in  the  King's  books  at  the  clear  yearly  value  of  43I.  16s.  the 
yearly  tenths  were  il.  10s. 

It  is  worth  to  the  incumbent  in  tythes  in  the  out-parifli,  colleflions  and  fees 
about  200I.  per  annum. 

There  were  two  chauntries  here,  one  founded  by  J.  Kemys  12s.  another  by 
Robert  Forthey  12s.  which  were  fcqueftered  1  Edw.  6th.  1547. 

William  of  Worcefler,  p.  247,  fays,  "  there  was  a  parifli  church  here  near 
the  church  of  the  priory  in  tiie  call  fide  of  the  city." 

The  length  of  the  body  of  the  church  from  the  end  of  the  chancel,  compofed 
of  the  middle,  north  and  fouth  ailes,  is  26  yards  ;  the  length  of  Kemys'saile  is 
16  yards,  and  4  yards  and  1  foot  wide,  and  8  yards  high. 

In 


C    5-^9    ]     . 

In  the  year  1388,  the  2d  of  April,  Henry  Wakefield  Bifliop  of  Worcefler, 
by  deed  in  the  \\'hite  Book  at  Worceller,  f.  337,  338.  appropriated  and  an- 
nexed the  then  re£lory  of  St.  Philips  to  the  monaftery  of  the  Bleffcd  Mary  of 
Tewkfbury,  they  having  complained  to  him  of  their  poverty  and  inability  of 
maintaining  hofpitality  to  all  comers  at  their  houlc,  fuuated  as  it  was  next  to 
the  public  road,  and  of  their  loffes  and  ruinous  ftate  of  their  buildings  and 
other  burdens  they  were  fubjcft  to,  a  grant  therefore  alfo  being  obtained  of 
the  King,  referving  only  out  of  the  fruits  and  profits  of  the  faid  church  a  fit 
and  fufficient  portion  for  the  fupport  of  the  vicar,  to  be  prefented  by  them 
and  admitted  by  the  bifliop,  which  portion  was  to  be  comprehended  under  the 
grant  and  appropriation  of  it  to  them,  exprcfsly  to  be  dedufted  out  of  the  pro- 
fits of  the  faid  church.  They  were  to  take  poffeffion  upon  the  death  or  refig- 
nation  of  the  then  re£lor,  and  to  difpofc  of  the  rents  and  profits  of  it,  &c.  at 
their  will,  paying  annually  to  the  cathedral  church  of  Worcefter  half  of  a 
mark  or  los.  an   annual  penfion   every  Michaelmas- day,  under  the   penalty 

Offil. 

And  by  a  deed,  dated  1394,  entituled,  "  Dotatio  Vicariae  Sti.  Jacobi," 
(Reg.  Wyg.  Clyfford,^  f.  75.)  Richard  Bifhop  of  Worcefler  ordains,  that 
Hugh  Hope,  the  firft  vicar,  flaali  have  a  manfe  or  dwelling-houfe  built  for 
him,  at  the  expence  of  the  abbot  and  convent,  to  be  maintained  and  fup- 
ported  afterwards  by  the  faid  vicar  and  his  fuccefTors,  and  fliould  receive  out 
of  the  profits  of  the  faid  church  yearly  by  the  hands  of  the  prior  of  the  priory  of 
St.  James  twelve  marks  of  fiher  :  all  other  profits  arifing  out  of  the  faid 
church  received  by  the  vicar  to  be  paid  to  the  religious  of  Tewkfliury  or  their 
prior  of  St.  James,  the  vicar  to  do  all  the  duty,  and  have  the  cure  of  fouls 
in  the  faid  parifli  ;  and  as  by  a  flatute  of  the  4th  of  Richard  2d.  the  diocefan 
upon  all  appropriations  of  churches  fliould  order  a  convenient  fum  of  filver  to 
be  diftributed  amongft  the  poor  of  the  parifh  out  of  the  profits  of  the  church, 
Richard  Bifliop,  1403,  ordered  6s.  8d.  only  to  be  given  at  Chriflmas  yearly 
to  the  poor  by  the  religious  of  Tewkfljury,  on  account  of  the  fmallnefs  of  the 
church  and  its  revenues. 

In  1279,  12th  Sept.  procefs  was  ifTued  out  of  the  office  of  the  Bifliop  of 
Worcefler  againft  Peter  de  la  Mare,  conflablc  of  the  caftle  of  Briftol,  and  others 
his  accomplices,  for  infringing  the  privileges  of  the  church,  in  taking  out 
William  de  Lay  fled  for  refuge  to  the  churchyard  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob, 
for  carrying  him  into  the  cafllc  and  imprifoning  him,  and  laflly  cutting  off  his 
head.  Nine  or  ten  being  involved  in  this  crime,  their  fentence  was  to  go 
from  the  church  of  the  Friers  Minor  in  Lewin's-mead   to  the  church  of  St. 

T'  T  X  Philip 


[     530     3 


Philip  and  Jacob  through  the  flreets  naked,  except  their  breeches  and  in  their 
{hirts,  for  four  market  days  for  four  weeks,  each  receiving  difcipline  all  the 
way:  and  Peter  de  la  Mare  was  enjoined  to  build  a  flone  crofs  at  the  expence 
of  loos.  at  leaft,  that  one  hundred  poor  be  fed  round  it  on  a  certain  day  every 
year,  and  that  he  fliould  find  a  prieft  to  celebrate  mafs  during  his  life  where 
the  bilhop  fhall  appoint. 

The  flone  crofs  above  is  mentioned   by  William  of  Worcefter:  "  Alta; 
crucis  prope  folTam  caftri  Briftoll." 


Alift  of  the  RECTORS  and  VI 

J 
Patrons. 
Abbot  and  convent  of  Tewkfbury. 
1275   Rich.  Hammond  de  Newynton 
1290  Robert  Anketul. 
1328  Ralph  de  Wymborne. 
1331   Walter  de  Kaerwent. 
1340  Walter  Freeman. 
1346  Richard  le  Small. 

1348  John  de  Wydcombe. 
Nicholas  de  Ufk. 

1349  Nicholas  de  Fifherton. 
1351   William  Sandcvere. 
1394  Hugh  Hope,  firfl;  vicar. 
1400  John  White. 

1420  Philip  Fulgare. 

1421  Stephen  Graunger. 

1422  John  Heaneman. 
John  Faurthermorc. 

1435   John  Laurence. 
1471   Richard  Chylde. 
1475  Lodowic  Williams. 
1481    Mile  Terre. 
1493  Robert  Browne. 

MONUMENTS. 

In  Kemys'saile  by  the  chancel  is  a  handfome  monument  with  his  figure  in 
robes  of  magiftracy  to  H.  Merrit,  Efq;  flieriff  of  this  city,  and  a  benefaftor  to 
the  parifli,  he  died  the  11th  of  Sept.  1692,  in  the  71ft  year  of  his  age. 

In 


C  A  R  S  of  the  church  of  St.  Philip  and 
acob. 

1504  Thomas  Strange. 

1505  James  Botiller. 
1511   William  Burgill. 
1513  John  Gardiner- 
1526  John  Collis,  A,  M. 
15.45   Nicholas  Corbet. 

David  Conden. 
Mayor  and  common  council.  Patrons- 
1562   Thomas  Colman. 
1604  William  Yeman. 
1633  John  Pierce. 
1661   Edward  Hancock. 
1663  Thomas  Godwyn. 
1675  Thomas  Cary 
1712  Jofeph  Taylor. 
1723  William  Cary,  fon  of  Tho.  Cary. 
1 758  Carew  Rcynell,  fon  of  the  Chan- 
cellor Carew  Reynel,  Bifliop 
of  Down  and  Connor. 
1770  James  New. 


C  531   ] 

In  the  north  aile  on  a  ftone  is  an  infcription  to  H.  Merrit,  the  ycsunger,. 
goldfmith  :  he  died  the  10th  of  June,   1698,  aged  40. 

A  neat  monument  to  the  memory  of  three  children  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
Chamberlain. 

Another  to  Thomas  Warren,  who  died  January  23,  1722,  aged  68. 

Oq  a  done  an  infcription  to  Gabriel  Wayne:  he  died  the  15th  of  Januarys 
1722,  aged  75. 

On  a  raifed  tomb  an  infcription  to  Edward  Cox,  merchant,  who  died 
Auguft  3,  1627,  aged  57. 

Another  infcription  to  Thomas  thefon  of  H.  Wliitehead,  who  died  the  15th 
of  Auguft,  1700.  Alfo  William  Whitehead,  fome  time  flierifF,  who  died  the 
25th  of  February,  1720,  aged  40. 

In  the  chancel  arc  feveral  hatchments  of  the  Elton  family,  and  on  a  flone 
an  infcription  to  Ifaac  Elton,  merchant,  who  died  the  23d  of  October,  1714, 
aged  34,  and  his  two  daughters  both  baptized  Mary  ;  and  on  another  to  Eli- 
zabeth the  wife  of  Peter  Day,  Efq;  daughter  of  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart, 
who  died  the  6th  of  November,  1718,  aged  26.  Alfo  on  a  ftone  the  follow- 
ing infcription  :  —  "  Hie  fita  funt  offa  Johannis  Price  interioris  templi  Londi- 
nenfis  juris  confulti,  qui  poflquam  per  40  amplius  annos  pace  fummaq;  rerum 
affluentia  fruitus  vir  reipublicae  ftudiofus  vixerat,  et  revulfas  dein  ab  efFre- 
nata  turba  facratas  heu !  olim  felicifhmi  regni  leges,  violatam  majeftatem  et 
jus  omne  divinum  humanumque  viderat,  reduQa  demum  per  fereniffimum 
regem  urbe  hac  avita  pra:dia  fuburbana  reverfus  pertaefus  fragilitatis  humanae 
fatis  conceffit  quinta  die  idus  Oclobris  anno  falutis  1643,  a^t^tis  fu«e  61." 

On  a  ftone  is  the  figure  of  a  crofs  bow  and  a  dog  and  round  the  verge  of 
it,  "  Thomas  Putley,  fome  time  keeper  of  the  Queen's  foreft,  departed  the 
laft  day  of  Oclober,  A,  D.  1596." — This  was  when  Kingfwood  was  a  de- 
mefne,  and  in  pofTeffion  of  the  crown. 

Here  is  alfo  a  monument  to  William  Vigor,  gentleman,  who  died  the  20th 
of  February,  17J9;  alfo  his  fon  William,  who  died  the  19th  of  June,  1730, 
aged  33. 

An  infcription  to  Thomas  Cary,  vicar  of  this  church  :  he  died  the  30th  of 
OQober,   1711,  aged  61. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Philip's  Parifli. 
a  705,  Mr.  Samuel  Davis,  fome  time  ftierift"  of  this  city,  gave  50I.       /.     s.     p. 
the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  the  in-parilh  weekly  in 
bread  for  ever  -  -  -  -  ,50     o     o 

T  T  T  2  1 708, 


C   532    ] 

J708,  Mr.  John  Edwards,  of  this  parifh,  wheelwright,  gave  50I.      /,     s.     d. 
the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed   to  ten  poor  hoiifc- 
keepers  of  the  in-parifli,  not  receiving  alms,  on  the  27th 
of  January  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  5000 

fog,  Mr.  Nicholas  Whiting,  of  this  parifh,  gave  lol.  the  profit 

thereof  to  the  poor  of  the  out-parifh  for  ever  -  10     o     o 

1712,  Mrs.  Eleanor  Bayly,  widow,  of  the  out-parifh,  gave  20I. 
for  the  ufe  and  benefit  of  this  church,  to  be  difpofed  of 
at  the  difcretion  of  the  prefent  churchwardens  20     o     o 

J  7 15,  Jofeph  Jackfon,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of 
this  city,  gave  40s.  yearly  to  the  in-parifli  for  the  bene- 
fit of  their  poor,  and  4I.  yearly  to  the  poor  of  the  Callle 
Precinfts  for  ever  -  -  -  120     o     o 

1712,  Mr.  Samuel  Perry  gave  5I.  to  the  out-parifli  for  binding 
out  an  apprentice  (not  upon  the  alms)  to  a  free  tradef- 
man  in  this  city  yearly  for  ever         -  -  -        100     o     o 

Henry  Whitehead,  formerly  mayor  and  alderman  of  this 
city,  gave  40I.  the  interefl;  thereof  to  be  difpofed  of  by 
the  churchwardens  to  poor  houfekeepers  of  the  in-parifli 
not  receiving  alms  on  Candlemas-day  yearly  for  ever  40     o     q. 

1730,  Mr.  John  Jaincs,  of  this  city,  mariner,  gave  in  his  life 
time  two  tenements  in  Cheefe-lane,  the  profit  thereof 
for  the  cloathing  of  as  many  poor  men's  widows  of  this 
parifh,  as  the  clear  rent  fhall  amount  to  on  Sept.  29, 
for  ever. 
Mr.  Edward  Cox,  of  this  city,  gave  81.  per  annum  to  the 
poor,  and  4I.  for  eight  fermons  yearly  for  ever. 

1694,  Mr.  Alderman  Kitchen  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  houfe-hol- 
ders  who  are  poor  for  ever. 

1639,  Mr.  Alderman  Harrington  gave  40s.  per  annum  to  the  poor 
for  ever. 
Mr.  Abraham  Clements  gave  30s.  per  annum  to   the  poor 
of  the  out-parifh,  and  10s.  for  a  fermon  the  ifl  of  January 
for  ever. 
Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  of  this  city,  gave  40s.  to  the  poor  to  be 

paid  quarterly  for  ever. 
Mr.  William  Burroughs  gave  20s.  per  annum  to  the  pooj 
for  ever. 

Mr.. 


[    533     ] 

Mr.  Thomas  Farmer  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the       /,    5.    d. 

poor  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

Mr.  William   Curtice  gave  50I.  the  profit    thereof  to  the 

poor  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

Mr.  Abraham  Birkins  gave  5s.  per  annum  to  the  poor  in 

bread  for  ever  -  -  -  -  500 

Mr.  John  Harford  gave  5I.  155.  4d.  per  annum  to  the  poor 

for  ever. 
Mr.  Timothy  Parker  gave  5I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor 

in  bread  yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  500 

Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Joan  Langton, 

vido\vs,  gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  los.  apiece  to 

52  poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which 

this  in-parifh  hath  a  proportion. 
1-734,  Capt.  John  Roure,  of  this  parifh,  merchant,  gave   20I.  to 

to  the  churchwardens,  the  profit   thereof  to  be  given  in 

bread  to  the  poor  of  the  out-parilh  on  the  27th  of  Auguft 

yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  2000 

Mr.   Anthony   Whitehead,    of  this   pavifli,    gave   20L  the 

profit  thereof  to  the  poor  houfe-holders  of  the  out-parifli, 

not  receiving  alms,  on  the  ift  of  May  yearly  for  ever         20     o     o 

1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Hollway,  of  this  city,  merchant,  gave   30I. 

the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor   of  the  in  parifh   yearly 

for  ever  -  -  -  -  -  30     oo- 

1686,  Mr.  Samuel  Hale,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the   profit   thereof 

weekly  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever:  and  alfo  the 
intereft  of  230I.  towards  the  placing  apprentices  of  poor 
children  in  feven  parifhes  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever, 
of  which  this  parifli  is  one. 

1687,  Sir  William   Cann,   Knight   and  Bart,  gave  lool.  to  four 

pariflies  in  this  city,  whereof  this  hath  a  quarter  part, 
the  profits  thereof  to  be  didributed  to  the  poor  the  8tli 
of  January  for  ever. 

1688,  John   Lawford,    Efq;    fome  time  mayor  and  alderman   of 

this  city,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  the 

in-parifh  yearly  in  bread  for  ever  -  -  50     o     o 

1689,  Mr.  William  Scott  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor 

of  the  in-parifli  yearly  for  ever  -  "  10     o     o 

1689, 


[    534     ] 

1689,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pitts,  widow,  of  this  parifh,  gave  20I.  the      /.     s.     d. 

profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  the  in-parifh  yearly  forever     20     o     o 

1690,  Mr.  Edward  Tilly,  of  this  gity,  gave  lool.  to  four  paridies, 

whereof  this  in-parifli  hath  a  quarter  part,  the  profit  to 
be  given  to  the  poor  in  bread  weekly  for  ever. 
1692,  Mr.  Henry  Merritt,  fome  time  flierifFof  this  city,  gave  50I, 
the  profit  thereof  weekly   in    bread  to  the  poor  of  the 
out-parifli  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

Mr.  Edward  Terrill  gave  50I.  the  profit  to  the  poor  of  the 

in-parifh  for  ever  _  _  _  _'  50     o     o 

Dr.  Sherman  gave  9I.  10s.  the  profit  to  the  poor  of  this 

parifh  for  ever  -  -  -  9100 

John  Brown,  labourer,  gave   lol.  the  profit  to  the  poor  of 

this  parifh  for  ever  -  -  -  1000 

1695,  Mr.  Walter  Stevens,  of  this  parifii,  gave  3I.   13s.    4d.  per 
annum,  to  be  diftributed  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  the  in- 
parifh  weekly  ibr  ever. 
1701,  Mrs.  Barbara  Merritt,  widow,  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof 

yearly  to  the  poor  of  the  out-parifh  for  ever  -  30     o     o 

Herbert  Vaughan,  Efq;  gave   lol.  the   ufe   thereof  to  the 

poor  of  the  in-parifli  for  ever  -  -  10     o     o 

1720,  Mrs.  Chrillian  Blackbourn,  widow,  gave  to  the  miniller 
for  two  fermons  on  Afli  Wednefday  and  Good  Friday  in 
the  afternoon  yearly  for  ever  10s.  each,  to  the  clerk 
is.  6d.  each,  and  to  the  fexton  is.  each. 

Mr.  Jofcph  Colebrook,  of  the  out-parifh,  gave  lol.  the 
profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  the  out-parifh  in  bread  on 
the  16th  of  October  yearly  for  ever  -  -  10     o     o 

Mr.  William  Vigor,  of  this  parifli,  gave  20I.  the  profit 
thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  the  in-parifli  in  bread 
on  the  2d  of  February  yearly  for  ever,  by  the  church- 
wardens of  faid  parifh  -  -  -  2000 

Capt.  James  Smith  gave  3I.  6s.  .\(\.  yearly  for  ever,  for  ; 
preaching  two  fermons,  one  on  the  4th  of  January  and 
the  other  on  the  9th  of  May,  and  for  bread  to  the  poor 
of  the  out-parilli,  and  12I.  10s.  to  the  in-parifli,  the  interell 
thereof  to  be  given  yearly  in  bread  to  poor  hoiifckeepcrs, 
not  receiving  alms,  at  the  difcretion  of  the  churchwardens 
refpe£tively.  1720, 


[    535     ] 

1720,  Mr.   Henry  Cibbcs,   of  this    city,   gave    lol.  the    intercft     /.     s.     d. 
thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  for  ever  -  10     o     o 

1727,  Sir  Abraham  Elton,  Bart,  gave  50I.  the  intereft  thereof  to 
to  be  paid  on  the  ifl  day  of  May  yearly  for  ever  to  the 
minifter  for  preaching  a  fermon,  if  it  falls  on  a  Sunday 
then  it  is  to  be  preached  the  day  following  20s.  and  the 
refidue  thereof  to  be  equally  divided  between  ten  poor 
houfe-holdcrs  within  the  out-parifli  not  receiving  alms 
for  ever  -  -  -  -  -50     00 

Mrs.  Alice  James,  widow,  gave  20I.  the  intereft  thereof  to 
be  given  in  twelve-penny  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  pa- 
rifh, not  receiving  alms,  on  Chriftmas-day  yearly  for 
ever  -  -  -  -  -20     00 

J728,  Mr.  William  Welfh,  Mr.  Daniel  Shewring,  and  Mr.  John 
Pittman,  gave    20I.    the   profit   thereof  to   poor  houfe- 
keepers  of  the  out-parifh  on  the  8th  of  March,  not  re- 
ceiving alms  -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1733,  Mrs.  Dionis  Gibbes,  in  memory  of  her  brother  Mr.  Har- 
rington Gibbes,  merchant,  of  this  city,  gave  50L  the 
profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed  as  followeth  :  20s.  for  the 
minifter  to  preach  a  fermon  on  the  28th  of  September  in 
the  afternoon  if  not  on  a  Sunday,  but  if  fo  on  the  day 
following ;  and  the  remainder  to  be  diftributed  by 
the  churchwardens  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  the  out-parifh 
yearly  for  ever  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

Edward   Colfton,    Efq;    gave    lol.    per  annum   for   twelve 

years  after  his  death  to  the  charity-fchool  of  St.  Philip's      10     o     o 

A  lift  of  GIFT-SERMONS  to  the  parifti  of  St.  Philip's,  Briftol. 

January  1,  Thomas  Clement's,  Efq;        May  1,  Sir  Abraham  Elton's,  Bart, 
January  4,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Smith's.         May  9,  Mr.  James  Smith's. 
Eight  Sundays  in  the  year,  Mr.  Cox's.      September  28,  Mrs.  Dionis  Gibbes's. 
Afti    Wedncfday    and    Good   Friday, 
Mr.  Chriftopher  Blackbourne. 

In  St.  Philip's  parifli  is  the  hofpital  dedicated  to  the  holy  and  undivided 
Trin-ity,  and  St.  George,  on  the  fouth  fide  within  Lawford's  gate.  It  was 
founded  by  John  Barftaple  merchant  and  burgefs  of  Briftol,  who  had  ferved 
the  office  of  mayor  three  times,^  IfabcUa  his  wife  is  faid  to  have  founded  an 

hofpiial 


C  536  ] 

hofpital  on  the  north  fide  of  the  gate.  This  John  Barflaple  provided  for  fix 
poor  men  and  fix  poor  women,  and  a  prieft  to  officiate  to  them,  in  the  hof- 
pital, with  chambers  and  gardens  to  each,  he  endowed  the  fame  with  certain 
tenements  to  the  yearly  value  of3ol,  los.  4d.  for  ever,  I  cannot  find  any 
valuation  of  this  hofpital  the  26th  Henry  8th.  But  it  was  happily  prcferved 
at  the  reformation,  and  granted  by  Queen  Elizabeth  anno  regni  20th  1578, 
14th  Feb.  to  Peter  Gray,  Efq;  of  Segenfee,  Bcdfordfhire,  at  20s.  per  annum, 
and  then  purchafed  for  100  marks  by  the  corporation  to  apply  it  to  charitable 
ufcs,  v/ho  have  fo  carefully  improved  the  revenues,  that  there  are  now  ten 
poor  men,  and  twelve  poor  women,  maintained  at  3s.  per  week  each ;  the 
yearly  income  of  the  faid  eftate  was  increafed  in  1749,  to  298I.  18s.  4d.  This 
charity  has  been  further  augmented  by  the  benevolence  of  Mr.  John  Matthews 
a  burgefs  of  Briftol,  wiiii  18I.  per  annum,  given  in  the  year  1521,  fo  that 
the  whole  amounts  to  31 61.  18s.  4d.  per  annum,  and  the  vicar  of  St.  Philip's, 
in  which  parifli  this  hofpital  is,  hath  81.  per  annum,  to  read  prayers  to  them 
every  Thurfday  and  Saturday  in  the  week  for  ever,  and  for  one  fermon  and 
facrament  on  Holy  l^hurfday.  The  clerk  of  the  parifli  has  for  his  trouble  40s. 
per  annum. 

As  the  yearly  income  is  increafed,  the  corporation  did  in  the  year  1739 
make  an  additional  building  to  that  hofpital  on  the  north  fide  of  the  gate 
of  the  fame  foundation,  placing  therein  twenty-four  women  only,  twelve  of 
which  have  3s.  per  week  as  being  upon  the  old  foundation,  and  in  the  nev/ 
additional  building  are  placed  twelve  men,  fix  of  which  have  2s.  per  week  and 
the  other  fix  at  prefent  have  only  houfe  rent  free.  Bifliop  Tanner,  in  his 
Notitia  Monaftica,  p.  483.  fays,  that  this  hofpital  was  founded  anno  4  Henry 
5th.  1416,  and  fays  there  was  certainly  fome  foundation  before  that  of  John 
Barftaple's  time,  though  probably  not  fully  fettled.  *  But  he  was  mif- 
informed,  for  Ifabel  his  wife,  who  is  faid  to  be  a  joint  founder  with  him,  died 
in  the  year  1400,  and  his  death  followed  in  Oftober  1411,  which  is  feveral 
years  before  the  time  mentioned  by  the  Bifliop  to  be  founded,  and  their  grave 
iloncs  with  each  infcription  on  them  are  now  to  be  feen  in  the  year  1788. 

The  following  infcriptions  are  under  his  and  his  wife's  figures,  being  brafs 
let  into  freeftone  with  his  cypher  and  a  coat  of  arms  under  his  wife  ;  they  lie 
on  the  right  and  left  fide  of  the  high  altar.  She  died  the  1  ft  year  of  King 
Henry  4th.  and  her  hufband  the  13th  of  the  faid  king.     Under  his,    "  Hie 


Vide  the  Licence  of  King  Henry  5th.  to  John  Bai  fiaple  in  the  city  chamber. 
Pal.  3,  Hen,  4.  p.  1.  m.  16.  Par.  g.  Hen.  4.  p.  1 .  m.  4.  pro  gilda  ibidem  fdcicntU, 
Pat.  13.  Hen.  4.  p.  4.  p.  ,,  „,.  3.  pro  ten.  in  Rugeway. 
Pat.  4.  Hen.  5.  p.  j,  m,  2,  vol,  iii. 


jacel 


[    5Z7    J 

jacet  Johannes  Barftaple,  burgenfis  villze  Brifto!,  fundator  iftius  loci,  qui  obiit 
15  kalen  Oclob,  iitera  Dominicalis  D.  A.  D.  MCCCCXI.  cujus  animae  pro- 
pitietiir  Deus,  Amen."  Under  her's,  "  Hie  jacet  Ifabella,  quond.  uxor 
Johannis  Barflaplc,  quae  obiit  A.  D.  MCCCC.  cujus  animae  propitietur  Deus, 
Amen." 

The  religious  gilds  were  founded  chiefly  forticvotion  and  aims  deeds,  the 
fecular  for  trade  and  alms  deeds.  Thus  King  Henrv  gthu  by  patent  letter  of 
his  great  feal  gave  licence  to  found  this  religious  gild  or  fraternity  to  the 
honour  of  the  Holy  Trinity  and  St.  George  in  the  fuburb  of  Briftol,  and 
made  it  perpetual  thus  :  —  "  Rex  omnibus  ad  quos,  &c.  falutem.  Sciatis 
quod  cariflimus  pater  nofler  Dominus  H.  nuper  Rex  Anglias  per  literas  fuas  pa- 
tentes  (he  doth  not  fay  of  what  date)  de  gratia  fua  fpcciali  concefFerit  et  licen- 
tiam  dcderit,  pro  fe  et  haeredibus  fuis  quantum  in  ipfo  fuit,  Johanni  Barftaple, 
to  found  an  hofpital  or  almcry  and  a  gild,  in  fuburbio  BriftolliEE  —  et  quod 
utraq;  domus  hofpital itatis  five  elemofinariae  ac  fraternitatis  five  gildae  praedic- 
tarum,  per  fe  perpetua  et  incorporata  exifteret  imperpetuum,  et  quod  unus 
capellanorum  prsediclorum  effet  cuftos  domus  hofpitalitatis  five  elemofinariEc 
prasdicl  (oe)  ac  cuftos  domus  hofpitalitatis  five  elemofinarise  Sanftse  Trinitatis 
juxta  LafFordcfyate  in  fuburbio  Briftollise  nuncuparetur,  et  alter  eorum 
capellanorum  effet  magifter  five  cuftos  fraternitatis  five  gildae  praedicla?,  et  ma- 
gifter  five  cuftos  fraternitatis  five  gildae  Sanftae  Trinitatis  juxta  LafFordefyate  • 
in  fuburbio  Briftolliae  nuncuparetur  imperpetuum,  et  quod  utcrq;  cuftodum 
praediflorum  per  fe  effet  habilis  ad  perquirend  (um)  et  recipien  (dum)  ter- 
ras tenementa  et  alias  pofTefliones  quecumq;  habcnda  fibi  et  fucceffo- 
ribus  fuis  imperpetuum  ita  quod  neuter  illorum  de  pofTeffionibus  altcrius  in 
aliquo  nullatcnus  fc  intromitteret,  et  quod  uterq;  cuftodum  prasdictorum  no- 
mine fuo  pras  notato,  et  fuccefTores  fui,  in  quibufcumq;  curiis  noftris  et  alibi 
placitare  et  implacitari  poffet,  ac  commune  figillum  haberet  imperpetuum, 
quodq;  uterq;  cuftodum  praeditlorum  ac  fratres  et  forores" — might  make  ordi- 
nances and  conftitutions  for  t'ne  government  of  their  houfe,  as  by  the  faid  let- 
ter patent  might  appear.  The  prefent  king,  viz.  Henry  5th.  granteth  leave 
to  transfer  the  faid  almcry  and  gild,  and  to  found  a  gild  or  fraternity  in  honour 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  and  St.  George.  —  "  Et  quod  fraternitas  five  gilda  prae- 
di6la  per  fe  perpetua  et  incorporata  exiftat  in  perpetuum,  et  quod  ipfi  annuatim 
quendam  magiftrum  de  feipfis  eligere  poffint,  who  magifter  gildae  five  fraterni- 
tatis Sanclae  Trinitatis  et  SanCli  Georgii  Briftolli  (ae)  nuncupetur  imperpetuum. 
Etquod  praediftus  magifter  gildce  five  fraternitatis  prcdiCljefimuIcum  gilda  five  fra- 
ternitatc  przedifta  fint  pciTonae  habilcs  et  capaces  ad  perquirend  (um)  etrecipi- 
end  (urn)  terras  tenementa  ct  alias  pofTcffionesquaicumq;  l,abend(a)et  tenend  (a) 

U  u  u  fibi 


[    538     ] 

fibi  et  fucceffioribus  fuis  imperpetuum,  and  that  nomine  praenotato  they  may 
plead  and  be  impleaded.  In  cujus,  &c.  tefte  regc  apud  ^^'cftmonafle^illm 
15  die  Februarii."      Pat.  4.  Hen.  5.  m.  1. 

In  the  out-parifh  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  without  Lawford's-gate,  upon 
the  north  fide  of  the  road  to  Bath,  in  the  hundred  of  King's  Barton,  at  the 
caft  end  of  the  city,  in  the  county  of  Gloceller,  was  an  hofpital  for  leprous 
perfons,  dedicated  to  St.  Laurence,  before  the  8th  Henry  3d.*  The  patro- 
nage of  the  maflerfhip  was  in  the  crown,  but  was  granted  3d  Henry  5th.  to 
Humphrey  Duke  of  Gloccfter.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns  feems  to  confound  this 
lall  account,  for  he  afferts  that  the  hundred  and  manor  of  Barton  with  the  ad- 
vowfons  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Laurence  did  belong  to  Edward  Duke  of  York, 
grandfon  to  King  Edward  3d.  p.  421.  Bifliop  Tanner  fays  in  his  Notitia, 
p.  481.  that  it  feemed  afterward  that  this  hofpital  did  belong  to  the  college  of 
Weftbury.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns,  p.  802.  confirms  the  fame,  and  that  King 
Edward  3d.  granted  the  hofpital  of  St.  Laurence  near  Briilol  t  towards  their 
maintenance,  and  that  this  and  all  other  eftates  belonging  to  that  college,  at 
the  diflblution  of  religious  foundations,  were  granted  to  Sir  Ralph  Sadleyr,  the 
35th  Henry  8th.  (Vide  p.  850.)  The  original  grant  from  Henry  8th.  to  Sir 
Ralph  is  in  the  pofTcnion  of  Sir  John  Hugh  Smyth,  of  Long  Afhton,  Bart. 

Vide  in  Mon.  Angl.  tom.  xi.  p,  438.  cartam  regis  Henrici  3.  (anno  regni 
32,)  de  quadam  fclda  conceffa  iRi  hofpitali. 

Pat.  8.  Hen.  3.  ni.  10.  quod  leprofi  de  S.  Laurentio  fit  quieti  de  hun- 
dredis,  &c. 

Pat.  32.  Hen.  3.  m.  3.  Pat.  14.  Edw.  2.  p.  2.  m.  3.  de  cuftodi  concelT. 
per  regem.      Pat.  3.   Hen.  5.  p.  1.  m.  8. 

By  the  original  grant,  dated  24th  March,  25th  Henry  8th.  among  other 
things  belonging  to  the  late  diffolved  collegiate  church  of  Weftbury,  as  houfes 
and  mefTuages  in  Briilol  and  large  pofTcfiions  in  Henbury,  Auft,  Penpark, 
&c.  was  granted  the  fite  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Laurence  near  Briftol,  and  all 
manors,  lands,  tenements,  to  the  late  hofpital  belonging,  fituate,  lying,  or 
being  in  Netherwyk,  Overwyk,  and  Hennewyk,  paying  the  king  for  the  fite 
of  the  faid  hofpital  il.  4s.  lod.  for  the  lands  in  Netherwyk,  &c.  4s.  83-d.  for 
Weftbury  college  19s.  lod.  and  for  the  manor  of  Clifton  il.  per  annum. 

*  '^'"g  John,  in  the  year  1208,  and  alfo  King  Edward  2d.  the  10th  of  his  reign,  confirmed 
divers  lands  to  the  raaftcr  and  brethren  of  this  hofpital  of  lepers  of  St.  Laurence. 

+  This  confirmation  was  of  the  fite  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Laurence  near  Briftol,  witli  all  its 
lands  and  tenements  in  Rcdwick,  which  lately  belonged  to  the  college  of  Weftbury,  was  alfo 
granted  the  05th  of  Henry  8ih,  J542,  to  Sir  Ralph  Sadleyr,  Knight.  Vide  Sir  Robert  Atkyns,, 
P-  175- 


C    539    ] 

By  a  fiirvey  of  the  manor  of  St.  Laurence,  taken  in  April  1629  by  H.  Leiy 
penes  me,  then  part  of  the  pofFeffions  of  Sir  Ralph  Sadleir,  of  Stondon,  in  the 
county  of  Hertford,  Efq,-  it  appears  that  the  manor-houfe,  &c.  was  then  in 
pofTefTion  of  Robert  Hooke,  of  Briflol,  Efq;  and  its  fite,  together  with  the 
chapel-houfe.  Sec.  abutted  fouth  on  London  highway  and  Chapel-lane  on  the 
Eaft,  St.  Laurence  leeze  on  the  north  and  weft  parts ;  and  that  the  fum  total 
of  acres  of  the  demcfnes  of  this  raanor  was  205  acres  1  rood  ;  fum  total  of  the 
yearly  value  was  96I.  13s.  4d.  and  the  fum  total  of  the  then  yearly  rent  being 
out  on  lives  was  16I.  8s. 

This  was  but  a  fmall  part  of  the  pofTcnions  belonging  to  the  college  of 
Weftbury,  which  was  granted  at  the  diffolution,  36th  Henry  8th.  to  Sir  Ralph 
Sadlcyr.  They  had  lands  in  Henbury,  Sec.  which  then  yielded  from  the  lef- 
fees  yearly,  as  from  valuation  and  furv^ey  then  taken  (according  to  the  original 
rental  penes  me)  appears  as  under : 

At  Henbury,  Compton,  Redwyck,  Northwyke,  Weftbury,  Cote,      /.     s.      d. 
Laurence- Wefton,  Shirehampton,  Charleton,  tythes  of  Weft- 
bury,  Rydeland,   Cote,   and  Stocke  -  -  _  116   13      1 
Befides  woods,  Gooddown-grove  full  of  oaks  g  acres,  Hyg- 
wood  50  acres,  Goddy-grove  29  acres,  Comb-wood  under 
Blaze-hill  18  acres,  Afli-grove  17  acres. 
From  the  demefne  lands  of  the  bifhop  of  Worcefter               -  26   12     6 
Other  cftates  granted  out  at  the  court  then  held         -              _          108     o     o 
The  manor  of  Clyfton,  leafe- rents           -                -                -               10     o     o 
The  manor  of  St.  Laurence,  without  Lawford's-gate,  and  land  in 

Syfton  belonging  thereto  -  -  -  -  9     5      ^ 

Tenements  and  lands  in  the  city  of  Bryftowe  -  -  23     9     8 

Befides  heriots,  <&c. 

Total     £  294     oil 

St.  Philip's  out-parifli  being  large  and  populous,  in  the  parliament  held 
1751  an  aft  was  pafted  for  dividing  the  parifli  of  St.  Philip  and  Jacob,  and 
for  erecting  a  church  in  the  new  intended  parifli ;  the  preamble  to  which 
recites,  "  that  the  church  was  not  large  enough  to  contain  the  inhabitants." 
in  order  to  promote  that  good  intention,  Thomas  Chefter,  Efq;  lord  of  the 
manor,  gave  a  piece  of  ground  in  Kingfwood,  the  fite  of  the  church  dedi- 
cated to  St.  George,  churchyard,  parfonagc-houfe,  and  a  field  near  it.  Dr. 
Butler,  Bifhop  of  Briftol,  gave  400I.  towards  the  maintenance  of  the  new 
vicar,  befides  which  he  obtained  400I.  more  from  the  Governors  of  Queen 

s  U  u  u   2  Ann's 


C   540  ] 

Ann's  Bovmty.  The  corporation  of  Briftol  gave  towards  building  the  church 
250I.  provided  they  fliould  have  the  prefentation  of  the  living,  which  they 
now  enjoy  ;  the  Merchants  Society  gave  150I.  Mr.  Onefi.  Tyndal  lool. 

The  afcl  was  after  fomc  delays  carried  into  execution,  and  on  Tuefday 
March  3,  1752,  David  Pcloquin,  Efq;  mayor,  attended  by  the  aldermen, 
and  the  other  commifTioners  appointed  for  building  the  new  church,  went  in 
their  coaches  in  proceffion  to  the  fpot  marked  out  for  the  purpofe,  and  laid 
the  firft  ftone  of  the  ftruClure,  putting  under  it  feveral  pieces  of  the  coin  of 
George  2d.  the  upper  part  of  it  had  the  following  infcription  : 

Templum  hoc 

Dei  Opt.  Max.  Gloriae 

Et  Hominum  indies  peccantium  Saluti 

Sacrum 

Erigi  voluit  pietas  publica  ; 

Abfit  Tamen, 

Quod  inter  ignota  nomina 

Reverendi  admodum  in  Chriflo  patris  ; 

Jofephi  Butler, 

Nuper  Briftoilienfis  Epifcopi 

Lateat  Nomen. 

D.   D.   D.     400I. 

Jam  turn  ad  Dunelmenfes  migraturus. 

On  the  lower  part  of  the  flone  was  this  : 

Regnante  Georgio  fecundo 

Jufto,  Clementi,  Forti, 

Angularem   hunc   Lapidem 

5  Non.  Mart.  1752. 

Pofuit 

David  Pcloquin,  Civitatis  Brifloll.  Praetor. 

Thus  at  the  expencc  of  2853I.  17s.  y^d.  was  the  church  and  vicaragc-houfc 

compleated,  and  a  place  of  worfhip  erefted   for   the   refort  of  the   numerous 

inhabitants  of  Kingfwood,  which  from   being  a  wild  forefl;  for  deer  is  now 

become  a  well-inhabited  place,  with  feveral  thoufand  induftrious  and  civilized 

people,  living  happily  in  their  neat  cottages.      This  chace   of  Kingfwood  was 

a  dcmefne  of  the  crown  belonging  to  Briftol  caftlc,  but  was  in  proccfs  of  time 

divided,   by  a  mutual  confcnt   and  combination  among  the  feveral  lords,  who 

had  eftates  confining  upon  it,  and   not   by  any  grant  from  the  crown,  as  was 

made  appear  by   furvey  and  inquifuion  taken  May  26,   1652,  by   Endimion 

Porter 


[    541     ] 

Porter  and  others  in  the  Exchequer,  when  it  was  pro\  ed  the  total  improved 
value  of  the  whole  chacc  was  per  annum  1241!.  os.  4d.  Total  of  acres 
3432  and  2  roods.  Total  of  grofs  value  for  cottages,  timber,  coal-mines,  Sec. 
2082I.  10s.  For  deer  about  30,  formerly  1500  or  2000,  30I.  But  the  Nullum 
Tctnpm  bill  that  has  fince  been  paffed  has  now  fixed  the  right  in  the  prefent 
lords,  however  dubious  their  title  was  before. 

One  Mr.  Dyer  of  Bridol  was  the  reputed  ranger  of  Kingfwood  chace,  and  a 
duty  called  chiminagc  was  ufually  paid  at  Lawford's-gate  for  ever  pack-faddle 
pafTing  through  the  faid  chace  during  the  fairs  of  St.  James  and  St.  Paul. 

Leland,  vol.  vi.  p.  67.  has,  "  Antiquae  limitcs  fore/la:  do  Kingefwode."  — 
"  The  forefle  of  Kingefwode  cummythe  onte  Barres  Courte,  Mayftre  New- 
ton's howfe,"  vol.  vii.  p.  ,12. 


CHAP.      XXII. 

0/ the  CHURCH  and  PARISH  o/"  TEMPLE,  otherwife  HOLY  CROSS. 


IT  derives  its  name  from  the  religious  fociety  of  Knight  Templars,  its 
founders,  an  order  inftituted  about  the  year  i  n  8,  wearing  an  habit  white 
with  a  red  crofs  upon  the  left  fhoulder  ;  their  fuperior  was  called  Matter  of 
the  Temple.  In  Monaft.  vol.  ii.  p.  530.  is  an  account  of  the  eftates  granted 
to  them,  among  which  are  "  apud  Briftol  ex  dono  Comitis  Roberti,  &c.  lands 
at  Briftol  of  the  gift  of  Earl  Robert,  part  of  which  was  built  on  by  the  brethren 
themfelves,  part  by  other  men,  &c."  This  points  out  clearly  the  time  when 
this  church  and  parifli  were  founded,  in  the  reign  of  King  Stephen,  when 
Robert  Earl  of  Glocefler  flourifhed.  By  its  proximity  to  Brittol,  being  fepa- 
rated  from  it  only  by  the  river  Av9n,  it  foon  incrcafcd  in  inhabitants,  efpe- 
cially  after  the  ereflion  of  the  bridge  :  a  great  market,  was  held  at  Stallage- 
crofs,  and  a  free  and  frequent  intercourfe  betwixt  thofe  on  both  fides  of  the 
river  foon  took  place.  The  church  feems  to  have  been  built  at  feveral  times. 
The  following  curious  account  of  this  church  tranfcribcd  from  an  original 
old  vellum  manufcript,  faid  (o  be  written  about  the  year  1460  by  Rowlic,  is 
the  mod  ancient : 

"  Tys 


C   542   3 

"  Tys  uncoutlie  whanne  thys  chyrche  was  fyrfl.  ybuilden,  nathelefs  I  reede 
yn  the  bochorde  of  the  reveflrie,  that  in  1271  fyx  women  in  Eafter  wake  dyd 
doe  penaunce  for  ewbrice,  goeynge  from  St.  PauUe's  crofle  to  the  new  chyrche 
of  Templarres  :  certis  is  the  evcntc  knowcn,  howgates  ytt  became  crouched. 
Gremondei,  a  Lumbard,  dyd  make  grete  boafte  that  hee  woulde  ybulden  a 
chyrche  moe  frcme  thannc  anie  yn  Bryflowc.  The  Knyghtes  Templarres 
cftfoons  dyd  hem  emploie,  Gnoffenglie  defpyfciiige  the  argues  of  Johannes 
aBrixtcr,  a  Bryfloc  manne  borne,  who  tlie  fame  woulde  haveybuylden  on  the 
hylle  cleped  Celnile-hylle,  and  fythence  Pyll-hylle,  alleageynge  therefore 
that  the  river  ban  formerlic  ranne  thorowe  St.  Paulcs  ftrete,  and  a  lane  anearc 
whylomc  was  cleped  Rhiftreete,  in  Saxonne  tongue  the  ftrete  of  the  ryver  : 
bie  reafon  wherofe  the  bottome  m'ote  be  moddie,  and  ne  able  to  beare  a 
chyrche.  Nathelefs  the  halle  worke  was  begonne  in  the  verie  lane  of  Rhi- 
ftrete  ;  but  tyme  cftfoons  ftiewed  the  trouthe,  for  the  towre  ne  hie  nor  heavie 
fonke  awaie  to  the  fouthe,  tareynge  a  large  gappe  from  me  the  chyrche's  bod- 
die  :  a  maconne  was  kyllen  and  three  of  more  aneuthe  fleyne.  To  the  ob- 
fervynge  eyne  the  whole  order  of  the  chyrch  is  wronge,  and  fcemethe  as  tho' 
ftiaken  bie  an  erthequake.  The  Knyghtes  Templarres  let  itte  lie  unconfc- 
crate  untylle  fyxtcne  yeeres,  whanne  for  Gremondie  agayne  defpyfingc  John 
a  Brixter,  ytte  was  crenelied  atoppe  goynge  ne  bier  than  beefore,  glayzeinge 
the  wyndowes  and  fyngeynge  thcreynne.  Botte  the  pryncypalle  dyeyngc, 
another  dyd  hym  fucceed,  whoc  dyd  fende  for  Johnne  a  Bryxter  and  em- 
ploied  hym.  He  than  began  t6  ftaie  the  fame  bie  pyles  and  rayfed  the 
fame  as  hie  againe  ynn  the  towere  makeynge  ytte  ftronge  and  Idftable,  leave- 
ynge  the  fyrfte  battlementes  to  fticw  howe  farre  hce  dyd  rayfed  ytte.  Hee 
dyed,  and  eyn  1296  Thoma:  Ruggilie  added  the  three  fmalle  chapelles  for 
dailie  chauntries,  one  of  whych  was  graunted  to  the  weavers  bie  Kyngc 
Edward  of  that  name  the  fyrfte." 

The  leaning  pofition  and  crookednefs  of  Temple  tower  is  generally  noted, 
and  Brunius  or  Braun  in  his  Theatrum  Urbium,  (Coin:  1576)  mentions  it 
in  the  following  terms  —  "  Praccclfam  habet  &  elcgantcm  &c."  i.e.  "  The 
church  of  Holy  Crofs  has  a  very  high  and  elegant  tower  which  I  may  venture 
to  compare  in  thicknefs  and  heighth  with  that  of  St.  Martin's  the  Lefs  at 
Cologn.  When  the  bells  that  are  in  it  found,  it  is  fo  moved  this  Jmd  that 
way  that  at  lengih  by  the  too  great  and  frequent  fhaking,  it  has  feparatcd  from 
the  body  of  the  church  ;  and  has  made  a  chink  from  the  very  top  of  the  roof 
to  the  foundation,  gaping  fo  wide  as  to  admit  four  fingers  brcdth.  Abraham 
Ortelius  wrote  me  word,  that  himfelf  put  a  ftone  of  the  fize  of  a  goofe  egg 

into 


[    543     ] 

into  this  chink,  which  he  faw  himfelf  give  down  wards  as  the  place  was  nar- 
row or  wide,  and  at  length  by  the  frequent  colilion  was  fqeezed  to  pieces  ;. 
and  that  when  he  put  his  back  againfl  the  tower,  he  was  afraid  he  fliould  be 
opprefled  by  its  fall ;  that  the  mayor  and  others  of  authority  there  told  him, 
the  whole  fabrick  of  this  church  formerly  fhook  and  was  like  to  fall  before 
this  chink  was  made  there,  and  with  fuch  force,  that  the  lamps  were  put  out 
and  the  oil  wafled  :  of  this  there  were  many  living  witneffes  in  that  parifli. 
But  the  church  now,  becaufe  it  is  not  afFefted  by  the  found  of  the  bells, 
(lands  M-ithout  motion." 

It  appears  by  the  will  of  Bernard  Obelly,  1390,  and  of  Reginald  Taylor 
Tucker,  dated  1397,  that  Temple  Tower  was  building  anew  to  which  he 
gives  5I.  and  a  miffal  to  the  altar  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  near  which  was  the 
image  of  St.  John  the  Baptift.  But  William  Botoner,  p.  228  fays  "  The 
height  of  the  fquarc  tower  was  built  anew  by  the  parilhioners  in  the  year  1460, 
for  the  ringing  of  large  bells,"  and  p.  203,  that  "  the  new  belfry  tower  is 
five  yards  fquare  on  every  fide,"  (ex  omni  parte)  or  in  the  whole. 

What  this  new  building  in  1460  was,  is  uncertain ;    but    the  above  will  of 
'  Reginald  Taylor  feems  to  point  out  the  certain  time,    when   the  tower  was 
new   built ;  that  the   firfl  work    was  ill  executed   and  wanted  to  be  repaired, 
appears  not  improbable,  confidcring  how  much  it  funk  at  the  foundation. 

In  1772,  it  was  examined  and  found  by  meafurement  to  lean  at  the  South 
Weft  corner  three  feet  nine  inches  from  the  perpendicular. 

It  appeared  from  opening  the  ground  in  the  year  1774,  to  put  in  new  gate 
polls  at  the  entrance  of  the  church,  that  thick  foundation  walls  extended  from 
the  tower  into  the  ftreet  fifty  or  fixty  feet,  laid  there  doubtlefs  for  an  addi- 
tional fupport  to  that  inclining  fide  of  the  tower  ;  upon  forcing  through  them 
the  water  gufhed  out  and  prevented  their  being  further  traced  or  the  piles 
being  difcovered  that  probably  fupport  them.  This  however  fliews  the  great 
care  that  had  been  taken  at  times  to  fupport  the  tower,  built  as  it  is  on  fuch 
marfhy  and  foft  ground. 

William  of  Worcefter  in  1480  fays,  "The  moll  beautiful  church  of  the- 
Temple  is  founded  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Crofs  in  the  manor  and  Ilreet  called 
Temple-flreet,  and  has  great  liberties  and  franchifes."  p.  261,  "  it  contains  in 
length  53  yards,  being  twice  meafured  by  me."  p.  239,  "  the  breadth  of  the 
church-yard  is  570  flops  in  the  whole." — The  church  is  from  eaft  to  weft  J56 
feet  long,  the  chancel  is  74  feet,  and  the  body  of  the  church  82;  it  is  50  feet 
high,  the  chancel  is  19  feet  wide,  and  the  north  and  fouth  ailes  59  feet  wide. 
It  was  ceiled  and  beautified  in  1701  at  the  expencc  of  300I.  out  of  the  pariflv 

ftockj. 


[    541     ] 

flock,  and  lool.  was  given  by  Mr.  Colflon,  who  alfo  gave  lol.  more  towards 
the  handfome  portal.  It  was  now  pcwcd,  and  a  ftately  organ  built  over  the 
well  door;  and  now  the  long  ailes,  large  windows,  lofty  ceiling,  flender  pil- 
lars, and  its  fpacious  area  ftrike  you  with  awful  furprife  at  lirfl  entering  this 
facred  building.  There  is  a  beautiful  altar  of  curious  workmanfhip,  and  on 
each  fide  a  painting  of  Mofes  and  Aaron  well  executed  ;  and  the  floor  is  neatly 
paved  with  diamond-cut  ftones.  On  entering  the  weft  door  in  the  middle  aile 
in  the  floor  is  laid  in  white  marble,  a  crofs  about  5  feet  long,  to  preferve  the 
remembrance  of  the  two  crolfes  of  old  inlaid  with  frceftone  among  bricks, 
with  w^hich  the  church  was  before  paved.  In  1724  a  new  marble  font  was 
crefted  here. 

The  ancient  arms  of  the  church  was  the  fame  as  thofe  of  the  Knight  Tem- 
plars, and  of  the  Temple  in  London,  the  Holy  Lamb  and  crofs — the  lion  and 
the  crofs  at  the  entrance  fcems  to  beamiftake  of  the  artift. 

It  was  jfnade  a  vicarage  in  1342  by  Ralph  Bifhop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  the 
endowment  of  which  is  ftill  extant  in  the  regifiers  of  Wells,  a  copy  of  it 
(penes  mc)  I  compared  with  the  original  there  the  15th  of  April  1772,  by 
which  it  appears  that  the  prior  and  brethren  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  John  of  Jeru- 
falem,  to  whom  the  lands  of  the  Knight  Templars  had  been  given,  were  to 
receive  of  the  vicar  100  fliillings  out  of  the  fruits  and  proceeds  of  the  faid 
church,  and  the  vicar  was  to  receive  the  whole  refidue  of  all  oblations,  fruits 
and  proceeds  of  the  faid  church  befides;  together  with  a  houfe  for  his  habita- 
tion :  and  the  prior  and  brethren  were  to  repair  the  chancel  alway ;  and  the 
vicars  were  to  bear  all  other  charges  &c.  and  the  prior  See.  were  to  prefent 
to  the  vicarage  upon  every  vacancy. 

A  cliauntry  was  founded  hereby  John  Fraunccs,  5th  of  Edw.  the  3d.  and 
another  by  A\'illiam  Ponam. — This  living  is  rated  at  the  clear  yearly  value  of 
33I.  2s.  8d.  the  tenths  now  difcharged  were  6s.  5d.  It  is  rated  in  the  King's 
books  at  3I.  4s.  per  ann. 

The  corporation  purchafcd  the  patronage  of  this  church  w  ith  part  of  the 
lands,  once  the  property  of  thefe  religious,  as  appears  by  the  following  deed  : 

"  Memorandum.  That  we  the  mearc  the  burgeffcs  and  communaltie  of  the 
citye  or  towne  of  Bryflowe  in  the  countie  of  Bryftowe  do  defvre  to  bye  and 
perchafe  of  the  Kyng's  Hyghneffe  the  manor  of  Temple  Fee  and  all  the  howfes, 
byldinges,  land,  tenths,  medc,  paflure,  rent,  fervyce,  libertys,  franchyfes, 
and  all  other  profytts  and  commodityesto  the  fame  manor  belongyng,  wyth  the 
appertynances  fctt  lying  and  bcyng  withyn  Brvftowc  aforcfaid,  and  withyn  the 
libertyes  of  the    fame,  and  in  Portbury  and  ^^'cft  "\\'cfton,  and  alfo  a  certain 

vacant 


C    545     ] 

vacant  peece  of  ground  lyingc  upon  the  Burge  of  Bryftowe  :  and  alfoe  all  fuch 
howfes,  buyldingcs,  edyficeSj  londys,  mede,  padure,  rents,  profetts,  &:c. 
the  whych  were  late,  and  belonged  to  Sir  John  Dudley  Knight,  of  the 
honorable  order  of  the  garter,  Vyfcount  Lyfley,  which  fayd  manor  and  all 
other  londe,  tenths,  hereditaments  mentioned  and  comprized  in  the  particulars 
to  thefc  prefents  annexed,  the  feid  maer,  burgcffes  and  communaltic  do  affirme 
and  declare  to  the  Kynges  Hyghnefs  to  be  of  the  cleer  yeerly  value  to  his 
Hyghnefs  in  yeerly  rents  and  fermes  of  71I.  16s.  2d.  over  and  above  all 
yeerly  outcharges  and  rcpryfes,  and  not  above.  In  wytnefs  whereof  Sir 
Edward  Beynton  Knight,  and  Gyles  Dodyngton,  deputes  and  attorneys  to  the 
feyd  maer  and  burgeflesand  communaltie,  fufficiently  authorifed,  deputed  and 
conlliiuted  by  the  wryting  of  the  faid  maer  c&rc.  of  Bryftow  under  their  com- 
mon feale,  to  thefe  prefent  have  fet  theyr  feveral  feales  and  fubfcribed  theyr 
names.  Yoven  the  laft  daie  of  June  the  36  yere  of  the  reygne  of  the  feyd 
fovereygne  Lorde  Kynge  Henry  the  Eigth. 

EDWARD  BEYNTON. 

GYLES  DODYNGTON. 
To  this  is  annexed  a  fchedule  entitled, 
Pacell.  Terr  ;  et  pofTeflionum  nuper  prioratus, 
Sive  hofpitalis  fanfti  Johannis  Jerufalem  in  Anglia,  among  which  are   the 
yearly  quit  rents  of  many  houfes  in  Temple-ftreet,  rents  of  lands  by   copy  of 
court    roll   in  Weft  Wefton,   Portbury  and  in  Briftol  :  Temple  Mead  was  let 
by  indenture  under  the  feal  of  the  faid  late  priory  to  John  Campton  on  paying 
yearly  3I.  6s.  8d.  the   clear  rent  of  all  thefe  lands  was  then  14!.  7s.   lod.  and 
the  rental  of  all  the  other  lands  of  Temple  manor,  called  Lord  Lyfle's,  which 
was  very  large,  and  confifted  not  onlv  of  tenements  in  Temple-ftreet,  but  in 
every  part  of  the  city,  and  in  Barton  Regis  hundred,  amounted  to     /.     s.     d. 
the  clear  annual  rent  of  57I.  8s.  3d.  -  -  -     57     ^     3 

14     7   11 

7116     a 
A    fum,    which   fince  the  purchafe    made    by   the  corporation   of  Briftol, 
amounts  now  to  a  clear  yearly  ground  rent,  befidcs  renewals  of  lives,  as  follows: 
Fee  farm  rents  only  of  the   knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerufalem  for     /.     s.     d. 
one  year,  are  -  -  -  -  -  22   14     i:^ 

Fee  farm  rents  and  rack  rents  of  Lord  Lifle's  lands,  are,  for  one  year  116     6     4 

71    16     2 


Increafe  in  ground  rents  alone  fince  the  36ih  year  of  Hen.  8th.  £"67     4     3^ 

W  w  w  Temple 


z 


C   546   ] 


Temple  mead;!,  part  ofthe  lands  belonging  to  the  houfe  of  the  Knight  Tem-^ 
plars,  were  therefore  exempt  from  tythes,  and  are  fo  to  this  day,  the  corpora- 
tion holding  thofe  lands  in  the  fame  manner  as  the  religious  did. 

The  fite  of  the  houfe  of  Knight  Templars,  and  afterwards  of  the  prior  and 
brethren  of  St.  John  of  Jerufalem,  is  at  prefent  not  very  eafily  to  be  traced — 
I  fiippofeit  was  near  to  the  church  of  their  ereflion,  and  as  I  find  Beer-lane 
and  Temple-Comb  mentioned  in  deeds  to  be  in  fuburbio;  the  prefent  fite  of  Dr; 
White's  hofpital  and  the  houfes  adjoining  fecm  to  be  the  fpot,  where  old  arches 
ftill  appear  to  point  it  out,  though  fome  have  placed  it  at  Temple-Gate,  where 
the  Auguftine  friers  afterwards  had  their  houfe  and  church,  of  which  below. 

The  vicar  chiefly  depends  on  the  free  gift  and  contributions  of  hisparifliion- 
ers,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  about  150I.  per  annum,  furplice  fees  included, 
befides  two  little  dwellings.  The  prefent  incumbent  is  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Eafterbrook. 

\'  I  C  A  R  S    of    Temple. 


Patrons. 
Prior  of  St.  John  of  Jerufalem. 
1342    John  Jurdan. 

William  dc  Hctherington. 
1370  Walter  Berforde. 
J 447   William  Bonavy. 
J1452  John  X'efFc. 


1614  Richard  Knight. 

1639  Abel  Lovering. 

1642  Jacob  Brent. 

1660  John  Chetwin. 

1672  Arthur  Bedford. 

1700  William  Cary. 

1723  Samuel  Curtis. 

1738  Henry  Becher. 


1473   Nicholas  Whithel. 

1475  John     Mafon,    alfo     rcclor    of     1743   Thomas  Jones. 

vWraxal.  1756  John  Price. 

1476  John  Thomas.  1767   Alexander     Stopford     Catcott, 
1512   Robert  FcRham.  author  of  an  ingenious  trca- 

Corporation.  life  on  the  Deluge. 

1563  Edward  Togood.  i-j-jg  Jofcph  Eafterbrook. 
1575  Richard  Barwick. 
1600  Richard  Martin. 

The  following  are  the  principal  Monuments  and  Infcriptions  in  this  church. 
In  the  chancel :  "  Samuel  Curtis  vicar  died  14  Jan.  1738,  aged  44." 
A  monument  with  infcription  to,  "  John  Stone,  thrice  mayor,  who  had  4 

wives;  he  died  24  June  1575;  with    his  effigy    and  his  4  wives,"   with    the 

brewers  arms. 

••  To  Jacob  Brent  vicar,  who  died  22    Ott.    1666,  aged   60  ;  with  fome 

acroftic  verfcs." 

"  To 


[    547     ] 

'  "  To  John  Thomas  viear,  whodied  i  Jan.  1476." 
"  To  John  Chetwin  vicar,  who  died  4  Dec.  1672,  aged  50." 
"  To  Walter  Berforde  vie." 

In  the  north  wall  a  handfome  monument  with  a  long  Latin  infcription  : 
"  To  George  Knight  Efq;  maior,  who  died  13  Dec.  1659,  aged  89. — Alfo  Sir 
John  Knight  his  fon,  alderman,  who  died  16  Dec.  1683,  aged  71. — Alfo  his 
fon  John,  who  died  29  May  1684,  aged  38. — Alfo  Thomas  Knight  Eiq;  fon 
of  Sir  John,  who  died  26  April  1699. — Alio  Ann  the  wife  of  George  Knight 
Efq;  who  died  19  Aug.  1645. — Martha  the  widow  of  Sir  |ohn  Knight,  who 
died  20  Jan.  1696. — Alfo  Mary  wife  of  John  Knight  Efq;  who  died  17  Oct. 
iQjS'—And  Ann  Knight  daughter  of  Thomas  Knight,  who  died  22  Sept. 
J 725 — Arms  paly  of  6  arg.  &  G.  quartered,  with  parted  per  bend  ermine  and 
fable  countcrchangcd,  a  lion  rampant  or. 

In  the  fouth  wall  of  the  chancel  a  monument,  "  To  Alderman  Crabb,  who 
died  14  Oct.  1702,  aged  87." 

On  a  black  ftone  an  infcription  :  "  To  John  Hawkins  Efq;  eldefl  fon  of  Sir 
John  Hawkins  Knight,  alderman,  he  died  27  March  1738,  aged  ^j. — Alfo  Sir 
John  Hawkins,  who  died  6  July  1723,  aged  74." — Arms  f.  arg.  a  St.  Andrew's 
crofs  fable,  charged  with  5  fleurs  de  lis  or. 

Under  a  brafs  figure  an  infcription:  "  To  Richard  Loyd,  with  fix  fons  and 
feven  daughters,  he  died  13  May  1621." — Arms  f.  ermine,  a  St.  Andrew's 
crofs  fable. 

At  the  entrance  into  the  chancel  lie  the  family  of  Hinde,  with  infcriptions  : 
"  To  John  Hinde  Efq;  mayor,  who  died  28  April  1699,  aged  68. — Elizabeth 
daughter  of  Richard  JBrickdale,  and  grand  daughter  of  John  Hinde  Efq;  (he 
died  1  Aug.  1723." 

John  Brickdale  Efq;  one  of  his  Majefty's  Juftices  of  the  Peace  for  the 
county  of  Somerfet,  and  father  of  Matthew  Brickdale  Efq;  prefent  Member 
of  Parliament  for  Briflol  (1788)  was  buried  at  Temple,  being  their  family 
burying  place.      He  died  2  November  1765. 

In  the  Weavers  Chapel  is  the  brafs  figure  of  a  man  in  the  poRure  of  devo- 
tion, with  the  following  lines: 

Es  tellis,  Chriflc,  quod  non  jacct  hie  lapis  ifle. 
Corpus  ut  ornctur,  fed  fpiritus  ut  memoretur  : 
Hue  tu  quo  tranfis,  magnus,  medius,  puer,  an  fis. 
Pro  me  Aindc  prcces,  dabitur  mihi  fie  ^'enia.■  fpcs. 
The  date  was  1396. 

W  w  w  2  11k 


[     548     ] 

Hie  jacet  Dus  Richardus  Goldekeme  quondam  Capellanus  ftae  Catheiinae, 
obiit  die  mcnfis  Maii  A.  D.  1443,  cujus  animae  propitietur  Deus  amen. — Tliere 
is  a  cro  fs  on  the  ftone  with  J,  H.  S. 

At  the  eaft  end  of  this  chapel  was  the  Holy  Lamb  in  painted  glafs,  alfo 
quarterly  G.  a  lion  rampant  or.  with  cheeky  or.  and  az. — The  Gorges  arms. — 
And  in  the  north  window  were  formerly  thofe  of  Hungerford,  Punchardon, 
Bradefton,  Ferrers,  Morgan,  Arthur,  Fitzwarrcn  alias  Blunt,  Brook,  England, 
Valance,  and  of  Eleanor  of  Caftile  Queen  of  Edward  ill.  all  in  painted  glafs, 
now  ftolen  away. 

There  is  a  curious  ancient  brafs  fconce  with  twelve  branches,  on  the  top  the 
Virgin  and  child  in  her  arms  in  full  proportion,  and  under  them  St.  Michael 
killing  the  dragon,  of  very  neat  workmanfhip,  probably  ufed  in  the  time  of  the 
Knight  Templars. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the   Church  and   Poor  of  Temple   Parilh. 

1634,  Mr.  George  White,  merchant,  gave  by  will  to  the  churchwardens  and 
parifhioners  of  Temple  in  Briftol  for  the  time  being  25I.  in  money, 
to  be  paid  into  the  hands  of  the  overfcers  of  the  poor,  to  be  by  them 
and  the  churchwardens  fo  laid  out  and  fettled  that  by  the  profit 
thereof  arifing  a  fermon  may  be  yearly  preached  in  Temple  Crofs  in 
Briflol  upon  St.  Georg's-day  (being  the  23d  of  April)  for  ever. — 
The  preacher  to  be  nominated  by  the  mayor  and  aldermen  of  the 
city  of  Briftol. 

1639,  Mr.   George   Harrington,    alderman,  hath    given    40s.  yearly  to  four 
houfekeepers  by  10s.  a  quarter  for  ever, 
Mr.  William  Pitt  hath  given  the  ufe  of  25I.  to  the  poor  for  ever. 

1594,  Robert  Kitchen,  alderman,  gave  los.  for  a  fermon  and  izd.  weekly  in 
bread,  and  40s.  yearly  to  four  houfekeepers  by  10s.  quarterly. 

1622,  Thomas   White,    D.  D.    for  two   fermons  yearly,  and   founder  of  an 
almflioufc  for  ten  perfons. 
Mr.  Edward  Batten  and  Mary  his  wife  gave  40I.  the  benefit  thereof  to 
be  diflributed  in  bread  weekly  to  the  poor  of  thisparifli  for  ever. 
Mary  Stile  gave  lol.  the  benefit  thereof  to  be  diflributed  in  bread  weekly 
to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  for  ever. 
Mr.  Richard  Ditty  gave  lol.  the  benefit  thereof  to  be  diftributcd   in 
bread  M'cekly  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  for  ever. 

1656,  John  Barker,  alderman,  gave  one  annuity  to  the  churchwardens  of 
Temple  parifh  of  4I.  6s.  8d.  per  annum  forever  outofahoufe  in 
Tcmple-flreet,  to  have  thirteen  fermons  preached  in  the  year,  viz. 

one 


C    549    ] 

one  every  Sunday  in  the  month  in   the  parifh   church  of  Temple, 

but  if  in  cafe  it  is  omitted  for  the  fpace  of  three  months  then  the 

annuity  to  ceafe. 
1659,  George  Knight,  Efq;  late  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city,  gave   8d. 

weekly  in   bread  to    the  poor,  and  12s.  6d.    for  a  fcrmon  yearly 

for  ever. 
1661,  Mr.  Francis  deed,  fome  time  flicrifF  of  this  city,  gave  10s.   a  quarter 

to  a  poor  houfekeeper  for  ever. 
1668,  Arthur  Farmer,   Efq:   alderman,  gave  40I.   the  profit  thereof  to  be  dif- 

tributed  upon  All  Saints-day   to   fix  poor  families  of    this   parifh 

for  ever. 
Mr.  Abraham  Birkin  gave  40s.  per  annum  for  ever  to  four  houfe-hol- 

ders,  receiving  no  alms,  quarterly  for  ever. 
Mrs.  Mary  Beekham  gave  a  houfe   in  Frog-lane,  the   profit  thereof  in 

bread  to  the  poor. 
Mrs.  Mary  Gray  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof,  viz.  6s.  8d.  for  a  fermon 

on  the  Sunday  after  St.  Andrew's-day,  and  the  reft  for  putting  poor 

fatherlefs  children  to  fchool. 
1683,  Mr.  Thomas  Goldfmith  gave  lol.  per  annum  for  ever;  4I.   per  annum 

in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh,  40s.  a  year  to  the  cloth  workers 

almfhoufe,  and  40s.  a  year  to  the  poor  of  the  weavers  almfhoufe,  each 

to  have  it  given  quarterly  ;  and  40s.  a  year  to  be   given   to  Martha 

Hyatt  for  her  life,  and  after  to  fix  poor  widows  of  the  faid  parifh  on 

St.  Thomas's-day  for  ever. 
1683,  Sir  John  Knight  the  elder,  alderman  of  this   city,  gave  20I.   the  profit 

thereof  to  be  given  in  bread  weekly  for  ever,  befides  22I.  given   to 

the  poor  immediately. 

1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Holway,  fenr.  merchant,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to 

be  given  weekly  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever. 

1686,  Mr.  Robert  Amberfon,  merchant,  gave  25I.   the   profit   thereof  to  be 

given  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  pari/li  weekly  for  ever. 
Mr.  Samuel  Hale,  merchant,  gave   lol.   the  profit  thereof  in   bread  to 
the  poor  of  this  parifh  for  ever.      And  the  profit  of  230I.   to  feven 
parifhes  to  place  a  boy  or  girl  apprentice,  whereof  this  parifh  hath  a 
proportion. 

1688,  Mr.  John  Lawford,  alderman,  gave  52s.  in  bread  yearly  forever. 

1689,  Mr.  William  Middlemore,  dyer,  gave  lol.  yearly  for  five  years  to  the 

poor  of  this  parifh,  beginning  March  25 

1690, 


[    55^    ] 

1690,  Mrs.  Alice  \Ve{l  gave  three  houfes,  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of 
this  parifh  for  ever. 
Mrs.  Margaret  Abbey,  widow,  gave  30I.   to    the   poor  of  this  parifli, 
which  was  diflributed  according  to  her  M'ill. 
1609,  Mrs.   Ann  Longman,  widow,  gave  195I.  to  the  poor  of  this   citv,  of 
of  wliicii  this  parifli  hath  a  part. 

1702,  Mr.  John  Hudf'on,  of  this  parifli,  clothier,  gave  13s.  4d.  to  the  niiiiif- 

tcr,  4s.  to  the  clerk,  and  2s.  8d.   to  the  fexton,  for  a  fcrmon  on  St. 

John's-day  for  ever  ;  and  20s.  for  four  widows  or  houfekcepcrs  of 

this  parifh,  not  receiving  alms. 
1706,  Sarah  Smith,  widow,  daughter   of   Mr.  Thomas   Smith,  gave  6s.   8d. 

apiece  to  three  poor   widows    of  this  parifli  on   St.   Thomas's-day 

for  ever. 
1701,  Edward  Colflon,   Efq;   gave  lool.  towards  the  ceiling  and  heautif)ing 

of  this  church,  and  60I.  more  for  a  portal  and  altar-piece. 

1703,  Mrs.  Sarah  Colflon,  widow,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  yearly 

and  equally  given  to  fix  poor  houfekeepers  of  this  parifli,  not 
receiving  alms,  at  Chriftmas  for  ever. 
1709,  Mr.  George  Hudfon,  the  only  fon  of  Mr.  John  Iludfon,  gave  20I.  to 
80  families  of  Temple  parifli,  which  was  diflributed  as  by  will, 
the  interefl  of  50I.  to  fix  houfekeepers  not  receiving  alms,  viz. 
8s.  4d.  to  each,  to  be  diflributed  by  the  churchwardens  of  the  faid 
parifh  on  Afli  Wcdncfday,  and  10s.  for  a  fcrmon  on  the  fame  day 
for  ever. 

1712,  Mr.  Abraham  Spirring  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  this 

parifli  in  bread  weekly  for  ever. 

1713,  Mr.  John  Gray,  cloth-worker,  born  in  this  parifli,  gave  40s.  a  year  for 

ever,  viz.  10s.  for  a  fermon  to  the  miniiler,  2s.  6d.  to  the  clerk, 
is.  6d.  to  the  fexton,  and  26s.  paid  for  the  relief  of  four  fick  fa- 
milies on  the  1  7th  dav  of  November,  at  the  difcrction  of  the  church- 
wardens. 
The  fame  Mr.  Gray  gave  the  refiduary  part  of  his  eflatc,  which  amounted 
to  uol.  to  be  diflributed  by  his  executors  to  fuch  poor  perfons  as 
they  think  fit.  Ordered,  that  it  fhall  be  applied  towards  the  main- 
tenance of  the  charity-fchool  girls  of  this  parifh  for  ever. 
1716,  Mrs.  Jane  Shute,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Knight,  of  this  parifli,  deceafed, 
gave  lol.  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli,  the  interefl  thereof  to  be  given 
in  bread  on  Chriflmas-day  yearly  for  ever, 

1721, 


[    55^     ] 

1721,  Mr.  John  Brittain  gave  20I.  the  intereft  thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread 

on  Chri(lmas-day  for  ever. 

1722,  Capt.  Matthew  Nicholas  gave  20I.  the  interefl  thereof  to  be  paid  yearly 

to  four  poor  failors  widows,  and  for  want  of  fuch  to  four  poor 
houfe-holders  of  thisparifh  for  ever,  to  be  diftributed  on  the  9th  of 
November,  being  his  birth-day. 

1724,  May  11,  Mr.  John  Newman,  plumber,  gave   26I.  the  profit  in  bread, 

made  into  two-penny  loaves,  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  on  the  Lord's- 

day  for  ever. 
Mrs.  Grace  Brown,  gave  15I.  the  intereft  to  five  poor  widows,  not  re- 

civing  alms,  on  the  5th  day  of  March  for  ever. 
1729,  Mr.  Ifaac  Hollier,  of  Wolverhampton,  left   lol.   by  will,  the  intereft 

thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  in  bread  yearly  for  ever. 
1731,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Nicholas,  widow,  gave  30I.  the   intereft  thereof  to  be 

diftributed  to  fix  poor  failors  widows,  or  (if  none)  to  fix.  other  houfe- 

keepers,  not  receiving   alms,  yearly,  on    the   ift  day  of  Februarv, 

being  the  day  of  her  birth. 

1725,  Mrs.  Ann  Knight,  daughter  of  Thomas  Knight,  Efq;  third    fon  of  Sir 

John  Knight,  late  of  this  parifli,  gave  tool,  the  intereft  thereof  to 
be  given  in  bread,  to  fuch  poor  of  this  parifli  as  are  moft  in  need  of 
it :  one  half  of  it  on  the  gth  of  May,  and  the  other  half  of  it  on  the 
22d  of  September  for  ever.  She  alfo  gave  two  large  filver  candie- 
fticks  for  the  ufe  of  the  church. 
1740,  June  24,  Mr.  John  Jayne,  mariner,  of  Temple  parifti,  gave  140I.  the 
intereft  thereof  for  the  education  and  cloathing  of  the  poor  charity 
girls  of  the  faid  parifti  for  ever. 

1681,  Mr.  Abraham  Short,  of  Hambrough,  and  fervant   to   Mr.  John  Hinc, 

of  this  parifti,  fugar-baker,  gave    lol.    the  ufe  thereof  weekly    in 
bread  to  the  poor  for  ever. 
Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Jane   Langton,  widows, 
gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  los.  apiece  to  52  poor  widows  of  this 
city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this  parifh  hath  a  proportion. 

1682,  William   Colfton,  Efq;  merchant,  and   fome  time  ftierift'  of  this   city, 

gave  50I.  to  this  parifti,  the  profit  thereof  weekly  in  bread  to  the  poor 
for  ever. 
1670,  Mr.  Richard  \'ickris,  alderman,  gave  52s.  yearly  for  ever  in  bread. 

Mrs.  Lucy  Pefter,  widow,  gave  unto  the  poor  of  this  parifti  50I.  the 
profit  thereof  yearly  for  ever. 

1678, 


[     552     ] 

1678,  Mr.  William  Goldfmith  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed  in 

bread,  on  the  20th  of  January,   to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  yearly 

for  ever. 
r67'2,  Mr.  Thomas  Gueft,  of  Exon,  gave  lol.  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh,  the 

profits  thereof  for  ever. 
1676,  Mr.  Robert  Markham,  of  London,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to  be 

given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifii  in  bread  on   St.  Paul's-day  yearly 

for  ever. 

The  following  are  the  GIFT-SERMONS  preached  in  this  church. 

Sunday   after  St.    Paul'.s-day   in  the  St.   Thomas's-day    in   the    forenoon, 

morning.  Alderman  Kitchen's.  Dr.  White's. 

A(h  Wednefday,  Mr.  Geo.  Hudfon's.  Chriftmas-day   in  the  morning,    Mr. 

April  23,   Mr.  George  White's.  George  Knight's. 

Afcenfion-day  and  Tuefday  in  Whit-  St.  John's-dav,  Mr.  John  Hudfon's. 

fun  week,  Mr.  T.  Warren's,  fenr.  Thirteen    fermons    in    the    year,    on 

Midfummer-day,  Dr.  White's.  the   firft   Sunday   in  the   month,  in 

November  17,  Mr.  John  Gray's.  the  afternoon,  Mr.  John  Barker's, 

Sunday  morning  after  St.  Andrew's-  alderman. 

day,  Mrs.  Mary  Gray's. 

The  lands  and  tenements  belonging  to  this  parifh  produce  in  ground  rents 
about  170I.  per  annum,  befides  renewals  of  lives. 

The  26th  year  of  Henry  the  8th.  a  great  controverfy  arofe  betwixt  the  Lord 
prior  of  St.  John  of  Jerufalem  in  England,  and  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of 
Briftol,  relating  to  the  privilege  of  fanfluary  in  Temple-ftreet,  and  of  having  a 
law  day  to  hold  court  with  the  ufual  privileges,  and  return  a  brevium  and  exe- 
cution of  the  fame  in  the  faid  flreet;  claiming  alfo  that  his  tenants  and  inhabi- 
tants within  the  faid  flreet  being  not  burgefTes,  might  vend  their  merchandifes 
therein  in  open  fliops;  all  which  articles  were  denied  by  the  mayor,  and  after 
much  variance  the  matter  was  referred  to  Sir  J.  Fitz-James  chief  juflicc,  and 
Richard  Broke  chief  baron,  who  ordered  that  the  liberty  of  fanfluary  fhould  be 
void,  and  that  procefTes  fhould  be  ferved  in  the  faidftreet  by  the  city  officers 
M'iihout  difturbance  of  the  Lord  prior. — The  refl  of  the  matters  in  difpute  were 
referred  to  another  time  ;  but  Henry  the  8th.  fettled  them  moft  efFeBually  at 
the  reformation,  by  the  fupprefTion  of  religious  houfcs. 

There  were  ("ome  peculiar  privileges   belonging  to  Temple  Fee,  of  which 

Arthur  Efq;  is  named  as  lord,  alfo  mentioned  by  William  of  Worcefier; 

which 


C    553    3 

which  in  time  were  loft :  and  in  the  year  1490  it  is  faid,  "  thefe  was  no  court, 
bayly  or  cnnftable  of  Temple  Fee  for  ten  weeks,"  and  afterwards  that  '  Tem- 
ple Fee  was  broken." 

In  this  parifli  and  in  Temple-ftrect  on  the  north  fide  within  the  gate  was  a 

friery  of  brothers  Eremites  of  St.  Auguftin Of  this  houfe  Bifhop  Tanner  in 

his  Notitia  Monaftica,  in  folio,  p.  483,  fays,  "  The  Auguftine  friers  hoiifc 
was  hard  by  the  Temple-gate,  witliin  it  on  the  north  weft."  It  was  founded 
by  Sir  Simon  and  Sir  William  Moniacute,  about  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
King  Edward  the  2d.  and  was  granted  the  35th  of  Henry  the  8th.  1543,  to 
Maurice  Dennis. 

Vide  in  Mr.  \A'^illis's  hiftory  of  abbies,  vol.  2.  p.  325,  the  dimenfions  of  the 
church  and  chapter  houfe. 

Pat.  6  Edw.  2.  p.  2.  m.  2.  vel.  3.  Pat.  11  Edw  2.  p.  1.  m.  10.  ibid, 
p.  2.  m.  22.  de  cccc.  ped  in  longit.  "et  cc.  ped  in  latit.  concelT.  Will,  dc 
Monteacuto  pro  manfo  elargando:  pat.  17  Ed.  2.  p.  2.  m.  6. 

William  of  Worcefter  in  1480  gives  the  dimenfions  of  the  Briftol  frieries ; 
and  of  this,  "  The  length  of  the  body  of  the  Auguftynian  brethren's  church 
contains  30  yards  or  54  paces,  the  breadth  thereof  contains  9  yards  or  16 
paces ;  the  length  of  the  chapter-houfe  24  yards,  the  breadth  thereof  8  yards  ; 
the  length  of  the  cloifters  contains  30  yards,  the  breadth  thereof  3  yards;  the 
breadth  of  the  belfry  5  yards."  He  adds,  "  In  1320,  the  day  before  the  ides 
of  July,  the  place  of  the  brother  Eremites  of  the  order  of  St.  Auguftin  was 
confecrated  ;  there  is  in  the  church  one  fmall  nave  and  only  one  aile." 

In  the  year  1366  Sir  John  de  Gourney  Lord  of  Knowle  granted  the  ground 
for  an  aqueduct  from  Pile-hill  to  Temple-gate  near  this  houfe,  for  the  ufc  of 
the  friers  here,  from  a  fountain  called  Ravencfwelle  at  a  place  called  Hales. 

The  1  ith  of  Edward  3d.  licence  was  granted  to  William  de  Montacute  for  a 
certain  piece  of  land  in  the  fuburbs  of  Briftol,  containing  200  feet  in  length 
and  40  in  breadth,  contiguous  to  the  manfion  of  the  beloved  the  prior  and 
brethren  of  the  order  of  St.  Auftin  to  enlarge  their  manfion,  faving  to  the 
lords  of  the  fee  all  due  fervices,  by  letters  patent  dated  at  Wyndefore.  This 
was  a  grant  of  the  land  in  the  Great  Garden. 

Thomas  Lvons,  Efq;  5th  Henry  4th.  granted  the  friers  leave  to  bring  their 
aqueduCl  direct  through  his  land  called  Brandiron-clofe  otherwife  Long  Croft 
with  power  to  dig  the  ground,  &:c. 

Thefe  original  deeds  are  in  Temple  veftr\'. 

Temple  conduit  was  built  1561,  and  1587  J.  Griflcn  gave  twft  tenements  to 
keep  it  in  repair.     This   water  courfe   is  kept  in   very   good   order,  and  the 

X  X  .X  fountain 


[    554     ] 

fountain  head  is  yearly  vifited  by  the  parifh  officers,  and  they  have  expended 
preat  funis  toprefcrve  it  at  different  times  and  to  prevent  the  fprings  from  being 
flopped.  You  enter  the  cavern  by  a  door  at  the  fide  of  the  hill,  on  the  very 
bank  of  the  Avon  on  the  left  hand  of  the  Bath  road  at  Totterdown,  and  paffing 
through  a  narrow  cut  in  the  folid  rock  for  125  yards  exaflly  in  length,  you 
come  to  the  refervoir  or  large  trough  of  frceflone,  into  which  three  or  four 
fprings  rifing  with  force  through  crevices  in  the  bottom  of  the  rock  are  conti- 
nually flowing  in  bubbling  ftreams,  from  hence  the  water  is  conveyed  in  large 
leaden  pipes  laid  at  the  bottom  of  the  channel  cut  in  the  rock,  which  pipes  you 
walk  upon  in  going  to  the  ciftern,  the  roof  above  in  the  rock  being  from  10  to 
20  feet  high  in  fome  places;  the  water  is  conveyed  from  the  pipe  head  through 
the  fields  next  it  quite  to  Temple-gate,  where  is  a  ciftern  arched  over  for 
public  ufe  :  a  feather  conveyed  it  to  the  religious  houfe  adjoining,  now  be- 
longing to  Mr.  Warren.  From  the  gate  it  is  now  led  through  Temple-flreet 
to  the  Neptune,  and  to  a  large  ciftern  the  fouth  fide  of  the  church  and  from 
thence  with  a  fmall  feather  to  the  vicaragc-houfe,  which  ferves  the  ftrect  with 
great  conveniency  as  well  as  the  neighbourhood. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1613  Thomas  White,  D.  D.  being  a  native  of  this 
parifh  and  then  living,  erefted  an  bofpital  in  Temple-flreet  called  the  Temple 
Hofpital,  for  eight  men  and  two  women,  and  one  man  and  one  woman  were 
afterwards  added  by  himfelf.  He  Endowed  the  fame  with  lands  and  tenements 
of  the  yearly  value  of  52I.  or  thereabouts. 

In  the  year  1622  he  enfeofFed  and  confirmed  to  the  mayor,  burgeffes,  and 
commonalty  of  the  city  of  Briftol,  and  their  fucceffors  for  ever  in  truft,  four 
meffuages  and  tenements,  fituate  in  Grays  Inn-lane,  in  the  county  of  Middle- 
fex,  near  the  city  of  London,  then  in  the  occupation  of  Sir  Ralph  Haufby, 
Knight,  of  the  yearly  value  yf  40I.  to  be  applied  to  divers  charities.  And 
after  his  death,  a  rent  charge  of  140I.  per  annum  was  direfted  to  be  iffuing 
out  of  the  manor  of  Bradwcll,  in  the  county  of  Effex,  and  licence  of  Mort- 
main obtained  in  1626  from  King  Charles  ift.  to  purchafe  the  faid  annuity. — 
By  his  will  alfo  he  direCled  that  one  man  and  one  womau  fliould  be  added  upon 
the  foundation  of  the  faid  hofpital  to  thofc  ten  before  appointed,  now  twelve 
in  number. 

Firft  fettlement  was  -         -         -         £5^ 

Second  ditto  for  increafe  of  alms  -  6 

Third  ditto  by  his  will  _         _         -       40 

Total    £  98  per  annum. 

In 


[     535     ] 

In  Templc-ftreet  at  the  corner  of  the  way  leading  to  Great  Garden  is  an 
hofpital  ereQcd,  and  endowed  with  lands  and  tenements  in  Breach  Yate  and 
Wycii  and  Abfton  to  tlie  value  of  200I.  or  300I.  per  annum.  This  gift  is  by 
the  diredions  and  appointment  of  Mr.  Thomas  Stephens,  alderman  of  this 
city,  the  fame  being  enfeoffed  to  divers  gentlemen  of  the  faid  city,  for  the 
maintenance  of  twelve  women  there  with  a  weekly  allowance  to  each  of  them 
of  23.  6d.  One  other  hofpital  in  the  Old  Market  was  founded  by  the  fame 
perfon,  and  endowed  with  the  fame  lands  as  above.  His  will  bears  date  the 
6th  of  April,   1679. 

The  next  charitable  foundation  in  Temple-ftreet,  but  nearer  Temple-gate 
on  the  fame  fide  of  the  way  is  the  fchool  of  Edward  Colllon,  Efq.  It 
was  erefted  and  endowed  by  him  in  the  year  1711,  for  the  educating  in  read- 
ing, writing,  and  cyphering,  and  perfecting  in  the  underdanding  of  the 
church  catechifm  as  it  is  now  eftablifhed  by  law,  and  alfo  for  cloathing  forty 
poor  boys  of  this  parifh  yearly  for  ever.  The  faid  Edward  Colflon,  Efq; 
was  a  native  of  this  pariQi.  See  p.  443.  The  eflate  with  which  he  endowed 
his  charity-fchool  in  Temple-flreet  is  an  annual  fee  farm  of  Sol.  per  annum. 
The  charge  was  about  3000I. 

In  a  deed  dated  1393  I  find  mention  is  made  of  an  hofpital  or  almfhoufe 
within  Temple-gate,  oppofite  the  houfe  of  the  Auguftinian  brethren,  and  in 
another  dated  1471  it  is  called  Domus  Elemofynaria  Johannis  Spycer  juxta 
portam  Templi,  of  this  there  are  no  remains  at  prefent. 

There  is  a  fchool  for  girls,  firfl;  founded  by  the  benefaflion  of  Mr.  John 
Cray,  and  improved  and  fupported  at  prefent  by  voluntary  contributions. 

Under  the  Tuckers'-hall  is  an  ancient  hofpital,  fuppofed  to  have  been 
founded  by  the  Tuckers'  company,  wherein  fix  poor  people  have  their  dwel- 
lings, and  20s.  per  annum  from  the  faid  company  ;  but  they  received  an 
additional  benefaftion  from  Mrs.  Sarah  Smith  of  40s.  per  annum  in  the  whole. 

The    following  are   the  particular  benefaClors    to  the   company   of  Cloth 
Workers  and  to  the  fix  poor  of  the  fame  company  under  their  hall : 
Mr.  Thomas   Goldfmith   gave  one  filver   caudle  cup,   weight  iij  ounces,  to 

the  ufe  of  the  company,  in  memory  of  his  fon  Thomas  Goldfmith.  /.     s.    d. 
John  Sprint  gave  6s.  8d.  yearly  for  ever,  paid  them  on  Candlemas-day   o 
Henry  Davis  gave  6s.  8d.  yearly  for  ever,  on  Good  Friday 
Richard  Floyd  gave  6s.  yearly  for  ever,  on  New  Year's-day 
Mr.  Thomas  Goldfmith  gave  2I.  yearly  for  ever,  paid  them  quarterly  2 
Mrs.  Sarah  Smith  gave  2I.  yearly  for  ever,  paid  to  tiicm  quarterly 
Paid  them  dut  of  the  rent  of  the  hall  at  St.  Paul's  fair 

The  whole  yearly  income  to  the  fix  poor    £"514     4 
Xxx   2  In 


0 

6 

8 

0 

6 

8 

0 

6 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

0 

15 

0 

C    556    ] 

in  Tcmplc-ftrcet  is  al To  a  Targe  hall  called  the  Weavcrs'-Piall',  where  the 
iriaflers  and  company  meet  to  choofc  officers  and  accompany  them  before  the 
mayor  to  be  fworn  according  to  their  charter ;  where  they  ufed  to  audit  their 
accounts  and  keep  their  leafcs  and  records.  They  have  feveral  lands  given 
them,  which  they  hold  under  feoffees  for  the  ufe  of  the  poor  of  the  hofpital 
under  the  Weavers'-hall  for  four  poor  women,  who  have  about  is.  per  week 
each  from  the  Weavers'  company.  Alfo  by  a  grant  dated  the  2 2d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1673,  (now  in  the  cuftody  of  the  mafter  of  the  Weavers)  from  the  maf- 
ter  and  company  of  Tuckers,  the  faid  poor  arc  intitled  to  fome  per- 
quifites  by  them  granted  at  St.  Paul's  fair,  to  be  paid  the  mafler  and  wardens 
of  the  \Vcavers'  company  on  every  2d  day  of  February,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
poor  for  ever.  The  poor  here  had  at  firfl:  only  2s.  6d.  per  quarter,  the  gift 
of  Mr.  Thomas  Goldfmith  ;  but  they  afterwards  alfo  received  an  addition  of 
40S.  per  annum,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Smith,  payable  out  of  an  cflate  at  Max 
Mills,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet. 

Round  the  bell  at  the  Wcavers'-hall  was  this  infcription  in  Gothic  letters  : 
"   Elizabeth  de  Burco  :   libera  de  ira  Dei  nos  Jefu  Chrifte." 

In  1786  this  Weavers'-hall,  ufed  as  a  chapel  for  the  Methodids,  was  let  on 
a  leafe  for  100  years  at  an  advanced  rent  of  eight  guineas  per  annum  to  the 
Jews  for  a  fynagoguc,  who  have  decorated  it  in  a  neat  expenfive  manner.  It 
was  opened  for  their  ufe  the  15th  of  September,  1786,  with  great  ceremony, 
mufic,  &c. 

Under  this  is  a  fmall  chapel  with  a  large  flone  table,  where  divine  fervice 
was  antiently  performed,  but  for  many  years  hath  been  totally  omitted.  To 
this  company  belong  feveral  pieces  of  plate,  and  a  horn  like  that  at  Queen's 
college  in  Oxford.  The  Weavers'  chapel  in  Temple  church  alfo  belongs  to 
tliem,  and  they  keep  it  in  repair  and  receive  for  breaking  the  ground  there. 
Pra)'crs  are  read  in  it  by  the  vicar  yearly  the  29th  of  May  and  the  5th  of 
N'ovcmber  in  the  morning,  for  which  they  pay  5s. 

This  company  has  declined  greatly  with  the  trade  of  clothing  in  this  city. 

The  money  collefted  for  the  (landings,  &c.  at  the  winter  Briftol  fair,  kept 
in  Temple-flreet  at  St.  Paul's  tide,  but  the  day  is  changed  fince  to  the  ift  of 
September,  is  applied  to  charitable  ufes,  being  firfl:  applied  to  repair  the  water 
pipes  and  conduit  of  this  parifh,  and  the  remainder  is  diftributed   to  the  poor. 

Edward  6th.  granted  the  charter  the  24th  of  May  1550,  for  holding  this 
fair  for  eight  days  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty,  who  "  out  of  charitable 
companion  to  the  poor  of  the  parifh  and  their  better  relief  and  fupport,"  did 
by  indenture  the  28th  of  September,  2d  Charles  2d.  give  and  grant  to  the 

church- 


C    557     ] 

churchwardens  and  parifhioners  and  their  fuccefTors  full  power  and  authority 
for  and  in  the  name  of  faid  mayor  and  commonalty,  to  gather  and  levy  and 
receive  all  tolly,  ftallage,  profits,  and  revenues  of  the  fair,  to  be  employed  for 
the  relief  of  the  poor  and  reparations  of  the  faid  parilh  and  the  water  courfcs 
thereunto  belonging,  the  churchwardens  paying  to  the  corporation  at  Lady- 
day  for  ever  the  fum  of  20s,  The  fair  is  accordingly  proclaimed  the  day  be- 
fore it  is  held  by  the  city  crier,  charging  all  to  fell  no  wares  till  the  following 
morning  at  feven  o'clock. 


CHAP.      XXIII. 
OJ  the  CHURCH  ani  PARISH  of  Si.  THOMAS. 

'  J  ""HIS  was  from  the  earlieft  times  a  chapel  to  Bedminfler,  and  is  called 
-*■  in  old  deeds  by  the  name  of  the  Chapel  of  St.  Thomas  the  Martyr,  and 
feems  to  have  arifen  upon  the  increafe  of  buildings  and  inhabitants  on  Rcd- 
clifFfide  of  the  city;  for  Redcliff-flreet  itfelf  was  part  of  the  manor  of  Bedmin- 
fler of  old,  and  belonged  to  Thomas  de  Berkly  as  fuch.  In  a  manufcript 
(penes  mcj  the  church  is  faid  "  to  have  been  very  old,  and  being  fouilie  rent 
"  and  crafed  was  rebuilden  by  Segawen  or  Segovian,  a  Lumbard  gouler  or 
"  ufiirer;"  but  in  what  vcar  is  not  mentioned.  It  is  very  apparent,  that  it 
was  built  at  different  times.  The  prefent  ftrufture  is  lofty  and  fpacious,  after 
the  Gothic  order,  with  a  lofty  nave  and  long  fide  ailes,  and  the  tower  at  the 
weft  end  with  bells  without  any  fpire  ftrong  and  plain.  It  is  in  length  from  the 
weft  door  to  the  higli  altar  46  yards,  the  porch  is  3  yards  and  2  feet,  and  the 
breath  of  the  whole  church  ig  yards  1  foot. 

William  Eotoner,  p.  214.  fays,  "  The  length  of  tlic  cluirch  of  St.  Thomas 
contains  73  fteps  or  48  virgae  or  yards,  its  breadth  21  yards."  But  in  p.  204. 
"  The  church  of  St.  Thomas  with  the  choir  contains  in  length  80  fteps,  its 
breadth  55  fteps  ;"  and  in  p.  239.  he  fays,  "  It  is  43  yards  in  length,"  which 
fticws  the  uncertainty  of  his  mcafurcment." 

This  church  is  often  mentioned  in  old  deeds  as  early  as  the  year  1200.  It 
is  next  to  RedclifF  the  largeft  as  well  as  moft  elegant  building,  though  only  a 

chapel 


i:  558  ] 

chapel  like  it  to  another  fBedminfter)  church.  Tiiis  parifli  formeriy  being  well 
inhabited  and  full  of  clothiers,  and  their  dependents  required  fuch  a  fpacious 
church  to  affemble  in  for  divine  fervice,  where  every  individual  thought  it  his 
duty  or  was  obliged  to  attend,  efpccially  every  fabbath-day.  Edward  Colflon, 
Efq;  gave  50I.  towards  the  repairs  of  this  church.  Near  the  middle  is  a  cupola 
raifed  or  glazed  lanthorn,  alfo  an  organ  which  coft  360].  is  at  the  weft  end. 

John  Stoke  eftablifhcd  a  chauntry  the  15th  of  March,  6th  Richard  2d.  for 
two  chaplains  to  celebrate  every  day  before  the  altar  of  the  Virgin  Mary  in  this 
church,  where  the  faid  John  Stoke  was  buried,  for  the  fouls  of  his  Majefty  and 
of  the  commonalty  of  Briftol,  of  himfelf  and  Joan  his  wife,  Sec.  and  he  left  to 
the  protlors  5I.  5s.  per  annum  for  them  to  have  his  obit  held  annually  and  that 
of  his  three  wives  on  the  27th  of  May. 

John  Burton,  burgefs  of  Briftol  and  merchant,  by  will  dated  March  1,  1454, 
3d  of  Henry  6th.  gave  lands  and  tenements  to  Nicholas  Pittes,  vicar  of  Red- 
cliff'  and  St.  Thomas,  Philip  Mede  and  others,  to  find  a  chaplain  for  a  per- 
petual chauntry  in  this  church  at  the  altar  of  St.  John  the  Baptift,  near  which 
he  was  buried,  to  pray  for  the  King  and  Queen,  himfelf,  and  Ifabcl  his  wife. 

Robert  Chepe  left  mefluages  and  tenements  in  RcdclifF-ftrcet,  Temple- 
ftreet,  and  Dcfence-ftreet,  11th  Henry  4th.  for  a  chauntry  pricft  to  pray  for 
his  foul  and  that  of  Agnes  his  wife,  at  the  altar  of  St.  Nicholas  in  the  church 
of  St.  Thomas. 

Richard  de  Welles  having  obtained  licence  of  Mortmain  of  King  Edward 
3d.  did  by  will  bequeath  tenements  in  Fuller's-ftreet  for  a  chauntry  in  the 
chapel  of  St.  Thomas,  at  the  altar  of  the  Holy  Trinity  and  the  Virgin  Mary, 
which  was  confirmed  by  Ralph  Biftiop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  at  BanwclJ 
March  9,  1333. 

The  principal  Monuments  and  Infcriptions  are  the  following: 

A  monument  to  Edward  Bovey,  with  brafs  figures  with  four  fons  behind 
him,  and  two  daughters  behind  his  wife,  with  an  acroftic  of  ten  lines.  He 
died  the  20th  of  April,  1662.  Arms,  or.  3  crofs  bowsG.  impaling  Giffiud  G. 
three  lions  or.  paftant. 

Another,  large,  "  To  Edward  Morgan,  Efq;  alderman,  who  died  13  Sept. 
1669,  aged  61."     Arms,  or,  a  griffin  rampant  f.  quartered  with  G.  two  bars  or. 

"  To  Richard  Crump,  alderman  and  member  of  parliament,  who  died 
14  January,  1699,  aged  72."     Arms,  chevernois  of  fix,  or.  and  G. 

"  To  Charles  GreOey,  apothecary,  of  an  antient  family  in  Derbylhire," 
with  a  long  Latin  infcription.     Arms,  vaire,  arg.  and  G. 

"  To 


[    559    } 

"  To  Humphrey  Brent,  A,  M.  minider  of  this  church,"  with  a  long  Latin 
infcription  in  his  praife.  He  was  buried  under  the  communion  tabic  1677, 
aged  40. 

'•  To  Maurice  Ceely  Trevillian,  Efq;  who  died  2  April,   1781,  aged  74." 
*'  To   John  Haythorn,  who  died  14  January,   1732,  aged  74;    and  to  Ni- 
cholas-Haythorn   his   fon,  who  died  6  March,   1733,  aged    38;    Anna   his 
mother,  who  died  27  July,   1710,  aged'44;  alfo  Henry  Haythorn,  who   died 
11  July,   1737,  aged  27." 

"  To  Ezekiel  Longman,  Efcj;  flieriff,  who  died  g  Auguft,  1738;  and 
Sufanna  his  wife,  who  died  6  March,   1733,  aged  58." 

"  To  John  Berrow,  Efq;  mayor,  who  died  29  November,  1745,  aged  60; 
and  Mary  his  wife,  who  died  1  July,  1745,  aged  60."  Arms,  arg.  a  fefs  f. 
betwixt  three  goats  heads  couped  erafcd  of  the  fecond. 

"  To  George  Hellier,  alderman,  who  died  21  April,  1656;  and  Eleanor 
his  wife,  who  had  fix  fons  and  eight  daughters :  fhe  died  28  Auguft,  1643." — 
Arms,  G.  chevron  or.  betwixt  three  fpur-rowels  of  the  fecond,  quartered  with 
chevernois  of  fix  or.  and  G. 

On  a  high  tomb  near  the  font  was  this  :  '*  Robertus  Rogers,  aldermannus, 
obiit  1 1  Apr.  1633,  aetat,  80.  Alionorauxor,  obiit  15  Jan.  1624. — Richardus 
Rogers,  miles  filius  Roberti,  obiit  18  Aug.  1635,  aet.  39.     Rebecca  uxor,  obiit 

3  Jan ,  aetat.  20.      Sine  prole. — Richardus  filius  Richardi  ex  Maria  con- 

juge,  obiit  i8Juli|i  1634.      ^voprimo." 

In  the  churchyard  a  tomb  with  infcription  "  To  Matthew  Warren,  1639." 
Arms,  az.  within  three  mullets  or.  a  lion  rampant  of  the  fecond. — Alfo  Judith 
Warren,  daughter  of  William  Gibbs,  flieriff,  with  feveral  children,  nine  fons 
and  five  daughters.  Date  obiiterated. — Pofuit  Matthew  Warren  non  fine  la- 
chrymis  7  May,  1627."        r 

In  the  fame  wall,  "  To  William  Gibbs,  fome  time  of  the  common  council  of 
this  city  :    he  died  3   April,  1603.       Alfo   Ann    Loyd,  daughter  of  William 
Gibbs:   flic  died  4  December,   1625."      Arms,  arg.  three  battle  axes  in  fefs  f. 
a  crefcent  in  chief. 

Sir  Philip  Gibbcs,  Bart,  of  Hilton  park,  near  Wolverhampton,  is  dcfcended 
from  this  William  Gibbs  of  Bridol.  One  George  Gibbes,  brewer,  bouglu  an 
eflate  at  Bedminflcr  in  the  year  1625  for  the  lives  of  his  three  fons,  George, 
William,  and  Matthew^ 

There  are  feveral  tenements  and  lands  belonging  to  this  church,  which  toge- 
ther produce  about  140I.  per  annum,  befides  renewals  of  lives. 

The  church  plate  is  one  large  filvcr  chalice  24  ounces  2  pennyweights,  one 

ditto  gilt,   1605,   13  ounces  5  pennyweights,  one  »il\er  in  ufian  fiicree  eucha- 

riilisc. 


[    56o    ] 

liftia;,  1685,  two  flaggons  large,  the  gift  of  Thomas  Woodward,  1635, 
37  ounces  15  pennyweights,  one  fmall,  donuni  Thomae  Heathcote,  16  May, 
1630,  36  ounces  15  pennyweights,  two  candleflicks,  the  gift  of  Mr.  John 
Gibbs,  fenr.   1717. 

The  vicars  of  St.  Thomas  are  the  fame  as  thofe  of  Rcdcliff,  to  which  it  is 
a  chapel. 

The  colleftion  for  the  vicar  annually  amounts  to  about  90I. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Thomas's  Parifh. 

Bencfaftors  to  St.  Thomas's  almflioufe  in  the  Long-row. 
1292,  Mr.  Simon  Burton,  five  times  mayor  of  this  city,  founded  this  almflioufe 

for  (ixteen  perfons,     (He  is  buried  therein.) 
1530,  Thomas  White,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor,  gave  4s.  per  month  for  ever  to 

the  poor  therein. 
1547,  Mr.  John  Sprint  gave  3s.  4d.  on  Good  Friday  for  ever. 
1566,  Mr.  Thomas  Silk  gave  3s.  at  Eafter  and  3s.  at  Chriftmas  for  ever. 
1550,  William  Pyckes,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor,  gave  61.   13s.   4d.  per  annum 

for  ever,  to  be  diftributed  to  the  poor  of  the  almflioufe. 
1634,  Matthew  Warren,  Efq;    fome  time  mayor,  gave   los.  on   the  fecond 

Sunday  in  Lent  for  ever. 
1647,  Mr.  John  Cox  gave  10s.  on  St.  John's-day  forever. 

Mr.  Robert  Wory,  of   London,  a   native  of  this  parifli,  gave  5I.  per 

annum,  to  be  paid  on  the  ift  day  of  May,  Auguft,  November,  and 

the  2d  of  February  by  equal  proportions  yearly  for  ever. 

16691  Edv/ard  Morgan,  Efq;  fome  time  mayor  and  alderman  of  this  city, 
gave  i2d.  per  week  to  the  poor  in  bread  for  ever,  out  of  his  lands 
at  Pimell  at  Tockington,  in  the  county  of  Glocefler. 

1670,  Sir  William  Penn,  Knight,  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof  forever  to  the 
poor  of  this  parifh. 

1672,  Mr.  James  Brathwayte,  fon-in-law  of  Mr.  Richard  Crumpe,  gave  lol. 

to  the  ufe  of  the  poor  on  the  22d  of  Oftober  for  ever. 

1673,  Mr.  Chriftopher  Brinfden  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  minifler 

for  a  fcrmon  los.  to  the  clerk  2s.  6d.  to  the  fexton  is.  6d.  and  the 
reft  to  the  poor,  on  St.  Bartholomew's-day  or  the  24th  of  Auguft 
for  ever. 

1674,  Mr.  Edward  Grant  gave  30I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  houfekeepers 

of  this  parifli  at  Chriflmas  for  ever. 

1677J 


C    5^1     ] 

1677,  Mr.  James  Friend  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  in  equal  didributions  to 
four  fick  families  yearly  for  ever. 

i68o,  Mr.  Samuel  \\'harton,  fomc  time  flicrifF  of  this  citv,  gave  20s.  to  be 
equally  diftributed  to  four  poor  houfe-holders  or  widows,  not  re- 
ceiving weekly  alms,  on  St.  Thomas's-day  yearly  for  ever. 

1683,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Webb,  grocer,  and  member  of  the  common  council, 

gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  at  Michaelmas  yearly  fur  ever. 

1684,  Mr.  Michael  Hunt,    foap-maker,    a  member  of  the  common   council, 

gave  20I.  thcjprofit  thereof  to  the  poor  at  Michaelmas  yearly  for  ever. 
Mr.  Richard  Brayfield,  grocer,  gave   lol.  the   profit  thereof  to    four 
houfe-holders  at  Chriflmas  yearly  for  ever. 

1685,  Mr.  Robert  Amberfon,  gentleman,  gave  looi.  the  profit  thereof  to  fix 

poor  houfe-holders,  not  receiving  alms,  yearly  for  ever. 

1686,  Mr.  Samuel  Hale,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to   the  poor 

in  bread  weekly  for  ever;  and  alfo  the  interelt  of  230I.  towards 
the  placing  apprentices  of  poor  children  in  fcven  parifhesof  this  city 
yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this  parifh  is  one. 

1687,  Mr.  Charles  Herbert,  of  this  city,  grocer,  gave  lol.   the  profit  thereof 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  yearly  for  ever. 

1691,  Mr.  Robert  Wory,  citizen  of  London,  born  in  "this  parifh,  gave  lool. 
the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  in  the  almflioufe  yearly  for  ever. 

1693,  Mr.  James  Seward  gave  lol.  the  profit  to  be  difpofedof  to  the  poor  on 
Sunday  for  ever. 

1695,  Mr.  Edmund  Laggat,  of  Chew  Stoke,  gave  20I.  the  profit  to  the  poor 
of  this  parifli  for  ever. 

1699,  Mr.  John  Gore,  gent,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof,  viz.  during  his  life 
J2s.  to  four  of  the  moft  aged  perfons  in  the  almflioufe  two  men  and 
two  women,  and  12s.  to  four  houfekeepers  (poor  and  not  receiving 
alms)  and  after  his  deceafe  to  eight  like  poor  houfekeepers  on  St. 
John's-day  yearly  for  ever. 

1701,  Mr.  John  Worgan,  wine-cooper,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the 
poor,  of  which  this  parifii  hath  32s.  per  annum  for  eight  houfe- 
keepers, viz.  4s.  each  on  the  2gth  of  September  for  ever. 

1706,  Mr.  John  Hipfley,  of  this  parifli,  gave  40I.  the  profit,  viz.  20s.  per 
annum  to  the  minifter  for  catcchifing  the  children  and  reading  pray- 
ers on  week  days,  and  20s.  per  annum  to  four  poor  fick  families  of 
this  parifh  for  ever. 

t709,  December  20,  Sir  Thomas  Day,  Knight,  born  in  this  parifli,  fome  time 
member  of  parliament  and  twice  mayor  and  elder  alderman  of  this 

YyV  citv, 


[     562     ] 

city,  gave  lol.  to  the  poor  in  bread  at  his  funeral,  and  30I.  the  pro- 
fit thereof  to  the  poor  in  bread  weekly  for  ever  ;  and  50I.  more  to- 
wards rebuilding  the  almfhoufe  in  the  Long-row. 
1714,  Mr.  Charles  Jones,  of  this  parifli,    foap-maker,   gave   20I.  the   profit 

thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  for  ever. 
1716,  Jofeph  Jackfon,  Efq;  fome  time  alderman  of  this  city,  gave  40s.  a  year 
for  ever,  los.  of  it  to  be  paid  every  quarter  to  a  poor  burgefs  or  bur- 
gcfs's  widow  of  this  parifli. 
1737,  Mr.  Edward  Dowell,  late  of  this  cit\-,  gave  lool.  the  profit  thereof  to 
forty  poor  houfe-holdcrs  of  this  parifli  on  St.  Thomas's-day  yearly 
for  ever. 

Mrs.  Lydia  Williams,  late  of  this  city,  widow,  gave  lool.  the  profit 
thereof  to  eight  poor  widows  of  this  parifli,  not  receiving  alms,  on 
the  18th  of  Odober  yearly  for  ever. 

Mr.  George  Bridges,  late  of  this  parifli,  diftiller,  gave  lol.  the  profit 
thereof  to  the  poor  yearly  for  ever. 

Mr.  Samuel  Nelmes,  late  of  this  parifli,  diftiller,  gave   lol.  the  profit 
thereof  to   the  poor   in   the  alniflioufc  in  coal  on  St.  Thomas's-day 
yearly  for  ever. 
1724,  Mr.  John  Newman,  plumber,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  in  bread  to 
the  poor  of  this  parifli  on  Sundays  for  ever. 

1726,  Mrs.  Althea  Hopkins  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  four  fick  families 

of  this  parifli,  not  receiving  alms,  quarterly  for  ever,  at  the  difcre- 
tion  of  the  churchwardens. 

1727,  Mr.  Matthew  ^^'organ  gave  40I.   the  profit  thereof  to  eight  poor  fami- 

lies of  this  parifli,  not  receiving  alms  on  the  28th  of  October  for 
ever. 
1730,  Mr.  Morris  Thomas  gave  20I.  the  intereft  to  the  poor  in  bread  on  the 

ifl;  of  March  for  ever. 
1785,  Mr.  T.  Lewis  gave  20I.   the  intercfl;  thereof  in  coals  yearly  forever. 
1651,  Mrs.  Julian  Stibbins  gave  20s.  to  the  poor  yearly  for  ever. 
1656,  Mr.  Chriftopher  Tovey  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  weekly  to  the  poor 
for  ever. 
Mr,  George  Hellier,  alderman,  gave  40I.   the  profit  thereof  10s.  yearly 
for  a  fcrmon,  the  refl,  for  ever  to  the  poor  in  bread. 
1658,  Mr.  Samuel  Hellier  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  weekly  to  the  poor  in 
bread  for  ever. 
Mr.  Thomas  Longman  gave  30s,  upon  St.  Thomas's-day   to  fix  houfc- 
keepers  yearly  for  ever. 

1659, 


[  5G3  ] 

i659>  Edmund  Denton,  in    the   county  of  Buckingham,  Efq;  and  Elizabeth 

his  wife,  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  Rogers,   Knight,  gave  45I.   to  the 

poor  of  this  parifh   for   ever,   the  profit  of  which  is  to   be   diftri- 

buted  to  them  in  bread  weekly. 
Mr.  George  Longman,  of  London,  fon  of  Mr.  Thomas  Longman,  of 

this  paridi,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  difpofcd  of  as  foUow- 

eth  :   20s.  for  a  fermon,  the  clerk  5s.  the  fexton  2s.  6d.   and  the  reft 

of  the  intcreft  to  be  given  in  bread  to  the  poor  on  the  14th  of  Yc- 

bruary  yearly  for  ever. 
1679,  Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  Mrs.  Jane  Langton,  widows,  gave  lands  for 

the  payment  of  10s.  apiece  to  52  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever, 

of  which  this  parifli  hath  a  part.     N.  B.  The  lands  were  purchafed 

in  1679. 
1567,  Mr.  Walter  Weft  gave  20s,  yearly  to  the  poor  for  ever. 
1620,  Thomas  Hobbin  gave  4I.   10s.  to  be  diflributed  yearly  for  ever  to  the 

poor  at  Chriftmas,  and  10s.  for  a  fermon. 
1626,  Chriftopher  Woodward  gave  10s.  yearly  for  ever  to  the  poor,   and  los. 

for  a  fermon. 
1630,   Mr.  Ralph  Farmer  gave  is.  per  week  in  bread  for  twenty  years. 

Mr.  Robert  Kitchen  gave  20s.  to  two  houfekeepers  yearly   for  ever. 

Paid  by  the  chamberlain  of  Briftol. 
1632,   1635,  Sir  Richard  Rogers  and  Mr.  Robert  Rogers  gave   2s.   8d.   per 

week  in  bread  to  the  poor  for  ever. 
1634,  Mrs.  Eleanor  Woodward  gave  10s.  yearly  for  ever. 

Mr.  Matthew  Warren  the  elder  gave  lol.  for  a  ftock   to  the  ufe  of  the 

poor  for  ever,  and  10s.  yearly  to  the  almfhoufc. 
1639,  Mr.  William  Pitt,  of  this  parifh,  merchant,  gave   30I.   in  land   to  the 

poor  for  ever. 
Mr.  George  Harrington  gave  20s.  to  two  poor  houfe- holders  yearly  for 

ever.      Paid  by  the  chamberlain  of  Briftol. 
16]  2,  Mrs.  Mary  Stile,  widow,  gave  lol.  the  profit  yearly  to  the  poor  for  ever. 
i66i,  Mr.  Francis  Gleed,  fome  time  ftieriff,  gave  los.  a  quarter  to  a  poor. 

houfe-holder. 
1667,  Mr.  John  Pope,  aldermen,  gave  10?.  for  a  fermon,  and  20s.  per  annum 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifti  on  the  7th  of  November  yearly  for  ever. 
1C68,  Mr.  Michael  Dcyos,  merchant,  gave  40s.  per  annum  in  bread  and  coals 

to  four  poor  widows  for  ever. 

Yyy  2  1668, 


c  5^4  : 

1668,  Mr,  Anthony  Farmer,  alderman,  gave  40I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be 
diftrilnited  on  All  Saints-day  to  fix  poor  families  of  this  parifh  for 
ever,  the  heads  thereof  to  be  freemen  of  this  city. 

GIFT-SERMOXS  to  be  preached  in  St.  Thomas's  church. 

New  Year's-day,  Mr.  C.  Woodward's.  Innocents-day,  Mr.  Robert  Rogers's, 

St.  George's-day,  Mr.  Geo.  Benfon's.  alderman. 

Eafter  Monday,  Sir  R,  Rogers,  Kiit.  Firit  Sunday  after  All  Saints-day,  Mr. 

Tuefday  in  Rogation  week,  Mrs.  Elea-  John  Pope's,  alderman. 

nor  Woodward's.  The    fecond  Sunday    in    Lent,    Mr. 

Whit  Tuefday,  Mrs.  Julian  Shuter's.  Matthew  Warren's. 

St.Thomas's-day,  Mr.  Tho.  Holbin's.  February  14,  Mr.  George  Longman's. 

Chriftmas-day,  Mr.  George  Hellier's,  Bartholomew's-da}',    Mr.    Chriftophcr 

alderman.  Brimfdcn's. 

In  thisparifli  was  an  almflioufe,  erefted  by  Simon  de  Burton  about  the  year 
1292.  Leland,  vol.  vii.  p.  89.  mentions  it:  "  The  almefehowfe  by  Seynt 
Thomas  churche  is  called  Burtons  Almfliowfe.  Burton  maior  of  the  towne 
and  founder  is  buried  in  it."     It  was  rebuilt  at  the  expence  of  the  parifh. 

Thomas  Silk  1566  gave  yearly  il.  is.  Walter  Weft  1567  gave  15s.  yearly. 
William  Picks  or  Pikes,  mercer,  by  will  1551  gave  61.  13s.  4d.  to  arife  out 
of  land  purchafed  by  his  executors,  and  veiled  in  the  corporation  that  the 
chamberlain  fliould  pay  that  fum  yearly  to  the  fixteen  poor  of  this  houfe. 
Thomas  White  gave  them  2I.  8s.  per  annum  by  the  chamberlain.  Robert 
Wory  gave  5I.  per  annum  by  the  churchwardens.  The  reft;  of  their  mainte- 
nance they  receive  from  St.  Peter's  Hofpital,  the  general  poor  houfe  of  the 
city. 

The  faid  'William  Picks  gave  this  parifti  alfo  20I.  "  towards  fetching  home 
of  the  water  to  St.  Thomas's  pipe."  To  this  others  had  been  contributors, 
particularly  John  Stokes  1381,  vho  bv  will  ordered  to  be  buried  in  this  church 
in  St.  Mary's  chapel,  and  "  bequeathed  money  towards  the  new  work  of  bring- 
ing water  from  RedclifF  and  Temple-gate  to  the  church  of  St.  Thomas  in  a 
leaden  conduit."  But  afterwards  bv  an  agreement  with  the  veftry  of  Redcliff, 
and  a  fmall  yearly  gratuity,  and  being  at  the  joint  expence  of  repairing  the 
Redcliff  pipes  when  out  of  order,  this  work  was  placed  on  a  permanent  footing; 
and  the  inhabitants  are  fupplied  with  water  here  whenever  it  flows  at  Redcliff, 
being  brought  thence  in  leaden  pipes. 

In 


[    5^5    ] 

In  1570  \\'il!iani  Tucker,  draper,  then  mayor,  did  at  his  own  great  charges 
purchafc  a  market  to  be  kept  in  St.  Thomas-ftrect  on  Thurfday  throughout 
the  year. 

In  the  grant  of  Queen  Elizabeth  of  St.  Thomas-ftrect  market,  ii  Decem- 
ber, the  ]3fh  year  of  her  reign,  the  poverty  of  the  inhabitants  and  ruinous 
Rate  of  the  houfes  there  arc  mentioned  as  reafons  for  granting  tiic  inhabitants 
the  privileges  of  a  market:  "  Cum  nobis  dctur  intelligi,  &c.  i.  c.  Since  it  is 
made  known  to  us  by  the  mayor  and  commonalty  that  not  only  the  ftreet  cal- 
led St.  Thomas-ftrect,  but  alio  the  houfes,  ftruclures,  and  edifices  in  it  are 
reduced  to  ruin  and  decay,  to  the  great  nuifance  of  that  part  of  the  cii\- ; 
and  that  the  late  inhabitants  being  forced  by  want,  through  the  decay  of  their 
trade  of  making  woollen  cloths  have  fufFcrcd  their  houfes  to  go  to  ruin;  and 
that  a  certain  almflioufc  fituatcd  near  the  laid  flreet  for  the  fupport  of  many 
poor,  and  alfo  a  certain  canal  or  pipe  of  water  fituated  there  which  be- 
yond the  memory  of  man  has  been  fupported  and  maintained  chieny  by  the 
faid  inhabitants,  are  now  in  fuch  a  Hate  on  account  of  their  poverty,  that  in  a 
fhort  time  they  will  come  to  extreme  ruin,  if  a  remedy  be  not  provided,  Szc 
We  therefore  confidering  the  premifes,  as  alfo  that  the  faid  mayor  and  com- 
monalty  and  inhabitants  of  the  faid  flreet  may  be  the  better  able  to  fupport  and 
maintain  as  well  the  faid  houfes  and  buildings  in  the  faid  ftreet,  as  theaforcfaid 
almflioufc  and  pipe  of  water,  have  granted  of  our  free  grace,  &c.  to  the  faid 
mayor  and  commonalty  and  their  fucccffors,  that  they  may  have  one  market 
every  Thurfday  (die  jovis)  in  each  week  in  the  faid  flreet  of  St.  Thomas  for 
yarn,  wool,  (averiis)  cattle,  and  all  other  things:  and  we  grant  to  the  afore- 
faid  mayor  and  commonalty  and  their  fucccffors  all  flallage,  picage,  toll, 
and  cultoms  of  the  faid  market  with  their  appurtenances,  alfo  the  toll  and 
weighing  of  yarn,  wofjl,  and  other  tilings,  &c.  and  all  other  ufual  profits  of 
a  market."      Page  80  of  the  Great  V.'hitc  Book  of  Bridol. 

This  grant  being  obtained,  Michael  Sondlcy,  apothecary,  with  the  refi  of 
the  veflrv,  builded  the  market  place  and  a  kind  of  tolfey  the  whole  breadth  of 
the  church  in  front,  with  a  flat  covering  of  lead  fupported  by  pillars  of  free- 
(lone,  and  round  it  were  afterwards  pods  with  brafs  caps  for  telling  money  or 
writing  upon,  on  which  were  tlic  dates  and  names  of  the  donors,  Thomas 
Day,  Efq;  1691,  Nathaniel  Day  his  fon  1691,  John  Core,  of  Knowle,  gent. 
1691,  Robert  Stevens,  of  Knowle,  gent.  i6gi,  Nicholas  Baly,  foap-makcr, 
1691  ;  but  thefe  with  the  erection  were  all  removed  in  the  year  a  781. 

The  ^^'ool-hall  there  feems  to  have  been  built  at  the  iame  time,  having  the 
arms  of  Queen  Elizabeth  upon  it.  That  the  parifh  might  have  the  benefit  of 
of  this  market,  the   feoffees  of  this  church  purchafcd  the  fame  with  all  its 

profits 


[     5^6    ] 

profits  from  tlic  corporation,  and  pafTed  away  certain  houfcs  in  Wine-ftrcet, 
beinti  St.  'I'liomas  churcli  land,  to  the  ufc  of  the  chamber,  where  were  after- 
wards  ere8cd  a  meal  or  corn  market  and  two  new  houfes  in  their  room;  but 
the  churchwardens  of  St.  Thomas  were  obliged  by  covenant  to  pay  the  cor- 
poration 20S.  a  year  rent  for  the  i-oyalties  of  the  market,  and  2s.  6d.  for  fuit 
to  Temple  Fee  out  of  fcveral  tenements,  alfo  5s.  per  annum  for  the  flicep 
market.  The  market  was  then  proclaimed  in  form  to  beholden  the  firll  time 
the  Thurfday  after  Lady-day,  the  13th  of  Elizabeth,  and  fo  for  ever  to 
continue. 


CHAP.      XXIV. 
OJ  the  CHURCH  ani  PARISH  of  Si.  M  A  R  Y-  R  E  D  C  L  I  F  F. 


RE  D  C  LI  F  F  (Radcclivia,  Ruber  Clivus)  with  St.  Thomas  and  Temple 
pariflics,  like  Soulhwark  in  London,  lie  on  the  fouth  fide  of  the  city  and 
of  the  river.  All  ancient  deeds  agree  in  proving  its  antiquity,  then  part  of 
the  manor  of  Bcdininfter.  But  Lcland  mentions  it  (in  Cygrn.  Cant.)  "  as 
being  added  to  the  city  after  the  bridge  was  built,  and  being  furrounded  with 
a  ftrong  wall,  when  William  Earl  of  Gloceftcr  governed  this  province  and 
city."  And  Camden  very  erroneoufly  calls  Rcdcliff,  "  fomc  little  houlcs 
belonging  to  the  fuburbs,  joined  to  the  rell  of  the  city  by  a  ftone  bridge." 

In  the  year  789  the  Saxon  King  Brightricus,  or  Bithrick,  is  faid  to  have 
ereBcd  a  church  of  '•  durable  ftonc,  goodlye  to  behouldc,"  alfo  a  pallace,  of 
both  which  at  prcfent  not  the  leaft  traces  are  to  be  fccn  to  afccrtain  their  fite. 
But  in  an  old  vellum  roll  (penes  me)  is  the  following  fhort  account  of  it : 
"  Ynne  dolvynge  wythynne  the  walle  was  foundc  in  the  howfc  of  Johannes 
Cofhe  in  Radcleve-ftreet  a  parchmente  in  wh)ch  was  wroten  the  accountc  of 
Brythrycus  pallace  called  Rudhalle  wyth  the  walles  of  Radcleve  :" 

Alfo  of  "  the  auntyaunte  gate  of  Saynte  Marye  ybuylden  by  Kynge  Bythrycus 
in  the  year  dccx.\.\.\  .\xxxix  ;  as  itte  floodcn  in  daies  of  Edwarde  Con- 
feffoure;"  it  was  preferved  in  a  rude  drawing,  being  embattled  at  top,  and 
adorned  with  two  fliiclds  with  a  crofs  patce  on  each  fide  of  the  window,  and 

the 


[     5^1     ] 

the  fame  on  each  fide  of  the  top  of  the  arch,  where  was  to  be  feen  the  foot  of  a 
portcullis  to  lot  down. 

The  fame  WeQ  Saxon  King  Britrick  is  faid  alfo  to  have  built  "  the  afTorcia- 
ments  erafen  afterwards  by  the  Danes." — Of  all  thefe  buildings  of  antiquity 
there  are  however  at  prefent  no  remains. — The  old  gate  of  Rcdclilf  has  been 
taken  down,  and  rebuilt  in  an  elegant  manner  in  1730  ;  and  this  laft  alfo  to 
render  the  llrcet  more  commodious  was  taken  down  in  the  year  1772. 

The  old  chronicles  of  Briftol    (in  the   city  chamber  and  others)   mention  a 
church  built  to  our  Lady  at  Redcliff  by  Sir  Simon  de  Burton,  under  the  year 
1294.     An  old  church  there  before  tending  to  ruin  had  feveral  grants  of  land 
by  will  made  towards  repairing  it,  fome  of  which  are  dated  fo  early  as  the  year 
1207,   1229,   1230,  a  proof  of  the   old  church  afore-mentioned  being  erefled 
before  Sir  Simon  de    Burton's: — there  are  alfo  feveral    original    indulgences 
(penes  me)  granted   by  feveral  bifhops  with  relaxation  of  penance  on  certain 
conditions,  viz.   that  "  they  would  devoutly  vifit  the   church  of  the   Blellcd 
Marv  of  RedclifF  in   Briftol,  and   there    charitably    contribute   towards    the 
repair  of  the  fame,  and  pray  for  the  fouls  of  thofe  there  interred;"  the  foul  of 
Helen  de  Wedmore  is  in  one   particularly   to   be  prayed   for,  wliofe  body  is 
there  buried  as  mentioned  in  the  indulgence,  one  of  which  bears  date  Briftol 
1232,  being  granted  by  John   Biftiop    of  Ardfert ;  another   by  Peter  Quivil 
Bifhop  of  Exeter,  dated  at  Radeclyve  1287  ;  another  by  David  Archbifhop  of 
Caflel,  dated  at  Briftol  in  the  firft  year    of   his   confecration    1246;*  another 
by  Chriftian  Epifcopus  Hymelacenfis,  dated  at  Briftol  1246,  in  the  year  of  his 
pontificate;  and  another  by  Robert  Bifhop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  dated  4  kalcnd. 
of  November   1278,  in   the  fourth  year  of  his  confecration.      Thefe  were  all 
found  in  Canvnge's  cheft  over  the  north  porch  of  the  prefent  church  of  Red- 
clifF: as  thev  were  granted  towards  promoting   the  repairs  of  the  fabrick  of  a 
church  here  then  in  ruins,  they  undeniably  prove  that  there  was  a  church  here 
dedicated  to  the   Blcfied  Mary   of  RedclifF  long    before    the    time   of  that 
mentioned  to   be    built  by   Sir  Simon   dc  Burton,  fuppofcd    to    be    the  firft 
founder  of  a  church  here. 

The 

•  Omnibus  ad  quos  prcfcns  fcriptum  pcrvcncrit  :  Cliiiftianus  Dei  gratia  Hymelacenfis  Epifcopus 
falutem  sctcrnam  in  domino  :  de  mifericordia  Dei  Omnipolentis  ct  Gloriofx-  Viiginis  genelricis 
ejus  &  omnium  fanftorum  mentis  plenius  confidcntcs  omnibus  confcflis  &  vere  penitcnlibus  qui 
caufj  vencrationis  &  orationis  ccclefiam  bcata:  Marix  dc  Redclivc  pic  &  devote  vilitavcrint  ncc 
non  dc  bonis  fibi  a  deo  conccffis  ad  rcparationem  cjufdem  ecclcfiic  alcquid  caritativc  contulerint 
atque  pro  animabus  quorum  corpora  ibidem  requicfcunt  oravcrint  dc  injunfta  fibi  pa^nitcnlia 
dccem  dies  relaxamus— datum  apud  BrifloUiara  Anno  Graiiac  MCCXL\'I,  poniiiicaius  nofhi 
Anne 


C   5S8   ] 

The  following  account  of  Sir  Symon  dc  Byrtonne,  and  of  his  bcinf  a 
founder  of  a  churcli  at  RedclifF,  is  tranfcribcd  from  a  parchment  manufcript  of 
Rowley's,  communicated  by  Chatterton  : 

"  Symonnc  de  Byrtonne  cldeft  fonne  of  Syrre  Baldwynus  de  Byrtonne  was 
borne  on  the  eve  of  the  annunciation  m.c.c.xxxxxxv.  hee  was  defyrabelle  of 
afpctl  and  in  hys  yowtlie  nuich  yevcn  to  Tourncvevnge,  and  m.c.c.xxxxx.xxx 
at  \\'ynchcihe  yule  games  won  niycklc  honnoure,  heabflaynyd  from  marryagc, 
he  was  myckle  learned  &  )  buylded  a  houfe  in  the  Yle  of  Wyghtc  after 
fafhyon  of  a  pallayfe  royaul  goodlye  to  behoulde  wyth  carvelly'd  pyllars  on 
whych  was  thys  ryme  wrotcn  :  FuUc  nobillc  is  thvs  Kyngelie  howfc  and  eke 
fuUe  nobille  thee,  echone  is  for  the  other  fytte  as  faynftes  for  heaven  bee. 
Hee  ever  was  fuUen  of  almefdeeds  and  was  of  the  poore  beloved:  in 
M.c.c.Lxxxv  Kynge  Edwardc  *  kepte  hvs  ChryRmafle  at  Bryghtftowe  and 
proceeded  agaynlle  the  Welchmenne  ebroughtenne  manye  ftronge  and  dowgh- 
tee  knyghts,  amongft  whom  were  Syrre  Ferrars  Nevylle,  Geoffroie  Freeman, 
CUmar  Percie,  lieldebrand  Gournie,  Ralph  Mohun,  Syr  Lyfter  Percie, 
and  Edgarc  Knyvet,  kn\ghtes  of  renownc,  who  cRabliflicd  a  three  days  jouflc 
on  Saynftc  Maryes  Hylle  :  Syrre  Ferrars  Nevylle  appeared  dyghtc  in  ruddy 
armoure  bearyng  a  rampaunte  lyon  Gutte  de  Sangue,  agaynflc  hym  came  Syr 
Gervayfe  Teyfdylle  who  bearyd  a  launce  iffuynge  proper  but  was  quycklie 
overthrowen :  then  appeared  Leonarde  Ramfey  who  had  a  honde  ifTuante 
holdeynge  a  bloudie  fwerde  peercynge  a  courounc  wyth  a  fheelde  peafcnue 
wyth  fylver ;  hee  ranne  twayne  tyltes  but  Neville  throwen  hym  on  the  thyrde 
rencountrc  :  then  dyd  the  aforefayd  Syrre  Symonne  de  Byrtonne  avow  that  if 
he  overthrowen  Syrre  Ferrars  Nevylle,  he  woulde  there  erc6le  &  buylde  a 
chvrche  to  owre  Lad)e  :  allgate  there  ftoode  anigh  Lamyngtonnes  Ladies 
chamber :  hee  then  encountred  vygoroufly  and  bore  Syrre  Ferrars  horfe  and 
man  to  the  grounde  remaynynge  konynge,  viclore  knyght  of  the  Joufte,  ande 
fettynge  atte  the  ryghte  honde  of  K.  Edwarde.  Inne  m.cclxxxxi  hee  per- 
formed hys  vowen  )  buyldcn  a  godelye  chyrch  from  a  palterne  of  St.  Ofwaldes 
Abbyes  Chyrche  and  the  day  of  our  Lordcs  natyvyty  m.c.cci,  Gylbert  dc 
Sante  Leonfardoe  Byfliope  of  Chycheflre  dyd  dedicate  it  to  the  Holie  Vyrgynne 

Marye  moder  of  Godde."t 

Though 

*  This  circum fiance  is  proved  by  our  old  chronicles  under  the  year  1285,  "  Rex  Edw.  1.  per 
Walliam  progrediens  occidcntalem  intravit  Glamorganciam,  qua:  ad  Comitem  Gloveruii 
nofcitur  pertincrc :  Rex  dein  BridoUiam  vcniens  fcflum  Dominica;  nativitalis  co  Anno  ibi 
tcnuit." 

+  Tlic  poem  of  the  Tournament  in  the  printed  coUcftion  of  Rowley's  poems  fecms  to  bear 
fome  relation  to  this  account  of  Sir  Symon  de  Bourton,  which  if  genuine  mufl  tend  to  confirm 
the  authenticity  of  that  poem. 


[    5%    ] 

Though  other  proofs  cannot  be  produced  at  prefcnt  concerning  iliefe  pani* 
cular  anecdotes  of  the  life  of  Sir  Symon  de  Burton,  yet  it  is  mod  certain  from 
indubitable  records,  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  Briflol  of  the  grcateft  eminence 
and  rank  in  it,  had  been  chofen  mayor  fix  times  (vid.  annals  below  for  tiie 
years  1291,  1292,  129J,  1296,  1303,  1304,)  of  great  wealth  and  renown, 
and  a  very  bountiful  benefactor  there,  having  erected  an  almfhoufe  about  1292 
in  the  Long-Row,  in  the  parifh  of  St.  Thomas,  where  Leland  fays  he  was 
buried,  and  the  almfhoufe  rebuilt  flill  retains  his  name.  I  find  his  arms  " 
blazoned  thus:  f.  azure,  a  crefcent  within  a  bordure  or.  by  the  name  of 
Burton:   by  others  thus,  azure  afefs  between  three  talbots  heads  erafcd  or. 

This  church  of  de  Burton's  feems  not  to  have  been  completed,  or  to  have 
obtained  very  large  endowments,  for  a  manufcript  (Hobfon's)  favs,  "  Simon 
de  Burton,  mayor  in  1294,  had  two  years  before  began  to  build  Redcliff 
church,  but  he  lived  not  to  finifli  it,  which  afterwards  William  Cannynges  did, 
and  gave  lands  to  repair  it  for  ever." 

Whether  the  church  was  dedicated  for  religious  offices  before  it  was  finiflicd, 
and  was   left   to  be  completed  afterwards  is   worthy  of  enquiry,  for  it  can  be 
proved  that  in  the  year  1376  (fee  the  mayor's  calendar)  "  William  Cannynges 
built  the  body  of  RedclifF  church   from  the  crofs  aile  downwards,  and   fo  the 
church  was  finifhed  as  it  is  now."     This  was  but  75  years  after  the  dedication 
of  Burton's  church,  fo  that  it  may  be  prefumed  to  be  the  completing  that  which 
was  begun  and  partly  built  by  him  ;  efpccially  as  it  was  their  cuftom  in  all  large 
works  of  this  kind  "  to  lay   out  the  plan,  build  part,  and  leave  it  to  be   com- 
pleted by  their  fucceffors   in  future    times.*     They  ufually  began   at  the  eafl 
end  or  choir  part,  which  when  finifhed  was   confecrated,  and   the   remainder 
carried  on  as  far  as  they  were  able."      Such    large    buildings   required  great 
cxpences  as  well  as  long  time,  and  great  labour  to  finifii  them,  at  an  sera  too 
when  money  Was  fcarce  and  many  good  workmen  not  eafily  procured.      As  a 
confirmation  of  this,  in    fcveral   wills  dated  about  the  year  1380  Sec.  (for  the 
church  mull  have  taken  many  years  to  be  completed)  money  is  often  given  to 
the  fabrick  and  repairing  of  Redcliff  church. t     This  William  Canynges  was 
for  the  fixth   time   mayor   of  Briftol  in  the  year   1389,  a  merchant   of  great 
fortune,  weight  and  refpeQ  among  his  fellow-citizens;  in  a  ftationof  life  fitted 
to  be  a  leading  man,  and  to  have  the  charafler  of  a  founder  of  fuch  a  work, 
promoted  no  doubt  by  donations  by  will  and  volinitary  contributions  of  other 

Z  z  z  devout 

•  Vid.  Bcntham's  Hiftor)-  of  the  Cluirch  of  F.ty. 

+  One  will  dated  1388,  of  John  Muleward,  mentions  a  gift  in  money,  "  ad  opus  bcatx  Maj-ias 
de  Rcdecly\'-c  :"  which  (hews  the  work  was  then  going  on. 


[    570    ] 

devout  and  ucll-difpofed  people,  as  M'ell  as  by  grants  and  indulgences  from 
the  bifliops  of  thofe  days.  He  lived  to  the  year  1396,  when  the  church  was 
probably  finiflied. 

But  this  church  erefted  at  fo  much  cod,  and  that  had  been  fo  long  lime  in 
building,  was  at  St.  Paul's  tide  1445-6  fomuch  damaged  in  a  ftorm  of  thunder 
and  lightning,  that  the  lofty  fpire  or  (leeplc  was  thrown  down,  and  falling  upon 
the  body  of  the  church  injured  it  fo  much,  that  it  was  almoft  ruinous.  The 
manufcript  accounts  of  this  are  related  nearly  in  the  fame  maimer,  in  two 
very  ancient  ones  it  is  recorded,  "  1445,  at  St.  Paul's  tide  was  very  tcmpftuous 
weather,  by  which  Redclifffteeple  Avas  overthrown  in  a  thunder  clap,  doing 
great  harme  to  the  churche  by  the  fall  thereof,  but  by  the  good  devotion  of 
Mr.  William  Canynges  it  was  reedified  to  his  everlalting  prayfe." — Another, 
though  differing  in  the  year,  fays  in  1442,  (the  year  Mr.  William  Canynges 
was  mayor,)  "  This  William  Cannyngcs  wyth  the  helpe  of  others  of  the 
worflripfulle  towne  of  Briftol  kepte  mafons  and  workmenne  to  edifie,  repayre, 
cover  and  glaze  the  church  of  RedclifF,  which  his  grandfather  had  founded  in 
the  days  of  Edward  the  3d." — In  another  thus  :  "  William  Canynges  reedified 
and  enlarged  the  church  of  Redcliff  almofl  dellroyed  by  lightning  in  1445,  in 
fo  e.xquifite  a  manner,  that  he  has  ever  fince  paffed  for  the  founder  thereof, 
and  be  afterwards  gave  500I.  to  keep  it  in  repair." — Here  we  have  a  fecond 
William  Canynge,  fon  of  John  and  the  grandfon  of  William,  for  a  founder, 
which  will  fettle  the  doubts  that   have  arifen  about  his  being  the  fole  original 

founder  of  this  church There  was  one  here  before  Burton  had  began,  and 

Canynge's  grandfather  had  completed  this. — Leland  fays  of  St.  Sprite's  chapel, 
"  tliis  ons  a  paroche  before  the  buildyng  of  Redcliff  greate  new  chyrche." 
Whether  this  or  another,  may  be  a  little  uncertain  :  one  there  certainly  was 
long  before  the  year  1200,  as  is  proved  by  old  deeds.  That  the  laft  William 
Canynges  was  affifted  by  his  fellow-citizens  contributing  towards  this  great 
work  is  very  probable  ;  that  he  kept  a  great  number  of  carpenters  and  mafons 
at  work  as  above-mentioned  is  proved  by  William  Botoner,  p.  99,  where  he 
fays,  "  habuit  opcrarios,  carpentarios,  mafoncs  &c.  omni  Dei  C.  homines:" 
and  p.  1 9 1,  he  mentions  "the  houfcs  of  the  workmen  in  freeftone  for  the 
foundation  of  Redcliff  church,"  "  as  fituated  near  the  chambers  of  Cannyngcs 
priells." — All  this  tends  to  prove  what  part  the  laft  William  Canynges  had  ia 
building  or  rebuilding  Redcliff  church  to  entitle  him  to  the  name  of  a  founder, 
as  he  has  been  generally  and  defervedly  efteemed. — The  fame  plan  was  ob- 
lerved  by  him  in  rebuilding  and  rcftoring  it  to  its  original  beauty  after  being 
thrown  down  by  the  lightning;  the  fouth  aile,  where  the  mifchicf  fellhcavicft, 

fecms 


feems  to  have  been  rebuilt  with  a  fomewhat  more  elevated  arch  and  in  a  lighiet 
ilyle  than  the  north  }  a  difference  alfo  is  between  the  windows  of  the  north  and 
fouth  aile. — The  fall  of  fuch  a  large  and  very  high  fteeple  upon  the  church 
muft  have  done  great  injury,  and  deftroyed  every  thing  wherever  it  fell. 

That  Mr.  Canynges  was  a  great  builder  farther  appears  from  his  ereflions 
after-A-ards  at  the  college  of  VVellbury,  of  which  he  is  called  Renovator  & 
quafi  alter  fundator  ;  famofus  &  cgregius  vir,  magnse  induflrias  &  circum- 
fpeftionis,  &  inter  aeteros  fpecialifTunus  benefaftor  ecclefiae  de  Rcdcliff:  [in  a 
deed  dated  1474  he  is  fo  called.) — He  was  the  chief  promoter  of  the  work,  the 
principal  and  "  moft  fpecial"  benefattor  to  it;  he  was  then  the  wealthiefl:  and 
\vifeft  (ditirHmus  &  fapientiffimus,  as  \\'illiam  Botoner,  p.  83,  calls  him,)  for 
fuch  an  undertaking:  his  piety  and  devotion  excited  him  to  profecute,  and  his 
great  riches  enabled  him  to  complete  it :  and  whatever  others  might  have  con- 
tributed towards  it,  the  whole  feems  to  have  been  under  his  moft  judicious 
conduft  and  management,  as  he  was  confeffcdly  the  chief  man  of  the  city  and 
moft  capable  of  fo  grand  a  work. — Regard  to  his  anceftors  muft  alfo  have  been 
a  powerful  motive  with  him,  as  it  was  renewing  and  reinftating  a  work  his 
grandfather  had  fignalized  himfelf  in  completing;  which  feems  to  be  implied 
in  one  of  his  deeds,  wherein  he  fays  concerning  his  benefaftions  to  this  church, 
"  ut  pias  voluntas  anteceflbrum  meorum  &c,"  "  that  the  pious  will  of  my 
anceftors  &c.  might  be  obferved  &c."  and  as  to  his  piety  and  devout  turn  of 
mind,  it  cannot  fo  well  be  feen  as  in  his  own  words,  in  a  deed  dated  the  6th 
of  Edward  the  4th.  for  eftablifliing  the  chauntry  of  St.  Catherine  in  this 
church.* 

The  following  deed  concerning  a  grant  of  money  to  the  friers  minor  of  this 
city  for  their  belter  fupport  fiiews  his  pious  and  charitable  difpofition  :  "  Be  it 
known  unto  all  men,  that  the  29th  of  November  in  the  year  1465,  v.c  tlie 
guardian  and  friers  minor  all  of  the  convent  of  Briftol  there  dwelling,  confi- 
dering  the  affection  of  pure  devotion  of  the  worfliipful  man  ^V'il!iam  Canynges 
which  he  daily  fhews  to  the  order  of  our  feraphick  father  St.  Francis  and 
cfpecially  to  our  convent  aforcfaid  in  exhibiting  his  alms  and  manifold  benefits 
long  fince  conferred  upon  us,  and  in  future  to  be  beftowed — fur  out  of  his  pious 

Z  z  7,    2  charity 

♦  Cii-n  ego  Wllliclinus  Canynges  mcrcalor  villa:  BriftoMia:,  per  qiiani  pluiiinos  annorum 
curriculos  fcciilaribus  ncgoliis  inultirormitcr  cxplicatus  honePto  cum  laljore  mercatorio  rem  auo-cro 
domcfticam  induftriofi;  ciiravciun,  iminincntc  niihi  tandem  debilitate  ficculi  animadverteiis  ;a:ii 
mundialci  profperos  oibis  quam  gloriam  &  fplcndorcMn  ir.dabiles  &  fiftitios  quaii  iclu  oculi 
multoties  cvancfccrc,  fumniamque  filicitatcin  in  rebus  ca:'.cllibus  Dei  complacciitia  in  fui  divinl 
cultus  augmcnfo  aliifquc  operibus  Caritatum  ad  animonim  (jdellum  mcdi-'Iam  perfiPide  conccrnens 
<K:c.  fundandi  caniariani  pcrpeluam  liucras  [.atcntcs  regias  impttravi  &c. 


[    572     ] 

charity  for  the    relief  of  the   faid  convent  he  has  faithfully  given  and  paid  to 

the  fame  convent  twenty    pounds    on   the  year  and  day  aforementioned. By 

tenor  of  tliefe  prefcnts  with  licence  of  Frier  Thomas  Radnor  then  minifter  of 

England  we  have  promifed  and  granted  to   the    faid  William  Canynges   and 

Joanna  his  wife  that  their  names  be  infcribcd  in  the  gift-book  (datario)  of  our 

convent  among  the  chief  benefactors    of  the  faid   convent,  and   that  they  be 

recommended  as  the  cudom  is;  and  we  have  further  promifed  and  granted  to 

the  faid  William  Canynges  and  Joanna  liis   wife,  that  their  obit   tlie    fecond 

feftival  next  after  St.  Peter  every  year  in  the  church  of  our  faid  convent  fhall 

be  folemnly  celebrated  with  cxcquiis  mortuorum  and  mafs  of  requiem  by  note 

for  the  foul  of  the  faid  William  Canynges  and  Joanna  his  wife,  of  John  Canynges 

and  Joanna  his  wife  father  and  motlier  of  the   faid  William  Canynges,  of  John 

Milton  and  Joanna  his  wife  and  for  the   fouls  for  whom  it  is  bound  to  pray  and 

of  all   the  faithful  departed,  and  fince   from   the    teftimony   of  Chrift  in   the 

gofpel,  the   workman    is   worthy    of  his  hire   the    aforefaid   William  loving 

his  own  foul  and  mindful  of  the  words  of  Chrid  hath  ordained  and  appointed 

by  himfelf,  his   heirs  and  executors  to  the  brothers   of  the  faid  convent  every 

year  for  ever  on  the  day  aforefaid  as  well  in  his  life  time  as  after  his  death  in 

recompence  of  their  labours     One  quarter  of  an   ox  of  the   value  of  forty 

pence    four  quarters  of  a  good  flieep  of  the  price  and  value  of  fixteen  pence 

Englifh  money  and  forty  pence  in  pure  money  to  be  given  for  bread  and  ale; 

that  therefore   the   faid  promife  and  grant  may  be  fo   confirmed  as  not   to  be 

broken,  I  Frier  Thomas  minider  of  England  in  virtue  of  that  holy  obedience 

to  all  the  guardians  and  friers  of  the  aforementioned  convent  prefent  and  future 

do  command    that  they  folemnly  celebrate  as  well  in  their   life   time  as  after 

their  death  when  it  comes  the  exequies  for   the    dead   with  mafs   of  requiem 

every  year  on  the  faid  day  for  the  fouls  of  the   faid  William  and  Joanna  his 

wife  and  of  all  the  abovemcntioned  and  moreover  that  they  caufc  this  to  be 

read  in  the  chapterhoufe  by  the  friers  there  gathered  together  once  in  tiie  year 

namely  on  the  vigil  or  day  of  nativity  of  the  blefTed  St.  Francis  :   In  witnefsof 

this  grant  and  promife  the  feal  of  my  office  together  with  the  fcal  of  the  keeper 

of  the  cuflody  of  BriHol  and  convent  of  Briflol  is  openly  api)endant — Done, 

read  and  fealcd  at  Briflol  before   the  friers  of  the  aforementioned  convent  in 

their  chapterhoufe  met   the  day   and  year  abovewritten." — The  fcal   is  very 

curious,  exhibiting  feveral  figures  well  engraved  Handing,  one  kneeling  about 

to  be  killed  with  a  fword  held  up,  the  original  deed  in  latin  penes  me. 

Mr.  Canynge's  family  had  long  flouriflied  here  as  the  wealthiefl  merchants 
and  principal  men  of  the  city;  his  grandfather  William  had  been  fix  times» 

his 


[    573     ] 

his  father  John  bayliff  and  mayor,  and  himfelf  five  times  mayor. — But  the 
principal  thing  for  which  William  Canynges  the  fon  ofjohn  is  celebrated,  is  the 
part  he  had  in  re-edifying  and  repairing  the  church  of  Rcdcliff  thrown  down  in 
a  ftorm  of  thunder  and  lightning. 

This  church  has  received  the  general  approbation,  and  attrafted  the  applaufe 
and  admiration  of  all  good  judges  ;  though  large  and  fpacious,  it  has  alight 
and  airy  appearance  ;  the  pillars  neat  and  (lender,  not  over  large  afid  mafiy. 
It  is  fufficiently  ornamented,  yet  not  crowded  with  little  parts  and  mean  deco- 
rations, broke  every  where  and  divided  into  fmall  pieces,  fcarce  perceivable 
bv  the  eye.  The  high  embowed  roof,  being  a  folid  arch  of  frecltone,  is 
lofty  and  grand,  and  adorned  at  the  meeting  of  the  ribs  of  the  fevcral  little 
arches  with  curious  twifts  and  knots,  fcarce  one  alike.  Over  this  is  a  wooden 
roof  for  the  leaden  covering  6  feet  betwixt  the  two  in  height. 

This  church  is  built  on  a  red  fandy  rock  or  cliff,  from  which  it  derives  its 
name.  The  afcent  to  this  ftatcly  flrufture  (on  the  north-well  fide)  is  by  fleps 
moft  of  them  being  18  feet  long,  fufficient  to  admit  twelve  men  abreaft,  which 
were  new  laid  with  Purbeck  ftone  in  1753,  and  ornamented  with  a  rail  and  a 
handfome  baluftradc  of  freeftone,  as  is  alfo  the  weflern  fide  of  the  churchyard. 
In  length  the  whole  church  with  the  Lady  chapel  is  239  feet,  and  from  nortb 
to  fouth  of  the  great  crofs  ailes  is  117  feet ;  the  breadth  of  the  three  crofs  ailes 
is  44  feet,  the  breadth  of  the  body  and  two  fide  ailes  is  59  feet;  the  height  of 
the  two  north  and  fouth  ailes  from  eaft  to  weft  is  25  feet,  which  is  alfo  the  height 
of  the  two  fide  crofs  ailes  ;  the  height  of  the  middle  crofs  aile  is  54  feet,  equal 
to  which  is  the  height  of  the  middle  aile  from  the  weft  door  to  the  high  altar. 
The  length  of  the  middle  aile  together  with  thofe  of  the  north  and  fouth  are  all' 
equal  197  feet  from  the  well  end  to  the  high  altar,  behind  which  is  the  Lady 
chapel,  being  in  length  42  feet  and  in  breadth  24,  in  height  26  feet.  The 
whole  roof  of  the  church  throughout  is  artificially  vaulted  with  good  Hone, 
fupported  with  twelve  curious  freeftone  pillars  on  each  fide  the  body  of  the 
church,  and  eight  on  each  fide  fupporting  the  great  crofs  aile.  The  whole 
workmanfhip  is  fo  exquifite,  as  alfo  its  arched  foundation  on  the  north  prof- 
pect,  which  adds  to  its  height,  ftrength,  and  largenefs,  with  the  adjoining  cha- 
pel of  our  Lady  at  the  eaft  end,  that  itmay  juftly  be  efteemed  one  of  the  moft 
elegant  parifh  churches  in  England.  The  whole  building  makes  the  form  of  a 
crofs,  and  is  all  covered  with  lead.  The  tower  which  is  at  the  weft  end  of  the 
north  aile  is  in  height  148  feet,  (which  moft  loftily  flieweth  itfelf  as  an  eminent 
and  noble  land  mark  to  all  the  adjacent  parts.)  In  it  hang  a  curious  peal  of 
eight  bells,  which  were  new  caft  in  the  )  car  1762.     In  the  year  1445-6,  about 

St. 


C    574     3 

St.  Paul's  tide,  the  (leeple  was  thrown  down  in  a  violent  florm  of  thunder  and 
lightning,  and  though  not  yet  rebuilt,  it  is  hoped  will  one  day  be  reftored  to 
its  forn^cr  height  and  beauty  by  fome  well-difpofcd  pcrfons  or  at  the  veflry's 
expence. 

The  entrance  i.ito  the  church  is  at  the  great  weft  door,  to  which  youafcend 
by  Heps.  The  door  is  8  I'cct  in  breadth  and  12  high,  within  which  is  built  a 
great  ftone  gallery,  on  which  is  a  grand  magnificeut  organ  being  in  all  53 
ieei  high  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  crown  pannel ;  the  great  cafe 
about  20  feet  fquare  contains  one  great  and  lefler  organ  ;  the  niufical  part  was 
executed  by  Meffrs-  Harris  and  Pyfield,  and  the  whole  coft  846I.  7s.  Enter- 
ing at  this  wcftern  door  )ou  are  ftruck  with  a  view  of  the  whole  length  of  the 
middle  ailc  at  once,  terminated  by  the  chancel  and  altar,  the  height  of  the 
curioufly  arched  roof,  the  rows  of  flendcr  lofty  pillars  on  each  fide,  and  the 
great  length  makes  this  a  moft  advantageous  view.  There  arc  alfo  two  leffcr 
doors,  one  on  the  north  and  the  other  on  the  fouth  fide  of  the  church,  over 
each  is  a  large  porch  with  a  room  over.  The  north  door  was  defigncd  to  be 
the  grand  entrance,  being  full  of  Gothic  ^yorJc  nitches  for  figures  of  faints  and 
kings,  wherein  formerly  in  the  days  of  Popery  was  the  poor's  charity-box  and 
an  "  image  of  our  Lady  decorated  with  a  fyne  clothe  with  frynge  to  cover 
her,"  whence  this  was  called,  "  Capella  Ueatas  Mariae  in  portico  ecclcfia;  dc 
Rcdclive,"  to  vi'hich  Maud  Efi-crficld  in  1491  gave  a  ring.  This  north  porch 
is  a  moll  fingular  Gothic  ftruQure,  and  feeras  in  proportion  and  fliape  different 
from  the  reft  of  the  church  ;  and  is  probably  older  and  part  of  the  ancient 
fabric,  which  being  deftroyed  by  the  fall  of  the  fpire  in  the  year  1445,  this 
curious  porch  efcaped  the  general  ruin  and  was  left  Handing,  and  now  makes 
a  part  of  the  prefent  ftrUclure.  It  appears  not  to  be  built  at  the  fame  time  by 
the  walls  not  uniting  above  and  fitly  agreeing  with  the  reft. 

In  the  year  1754,  January  30,  were  difcovercd,  upon  digging  a  grave  in 
this  porch,  two  freeftone  fcpulchres  with  the  flieletons  of  two  pcrfons  com- 
plcat,  the  bones  lying  in  their  natural  order. 

In  the  year  1709  in  Queen  Ann's  reign  the  church  was  new  pcwcd  and 
beautified  by  a  brief,  which  rofe  1482I.  expcnccs  697I.  7s.  neat  784I.  13s.  of 
which  Mr.  Colfton  gave  lool.  at  which  time  the  altar-piece  was  taken  down, 
and  a  moft  maanificent  one  eretled  at  the  breadth  of  one  arch  farther  to  the 
eaftward,  which  was  formerly  thepaftagc  behind  the  altar  which  opened  a  com- 
munication between  the  north  and  fouth  ailes,  in  the  middle  of  which  palfage 
was  the  entrance  at  two  folding  doors  into  the  Lady's  chapel.  But  at  this  time 
the  entrance  into  it  is  at  the  eaft  corner  of  the  fouth  aile  taken  out  of  the 

churchyard. 


[    575    3 

cluirchvard.     The  high  altar  had  curious  paintings  of  Mofes  with  his  rod, 
Aaron  in  his  robes,  St.  Peter  and  Paul,  with  other  decorations. 

But  the  ahar  and  chancel  were  repaired   in     tiic  )car  1757,  and  three  fine 
paintings  put  up  againft  the  fronting  Gotlwc  eaft  window   and  the  two  fides  of 
the  chancel,  done  by,the  fliilful  hand  of  the  late  ingenious  Mr.  Hogarth,  who 
had  five  hundred  guineas  for  them  out  of  the  church  (lock,  but  the  whole  with 
the  frames,  alterations,  putting  up,  <^'c.  cofl  761I.  os.  id.      The  middle  piece 
which  is  much  the  largeft  reprefents  the  Afcenfion  of  our  Saviour,  who  is  feen 
high  in  the  air.     The  emanation  of  rays  from  the  afcending  Deity,  beaming 
through  the  interRices  of  the  furrounding  clouds,  is  managed  with  tendernefs 
and  delicacy.     The  point  of  time,    which  the  painter  has  chofcn,   is  immedi- 
ately after  he  has  difappearcd  from  the  fpcclators  below.     In  the  fore  ground  on 
the  right  fide  at  the  bottom,   St.  Thomas  is  reprefented  on  one  knee,  and  with 
hands  lifted  up  and  clafped  together,  is  dill  eagerly  looking  upwards  with  an 
exprefTion  of  wonder  and  adoration.      On  the  othe  fide  is  St.  Peter  in  a  reclin- 
ing pofture.     Towards  the  middle  is  St.  |ohn,  who,  with   a  group  of  figures 
fuppofed  to  be  the  other  difciples  more  remote  from  the  eye,  is  liftening  atten- 
tively to  the  two  men  in  white,  who  appeared  upon  that  great  occafion.     The 
back  ground  is  fiiut  up  with  rocks  and  the  bottom  of  the  cloudy  mafs,  except 
on  one  fide,  where  under  tlie  fivirts  of  the  low-hanging  clouds  part  of  a  magni- 
ficent city   (fuppofed   to   be  Jcrufalcm)    appears  to  advantage,  a  long  Hafh  of 
forked  lightning  under  a  darkened  flcy  calling  a  livid  gloom  over  it,  as  a  city 
devoted  to  deilruction.     The  fide  piece  on  the  right  hand  of  this  large  picture 
reprefents  the  rolling  of  the  flone  to  clofe  the  fepulchre,  and  the   foaling  of 
it    in  the  prefence  of   the   high-prieft.     The  labour   and  exertion   naturally 
expreffed  in  the    firong  mufcular  men    is   happily  contrafled  by    the   tender- 
nefs and  elegant  foftnefs  confpicuous  in  the  other  fide  piece,  where   the  three 
Marys  are  come  to  vifit  the  empty  fepulchre.      The  angel  who  is  fpeaking  to 
them,  and  pointing  up  to  heaven  with  an  exprefTion  that  explains  itl'clf,  is  a 
figure  of  finguJar  beauty,  and,  with  an  afpecl  of  great  fweetnefs  and  benevo- 
lence, fiill  retains  in  his  look  the  native  dignity  of  a  fupcrior  being. 

Under  the  piclurc  on  each  fide  the  ahar  is  a  large  Bible  difplavcd  in  paint- 
ing, as  opened  at  thofe  places  of  fcripture  which  defcribe  the  hiitorv  exhibited 
in  the  paintings,  and  the  whole  altar-piece  is  neatly  embcUifhcd,  and  the 
colours  fo  kept  down  that  they  do  not  take  off  the  eye  from  the  principal 
pictures. 

The  floor  of  the  chancel  is  laid  with  black  and  white  marble,  and  you  ap- 
proach the  altar  by  fleps  of  the  fame  mai  ble.     At  the  entrance  of  the  chancel 

are 


C   576   ] 

are  iron  gates  gilt  and  painted  and  finely  ornamented  ;  the  rame  arc  alfo  at  tlic 
entrance  of  each  aile  of  the  church. 

In  the  center  of  the  middle  and  crofs  ailcs  is  fixed  a  pillar  and  an  eagle  on 
the  top  all  of  brafs,  about  5  feet  high,  being  the  gift  of  Mr.  James  Walker, 
fenr.  of  this  parifh,  pin-maker.  —  The  propriety  of  which  may  be  thus  explain- 
ed :  that  "  the  eagle,  the  facrcd  bird,  carrying  the  book  of  infpiration,  is 
employed  to  a  purpofc  more  honourable  and  falutary,  than  when  it  was  fup- 
pofed  to  be  carrying  thunder  through  the  air  for  the  ufe  of  the  heathen 
Jupiter." 

Facing  the  pulpit  is  a  noble  large  feat  for  the  magiftrates  of  the  city,  over 
which  is  a  canopy  of  wood  fupported  with  four  carved  pillars.  In  this  place 
in  the  year  1466  Mr.  William  Canynges  founded  a  chapel  and  chauntry,  which 
was  dedicated  to  the  honour  of  God  and  St.  George.  He  alfo  founded  ano- 
oiher  to  the  honour  of  God  and  St.  Catherine,  which  is  faid  in  a  deed  to  be 
at  the  eaft  end  of  the  church,  others  fay  at  the  north  porch  :  but  the  altar 
of  St.  Catherine  was  at  the  fouth  end  of  the  crofs  aile,  where  Mr.  Canynges  by 
will  ordered  to  be  buried.  *  In  the  old  church  of  Redcliff  were  formerly 
keepers  of  the  porches;  the  prefent  porches  have  feveral  apartments  with  fire 
places  over  them,  probably  for  the  habitation  of  the  porter,  with  many  of  the 
chaplains  and  other  religious  perfons  belonging  to  the  fame. 

Over  the  north  porch  is  a  large  fexagon  room,  called  formerly  the  Trea- 
fury-houfe,  in  which  were  kept  all  the  archives  belonging  to  the  church,  t 
the  afcent  to  which  is  by  a  ftone  flair-cafe  ;  at  half  way  thereof  is  an  apart- 
ment for  a  lodging-room,  having  a  fire-place  therein,  which  I  prefume  might 
be  the  apartment  afligncd  for  the  keeper  of  the  porch.  Over  the  fouth  porch 
is  a  handfome  room  wainfcoted,  having  a  chimney  in  it,  on  each  fide  of  which 
are  cupboards  for  keeping  the  church  writings,  this  being  the  place  where  the 
churchwardens   and  veflry-nien  of  the  parifh  now  meet  to  tranfafl  bufinefs. 

Under  the  north  end  of  the  great  crofs  aile  is  a  large  room,  at  the  eaft 
end  of  which  is  a  fire-place.     There  was  formerly  a  communication  to  this 

place 

*  "  In  loco  qucm  conflrui  feci  in  parte  auRtali  cjiifdcm  ecderix  juxU  altare  Sanftac  Cathe- 
nna:,  ubi  corpus  Johannac  nuper  uxoris  mesc  eft  Icpultum.''— There  is  a  large  vault  under  the 
iDonumcnt, 

+  The  trunks  are  ftiil  remaining  there,  particularly  one  large  one,  called  in  a  deed  of  Mr. 
Canyngc's,  "  Cyfta  ferrata  cum  fex  clavibus  vocata  Cyfta  Willielmi  Canynges  in  domo  thefaurana 
ccxlcfix  Beata;  Maria;  dc  Rcdclive."  This  cheft  furniflicd  Mr.  Morgan  with  many  curious  parch- 
ments relative  to  Mr.  Canynges  and  the  church  of  Rcdclive;  and  many  very  valuable  there  is 
rcafon  to  believe  were  taken  away  before,  and  fince  difperfcd  into  private  hands. — This  is  faid  by 
thatterton  to  have  been  the  rcpofuory  of  the  manufcripts  under  the  name  of  Rowley. 


[    577     ] 

place  out  of  the  north  aile  of  the  church,  where  a  door  and  ftonc  flair-cafe 
arc  {topped  up  by  which  they  dcfcendcd  into  the  room.  It  might  probably  be 
the  common  dining-room  for  the  officers  which  belonged  to  the  church,  but 
it  is  now  turned  into  a  burying-placc.  By  the  will  of  Belinus  Nanfmocn, 
20th  March,  1416,  it  appears  there  were  many  poor  fcholars  choriftcrs  here 
and  feveral  chaplains,  to  which  he  was  a  benefafclor,  and  he  gave  alfo  certain 
canon  law  books  to  the  life  of  them  and  the  vicar. 

At  the  ead  end  of  the  north  aile  are  two  rooms  on  the  fird  floor,  the  firfl 
has  a  chimney  in  it,  over  which  is  a  lodging-room  with  another  chimney  in 
that.  Thcfe  apartments  might  be  affigned  for  the  vicar,  chauntry  priefts,  or 
chaplains  of  the  church.  This  place  at  prefent  is  made  ufc  of  for  keeping  the 
vcflments  of  the  vicar,  the  plate,  and  other  things  belonging  to  the  church. 

William  of  Wyrcefter,  p.  244.  221.  228.  196.  82,  gives  feveral  particulars 
relative  to  RedclifF  church  and  fpire  as  in  the  year  1480,  when  he  wrote  his 
account. 

P.  221.  "  The  tower  of  the  church  of  RedclifF  in  length  contain  23^  feet, 
and  in  breadth  24  feet.  The  height  of  the  tower  contains  120  feet,  and  the 
height  of  the  fpire  as  it  is  now  broken  off  contains  200  feet ;  and  the  diameter 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  frafclure  contains  16  feet.  And  it  has  eight  panes 
Cpannels),  and  every  Rone  in  the  beginning  of  the  fpire  contains  in  thick- 
nefs  2  feet,  and  at  the  top  where  the  crofs  is  placed  it  contains  in  thicknefs 
4  inches  ;  and  every  flone  in  the  working  is  8  feet  broad,  and  the  breadth  of 
the  garland  contains  1 1  feet.  The  thicknefs  of  the  walls  of  the  tower  at  the 
foundation  are  7  feet,  and  at  the  height  of  120  feet  the  wall  is  5  feet." 

P.  196.  "  The  length  of  the  belfry  tower  in  the  arch  (volta)  newly  made 
contains  24  feet  from  call  to  well,  and  22  feet  from  north  to  fouth.  And  the 
bafc  of  tlie  fquare  framing  of  the  fpire  of  RedclifF  is  of  eight  pannels.  The 
firfl  courfe  above  the  place  of  the  fquaring  of  the  fpire  confills  in  thicknefs  of 
ftones  of  2  feet  made  of  two  flones  joined  together,  for  it  would  be  hard  to 
reduce  one  flone  of  that  thicknefs,  and  fo  it  continues  diminifliing  to  a  cer- 
tain height ;  and  there  are  four  coins  (fconci)  of  flones  from  one  corner  of 
the  angle  to  the  next  to  bind  the  fpire,  which  fpire  now  flands  100  feet  above." 

P.  244.  "  The  height  of  the  fpire  as  it  flands  at  this  day,  although  broke 
off  by  a  mifchance  from  a  florm  and  lightning,  is  200  feet,  by  relation  of 
Norton,  maRcr  of  the  church  of  RedclifF',  and  the  (feverec)  feparation  of  two 
windows,  one  oppofitc  to  the  other  betwixt  two  pillars,  contains  22  feet  and 
in  length  16  feet." 

A  A  .\  \  P.  120. 


C   578   ] 

p.  120.  "  The  hciglu  of  the  tower  of  Redcliff  contains  300  feet,  of  wliicli 

100  feet  have  been  thrown  down  by  lightning." 

On  the    ift   of  April    in  the  ift   year  of   King  Edward    6th.   1547,  John 

Cottrell,  Doflor  of  Laws,  vicar-general  to  Paul  Bufli,  firfl  Bifhop  of  Briltol, 

fequcftered  the  tenths  of  this  church  and  certain  flipends  from  feveral  chaun- 

tries  there  to  the  king's  ufe.      See  p.  64. 

Befides  ihofe  chauntries  there  were  two  of  Everard  le  P'rench,  and  one    of 

John  Burton  and    two  of  Robert   Chcepe,  and  one  yearly  obiit  for  Nicholas 

Pyttes,  vicar,  and  John  Blamick,  vicar,  the  expencc  of  each  being  13s.  4d. 

on  the  oflaves  of  Eafter. 

The  following  catalogue  of  fome  of  the  ancient  furniture  of  this  church 

in  the  days  of  Popifh    fuperflilion,  taken   from   an   original   record   there,  is 

inferted  here  as  a  curiofity. 

"  A  new  fepulchrc,  well   gilt  with  gold,  and  a   cover   thereto,  delivered 

4  July,   1470,  by  Mafler  William  Canynges  to  the  proflors." 

"  An  image  of  God  Almighty  ryfing  out  of  the  fame  fepulchre  with  all  the 

ordinance  that  longeth  thereto,"  (that  is  to  fay)    "  a  lath  made  of  tymbre  and 

iron-work  that  longeth  thereto." 

Item,  thereto  longeth  heven  made  of  timbre  and  (lained  clothes. 

Item,  helle  made  of  timbre  and  iron  work  with  devills  the  number  of  13. 

Item,  4  knyghtes  armed  keeping  the  fepulcre   wyth  their   wepons   in  their 

hands  (that  is  to  fayj  two  fpeers,  two  axes,  with  two  paves. 

Item,  4  pair  of  angels  wings  for  4  angels  made  of  timbre  and  well  paynted. 

Item,  the  Fadre,  the  crown  and  vyfage,  the  ball  wyth  a  crolTe  upon  it  well 

gilt  with  fyne  gold. 

Item,  the  Holy  Gholl  coming  out  of  heven  into  the  fepulchrc. 

Item,   longing  to  the  4  angels  4  *chevelers. 

Amongft  thefe  things  there  were  others  as  curious,  viz.  the  6th  of  Edward 

the  4th.  "  four  handards  of  St.  George  and  trappyngs  for  hys  horfe  &c." 

Leland  calls  Redcliff  church,  "  Ecclefiarum  omnium  longe  pulcherrima  ;" — 

and  Cnniden,  "  Ecclefiarum  omnium  parochialiam    (quas  unquam  vidi)   ele- 

gantiflTmia." — "  So  large  is  it  and  the  workmanfhip  fo  cxquifite,  and    the  roof 

fo  artificially  vaulted  with  flone,  and  the   tower  fo   high,  that  in  my  opinion 

(fays  he)  it  goes  much  beyond  all  the    parifh  churches  in  England  I  have  yet 

feen." 

Divine  fervicc  is  performed  in  this  church  twice  every  Sunday  and  weekly 

prayers  are  celebrated  every  afternoon  throughout  the  year. — Sunday's  leflure 

once  in  the  day  is  paid  for  out  of  the  parifh   flock,  and  the  veflry  have  the 

nomination 
*  It  is  doubted  what  thcfc  were. 


C    519    ] 

nomination  of  the  leflurer  and  allow  liim  a  falary  of  26I.  per  ann,  the  prcfcnt 
is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Camplin.  Before  the  inflitution  of  this  Sunday's  lefturc  the 
church  ufed  to  be  fhut  up  one  part  of  the  day;  and  the  parifhioners  attended 
the  fervice  at  St.Thomas,  which  was  very  inconvenient;  and  to  fluit  up  fuch  a 
fpacious  church  as  RcdclifTone  part  of  the  day,  was  no  mark  of  piety  or  good 
management,  when  the  church  revenues  could  fo  well  afford  to  have  fervice 
performed  twice  a  day:  and  were  fome  pious  benefaftor  to  found  an  evejiing's 
lefture  to  be  delivered  by  candle-light  after  prayers  in  this  beautiful  and  fpacious 
church,  fuch  an  inftitution  might  have  a  very  happy  effeft  upon  the  minds  of 
an  audience  ;  good  order  being  prcfcrved  and  regulations  properly  enforced 
by  the  fexton  and  his  afTiftants  during  fervice.  Evening  is  the  fcafon  for  medi- 
tation :  the  time,  the  place,  the  fervice  itfelf  would  command  attention,  and 
the  divine  truths  then  recommended  would  be  received  with  the  greater  ear- 
neftnefs  and  acquire  an  additional  force  from  the  circumRances  of  time  and 
place.  Who  can  without  a  religious  awe  and  veneration  enter  this  folcmn 
temple,  thefe  manfions  of  the  Deity  even  in  the  day  time. 
Where  awful  arches  make  a  noonday  night. 
And  the  dim  windows  fhed  a  folemn  light? 
With  how  much  greater  devotion  and  pleafing  dread  muft  the  religious  man 
approach  the  Deity  in  prayer  when  every  thing  around  by  night  would  naturally 
tend  to  infpire  it — the  twinkling  tapers  diffufing  their  religious  light  through 
the  gloomy  arches,  the  long  founding  ailcs  and  lofty  roofs,  and  fliewing  to 
advantage  the  neat  ornaments  of  fuch  a  fpacious  church  cannot  but  incline  the 
foul  to  a  heavenly  meditation  and  make  the  heart-affefling  fervice  of  our 
church  ftill  more  afFecling — fuch  a  fccne  of  things  is  finely  defcribed  bv  Milton 
in  his  Penfcrofo,  who  was  no  friend  to  fliewin  religious  fervices. 
*'  Let  my  due  feet  never  fail 

To  walk  the  fludious  cloyfters  pale. 

And  love  the  high  embowed  roof 

With  antique  pillars  mafly  proof; 

And  floried  windows  richly  dight 

Calling  a  'dim  religious  light : 

There  let  the  pealing  organ  blow 

To  the  full-voic'd  quire  below. 

In  fervicchigh  and  anthems  clear 

As  may  with  fwcetnefs  thro'  my  ear 
,  Diffolve  me  into  extafies. 

And  bring  all  heaven  before  my  eyes. 

A  A  A  A    2  Some, 


[    58o    ] 

Some  enemies  to  true  religion,  with  a  fneer  may  call  it  an  imitation  of 
poperv,  which  enjoined  the  burning  of  lamps  before  the  flirines  of  faints  in  this 
very  church  in  the  time  of  ignorance  and  fuperftition, — but  as  from  this  we 
have  happily  emerged,  the  church  of  England  confefTedly  fitting  as  Queen 
amon'T  the  reformed  churches;  and  there  are  no  flirines  and  altars  to  faints 
here  now  to  tempt  the  vulgar  eye,  nor  any  prayers  to  be  offered  to  them ; 
nothing  to  be  heard  but  a  pure  reafonable  fervice;  therefore  the  objeftion 
falls  to  the  ground :  reafon  and  common  fenfe  may  be  appealed  to,  whether 
fervice  by  candle-light  fometimes  might  not  tend  to  prevent  nofturnal  revels 
and  meetings  and  keep  alive  the  fenfe  of  religion  in  the  mind  ;  fo  attentive 
to  the  ufiial  bufinefs  of  the  day,  that  were  not  Sunday  fet  apart  for  other 
employ,  religion  would  fcarce  be  found  among  us,  I  believe  in  the  opinion 
of  moft. 

But  to  return  from  this  digrefTion — This  church  is  adorned  with  a  great 
number  of  elegant  monuments;  and  fomc  though  old  have  a  profufion  of 
carving  and  Gothic  work  beftowed  upon  them. 

To  betrin  with  the  founder's: — At  the  fouth  end  of  the  great  crofs  aile  is  a 
flately  monument  erected  in  memory  of  Mr.  William  Cannynges  and  Joan  his 
wife,  whofc  effigies  are  lying  on  an  altar  tomb  in  full  proportion  under  a 
eanopy  handfomely  carved  in  freeftonc.  On  the  infidc  of  the  Ratues  under 
the  arch  of  his  tomb  arc  the  following  Englifli  infcriptions  in  a  table,  and  on  the 
front  a  Latin  infcription. 

"  Mafter  Wm.  Canvnges  the  richcfi;  merchant  of  the  town  of  Briflow,  after- 
wards chofen  five  times  mayor  of  the  faid  town  for  the  good  of  the  common- 
wealth of  the  fame  :  he  w-as  in  orders  of  priefthood  feven  years  and  afterwards 
Deanof  WeQbury,  and  dyed  the  7th  Nov.  1474-*  The  faid  William  built  a 
college  within  the  faid  town  of  Weflbury  (with  his  canons)  and  the  faid. 
William  did  maintain  by  the  fpace  of  8  years  800  handycraft  men  befides  car- 
penters and  niafons,  ev'ry  day  100  men.  Befides  the  faid  William  gave 
King  Edward  the  4th.  3000  marks    for  his  peace  to  be  had  in    2470  tons  of 

fliipping.t 

Thefe 

*    Ilis   will   is   dated   the     12th    of  November    1474,    he   died   the   17th     of    that   ironth. 

Wm.  BoUoncr. His  obiil  1  find  was  kept  on    Lammas-Day,   the  ift  of  Avigufl;  1475,  ^'^^ 

next  year. 

i  This  part  of  the  infcription  has  given  occafion  for  fome  weak  people  to  propagate  a  report 
much  to  the  prejudice  of  Mr.  Cannyngs'  memory;  whereas  the  cafe  was  this:  Edward' 
the  4th.  having  his  nccefiilies  amply  fupplied  by  Mr.  Cannyngs,  he  granted  him  in  lieu 
thereof  2470  tons  of  (hipping  free  of  all  impofl,  as  appears  by  the  original  inftrument  in  being  in 
the  Exchequer. — This  explanation  was  made  by  one  of  the  Judges,  who  reprimanded  the  lexlon 
for  abufing  the  memory  of  fo  -a  orthy  a  citizen  in  the  vulgar  ftoiy. 


Tons. 

Tons. 

400 

The  Mary  RedclifF 

_ 

500 

goo 

The  Galliot 

mm 

50 

140 

The  Mary  Bat 

- 

200 

140 

The  Margaret 

- 

200 

223 

A  fliip  of  Ireland 

- 

100 

1:  581  ] 

Thefe  are  the  names  of  his  fhips  and  their  burthens. 

The  Mary  Canyngs 
The  Mary  and  John 
The  Katherine 
The  Little  Nicholas 
The  Kathrine  of  Boftoii 

N.  B.  This  account  is  from  William  of  Worccfter. 

No  age,  no  time  can  wear  out  well-won  fame. 

The  ftones  ihemfclves  a  (lately  work  doth  fhow. 

From  fenfclefs  graves  ground  may  we  good  mens  name 

And  noble  minds  by  ventring  deeds  we  know  : 

A  lanthorn  clear  fets  forth  a  candle  light. 

A  worthey  aft  declares  a  worthey  wight ; 

The  buildings  rare,  that  here  you  may  behold 

To  fhrine  his  bones  deferves  a  tomb  of  gould : 

This  famous  fabrick,  that  he  here  hath  done. 

Shines  in  his  fphere,  as  glorious  as  the  fun  : 

What  need  more  words,  the  future  world  he  fousht 

And  fet  the  pompe  and  pride  of  this  at  nought : 

Heaven  was  his  aim,  let  it  be  flill  his  flation 

That  leaves  fuch  worke  for  others  imitation. 

The  Latin  infcription  is  this  : 

Hie  inferius  tumulatur  corpus  nobilis,  circumfpecli,  magna;que  induftriaf, 
viri,  Willi:  Canyngs,  dudum  mercatoris,  et  quinquies  majoris  iflius  vilks; 
&  poftea  in  ordine  facerdoiali  per  feptennium  inftituti,  ac  Decani  de 
Weflbury ;  qui  in  ifta  ecclefia  conllituit  duas  Cantarias  perpetuas  duorura 
capellanorum,  viz.  unum  in  honorem  Santa  Catharines ;  ac  etiam  unum 
clierieum  flabiliri  fecit,  &  Maria?  Virgini  facravit :  &  juxta  eum,  rcquiefcit 
uxor  fua  Johanna,  quorum  animabus  propitiatur  Deus  Amen. 

There  is  alfo  another  monument  of  Mr.  Canynge's  with  his  flatue  well 
carved  in  alabafter,  lying  along  in  his  pried  robes  as  dean  of  Weflbury,  with 
hands  lifted  up  as  in  the  aft  of  devotion,  and  a  large  book  under  his  bead. 

Over  Mr.  Canynge's  tomb  are  the  family  arms  in  proper  colours,  viz.  arg. 
three  moors  heads  couped  fable  wreathed  azure  and  argent,  no  creft.  His 
obiit  was  yearly  cslebrated,  for  which  in  the  year  1475  there  is  charged  in 
the  annual  account  ; 

For 


/. 

5, 

df. 

2 

17 

0 

2 

11 

8 

O 

17 

0 

2 

7 

8 

6 

^3 

4 

6 

13 

4 

C   582    ] 

For  our   Mailer   William   Canynge's  obiit  at  Lammas-day  as    the  /. 

compofition  fpecyfyeth     _  _  _  _  _ 

Paid  for  our  Mafler  William  Cannynge's  years  mynde 
At  liis  days  requiem  _  _  _  _  - 

For  the  holy  cake  for  52  Sundays,  wax  5d.  per  Sunday 
To  Sir  Thomas  Hawkyfoke  for  his  year's  wages 
To  Sir  Pcrfe  Welles  for  his  year's  wages  _  -  _ 

Not  far  from  the  monument  of  Mr.  Canynge's  is  the  following  infcription 
in  old  charaflers  on  a  flat  flone,  on  which  is  engraved  a  large  knife  and  a 
fkimmcr :  — "  Hie  jacet  Gulielmus  Coke  in  fervitiis  Willielmi  Canynge  cujus 
animae  propitietur  Deus." 

The  device  cut  on  the  flone  and  his  being  mentioned  as  in  the  fervice  of 
Mr.  Canynges  feems  to  point  him  out  to  be  William  the  cook. 

In  an  old  bcde-roU  among  the  names  of  perfons  to  be  prayed  for  are, 
"  Joanna  Canynges,  uxor  Willielmi  Canynges,  et  Willielmus  filius  fuus  ,- 
Willielmus  Colas,  the  fervant  of  Myftre  Canynge  that  gave  ii  autours  of  woode 
to  the  church  of  Redclyff"e. 

There  were  feveral  altars  here,  the  altar  of  St.  Stephen,  St.  Blaze,  St. 
Nicholas,  St.  Catherine,  St.  George. 

William  Colas,  the  other  fervant  of  William  Canynges,  7  Edward  4th.  was 
buried  next  St.  George's  chapel,  "  who  hath  yeven  and  delyvred  to  All  Sowles 
autour,  wythynne  the  chyrche  of  owre  Ladyc  of  Redclyve  jn  Briftow,  by  the 
handes  of  Mayflre  William  Canynges,  a  chalys  wyth  a  paten  of  fylvre,  wavinge 
xiii  ounces  and  halfc,  fylvre  parcel  guylte,  and  the  name  of  the  faid  'William 
Colas  is  wrote  upon  yt,  and  hys  fygure  is  portrycd  upon  tl>e  foot,  befydes  the 
crucyfyxe  of  the  fayde  chalyce,  and  fo  hys  fowle  to  be  praid  forre." 

Not  far  from  William  Coke's  flone  is  another,  nearer  Canynge's  monument : 
"  Hie  jacet  Joannes  Blecker,  pandoxator,  cujus  animae  propitietur  Deus." 

This  brewer  (pandocator)  might  probably  be  another  fervant  of  Mr. 
Canynges,  for  he  orders  by  deed  penes  me  that  his  obiit  fliould  be  kept  in  the 
chapel  of  St.  Catherine. 

Near  this  is  alfo  another,  "  Hie  jacet  Richardus  Coke  et  Tibota  uxor  ejus, 
quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus." 

On  a  flone  near  Canynge's  tomb  was  the  following:  "  Here  lies  Thomas 
Chamber,  of  this  parifli,  merchant,  and  his  wife  Ann.  She  died  1620,  he 
October,  1617. 

When 


[  583  ] 

When  I  was  young  in  wars  I  ftied  my  blood. 
Both  for  my  queen  and  for  my  country's  good  : 
In  elder  years  my  care  was  chief  to  be 
Soldier  to  him  who  {hcd  his  blood  for  me." 
Philip  Baunt,  merchant,  buried  at  RedclifF  in  1404.      In  his   will  he  gives 
to  John  Caunterbury,  chaplain  here,  "  quendam  librum  meum  de  Evangcliis 
Anglicc.   qui  eft  in  cuftodia  Joannis  Stourton,"  — a  proof  they  had  the  Gofpels 
in  Englifli  fo  early  as  1404,  though  perhaps  not  in  common. 

Under  the  north  window  of  the  great  crofs  ailc  is  a  Knight  Templar,  lying 
on  a  plain  altar  tomb  in  a  coat  of  mail,  with  a  fhield  on  his  left  fide,  and  a 
fword  in  his  v'ght  hand,  all  carved  in  frceflone,  probably  dcfigned  for  Robert 
de  Berkeley  Lord  of  Bedminfter  and  Redcliff,  a  bcnefaQor  to  this  church. 

About  the  middle  of  the  crofs  aile  was  buried  Everard  le  Fraunces.  Over 
him  is  a  plain  altar  tomb,  with  his  figure  in  the  robes  of  a  magiftrate,  and  for- 
merly the  following  infcription  :  "  Hie  jacet  Everardus  le  French,  qui  in  hac 
ecclefia  duas  fundavit  cantarias  et  duas  alias  in  ecclefia  St.  Nicolai,  et  fuit 
ter  maior  hujus  villce  cujus  animae  propitietur  Deus,  Amen.      M.CCCL." 

In  the  fame  aile  :  "  Hie  inferius  fub  lapide  marmoreo  fcpelitur  corpus 
Thomae  Young,  armigeri  nuper  dc  villa  Briftol,  ac  filii  ac  hseredis  Thomas 
Young  unius  jufticiorum  in  communi  Banco,  et  Jocofze  uxoris  ejus  qui  quideni 
Thomas  obiit  15  Maii,  A.  D.  1506,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus, 
Amen."  With  his  coat,  lozenge  vert  and  or.  on  a  bend  G.  three  ebecks  or 
griffins  heads  erafed  or.  three  G. 

Sir  G.  Young  of  the  county  of  Devon  is  defcendcd  from  this  family  in 
Briftol. — Eng.  Baronet,  vol.  iii.   p.  334,  339.   vol.  iv.   p.  620. 

In  ili.c  windows  were  formerly  in  painted  glafs  the  arms  of  England,  of  Har- 
rington, Hungerford,  Canynges,  Cradock,  Berkeley,  Mede,  Sturton,  Dyrick, 
Says,  Graunt,  Montague,  Cheyncy,  Fulk  Fitzwarren,  Sir  J.  Inyn,  Rivers,  Szc. 
Againfl  the  pillar  near  Mr.  Canynge's  tomb  is  fixed  a  neat  marble  monu- 
ment with  the  following  infcription  to  the  memory  of  one,  who  juftly  deferved 
the  charafter  here  given  her  by  her  hufband  :  flie  was  taken  from  him  in  early 
life:  —  ''■  Eheu  !  dies  atro  carbonc  notanda  !  Filius  et  quatuor  fili^  in  fola- 
men  patris  (favente  Deo)  adhuc  vivunt  valcntque  1789.  Filius  Highamee  in 
comitatn  Somerfctcnfi  eft  retlor. 

M.    S. 
Maria!,  chariffimae  conjugis 
Gulielmi  Barrett,  chirurgi  : 
Qua;  morum  fuavilatc, 

Vita; 


C     584     ] 

Viiae  fimplicitate, 
Benignitate  animi, 
Pietate  in  Deum  eximia 
Omnes,  quibus  innotuit,  fibi  devinxit  : 
Conjvigali  qnaque  virtute  inoniala 
Maritiim  dulci  amoris  copula 
ConflriClum  tenuit,  fuprcmo 
Ilaud  citius  die  diffoluta : 
Tabe  pulmonari  penitus  confeBa, 
Ouam  fortitudine  Chrifliana  fiiftinult, 
In  Domino  tandem  fine  gcmitu 
Placidc  obdormivit  die  8  Maii  1763, 
^tat.  32. 
Filiolum  unum  cum  quatuor  filiabus 
Sola  nunc  felicitatis  pignora, 
Futurae  fpcs,  marito  reliquit, 
Qui  hoc  monumenlum  amoris  ergo 
Bene  merenti  pofuit." 
At  the   north  end  of  the  fame  aile  is  a  monument  with  the  following  in- 
fcription  : — "  Near  this  pillar  arc  dcpofitcd  the   remains  of  Mrs.    Fortune 
Little^    widow  of  Mr.    John    Little,  late  of  this  parifli.      She  died  June  28, 
1777,  aged  57. 

Oh  !  could  this  verfe  her  bright  example  fpread, 
And  teach  the  living  while  it  prais'd  the  dead : 
Then,  reader,  fliould  it  fpeak.  her  hope  divine. 
Not  to  record  her  faith,  but  ftrcngthen  thine  ; 
Then  fliould  her  ev'ry  virtue  (land  confcfs'd. 
Till  every  virtue  kindled  in  thy  breafl; : 
But  if  thou  flight  the  monitory  flrain 
And  fhe  has  liv'd  to  thee  at  lead  in  vain. 
Yet  let  her  death  an  awful  lefTon  give. 
The  dying  Chriftian  fpeaks  to  all  that  live  ; 
Enough  for  her,  that  here  her  afhes  reft 
Till  God's  own  plaudit  fliall  her  worth  atteft. 

Hannah  More." 
At  tlie  eaft  end  of  the  north  aile  is  ereftcd  a  large  magnificent  altar  tomb, 
curioufly  carved   all  over  with   work   in   the  Gothic  ftyle,  to  the  memory  of 
Thomas  Medc,  Efq;  and  his  wife,  whofe  ftatucs  in  frecftone  are  lying  at  length 

with 


C    585    ] 

with  their  coat  of  arms,  S.  a  chevron  ermine  between  three  trefoils  flipt 
argent.  He  was  fheriffof  Briflol  1452.  His  country  feat  was  at  Fayland,  in 
the  parifh  of  Wraxal,  in  the  county  of  Somerfet,  then  called  Mede's  Place.  — 
On  the  outfide  of  his  tomb  was  fixed  a  plate  of  brafs  with  an  infcription  on 

it,  part  of  which  is  ftolen  away  and  this  only  remains  :    " predidi 

Thomas  Mede  ac  termajorisiftius  villscBriftoUiae,  qui  obiitzodiemcnfisDecem- 
bris.  Anno  Dom.  1475,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus,  Amen."  Under 
the  fame  tomb  lies  Philip  Mcde,  Efq;  his  brother,  whofe  will  bears  date 
11  Janury,  1471,  in  which  he  orders  his  body  to  be  buried  at  the  altar  of  St. 
Stephen,  in  the  church  of  Redcliff,  to  which  he  was  a  benefaflor.  His  will; 
Ifabel  and  John  their  fon  alfo  lie  here,  their  figures  being  engraved  on  a  brafs 
plate  22^  inches  long  and  ig  broad,  which  is  fixed  to  the  back  of  the  tomb  : 
the  infcription  on  the  fide  is  now  deftroyed.  He  had  been  thrice  mayor  and 
member  of  parliament  for  Briflol  36th  Henry  6th.  1460.  His  daughter  Ifa- 
bella  married  the  fifth  Maurice  Lord  of  Berkeley,  fee  p.  256.  by  whom  flie 
had  ifTue  three  fons,  Maurice,  Thomas,  and  James,  and  one  daughter,  Ann. 

On  the  ground  under  this  monument  was  once  the  following  infcription, 
now  obliterated  :  "  Hie  jacet  Johannes  Mede,  burgenfis  villae  Brifloliaj,  qui 
obiit  17  die  menfis  Aprilis,  A.  D.  1496,  et  juxta  eum  requiefcit  Alicia,  uxor 
ejus,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus,  Amen."  Out  of  the  mouths  of  the 
two  figures  in  the  brafs  plate  above  mentioned  proceed  the  following  words  in  a 
fcroll  from  the  man's,  "  San6ta  Trinitas  unus  Deus  miferere  nobis,"  from  the 
woman's,  "  Pater  de  coelis  Deus  miferere  nobis." 

In  the  fame  aile  are  monuments  to  the  memory  of  "  The  Rev.  Richard 
Sandford,  A.  M.  who  died  6  Augufl,  1724,  and  of  Elizabeth  his  fifler,  who 
died  22  September,  1728." 

"  Of  John  Tilly,  wlio  died  22  February,  1658,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife, 
who  died  7  September,  1660." 

"  Of  Sir  William  Penn,  Knight,  born  at  Briftol  1621,  of  the  Penns  of 
Penns  Lodge,  in  the  county  of  Wilts.  He  was  made  captain  at  21,  rear- 
admiral  of  Ireland  at  23,  vice-admiral  of  England  at  31,  and  general  in  the 
firfl  Dutch  wars  at  32,  whence  returning  in  1655  he  was  chofen  a  parliament- 
man  for  Weymouth  1660,  was  made  commifTioner  of  the  admiralty  and  navy, 
governor  of  the  forts  and  town  of  Kingfale,  vice-admiral  of  Munfler  and  a 
member  of  that  provincial  council,  and  in  1664  was  chofen  great  captain 
commander  under  his  Royal  Highncfs  in  that  fignal  and  mod  evidently  fuc- 
cefsful  fight  againfl;  the  Dutch  fleet.  Thus  he  took  leave  of  the  fea,  his  old 
clement,  but  continued  his  other  employs  till  1669,  when  through  bodily 
•  B  8  u  B  infirmities 


[    586    ] 

infirmities  (contra  fied  through  the  care  and  fatigue  of  public  affairs)  he  withdrew, 
prepared  and  made  for  his  end,  and  with  a  gentle  and  even  gale  in  much  peace 
arrived  and  anchored  in  iiis  lad  and  heft  port,  at  Wanftead,  in  the  county  of 
EfTex,  16  September,  1670,  being  then  but  49  years  of  age  and  4  months. 
To  whofe  name  and  merit  his  fun.'iving  lady  ere61ed  tliis  remembrance."  — 
Over  his  monument  were  3  long  old  flreamers  and  fome  old  armour,  and  on 
his  (lone  this  motto  :  Duin  Clavum  teneam,  with  the  arms  f.  arg.  on  a  bar  v. 
q  balls  of  the  firft." 

"  Of  Eliz.  Batchelor  wife  of  John  Batchelor  alderman  of  this  city; — flie 
was  daughter  of  Giles  Combes  Efq;  of  Fifehead  in  Somerfetfhire,  and  died 
21  Aug.  1683." 

In  the  chancel  was  a  flone  with  a  brafs  margin  let  into  it,  thus  infcribcd : 
"  ilic  jacet  Lodovicus  Morris,  quondam  balllvus  villse  Briflollia;,  burgenfis  ct 
mercator,  qui  obiit  quarto  decimo  die  menfis  Februarii,  A.  D.  1464,  cujus 
animae  propitietur  Deus,   Amen." 

Near  this,  "  Orate  pro  anima  Joannis  Willy,  qui  obiit  27  menfis  Junii, 
A.  D.  I454,et  Agnetisuxoris  cju?,  quae  obiit  1450."     On  the  ftone  is  a  fhuttle. 

Here  arealfo  ftones  with  infcriptions,  "  To  Sir  William  Lewis,  Knight,  and 
alderman,  and  four  virgin  daughters  :  the  former  died  23  May,  1712,  the  latter 
Bridget  died  28  February,  1703,  aged  18;  Mary,  the  8  September,  1710, 
aged  21;  Sarah,  10  January,  1710,  aged  28;  Elizabeth,  26  March,  1712, 
aged  20  years  and  3  months." 

"  To  Martha,  wife  of  Nathaniel  Day,  Efq;  daughter  of  Mr.  Robert 
Hawkefworth.     She  died  23  January,  1729." 

A  monument  with  infcription  "  To  Edward  Durbin,  chemirt,  who  died 
3  January,   1763,  aged  75." 

On  the  floor  of  the  chancel  is  a  large  black  marble  ftone  with  brafs  curi 
oufly  laid  in  and  engraved  with  the  figures  of  a  man  and  woman,  with  fix  fons 
underneath  the  man  and  eight  daughters  under  the  woman,  with  the  following 
infcription  :  "  Hie  jacct  Johannes  Jay  quondam  vicecomes  iflius  villae,  et 
Joanna  uxor  ejus;  qui  quidcm  Johannes,  obiit  die  15  menfis  Maii,  A.  D. 
1480,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Deus,  Amen."  This  John  Jay  was  a 
merchant  of  great  eminence,  as  appears  by  William  of  Wyrcefler,  p.  267. 
and  Johanna  was  fifter  to  William  of  Wyrcefler. 

On  the  right  hand  as  you  afcend  the  altar  is  a  large  flat  ftone  with  brafs 
plates  curioufly  inlaid,  engraved  with  the  figures  of  a  man  and  woman  with  a 
fliield  of  arms  over  and  under  each,  G.  on  a  chevron  wavy  argent,  charged 
\vith  fleurs  de  lis  f.     The  infcription  is  this;  "  Hie  jacct  corpus  vcnerabilis 

viii 


[    5^7    ] 

viii  Johannis  Brook  quondam  fervientis  ad  legem  illuflridlmi  principis  fa.licis 
memoriae  regis  Henrici  o8avi  et  jufticiarii  ejufdcm  regis  ad  afTifas  in  partibus 
occidentalibus  Anglias  et  capitalis  fenefchali  iliius  honorabilis  domus  et  mo- 
nafterii  Beatae  Mariac  de  Glafconia  in  comitatu  Somcrfet,  qui  quidem  Johannes 
obiit  25  die  menfis  Decembris  Anno  Domini  millefTniio  quingcntcfTimo  25°,  et 
juxta  cam  requicfcit  Joiianna  uxor  ejus  una  filiarum  et  liaeredum  Richardi 
Amenae,  quorum  animabus  propitietur  Dcus,  Amen." 

On  the  floor  a  black  ftone  with  an  infcription  in  Latin  to  Sufanna  the  wife 
of  Sir  Robert  Yeomans,  Bart,  and  member  for  the  city.  She  died  20  Sep- 
tember, 1680.  Refurgam. — Alfo  her  fifter  Elizabeth,  wife  of  William  Staf- 
ford, ofBradfield,  Berks,  Efq.  She  died  20  April,  1671.  Per  mortem  ad 
vitam.  Arms,  quarterly,  f.  a  chevron  arg.  between  three  fpears  heads  of  the 
fccond  for  Yeomans.      Azure  on  a  bend  or.  three  mullets  G.  for  Stafford. 

In  St.  Mary's  chapel  a  monument  of  marble  with  a  Latin  infcription  to 
Elizabeth  the  wife  of  John  Gibfa,  A.  M.  prebendary  of  Bedminfter  and  vicar 
of  this  church,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Ingelo,  S.  T.  P.  and  of  Mary  the 
daughter  of  Richard  Vickris,  merchant,  and  mayor  of  this  city.  She  died 
7  Oftober,  1710,  aged  43,  after  a  marriage  of  6  years,  1  month,  and  7  days. 
In  the  fame  on  a  very  large  flone  with  a  figure  of  thedeceafcd  in  his  judge's 
robes  engraved  in  a  brafs  plate  inlaid  is  an  infcription  round  the  margin  on  a 
flrip  of  brafs :  "  Hie  jacet  Johannes  Inyn  Miles,  capitalis  jufticiarius  domini 
regis  ad  placita  coram  ipfo  rege  tenenda,  qui  obiit  24  die  Marcii,  Anno  Do- 
mini MillefCmo  C.C.C.CXXXIX.  cujus  animas  propitietur  Deus,  Amen."  — 
Under  the  figure  are  the  following  verfes  : 

Julie  Deus,  paticns  Judex,  miferere  Johannis 

Inyn,  jus  faciens  Miles  fuit  ejus  in  annis: 

Urbe  recordator  fuit  hac  Baro  ScacariL 

Summus,  et  in  banco  judex  capitalis  utroque 

Juflitiam  voluit  connexam  cum  pictate, 

Militiam  coluit  fubnixam  nobilitate  : 

Jufte  Johan.  fortis  Miles  jam  propitiatus 

Efto,  fores  mortis  fibi  claude,  remitte  reatus. 
Underneath  his  arms,  f.  or.  a  fcfs  az.  inter  three  unicorns  heads  coupcd  arg. 
within  a  bordure  of  the  fame,  quartered  with  a  lion  rampant,  alfo  two  other 
fhields.  His  country  feat  was  of  Bifhopfworth,  near  I-"ih\ood,  now  a  farm-houfc-. 
in  which  are  flill  to  be  fecn  the  arms  in  coloured  glafs  in  the  windows.  Hij 
fon  William  had  Alice,  a  daughter,  married  to  John  Kekewyck  5  September, 
1515,  who  died  at  Bifhopfworth  without  iffue  20  May,  1529.     His  daughter 

B  B  1;  B  2  Ifabcl 


[     588     ] 


Ifabcl  married  John  Kenn.  His  fon  Chrifloplier  1519  had  a  daughter  Eliza- 
zabeth,  who  was  married  to  Lord  Paulet,  of  Hinton  St.  George,  whereby  this 
family's  eftate  at  Bifhopfworth  came  to  Lord  Paulet,  who  flrll  pofTefles  it. 

Thefe  arc  the  chief  monuments  and  infcriptions  in  this  church,  but  the 
churchyard  mufl  not  be  paffed  by  unnoticed,  being  fpacious,  planted  with 
trees,  and  the  walks  through  it  kept  very  neat:  fee  the  plate.  There  was  an 
elegant  crofs  in  the  center  of  it,  taken  notice  of  by  William  of  WorceHcr, 
p.  211.  "  Cemiterium  ecclefias  de  Radclyff  continet  500  greffus ;  cruxpulcher- 
rima  antificiofe  operata  in  medio."  It  is  now  deftroyed.  Sermons  ufed  to 
be  preached  from  it  formerly.  Here  are  fome  good  tombs  and  infcriptions 
worthy  of  notice. 


1207 


1276 
1290 
1327 

1338 

1342 

1356 


1374 
1381 
1389 

1391 
1393 

1399 
1410 

1429 

1434 
1496 

1438 
1446 


The  following  is  a  Lift  of  the  VICARS. 

William ,    chaplain   of     1460  William  Sey. 

RedclifF.  1464 Chedworth. 


Richard  de  Newbcry,  vicar. 

John  le  Rung,  clericus. 

Gerard  le  Tyllet. 

Robert  de  Merfhton,  chaplain. 

William  de  Jatton. 

Ralph  de  Clive. 

William  of  \\"ykcham  had   the 

prebend  of  Bedminfter  cum 

RedclifF. 
John  French. 
William  Draper. 
Henry  de  Nethenene. 
Nicholas  Geill. 
John  Lamynton,  chaplain. 
Thomas  Godefellow,  chaplain. 
John  Bufli,  chaplain. 
William  Dudleft)urg. 
Joannes  Phreas  or  Freas.    Vide 

Lei.  de  Script.  Brit.  p.  466. 
John  Bath. 
Roger  Saundey. 
Willliam  Peircy  or  Perry. 
Nicholas  Pittes. 


1473  William  Chock,  younger  bro- 
ther of  Sir  Richard  Chock, 
of  Aftiton. 

1508  Edward  Powell,  D.  D.  V.  See 
Wood's  Ath.  Oxon.  vol.  i, 
p.  46. 

1534  Henry  Williams,  prefented  to 
it  by  Cardinal  Campeius,  2d 
Edw.  6.  See  Wood,  vol.  i-. 
p.  681. 

1550  Thomas  Norman. 

1555  John  Blackfton,  deprived  1  Eliz» 

1559  Arthur  Saule. 

1579   Meredith  Hamner. 

1585   Samuel  Davis. 

1623  Thomas  Palmer.  He  publifhed 
a  fermon,  entituled,  Briftol's 
Military  Garden,  preached 
before  the  Trained  Bands. 

1636  Giles  Thornborough. 

1637  John  Carfe. 

1639  ^^'illi^m  Noble,  cjefled. 
1639  Matthew  Hazard,  intruded. 

1660 


[    5^9    ] 

i€6o  Francis  Horton.  1744  Thomas  Broughton,  the  learned 

1670   Humphrey  Brent.  publifherof  the  Dictionary  of 

1678  Richard  Thompfon.  all  Religions,  folio,  and  the 

1685  William  Manning.  Profped  of  Futurity  in  8vo. 

1701   John  Gibb.    He  built  the  large  and  other  trails, 

vicarage-houfe  at  a  great  ex-     1772   Edmund  Spry,  A.  M.  the  prc- 

pence.  fent  vicar  in  1788. 

This  vicarage  *  is  valued  in  the  King's  Books  at  the  clear  yearly  value  of 
40I.  13s.  84d.  and  its  tenths  arc  difcharged.  It  is  worth  to  the  vicar  in  vo- 
luntary contributions  about  lool.  per  annum,  befides  furplice  fees  and  gift- 
fcrmons,  but  with  St.  Thomas  and  Abbots  Leigh  all  chapels  to  Bedminfter, 
the  whole  affords  a  decent  income  to  the  incumbent. 

This  church  had  been  at  different  times  liberally  endowed  with  large  eflates- 
for  fupport  of  the  fabric  and  of  divine  offices  celebrated  therein,  as  well  as  for 
charity  to  the  poor,  the  aged,  and  infirm  of  this  parifh  ;  and  by  an  inflru- 
ment  out  of  chancery  in  the  beginning  of  Charles  2d's.  reign  it  appears  a 
little  before  that  time  it  had  lands  to  the  full  amount  of  4oor.  per  annum,  but 
during  the  Commonwealth,  with  fo  little  honefty  was  the  church  affairs  admi- 
niflered,  the  feoffees  and  parifh  officers  granted  long  leafes  and  fold  lands 
by  collufion  to  each  other  for  little  or  no  confideration,  by  which  the  revenue 
of  the  church  was  wafted.  One  Cecil  was  an  aftfve  perfon  in  this  matter,  and 
is  mentioned  as  highly  culpable  and  ordered  to  reflorc  feveral  tenements  again 
to  the  church.  The  great  ravage  then  committed,  and  lofs  of  deeds  embez- 
zled during  that  anarchy,  rendered  it  impoffiblc  to  repair  at  the  Relloration 
wholly  the  mifchief  done  by  the  levelling  republicans  of  thofe  days.  Not 
only  the  church  eflates  but  the  flruElure  itfelf  did  not  efcape  the  ravage; 
they  tore  down  many  of  its  ornaments  and  all  the  lofty  pinnacles  round  the 
church,  which  were  curioufly  carved  and  added  much  to  its  external  beauty 
and  have  not  fince  been  rebuilt ;  while  on  the  infide  they  ftole  the  brafs  plates 
from  the  monuments ;  they  broke  down  the  fine  organ,  and  getting  together 
the  prayer  books  and  the  homilies,  and  even  the  bibles,  with  cufliions,  caf- 
focks,  &c.  they  made  a  bonfire  of  them,  as  the  funeral  pile  of  the  cinuch: 
and  parading  the  flreets  with  flreamers  made  of  the  furplices  cut  into  flags, 
and  tooting  upon  the  organ  pipes  they  marched  in  triumph  through  the  flreets. 

It 

*   According  fo  the  Lincoln   manufcript  Bedminfler   and  its   chapels  produced  70  marks  or 

46I.  133.  4d.  the  vicar  of  Bedminftcr  8  marks,  in  all  72  marks   or   52I.     The  temporalities  of 

Bcdminflcf  paid  to  tlic   abbot  of  Whytland    ;os.  and  to  the  abbot  of  St.  AuPju  81.  15s.  in. 
all  9I.  15s. 


[590] 

It  is  not  without  great  ceconomy  and  good  management,  the  church  officers 
have  recovered  and  prefervcd  what  eftates  now  remain,  and  improved  lince  its 

revenue. By  the  rental  the  annual  ground  or  referved  rents  of  the  whole, 

confining  of  about  80  feveral  meffuages  and  tenements,  amount  to  about  Sol. 
per  ann.  and  the  other  charitable  benefa6lions  in  money  &c.  to  about  3gl.  15s. 
total  119I.  15s.  per  annum,  bcfides  the  money  arifing  from  the  renewal  of 
Icafes  of  fo  many  tenements  for  lives — which  have  enabled  the  parifli  to  lay 
out  large  fums  to  repair  the  church  and  embellifli  it  with  paintings  and  keep  it 
in  conftant  repair,  to  pay  for  additional  duty  in  the  fervice,  a  Icclurer, 
organift  &c. 

BENEFACTORS  to  the  Church  and  Poor  of  St.  Mary  RedclifF  Parifh. 

1594,  Mr.  Robert  Kitchen  alderman,  los.  a  quarter  for  ever, 

1632,  Mr.  Robert  Rogers  alderman,    is.  a  week  for  ever, 

1635,  Sir  Richard   Rogers,    Knight,  6d.  a  week  for  ever, 

1639,  Mr.  George  Harrington  alderman,  los.  a  quarter  for  ever, 

1639,  Mr.  William  Pitt  merchant,  25I.  the  profit  thereof  for  ever, 

1641,  Mrs,  Thomafine  Harrington,  is.  a  week  forever, 

1642,  Mrs.  Mary  Stile  lol.  the  profit  thereof  for  ever, 
1647,  Mrs.  Blanch  Yeamans  20I.  the  profit  thereof  for  ever, 

1649,  Mrs.  Ann  Edfon  20I.  the  profit  thcrcoffor  ever, 

1650,  Mr.  George  Gibbs  brc%ver,  is.  per  week  forever, 

1652,  Mr.  Robert  Edfon  dyer,  20I.  the  profits  thereof  for  ever, 

1653,  Mr.  Hugh  Brown  alderman,  54s.  yearly  forever, 

1654,  Mr.  John  Haytor  milliner,  6d.  a  week  for  ever, 

1661,  Mr,  Francis  Glecd,  fometime  flieriff,    10s.   a  quarter  to  a 

poor  houffiolder  for  ever,      -  -  -  40     o     o 

1662,  Mrs.  Mary  Gibbs  gave  30I.  the  profits  thereof  to  the  poor 

for  ever,  -  -  -  -  30     o     o 

1667,  Mr.  Arther  Farmer,  fometime  mayor  and  alderman  of  this 

city,  gave  unto  this  parifh  the  interefl  of  40I.  yearly  to 

6  poor  families  on  All-Saints  day,  -  -  40     o     o 

1668,  Mr.  Thomas  Farmer,  Gentleman,  gave  unto  the  poor  of 

this  parifh  50I.  the  profit  for  ever,  -  -  5"     "     o 

?668,    Mr.  Richard  Vickris  alderman,  52I.  yearly  for  ever  in  bread,  52     o     o 
.'.670,    William  Curtis  of  London,  Efq;  born  in  this  parifh,  gave 
50I,  the  profit  thereof  to  be   diflributed  to  the  poor  on 
Chriftmas-day  yearly  for  ever,  -  -  5000 

Sir 


/. 

5. 

d. 

40 

0 

0 

52 

0 

0 

26 

0 

0 

40 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0 

52 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

52 

0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

54 

0 

0 

26 

0 

0 

[    591     ] 

Sir  William  Penn,  Knight,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to       /.     j.    d. 

be  given  to  the  poor  yearly  for  ever,      -  _  ro     o     o 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Caro  gave  5I.   the  intcrefl  to  the  widow  or 

widows  of  one  hufband,  yearly  for  ever  at  Chriftmas-day,      500 

1675,  Mr.  Jofeph  Bullock  in  memory  of  his  father  Mr.  William 
Bullock  of  this  parifh,  merchant,  gave  70I.  the  profit 
thereof  to  be  diftributed  as  followeth,  3I.  4s.  to  the  poor, 
15s.  to  the  miniflcr  for  a  fermon  upon  the  4th  of  Otlober, 
and  3s.  4d.  to  the  clerk,  and  is.  8d.  to  the  fexton 
yearly  for  ever,         -  -  _  .  70     o     o 

1675,  Mrs.  Ann  Prewett,  late  of  this  parifh,  widow,  gave  20I.  the 
profit  thereof  to  the  widow  or  widows  of  one  hufband 
only,  but  if  there  be  no  fuch  widow  in  this  parifh  then 
to  fome  widow  in  Temple  parifli,  at  Chriflmas  yearly 
for  ever,  -  _  _  -  20     o     o 

Mrs.  Mary  Boucher  and  her  daughter  Mrs.  Joan  Langton, 

widows,  gave  lands  for  the  payment  of  los.  a  piece  to  52 
poor  widows  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this 
parifh  hath  a  proportion. 

1678,  Mrs.  Sarah  Birks  of  thisparifli,  widow,  gave  20I.  the  profit 
thereof  to  be  diftributed  to  the  widows  of  one  hufband 
only,  on  Chriflmas-day  yearly  for  ever,  -  20     o     o 

1683,    ^^^^-   Elizabeth    Yeamans,    widow,   gave    lol.    the   profit 

thereof  to  the  poor  for  ever,  -  -  10     o     o 

1685,  Mr.  Jeremiah  Hollo  way,    merchant,   gave  20I.   the   profit 

thereof  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  St.  Mary  upon  RedclifF 

parifli  for  ever,      -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1686,  Mr.  Samuel  Hale,  merchant,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof  to 

the  poor  weekly  in  bread  for  ever:  and  alfo  the  interefl 
of  230I.  towards  the  placing  apprentices  of  poor  children 
in  7  pariflies  of  this  city  yearly  for  ever,  of  which  this 
parifh  is  one,       -  _  _  -  240     o     o 

1686,  Sir  Robert  Yeamans,  Knight  and  Bart,  and  born  in  this 
parifh  in  the  year  1617,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to 
the  poor  of  this  parifh  in  bread  on  every  Lord's  day 
for  ever,  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

:68g,  John  Lawford,  Efq;  fometime  mayor  and  alderman  of  this 
city,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh 
in  bread  on  every  Lord's  day  for  ever,  -  50     o     o 

1690, 


[    592    ] 

j6qo,    Mrs.   Margret    Stokes,  Asidow,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof      I.     s.    d. 
to  the  poor  widows  of  this  parifh  at   Chriftmas   yearly 
forever,  -  -  -  -  lo     o     o 

i6gi,    ^^rs.  Sufanna  Compton,  widow,  gave  lol.  the  profit  thereof 

to  the  poor  in  bread  on  Midfummer-day  for  ever,  lo     o     o 

1693,    Mr.  Dennis  Pitt's  widow,  gave  30I,  for  the  fettling  of  6  poor 

boys  of  this  parifli  apprentice,  -  -  30     o     o 

1709,  William  Whitehead,  Efq;  of  this  parifli,  and  alderman  of 
this  city,  gave  50I.  the  profit  thereof  to  10  poor  houfe- 
keepers  of  this  parifli  not  receiving  alms,  5s.  to  each  at 
Chriftmas  yearly  for  ever,     -  -  -  50     o     o 

1719,  William  James  of  this  parifh.  Gentleman,  gave  30I.  for  the 
payment  of  10s.  to  the  minifter  for  a  fermon  in  the  after- 
noon on  the  5th  of  November  in  this  church,  againfl 
pride,  atheifm,  popery  and  profancnefs  :  1  7s.  more  to  be 
diftribiited  in  two-penny  bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh 
after  fuch  fermon,  is.  8d.  to  the  clerk  and  is.  4d.  to  the 
fexton  for  ever,     -  -  -  -  30     o     o 

Mrs.  Mary  Carift^rook  of  this  parifli,  the  fole   and  virgin 

daughter  of  John  Carifbrook,  Gentleman,  gave  to  feveral 
dif^reffed  families  (not  receiving  alms)  40s.  a  year,  being 
confirmed  by  her  father,  and  Mr.  Thcophilos  Carifbrook 
her  only  brother,  to  be  diftributed  on  the  27th  of  May, 
being  the  day  of  her  interment,  and  on  the  24th  day 
of  December  for  ever,  -  -  -  4000 

1721,  Mrs.  Ann  Tilly  of  Keynfliam  in  the  county  of  Somerfet, 
fpinfter,  gave  20I.  the  profit  thereof  to  be  diftributed  in 
bread  to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  on  Chriftmas  Eve  yearly 
for  ever,  -  -  -^  -  2000 

1724,    Mr.  John  Newman  plumber,  gave  26I.  the  profit  in  bread 

to  the  poor  of  this  parifli  on  Sundays  for  ever.  26     o     o 

1724,  By  the  voluntery  contributions  of  fome  of  this  parifli  was 
raifed  the  funi  of  20I.  and  paid  into  the  vcftry,  the  profit 
thereof  to  be  paid  for  ringing  the  bells  in  memory  of  the 
late  worthy  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;  on  the  fccond  day 
of  November  yearly  for  ever,  -  -  2000 

1733,  Mr.  William  Prewett  of  this  parifli  left  lol.  a  year  to  the 
poor  of  the  Spittle-houfe  out  of  the  feveral  tenements  at 
Cathay  for  ever,     -  -  -  -  1000 

1734, 


C    593    ] 

1734,    Mrs.  Mary  Smith,   widow,  of  this  parifli,  gave  to  the  poor  /.     s.    d. 
of  this  and  St.  Thomas  parifhes    30I.  per  ami.  for  86 

years,  and  afterwards  the  rent  of  fcveral  mefTiiagcs  &c.  600     o     o 

1737,  Mr.  Edward  Dowell,  late  of  this  city,  gave  lool.  the  profit 

thereof  to   40  poor  houfekecpers  of  this  parifh   on  St. 

Thomas-day  yearly  for  ever,                  -                  -  100     o     o 

1738,  Mr.    John  Jaine  of  this    parifli  gave    150I.  the   intorefl; 

thereof  to  be  given  to  the  poor  of  this  parifh  in  cloathing 

yearly  for  ever,     -                 -                 -                 -  150     o     o 

1742,  Mr.  John  Fifher  of  this  parifh,  difliller,  gave  50I.  to  buy 
plate  for  the  ufe  of  the  altar,  and  alfo  lOol.  the  profit 
thereof  to  apprentice  a  poor  boy  of  this  parifli  from  the 

charity-fchool  in  Pile-ftrect  yearly,      -                  -  150     o     o 

1759,    Robert  Sandford,  Efq;  by  will  gave  loool.   the  interell  to 

30  poor  houfekeepers  yearly  not  receiving  alms,  1000     o     o 

1776,  Mr.  James  Gully  left5ol.  the  interefl  towards  cloathing  the 

poor  boys  in  Pile-ftreet  fchool,               -                  -  50     o     o 

1777,  Mr.  G.  Watfon  gave  20I.  the  interefl  to  Pilc-flrect  fchool,  20     o     o 
Mr. '    of  this  parifli  gave  tool,  the  interefl   to   Pile- 

llreet  fcliool,       -                  -                 -                 -  loooo 

A   LIST    of  GIFT    SERMONS  found  in  the   Veftry-room  at 

St.  Mary.RedclifF  Church. 

/.    s.     d. 

January  ifl.     Mrs.  Ann  Edfon  to  the  minifler             -             -  o  10     o 

To  the  clerk  and  fexton       -              -              -  030 

March  J  3th.     Sir  Robert  Yeamans  to,  the  minifler    -             -  056 

To  the  clerk  and  fexton      -              -              -  o     i    10 

Palm-Sunday.     Mr.  George  Gibbs  to  the  minifter     -             -  o  13     4 

To  the  clerk         -              -              -              -  014. 

Good-Friday  to  the  minifler               -             -             -            -  0100 

To  the  clerk               -              -              -              -              -  020 

Three  Sermons  at  Whitfuntide,  to  the  minifler           -              -  1100 

To  the  clerk              -             -             -             -             -  034 

Trinity-Sundav  to  the  minifler  by  agreement,  the  giftof  Tlio.  Ciffill,  o  10     o 

tDclobcr  4th.     Mr.  Jof'eph  Bullock  to  the  minifler     -             -  o  15     o 

To  the  clerk       -              -              -              -  034 

To  the  fcNton                     o              ^             »  018 

C  c  c  c  November 


(, 

S. 

d. 

o 

lO 

o 

o 

1 

8 

o 

1 

4 

2 

lO 

o 

C    594    ] 

November  5th.    Mr.  William  James  to  the  minifter 

To  the  clerk       _              _              _  _ 

To  the  fexton      _             _             _  - 

Chriftmas-day  and  Eaftcr-Sunday  the  veflry  to  the  minifter  - 

AbcJOt  the  year  1207  Lord  Robert  de  Berkelv  granted  to  this  church  at  the 
requeft  of  William  the  chaplain,  all  that  his  fountain  of  water  from  a  place 
called  Hugewell  (beyond  Lower  Knowlej,  to  have  a  perpetual  conveyance  in 
pipes  through  his  lands  to  a  convenient  place  for  its  reception,  where  it  was 
ever  to  remain  for  the  ufe  of  the  church  and  parifh  and  the  miniftcrs  thereof, 
from  which  refervoir  the  faid  lord  granted  a  pipe  an  inch  wide  to  convey  part 
of  the  water  to  the  hofpital  of  St.  John  the  Baptift  for  the  ufe  of  the  matter  and 
friers  there.  The  brethren  of  this  hofpual  had  an  ancient  chapel  contiguous 
to  the  weft  end  of  the  church  dedicated  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

This  hofpital  of  St.  John  confifted  of  brothers  and  fifters  of  the  order  of  St. 
Auguftin,  and  in  the  little  red  book  in  the  chamber  of  Briftol,  p.  199,  Johannes 
"  Farceyn  alias  Farcey  is  faid  tcsf  be  the -founder  of  this  hofpital  or  houfe  of 
St.  John  the  Baptift  in  Redcliffe-putte." — It  became  in  time  very  well 
endowed,  and  had  many  tenements  in  Briftol  as  well  as  eftates  in  the  country 
belonging  to  it. — It  was  firft  under  the  government  and  patronage  of  the 
Bifliop  of  Bath  and  Wells;  but  for  fometime  before  the  diftblution  the  mayor 
and  commonalty  of  Briftol  are  called  the  true  patrons  of  it. — It  was  fituated  at 
the  bottom  of  Redcliff-Hill,  and  extended  from  Redcliff-Pitt  forwards  to  the 
Avon  backwards — no  traces  of  it  at  prefent  remain  except  a  lane  called 
St.  Joann's-lane  there  may  feem  to  point  it  out — houfes  are  now  built  on 
the  fite  of  it.  The  following  is  the  engagement  each  member  made  on  his 
admiflion  into  this  hofpital. 

Ego  N.  P.  promitto  continenter  vivere,  et  fine  proprio  juxta  regulam  Sc 
obfervantiam  in  Domo  five  Hofpitale  Sanfti  Johannis  Baptiftas  Briftollia: 
antiquitus  obfervatam,  Sc  confuetam ;  profiteorq;  ordinem  regularem  Sanfti 
Au"uftini  juxta  inftituta  ejufdem  Domus  five  hofpitalis — necnon  me  premifla. 
fideliter  obfervaturum  aftringo  per  prefentes.  In  cujus  rei  teftimonium  manu 
mea  propria  hie  me  fubfcribo. 

Fricnborough  manor  now  called  Barrow  Hill  Farm,  in  the  pari fti  of  Farm- 
borough,  Somcrfct,  belonged  to  this  hofpital  of  St.  John,  and  was  granted  by 
Henry  the  8th,  to  Dr.  George  Owen,  the  29th  of  April  the  36th  of  Henry  the 
8th.  who  fold  it  to  J.  Bufli  of  Dulton,  Wilts,  Efq;  the  3d  of  June  the  38th  of 
Henry  the  8th — In  1664  it  was  fold  by  Sir  Hugh  Smyth  of  Long-Aflnon, 

together 


[    595    ] 

together   with    Compton-Dando,  to Popham,  Efq;  in  which  family   it 

how  remains. 

By  a  deed,  the  original  in  Bidiop  Ralph's  rcgifter  in  the  church  of  Wells, 
f,  324,  it  appears  that  frier  John  dc  Monington  prior  of  St,  John's  hofpital, 
wifhing  to  be  releafed  from  the  care  of  faid  hofpital,  having  refigned  it 
into  the  Bifhop's  hands,  the  Bifhop  allotted  to  him  one  chamber  therein,  and 
the  manor  of  Bifhopfworth  and  its  appurtenances  for  his  fupport,  with  9  oxen, 
with  plow  and  wain  and  the  reft  of  the  apparatus  of  the  faid  manor  for  his  life. 
Dated  at  Chew  1348,  19th  year  of  the  Biiliop's  confecration. 

This   hofpital  was   well   endowed  with    lands  which  are  mentioned   in  old 
deeds,  particularly  in  thofe  belonging  to  the  Gaunts. — The  following  is  a  lift 
of  fome  of  the  principals    (or  mafters)  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  John  the  Baptift 
without  RedclifF-Gate,  who   were   chofen  at  firft  by  the   Bifliop  of  Bath  and 
Wells,  afterwards  by  themfelves  and  recommended  by  the   mayor   and  com- 
monalty of  Briftol  the   patrons,  who  prefented  them  to  the  Biftiop  for  inftitu- 
lion  and  induction  before  their  admiffion — they  took  the  oath  aforementioned 
in  the  prefence  of  the  patron. 
1261,    Brother  Thomas. 
1292,    Edmund  dieto  le  Thyelare. 
1343,    John  de  Monigton  mafter  the  29th  of  July  the  17th  of  Edward  the  3di 

he  refigned  1348. 
Brother  Lawrence  mentioned  in  Gaunts  deed  p.  62. 
1383,    William  Topefleye  mafter. 
1430,    Nicholas  Sterr. 
1442,    John  Hall,  inftituted  at  the  prefentation  of  Clement  Bagot,  mayor  of 

Briftol,  and  the  commonalty  ;  this   hofpital   was  by  its  foundation 

collegiate,  but  there  being  now  but   one  brother  in  the  faid  college 

not  22    years    old,  therefore  for  want  of  brethren  it    ceafed  to  be 

a  college. 
1467,    William  Prowe,  at  the  prefentation  of  William    Canynges  mayor ;  he 

left  the  reftory  of  Wraxal  for  this. 
1504,    Richard  Collins  S.  T.  P.  having  a  difpenfation  from  the  apoftolic   fee 

to  hold  any  benefice,  was  inftituted  and  inducled  to  the  reftory  of  St. 

Stephen  the  16th  of  March  1504. 
1542,    Richard  Bromcfield  furrendcred  this  houfe  &c.  to  King   Henry  the 

Bth's.  commifTioners  the  7th  of  March  in  the  35th  of  that  King's 

reign,    after    above    364    years    poflTenion   by   the    friers,. — it    was 

granted  to  Dr.  G.  Owen. 

Cccc    2  In 


[    59^    ] 

In  1306  the  Bifhop  of  Bath  and  Wells  appropriated  the  reQory  oFBackwcll 
inaf^iftro  et  fratribus  hofpitalis  St.  Johannis  Briftoliae  (ex  lamentabili  querela) 
that  they  were  flarving,  &:c. 

In  the  year  1383  a  grant  was  made  by  the  raafter  and  friers  to  the  proQors  of 
the  fraternity  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  there  of  the  ufe  of  their  chapel,  dedicated  to 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Mary  de  Redeclyve,  for  the  term 
of  fifty  years.  This  grant  was  made  at  the  very  time  RedclifT  church  was  finini- 
ing  by  William  Canyngcs  the  elder,  and  probably  this  fraternity  ufcd  to  refort 
to  the  church  of  RcdclifF,  and  had  a  chapel  there  to  their  ufe,  but  were  now 
obliged  to  apply  to  the  houfe  of  St.  John  for  the  ufe  of  their  chapel  in  the 
churchyard. 

This  chapel  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Mary  RcdclifF, 
having  belonged  to  the  niafter  and  friers  of  the  houfe  or  hofpital  of  St.  John 
the  Baptifl:  without  Redcliff-gate  for  many  ages  was  alfo  at  the  furrender  of 
the  faid  hofpital,  &c.  taken  into  the  king's  hands.  Leiand  fays,  "  It  was  a 
paroche  before  the  building  of  Rcdcliff  great  new  church,"  which  feems  to  be 
mere  conjeflure. 

In  the  year  1571  Queen  Elizabeth  gave  the  faid  chapel  by  her  royal  grant 
to  the  parifliioners  of  St,  Mary  Redcliflf",  for  a  free  grammar  and  writing- 
fchool,  as  appears  by  her  deed. 

This  chapel  was  in  length  from  eaft  to  weft  ^6  feet,  and  in  breadth  from 
north  to  fouth  26  feet.  Being  converted  to  the  ufe  of  a  public  fchool,  it  has 
had  fomc  benefaClors,  and  at  prefent  it  has  the  following  endowments: 

Do£lor  George  Ovv'cn,  phyfician  to  King  Henry  8th.  by  indenture  dated  the 
2d  of  May,  1552,  obliged  the  mayor,  burgeffes,  and  commonalty  of  Brifiol 
annually  to  pay  for  ever  4I.  to  the  maftcr  of  this  fchool. 

John  Whitfon,  Efq;  by  his  laft  will  dated  the  27th  of  March,  1627,  ap- 
pointed the  mayor,  burgeffes,  and  commonalty  of  Briftol  and  their  fucceffors 
for  ever  in  truft,  that  they  pay  a  chief  rent  of  81.  10s.  6d.  and  three  bufhels 
and  a  h.ilf  of  wheat  and  three  bufliels  of  rye  yearly  for  ever,  out  of  his  manor 
of  Chew  Magna,  to  the  mafter  of  the  free  grammar  fchool  at  or  near  RedclifT 
church  in  Briffol. 

This  chapel  as  it  ftood  fo  near  the  church  of  RedclifF  as  to  hide  in  fome 
meafure  the  weftern  view  of  it,  was  in  the  year  1766  entirely  taken  down,  and 
in  the  wall  under  the  weft  window  of  the  chapel  was  found  a  ftone  coffin  with  a 
figure  carved  on  the  lid,  and  under  it,  "  Johannes  Lamyngton."  *  On  open- 
ing 

*  John  Lamyngton  is  mentioned  among  the  chaplains  of  Rcdcliff  church  for  ;hc  year  1393, 
fo  that  Lamyngton's  Lady's  chamber  might  be  the  name  of  this  building  before  the  fraternit)'  ot 
the  Holy  Ghofl  gave  it  the  name  of  St.  Sprite's  chapel.     Sec  p.  568. 


C    597     ] 

ing  it  the  fhapc  of  the  whole  human  body,  or  rather  of  its  folid  parts,  vas  to 
be  feen  prefcrved  in  the  natural  pofition,  hut  on  being  touched  fell  all  into 
dud.  The  fchool  is  ftill  continued  in  St.  Mary's  chapel  at  the  cafl  end  of 
Redcliflf  church,  without  any  additional  endowment. 

Bevond  St.  Mary's  or  Redcliff-hill  near  Bright-Bow  t  was  of  old  the  hofpl- 
lal  of  St.  Catherine,  in  the  parifli  of  Bcdminlter,  which   now  joins  to  Briftol 
and  is  a  parifh  of  large  extent.     The  church  of  Bedminfler  is  very  ancient, 
and  a  vicarage  formerly  belonging  to  the  abby  of  Whvtland,  dedicated  to  St. 
John  the  Baptift,  and    is  mother  church   to  RcdclifF  and  St.  Thomas,  which 
with  Abbots  Leigh  are  chapels  of  eafe  to  it.     The  hofpital  of  St.  Catherine 
was  inBcdminRer  where   now  a  glafs-houfe  is  built :   fomc  arch  windows  there 
flill  point  out  its  fite,  and  the  fields  behind   it  are  called  Catherine  Meads  to 
this  day.      It  was  endowed  with  them  and  other  lands   in   Afhton.     Tanner's 
Notitia  Monaftica  by  Nafmith  refers  to  deeds  concerning  it.      The  following  is 
William  of  Worcefter's  account,  p.  294.  — "   Longitudo  navis  ecclefiaj.  Sec. 
The  length   of  the  nave  of  the  church  of  St.  Catherine,  called  clfewhere  tlic 
Free  Chapel,  near  Briftol,  contains  16  yards,  its  breadth    contains  7-7  yards  ; 
the  length  of  the  chancel  g  yards,  its  breadth  ^^  yards.      1290,  Lord  Robert 
Barklc,  the  founder  and  patron  of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Catherine,  who  died 
May  3.      Lord  Thomas  de  Barkle,  Knight,  brother  of  the  faid  Robert,  who 
gave   lands  and   tenements  in  Byniopfworth  and  confirmed  the  faid  founda- 
tion made  by  the  fame  Robert.      Sir  Adam  de  Heyron,  Knight,  lord  of  the 
village  of  Afliton,  Thomas  Heyron   his  predeccd'or,   who   gave  lands  to  it  ; 
Alexander  de  Alneto,  his  ancedors   and  fuccefTors ;   William  Lyons,  his  an- 
ceftors   and  fuccefTors;   ^^'illiam  Comyn,   of  Briftol;  Richard  Dyer;  Julian 
Sufe  ;    John  the  fon  of  the  gojdfmith  ;   Chriftian  Roo  ;  John    Stryglyng;   Sir 
John  Thorp,  prieft." — Thefe  were  benefaftors  to  this  hofpital.      He  mentions 
this  hofpital  alfo  under  the  following   name  :  "  Hofpitalis    domus   in   ecclefia 
Sanflas  Cathcrina;  ubi  magifter  Henricus  Abyngdon  muficus   de  capella  regis 
eft  magifter."     The  faid  Abyngdon  was  maftcr  of  St.  Catherine's  hofpital  in 
the  year  1465. 

In  fomeold  court  rolLs,  dated  the  ift  of  Richard  2d.  at  Ayfchton  Merryotts, 
in  poffeftion  of  Sir  John  Hugh  Smyth,  Bart,  it  appears  that  the  hofpital  of  St. 
Catherine  was  exempted  from  fuit  and  fervicc  at  that  court,  by  a  charter  of 
Alexander  de  Alneto  then  produced,  by  which  lands  in  .Vfliton  near  the  church 
and  oppofite  Clevedon  were  gra.nted  by  him  to  Robert  the  mafter  and  the  bre- 
thren 

+  Alfo  called  Brightcnc-briJgc  from  Brighlric,  who  probably  firfl  made  .1  bridge  there,  for  ihc 
better  communicalion  between  13cdminftcr  and  Brillol. 


C   598   ] 

lliren  and  fiflers  of  thafhofpital  in  free  alms,"  &c.  This  Alexander  dc  Alneto 
(of  the  Alder  Grove)  was  lord  of  the  manor  of  Afhton  and  a  great  man  in  his 
time  ;  and  at  the  end  of  a  manufcript  entituled.  Liber  Ruber  Bathoniae,  in  the 
poncfTion  of  Lord  Weymouth  at  Longleat,  written  in  1428,  is  the  following 
epitaph   in   a  hand-writing  different  from  the  manufcript  in  the  year  1582. 

"  Hie  jacet  Alexander  de  Alneto  et  Erncb'orea  uxor  ejus,  ct  Julius  de 
Alneto  filius  eorum  et  Lucia  de  Marifcis  filia  eorum  et  Jordanus  de  Marifcis 
filius  ejufdem  Lucia?,  et  "Willielmus  de  Marifcis  filius  ejufdem  Jordani. — N.  B. 
Dedit  Alexander  ecclefiee  petri  et  monachis  Bathoniae  Manerium  dc  Chamely 
anno  1153,  reg.  Sleph.  ulti. 

To  this  is  fubjoined  the  following  note  by  the  writer:  "  Eft  iftud  epitaphi- 
um,  &c.— This  epitaph  was  carved  at  the  right  of  the  entrance  of  the  ruinous 
church  formerly  dedicated  to  Minerva,  to  be  fcen  in  that  place  by  the  curious^ 
December  7,   1582,    in  the  city  of  Bath." 

In  1349  Ralph  Bifliop  of  Bath  and  Wells  admitted  Walter  de  Eftham  prieft 
to  the  honfe  or  hofpital  of  St.  Catherine  near  Briftol,  at  the  prefentation  of  Lord 
Thomas  de  Berkeley,  patron. 

1343,  John  de  Kynenton,  29th  O6lober,  prefentcd. 

1357,  4th  December,  John  dc  Eggefworth.  The  bifliop  received  his  pro- 
feflion  following:  "  Ego  Johannes  Eggefworth,  &c.  i.  e.  I  John  Eggefworth 
promife  perpetual  obfervance  of  good  morals,  chaftity,  all  denial  of  pro- 
perty, which  I  will  keep  from  my  foul  from  this  time  according  to  the  rule 
of  the  hofpital  of  St.  Catherine  near  Briftol,  in  the  diocefe  of  Bath  and  Wells, 
which  I  henceforth  profefs  as  ordained  by  the  holy  fathers,  as  much  as  is  con- 
fiftent  with  the  faid  rule,  or  hereafter  fliall  be  confiftent  for  me  to  obferve, 
and  I  will  lead  my  life  according  to  regular  difcipline."  At  the  fame  time  he 
fwore  obedience  to  his  diocefan  Ralph  Bifliop  of  Bath  and  Wells.  Regift. 
Radulph.  f.  328. 

In  1375,  Richard  Bromdon  by  will  gave  20s.  to  maintain  the  can  fey  at 
Brightenee-Boughe  and  the  houfc  or  convent  of  St.  Catherine  near  Briftol^ 
called  alfo  in  Dugd.  Baron,  p.  358.  "  St.  Catherine  Pulle  near  Briftol,"  to 
which  Lof-d  Berkeley  gave  lands  in  Afliton,  Portbury,  and  Bedminfter. 

Richard  Waldgrave  being  mafter  or  cuftos  of  this  hofpital,  1553,  an  agree- 
ment was  made  that  the  image  of  the  holy  St.  Catherine,  fixed  up  in  the  front 
houfe  between  the  caufey  and  the  barton  of  the  faid  hofpital,  fhould  be  kept 
clean  and  in  repair.  There  is  a  long  poem  of  the  Life  of  St.  Catherine,  and 
fome  good  verfes  in  it,  in  the  Lib.  Rub.  Bathon.  penes  Lord  Weymouth. 

The 


C    599    ] 

The  chapel  of  St.  Catherine  was  valued  at  the  difTolution  at  21].  15s.  ^d. 
thereof  rents  refolute  yearly  were  5s.  4d.  de  claro  21I.  10s.  At  its  being 
fold,  2  Edward  6th.  it  was  certified  to  have  a  chalice  of  fdver,  8  ounces  et 
dimid.  ornaments  appraifcd  at  4s.  6d.  bell  metal  101  lb.  that  William  Clark 
was  then  mafter  of  St.  Catherine's  hofpital,  who  afllgned  only  three  cottages 
for  the  poor  to  live  in,  but  no  maintenance.  The  pried  before  him  was 
bound  to  fay  mafs  thrice  a  week.  It  hence  appears  this  houfc  went  gra- 
dually to  decay,  the  friers  by  degrees  dcferting  it,  probably  the  cafe  of  many 
other  religious  houfes. 

Befides  thefe  hofpitals  in  the  parifli  of  RedcIifF,  there  is  one  juft  without 
Temple-gate  called  "  Rogers's  Magdalens  of  Nunney."  Falling  to  decay,  it 
was  rebuilt.  It  affords  a  dwelling  for  eight  women  and  as  many  men.  No- 
vemberiy,  1613,  Mr.  Rice  Thomas,  parfon  of  Norton  Malreward,  in  the 
county  of  Somerfet,  left  them  20s.  per  annum. 

There  is  alfo  an  almflioufe  oii  the  fouth  fide  of  Redcliff'-hill,  founded  by 
Mr:  Canynges,    for  fourteen  perfons  to  inhabit. 

On  the  north  fide  of  Pile-ftreet  in  1739  ^^'^'^  founded  a  frce-fchool  for  boys, 
by  the  joint  contributions  of  many  well-difpofed  inhabitants   of  this  parifh, 
which  has  received  the  following  endowments,  and  thofe  p.  393,  before  : 
1734,  Edward  Colfton,  Efq;         -  -  -        £"  20     o     o  per  ann. 

Matthew  Worgan  gave  in  money         -  -        2100 

1742,  John  Fifher,  gentleman,  ditto,  the  intereft  to  ap- 
prentice out  a  poor  boy         -  -  -     100 
1749,  Giles  Malpas  built  the  fchool-houfe             -  120 
John  Macie,  Efq;  gave                -                  -  50 
Mrs.  Gratian  Kington         -                -               -  50 

On  Redcliff'-hill  is,  1787,  a  houfe  built  for  a  fchool  for  girls,  fupported 
by  voluntary  contributions. 

In  RedcIifF  churchyard  is  an  almffioufe  for  twelve  widows,  called  the 
Houfe  of  Mercy,  built  and  endowed  1784  by  the  late  Mr.  William  Fry,  who 
has  appointed  feoffees  for  the  management  of  this  charity,  where  the  widows 
have  each  a  neat  room,  lodging,  and  maintenance. 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

The 


[    6oo    ] 


The  following  Interlude  is  among  the  moft  early  communications  of  Clut- 
icrlon  to  Mr.  Barrett,  and  as  it  has  an  immediate  relation  to  the  church  of 
RcdclifF,  is  here  printed  verbatim  et  literatim  from  Chatterton's  own  writing, 
and  fubmitted  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader  : 

An  ENTYRLUDE,  plaied  bie  the  Carmelyte  Freeres  at  Maftrc  Canynges 
hys  greete  howfe,  before  Maftre  Canynges  and  Byfhoppe  '  Carpentene,  on 
dedicatyngc  the  chyrche  of  Oure  Ladie  of  Rcdclefte,  hight 

THE    P  A  R  L  Y  A  M  E  N  T  E    OF    S  P  R  Y  T  E  S. 
Wroten  bie  T.  Rowleic  and  J.  =  Ifcam. 

Enlrodu&yon  bie  Oueene  Mabbe. ( Bie  Ifcamme. ) 

WHAN  from  the  erthe  the  fonnes  3hulftred, 
Than  from  the  flouretts  ^  flraughte  with  dewe; 
Mie  leege  menne  makes  yee  ■'awhaped. 
And  wytches  theyre  ^wytchencref  doe. 
Then  ryfe  the  fprytcs  '  ugfome  and  ^rou. 
And  take  theyre  walke  the  9  Ictten  throwe. 
Than  do  the  fprytcs  of  valourous  menne, 
Agleeme  along  the  '° barbed  halle  ; 
Plcafaunte  the  "moltrynge  banners  kenne, 
Orfytte  arounde  ynhon9urde  fiallc  — 
Oure  fprytcs  '=atourne  theyr  '3eyne  to  nyghtc. 

And  looke  on  Canynge  his  chyrche  bryghte. 

In 

1  ji)hn  Carpenter,  bifliop  of  \^'orcefler,  who,  in    conjunflion    with  Mr.  Can'yngc,  founded 
the  abbey  at  WVftbury.  2  John  Ifcam,  according  to  Rowley,  was  a  canon  of  the  nionaRei-y 

of  Saint  Auguftinc  in  Briftol.  He  wrote  a  dramatic  piece  called  "  The  Pleafaunt  Dyfcorfes  of 
Lamyngeton  ;"  alfo  at  the  dcfire  of  Mr.  C?nyngc  (Rowley  being  llicn  colleftlng  of  drawings  for 
Mr.  Canynge)  he  trandated  a  Latin  piece  called  Miles  Brydolli  into  Englifh  metre.  The  place 
of  his  birth  is  not  knowHt  3  Hidden,  4  Stretched.  I  think  this  line  is  borrowed  from  a 
much  better  one  ol  Rowley's,  v'v..  "  Like  kyngc  cuppcs  brafleyngc  wyth  the  momyngc  dew.'' 
I'he  reafon  why  I  think  Ifcam  guilty  of  the  plagiary  is,  that  the  Songe  to  Ella,  from  whence  the 
above  line  is  taken,  was  wrote  when  Rowley  was  in  London  coUefting  of  drawings  for  Mr. 
Canynge  to  build  the  chinch,  and  Ifcam  wrote  the  above  little  before  the  finifhing  of  the  churchi 
5  Aftonifhed.  6  Witchcraft.  7  Terrible.  8  Ugly.  9  This  is  a  word  peculiar  to  the 
Weft,  and  fignifics  a  churchyard.  10  Hung  with  banners  or  trophies.  u  Mouldering- 
t2  Turn.         13   Eyes. 


[  6oi    3 

In  fothe  yn  allc  mie  Mbifmarde  roundo, 

Troolie  the  thynge  muftc  be  '^bewryen  : 

Inne  ftone  or  woden  •worke  ne  founde, 

Nete  fo  '^bielecoyle  to  myne  eyne. 

As  ys  goode  Canyngc  hys  chyrche  of  ftone  — 

Whych  '"  blatauntlie  wyllc  fhewe  his  prayfe  alone. 

To  Johannes  Carptnierre  Byjhoppe  of  Worcejlerre. ■—  {Rie  Rowleie.) 

To  you  goodc  Byfhoppc,  I  addicfs  mie  faie, 
To  you  who  honoureth  the  clothe  you  weare  ; 
Lyke  pretious  '^bighes  ynne  golde  of  befte  allaie 
Echone  dothe  make  the  other  feemc  more  fayre  : 
'9  Other  than  you  where  coulde  a  manne  be  founde 
So  fytte  to  make  a  place  beeholie  grounde. 

The  fainftes  ynne  ftone  fo  netelie  =°carvelled, 
Theie  ^'  fcantlie  are  whatte  theie  enfeeme  to  bee ; 
Bie  fervente  praier  of  yours  myghte  rear  thevre  heade, 
Ande  chaunte  owte  maffes  to  oure  Vyrgyne  — 

D  D  D  D  "Was 

14  Curious.  15   Bewr)'en,  declared  or   made  known.  16  Well  pleafing  or  welcome. 

17   Loudly.  18  Jewels.  19  Carpenter  dedicated    the    church    as  appears   by  the   fol- 

lowing poem,    wrote  by  Rowley  : 

Scone  as  brj-ght  fonne  alonge  the  {kyne,  han  fente  hys  ruddie  lyghte  ; 

And  fayryes  hyd  j'nne  Oflyppe  cuppes,  tylle  wyfli'd  approche  of  nyghte  — 

The  mattyn  belle  wyth  Ihrj-llie  founde,  reeckode  throwe  the  ayre  ; 

A  troop  of  holie  frceres  dyd,  for  Jefus  maffe  prepare  — 

Arounde  the  highe  unfaynted  chyrche,  wythe  holie  relyques  wente  ; 

And  even,'  door  and  poflc  aboute  wythc  godlic  thynges  befprente. 

Then  Carpenter  yn  fcarlctte  dreftc,  and  mytred  holylic  ; 

From  Maftre  Canyngc  hys  greatc  howfc,  wyth  rofarie  dyd  hie  — 

Before  hym  wente  a  throng  of  frceres  who  dyd  the  mafle  fonge  fyngc, 

Bchynde  hym  Mallrc  Canyngc  came,  tryckd  lykc  a  barbed  kynge, 

And  then  a  rowc  of  holie  frceres,  who  dyd  the  mafs  fonge  found. 

The  procurators  and  chyrche  reeves  next  prcft  upon  the  ground, 

And  when  unto  the  chyrche  thc)  e  came  a  holie  malfo  was  fangc. 

So  lowdlie  was  theyr  fwotic  voyce,  the  hevcn  fo  hie  it  range. 

Then  Carpenter  dyd  puryfic  thc  chyrche  to  Goddc  for  aic, 

Wythe  holie  mades  and  good  pfalmcs  v.hychc  hce  dyd  thcrcyn  fdic. 

Then  was  a  fermon  prcechcd  foon  bic  Carpyntcrrc  holie, 

And  after  that  another  one  yprccchcn  was  bic  mcc  : 

Then  allc  dyd  goc  to  Canyngcs  houfc  an  Entcrlutlc  lo  playc, 

And  drynk  hys  wync  and  ale  fo  goodc,  and  praic  for  him  for  aic, 

ao  Can'cd.         21  Scarcely. 


C  ^02   ] 

Was  everic  prelate  lyke  a  Carpenterre, 

The  chyrche  woulde  ne  blufhe  at  a  Wynchefterrc. 

Learned  as  Beauclerke,  as  the  confefToiir 

Ilolie  ynne  lyfe,  lyke  Canynge  charitable, 

Bufie  in  holie  chyrche  as  Vavalbur  ; 

Slacke  yn  thyngcs  evyllc,  yn  alle  goode  thynges  flable, 

Honefl  as  Saxonnes  was,  from  whence  thou'rt  fprungc  ; 

Tho  boddie  weak  thie  foule  for  ever  younge. 

Thou  knowefl  welle  thie  confciene  free  from  fteyne, 
^*  Thie  foule  her  rode  no  fable  batements  have  ; 
-3Yclenchde  oer  wythe  vyrtues  befte  adaygne, 

A  daie'^aeterne  thie  mynde  does  aie^^adave. 

Ne  fpoyled  widdowes,  orphyans  dyftrefle, 

Ne  flarvvynge  preefles  ^^ycrafc  thie  nyghtlie  refte. 

Here  then  to  thee  let  me  for  one  and  alle 

Give  lawde  to  Carpenterre  and  commendatyon. 

For  hys  grerte  vyrtues  but  alas !   too  fmalle 

Is  mie  poore  fkylle  to  fhewe  you  hys  jufte  '  blatyon. 

Or  to  blaze  forthe  hys  publicke  goode  alone. 

And  alle  hys  pryvate  goode  to  Godde  and  hym  ys  knowne. 

Spryte  of  Nymroddefpeakdh^ [Bie  Ifcamvie.) 

Soon  as  the  morne  but  newlie  wake, 

Spyed  Nyghte  ^  yftorven  lye ; 

On  herre  corfe  dyd  dew  droppes  fhake. 

Then  fore  the  fonne  upgotten  was  I. 

The  rampynge  lyon,  felle  tygere. 

The  bocke  that  fliyppes  from  place  to  place. 

The  3olyphaunt  and  ^rhynocere. 

Before  mee  throughe  the  greene  woode  I  dyd  chace. 

Nymrodde 

22  Rode,  completion.     I  take  the  meaning  of  this  line  to  be.  "  The  completion  of  thy  foul  is 
free  from  the  bkck    marks   of  fin."  23  Covered.  24  Eternal.         25  Enjoy.         26  To 

break.         1  Blation,  praife.         2  Dead.         3  Elephant.    So  an  ancient  anonymous  author  : 

The  olvphaunt  of  beafles  is 
The  wilefl  I  wis, 
For  hec  alwaie  dothe  eat 
Lyttlc  ftore  of  meat. 
4  Rhiaoccros, 


C  603   ] 

Nymrodde  as  fcrypturcs  liyglu  mic  name, 
Baallc  as  ^  jetted  fiories  faie  ; 
For  rcarynge  Babelle  of  greetc  fame, 
Mie  name  and^renomc  flialle  lyvcn  for  aie  : 
But  here  I  fpic  a  fyner  rearynge, 
Gcnft  w'hych  the  clowdes  dothe  not  fyghte, 
Onne  whyche  the  flarres  doe  fytte  to  appcarynge  ; 
A\'eeke  mcnne  thynke  yttc  rcache  the  kyngdom  of  lyghte. 
O  where  ys  the  mannc  that  buylded  the  fame, 
'  Dyfpendynge  worldlie  flore  fo  welle  ; 
Fayn  woulde  I  chaunge  wyth  hym  mic  name. 
And  ftandc  ynne  hys  chauncc  nc  to  goe  to  hclle, 

Sprytes   of  AJfyriam  fyngeih. 

Whan  toe  theyre  caves  aeterne  ^abeftc. 
The  waters  ne  moe   shan  dyftrefte. 

The  worlde  fo  large  ; 

Butte  dyde  dyfcharge 
Themfelves  ynto  the)re  bcdde  of  refte. 

Then  menne  '°befprenged  alio  abroadc, 
Ne  moe  dyde  worfliyppc  the  true  Godde  : 

But  dyd  create 

Hie  temples  great 
Unto  the  ymage  of  Nymrodde. 

But  nowe  the  Worde  of  Godde  is  come. 
Borne  of  maide  Marie  toe  brynge  home 

Mankynde  hys  fliepe, 

Theme  for  to  keepc 
In  the  folde  of  hvs  heavenlie  kvngdome. 

Thys  chyrche  whyche  Canynge  he  dyd  reer. 
To  bee  "  difpentc  in  prayfc  and  prayer, 
Mennes  foulcs  to  favc. 
From '2  vowrynge  grave, 
Andc  puryfye  them  '3  heaven  were. 

D  D  D  D  2  Spr)ks 

5  Dcvifcd  or  faigncd,         6  Renown.         7  Expending.         8  Abcllc,  .-jccordlng  to  Rowley, 
humbled  or  brought  down.  "  And  Rowlcic  faics  "  tTiic  prydc  wyllc  be  abefte." 

Entroduftyon  to  the  EnlyrUidc  of  the  Auoftate. 
9  Preterite  of  have.  loSotlcrcd.  ti     Difpentc,    ulVd.  i '•    Devouring. 

13  Hcavcn-ward,  fo  Rowley, 


[    6o4     ] 

SpryUi  cf  >  Elk,   ^  Bythrycke,    Fytz-hardynge,    Frampton,    GaunUs,    Segowen, 
Lanyngdcn,  Knyghtes  Templars,  and  Byr tonne. [Bic  Roxvleie.) 

Spryte  of  Bythrycke  fpeakdh. 
EUe,  thie  Bryftowe  is  thie  onlic  care, 
Thou  arte  lyke  dragonne  '^  vyllant  of  yts  gode  ; 
Ne  lovynge  dames  toe  kynde  moe  love  can  bear, 
Ne  Lombardes  over  golde  moe  vyllaunt  broode. 

Spryte  of  Elle  fpeeketh. 
"^  Swythyn,  yee  fprytes  forfakc  the  ^  bollen  floude. 
And  ^  browke  a  fygthe  wyth  mee,  a  fyghte  cnfyne ; 
Welle  have  I  vended  myne  for  Danyflie  bloude, 
Syth  thys  greete  ftruflure  greete  mie  ^whaped  eyne. 
Yee  that  have  buylden  on  the  Radclefte  fyde, 
Tourne  there  youre  eyne  and  fee  your  workes  outvydc, 

Spryte  of  Bythrycke  fpeeketh. 
What  wondrous  monumente  !  what  pyle  ys  thys ! 
That  byndes  in  wonders  chayne  •'entendcmente  ! 
That  doth  aloof  the  ayrie  flcyen  kyfs. 
And  feemeth  mountaynes  joyned  bie  cemente, 
From  Godde  hys  greete  and  wondrous  (lorehoufc  fente. 
Fullc  welle  myne  eyne  '  arede  ytte  canne  nc  bee, 
.That  manne  coulde  rearc  of  thylke  agreete  extente» 
A  chyrche  fo  J  baufyn  fctyvc  as  wee  fee  : 
The     flemed  cloudcs  difpartcd  from  it  flic, 
Twylle  bee,  I  wis,  to  alle  eternytyc, 

Elk'i  fpryle  fpeeketh. 

Were  I  once  moe  cade  yn  a  mortalle  frame, 

To  heare  the  chauntric  fonge  founde  ynne  myne  earc. 

To  heare  the  maffes  to  owre  holie  dame, 

To  viewe  the  crofs  yles  and  the  arches  fayrc. 

Throughe 

"  Not  gouldc  or  biglies  wyllc  bnngc  thee  heaven  were 
Nc  kyne  or  mylkic  flockes  upon  the  plaync, 
Ne  mannours  rvch  nor  banners  brave  rnd  fayrc, 
Nc  wife  the  fwcctcft  of  the  erthUc  traync. 

Entroduftyon  to  the  Enterlude  of  the  Apoftatc." 
»  Keeper  of  Briflol  cafllc  in  the  lime  of  the  Saxons.  i"  An   Anglo-Saxon,  who    in  William 

the   Conqueror's  time   had    Briflol.  <:  Vigilant.  ''  Swythyn,  qiiickly.  «  Swelled. 

'  Enjoy.         e  Whapcd,    amazed.  •>  Underftanding.  '  Conceive.         J  Elegantly  large. 

*  Frighted. 


[    6o5     ] 

Throughe  the  Iialfc  liul fired  fylver  twynklynge  glare 
Of  yon  bryghte  moone  in  foggie  mantles  drefte, 
I  muft  contente  the  biiyldyng  to  '  afpere, 
Whylfte  *"  ifliad  cloudcs  the  "  hallie  fyghte  arrefle. 
Tyll  as  the  nyghtes  growc  °  wayle  I  flie  the  lyghte, 

0  were  I  manne  agen  to  fee  the  fyghte. 
There  fytte  the  canons  ;  clothe  of  fable  hue 
Adorne  the  boddies  of  them  everie  one  ; 

The  chaunters  whyte  with  fcarfcs  of  woden  blewe. 
And  crymfon  p  chappeaus  for  them  toe  put  onne, 
Wythe  golden  tafTyls  glyttrynge  ynne  the  funne  ; 
The  dames  ynne  kyrtles  alle  of  Lyncolnc  greene, 
And  knotted  fhoone  pykes  of  brave  colourcs  done  : 
A  fyner  fyghte  yn  fothc  was  never  feen. 

Byrtonnes  fpryie  fpeaketh. 
Inne  tykes  and  turnies  was  mie  dear  delyghte. 
For  manne  and  Godde  hys  warfare  han  renome  ; 
At  everyche  tyltynge  yarde  mie  name  was  hvghte, 

1  beare  the  belle  awaie  whereer  I  come. 

Of  Redclfte  chyrche  the  buyldynge  newe  I  done. 
And  dyd  fulle  manie  holie  place  endowe. 
Of  Maries  houfe  made  the  foundacyon, 
And  gave  a  threefcore  markes  to  Johnes  hys  toe. 
Then  clos'd  myne  eyne  on  erthc  to  ope  no  moc, 
Whylft  fyx  moneths  myndc  upon  mie  grave  was  doe. 
Full  gladde  am  I  mie  chyrche  was  "i  pyghten  down, 
Syth  thys  brave  ftrutture  doth  agrectc  m)ne  eye. 
Thys  ^  geafon  buyldynge  *  limcdft  of  the  townc, 
Like  to  the  donours  foule,  fhalle  never  die  ; 
But  if  percafe  Tyme,  of  hys  dyrc  cnvic, 
Shalle  beate  yttc  to  rude  wallcs  and  '  throckes  of  (lone ; 
The  ^  faytour  traveller  that  pafl'es  bic 
-'  Wylle  fee  yttes  ""  royend  auntyaunte  fplendourc  fhcwnc 

Inne  the  "  crafd  arches  and  the  carvellynge. 

And  pyllars  theyre  greene  heades  to  heaven  rearynge. 

Spryte 
'  To  view.         m  Broken.         "  Wcll-plcaring,  alfo   holy.  "  Old.         p  Chappeaus,  hats 

or  caps  of  eftatcs.         i  Pyghten,  pulled  down.  '  Rare.  '  Mod  noble.  "  Heaps. 

V. Wandering,         *  Ruind.         »  Broken,  old. 


C   606   ] 

Spryte  of  v  Segowen  fpeekeih. 
•=  Beftoykynge  golde  was  once  myne  onlie  toie, 
Wyth  ytte  ni'^  foulc  wvthynne  the  coffer  laic  ; 
Ttu:  dvd  the  madrie  of  mic  lyfe  cmploic, 
llic  nyghte  mie  ^  leman,  and  mie  '' jubbe  bic  dayc. 
Once  as  I  dofynge  yn  the  wytch  howre  laie, 
Thynkynge  howe  to  '^  benym  the  orphyans  brcadde. 
And  from  llic  ^  rcdelefs  take  theyre  goodes  awaie, 
I  from  the  fliien  heard  a  voyce,  which  faid. 
Thou  (Icepeft,  but  loe  Sathan  is  awake  ; 
Some  deede  thats  holie  doe,  or  hee  thie  foule  wyllc  take. 
I  fwythyn  was  "^  upryfl  wyth  feere  '^aftoundc  ; 
Methoughte  yn  e  merke  was  plaien  devylles  felle  : 
Strayte  dyd  I  nomber  twentic  aves  roundc, 
Thoughten  full  foone  for  to  go  to  hclle. 
In  the  morne  mie  cafe  to  a  goode  prceftc  dyd  telle. 
Who  dyd  '"  areede  mee  to  ybuild  that  daic 
The  chyrche  of  Thomas,  thenne  to  pieces  felle. 
Mie  heart '  difpanded  into  heaven  laie  : 
Soon  was  the  fylver  to  the  workmenne  given, — 
Twas  befte  ^  aftowde  a  '  karynte  gave  to  Heavne. 
But  welle,  I  wote,  thie  caufalles  were  not  foe, 
Twas  love  of  Godde  that  fette  thee  on  the  rearynge 
Of  this  fayre  chyrche,  O  Canynge,  for  to  doe 
Thys  ""  lymed  buyldynge  of  fo  fyne  appearynge  : 
Thys  chyrch  owre  leffer  buyldyngs  all  owt-daryinge, 
Lykc  to  the  moone  wythe  ftarres  of  lyttle  lyghte  ; 
And  after  tymes  the  "  feetyvc  pyle  reverynge. 
The  prynce  of  chyrches  buyldcrs  thcc  fliall  hyghte  ; 
Greet  was  the  caufe,  but  greetcr  was  the  effcQ,e  — 
So  alle  wyll  faie  who  doe  thys  place  profpeft. 

Spryle  of  Fyiz  Hardynge  fpcekdh. 

From  royal  patentcs  dyd  I  have  rctaynynge. 
The  rcdde  hayrde  Dane  ccnfcltc  to  be  mic  fyre  ; 

The 

'  Aullfiircr,  a  native   of   Lombardy.  ^  Deceiving.  ••'  Lcman,  whore.  ^  Bottle. 

<■  To  take  away.  *  Rcdelefs,  hclplcfs.  "=  Rifcn  up.  •'  Aftoniflicd.  «  Darknefs. 

*  Ccunfcl,       *  expanded.       ^  Beftow'd.       '  A  loan.       "  Noble.        "  Handfomc  or  elegant. 


[     6o7     ] 

The  Dane  who  often  throwe  thys  kyngdom  draynynge, 

\^'ould  mark  thcyre  waie  athrowgh  wythe  bloude  and  fyre. 

As  flopped  ryvers  aiwaies  ryfc  moe  hyghcr, 

And  rammed  flones  bie  oppofiires  llronger  bee; 

So  thie  whan  vanquyfhed  dyd  prove  moe  dyre. 

And  for  one  "peyfan  theie  dyd  threefcore  flee. 

From  them  of  Denmarques  royalle  bloude  came  I, 

Welle  myghte  I  boartc  of  mie  gentylytie  ; 

The  pypes  male  founde  and  bubble  forthe  mie  name, 

And  tcllen  what  on  Radclefte  f)dc  I  dyd  : 

Trinytie  CoUcdgc  ne  agrutchc  mie  fame. 

The  fayreft  place  in  Bryftowe  ybuylded. 

The  royalle  bloude  that  thorow  mie  vaynes  flydde 

Dyd  tynfle  mie  harte  wythe  manie  a  noble  thoughic  ,- 

Lyke  to  mie  myndc  the  mynfter  vrcarcd, 

1\'ythe  noble  carvel  workmanfhyppe  waswroughte. 

Hie  at  the  p  deys,  lyke  to  a  kyngc  on's  throne, 

Dyd  I  take  place  and  was  my felf  alone. 

But  thou,  the  buylder  of  this  i  fwotie  place. 

Where  alle  the  faynCtes  in  fweete  ajunQyon  flandc, 

A  verie  heaven  for  yttes  fetyve  grace. 

The  glorie  and  the  wonder  of  the  lande. 

That  fhewes  the  buylders  mynde  and  fourmers  handc. 

To  bee  the  befte  thatte  on  erthe  remaynes ; 

At  once  for  wonder  and  delyghte  commaunde, 

Shewynge  howe  muche  hee  of  the  godde  retevnes. 

Canynge  the  great,  the  charytablc,  and  good. 

Noble  as  kynges  if  not  of  kyngelie  bloude. 

Spryte  of  Framptone  fpedeth. 

Bryftowe  fliall  fpeeke  mie  name,  and  Radclefte  toe. 
For  here  mie  deedcs  were  goddelye  everychone  ; 
As  Owdcns  '  mynfler  bie  the  gate  wyllc  fhewc. 
And  Johncs  at  Bryftowe  what  mie  workcs  han  done. 
Befydcs  '^  anere  howfe  that  I  han  bcgunne  ; 
Butte  mync  comparde  to  thyften  ysa  '  groffc: 

Xetc 
o  A  countr>-inan,  alfo  a  foot  foldicr.         p  Firft  tabic  in  a  monaftcry,  where  the  fupcrior  fat. 
^  Sweet,  or  delighting.         '  monaftcry.         •  Another.         '  A  laughing-ftock. 


[     6o8     ] 

Nete  to  bee  nicncioncd  or  looked  upon, 

A  verie  "  puneldrc  or  verie  fcofFe  ; 

Canynge,  thie  name  fhall  lyven  be  for  aie, 

Thie  name  ne  wyth  the  cbyrche  fiialle  waftc  awaie. 

Spryte  of  Gaunts  fpeekdh. 

1  dyd  fuUe  manie  reparatyons  give. 
And  the  Bonne  Hommcs  dyd  fulle  ryche  endowe  j 
As  tourynge  to  mie  Godde  on  erthe  dyd  lyve, 
So  alle  the  Bryftowe  chronycles  wylle  fliewe. 
Butte  alle  mie  deedes  wylle  bee  as  nothyngc  nowe, 
Sythe  Canynge  have  thys  buyldynge  fynyflied, 
Whych  feemeth  to  be  the  pryde  of  Bryftowe, 
And  bie  ne  buyldeyng  to  bee  overmatched  : 
Whyche  aie  Ihallc  lafte  and  bee  the  prayfe  of  alle, 
And  onlic  in  the  wrecke  of  nature  falle- 

A  Kn^ghte  Tc7nplars  fpryte  fpeeketh. 

In  hallie  lande  where  Sarafins  defyle 
The  grounde  whereon  oure  Savyour  dyd  goe. 
And  Ciiryfle  hys  temple  make  to  ^''  mofchyes  vyle, 
Wordies  of  defpyte  gcnft  oure  Savyour  throwe. 
There  twas  that  we  dyd  owre  warfarage  doe, 
Guardynge  the  pylgryms  of  the  Chryftyan  "faie; 
And  dyd  owre  holie  atmes  in  bloude  embrue, 
Movynge  lyke  thonder  boultes  yn  drear  arraie. 
Owre  ftrokes  lyke  v  levyn  tareynge  the  tall  tree 
Owre  Godde  owre  arme  wyth  lethalle  force  dyd  ^  dree. 
*  Maint  tenures  fayre,  ande  mannoures  of  greete  welthe, 
Greene  woodes,  and  brook  lettes  runnynge  throughe  the  lee, 
Dyd  menne  us  gyve  for  thfcyre  deare  foule  her  helthe. 
Gave  erthlie  ryches  for  goodes  heavenlic. 
Nee  dyd  we  lette  oure  ryches  b  untyle  bee. 
But  dyd  ybuylde  the  Temple  chyrche  foe  fync, 
The  whyche  ys  wroughtc  abowte  fo  "  bifmarelic ; 

lite 

V  An  empty  boaft.         "  Mofqucs.  "  Fath.  y  Lightning.  ^  D)i\c.  "  Many. 

*  Ufclefs.         '  Curioudy^ 


[    Gog    ] 

Itte  feemctli  '^  camoys  to  the  wondrynge  eync : 
And  ever  and  anon  when  belles  ryngcd. 
From  place  to  place  ytte  moveth  yttcs  hie  hcade  : 
Butte  Canynge  from  the  fweate  of  hys  owne  browes, 
Dyd  gette  hys  golde  and  rayfe  thys  fetyve  howfe. 

Lanyngdonnes  Spryte  fpcekdh. 

Lette  alle  mie  faultes  bee  buried  ynne  the  grave ; 
Alle  obloquyes  be  rotted  mythe  mie  dufte ; 
Lette  him  fyrft  carpen  that  no  "  vemmes  have  : 
'Tyspafte  mannes  nature  for  to  bee  aie  jufte. 
But  yette  in  fothen  to  rejoyce  I  mufte, 
That  I  dyd  not  immeddle  for  to  buylde ; 
Sythe  thys    ^  quaintifTed  place  fo  gloryous, 
Seemeynge  alle  chyrches  joyned  yn  one  s  guylde, 
Has  nowe  fupplied  for  what  I  had  done, 
Whych  toe  mie  ''  cierge  is  a  gloryous  fonne. 

Elk's  Spryte  fpeekdh. 

Then  lette  us  alle  do  jyntelie  reveraunce  here. 

The  befte  of  menne  and  Byfhoppes  here  doe  ftande: 

Who  are  Goddes   '  fhepfterres  and  do  take  good  care. 

Of  the  goode  fhepe  hee  putteth  yn  theyre  hand ; 

Ne  one  is  lofte  butte  alle  in  well  ^  likande 

Awayte  to  hearethe  Gencralle  Byfhoppes  callc, 

When  Mychaels  trompe  fliall  found  to  ynmofte  lande, 

AfFryghte  the  wycked  and  awaken  alle : 

Then  Canynge  ryfes  to  eternal  refte. 

And  fyndes  hee  chofc  on  erthe  a  lyfe  the  befte. 

Eeee  CHAP. 

<*  Crooked  upwards,  Lat.fimus.         '  Faults.       ''  Curioully  devifcd,      «  Company.      *>  Candle. 
Shepherds.         '  Liking. 


C     6io     ] 


CHAP.       XXV. 

0/  the  GREAT  BENEFACTORS  lo  the  CITY,    their    CHARITABLE 
FOUXDATIONS,  ENDOWMENTS,    &c. 


'T~^  HERE  is  not  perhaps  a  luition  upon  cartli,  vho  have  made  fuch  ample 
-»-     proviiion   for  the  poor  as   this,  as  well   b\-  charitable   donations  as   by 
eretling  almfhoufcs,  hofpitals,  infirmaries  See.  for  their  relief.     By  the  returns 
made  by  the  minillers    and   churchwardens   of  the  pariflies   of   England  and 
Wales  to  the  Houfe  of  Commons,  of  private   donations  inverted  m  the  hands 
of  truflecs  and  feoffees  only  in  the  year  1788,  it  appears  the  whole  annual  pro- 
duce of  the  money  given  was  48,243!.  los.   5d.  of  land   210,4671.    8s.   tod. 
total  258,7101.  if)s.  3d.  an  immenfe  fum  annually  diftributed,  which  would  be 
ftill  greater  if  the  enquiries  had  been  extended  to  corporations  companies  &c. 
It  reflefls  defervcd    applaufc   on   the    worthy   benefaftors,  who    afting  upon 
motives  of  true,  religion  and  upon   chridian  principles  have  imitated  the  gra- 
cious example  of  that  divine  perfon  who  went  about  doing  good,  and  left  us 
an  example  that  we   fliould  follow  his  ficps   in   relieving    the   fathcrlefs,  the 
widow,  liie  poor,  the  imprifoned,  the   fhanger,  the  difcafcd,  the  hungry  and 
thiriU'; — \  ct  is  it  to  be  lamented,  that  notwithflanding  all  thefe  liberal  bene- 
faftions  and  a  conllant   and  rcgidar  levy   bcfides   upon  all   the   eftatcs   in  the 
kingdom  b\'  the  poor-rates  fo  burthenfome  in  each  pari/li,  yet  through   fomc 
negletl  or  mifmanagement,  the  want   of  keeping  them   iu    regular  employ   or 
fome  other  caufe,  the   poor   dill    complain  in    our   flrcets,  and    every  where 
fliflrelTed  objects   prefent  themfelves  to  our  view.      It  is  at  prcfcnt    under  the 
conllderation  of  Parliament  to  find  a  remedy  for  this  great  evil. — The  worthy 
bcnefaQors  of  old  naturally  thought  they  fliould  greatly  relieve,  if  not  remove 
the  diflreffes  of  their  fellow-creatures,  and  ought  to  be  ever  cflcemcd  and  held 
in  veneration  for  the  noble  charities   they  bellowed  and  princely  foundations 
they  clliihliflied.      None   have  more  diflinguiflied  themfelves   than    the   mer- 
chants of  Bridol  on  this  occafion  :   thev  can  boafl  of  their  Canynges  and  Col- 
Ilon,  two  mod  refpc8.ablc  names  and  charaflcrs  for  charity   of  the   early  and 

later 


[  ^11  ] 

later  times ;  bcfidcs  a  long  lift  of  woiLliics,  who  have  fignalizcd  ihcmfclvcs  lor 
their  charitable  donations  at  difPcrcnt  periods,  founded  fchocjls,  hofjjitals,  and 
houfcs  for  religious  inflruftion,  attentive  to  the  fnpport  of  i)odilv  wants,  and 
folicitous  at  the  fame  time  to  reclaim   the  vicious  and  inllrnci;  the  yountr  and 

o 

the  ignorant  in  the  great  and  important  truths  of  the  ciniflian  religion,  pro- 
viding in  the  moft  liberal  manner  for  the  body  and  foul,  humanizing  the 
heart,  and  giving  it  good  imprcffions,  feldom  afterwards  to  he  erafcd. 

The  following  is  the  long  lift  of  JJencfaclors  this  citv  hath  to  hoaft  of,  who 
many  in  their  life  time,  more  at  their  death,  left  large  fums  of  mone\  or 
eftates  in  land  to  charitable  ufes,  impelled  thereto  bv  a  generous  ])hilanthropv 
or  love  of  their  fellow-creatures,  and  the  more  noble  ])riniiplc,  tlic  reiigiouis 
confideration  of  fuHilling  the  exprefs  command  of  their  Sa\  iour  and  their 
God;  and  their  works  do  follow  them.  —  Some  of  them  dulv  fenfible  how 
necefTary  both  to  health  and  morals,  labour  and  employment  in  fonic  bufinels 
are,  have  very  judicioufly  left  fums  of  money  towards  a  ftock  or  fund  to  keep 
the  poor  at  work,  the  heft  of  charities;  even  the  confined  prifoner,  many  in 
hofpitals,  almflioufes  and  infinnaries  might  employ  their  hands  in  fome  (li^hi 
bufinefs,  as  knitting,  making  toys,  fpinning  wool,  hemp,  or  cotton  &c.  to 
their  own  emolument  and  advantage  to  their  health,  as  well  as  the  good  of  the 
commonwealth:  whilft  living  there  wholly  idle  and  their  hands  unemployed,  it 
induces  a  habit  of  lazinefs  ever  after,  renders  the  mind  torpid,  and  the  body 
morbid,  and  the  difeafe  inveterate,  often  protraftinc;  the  cure. 

It  will  be  found  at  length,  nothing  but  employing  the  poor  will  do  to  alle- 
yiate  the  burden  of  the  poor-rates,  this  nation  now  labours  under  beyond  all 
bounds.  Till  feveral  pariflies  that  lie  contiguous  join  in  ere8ing  a  work- 
houfe  to  keep  their  poor  at  work,  no  human  means  will  ever  be  devifed  to 
remedy  the  evil  ;  the  poor  without  employment  will  become  more  wretched 
and  idle,  more  wicked  and  more  difeafed,  relying  upon  the  parifti  pa\-  they 
lofc  all  good  habits  of  induftry,  become  indolent  and  difeafed,  notwithftanding 
the  infirmaries  and  hofpitals  erected  for  their  relief. 

Itis  very  certain,  when  charities  were  invcfted  in  religious  houfcs  formerl\-, 
they  were  often  much  abufcd  and  perverted  to  other  purpofes  than  the  donor 
or  founder  intended,  but  in  a  public  corporation  there  is  Icfs  danger  of  fuch 
abufc  ;  and  greater  care  and  better  management  where  io  many  fuperintend 
may  juftly  be  cxpecled,  to  j)revent  the  charities  by  length  of  time  deviating 
from  the  donors  intentions,  and  ceafingto  anfwer  the  good  ends  for  which  they 
were  inftituted.  The  Corporation  of  Briftol  have  to  their  honour  recorded 
them  all  in  a  book,  open  to  the  infpeclion  of  the  whole  bf)d\ ,  where  the  wills 

Etc  K    2  arc 


[      6i2       ] 

are  all  infcrted,  the  lands  defcribed  which  are  allotted  for  their  fupport,  and 
their  ends  afcertained,  that  nothing  but  wilful  inattention  and  negleO;  can  ever 
occafion  their  being  mifapplied  or  loft. 

CITY         BENEFACTORS. 

1292,    Simon  Burton  gave  land  by  will,  producing  4s.  per  week,      /.      s.    d. 
vefted  in  the  corporation  of  Briftol,  to  the  relief  of  16 
poor  people  in  an  alnafhoufe  ereQed  by  him  in  the  Long- 
Row,  orphan  book  C.  B.  about  -  -  220     o     o 
1385,    Walter  Darby  by  will  gave  40I.  towards  building  the  tower 

of  St.  Werburgh's  church,         -  -  -  40     o 

And   17  tenements  to  be  fold  and  the  money  to  be  diftri- 

buted  to  the  poor. 
And  205I.  to  religious  houfes,      _  -  -  205     o     o 

All  veiled  in  the  corporation  O.  B.  fol.  15. 
1377,    Richard  Spicer  by  will  gave  17  tenements  to  the  city's  ufc, 
now   the   Back-Hall,   formerly  Spicer's-Hall,  corpora- 
tion O.  B. 
1388,    Walter  Frampton  by  will  gave  tenements  towards  marrying 
poor  maidens  and  other  good  ufes,  corporation  O.  B.  f.  2 1 . 
1400,  *John  Barftable  by  will  gave  lands  and  tenements  to  found 
an  almhoufe  in  the  Old  Market,  vefted  in  the  corporation, 
recorded  in  O.  B. 
1403,  *Thomas  Knapp  gave  by  will  to  the  common  profit  of  the  city  133     6     8 
And  towards  repairing  St.  Nicholas  church  -  20     o     o 

Corporation  O.  B. 
1434,    Mark  Williams  gave  by  will  to  buy  corn  to  ferve  the  poor 

at  an  eafy  rate,  (corporation  little  red  book  f.  71,)  66   13     4 

J  466,    William  Canynges  gave  by  deed  for  divine  offices  in  Red- 

cliffchurch  -  -  _  _         340     o     o 

And  in  plate  to  the  faid  church  -  -  160     o     o 

Vefted  in  the  vicar  and  prottors  of  RedclifF. 
1474,    He  alfo  gave  by  will  five  tenements  and  other  lands  to  be 
fold,  the  money  half  to  the  city's  ufe   and  half  to   the 
chauntrics,  and  to  the  poor,  blind  and  lame,  -  60     o     o 

He  alfoerefted  an  almftioufe,  corporation  great  red  book 
f.  247,  291,  and  O.  B.  f.  200. 

1489, 


C     ^^3     ] 

1489,    Robert    Strange    gave   by  deed  lands  to  found  St.  John's 

alniflioufe.      Veftry  of  St.   John's.  /.     s.    d. 

1493,  *\\'illiam  Spencer  gave  20I.  to  be  lent  to  the  mayor  during 

his  office,  and  661.   8s.    8d.   to  the   flieriffs,   paying   2s. 

weekly  to  the  poor  of  the  almflioufe  in  Lewin's-mead,         86     8     8 

Corporation 

1494,  He  gave  alfo  by  ^vill  a  tenement  of  4I.  per  annum  for  fcr- 

mons  &c.  Redcliff. 
John  Bagod  gave  tenements  for  the  ufo   of  the   city,  they 
paying  yearly  to  the  prifoners  in  Newgate  3s.  4d. 
1503,  *John  Fofter  gave  by  will  lands  and  tenements  for  building 

and  endowing  Fofler's  almflioufe. 
1521,    John  Matthew  by  will  gave   lands   and    tenements  to   the 

corporation  for  Trinity  almdioufe. 
i532,*Robert  Thome  gave  by  will  300I.    to   buy  corn  and  wood 
when  cheap,  and  fell  to  the  poor  at  the  fame  price  when 
dear,       _  -  _  -  _ 

And  500I.  to  lend  intereft  free  to  young  clothiers, 
And  300I.  towards  founding  his  father's  grammar-fchool. 
And  1235I.  in  divers  charities  to  be  paid  by  his  executors,  1235 
Cor.  G.  R.  B.  f.  233. 
1541,    Thomas  Hart  by  will  to  the  corporation  lool.  lopublic  ufcs,   100     o     o 
And  tenements    the    income    to  free    the   city  gates  from 
toll,  G.  R.  B.  of  Orphans  f.  259,  292. 

1541,  *Thomas  White  by  deed  |an.   14,   gave  lands  in  the  manor 

of  Hinton  Derham,  Gloce(lcr{hire,  to  feoffees  and  the 
chamberlain  1  il.  per  annum,  to  exempt  the  Severn  trows 
from  paying  toll,  cuftom,  murage,  or  keyagc  for  goods 
carried  from  the  key  of  Briflol,  payable  to  thcfheriff  or 
other  perfon  :  and  2!.  8s.  to  Fofler's  almfhoufe,  ditto  to 
St.  John's  ditto,  ditto  to  Spencer's  dito,  ditto  to  St. 
Thomas  ditto;  il.  to  All-Saintspipc,  ditto  to  St.  John's 
ditto,  in  all  22I.  12s.  per  ann.  G.  R.  B.  f.  33. 

1542,  He  alfo  gave  by  will  il.  10s.  8d.  per  ann.  to  tjic  prifoners 

in  Newgate,  G,  R.  B.  f.  235. 
1542,    King  Henry  the  8th.  gave  by  charter  lands  to  the  dean  and 
chapter,  they  paying    thereout  20I.   per    ann.  to  poor 
houfekeepcrs,  and  20I.  to  repair  highways. 


300 

0 

0 

500 

0 

0 

300 

0 

0 

a.^^.S 

0 

0 

[    ^H    ] 

1546,    Nicholas  Thornc  gave  by  will  to  the  corporation  lool.  for     /.      s.    d. 
repairing  bridges,  25!.  for  repairing  the  banks  andagra- 
nary,  63I.  13s.  4d.  to  maids  on  their  marriage,  300I.  to  the 
library  at  Bartholemew's,  36I.  13s.  4d.  for  repairing  the 
fchool,  and  400I.  to  lend  young  clothiers,  -         928     6     8 

1550,    William  Pickcs  by  will  gave  tlic  chamberlain  50I,   for  re- 
pairing highways,  and  20I.  for  St.  Thomas  pipe,  70     o     o 
And  land  61.  13s.  4d.  per  ami.    for   the  poor   in  Burton's 
almflioufe,  G.  O.  B.  f.  518- 

1552,    Dr.  George  Owen   gave  by    deed  to  the  corporation 

tenements  value  53I.  16s.  6d.  per  ann.  to  pav  thereout 
30I.  6s.  8d.  to  20  poor  in  Foller's  almlhoiife  at  yd.  each 
every  Friday,  il.  to  other  poor  on  fellival  da)  s,  12I.  to 
a  pj-eachcr  yearly,  4I.  to  the  matter  of  the  grammar- 
fchool  on  Rcdcliff-Hiil,  in  all  471.6s.  8d. 

^555»  *R'chard  \Miatley  gave  by  will  a  tenement  value  10s.  per 
ann.  to  All-Saints  almflioufe,  G.  O.  B.  f.  291. 

^55^>  \\'illiam  Chefter  gave  out  of  a  tenement  called  Black  Friers 
per  ann.  il.  6s.  to  the  almflioufe  on  St.  James's-Back,  to 
be  paid  6d.  weekly. 

1559,  Humphry  Hook  b)-  will  gave  the  corporation  680I.  to  pay 

4s.  per  week  to  the  poor  of  St.  Stephen's  in  bread,  and 
4s.  per  week  in  coal,  the  remainder  of  the  intcreft  to 
Queen  Elizabeth's  Hofpital,    -  -  -         680     o     o 

1560,  James  Chefter  gave  to  the  corporation  61.  13s.  4d.   to  the 

ufc  of  the  poor,  and  5I.  per  ann.  to  the  fame  ufe,  6   13     4 

J  564,    James  Dowlc  by  will  gave  lol.  to  the  hofpital  in  the  Marfh, 

and  lol.  to  repair  the  caufcway  towards  Auft,  O.  B.  f.  293,  20     o     o 

1565,  John  Such  gave  the  corporation  bv  will  4I.  for  the  poor  of 

the  city,  and  2I.  for  the  fchool  in  the  Marfh,  O.  B.  f.  295,     600 

1566,  *Sir  Thomas  White  by  deed  gave   the  corporation  and  St, 

John's  college  in  Oxford  2000I.  to  purchafe  land  of 
120I.  per  ann.  and  thereon  to  raife  loool.  800I.  to  be 
lent5ol.  each  to  16  young  clothiers  lo  years  intercll  free, 
and  200I.  to  buy  corn  to  be  fold  to  the  poor  without  gain, 
and  after  the  expiration  of  the  10  years  to  pay  yearl\-  to 
22   other  cities  104I.  a  year  in  rotation  for  the  ufc  of  4 


C     ^^5     ] 

young  clothiers  of  the  faid  towns    for   lo  years    in   lilce     /.      s.     d. 

manner,  -  _  _  _       2000     o     o 

1566,  *Thomas  Silk  by  deed  gave  the  corporation  40I.  the  intereft 

to  be  paid  between  4  almflioufcs,  -  -  40     o     o 

^0^7*    ^^'alter  \\"eft  gave  a   tenement  to  the  poor  of  St.  Thomas 

and  the  prifonersin  Newgate  equally. 
1569,  *}ohn  Uodrige  ga\t:  two  gilt  flaggons,  weight  152  ounces  8 

peny  weights,  for  the  ufe  of  the  mayor. 
* Lambert  gave  the    corporation    16s.  per  annum    for 

Trinity  almnioufc. 
1572,  *Francis  Codrington  by  will  gave   tlie  corporation  lands  in 

Portifhead   to  find   bedding    for    the   poor    of  Trinity 

hofpital. 
1574,    William  Carr  by  A\ill  gave  the  corporation  land  value  per 

ann,  lol.  to  the  poor  of  the  city  in  the  fevcral  almfhoufes. 
And  26I.  13s.  4d.  towards  the  marriage  of  poor  maids,  and 

25I.  to  the  highways,  O.  B.  f.  312.  -  "51^3      t 

i575>    ^^""  Carr  by  will  gave  the  corporation  60I.  to  cloath  poor 

people,  and  50I.  to  buy  wood  and  coal  to  be  fold  to  the 

poor  without  gain,  O.  B.  f.  51.  -  -  110     o     o 

1275,    Ricliard  Wickham  by  will  gave  681.    for   a    library  in  the 

gramniar-fchool,     -  -  -  -  68     o     o 

^bloy    J"'^"   Hollifter  by  will   gave   the  corporation   lol.    to  buy 

wood  to  fell  to  the  poor  without  gain,      -  -  10     o     o 

yzng,    John  Hayden  gave  by  will  to  the  corporation   lool.   to  be 

lent  to  a  young  iradefinan  at3l.  6s.  8d.  intercd         -  100     o     o 

1582,  *Thomas  Chcftcr  by  deed  gave  the  corporation  in  land  lol. 

per  ann.  to  St.  John's  almflioufe  7I.  16s.   to  that  on  Su 

James's  Back  4I.  and  to  the  people  in  Bridewell  2I. 
1,-83,    Thomas  Kelke  gave  by  will  to  the  corporation  in  land  lol. 

per  ann.  for  the  ufe  of  the  poor,  and  70I.   for  different 

ufes,  O.  B.  f.  343.  -  -  -  70     o     o 

1.583.    William  Tucker  gave  by  will  to  the  fcoflees  of  St.  Xicholas 

a    tenement,   2I.  6s..  8d.    per  ann.   to   the   poor  of  that 

parifli  2I.  and  for  a  fcrmon  there  6s.  8<1. 
1-86,    Ralph  Dole  by  will  gave  out  of  a  tenement  in  Maryport- 

flrctt,  il.  per  ann.  to  repair  St.  Peter's  pump. 

1586, 


C    6i6    ] 

1^86, *John  Carr  by  vill  gave  the  corporation  the  manor  of  Con-      /.     s.     ct. 
gerfbury,  to  found  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital. 

1587,  *John  Griffen  by  will  gave  lool.  to  buy  corn  to  fell  to  the 
poor  without  gain,  and  5I.  to  repair  Bedminfter  caufey ; 
and  to  the  feoffees  of  Temple  2  tenements  to  relieve  the 
poor  and  repair  the  conduit.  -  -  105   lo     o 

1587,  *Anthony  Standbankby  ■vvill  gave  the  corporation  tenements 
on  the  Key,  the  income  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital, 
O.  B.  f.  378. 

1587,    Peter  Matthew  gave  by  will  lool.  to  buy  wool  and  flax  to 

keep  people  at  work  in  Bridewell,  f.  373,  -  100     o     o 

1587,    Sir  John  Young  gave  20I.  to  keep  the  prifoners  at  work  in 

Bridewell,  Thorn's  Audit  Book,  -  -  -       20     o     o 

1587,  John  Wilfon  by  will  gave  2  tenements  in  St.  James's,  26I. 
per  ann.  for  the  Taylors  almfhoufe. 

1587,    William  Young  gave  by  will  50I.  to  keep  the  prifoners  at 

work  in  Bridewell,  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1589,  *William  Bird  gave  500I.  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital,         500     o     o 

i5g2,*Richard  Coal  gave  by  will,  proved  in  Doftors  Commons 
J 599,  lands  and  tenements  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpi- 
tal ;  alfo  to  the  corporation  reverfion  of  lands  for  the  ufe 
of  the  poor  of  the  city,  and  85I.  for  the  poor,  30I.  for 
repairing  the  roads,  and  20I.  to  marry  poor  maids,  and 
tl.  for  2  fermons  at  All  Saints,  -  -  135     o     o 

1594,  *Robert  Kitchen  by  will  gave  the  corporation  400I.   to  be  400     o     o 

lent  young  tradefmen,  at  25I.  lol.  and  5I.  each,  intereft 
free  ;  and  7I.  16s.  per  ann.  in  bread  to  the  poor  of  Chrift 
Church,  St.  Stephen  and  Temple;  12I.  per  ann.  for 
placing  out  6  poor  children;  2I.  13s.  4d.  per  ann.  to- 
wards maintaining  a  fcholar  at  Oxford  or  Cambridge ; 
26I.  per  ann.  to  poor  houfliolders  of  the  feveral  parifhes 
in  Briftol.  .  _  _ 

1595,  John  Brown  gave  by  will  out  of  2  tenements  on  the  Were 

2I.  6s.  8d.  for  fhirts  and  fliifts  to  the  poor  of  St.  Nicho- 
las, the  remainder  of  the  rent  to  the  poor  of  the  faid 
parifli,  &-C.  Book  of  Wills,  f.  7. 

1596,  George  Snow  by  will  gave  the  feoffees  of  St.  Nicholas  a  tene- 

ment in  Tucker-ftrcet,  they  paying  il.  per  ann.  to    the 

pool 


[617] 

poor,  and  6s.  8d.  for  a  fermon.     He  alfo  gave  icl.  to  be      /.  /.  J. 

diflributed  to  the  poor  of  Briftol,  N.  B.  of  W.  f.  14,            10  o  o 

1596,  John  White  gave  by  will  43I.  6s.  8d.  to  the  poor,                    43  6  8 

1597,  Margaret  Brown  gave  lol.  to  eaiploy  prifoners  in  Bridewell,    10  o  o 

1598,  Thomas  Aldworth  by  will  gave  108I.  to  fiindry  charities,        108  o  o 
i6o2,*Lady  Mary  Ramfey  gave  1450I.  to  Ouccn  Elizabeth's  hof- 

pital  and  the  poor  of  the  city,        _  _  .  1450     o     o 

1602, *Ann  Colfton  gave  200I.  to  the  corporation,  they  to  pay 

12I.  per  ann.  to  the  poor  of  three  almflioufes  -         200     o     o 

1602,    William  Gibbs  gave  by  will  lol.  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  hof- 

pital,  -  -  -  _  -  -1000 

1604,*  Alice  Cole  gave  by  will  20I.  per  ann.  to  feoffees,  arifing 
out  of  certain  lands,  for  4  almflioufes  4I.  each  and  for 
4  fermons ;  alfo  20I.  per  ann.  more,  iffuing  from  the 
fame,  to  cloath  poor  boys ;  flie  gave  alfo  60I.  to  poor 
decayed  houfcholders,  and  35I.  to  be  divided  between 
certain  minifters,  N.  B.  of  W.  f.  88,  -  -  95     o     o 

i6o5,*John  Barker  by  will  gave  the  corporation  20I.  as  guardians 

of  orphans,  -  -  -  -  20     o     o 

1605,  Margaret  Tindall  by  will  gave  a  houfe  in  Broad-ftreet  and 
lands  in  Worcefterfliire  17I.  per  ann.  to  the  feoffees  of 
St.  John's. 

1609,  John   Fownes  gave    the  corporation  661.  135.   4d.  to   pay 

annually  4I.  to  rake  and  clean  the  walks  in  the  Marlh,       66     13     4 

1610,  John  Hopkins  gave  by  deed  to  the  Society  of  Merchants  lol. 

they  paying  13s.  4d.  per  ann.   to  the  Merchants   almf- 

houfe,  -  -  -  -  -  1000 

1G13,  *Catherinc  Boucher  by  will  gave  a  covered  cup  and  fliim- 

mer  double  gilt  for  the  ufe  of  the  mayor,  he  paying  10s. 

for  a  fermon  on  the  elcPiion  day  at  Chrift  Church. 
i6i3,*Thomas  White  gave  lands  and  tenements,  52 1.  per  ann.  to 

endow  a  hofpital  in  Tcmplc-nrcct. 
i6i4,*Francis  James  gave  50!.  to  lend  pooi  tiadefnien   lol.    each 

intereft  free  for  2  years,  -  -  -  5(5     o     o 

i6j4,*John  Dunfter  gave   lool.  to  lend  to  handicafl  men  at  lol. 

each  intercfl  free  for  5  years  -  -  -  loa     o     o 

Tobias  Matthews  gave  books  to  the  library  in  King-ftreet. 
1615,    Robert  Redwood  by  deed  gave  a  tenement  for  a  librar\-  and 

200I.  to  lend  poor  tradefmcn  lol.  cath  intereft  free,  10     o     o 

V  f  f  f  >Gi7, 


[    6i8     ] 

/.      5.     A. 

1617,    Joan  Murcott  by  will  gave  200I.  to  the  poor,  -  200     o     o 

j6i8,  Elizabeth  Hopkins  by  will  gave  to  the  Society  of  Merchants 
5I.  for  the  Merchants  almfhoufe,  and  5I.  for  the  Taylors 
almfhoufc,  -  -  -  -  10     o     o 

1619,  *Matthcw  Haviland  gave  4I.  perann.  out  of  certain  lands  to 
the  corporation  for  12  fermons  in  Newgate. 

1619,  Thomas  Ilolbin  gave  by  will  lool.  to  the  corporation,  they 

paying  to  the  poor  of  St.  Thomas  and  for  a  fermon  there 

5I.  per  ann.  N.  B.  of  W.  100     o     o 

1620,  William  Chaloner   by  will  gave  the  churchwardens  of  St. 

Nicholas  3I.  5s.  per  ann.  ilTuing  out  of  certain  lands,  for 
them  to  lay  out  in  bread  for  6  poor  perfons,  a  two- 
penny loaf  each  every  Sunday  and  for  a  fermon  there. 

i622,*George  Nethway  by  will  gave  50I.  to  the  corporation  to 
raife  3I.  per  ann.  to  increafe  the  falary  of  the  mafter  of 
the  grammar-fchool,         -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1622,  *Dr.  Thomas  White  by  deed  gave  the  corporation  lands,  to 
ereft  and  endow  an  almflioufe  in  Temple-ftreet,  and  te- 
nements in  Grays  Inn,  40I.  per  ann.  for  the  following 
ufes  :  to  give  the  prifoners  in  Newgate  2I.  a  fermon  at 
Temple  crofs  on  St.  John's-day  il.  4  fermons  at  St. 
Werburgh's  lol.  4  fermons  at  All  Saints  lol.  one  fermon 
at  Temple  5I.  to  the  poor  of  Temple  hofpital  in  addition 
61.  a  dinner  for  the  governor  of  Temple  hofpital  on  St. 
Thomas's-day  2I.   to  charges  about  the  hofpital  4I. 

1623-4,    He  alfo  by  will  gave  tool,  to  the  highways,  -  100     o     o 

1621,  Samuel  Davis  gave  by  will  50I.   to  raife  2I.  10s.  per  ann. 

jl.  thereof  to  buy  coal  for  the  poor  of  St.  Thomas,  il. 
for  coal  for  the  poor  of  Bedminfter,  and  10s.  for  a  fermon 
at  St.  Thomas,         -  -  -  -  -50     00 

1622,  *Janc  Ludlow  gave  60I.  to  raife  3I.  perann.  il.  thereof  to  the 

poor  of  St.  Michael's,   il.  to  Foftcr's  almfhoufe,  and  il. 

to  the  poor  of  St.  Auguftin  the  Lefs,  -  -         60     o     o 

1622,    Thomas  Jones  by  will  gave  the  corporation  380I.   to   lend 

to  poor  freemen  at  20I.  each  with  intereft,  the    intereft 

to  charitable  ufes,  _  _  _  _  380     o     o 

1624  or  1634,    William  Burrows  gave    a   tenement  in  Chriflmas- 

ftrcet,   for  a  parfonage-houfe    for   the  minifter  of  St. 

John's, 


C  619  ] 


John's,  and  50I,  to  repair  St.  \\'erburgh's  church  ,- 
and  land  16I.  per  annum  to  8  poor  old  men  and 
women,  -  -  -  -  -  50     o     o 

1625,  William  Griffith  gave  il.  per  ann.  out  of  land  for  2  fcr- 
mons  at  St.  John's. 

1625,  Bartholomew  Ruflel  by  will   gave  a  tenement  81.  per  ami. 

to  the  poor  of  St.  Michael's  and  to  repair  that  church. 

1626,  Thomas  Towns  gave  the  corporation  lool.   for  a  (lock  to 

keep  poor  people  at  work,  _  _  _  too     o     o 

i627,*Edward  Cox  gave  by  will  the  following  fum.s  annually  : 
4I.  for  8  fermons  at  St.  Philip's,  lol.  for  apprenticing 
poor  boys,  and  lol.  to  buy  coal  for  the  different  parifhes 
in  Briftol. 

1627,  *John  Whitfon  by  will  gave  the  corporation  tenements  20I. 

per  ann.  for  20  lying-in  women  ;  alfo  his  manor  of  Bar- 
nett,  to  ereft  and  endow  a  fchool  for  40  poor  girls;  alfo 
quit  rents  of  Chew  Magna  81.  10s.  6d.  per  ann.  and  3 
bufhels  of  wheat  and  3  bufhels  of  rye  to  the  mailer  of 
Redcliff^free  fchool;  alfo  500I.  to  lend  to  young  tradef-  500  o  o 
men  50I.  each  for  7  years  intereft  10s.  for  each  50I. ;  alfo 
out  of  a  tenement  on  the  Back  3I.  per  ann.  2I.  thereof 
to  repair  St.  Nicholas  church  and  il.  for  2  fermons  ; 
alfo  20I.  per  annum  for  2  exhibitions  in  Oxford.  The 
refiduary  eflatealfo,  amounting  to  about  3000I.  was  left 
to  the  corporation,  _  _  _  3000     o     o 

1629,  John   Doughty    by  will    gave  the   corporation  tool,  to  be 

lent  intereft  free  for  5  vears  to  handicraft  men,  100     o     o 

1629,  Humphrey  Brown  by  will  gave  lands  in  Felton  to  the  cor- 

poration, on  condition  they  had  4  fermons    in  the  year 
preached  at  St.  Werburgh  on  days  therein  mentioned, 
and  a  lefture  every  Sunday  afternoon  at  St.    Nicholas  ; 
alfo  lands   in   Eiberton,   for  morning  prayers    at   St. 
Werburgh's. 

1630,  Robert  Redwood    by   will  gave  the    corporation   200I.  to 

lend  lool.   each   to  poor   burgcflcs  intereft    free   for  5 
years;  and  20I.  to  the  poor  of  Briftol,         -  -         220     o     o 

1G30,    William  Pitt  by  will  gave  lol.   to  Briftol  library,  and  Sol. 

to  the  poor  of  St.  Thoma.s,   Rcdclifi,  and  Temple,  qo     o     o 

F  F  F  F  '2  1634, 


[      620      ] 

1634,    Matthew  Warren  by  will  gave  20I.  to  the  poor  of  Temple,     20     o     o 

1634,    Robert  Rogers  gave  by  will  lool.  to  the  corporation,  to  be 

lent  to  10  burgcfles  intereft  free,  -  -  100     o     o 

1634,  Robert  Aldworth  gave  the  corporation  by  will  loool.  to  be 
lent  poor  clothiers  50I.  each  intereft  free  ;  and  lool.  to 
the  poor  of  St.  Peter's  almfhoufe,  -  -  1100     o     o 

1634,  *George  White  by  will  gave  the  feoffees  of  Temple  25I.  they 
to  pay  for  a  fermon  at  Temple  crofs  yearly ;  and  to  the 
corporation  200I.  to  lend  to  10  poor  clothiers  intereft  free  ; 
lOol.  to  raife  5I.  per  ann,  for  relief  of  prifoners  in  New- 
gate ;  lOol.  to  buy  materials  to  keep  poor  people  at 
work;  lOol,  to  raife  5I.  per  ann.  for  an  exhibition  in 
Oxford;  150I.  for  a  chain  of  gold  for  the  mayor,  if  re- 
fufed  for  charitable  ufes ;  alfo  a  tenement  5I.  per  ann.  for 
the  poor  of  St.  Michael's.  _  -  _  g^o     o     o 

1636,    Richard  Vickris  gave  the  corporation  2I.  per  ann.  by  deed 
for  the  keeper  of  Briftol  library. 

1636,  *Ann  Snigg  gave  the  corporation  by  will  200I.  with  which  200     o     o 
they  purchafed  an  annuity  of  12I.  per  ann.  towards  main- 
taining 2  poor  fcholars  burgeffes  of  Briftol  in  Oxford. 

1639,  *George  Harrington  gave  the  corporation  240I.  for  them  to 

diftribute  26I.  at  10s.  weekly  to  poor  houfeholders  in  the 
parifties  of  Briftol,  and  to  pay  the  clerk  20s.  a  year  for 
keeping  the  accounts,         -  _  _  _  240     o     o 

1640,  Robert  Strange  gave  lands  to  erefl;  and  endow  St.  John's 

almflioufe  for  15  poor  people. 

1641,  Thomas  Harrington  gave  the  corporation  by  deed  5I.  4s. 

per  ann.  for  the  poor  of  St.  James's  in  bread. 
1653,  Hugh  Brown  gave  the  corporation  lands  in  Mangotsfield 
for  charitable  ufes ;  he  alfo  gave  out  of  lands  in  Ham- 
brook  2I.  14s.  per  ann.  to  thepoorof  RedclifFand  2I.  14s. 
per  ann.  to  the  poor  of  St.  John's  in  bread  ;  he  alfo  gave 
to  the  poor  of  Temple  3I.  to  the  poor  of  St.  John's  3I. 
of  Redcliff  3I.  of  St.  Philip's  2I.  and  of  St.  Auguftin  2I. 
he  gave  alfo  to  the  Society  of  Merchants  a  tenement  and 
jool.  to  maintain  3  poor  people  in  their  almfhoufe,  100     o     o 

1656, 


[  621  ] 

1656,  *Richard  Long  by  will  gave    lands  in  Sifon,  for  cloalhing      /.     s.     d. 
poor  men  in  the  Merchants  almllioufe,  and  lool,  to  raife 
5I.  per  ann.  for  the  poor  of  St.  Stephen's  in  bread,  100     o     o 

1659,  *Huniphry  Hook  by  will  gave  the  corporation  680I.  to  give 
the  poor  of  St.  Stephen's  parifh  8s.  weekly  in  bread  and 
coal,  the  remainder  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital,  680     o     o 

1661,  Francis  deed  by  will  gave  28I.  per  ann.  iffuingout  of  tene- 
ments to  a  poor  houfliolder  of  13  parifhes  in  Briftol,  2I. 
each,  il.  to  the  accountant,  and  il.  for  a  learned  fermon 
to  be  preached  at  Chrift-Church  on  St.  Matthew's  day. 

1663,  *John  Pears  gave  the  corporation  by  will  20I.  to  pay  il-  per 

ann.  for  a  fermon  at  St.  James's  the  3  ill  of  March, 

1664,  *Rev.  Mr.  Powel  gave  2I.  per  ann.  to  4  almfhoufcs. 

1668,  Abraham  Birkins  gave  the  feoffees  of  St.  Maryport-lands 
iol.  per  ann.  2].  thereof  to  4  poor  people  of  Maryport, 
2I.  to  ditto  of  St.  Nicholas,  2I.  to  ditto  of  James's,  2I.  to 
ditto  of  Temple,  and  il.  for  a  fermon,  10s.  to  the 
collector,  and  10s.  to  the  poor  in  bread. 

1668,  Thomas  Farmer  by  will  gave  the  corporation  700I.  to  raife 
35I.  per  aiin.  20I.  thereof  to  apprentice  out  two  boys  of 
Queen  Elizabeth's  hofpital,  and  the  remaining  15I.  to 
the  poor  of  6  pariflics,  2l.ios.  each,         -  -         700     o     o 

1659,  George  Knight  by  will  gave  the  feoffees  of  Temple  36I.  the 
intereft  to  pav  for  a  fermon  and  bread  to  the  poor  annu- 
ally in  Temple  parilh,  and  out  of  a  tenement  10s.  per 
ann.  to  the  poor  of  St.  Nicholas,  -  -         36     o     o 

1696,  Mary  Bickham  gave  the  feoffees  of  Temple  a  tenement  and 
lOol.  the  income  andintereft  to  be  given  in  bread  every 
Sunday  to  the  poor  of  Temple,  alfo  lool.  to  the  parifli  of 
St.  Auguflin,  the  interefl  for  the  lame  purpofe,  -  100     o     o 

1670,  William  Pennoyer  by  will  gave  out  of  lands  41I.  per  ann. 
lol.  thereof  for  the  maintenance  of  a  fchool-mafter  in  St. 
Leonard's,  lol.  for  a  fchool-miftrefs  there,  16I.  for  a 
lefture  in  that  church  once  a  week,  and  5I.  for  bread  to 
the  poor. 
1670,  Michael  Day  gave  2I.  13s.  per  ann.  to  3  poor  houfholders 
of  St.  Nicholas,  and  13s.  4d.  for  a  fermon,  and  4s.  8d. 
for  the  clerk  and  fexton. 

1678, 


C  622   ] 

1678,  Juhn  Miner  gave  lands   for   a  monthly  fermon  at  St.   Ste-      /,     s.     d. 

plien's,  2  tenements  to  apprentice  feamens  fons,  and  20I. 

the  intcreft  to  buy  bread  for  the  poor  of  St.  Nicholas,  20     o     o 

1679,  Thomas    Stephens    gave   lands  at    AVyke   and    Abfton    to 

feoffees  to  ere£l  and  endow  2  almflioufes,    in   the    Old 
Market  and  Tcmple-ftreet. 
1683,    Mary  Boucher  and   Joan  Langton   gave   the    Society  of 
Merchants  lands  in  Bedminfler  Sol.  per  ann.   for  poor 
widows,  los.  each. 

1685,  *Andrew  Barker  gave  the  corporation  by  deed  6  tenements 

and  lool.  to  apprentice  poor  boys  of  Queen   Elizabeth's 

hofpital,  -  -  -  -  100     o     o 

1686,  John  Lawford  gave  2I.  12s.  per  ann.  to  the  poor  ofSt.  Peter, 

and  2I.  12s.  to  the  poor  of  Temple,  iffuing  out  of  tene- 
ments, to  be  given  weekly  in  bread;  he  alfo  gave  50I. 
each  to  St.  Philip's,  St.  James,  Rcdcliff,  and  Chrift- 
Church,  the  intercft  for  the  fame  purpofe,  -  200     o     o 

Mary  Gray  gave  50I.    6s.  8d.  of  the  intereft  for  a  fermon, 
and  the  remainder  to  keep  poor  children  at  fchool. 

i68G,    Samuel  Hale  by  will  gave  230I.  the  intereft  to  apprentice  230     o     o 
one  poor  boy  or  girl  out  of  each  of  feven  pariflies,  and 
70I.  the  intereft  to  buy  bread  for  the  poor  of  the  fame 
pariflies,  -  -  -  -  70     o     o 

1696,  Edward  Cohfton  Efq;  by  deed  gave  the  Society  of  Mer- 
chants lands  to  ereft  and  endow  an  almfhoufe  on  St. 
Michael's-Hill,  and  to  maintain  6  poor  mtfn  in  the 
Merchants  almfhoufe. 

1708,  He  alfo  gave  them  by  deed  other  lands  to  endow  an  hofpital 
for  100  boys  on  St.  Auftin's-Back,  and  to  endow  alfo  a 
fchool  in  Temple-ftreet,  p.  444. 
*Dr.  Sloper  by  will  gave  the  corporation  a  tenement  in 
College-Green  of  15I.  per  ann,  to  buy  bibles  for  the 
poor  in  each  ward, 

1716,    Sarah  Ridley  gave  feoffees  by  will  2200I.  to  purchafe  land 

to  endow  an  hofpital  for  old  maids  and  batchclors,  2200     o     o 

1725,  John  Gray  gave  120I.  to  Temple  charity-fchool  for  girls,       120     o     o 

1726,  Thomas  Warren  gave    a  tenement  in  Temple-ftreet,  the 

income  for  a  fermon  and  bread  for  the  poor  of  Temple. 

1729, 


[      623       ] 

J 729,    Ann  Aldworth  gave  tenements,  2I.  10s.  of  the  rent  Tor  a      /.     5.     d. 
fcrmon  &c.  at  All-Saints  and  St.  AuRiirs,  the  remainder 
to  All-Saints  almflioufc. 

1749,  Peter  Davis  gave  50I.  to  the  charity-fchool  of  St.  Michael 
and  St.  Aullin,  and  150I.  the  intcreft  for  a  fermon  and 
bread  for  the  poor  of  the  parifli  of  St.  Michael's,  200     o     o 

1727,  Sir  Abraham  Elton  by  will  gave  50I.  each  to  the  parifhes 
of  St.  John  and  St.  Wcrburgh,  the  interefl  for  the  ufe 
of  the  poor,  and  50I.  the  intereft  for  a  fermon  and  for 
the  poor  of  St.  \\'crburgh's,  and  50I.  the  intcrcfl  to 
maintain  a  decayed  failor  in  the  Merchants  alniflioufe, 
and  lool.  to  Trinity  hofpital,  -  -  300     o     o 

1779,  Mary  Ann  Peloquin  gave  the  corporation  3<)ol.  the  intereft 
5I.  to  the  reflor  and  2I.  to  the  curate  of  St.  Stephen's 
for  fervice  and  a  fermon  on  the  25th  of  December,  the 
remainder  to  the  clerk  and  fexton ;  and  15,200!.  the 
intereft  to  38  poor  men  and  38  poor  women  houfe- 
keepers  of  Briftol  ;  2500I.  the  intereft  to  poor  lying-in 
women  il.  10s.  each;  loool.to  20  poor  fingle  women  or 
widows  and  10  poor  men  of  St.  Stephen's  upon  St.  Ste- 
phen's day  yearly  :  flie  alfo  left  her  houfe  in  Prince's- 
ftreet  for  the  perpetual  refidcnccof  the  rettor  ofSt.  Ste- 
phen's, ,  _  -  _        19000    o    o 


Note,  Thofe  BenefaQions  marked  thus  *  were  eftabliftied  by  the  committee  of 
the  corporation  in  the  year  1739,  fee  p.  138. 


CHAP. 


[     62.4     ] 


C    II    A    P.      XXVI. 

A  BIOGRAPHICAL  ACCOUNT  of  EMINENT  BRISTOL  MEN. 

BI  B  E  R  T  was  a  native  of  Briftol,  a  monk  of  St.  Benedi8;,  and  a  ver\'- 
famous  divine  according  to  Lcland,  a  great  hiftorian  and  philofopher, 
(Stevens  Monaftic,  v.  i.  190,)  he  flouriflied  very  early  but  the  time  is  not  well 
known  ;  he  left  behind  him  many  works  which  are  now  loft,  except  feme  fer- 
ttions  and  the  hiftory  of  his  own  time. 

Ralph  ofBriftol,  being  there  born  was  bred  in  the  neighbouring  convent  of 
Glaftonbury.  Going  over  into  Ireland,  he  firft  became  a  treafurer  of  St. 
Patrick's  in  Dublin,  then  1223  Bifhop  of  Kildare,  he  wrote  the  life  of  St. 
Laurence  Archbifliop  of  Dublin,  and  granted  (faith  Sir  James  ^Varc)  certain 
indulgences  to  the  abby  of  Glaftonbury,  probably  in  gratitude  for  his  education 
therein  :  he  died  1232. 

Richard  Lavingham,  prior  of  the  Carmelite  friery  in  Briftol,  was  a  great 
writer  in  divinity  about  the  latter  end  of  the  14th  century,  and  is  reported  by 
Pit,  p.  534,  to  have  epitomized  Bedc's  hiftory,  beginning  his  work  with 
"  Britannia,  cui  quondam  Albion  &c." 

John  Mil  verton  is  mentioned  by  Sir  R.  Baker  in  his  chronicle  as  a  man  of  note 
in  Edward  the  4th's.  reign,  he  calls  him  "a  Carmelite  friar  of  Briftow,  and 
provincial  of  his  order,  who  becaufe  he  defended  fuch  of  his  order  as  preached 
againft  endowments  of  the  church  with  temporal  pofTcftions,  was  coimnitted  to 
prifon  in  the  caftle  of  St.  Angelo  in  Rome,  where  he  continued  three  years  :" 
he  is  mentioned  by  Bale  in  an  epiftle  dedicated  to  Oucen  Elizabeth  1548, 
prefixed  to  her  tranflation  of  the  godly  meditation  of  Margaret  Queen  of 
Auftria,  out  of  French,  who  fays,  '*  he  was  a  provyncyall  of  the  Carmelytes 
and  was  full  3  years  a  pryfoner  in  the  caftle  Angelo  at  Rome  at  the  fute  of  the 
Biftioppcs  of  England  for  preferring  the  order  of  monks  and  friers  above  the 
offyce  of  Byftioppes,  and  loft  fo  the  Byftioprick  of  St.  David's  to  which  he  had 
been  a  little  before  elcfied.  I'hys  matter  (fays  he)  have  I  hearde  under  the 
title  of  Evangclick    Perfeftyon,  moft  depely  rcafoned  in  theyr  ordynary  dyf* 

putatyon,* 


[    625    ] 

putatyons  at  theyr  convocatyons  and  chapters  as  they  tlien  called  them,  yet  by 
thofe  whome  I  knewe  moft  corrupt  lyvers," —  Milverton  died  in  London  3oih 
January,  i486,  and  was  buried  in  the  choii  of  the  monaftery  church  of  tlic 
Carmelites  there,  fee  Weaver,  p.  438.  with  a  Latin  infcription  in  curious 
monkifli  rhymes. 

John  Stowe,  "  the  Briftol  Carmelite,"  was  a  poet  of  fome  reputation  in 
Henry  6th's.  time.  He  is  mentioned  by  Rowley  in  his  poem  to  John  Lvdgatc 
on  Ella,  lord  of  Briftol  caftle,  together  with  John  Clarkyn,  "  one  of  niicklc 
lore."  Stowe  is  noted  by  Sir  Richard  Baker,  in  his  Chronicle,  as  flouriftiing 
in  that  reign  ;  but  he  calls  him  a  monk  of  Norwich,  and  Doclor  of  Divinity  in 
Oxford.  Dr.  Wharton,  in  his  Elfay  on  Poetry  in  England,  vol.  ';  fuppofes 
his  name  to  be  Stone,  who  was  a  Carmelite  at  Briftol  and  died  at  Cambridge. 

Sebaftian  Cabot,  born  at  Briftol  of  Genocfc  parents.  His  father  John 
Cabot  and  wife  then  refided  there,  which  moft  of  the  writers  agree  in.  And 
T.  Lanquet,  in  Chronicle,  fays,  "  Sebaftian  Cabote  in  1499,  ^^^  '^^  of  aCe- 
noefe  and  born  in  Briftol,  profeffing  himfelf  excellent  in  knowledge  of  the 
circuit  of  the  world,  was  fent  from  Briftol  to  difcover  ftrange  countries,  and 
he  at  firft  difcovered  Newfoundland."     Vide  before  p.  173,  174. 

John  Spine  is  faid  by  Pits,  p.  673.  to  be  born  in  this  city,  and  was  a  Car- 
melite and  Doftor  of  Divinity  in  Oxford,  leaving  fome  books  of  his  writint^to 
pofterity.     He  was  buried  in  Oxford  1484. 

Thomas  Norton,  born  at  Briftow,  is  celebrated  among  the  men  of  note  in 
Edward  4th's.  time.  As  an  alchemift,  he  wrote  fome  books  in  that  art,  and 
in  chemiftry  ;  alfo  a  poem,  mentioned  by  Wharton,  in  which  he  celebrates  Mr. 
Canning.  Fuller,  in  his  Worthies,  fays  of  Thomas  Norton,  that  "  He  boafted 
himfelf  to  be  fo  great  a  proficient  in  chemiftry,  that  he  learned  it  to  perfeftion  in 
40  days,  when  he  was  28  years  old,  and  complaineth  that  a  merchant's  wife  in 
Briftol  ftole  from  him  the  elixir  of  health,  fufpefted  to  be  the  wife  of  William 
Cannings  of  Briftol,  (cotemporary  with  Norton)  who  ftarted  up  into  fuch  great 
wealth  and  fo  fuddcnly,  the  cleareft  evidence  of  their  conjecture."  He  quotes 
Theat.  Chymic.  of  Elias  Aftimole  for  this,  p.  441.  but  the  abfurditv  of  this 
conjecture  is  too  apparent.  Of  this  T.  Norton,  fej  more  annals  1477.  Some 
fay  he  ruined  himfelf  and  friends  who  trufted  him  with  their  money,  (not  un- 
ufual  with  thefe  enthufiadic  alchymiftsj  and  died  very  poor  in  1477. 

AVilliam  of  Worcefter,  firnamed  Botoner  from  his  mother's  famil\-,  a  native 
of  Briftol,  was  born  on  St.  James's-back  of  parents,  not  ex  cqueftri  ordine  as 
Tanner  faith,  but  tradefmen,  whiiawers,  fl<inncrs,  and  glovers.  In  1431  he 
firft  was  fent  to  Hart-hall  in  Oxford,  where  1434  he  ftiidicd   and  improved 

C  c;  G  G  himlclf 


[     626    ] 

himfelf  greatly  by  the  munificence  of  Sir  John  FaflolfF,  a  Knight  of  Norfolk 
in  learning  of  various  kinds.  He  is  faid  to  be  the  firft  who  trandated  any  of 
Cicero's  works  into  Englifh.  He  fays,  p.  368  kin.  "  1473  die  10  Augufti 
prefentavi  W.  (de  \^''ainfleet)  epifcopo  wintonienfi  apud  afher  librurn  TuUii  de 
Seneflute  per  mc  tranflatum  in  Anglicis,  fed  nullum  regardum  reccpi  de  epif- 
copo." It  is  not  uncommon  for  authors,  efpecially  tranflators,  to  go  unre- 
warded. But  the  work  that  feemed  mofl;  to  engage  his  attention  was  an  Itine- 
rary, of  which  he  has  the  honour  of  leaving  been  the  firft  projeftor ;  though 
equal  in  induftry  yet  not  in  abilities  to  his  follower  Leland.  Like  him  he 
feems  to  have  had  an  extenfive  fcheme  in  his  head,  which  he  had  neither  abi- 
lities nor  lived  long  enough  to  finifh,  though  in  our  Briftol  traveller  you  meet 
with  many  things  you  can  find  no  where  elfe.  His  manufcript  lay  long  hid  in 
Bennet  college  library,  Cambridge :  it  was  his  common-place  pocket-book, 
the  companion  of  his  travels  j  but  written  in  fo  vile  a  charatter,  that  it  required 
an  CEdipus  to  decypher  it,  which  tedious  tafk  was  executed  by  the  ingeniou.i 
Mr.  Nafmith,  whopublifhed  the  book  with  Simeon  Simeonis  in  1778.  He  is 
particular  in  defcription  of  the  churches,  ftreets,  religious  houfcs,  &c.  of  his 
native  city,  though  little  tafte  in  architeEture  is  difplayed,  and  often  nothing 
but  their  meafurements  by  fteps  (greffus)  given,  without  any  order  obferved, 
but  things  are  noted  down  as  they  occurred.  We  fliould  not  however  eftimate 
the  {kill  of  this  writer  from  the  fpecimen  herein  exhibited,  which  was  only  a 
note-book  never  finifhed  ;  he  might  probably  have  given  us  a  complcat  account 
of  the  places  he  vifited,  but  lived  not  to  reduce  it  into  form.  He  died  about 
the  year  1484. 

William  Canynges,  of  diftinguiflied  eminence  as  a  principal  merchant  and 
foreign  trader,  as  the  friend  and  patron  of  learning  and  religion,  the  able  ma- 
giflratc,  and  charitable  benefatlor  of  this  city,  the  wealthy  and  the  wife  (fapi- 
cntifTmius  et  ditiffimus,  \\'illiam  of  Worcefter)  was  the  fecond  fon  of  John 
Canynges,  fometimes  written  Canynge  in  deeds,  mayor  of  Briftol  in  1392, 
1398,  the  fon  of  William  Canynges,  fix  times  mayor,  buried  in  capella  St. 
Marise  in  ecclef.  St.  Thomac.  John  Canynges,  inheriting  a  large  eftate  from 
his  father  and  purfuing  a  mercantile  life,  increafed  his  patrimonial  eftate,  and 
marrying  Joan  Wotton,  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Wotton,  had  by  her 
three  fons  and  three  daughters,  and  died  in  1405  and  was  buried  with  his  father 
at  St.  Thomas's  church.  He  gave  by  will  a  third  part  of  his  goods  to  his  wife, 
a  third  to  his  children,  and  a  third  pro  anima  fua  in  religious  offices  ;  had  very 
large  eftates  and  lands  in  Briftol  and  its  neighbourhood,  which  he  gave  to 
his  wife  for  her  life,  the  reverfion  to  his  fon  William,  and  alfo  giving  great 

chattels 


[      627       3 

chattels  to  his  children  appointed  for  them  truftecs,  Joan  his  vife,  Sir  Henry 
Darleton  and  John  Frerer,  Efq;  who  entered  into  recognizances  at  the  Guild- 
hall hefore  the  mayor  for  fulfilling  their  tnitl,  agreeable  to  the  power  of  prov- 
ing wills,  with  which  the  corporation  was  inverted  by  charter,  now  by  difufc 
loft.  He  left  his  children  in  money  72I.  12s.  6d.  to  each,  which  was  a  good 
fum  then,  when  wheat  was  4d.  a  buflicl,  a  fat  ox  fold  for  5s.  4d.  a  fteep  for  i6d. 
William  was  five  years  old  at  his  father's  death,  and  was  of  age  the  5th  of 
Henr)-  6th.  His  elder  brother  Thomas  was  ten  years  old  at  his  father's 
death,  was  fent  to  London,  became  a  grocer  there,  and  fcrved  the  office  of 
Lord  Mayor  in  1456,  whilft  William  refidcd  in  Briftol,  was  bred  up  to 
merchandize,  in  which  he  was  very  fuccefsful,  and  was  chofen  mayor  of 
Briftol  ;  fo  that  the  firft  and  fecond  city  in  the  kingdom  had  two  brothers  for 
mayors  in  the  fame  year.  His  mother  having  married  again  to  Thomas  Young, 
an  eminent  merchant,  9  Henry  6th,  William  Canynges,  then  a  minor,  feems 
to  have  been  bred  up  a  merchant  under  his  care,  and  to  have  fucceeded  his 
father-in-law  Young  in  bufinefs,  who  died  1426  about  the  time  of  William 
Canynges  coming  of  age.  He  then  profecuted  bufinefs  with  great  diligence. 
He  fays  in  one  of  his  deeds,  "  honefto  cum  labore  mercatorio  rem  augerc 
domcfticam  induftriofe  curaverim  ;"  whereby  he  acquired  an  affluent  fortune, 
which  was  increafed  by  the  eftates  fettled  on  his  mother  falling  to  him  upon 
her  death.  How  much  he  was  efteemed  as  a  merchant,  and  to  what  extent 
he  traded,  may  be  feen  in  chap.  vi.  on  trade,  p.  169,  170.  and  the  names  of  his 
fhips  in  p.  581.  and  William  of  Worcefter;  but  for  his  private  virtues,  piety, 
and  charity,  his  benefatlions  to  the  city  to  promote  religious  offices,  to  Red- 
cliffchurch,  almflioufes.  Sec.  fee  p.  612.  are  fufficient  proofs,  were  no  pri- 
vate documents  wanting,  to  give  us  light  into  his  charafler.  —  But  as  every 
thing  relating  to  the  great  Mr.  Canynges  has  excited  the  curiofity  of  the  public 
fince  the  publication  of  Rowley's  Poems,  I  fhall  here  communicate  what  has 
further  occurred,  that  public  expeftation  may  be  gratified  as  far  as  lies  in  my 
power,  beginning  with  the  pedigree  of  the  family,  taken  chiefly  from  original 
and  authentic  deeds. 


G  G  G  c  «  Pediijrec 


[    628    ] 


PEDIGREE   OF    THE    CANYNGES   FAMILY. 

Robert  Canynges.     Arms,  f.  arg.  three  moors  heads  f. 
1322.  I 

I 


Robert. 
1340. 


William  Canynges,=Agnes  Stoke. 
1368.  I 


JcfFrey. 


John  Canynges,= 


died 


1405. 


=Joan  Wotton,= 
married  1408 

Thomas  Young, 
merchant,    by 

whom  fhe  had 
Joan,  John, 

Thomas,  Alice. 


Simon, 
died  1413. 


Thomas,: 

Lord 
mayor  of 
London, 

1456. 


=Eliz.  Hardeman, 


\Villiam,= Joanna. 
1427,  then 
of  age. -^ 
Mayor    of 

Briflol, 
1456, 


Elizabeth,=j=John  Holden. 


I 


Richard. 
The  above  Thomas  married  a 
fccond  wife  Agnes,  daughter 
and  hcircfs  of  John  Solman,  of 

Foxcot,  in  Warwick fliire, 

whence  the  prefcnt  Cannings, 

of  Foxcot,  now  rcfiding 

there,  defcend,  1789. 


Agnes,  Joan,  Margaret, 
John. 


Thomas, 
confirmed  1479 
William's  bequefl 
of  13  mcffuages  to 
Redcliff  church. 


William,: 


=Ifabel  Vowel, 

of  Wells. 
=Elizabcth,  mar- 
ried a  fccond  huf- 
band,  J.  Dcpden, 
Efq; 


Thomas, 

had  55  tenements 

after  his  mother. 


William, 
nephew  of  the  foun- 
der, who  left  him 
cltates  in  Pile-flreet,  &c. 


John,=j=Elizabcth, 

I  left  a  widow. 

The  cltates  left 
him  by  the  foun- 
der were  to  go 
after  Elizabeth  to 
the  corporation. 


In 


C  629  ] 

It  muft  be  obferved  of  this  pedigree,  that  no  original  deeds  hitherto  found 
mention  the  family  names  beyond  William  in  the  year  1368  bailiff  of  Briftol, 
fo  that  there  is  no  name  of  Robert  1322,  called  '*  the  morning  liar  of  Red- 

clifF's    rifing    ray   &c."  in  the  poems  afcribcd  to  Rowley But    there    is   no 

reafon  for  difbelieving  the  exiftencc  of  fuch  a  man,  who  through  a  defeCl  of 
records  is  taken  little  notice  of;  but  the  particulars  fo  many  and  various  of 
his  life  given  us  in  the  manufcript  of  Rowley  leave  little  room  of  doubt. — 
There  might  have  been  a  Robert  as  well  as  a  Symon  and  jefFery,  both  which 
names  occur  but  once. — Robert  is  faid  to  have  a  areat  mercantile  senius. 
eagerly  intent  upon  commerce  and  purfuit  of  riches,,  which  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  grcatnefs  of  the  family  here  afterwards.  But  whether  Robert  be  a 
mifnomer,  and  not  a  family  name,  it  feems  clear  there  was  one  of  fuch  a 
genius  in  the  family  from  the  following  little  poem,  called  an  Entcrlude, 
which  as  it  fliews  the  difpofition  of  an  anceftorof  this  as  well  as  many  a  family, 
and  has  not  been  publifhed  among  the  poems  attributed  to  Rowlev,  I  here 
infert ; 

The       WORLD  E. 

Fadre,  Sonne,    and  MynJlreUes. 

Fadre.  —  To  the  worlde  newe  andytts  befloykcnynge  waie 
Thys  coiflrelle  fonne  ofmyne  ys  all  mie  care, 
Yee  mynftrelles  warne  hymme  how  wyth  rede  he  flraie 
Where  guylded  vyce  dothe  fpredde  hys  mafcili'd  fnare. 
To  gettyng  wealth  I  woulde  hcc  fhoulde  bee  bredde. 
And  couronnesof  rudde  goulde  ne  glorie  rounde  hys  hcdde» 

i/l  Mynjlrel.  —  Mie  name  is  Interefie,  tis  I 
Dothe  yntoe  alle  bofoms  flie» 
Eche  one  hylten  fecret's  mync. 
None  fo  wordie  goodc,  and  dygne, 
Butte  wylle  fynde  ytte  to  theyr  code, 
Interefte  wyll  rule  the  roaRe. 
I  to  everichone  gyve  lawes, 
Selfe  ys  fyrft  yn  cverich  caufe. 

zd.  Mynjlrel. —  I  ammc  a  faytour  flame 
Of  lemmics  melancholi. 
Love  fommc  bchyghte  mie  name. 
Some  doc  ancmp  me  foUic  ; 

To 


[    630    ] 

Inne  fprytes  of  meltyngemoldc 

I  fette  mie  burneynge  fcle, 

To  mee  a  goulers  goulde 

Doeth  nete  a  pyne  avele, 

I  pre  upon  the  helthe  ; 

And  from  Gode  redeynge  flee, 

The  manne  who  woulde  gette  wcalthc 

Mufte  never  thynkc  of  mce. 

3^  Mynjlrei  —  I  bee  the  Queede  of  Pryde,  mie  fpyrynge  heade 
Mote  reche  the  cloudes  and  ftylle  be  ryfynge  hie. 
Too  lyttle  is  the  earthe  to  bee  mie  bedde, 
Too  hannow  for  mie  breetheynge  place  the  fkie ; 
Daynous  I  fee  the  worlde  bineth  me  lie 
Botte  to  mie  betterres,  I  foe  1)  ttlc  gree, 
Aneuihe  a  fhadow  of  a  fhade  I  bee, 

Tys  to  the  fmalle  alleyn  that  I  canne  multyplie. 

^th  M)njlrel.  —  I  am  the  Queed  of  goulers,  look  arounde 

The  ayrs  aboute  mee  thieves  doe  reprefente, 
Bloudfteyned  robbers  fprynge  from  oute  the  grounde. 
And  airie  vyfyons  fwarme  around  mie  cnte; 
O  fave  mie  monies,  ytte  ys  theyre  entente 
To  nymme  the  redde  Godde  of  mie  fremded  fprighte, 
Whatte  joie  canne  goulers  have  or  daie  or  nyghte. 

r^th  Mynpel.  —  Vice  bee  I  hyghte  onne  golde  fulle  ofte  I  ryde, 
Fulle  fayre  unto  the  fyghte  for  aie  I  feenie  ; 
Mie  ugfomnefs  wythc  goldenne  veyles  I  hyde, 
Laieynge  mie  lovers  ynne  a  fylkcnne  drcme; 
Botte  whan  mie  untrue  pleafaunce  have  byn  tryde, 
Thanne  doc  I  fliowe  allc  horrowncffc  and  row. 
And  thofc  I  have  ynne  nette  woulde  fcyne  mie  grype  efchew, 

6ih  Mynjlrel.  —  I  bee  greete  Dcthe,  alle  ken  mce  bie  the  name, 

Botte  none  can  faie  howe  I  doe  loofe  the  fpryghtc, 

Goode  menne  mie  tardyinge  dclaie  doethe  blame, 

Botte  mofte  ryche  goulerres  from  me  take  a  flyghte; 

Myckle  of  wealthe  I  fee  whereere  I  came, 

Doelhc  mie  ghaflncfs  mockle  multyplye 

Ande  maketh  hem  afraydc  to  lyve  or  die. 

Fadre. 


[    631     ] 

Fadre.  —  Howe  villeyn  Mynftrellcs,  and  is  this  your  rcdc, 
Awaie  :  Awaic  :  I  wyll  negeve  a  curfe, 
Mie  fonne,  mie  fonne,  ofthismie  fpeeche  take  hede, 
Nothynge  ys  goode  thatte  bryngeth  not  to  purfe. 

Whether  it  was  a  Robert  or  William  Canynges  that  profited  by  thcfc  ufefLil 
and  intercfting  inftriiflions  of  his  father  is  uncertain,  but  it  is  very  clear  that 
William  and  his  fon  John  were  pofreffed  very  early  of  large  eftates  and  much 
wealth,  carried  on  great  bufinefs  and  an  extenfive  commerce,  which   was  not 
IcfTened  by  William  the  lafl  founder,  of  whom  we  can  fpeak  with  more  cer- 
tainty.     As  early  as  before  1380  there  was  a  trading  guild  or  fraternity,  called 
"  The  Fraternity  of  Canynges;"  and  John  Vycl  in  his  will   dated  the  25th  of 
May  1398,  gives  "  Fraternitati  dc  Canynges"  40s.  fraternitati  qua   fum,  and 
there  was  of  old  time  a  houfe  called  Canynges  Lodge,  mentioned   in  deeds  in 
the  chamber  of  Briftol,  where  they  met,  adjoining  to   Redcliff  Church-yard. 
This  proves  that  the  firfl  William  Canynges  the  founder  was  in  rank  and  ability 
ver)-  capable  of  complcating  the  work  of  Redcliff  church.     The  fecond  Wm. 
Canynges  having  his  father  John's  great   eRates  entailed  upon  him  after  his 
mother,  and  having  profecuted  the  mercantile  bufinefs  to  a  much  greater  extent 
than  had  been  ever  known  in  this  city,*  (as  appears  by  William  Botoner,  p.  83. 
and  the   account  of  his  Shipping  there,)  was   very  capable  of   rebuilding  the 
church  when  ruined  by  the  florm  of  thunder  and  lightning  in  the  year  1445-6, 
interefting  himfelf  doubtlefs  the   more  upon  the   occafion  as  his   grandfather 
William  had  been  partly  the  founder  and  the  finiflier  of  it,  as  well  as  from  the 
pious  motive  of  religion  and  charity,  of  which  he  was  all  his  life  a  mofl  diftin- 
guifhcd  example  :  and  if  we  give  credit  to  what  is  faid  of  him  in  tlic  manufcript 
afcribed  to  Rowley.t  his  ability  as  a  man  of  letters  and  lover  of  architefture  and 
the  fine  arts,+  rendered  him  fliil  more  fit  and  likely  to  undertake  fuch  a  work. 
He   feems  to  have  enlarged   his  mind  and  cultivated  a  good  undcrftanding  by 
learning,  which  he  did  not  think  incompatible  with    merchandifc,  and  which 
placed  him  in  a  higher    fphere,  and  rendered  him    a   fit  companion   for  the 
great,  and  in  high  eflcem  with  Henry  the  6th.  and  Edward  the  4th.      He  had 
been  aloyalifl  to  Henry  the  6th.  and  fupported  the  royal  caufe  in  the  houfe  of 

Lancafter, 

*  Vid.  on  Trade  of  the  Cify,  p.  170  he  fays  in  his  deed,  "  honeflo  cum  labore  rem  augere 
domcfticam  induftrioic  curavcrim  &c." 

+  Vid.  poems  of  Rowley  4to.  p.  165.  170.328.  .1,30.4/17. 

%  Sec  Rowley's  poems  '•  Anenta  Brooklet  &c."  where  his  life  and  taftc  for  learning  is  particu- 
larly noted,  alfo  the  poem  called  Canyn;jc's  Fcad. 


[     <532     -J 

Lancafter,  bv  which  however  he  incurred  the  difplcafure  of  the  fucceeding 
King  Edward  the  4th.  of  whom  he  purchafed  his  peace  at  the  great  fum  of 
3000  marks,  as  mentioned  in  William  Botoner,  p.  gg.  The  weaknefs  and 
pufillanimity  of  Henry  the  6th.  and  the  infamous  behaviour  of  his  Queen 
Margaret,  loft  him  the  good-will  and  intercft  at  length  of  this  rich  and  able 
man. 

The  following  letters  from  Canynge  to  his  friend  Rowley,  as  tranfcribed 
and  communicated  by  Chatterton,  will  fet  this  maucrina  pn)])cr  light,  which 
are  fubmitted  to  the  judgment  and  candour  of  the  reader. 

Canyngk  to  Rowley,  Briftol. 
I  be  fulle  forrowefulle  that  you  are  notte  ynne  Briftowe,  and  the  more  fo  as 
mie  Lorde  Earle  of  Warwyke  havethe  fente  me  a  letter  to  poclayme  Edwarde 
of  Yorke  Kynge.  Certis  ytte  will  ne  be  to  profitte  of  the  Yorkcyfts  if  ytte  be 
foe;  butte  to  me  the  ifTue  maie  be  death.  Mie  bredcren  of  the  councillc  doe 
notte  bethynke  me  a  manne  to  advife  them,  becaufe  I  wulde  not  have  them 
doe  meanthynges  for  gayne,  therefore  mie  wordes  wylle  not  availe,  for  where 
reveraunce  is  wanteinge  advyce  is  nought :  come  as  foon  as  the  tymes  will 
fpareyou.  Wm.  CANYNGE. 

RowLKY   to  Canyngk,   Cirencefler. 
Mie  Lorde  of  Warwyke  waulkethe  fafle   to  the  crowne,  lette  him   beware 
hee  ftrayne  not  hvmfclfe  yn  takeyng  fyke  large   flrydes.     Was  you  of  power 
and  in  poffcfTion  of  caflles  I  woulde  arede  you  to  maintain  unto  the  deathe  the 
caufe  of  Henrie.     Anoder  lettere  maie  reche  mee  before  I  can  goe  hence. 

T.  ROWLEIE. 

Canynge  to  Rowleie,  Briftowe. 
Ye  would  have  me  declare  for  Kynge  Henrie,  I  woulde  remayne  neutre, 
botte  I  mufte  perforce  be  for  one  of  the  twayne:  fuccefTyon  ys  ne  the  quere, 
botte  who  will  rule  befte ;  when  ones  countrie  is  abentynge  to  rewin  itte  ys  a 
foule  thyngeevcnto  be  neutre.  A  Kynge  fliuldc  bee  one  who  ruleth  hys  peo- 
ple hymfclfe,  and  ne  troufleth  to  untrouftie  fervants.  Mie  aQions  fliewe  me 
noennemie  to  goodc  :  but  methynketh  a  holie  feynfle  maketh  noitc  a  goode 
Kynge.  From  the  daics  of  Saxon  governmente  to  thys  prefentc  Englande 
havethe  been  undone  by  prieft-kynges.  Edgar,  Edwarde  ConfcfTour,  and 
Henrie  6th.  havethe  mctte  with  Danes,  Normans,  and  Warwykes.  True  Eng- 
l)f!imen  are  lykc  untoe  maflies  never  pleafcd  but  whan  fet  a  fyghtcing.  Ho- 
nours to  the  mynfter  are  not  allwaie  honoures  to  the  throne.     Queen  Marga- 

rette 


[    ^33     ] 

rette  liaviih  fccn  the  letter;  twas  aryghte  Ihe  fliulde.  Whatever  fhe  bee 
odcrwife  flie  ys  an  unfit  dame  for  oiirc  Kynge,  ruleinge  him  lykc  a  hcarn, 
ande  toieynge  with  her  paramoures,  of  whom  I  faie  not  whom.  Mie  fadre 
goeynge  to  courte  onne  the  marriage  of  Kynge  Henrie,  tlie  chamberlayne  rc- 
quierynge  hys  cuftomarie  prefente,  he  wcnte  outc  yn  grcete  dole,  but  ken- 
iieynge  he  mote  ne  goe  there  wydoute  a  guift,  he  tooke  a  brafle  chaine,  and 
giltynge  the  fame  lyke  unto  goulde,  gave  ytte  to  the  Queenc,  from  whence 
ytte  came  to  Harrie  6th.  who  dyd  yeve  ytte  to  hys  Queene,  and  I  have  fecne 
ytte  rounde  the  necke  of  Souffoulke  withe  the  unwordic  braffe  peepeynge  oute 
to  viewe  the  gould  chafeynge.  Thys  longe  goulde  brafs  chaine  beeynge  in 
fothe  whilome  the  necke  chaine  of  an  hounde,  exceedeynge  to  fighte  mofte  of 
the  guiftes,  gotten  mie  fadre  a  charter  for  trade  ;  to  renewe  whych  I  have  gi- 
venne  2000  markes  and  the  loane  of  mie  fhyppes  to  brynge  mie  countriemenne 
from  Fraunce,  haveynge  the  befte  parte  of  mie  hanfe  Virgine  Marie  of  tons 
1000  burden  brente.  I  bethynke  therefore  I  maie  be  accounted  a  common 
fubjeQe  of  the  Kynge,  and  not  bounde  to  hym  by  gratytudc.  I  wys  hym 
well  ynne  a  pryours  coate  ynne  a  mynfterre,  and  hys  Queene  and  her  para- 
mour yn  repentance.  Under  Henrie  we  mote  have  peace,  but  never  renome. 
But  doe  not  thynke  I  ame  a  Yorkeyft.    Adieu.       WILLIAM  CANYNGE. 

William  Canynge  to  the  Earl  of  Warvvyck, 

Sendeth  greetynge.  Mie  good  Lorde,  your  letterre  I  haveth  confydcred  ; 
but  be  not  of  power  to  renderre  you  fervice.  Mofte  of  the  cityzcns  ftande 
welle  affefted  toe  you,  but  it  be  not  pofTitabie  for  hem  to  availe  youe  anie 
waies,  excepte  bie  pryvate  conveiaunce  of  fylver  and  monies,  whyche  God 
wote  theie  love  too  welle.  I  fende  you  bie  Syrre  Pierce  Aleighe  twa  hun- 
dreth  markes.  I  confulted  wythe  fome  councylmenneof  your  commande,  who 
telled  the  fame  to  Gervaife  Clifforde,  foe  was  I  enforced  to  fhewe  the  fame  to 
Margaret.  Take  care  of  your  perfon,  mie  goode  Lorde,  as  I  hcare  Syr 
Charles  Baudyn  and  his  broder  John  a  Fulforde  threat  your  lyfe  wyth  privie 
affafynatynge.  I  bee  ne  thyrftie  for  bloude,  botte  whanne  the  lymbes  be  un- 
founde  ungentle  meanes  nuift  be  ufed  bie  brennynge,  to  keepe  the  heart 
whole.  Kynge  Henrie  Godde  fpare  hys  lyfe,  but  the  dcfpoyleynge  of  three 
fcore  Margarets  and  Suffoulkes  will  ne  atone  for  the  dcathe  of  the  good  Duke 
of  Gloucefler,  wid  whome  feile  Englyflie  glorie  and  Englandes  peace.  Was 
the  caftelle  to  be  gotten  ynto  the  handes  of  the  cytyzens,  ytte  flioulde  renderre 
you  fervitude.  Botte  Syrre  Charles  Baudyn  kepethe  it  foftoutelie,  haveynge 
the  bruges  adented,  that  ytte  maie  not  bee.     Algatc  I  will  engage  me  to  cai- 

H  H  n  II  tenc 


[  ^34  : 

tene  hym  up  the  caftleis  utter  cloflere  by  ftieryve  ve  areft  :  gifyou  wylle  behete 
me,  he  fhall  be  yn  no  danger  of  deathe.  Ytte  woulde  bee  fulle  joyfulle  to 
mee  yfFe  yoe  would  conferre  the  honoure  of  knyghthoode  on  Ralph  Morris  mie 
coufenne,  whoe  ys  fulle  wordie  thereof.  Mie  greteyngs  to  mie  goode  Lorde 
Edwarde  of  Yorke,  who  ys  chevycynge  the  kiiigdome  from  the  opprelTyon  of 
a  leman  and  her  paramoures.  I  wylle  fende  to  hvm  whenne  the  Hanfe  fleete 
vs  come  three  thoufandthmarkes,  wyfliyngemiepoore  fervicesmaie  bee  accepted. 
Margarette  fhalle  bee  fhutte  oute  from  Bryftowe,  and  flakes  are  placed  ynne 
the  grange  to  lette  her  if  fhe  agayne  flee  to  the  caftle.  Shee  departed  laft 
night  aftere  evenfonge  from  the  caflle,  ne  one  cytyzenne  yn  her  trayne;  buttc 
wheder  flie  ys  gone  I  wote  notte.  Adieu,  my  good  Lorde.  Jefus  attend 
you.  WILLIAM  CANYNGE. 

Upon  thefe  letters  I  would  only  remark,  that  undoubted  records  in  the  city 
chamber  fay  that  in  1456-7  Queen  Margaret  came  to  Briftol,  and  that  John 
Cline  left  by  will  a  large  fum  for  the  repair  of  the  town  walls  and  forts  of 
Briftol,  40I.  of  which  was  fpent  thereon,  28th  Henry  6ih.  Great  Red  Book,  p- 
77.  and  another  40I.  was  ordered  by  act  of  the  mayor  VV.  Canings  and  coun- 
cil in  1456  for  purchafing  war  ftores,  all  the  faltpetre  in  the  town,  and  twelve 
brafs  guns,  with  four  chambers  each,  p.  17.  A.  B.  And  about  2  Edward  4th. 
they  fent  the  King  40  men  defenfibly  arrayed  for  the  fpace  of  two  months  at 
their  own  cofts  1301.  to  attend  his  fervice  ;  and  in  fending  men  into  the  north 
for  his  fervice,  and  in  navies  and  fliips  twice  into  Wales ;  and  a  third  time 
finding  a  navy  to  convey  his  ambafladors  into  Caftile  the  fum  of  loool.  and 
moreover  lent  to  him  200I.  Great  Red  Book,  p.  205.  In  Ricaut'sKalendar, 
p.  20.  B.  in  1460  there  was  fent  to  Briftol  a  parcel  of  gundowder,  faltpetre, 
and  brimftone  by  John  Judde,  mafter  of  the  ordnance  to  Henry  6th.  afllgned 
to  H.  May,  merchant.  William  Cannings,  then  mayor,  knowing  this  Judde 
and  May  to  be  enemies  to  the  Duke  of  York,  and  afTiftant  to  James  Earl  of 
Wiltfliire,  by  aflent  of  the  council  feized  the  faid  materials.  After  which  the 
Duke  of  York  fent  two  commiflions  to  the  faid  mayor  and  common  council  to 
take  upon  them  the  government  and  defence  of  the  caftle  againft  the  defigns 
of  the  Duke  ofSomerfet,  who  purpofed  to  enter  and  retain  the  fame.  An  army 
and  navy  was  afterwards  font  forth  by  the  mayor  and  council  by  order  of  King 
Edward  4th.  againft  the  Welch  under  Jafper  Earl  of  Pembroke,  at  the  cofts  of 
five  hundred  marks.  Whether  this  coincidence  of  circumftances  at  this  time 
does  not  tend  to  confirm  the  fafts  in  the  above  letters  is  left  to  the  judgment 
and  candor  of  the  reader. 

What 


[    ^35    ] 

What  Mr.  Canynges  fuffcred  in  this  diftrafted  flate  of  the  kingdom  may  be 
eafily  fuppofed,  being  a  very  rich  man  each  party  had  recourfe  to  him  ;  but  the 
lofs  of  money  he  feems  not  fo  much  to  have  regarded,  having  learnt  that  dif- 
ficult point  —  the  true  and  juft  value  of  money.  But  when  King  Edward  4th. 
in  the  7th  year  of  his  reign,  was  on  the  death  of  his  wife  for  impofing  upon 
him  a  marriage,  he  took  the  only  way  he  could  with  fafety  to  avoid  it  (and 
which  coincided  with  his  turn  of  mind)  and  became  a  pricfl.  It  appears  by 
the  regifter  of  the  Bifliop  of  Worceller  (John  Carpenter)  Sept.  19,  1467,  he 
received  the  firft  order  of  accolyte,  12th  of  March  that  of  fubdeacon,  2d  of 
April,  1468  that  of  deacon,  and  16th  of  April,  1468  that  of  prieft.  He  fung 
his  firft  mafs  at  the  chnrch  of  our  Lady  of  RedclifF.  3d  of  June,  1469  he  was 
made  Dean  of  Weftbury.  A  private  manufcript  (Friend)  wrote  in  the  year 
1669  thus  ""elates  it:  "  1466-7,  this  mayor  (William  Cannings)  having  buried 
his  wyfe,  whom  he  dearly  loved,  was  moved  by  King  Edward  to  marry  ano- 
ther wyfe,  whom  he  had  ordained  ;  but  Mr.  Cannings  as  foon  as  he  had  dif- 
charged  his  year  of  mayoralty,  to  prevent  it,  tooke  on  hym  the  order  of 
priefthood,  and  fung  his  firft  mafs  on  Whitfunday  at  the  Lady  chappie  at  Red- 
clifF, and  was  afterwards  Dean  of  Weftbury,*  which  college  by  Richard  Duke 
of  York  and  Edward  Earl  of  Rutland  was  founded,  and  a  dean  and  cannons 
placed  therein.  King  Edward  gave  them  the  hofpital  of  St.  Laurence  in  the 
hundred  of  Barton  Regis  near  Briftol.  To  this  college  Mr.  Cannings  became 
a  great  benefa£tor,  and  was  dean."  The  Mayor's  Kalendar,  p.  125.  gives  a 
fimilar  account,  which  may  be  more  relied  on  as  it  was  written  about  the  time 
of  the  tranfaflion  by  Ricaut,  town  clerk,  18th  of  Edward  4th.  Mr.  Cannings 
was  a  great  repairer  of  this  college,  and  with  Biftiop  Carpenter  (who  lies 
buried  in  the  church  of  Weftbury)  rebuilt  great  part  of  it,  (fee  Leland,  Col. 
vol.  i.  p.  102)  "  enlarged  it,  and  furrounded  it  with  a  wall,  towers,  and  gates, 
and  endowed  it  with  rents."  t  Biftiop  Carpenter  founded  an  almflioufe  there 
for  fix  poor  men  and  fix  women,  to  which  Mr.  Cannings  was  a  benefaflor.  A 
piece  of  brafs  fixed  to  the  cover  of  a  mafs  book  here  had  tliis  infcription, 
Rowley's  manufcripts : 

H  H  H  H   2  Thys 

*  The  BIfhop  Carpenter  and  Dean  Cannings  are  faid  to  be  the  founders  of  this  college,  but  it 
fubfifted  more  than  an  hundred  years  before  ;  they  much  endowed  and  improved  it.  Bifhop 
Carpenter  appropriated  the  reftory  of  Kcmfcy  near  Worceftcr  to  it  in  1473,  at  the  rcqueft  of  Mi. 
Canynges.     Sec  Dr.  Nafh's  Hiftory  of  Worccfterfhirc,  vol.  ii.  p.  21,  2,j. 

+  Vide  Tanner's  Notitia,  p.  142.  alfo  Sir  Robert  Atkyns's  Hifloiy  of  Gloccftcrfhire. — 
Bifhop  Carpenter  calls  it  «  Noftrorum  fundationis  patronatus  ct  dioccfcos."  His  arms  arc,  Taly 
of  fix  azure  and  G,  crcft  on  a  wreath  argent  and  G,  a  coney  fcjant  argent. 


[  636  ] 

Thvs  booken  was  yeven 

To  fynge  fowles  to  hev'n. 

And  when  the  fyrfte  belle  doth  tolle 

Synge  mafle  for  the  partyng  fowle, 

And  eke  at  the  abbye 

Of  Canynges  of  Weftburie, 

Thereynn  to  ftaie 

Untyll  the  lafte  daie. 

Joannes  Carpenter. 

On  the  treble  bell,  taken  down  to  be  recaft  in  1774,  was  infcribed  in  the 
Gothic  charafter,  each  letter  being  inclofed  in  a  fquare  by  lines,  "  Sanfta  Trini- 
tas  nos  benedicat."  Weftbury  college  was  dedicated  to  the  Holy  Trinity  and 
the  apoftlcs  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 

Of  Mr.  Canynge's  becoming  a  priefl  at  Weftbury  to  avoid  a  marriage  pro- 
pofcd  by  the  King,  the  following  letters  faid  by  Chatterton  to  be  tranfcribed 
from  the  originals  of  Mr.  Canynge  to  Rowleie  will  give  a  farther  account : 

1466.  To  Rowleie. 

Lyfe  ys  a  flieelde  where  ne  tynflure  of  joie  or  tene  haveth  preheminence. 
Kynge  Edwarde  yeflerdaie  dyd  feefte  at  mie  rudde  houfe,  goeynge  ynne  the 
boate  uponne  the  tyde.  Canynge,  quod  hee,  I  haveth  a  wyfe  for  thee  of 
noble  howfe.  Mie  goode  Liege,  quod  I,  I  am  oulde  and  neede  not  a  wyfe; 
Bie  oure  Ladie,  quod  he,  you  mofte  have  one.  I  faidc  ne  moe,  bethynkynge 
ytte  a  jefte,  butte  I  now  unkeven  ytte  ys  a  trouthe  :  come  to  mee  and  arede 
mee,  for  I  wyll  ne  be  wedded  for  anie  Kynge.  W.  C. 

1467.  To  Rowleie. 

Now,  broder,  yn  the  chyrche  I  amme  fafe,  an  hallie  priefte  unmarriage- 
able.  The  Kynges  fervitoure  attended  me  to  telle,  giff  I  would  dyfchargc 
the  3000  markes  I  fhoude  ne  bee  enforced  on  a  wyfe,  and  alfo  have  mie 
fliyppeynge  allowed.  I  made  anfwere,  I  was  now  yfhorne  a  preefte,  and 
motte  notte  be  wedded.  I  have  made  a  free  guifte  of  the  markes,  and 
wanted  but  a  contynuaunce  of  mie  trade.  Alle  ys  welle  ;  the  Kynge  ys  gone, 
and  I  am  haillic.  W.  CANYNGES. 

1468.  To  Rowleie. 

I  bee  now  fhutte  uppe  ynne  mie  college  of  Weftburie;  come  mie  Rowleie 
and  lette  us  dyfpende  our  remaynynge  yecres  togyder.  HailincfTe  ys  no 
where  founde  :  focietye  havethe  plcafures,  ercmitage  havethe  pleafures,  butte 
contente  alleyne  canne  dyfperple  payne.  W.  CANYNGES. 

The 


[    ^37     ] 

The  following  little  poem  on  feliners  or  happinefs,  faid  to  be  written  by  him, 
is  quite  confonant  with  this  lad  letter. 

Maie  Selynefle  on  erthe's  boundes  bee  hadde? 
Maie  ytte  adyghte  yn  human  fhape  bee  founde  ? 
Wotte  yee,  ytt  was  wyth  Eden's  bower  beftadde 
Or  quite  erafed  from  the  fcaunce-layd  growndc. 
Whan  from  the  fecret  fontes  the  waterres  dyd  abowndJ 
Does  yt  agrofed  fhun  the  body'd  wauike 
Lyve  to  ytfclfe  and  to  yttes  ecchoc  taulke  ? 

All  hayle,  Contente,  thou  mayde  of  turtle-eyne. 
As  thie  behoulders  thynke  thou  arte  yreene. 
To  ope  the  doore  to  felynefle  ysthyne. 
And  Chryde's  glorie  doth  uponne  thee  fheene. 
Doer  of  the  foule  thynge  ne  hath  thee  feene  ; 
In  caves,  ynn  woodes,  yn  woe  and  dole  dydrelTe 
Whoere  hath  thee,  hath  gotten  felyneffe. 

But  Rowley's  poem  "  Anent  a  Brooklet,"  publiflicd  by  Dean  Milles,  p.  439, 
as  it  gives  a  curious  account  of  Mr.  Canynge's  life  family  Sec.  dcfervcs  par- 
ticular notice ;  and  the  following  lines,  part  of  that  poem,  are  carefully  copied 
by  a  very  ingenious  gentleman  with  the  greateft  exaftnefs  and  fidelity,. 
from  the  original  hand-writing  on  parchment,  commuicated  by  T.  Chatterton. 
—  The  curiofity  of  the  public  has  lately  been  excited  by  printing  the  poems  of 
Rowley,  and  the  public  e.vpeQation  Ihould  be  gratified,  and  nothing  concealed 
that  may  tend  to  a  difcovery  of  the  truth — the  following  is  therefore  fubmittcd 
to  the  judgment  of  the  candid  reader. 

Anent*  a  Brooklette  as  I  laie  reclynd, 
Lilleynge  to  heare  the  water  glyde  alonge, 
Myndeynge  how  thorowc  the  grcne  mecs  ^  yt  twynd, 
Awilft  the  cavys  rcfpons'd  "^  its  mottring  fonge. 
At  didaunt  r\fyng  Avonne  toe  be  fped,"^ 
Amenged*  with  ryfyng  hilles  dyd  fliewe  yts  heade  j 

Engarlanded 
•  Near.        ••  Meadows.        «  Anfwcred  to,         *  To  be  fpcd,  or  h.iflcned,  •  Mingled* 


[  638  ] 

Engarlanded  wyth  crownes  of  ofyer  weeds 

And  wraytesf  of  alders  of  a  bercie  fcent. 

And  flickeyngc  out  wyth  clowde  agefled^  recdes. 

The  hoarie  Avonne  fliow'd  dyre  femblamente,  ** 

Why  left  blataunte'   Severne,  from  Sabrina  clepde,'' 

Rores  flemie'  o'er  the  fandes  that  fhe  hepde. 

Thefe  cynegears""  fwythyn  "  bringethe  to  mie  thowghte 
Of  hardie  champyons  knowen  to  the  floude, 
How  onne  the  bankes  thereof  brave  yElle  foughte, 
^lle  defcended  from  Merce  kynglie  bloude. 
Warden  of  Briftol  towne  and  caftel  ftede. 
Who  ever  and  anon  made  Danes  to  blede. 

Methoughte  fuch  doughtie°   men  muft  have  a  fprighte 
DoteP  yn  the  armour  brace  "J  that  Michael  bore. 
Whan  he  w)th  Satan  kynge  of  helle  dyd  fyghte, 
Andearthe  was  drented'  yn  a  mere  of  gore; 
Orr  foone  as  theie  dyd  fee  the  worldis  lyghte. 
Fate  had  wrott  downe,  thys  man  ys  borne  to  fyghte. 

JEWe,  I  fayd,  or  elfe  my  mynde  dyd  faie, 
Whie  ys  thy  aftyons  lefte  fo  fpare  yn  florie  ? 
Were  I  toe  difpone,  *  there  fliould  ly  ven  aie 
In  erthe  and  hevenis  rolles  thie  tale  of  glorie; 
Thie  a8.es  foe  doughtie  fhould  for  aie  abyde. 
And  bie  theyre  teftc  all  after  a£les  be  tryde. 

Next  holie  Wareburgus  fylld  mie  mynde. 

As  faire  a  faynfte  as  anie  towne  can  boaftc, 

Or  be  the  erthe  with  lygthe  ormerke'  pywrynde, " 

I  fee  hys  ymage  wa'ulkeyng  throwe  the  coafte  : 

Fitz  Hardynge,  Bithricus,  andtwentie  moe 

Ynne  vifyonne  fore  mie  phantafie  dyd  goe.         &c.  &c. 

At  the  conclufion  of  this  poem   Mr.  Canynges  is  celebrated  by  Rowley  as 

the  builder  of  the  church   of  RedclifF,  a  work  greater  than  that  of  any  other 

founder  here  named : 

Next 

'"Wreaths.         «  Lying  on  the   earth  or  clods.         •'Appearance. 
'Frighted.         ■"  Objeft  of  the  eyes.         "  Quickly.  "Valiant, 

armour  or  accoutrements  for  the  arms,        '  Drenched.        >  Difpofe, 


i  Noifed. 

^  Named, 

P  Dreffed. 

s  Suit  of 

'  Darkncfs. 

»  Cover'd. 

[    ^29    ] 

Next  Radcleve  chyrche,  oh  workc  of  hand  of  heaven, 

Where  Canynge  (heweth  as  an  infirument 

Was  to  my  bifmarde  eynfyghte  newlie  given, 

*Tis  paft  to  blazon  ytt  to  good  contente  : 

Ye  that  wouldc  fayne  the  fetyve  buyldyngc  fee 

Repayre  to  Radcleve  and  contented  bee. 

But  it  appears  from  the  little  effays  faid  to  be  collefled  and  written  by  Row- 
ley for  Mayfter  Canynges,  that  their  friendfhip  was  founded  on  their  mutual 
love  of  learning  and  polite  literature,  and  the  cultivation  of  tne  ufcful  arts. 
The  following  are  printed  from  the  very  originals  in  Chatterton's  hand-writing, 
fent  in  two  letters  to  Horace  Walpole  Efq. 

S  I   R, 

Being  verfed  a  little  in  antiquities,  I  have  met  with  feveral  curious  manu- 
fcripts,  among  which  the  following  may  be  of  fervice  to  you,  in  any  future 
edition  of  your  truly  entertaining  anecdotes  of  painting — in  corre£ling  the 
miftakes  (if  any)  in  the  notes,  you  will  greatly  oblige. 

Your  moft  humble  fervant, 

THOMAS  CHATTERTON. 
Bridol,  March   25th,    Corn-itreet. 

The  Ryje  of  PeynBeynge,    in   Englande,  rvrcten  bie '  T.   Rowkic,    1469,  for 

Majlre*  Canynge. 

Peynfleynge  ynn  Englande,  haveth  of  ould  tyme  bin  yn  ure  ;  for  faieth 
the  Roman  wryters,  the  Brytonncs  dyd  dcpyfle  themfelves,  yn  fondric  wyfe, 
of  the  fourmes  of  the  fonne  and  moone  wythe  the  hearbe  woadc  :  albcytte  I 
doubte  theie  were  no  fkylied  carvellers.  The  Romans  be  accounted  of  all 
men  of  cunnynge  wytte  yn  peynfleynge  and  carvellynge  ;  aunter  theie  mote 
inhylde  theyre  rare  devyces  A'nto  the  mynds  of  the  Brytonnes ;  albcytte  attc 
the  commeynge  of  Hengeyft,  netc  appcares  to  wyttencfs  yt,  the  Kyftes  are 
rudelie  vcorvcn,  and  for  the  niolle  parte  bcyge  hepes  of  Itones.     Hcngcftc 

dyd 

J  T.  Rowleic  was  a  fecular  pried,  of  St.  John's,  in  this  city  ;  his  merit  as  a  biographer,  hifto- 
riographcr  is  great,  as  a  poet  ftill  greater  :  fomc  of  his  pieces  would  do  honor  to  Pope  ;  and  the 
perfon  under  whofe  patronage  they  may  appear  to  the  world,  will  lay  the  Englifhrnan,  the  anti- 
quars',  and  the  poet,  under  an  eternal  obligation.  2  The  founder  of  that  noble  Gothic  pile. 

Saint  Mary  Rcdclift  Church  in  this  city  :  the  Mcccnas  of  his  time  :  one  who  could  happily  blend 
ilie  poet,  the  painter,  thepricft,  and  the  chriflian  pcifeft  in  each  :  a  friend  to  all  in  diftrefs,  an 
honor  to  Briftol,  and  a  glory  to  thccliurch. 


C  640  ] 

dyd  brynge  ynto  thys  reaulme  herchaughtric,  whyche  dydde  biynge 
peynfleynge.  Hengefte  bare  an  3  afce  ahrered  bie  an  afgod.  Horfa,  anne 
horfe  faulcaunte,  whyche  eftfoones  hys  brodcr  eke  bore.  Cerdyke,  a  fheld 
i  adryfene;  Cuthwar  a  fliclde  •'afcgrod:  whofe  enfamples,  were  followed  bic 
the  hyiidlettes  of  hys  troupe,  thys  emproved  the  gentle  art  of  peynfleynge. 
Herehaughtrie  was  yn  efteem  amongfte  them,  take  yee  thefe  Saxon  acheuementes- 
^  Heofnas  uii  secced-fet  was  ybore  of  Leof — an  abthane  of  Somertonne  — 
7  Ocyre  aaded  —  ybore  bie  Elawolf  of  Mercia.  *  Blac  border  adronet  an 
ftorve  adellice  —  the  auntiaunte  armoiirie  of  Briftowe  — a9  fcclde  agrefen 
was  the  armourie  of  yElle  Lord  of  Bryftowe  ca-ftle  —  croffes  in  maynte  nom- 
bere  was  ybore,  albeyt  chiefes  and  oder  partytiones  was  unknowen,  until!  the 
nynthe  centurie.  Nor  was  peynfteynge  of  flieeldes  theire  onlie  emploie,  walles 
maic  bee  feene,  whereyn  ys  auntyaunte  Saxonne  peynteynge  ;  and  the  carvel- 
lynge  male  be  feene  yn  imageies  atte  Keynefhame  ;  Puckilchyrche ;  and  the 
caflle  albeyt  largerre  thane  life,  theie  be  of  feetyve  hondiewarkc.  Affleredus 
was  a  peynfter  of  the  eighth  centurie,  hys  dreffe  bee  ynne  menne,  a  longe 
alban,  braced  wythe  twayne  of  azure  gyrdles;  labellcs  of  redde  clothe  onne 
his  arme  and  flatted  beaver  uponne  the  heade.  Nexte  Aylward  in  tenthe 
centurie  ycorven  longe  paramentes ;  wythoute,  of  redde  uponne  pourple, 
wyth  goulde  bcltes  and  dukalle  couronnes  beinge  rems  of  floreatcd  goulde  — 
Afflcm  a  peyn6ter  lived  ynne  the  reygnc  of  Edmonde;  whane,  as  florie  faiethe 
was  fyrfl  broughteynto  Englande,  the  couneynge  mylterie  of  fteineynge  glaffe 
of  which  he  was  a  notable  perfourmer ;  of  his  worke  male  bee  feene  atte 
Afliebyrne,  as  eke  at  the  mynfter  chauncele  of  Seynfte  Bede,  whych  doethe 
reprefente  Seyn£le  "\\'arburghe  to  whoes  honoure  the  mynfterre  whylome 
ban  bin  dedycated.  Of  his  lyfe  be  fulle  maint  accountcs.  Goe\  nge  to  partes 
of  the  londe  hce  was  taken  bie  the  Danes,  and  carr)  ed  to  Dcnmarque,  there  to 
bee  forflagen  bie  fliotlc  of  arrowe.  Inkarde  afoldyer  of  the  Danes  was  to  (lea 
hym  ;  onne  the  nete  before  the  feefte  of  deathe  bee  founde  Afflem  to  bee  hys 
broder.  AfFrighte  chaynede  uppc  hys  foule.  Ghaftneffe  dwelled  yn  his 
breaftc.  Ofcarre  the  greate  Dane  gave  heft  bee  fliulde  bee  forflagene,  with 
the  commeynge  funne  ;  no  teares  coldc  availe,  the  morne  cladde  yn  roabes  of 
ghaftncfs  was  come;  whan  the  Daniquc  Kynge  bchcfted  Ofcarre,  to  araie  hys 
knyghtes  eftfoones,  forwarre:  Afflem  was  put  yn  theyre   flyeyngc  battailes, 

fawe 

3  A  (hip  fupported  by  a  idol.  4  An  imbofTed  fhield  ;  being   rudely  carved  with  flowers, 

leaves,  fcrpentes,  and  whatever  fuitcd  the  imagination  of  the  caver.  5  A  fhield  painted  in 

the  fame  tafte  as  the  carving  of  the   laft.  6  i\zurc   a  plate  ;  which    is  the  fignification    of 

Kcced-fet.  7  Or  Pomeife — aad  in  Saxon  was  little  green  cakes,  offered  to  the  afgods  or 

idols.  8  Sable  within  a  border  undee,  a  town  walled  and  crencUed  proper.  9  A  fhield 

carved  with  croITcs, 


C  641    ] 

Tawe  his  countrie  enfconccd  wythe  foemen,  hadde  hys  wyfe  andc  chyldrcnc 
broghtcn  capteeves  to  hys  fliyppe,  ande  wasdcieynge  wythe  forrowc,  whaniic 
the  loudc  blantauntc  \s-ynde  hurled  the  battayle  agayiifte  an  Jieck.  For 
fraughte  wythe  embolleynge  waves,  he  fawc  hys  hroder,  wyfe,  and  chvl- 
drenne  fynke  to  deathe  :  himfelfe  was  throwen  onne  a  bankc  ynne  the  I  fie  of 
Wyghte,  to  lyve  hys  lyfe  forgard  to  alle  emmoife:  thus  moche  for  Afflem. 
'°Johne,  feconde  abbatte  of  Seynfte  Auftyns  mynflere,  was  the  fyrfte  Eng- 
lyfhe  paynftere  yn  oyles  ;  of  hym  have  I  fayde  yn  oder  places  relateyngc  to 
his  poefies.  He  dyd  wryte  a  boke  of  the  Proportione  of  Ymageries,  whcre- 
ynne  he  faicth  the  Saxonncs  dydde  throwe  a  menglcturc  over  theyc  coloures 
to  chevie  them  from  the  weder.  Nowe  mcthynkethe  fteinedc  glaffe  mote  need 
no  fyke  a  cafinge,  buttc  oile  alleync  ;  botte  albcytte  ne  peynQeynge  of  the 
Saxonnes  bee  in  oyle  botte  water,  or  as  whylome  called  eau.  Chatelion,  a 
Frenchmane,  learned  oyle  paynfteynge  of  abbat  Johne.  Carvellynge  ynnc 
hys  daies  gedered  new  beauties,  botte  moflelie  was  wafled  in  fmallc  and  dri- 
blelet  pieces,  the  ymageries  beeynge  alle  cladde  ynne  longe  paramentes, 
whan  the  glorie  of  a  carveller  fhulde  bee  in  ungarmented  ymagerie,  therebie 
fliewinge  the  femblamente  to  kynde.  Roberte  of  Glowfter  liflcd  notte  his 
fpryghte  toe  warre  ne  learnynge,  butte  was  the  fonne,  under  whofe  raies  the 
flowrettes  of  the  fielde  fhotte  ynto  lyfe  :  Gille  a  Brogtonne  was  kyndelie  nor- 
riced  bie  himme,  whoe  depyfted  notable  yn  eau.  Henrie  a  Thonton  was  a 
geafon  depyElor  of  countenances ;  he  paynfted  the  walles  of  Mafter  Canynge 
hys  howfe,  where  bee  the  councelmenne  atte  dynnere  ;  a  mofte  daintie  ande 
feetyve  performaunce  nowe  ycrafed,  beeynge  done  ynne  M.CC.I.  Henrie  a 
Londre  was  a  curyous  broderer  of  fcarfes  ynne  fylver  ande  golde  and  felkes 
diverfe  of  hue.     Childeberte  Wefte  was  a  depyftour  of  countenances.     Botte 

I  I  I  I  above 

10  This  John  was  the  greateft  poet  of  the  age   in  which  he  lived  ;  he  underflood  the  learned 
languages.     Take  a  fpeclmen  of  his  poetry  on  King  Richard  1  ft. 

Harte  of  hone  !   fliake  thie  fworde, 
Bare  thie  mortheyngc  fteinede  honde  : 
Quace  whole  armies  to  the  queedc, 
Worke  thie  wylle  yn  biirlie  brondc. 
Barons  here  on  bankcrs-browdcd, 
Fyghte  yn  furrcs  gaynftc  the  cale  ; 
Whilcft  thou  ynnc  thonderyngc  artncs. 
W'arrikcth  whole  cyllycs  bale. 
Harte  of  lyon  !  Sound  the  heme  I 
Soiinde  yite  ynto  inner  londes, 
Fearc  flics  fportine  ynne  the  cleeme, 
Innc  thie  banner  terror  ftondct. 


[    642     ] 

above  alle  was  the  peynfler  John  deBohunn,  whofe  worke  maic  be  feene  yn 
Weflmynfter  halle.  "  Of  carvellers  and  oder  peynfters  I  fhalle  faie  here- 
after, fyrfl  Englyfchynge  from  the  Latyne  cis  to  wytte.  Peyn6leynge  improv- 
eth  the  mynde  and  fmotheth  the  roughe  face  of  our  fpryghtcs. 

S   I    R, 

I  offer  you  fome  further  anecdotes  and  fpecimens   of  poetry  and  painters, 
and  am  Your  very  humble  and  obedient  fervant, 

THOMAS  CHATTERTON. 
March  30,  69,  Corn-ftreet,  Briftol. 

Uijlorie  of  PeynBers  yn  Enghnde.  Bie  T.  Rowley. 
Haveyngc  fayde  yn  oder  places  of  peynfteynge  and  the  ryfe  thereof,  eke  of 
fomme  peynfteres  ;  nowe  bee  ytte  toe  be  fayde  of  oders  wordie  of  note. 
Afwolde  was  a  fkylled  wyghte  yn  laieynge  onne  of  coloures;  bee  lyved  yn 
Mercias,  ynne  the  daies  of  Kynge  Offa,  ande  depyded  the  countenauncc  of 
Eadburga  hys  dauter,  whyche  depyfture  beeynge  borne  to  Brightrycke  he 
toke  her  to  wyfe,  as  maie  be  feene  at  large  in  ^  Alfridus.  Edilwald  Kynge  of 
the  Northumbers  underllode  peyn6leynge,  botte  I  cannot  fynde  anie  piece  of 
hys  ^  nemped.  Inne  a  manfion  at  Cepenhamme  I  have  feene  a  peynfteynge 
of  moche  antiquitie,  where  is  fytteynge  Egbrychte  in  a  royaul  manner,  wythe 
kyiiges  yn  chaynes  at  hys  fotc,  withe  mein£te  '^  femblable  fygures,  whyche 
were  fymboles  of  hys  lyfe  ;  and  I  haveth  noted  the  Saxons  to  be  more  notable 
ynne  lore  and  peynfteynge  thann  the  Normannes,  nor  ys  the  monies  fythcnce 
■the  daies  of  Willyame  le  Baflarde  fo  fayrelie  flroken  as  aforctyme.  I  eke 
haveth  fcen  the  armorie  of  Eafl.  Sexe  mod  ^  fetyvclie  depytled,  ynne  the 
medR  of  an  auntyaunte  wall.  Botte  nowe  wee  bee  upon  peynfteynge,  fomme- 
whatte  maie  be  faide  of  the  poemes  of  thofe  daies,  whyche  bee  toe  the  mynde 
what  peyn£leynge  bee  toe  the  eyne,  the  coloures  of  the  fyrfte  beeynge  mo 
dureynge.  Ecca  Byfhoppc  of  Hereforde  yn  D.LVII.  Mas  a  goode  poete, 
whome  I  thus  Englyfhe  : 

Whan  azure  fkie  ys  veylde  yn  robes  of  nyghte, 

Whanne  glemmrynge  dewedropes  "^  flounde  the  ^  fay  tours  eyne, 

Whanne  flying  cloudes,  betinged  wyth  roddie  lyghte. 

Doth  on  the  brindlynge  wolfe  and  wood  bore  fhine, 

Whanne 

ji  I  have  the  lives  of  fcveral  eminent  carvers,  painters,  &c.  of  antiquity,  but  as  tlicy  all 
relate  to  Briflol  may  not  be  of  fervice  in  a  general  hiflorie.  If  they  may  be  acceptable  to  you, 
they  arc  at  your  fervice. 

=■  This  is  a  writer,  whofe  works  I  have  never  been  happy  enough  to  meet  with,— 
'  Mentioned.         '  Metaphorical.        ^  Elegantly,  handfomely.        '  Aflonifli.        '  Travellers. 


C   643   ] 

Whann  even  ftar  fayre  hcrehai^lite  of  nyght, 
Spreds  the  darke  doufkie  fhceiie  alongc  the  '  mees. 
The  wreethynge  -  neders  fends  a  3  glumie  lyghte,      g 
And  houlets  wynge  from  4  levyn  blafted  trees. 
Arife  mie  fpryghte  and  feke  the  diftant  delle, 
And  there  to  ecchoyng  tonges  thie  raptured  joies  ytelc. 
Gif  thys  manne  han  no  hande  for  a  peyn£ler,  he  han  a  head  :  a  pycliire  ap- 
pearethc  ynnc  cache  lyne,  and  I  wys  fo  fync  an  even  fighte  mote  be  drawn,  as 
ys  ynne  the  above.      In  anoder  of  hys  vearfes  he  faithe, 

Whanne  fprynge  came  dauncynge  onne  a  flourette  bedde, 
Dighte  ynne  greene  raimente  of  a  chaungynge  kynde  ; 
The  leaves  of  hawthorne  boddeynge  on  hys  hedde. 
And  whyte  prymrofen  coiireyngc  to  the  wyndc  ; 
Thanne  dyd  the  ^  fliepfter  hys  longe  ^  albanne  fpredde 
Uponne  the  greenie  bancke  and  daunced  arounde, 
Whileft  the  foeft  flowretts  nodded  onne  his  hedde. 
And  hys  fayre  lambes  7  befprenged  onne  the  ground;] 
Anethe  hys  fote  the  brooklette  ranne  alonge, 
"W'hyche  ftrolled  rounde  the  vale  to  here  hys  joyous  fonge. 
Methynckethe  thefe  bee  thoughtes  notte  oft  to  be  mettcn  wyth,  and   ne  to 
bee  excellede  yn  theyre  kynde.      EUmar  Byfhoppe   of   Selfeie  was  fetyve  yn 
■workes  of  ^  ghaftlienefs,  for  the  whyche  take  yce  thys  fpeeche  : 
Nowe  maie  alle  helle  open  to  golpe  thee  downe, 
Whylfte  azure  '^  merke  '"  immenged  wythc  the  dale, 
Shewe  lyghte  on  darkened  pcynes  to  be  moc  "  rounc, 
O  maieft  thou  die  lyving  deathes  for  aic  ; 
Maie  floodes  of  Solfirre  bear  thie  fprighte  '=  anoune, 
Synkeynge  to  depths  of  woe,  maie  "3  levnnebrondes 
Tremble  upon  thie  peyne  devoted  crowne. 
And  fenge  thie  alle  yn  vayne  emploreynge  hondes  ; 
Maie  alle  the  woes  that  Godis  wrathc  cannc  fende 
Uponne  thie  heade  alyghte,  and  there  theyre  furie  fpendc. 
Gorweth  of  Wales  be  fayde  to  be  a  wryter  goode,  bottc  I  underftande  not 
that  tonge.     Thus  moche  for  poetes,  whofe  poefies  do  beere  refcmblance  to 
pyftures  in  mie  unwordie  opynion.     AlTcrius  was  a  wryter  of  hyftorics  ;  he  ys 
buried  atte   Seynte  Keynas  College  ynnc  Keynfliam   wythc  Torgotte,  aiiodor 

I  I  I  1   2  writer 

1   Meads.  2  Adders,    perhaps  ufcd  for  glow-worms.  3  Gloomy.  4    Lightning. 

5  Shepherd.  6  A  large    loofe  white   robe.  7  Scattered.  8  Terror.         9  Darkncls. 

lo  Mingled.         11  Terrific,     la  Ever  and  anon,  often.         13  Thunderbolts. 


[     ^44     ] 

writer  of  hyflories.  Inne  the  walle  of  thys  college  is  the  fombe  of'  Seynfte 
Keyna,  whych  was  ydoulven  anic,  andc  placed  yiine  the  walle,  albeit  done  yn 
the  daies  of  Cerdycke,  as  appeared  bie  a  crofTc  of  Icadc  upon  the  "  kyfle;  ytte 
bee  moc  notablie  perfourmed  than  3  meynte  of  4ymageries  of  thefe  daies. 
Inne  the  chyrche  wyndowe  ys  a  ^  geafon  peynfteynge  of  Seyn£le  Keyna  fytte- 
ynge  in  a  trefoliated  chayre,  ynne  a  longe  alban  braced  wythe  golden  gyrdles 
from  the  wafle  upwarde  to  the  breafle,  over  the  whyche  ys  a  fmaule  azure 
^  coape  ;  benethe  ys  depy£ted  Galfridus,  M.LV.  whyche  male  bee  that  Geof- 
froie  who  ybuylded  the  geafon  7  gate  to  SeynQe  Auguftynes  chapele  once 
leadeynge.  Harrie  Piercie  of  Northombcrlande  was  a  *  quaynte  peynQer;  he 
lyvedeyn  M.C.  and  depySed  feveralleofthe  wyndowes  ynne  Thong  abbie,  the 
greate  wyndowe  atte  Battaile  abbeie  ;  hec  depyfted  the  face  verie  welle  wyth- 
alle,  botte  was  lackeynge  yn  the  mofle-to-bee  loked-to  accounte,  proportione. 
Johne  a  Roane  paynBed  the  fliape  to  an  hayre  ;  he  carved  the  cafte  for  the 
fheelde  of  Gilberte  Clare  of  9  thek  fetyve  perfourmaunce.  Ellwarde  '°  ycorne 
the  cafte  for  the  feale  of  Kynge  Haroldc  of  moft^  geafon  worke  ;  nor  has  anie 
feal  fythence  bynne  fo  rare,  excepte  the  feale  of  Kynge  Henrie  the  fyfthe, 
corven  bie  Jofephe  Whetgyfte.  Thomas  a  Baker,  from  corveynge  croffe 
loafes,  toke  to  corveyng  of  ymageryes,  whyche  he  dyd  moft  fetyvelie ;  hee 
lyved  ynne  the  cittie  of  Bathe,  beeynge  the  fyrfte  yn  Englande  thatte  ufed 
hayre  ynne  the  bowe  of  the  "  fyddle,  beeynge  beefore  ufed  wythe  peetched 
hempe  or  flax.  Thys  carveller  dyd  decefe  ynn  M.LXXI.  Thus  moche  for 
carvellers  and  peynfters. 

John  was  induced  abbot  in  the  year  1 186,  and  fat  in  the  dies  29  years.  As 
vou  approve  of  the  fmall  fpecimen  of  his  poetry,  I  have  fent  you  a  larger, 
which  though  admirable  is  ftill  (in  my  opinion)  inferior  to  '  Rowley,  whofe 
vorks  when  I  have  leifure  I  will  fairly  copy  and  fend  you. 

The     W  A  R  R  E. 

Of  warres  ^  glumm  pleafaunce  doe  I  chaunte  mie  laie, 

Trouthe  tips  the  3  poynftelle  wyfdomme  •»  fkemps  the  lyne, 

Whylfte  hoare  experiaunce  tclleth  what  toe  faic. 

And  5  forwyned  hofbandrie  wyth  blearie  eyne, 

Stondcth 

1  This,  1  believe,  is  there  now.  2  Coffin.  3  Many.  4  Statues,  &c.  5  Curicus. 
6  Cloak  or  mantle.  7  This  gate  is  now  ftanding  in  this  cit)',  though  the  chapel  is  not  to  be 

fccn.         8  Curious.         9  Very.  10  A   contraftion  of  ycorvcn,  carved.  11   Nothing  is 

fo  much  wanted  as  a  hiftory  of  the  violin,  nor  is  any  antiquar)'  more  able  to  do  it  than  yourfelf. 
Such  a  piece  would  redound  to  the  honour  of  England,  as  Rowley  proves  the  ufe  of  the  bow  to 
be  known  to  the  Saxons,  and  even  introduced  by  them.  j  None  of  Rowley's  pieces  were  ever 
made  public,  being  till  the  year  1631  fhut  up  in  an  iron  chcft  in  RcdclifF  church.  s  Gloomy. 
3  Pen.       4  Marks.         5  Blafled,  burnt. 


C   645   ] 

Stondeili  and  ^  woe  bcments;  the  trecklynge  bryne 
Rounnynge  adone  hys  cheekes  which  doethe  fhewc, 

Lyke  hys  unfrutefuUe  fieldes,  longe  firaungers  to  the  ploughc. 
Saie,  *  Glowftcr,  whanne  '  befprenged  on  evrich  fyde. 
The  gentle  hyndlette  and  the  vylleyn  fclle  ; 
Whanne  ^  fmetheynge  9  fange  dyd  flowc  lyke  to  a  tyde, 
And  fprytes  were  damned  for  the  lacke  of  knelle, 
Diddeft  thou  kenne  ne  lykenefsto  an  helle. 
Where  all  were  mifdeedes  doeynge  lyche  unwife. 

Where  hope  unbarred  and  deathe  eftfoones  dyd  fhote  theyre  eies. 
Ye  '°  fhepfter  fwaynes  who  the  "  ribibble  kenne, 
Endc  the  '-  thyghte  daunce,  ne  loke  uponnc  the  fperc  : 
In  '3  ugfommnclfe  ware  mofte  bee  dyghte  toe  menne, 

'■1  Unfelinefs  attendethe  '5  hounourewere  ; 
Quaffe  your  '^  fwote  '7  vernage  and  '*  atreeted  beere. 

The  following  obfervations  mufl  occur  to  every  reader  of  thefe  letters  to 
Mr.  Walpole  on  the  poetry  and  paintings  of  antiquity  : 

1.  Is  not  Chatterton's  offering  to  produce  the  whole  colleftion  to  him  to  be 
inferted  in  the  next  edition  of  the  Anecdotes  on  Painting,  a  ftrong  proof  of 
himfelf  fuppofing  them  originals  or  copied  from  fuch  and  authentic,  or  his 
own  good  fenfe  would  never  have  rifqued  the  difcovery  of  their  being  other- 
wife  to  fo  able  a  judge  in  fuch  things  as  Mr.  W^alpole,  foconverfant  in  thefe 
verv  fubjetls.  However  he  might  impofe  upon  others,  he  never  would  have 
chofen  fuch  a  one  for  the  firft  trial  of  his  impofition. 

2.  He  fent  Mr.  Walpole  a  fecond  letter,  and  offered  to  continue  this  corref- 
pondence,  and  tranfcribe  for  him  every  thing  of  Rowley's  he  had  in  his  poffef- 
fion  for  publication. 

3.  Thefe  related  to  fubjefts  fo  various,  would  any  man  with  the  Icafl  fenfe 
ever  attempt  a  deception  in  fuch  numerous  inftances  of  poetry,  painting,  carv- 
ing, heraldry,  divinity,  antient  manners,  hiftory  of  Briftol,  and  other  places, 
&c.  ?  In  each  of  which  he  mud  neceffarily  lay  himfelf  open  to  deteftion. 

4.  Let  the  coincidence  of  fcveral  circumftances  related  by  Chatlcrton,  and 

agreement  with  the  fame   recorded  in  old  deeds  and  in  the  city  books  in  the 

chamber,  be  weighed  and  compared,  and  with  other  facls,  of  which  he  could 

not  poffibly  come  at  the  knowledge. 

5.  Let 

6   Laments.          *    Earl  or  confulof  Gloccder.         7    Scattered.          8  Smoking.  9    Blood. 

10  Shepherds.        ii    A  fiddle.       J2   Compaft,  orderly,  tight.        13  Terror.        14  Unhappincfs, 

15  The  place  or  rcfidcnce  of  honour.         »6  Sweet.         17  Vintage,  wine,  cyder.  18  Extrac- 
ted from  corn. 


C   646   ] 

5.  Let  all  the  external  evidence  alread/  advanced  on  this  occarion  be  well 
weighed,  the  difficulty  of  forging  not  a  few  lines  but  whole  pages  on  parch- 
ment be  ■confidered,  and  what  ends  could  l)c  anfwered  by  it,  &c.  and  then 
the  impartial  will  be  able  to  form  a  juft  opinion  of  this  matter  in  difputc. 

The  critics  may  contend  about  the  originality  of  all  or  any  of  the  nianu- 
fcripts,  about  alterations  or  additions  made,  about  the  ufage  of  old  and  obfo- 
lete  words  and  the  language  of  the  time,  fuffice  it  for  the  author  of  this  hiftory 
that  he  has  faithfully  and  honeftly  tranfcribed  and  printed  them.  If  it  offends, 
and  what  will  not  offend,  the  "  genus  irritabile  vatum,"  he  fhall  leave  them 
to  amufe  themfelves  at  their  Icifure  in  the  way  they  like  bed,  but  widies  nothing 
but  an  enquiry  after  the  truth  would  dire£l  their  pens. 

■\^'hethcr  they  are  or  are  not  authentic,  whatever  alterations  in  the  form 
or  words  have  been  made,  and  additions  and  interpolations  inferted  by 
Chatterton,  they  are  here  faithfully  prefented  to  the  reader  to  form  his  own 
judgment  upon  them  ;  whilfl  the  author  cannot  but  lament  the  unhappy  fate  of 
this  mifguided  youth,  who  leaving  the  good  principles  in  which  he  was 
educated,  and  led  aftray  by  the  falfc  glare  of  a  flrong  imagination  and  flat- 
tering pride  of  fuperior  underftanding,  reafoned  himfelf  out  of  all  thoughts  of  a 
futurity,  and  forgetting  he  was  a  being  accountable  for  his  aflions  to  his  Maker 
and  hisjudgc,  put  a  period  to  his  exiftence,  and  committing  a  murder  upon  him- 
felf ruflied  out  of  life  into  the  prefence  of  his  Maker,  without  a  defire  of 
atonement  or  forgivenefs,  without  any  belief  in  or  reliance  on  a  Redeemer. 
In  his  laft  letter  to  a  friend,  dated  Auguft  12,  1770,  he  fays,  "  Heaven  fend 
you  the  comforts  of  Chriftianity ;  I  requeft  them  not,  for  I  am  no  Chriflian." 
The  following  letter,  printed  from  his  own  hand-writing,  fliews  the  prevailing 
temper  of  this  unhappy  youth.  His  mafter,  Mr.  Lambert,  'the  attorney, 
found  a  letter  upon  the  writing-defk  of  Chatterton,  addreffed  to  a  worthy, 
generous  man,  Mr.  Clayfield,  Hating  "  his  diflreffcs,  and  that  on  Mr.  Clay- 
field's  receiving  that  letter,  he  (Chatterton)  ftiould  be  no  more."  At  this  letter 
Mr.  Lambert  being  alarmed  fent  it  to  Mr.  Barrett,  thinking  he  might  difTuade 
him  from  this  impious  attempt  on  himfelf,  who  fending  immediately  for  Chat- 
terton qucRioned  him  clofely  upon  the  occafion  in  a  tender  and  friendly  man- 
ner, but  forcibly  urged  to  him  the  horrible  crime  of  felf-murder,  however 
gloffcd  over  by  our  prefcnt  libertines,  blaming  the  bad  company  and  princi- 
ples he  had  adopted  ;  this  betrayed  him  into  fome  compunflion,  and  by  his 
tears  he  feemed  to  feel  it  —  at  the  faine  time  he  acknowledged  he  wanted  fot 
nothing,  and  denied  any  diftrefs  upon  that  account.  He  next  day  fent  the 
following  letter : 

To 


[    647     'J 

To    Mr.    Barrett. 
S  I   R, 

Upon  recolleclion  I  don't  know  how  Mr.  Clayficld  coul J  come  by  his  letter, 
as  I  intended  to  have  given  him  a  letter  but  did  not.  In  regard  to  my  motives 
for  the  fuppofcd  rafhnefs,  I  fhall  obferve,  that  I  keep  no  worfe  company  than 
m^fr'f ;  I  never  drink  to  excefs,  and  have  without  vanity  too  mucli  fenfe  to  be 
attached  to  the  mercenary  retailers  of  iniquity.  —  No!  It  is  my  pride,  my 
damn'd,  native,  unconquerable  pride  that  plunges  me  into  diftraflion.  You 
mud  know  that  i9-20th  of  my  compofition  is  pride  :  I  mult  either  live  a  flave, 
a  fervaiu,  have  no  will  of  my  own,  no  fentiments  of  my  own  which  I  may 

freely  declare  as  fuch,  or  die  ! Perplexing  alternative  !     But  it  diflrafts 

me  to  think  of  it.      I  will  endeavour  to  learn  humility,  but  it  cannot  be  here. 
What  it  will  coft  me  on  the  trial  Heaven  knows  ! 

I  am. 
Your  much  obliged,  unhappy,  humble  fervant, 

Thurfday  evening.  T.   C. 

Some  few  w-eeks  after  this  he  planned  the  fcheme  of  going  to  London,  and 
there  writing  for  the  bookfellcrs,  &c.  Moll  of  his  friends  and  acquaintance 
contributed  a  guinea  apiece  towards  his  journey,  and  he  there  fettled,  but 
carried  his  libertine  principles  with  him,  coelum  non  animum  mutans,  till  the 
fame  pride,  the  fame  principles  impelled  him  to  become  his  own  executioner. 
He  took  a  large  dofe  of  opium,  fome  of  which  was  picked  out  from  between 
his  teeth  after  death,  and  he  was  found  the  next  morning  a  mod  horrid 
fpeftaclc,  with  limbs  and  features  diflorted  as  after  convulfions,  a  frightful 
and  ghaftly  corpfe.  Such  was  the  horrible  cataftrophe  of  T.  Chatterton,  the 
producer  of  Rowley  and  his  poems  to  the  world. 

But  to  return  from  Rowley  to  his  friend  and  patron  Mr.  Canynges.  It  is 
remarkable,  nothing  has  been  found  after  the  latter's  becoming  Dean  of  Weftbury 
relating  to  Rowley,  nor  is  he  mentioned  in  the  will  of  Mr.  Canynges,  in  the 
prerogative  office  in  a  book  called  Wattic,  p.  125.  dated  12  November,  1474, 
which  has  given  occafion  for  many  furmifes  ;  but  miglit  he  not  have  died 
before  that  date,  before  his  patron  ? 

It  is  now  left  to  the  judicious  and  candid  reader  to  form  his  own  opinion 
concerning  Rowley  and  Chatterton,  whiUl  the  life  of  Mr.  Canynges  mud  be 
confidered  that  of  a  wife  and  worthy  man,  a  diligent,  rich  and  honed  merchant, 
who  with  the  greated  honour  and  integrity  filled  the  office  of  chief  magidraic 
of  this  city  five  times,  and  of  rcprefentativc  in  Parliament  in  1451,  and  1455  : 

ajid 


C   548   ] 

and  leaving  the  woiid  and  its  vanities  ended  his  charitable  and  pious  life  in 
religious  retirement. 

William  Yonge,  member  for  Briflol  the  34th  of  Edward  the  3d.  1361,  had  a 
fon  Thomas  mayor  1411,  and  member  in  Parliament  1414,  by  his  will  dated 
the  14th  of  March  1426,  he  ftiles  himfelf  burgefs  of  Briftol,  and  orders  his 
body  to  be  buried  before  the  altar  of  St.  Nicholas  in  the  church,  of  St.  Tho- 
mas ;  and  leaves  legacies  to  the  friers  mendicant  of  Briftol,  and  for  finding  a 
chaplain  to  pray  for  his  foul  in  that  church  for  a  whole  year,  and  he  leaves  his 
wife  his  manfion  in  Temple-ftreet,  and  other  meffuages  there  and  in  the 
fuburbs  of  Briftol.  Thomas  Yonge  was  a  great  merchant  in  1408,  and  mar- 
ried Joanna  the  widow  of  John  Canynges,  and  mother  of  William  Canynges 
the  founder,  and  there  is  reafon  to  believe  had  the  care  of  the  education 
of  "\\'illiam  Canynges  then  a  minor  of  only  fix  years  old  at  his  father's  death. 
— This  Thomas  had  two  fons,  Thomas  and  John  ;  Thomas  the  elder  being  an 
eminent  lawyer  was  returned  member  for  Briftol*  in  the  15th,  20th,  25th,  27th, 
28th,  2gth  and  33d  of  Henry  the  6th.  was  appointed  King's  ferjeant  the  3d  of 
Edward  the  4th.  and  chief  juftice  of  the  common  pleas  with  a  grant  often 
marks  per  ann.  the  7th  of  Edward  the  4th.  and  1463  was  recorder  of  Briftol  : 
dying  1476  was  buried  in  Chrift-Church,  London:  he  died  feized  of  the 
manor  of  North  Wraxal,  Wilts,  with  the  advowfon  of  the  church  and  of  the 
manor  of  Eafton  in  Gordano,  Somerfet,  near  Briftol.  Mr.  Canynges  in  his 
deeds  calls  this  Thomas  Yonge  brother. 

The  prefent  Right  Hon.  Sir  George  Young  of  Devonfliire  is  lineally  de- 
fcended  from  this  family  in  Briftol,  arms  ermine  on  a  bend  between  two 
cotizes  fable,  three  Griffins'  heads  erafed  or.  creft  on  a  wreath  arg.  and  fable 
a  boar's  head  erafed  vert  brifted  or.  mantled  g.  double  arg. — Motto,  Fortitu- 
dinc&  prudentia. 

William  Grocyne,  native  of  Briftol,  1467  bred  at  Winchefter  fchool, 
where  when  a  youth  he  was  a  moft  excellent  poet.  The  following  tctraftick  is 
(aid  to  be  made  by  him  extempore  on  his  miftrefs  pelting  him  with  a  fnow  ball. 

Me  nive  candenti  petiit  mea  Julia  ;  rebar 

Igne  carere  nivem,  nix  tamen  ignis  erat 
Sola  potes  noftras  extinguere  Julia  flammas 

Non  nive,  non  glacie,  at  tu  potes  igne  pari. 

He 

*  J. 153  lie  moved  in  the  Houfc  of  Commons,  that  as  King  Henry  had  no  ifTuc,  the  Duke  of 
\  ork  might  be  declared  heir-apparent  of  the  crown  ;.  but  he  was  committed  to  the  Tower  for  this 
motion.— Smoll.'ti's  hill.  v.  5.  p.  27. 


[    649    ] 

He  afterwards  went  over  to  Italy,  where  he  had  Demetrius  Chalcondilus  and 
Politian  for  his  mafters,  and  returning  to  England  was  the  fufl  public  profcfTor 
of  the  Greek  tongue  in  Oxford.  There  is  no  more  to  be  added  to  his  honour, 
except  that  Erafmus  in  his  epiftles  often  owns  him  pro  patrono  fuo  ct  prascep- 
tore.  He  died  in  1520,  aged  80.  Vide  Wood,  Ath.  vol.  i.  p.  13.  Bio- 
graph.  Brit,  p.  201.   Fofter  on  Accent  and  Quant.    1763,  p.  210. 

John  Brook,  ferjeant  at  law  to  King  Henry  the  8th.  and  one  of  the  juftices 
of  affize  in  the  weflern  parts,  was  a  very  eminent  lawyer,  and  chief  Reward  to 
the  abbey  of  Glaftonbury  ;  he  lies  buried  in  Redcliff  church,  witli  an  infcrip- 
tion  fee  p.  587.  His  fon  David  was  chief  baron  of  the  exchequer  the  iflof 
Queen  Mary.  He  married  Catherine  daughter  of  John  Lord  Chandois,  and 
died  without  iffue. 

Sir  George  Snjgg  was  one  of  the  barons  of  the  exchequer,  a  mofl  upright 
judge  and  fkilful  lawyer,  and  recorder  of  Briltol.      Seep.  514. 

Dr.  George  Owen  is  faid  in  a  manufcript  penes  me  to  be  a  native  of  this 
city,  to  which  he  became  a  diftinguiflied  benefaftor  :  fee  p.  396.  434.  He  is 
celebrated  by  J.  Leland,  among  the  encomia  illuftrium  virorum,  p.  96.  vol. 
V.  2d  edit,  in  a  copy  of  Latin  vcrfes,  both  as  a  philofpher  and  phyfician.  He 
was  for  his  abilities  highly  favoured  at  court,  and  appointed  by  the  difcerning 
Henry  the  8th.  phyfician  to  himfelf.  Queen  Catherine,  and  Edward  the  6th. — 
He  attended  Cardinal  Wolfey  in  his  lafl:  illnefs  by  exprefs  order  of  the  King. 
(Stow.)  He  was  fellow  of  Merton  college,  Oxford,  lived  at  Godftow  in  Ox- 
fordfhire  in  clofe  friendfliip  with  J.  Smith,  Efq;  mayor  of  Briftol,  and  was  a 
great  purchafer  of  abby  lands  of  Henry  8th.  who  favoured  him  much.  He 
died  October  ig,   1558. 

Hugh  or  Robert  Elliot,  fherifF  of  Briftol,  principal  pilot  of  this  nation,  with 
Mr.  Thorn  1527  made  a  voyage  for  difcoveries,  and  firft  peopled  Newfound- 
land, though  he  met  not  with  public  encouragement.  Hackluit,  Voyag.  vol.  iii. 
p.  10.      See  before  p.  177. 

John  Fowler,  a  printer  here,  a  fccond  Henry  Stephens,  a  good  poet  and 
orator,  well  (killed  in  Latin  and  Greek,  abridged  Thomas  Aquinas,  and  tran- 
flated  Oforius  into  Englifh;  but  not  liking  the  Reformation  of  Exlward  6th. 
and  Oueen  Elizabeth,  went  to  Antwerp,  and  died  at  Namur  1579,  and  lies 
there  intererd  in  the  church  of  St.  John. 

Robert  Thorn,  born  in  Briftol,  and  bred  a  merchant  taylor  in  London. — 
He  was  bleffed  with  a  plentiful  fortune,  and  what  is  more  with  a  liberal  mind 
and  charitable  and  benevolent  heart.  He  is  faid  to  have  bellowed  more  than 
4440I.  to  pious  ufes,  and  amongft  other  things  founded  and  endowed  the  free 
grammar-fchool  in  this  city;  amidft  all  not  forgetting  his  poor  kindied  in  the 

K  K  K  K  dillribiitioii 


C   650   ] 

diftribution  of  his  fortune  or  enriching  the  public  to   the  negleft  of  them,  he 
gave  them  5140!.  befides  large  funis  he  forgave  that  they  owed  him.     He  died 
a  batchelor  in  the  40th  year  of  his  age  in  1532,  and  was  buried  in  the  church 
of  St.  Chriflopher,  London,  with  the  following  monumental  infcription: 
Robertus  cubat  hie  Thornus,  mercalor  honeflus. 

Qui  fibi  legitimas  arte  paravit  opes : 
Huic  vitam  dederat  puero  Briflollia  quondam, 
Londinum  hoc  lumulo  clauferat  atque  diem, 
Ornavit  ftudiis  patriam,  virtutibus  auxit, 
Gymnafium  erexit  fumptibus  ipfe  fuis. 
Leflor  quifquis  ades  requiem  cineri  precor  optes, 
Supplex  et  precibus  numina  flefte  tuis. 
Obiit  1532,  aetatis  vero  fuae  anno  40. 
Of  Nicholas  Thorn,  brother  of  the  above  Robert,  fee  p.  483. 
Robert  Thorn  the  elder,  father  of  the  above  Robert  and  Nicholas,  was  bred 
a  merchant,  and  was  mayor  of  Briftol  1514,  and  knighted   in   Seville.      He 
had  all  the  rule  of  white  foap.  —  In  the  Temple  church,  London,  is  the  fol- 
lowing infcription  to  him : 

Robertus  jacet  hie  Thorne,  quem  Briflollia  quondam 

Pretoris  merito  legit  ad  officium. 
Huic  etenim  femper  magnae  rcfpublica  cura?, 

Charior  et  cunftis  patria  divitiis, 
Ferre  inopi  auxilium,  trifles  componere  lites, 

Duke  huic  confilio  quofq;  juvare  fuit. 
Oui  pius  exaudis  miferorum  vota  precefque 
Chrifle,  huic  in  coeli  des  regione  locum. 
In  the  Briflol  grammar-fchool  are   two  paintings  of  Robert   and  Nicholas 
Thorn.      Arg.  three  lozenges  G.   a  lion  pafTant,  or,   chief  fable,  with  his  cy- 
pher T.  R.  and  the  following  verfes : 

Spina  vocor,  fupereft  tribuatur  gloria  danti 
Quae  bona  pauperibus  fpina  dat  effe  Deo. 
And  over  Nicholas  Thorn's  picture  is,  "  Ex  fpinis  uvas  collegimus." 
William  Child,  Doftor  of  Mufic,  born  in  this  city,  was  chanter  of  the  king's 
chapel,  obtained  licence  to  proceed  I3otlor  of  Mufic  at  Oxford,  which  degree 
he  completed  in  an  aft  celebrated  in  St.  Mary's  church,  July  13,  1663.     He 
was  educated  in  mufical  praxis  under  one  Elway  Bevan,  the  famous  compofer 
and  organift  of  the  cathedral  of  Briflol.      He  fucceeded  Dr.  John  Mundy  as 
organifl  at  the  chapel  royal  at  Windfor,  and  then  was  one  of  the  organifls  of  his 

Majcfly's 


C  651   ] 

diapel  at  Whitehall  and  of  the  private  mufic  to  King  Charles  2d.  There  are 
divers  compofures  by  him  of  tunes  to  pfalms,  catches,  rounds,  canons,  and 
divine  hymns. 

William  Gibbes,  Doflor  of  Phyfic,  wasanative  ofBrifloI,  his  family  refid- 
ing  in  the  parifh  of  St.  Mary  RcdclifTand  having  great  property  there  without 
Temple-gate.  He  was  phyfician  to  Queen  Henrietta  Maria  and  Mrs.  Mary 
Stoner  of  the  antient  family  of  that  name  in  Oxfordfhirc. 

James  Alban  Gibbes,  of  Bridol,  fon  of  William  Gibbes  of  that  city,  edu- 
cated a  papift  at  St.  Omer's,  travelled  through  Germany,  Spain,  Italy,  &c. 
and  became  a  compleat  fcholar,  and  was  made  lefturer  of  rhetoric  at  Rome  by 
Pope  Alexander  7th.  in  the  fchool  of  Sapienza  and  had  a  canonry  of  St.  Cel- 
fus  given  him  by  the  faid  Pope,  who  having  publiflicd  a  book  of  verfes,  our 
Gibbes  had  a  copy  of  verfes  fet  before  them.  This  difcovered  Gibbes's  poeti- 
cal genius,  which  caufed  him  to  be  fo  much  admired  that  Leopold  the  Emperor 
in  1667  did  create  him  poet  laureate,  giving  him  at  the  fame  time  a  gold  chain 
■with  a  medal  hanging  thereto,  to  be  always  worn  by  him  efpecially  at  folemn 
times  and  in  public  places,  which  being  made  known  to  Clement  gth.  he  was 
admitted  to  his  prefence,  kiffed  his  foot,  and  was  congratulated  by  him  ;  on 
which  account  he  dedicated  his  firft  volume  of  poems  to  that  Pope.  He  fent 
his  gold  chain  and  medal  to  Oxford  in  1670  to  be  kept  there  in  their  archives, 
as  a  teftimony  of  refpeft  to  that  fountain  of  learning.  He  died  1677,  aged 
66,  and  M-as  buried  at  Rome  in  the  church  of  St.  Maria  Rotunda.  He  was 
a  mod  voluminous  writer  of  poems,  not  without  great  vanity.  There  is  a 
head  engraved  of  him  before  his  Latin  poems,  printed  at  Rome  i668  in  8vo. 
and  under  it  the  following  diftich  : 

Tot  pro  Gibbcfio  certabunt  rcgna,  quot  urbcs 
Civem  Maeonidem  affcrnere  fuum. 
Dr.  Bathurfl  wrote  a  folemn  piece  of  irony  upon  him  :  "  Carmen  in  honorem 
viri  celeberimi  et  principis  poetarum  Domini  Dofloris  Gibbefii,  cum  diploma 
a  Czefarea  Majeftate  fibi  a  merito  conceflUm  aeternitati   in  mufarum   templo 
confecraflTet. 

Oxonium  gratare  tihi,  nunc  la?ta  theatri 
Limina,  Sheldoniafq;  arccs  Gibbefnis  intrat: 
Cerne  et  apoUinea  rediniitus  tcmpora  lauro 
EHundat  jubar  et  phabi  patris  acmulus  ardet,  Sec." 
Dr.  Gliffon,  a  phyfician  and  great  anatomill,  defccnded  from  Walter  Glif- 
fon  of  this  city,  was  educated  in  Caius  college,  Cambridge,  and  became  very 
eminent.      He    was  made   King's  Profcffor  of  Medicine   and  Fellow  of  the 

K  K  K  K   .:  College 


C   652    ] 

College  of  Phyficians,  and  anatomical  reader  in  that  college  in  1639.  He 
praftifed  phyfic  in  the  time  of  the  rebellion  at  Colchefler  in  EfTex,  and  was 
prcfent  at  the  fiege.  He  was  chofcn  prcfident  of  the  college,  and  wrote  fcve- 
ral  books  in  his  art,  and  is  fitmous  for  his  difcovery  of  the  capfnla  communis, 
vena  cava,  porta  et  fellea,  and  for  difcharging  the  liver  of  fanguification.  He 
died  in  St.  Bridget's  parifh,  London,  1677.  He  and  Dr.  Wharton  difcovered 
the  internal  falivary  duft  in  the  maxillary  gland.  His  account  of  fanguifica- 
tion was  efteemed  very  rational.  His  Tractatus  dc  Ventriculo  et  Inteftinis  et 
de  Hepate,  Amd.  1677,  4to.  arc  among  his  principal  works.  He  vifited 
patients  in  the  time  of  the  plague,  and  kept  off  the  infeftion  by  keeping  bits 
of  fpunge  dipped  in  vinegar  in  his  noftrils. 

Dr.  Thomas  White  was  the  fon  of  John  White,  born  in  Temple-ftreet, 
Briftol,  became  a  ftudent  at  Magdalen  college,  Oxford,  1566,  whence  he 
went  to  London,  and  was  a  noted  preacher  and  much  efteemed,  was  rcftor  of 
St.  Dunftan's  in  the  Weft.  In  1584  he  was  made  DoQor  of  Divinity,  had  a 
prebend  of  St.  Paul's  given  him,  and  was  canon  of  Chrift  Church,  Oxon, 
iggi,  and  in  1593  canon  of  St.  George's  church,  Windfor.  Being  a  generous 
man  and  very  charitable,  he  expended  the  eftates  he  got  from  the  church  in 
charitable  ufes  to  Sion  college,  erefling  almfhoufes,  &c.  fee  p.  554.  He 
died  1  March,  1623.  In  the  chamber  of  Briftol  is  his  pic-lure  with  fome  verfes 
under  it,  which  end  "  Ouique  Albos  cceli  portamque  invenit  apertam." 

Tobias  Matthews  was  born  in  St.  Thomas  parifli  on  Briftol  bridge,  bred 
at  Chrift  Church,  Oxford,  was  Bifhop  of  Durham,  then  Archbiftiop  of  "iork, 
and  died  there  1628.  There  is  a  print  of  Tobias  Matthaeus,  Archiepifc. 
Eborac.  by  Rcnold  EHlracke  fc.  410.  and  a  portrait  of  him  in  the  hall  at 
Chrift  Church,  Oxford,  of  which  he  was  dean.  He  was  tranflated  from  Dur- 
ham in  1606,  and  was  an  ornament  to  the  univerfity  as  well  as  to  the  high  fta- 
lion  he  filled  in  the  church.  lie  had  an  admirable  talent  for  preaching,  which 
he  never  fuffcred  to  lie  idle  ;  but  he  ufcd  from  town  to  town  to  preach  to 
crowded  audiences.  He  kept  an  exact  account  of  the  fermons  he  preached 
after  he  was  preferred,  by  which  it  appears  that  he  preached  when  Dean  of 
Durham  721,  when  Biftiop  of  that  diocefe550,  and  when  Archbiftiop  721,  in 
all  1992.  He  left  nothing  in  print  but  a  Latin  fermon  againft  Campian  and  a 
letter  to  James  1  ft.  Obiit  29  March,  1628,  aet.  82.  He  had  a  fon  called  Sir 
Tobie  Matthews,  of  whom  his  father  had  conceived  great  hopes  from  his  forward 
and  lively  parts  ;  but  being  fent  abroad  to  complete  his  education,  he  was  fe- 
duced  by  Parfons  the  Jefuit  to  the  church  of  Rome,  and  pcrfuadcd  to  enter 
into  that  focicty.      He  was  afterwards  much  immerfed  in  politics  in  the  reign  of 

Charles 


[  653  : 

Charles  ift.  and  James  ift.  Obiit  13  Oct.  1655.  This  eminent  divine  was  a 
benefaftor  to  his  native  city  ;  and  wifhing  to  excite  a  love  of  literature  amongfl; 
the  citizens,  he  prefented  them  with  fundry  books  towards  forming  a  library 
of  found  divinity  and  other  learning,  "  for  the  ufc  of  the  aldermen  and  fhop- 
kecpers  there."     See  p.  508. 

William  Haywood,  an  excellent  preacher  of  his  time,  was  born  (being  a 
cooper's  fon  in  Baldwin-ftreet)  in  the  city  of  Briftol,  eleclcd  fcholar  at  St. 
John's  college,  Oxon,  by  the  endeavours  of  John  Whitfon,  alderman  of  this 
city,  (an  encouragcr  of  his  (Indies)  anno  i6i6,  aged  16  years.  He  was  foon 
made  fellow  of  that  houfe.  Dr.  Laud  had  a  refpeft  for  him  and  his  learning, 
made  him  one  of  the  domeflic  chaplains  in  ordinary  to  King  Charles  id.  In 
1636  he  wasaftually  created  Doctor  of  Divinity.  About  that  time  he  became 
vicar  of  St.  Giles  in  the  Fields  near  London.  In  1638  was  made  canon  of 
the  eleventh  ftall  in  the  collegiate  church  of  Wcftminllcr.  This  perfon  by 
the  Puritans  was  looked  upon  as  a  favourer  of  Popery  and  as  a  creature  of 
Archbifliop  Laud,  for  which  in  the  beginning  of  that  rebellion  he  was  thrown 
out  of  his  vicarage  by  the  long  parliament,  and  was  imprifoned  in  the  compter, 
Ely  houfe,  and  in  the  fhips,  ct  length  he  was  forced  to  fly,  and  his  wife  and 
children  were  turned  out  of  doors  and  reduced  to  great  want.  After  which  he 
kept  a  private  fchool  in  Wiltfliire,  under  and  in  the  name  of  his  fon  John.  He 
was  reftored  to  his  vicarage  and  other  preferments  at  the  Relloration,  and  died 
17  July,  1663,  and  was  buried  at  WcRminRer. 

William  Penn  was  born  at  Briftol  1621,  fee  p.  585.  where  is  an  account  of 
him  as  admiral  and  general  in  his  epitaph.  He  was  vice-admiral  at  the  attack 
of  St.  Domingo  1654,  and  afterwards  at  the  taking  of  the  valuable  ifland  of 
Jamaica,  which  we  have  poffefTed  ever  fince.  He  was  admiral  of  the  white 
1655  and  knighted.  He  was  father  of  \\'illiam  Penn,  the  founder  of  Pennfyl- 
vania,  who  had  turned  Quaker  by  tlie  preaching  of  one  Thomas  Low,  to  the 
"reat  trouble  and  regret  of  his  father,  who  was  however  reconciled  to  his  fon 
beforehis  death,  and  left  him  an  eftate  in  England  and  Ireland  of  1500I.  per  ann. 
which  enabled  him  to  obtain  of  the  king  the  grant  of  land  in  America,  and 
ereft  Pcnnfylvania  into  a  province.  Sir  William  Penn  the  admiral  died  16 
September,  1670,  and  was  buried  at  Redcliif  church. 

Dr.  William  Thomas,  Bifliop  of  Worcefter,  was  fon  of  Mr.  John  Thomas, 
a  linen-draper  of  Briftol,  who  lived  in  a  houfe  of  his  own  on  Briftol  bridge, 
where  his  fon  was  born  on  the  2d  of  February,  1613,  and  baptized  at  St.  Ni- 
cholas church  the  Friday  following.  He  was  bred  at  the  public  fchool  at 
Carmarthen,  went  to  St.  John's  college,  Oxford,  in  his  iCth  year  1C29,  from 

whence 


[    654     ] 

whence  he  went  to  Jefus  college,  where  he  took  1632  his  Baichelor  of  Ails 
degree,  and  was  chofen  the  principal  fellow  and  tutor  of  his  college.  In 
1638  he  was  ordained  prieft,  andappointed  vicar  of  Penbryn  in  Cardiganlhire, 
and  afterwards  to  Laugharne.  He  was  deprived  of  his  living  by  the  parlia- 
ment committee  in  1644,  from  which  time  to  the  Relloration  he  endured  great 
hardfliips,  being  a  fulferer  to  the  amount  of  above  1500I.  and  obliged  to  keep 
a  little  private  fchool  for  the  fiipport  of  liis  family.  At  the  Reftoration  he  had 
his  living  again,  and  was  promoted  to  the  dcaiirv  of  Worcefter  November  25, 
1665,  and  in  1667  was  promoted  to  the  fee  of  St.  David,  which  he  held  with 
the  deanry  of  Worcefter.  After  being  Bifhop  of  St.  David's  fix  vears  greatly 
loved  and  refpefted  by  all,  he  was  tranfiated  to  the  fee  of  Worcefter  in  the 
room  of  Bifliop  Fleetwood,  and  came  thither  in  Auguft,  1683,  where  he  en- 
deavoured to  amend  the  morals  of  the  people,  reftore  the  duties  of  his  church 
by  obliging  the  prebendaries  fome  to  be  always  refident,  and  by  great  hofpi- 
tality  and  charity  recommended  himfelf  to  his  funftion.  He  refufed  to  dif- 
perfe  the  king's  declaration,  and  fignified  to  all  his  clergy  his  diflike  of  it;  yet 
he  refufed  taking  the  oaths  to  King  William,  and  was  preparing  to  leave  his 
palace,  when  on  the  25th  of  June  he  pioufty  refigned  his  fpirit  into  the  hands 
of  God,  in  the  76th  vear  of  his  age  ;  the  whole  eftate  he  left  behind  him 
amounting  to  not  more  than  800I.  which  he  left  to  charity. 

Edward  Colfton,  the  eldeft  fon  of  William  Colfton,  mayor  and  alderman  of 
Briftol,  by  Sarah  daughter  of  Counfellor  Bettins  was  born  2d  November,  1636, 
in  the  parifti  of  Temple.  The  family  of  Colfton  had  long  flouriftied  in  this 
city.  The  31ft  of  Edward  3d.  Hugo  Colfton  married  Edith  the  widow  of 
John  Newland,  and  Thomas  Colfton  before  that  time,  19  Edward  3d.  had 
eftates  bequeathed  to  him  in  Temple-ftreet  by  John  Wodewrowe.  In  Guil- 
lim's  Heraldry  mention  is  made  of  one  Colfton  in  Effex,  having  a  coat  ar- 
mour of  two  barbels  or  fifti  refpefting  each  other,  p.  69.  1  Edward  3d.  from 
thence  the  family  might  probabi)  firft  have  rifen.  Thomas  Colfton,  19  Eliz. 
1577,  was  mayor  of  Briftol,  and  died  alderman  16  November,  1597.  Wil- 
liam Colfton,  the  grandfon  of  this  Thomas  and  father  of  Edward,  ferved  the 
office  of  ftierifi^  in  1645,  ^""^  ^^''^  made  deputv  lieutenant  of  Briftol  under  the 
Duke  of  Beaufort,  and  a  fortified  redoubt  at  Kingfdown  was  called  Colfton's 
Mount  from  him.  He  died,  aged  73,  1681,  and  being  deaf  and  infirm 
in  his  old  age  was  excufed  attending  the  council  as  alderman  on  that  account. 

Edward  Colfton  his  fon  being  well  inftruded  not  only  in  learning  fit  for 
bufinefs,  but  in  the  principles  of  the  chriftian  religion  according  to  the  purity 
of  the  church  of  England;  was  at  years  of  maturity  fent  as  a  fitclor  to  Spain, 

where 


C    ^55    ] 

where  he  behaved  with  great  diligence  and  prudence.  He  cultivated  the 
Spanifh  trade  of  oil  and  fruit  with  fuch  indullry,  that  befides  the  fortune 
defcending  to  him  from  his  parents,  and  fome  fay  by  the  death  of  his  brothers, 
(one  of  whom  is  faid  to  be  conful  at  Venice,)  he  acquired  great  riches,  fo 
great  that  the  family  fince  have  never  yet  given  any  account  how  his  fortune 
accumulated  fo  fall. — It  has  been  faid  he  was  alfo  concerned  early  in  the  trade 
to  the  Ead  Indies; — all  agree  that  he  was  a  mod  fuccefsful  merchant,  and 
never  infured  a  fliip  and  never  loft  one.  He  firft  lived  in  Small-ftreet,  Briftol, 
and  having  fo  much  bunncfs  in  London,  and  being  chofen  to  reprefent  the  city 
in  Parliament,  he  removed  thither  and  afterwards  lived  as  he  advanced  in  years 
a  very  retired  life  at  Mortlake  in  Surry,  conftantin  his  daily  devotional  duties 
and  in  his  attendance  on  the  public  offices  of  the  church,  and  exemplified  the 
fincerity  of  his  chriftian  profefTion  by  the  nobleft;  aQs  of  chriftian  benevolence, 
of  which  fee  p.  622.  444.  But  his  private  donations  were  not  lefs  than  his  public, 
he  fentat  one  time  3000I.  to  relieve  and  free  debtors  in  Ludgate  by  a  private 
hand;  and  freed  yearly  thofe  confined  for  fmall  debts  in  Whitechapcl  prifon 
and  the  Marlhalfca  ;  and  fent  loool.  to  relieve  the  poor  of  \\'hitechapel ;  and 
twice  a  week  had  a  quantity  of  beef  and  broth  dreft;  to  diflribute  to  all  the  poor 
around  him.  Any  failor  fufFering  or  caft  away  in  his  employ,  his  family  after- 
wards found  a  fure  afylum  in  him:  how  folicitous  he  was  of  doing  good  and 
having  his  charities  anfwcr  the  dcfign  of  their  inftitution,  appears  from  a  letter 
of  his  dated  Mortlake  8th  Dec.  1711,  to  Mr.  Mafon  the  mailer  of  the  Society 
of  Merchants  in  Briftol,  the  truftees  of  his  charity. — "  Your  letter  was  received 
by  me  with  great  fatisfaclion,  becaufe  it  informs  me  that  the  Merchants-Hall  have 
made  choice  of  fo  deferving  a  gentleman  for  their  mafter,  by  whom  I  cannot  in 
the  leaft  think  there  will  beany  neglefl:  of  their  affairs,  fo  neither  of  want  of 
care,  in  feeing  mv  truft  repofed  in  them  religioufty  performed,  becaufe  thereon 
depends  the  welfare  or  ruin  of  fo  many  poor  boys,  who  may  in  time  be  made 
ufeful  as  well  to  your  city  as  the  nation  by  their  future  honeft  endeavours,  the 
which  that  they  may  be  is  what  I  principally  defire  and  recommend  unto  you. 
Sir,  and  the  whole  Society.  Your  humble  fcrvant, 

EDWARD  COLSTON." 
When  fome  friends  urged  him  to  marry,  his  ufual  reply  was  with  a  fort  of 
pleafantnefs,  "  every  helplefs  widow  is  my  wife  and  her  diftreffed  orphans  my 
children." — What  adds  greatly  to  his  charaCler  as  a  charitable  man,  he  per- 
formed all  thcfe  works  of  charity,  however  great  and  extenfive,  in  his  life  time; 
invefted  revenues  for  their  fupport  in  truftees  hands,  lived  to  fee  the  trufts 
juftly  executed,  as  they  are  to  this  day  ;  and  perceived  with  his  own  eyes  the 

good 


C   656   2 

good  efFeCls  of  all  his  edablifliments. — That  his  great  fortune  might  the  lefs 
embarrafs  him  with  worldly  cares,  he  placed  it  out  chiefly  in  government 
fecurities,  and  the  eflatcs  he  bought  to  endow  his  hofpital  were  chiefly  ground 

rents. And  notwithftanding  all  thcfe  public  largefles   he  provided  amply  for 

all  his  relations  and  dependents,  leaving  more  than  ioo,oool.  amongft  them. 

Rev.  Charles  Codwvn,  B.  D.  fellow  of  Baliol  College,  Oxford,  grandfonof 
Dr.  Francis  Godwyn,  Bifliop  of  Hereford,  and  great  grandfon  of  Dr.  Francis 
Godw)  n,  BifiiopofBath  and  Wells;  was  educated  the  greatefl  part  of  his  life 
in  Briflol.  His  humanity,  modeft^y,  candour,  probity  and  inoflxMifive  and  un- 
blamcable  life,  as  well  as  his  learning  and  knowledge  of  antiquities,  juftly 
endeared  him  to  his  friends,  to  whom  he  was  very  communicative.  — He  died 
the  23d  of  April  1770,  and  left  a  well  chofen  and  valuable  library,  and  a  large 
colleflion  of  coins  ancient  and  modern,  and  the  bulk,  of  his  fortune  to  the 
univerfity  of  Oxford.  He  was  interred  at  his  own  rcquefl  in  the  chapel  of 
Wolvcrcott  near  Oxford.  He  drew  up  and  tranflatcd  the  charters  of  Briflol 
at  therequcft  of  the  corporation,  which  were  publiflied  in  the  year  1736. 

Sir  William  Draper  was  a  native  of  this  city,  his  father  being  a  cuftom-houfe 
officer  of  this  port,  who  placed  his  fon  under  the  Rev.  Mr  Bryant,  mafterof 
the  cathedral  grammar-fchool  there,  where  he  received  the  firft  rudiments  of 
his  learning.  He  went  early  into  the  army,  and  abroad  to  the  Eafl  Indies ; 
and  had  his  firfl  regiment  given  him  in  1757  by  the  King  for  his  fervices  at 
Madras. — He  planned  and  executed  with  great  conduft  and  refulution  the 
reduction  of  the  Manilla  and  the  Phillippine  Iflands  the  6  of  Oflober  1762, 
forwhich  bold  and  fpiritedenterprife  hehad  the  16th  regiment  of  foot,  and  had 
the  firft  vacant  red  ribbon  given  him  and  was  created  Knight  of  the  Bath. — The 
Spaniards  protcfted  the  ranfom  bills  for  Manilla,  by  which  the  brave  troops 
on  that  occafion,  with  their  General,  fufi'ered  a  great  lofs,  which  could  not  be 
recovered  without  involving  the  nation  in  a  frefli  war  with  Spain. — Sir  William 
purchafed  ahoufe  at  Clifton,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  his  native  city;  where 
he  levelled  the  ground  oppofite  the  Roman  camp  and  planted  a  vifta  of  yew- 
trees,  and  dug  up  many  Roman  coins  in  levelling  the  ground. — Here  he 
lived  retired  for  fome  years,  and  improved  tliis  fpot  and  creQed  in  the  front  of 
his  houfc  a  frecflone  obelifl<,  with  this  infcription  on  the  bafe  : 

Gulielmo  Pitt,  comiti  dc  Chatham, 

Hoc  Amicitiae  privata;  tcflimonium, 
Simul  ci  honoris  publici  monumentum, 

Pofuit  Gulielmus  Draper. 

i    On 


[    ^57    ] 

On  the  left  to  anfwer  the  obelifk  is  a  Cenotaph,  confiding  of  a  raifed  tomb 
fupporting  a  large  vafe,  with  an  urn  at  top,  well  executed  in  freeftonc ;  engra- 
ven upon  the  fide  of  the  vafe  are  thefe  lines  : 

Side  gradum,  fi  quaeefl  Britonum  tibi  cura,  Viator, 
Sifte  gradum ;  vacuo  recolas  infcripta  fcpulcro 
Triftia  fata  virilm,  quos  Bellicus  ardor  Eoum 
Proh  dolor  !  baud  unquam  redituros  mifit  ad  orbem  : 
Nee  tibi  fit  lugere  Pudor,  fi  forte  tuorum 
Nomina  nota  legas,  fed  cum  terraquc  marique 
Inviclos  heroum  animos  et  fafta  revolvas. 
Si  patriae  te  tangat  amor,  fi  fama  Britannum, 
Parce  triumphales  lacrymis  afpergere  lauros. 
Quin  fi  AfizE  penetrare  finus  atque  ultima  Gangis 
Pandere  clauftra  pares,  Indofque  lacepfere  Bello 
Ex  his  virtutem  difcas,  verumque  laborem. 
Fortunam  ex  aliis. 

A  table  beneath  is  infcribed  withand  contains  the  names  of  the  places  taken 
and  of  thofe  officers  of  the  39th  regiment  who  perifhed  in  the  Indian  war,  in 
taking  Arcot,   Pondicherry,  Manilla,  and  the  Phillippine  Iflands. 

Sir  William  engaged  in  a  literary  controverfy  with  the  celebrated  Junius  in 
defence  of  theMarquisofGranby,  and  fliewed  himfelf  able  at  the  pen  as  well  as 
the  fword,  tan  marte  quam  Mercurio. — He  afterwards  left  Clifton  and  lived 
at  Bath  and  London,  where  he  died. 


Ll  L  £. 


[    6'59    j 


ANNALES      BRISTOLLI^; 

O     R, 

ANNALS      OF      THE      CITY. 


A.  D. 

50  nr^HE  Roman  armies  having    about  this  time   made   incurfions  into 

51  -*-     the   remoteft   parts    of    Britain,    their   proprajtors    took    pofTef- 

52  fion  of  the  moft  advantageous  ports  on  the  heights  and  on  the  great 
rivers  and  fortified  them  with  ftrong  camps,  fee  p.  7  to  30 ;  which  from 
Rations  became  in  time  to  be  inhabited,  and  were  like  cities,  taking 
the  name  often  of  the  rivers,  on  the  banks  of  which  they  were  con- 
flruftedj  hence  the  camps  at  Clifton  and  Rownham  Hill  near  Briftol, 
on  the  river  Avon,  in  the  Itinerary  had  the  name  Abone,  and  from 
them  the  Britifh  city  Caer  Brito  or  Brightftow,  rofe  up  and  flouriflied 
under  the  immediate  care  and  proteClion  of  Ostorius  Scapula,  p. 
21,  who  according  to  Tacitus  at  this  time  "  cinflis  Caftris  Sabrinam 
et  Antonam  fluvios  cohibere  parat. 

53  The  Roman  Ration  Abone  being    12    or  14  miles  from  their  colony 

54  or  city  Aquae  Solis,  Bath,  and  the  next  Ration  to  it  on  the  road  from 

55  thence  to   the   city  Cacr  Went  acrofs  the  Severn,  foon  increafed,  and 

56  in  a  few  years  became  a  moR  important  fortrefs,  confiRing    of  three 

57  Rrong  camps  placed  on  both  fides  of  the  river  Avon,  and    conRantly 

58  occupied   with    troops;  and    had    other   entrenched    poRs  on   I.eigh- 

59  Down,  and  at  Sea-Mills,   Henbury   and   AlmondRjury   attendant  upon 

60  it  ;  the  ruins  of  all  which  are  Rill  to  be  fcen. — As  this  received  a  con- 
&c.  tinual  fupplv  of  Roman  inhabitants,  it  became  a  place  of  fettlcmcnt 
&C.  and  a  fixed  Ration  to  them,  and  the  city  Cal-r  Brito  or  BriRov/  near  it, 

L  y.  I.  I.   2  fooii 


[    66o    ] 

A.  D. 

foon  enlarged  itfclf  by  a  conflux  of  Britons  living  in  fecurity  under  the 

Roman  government,  civilized  by  free  and  mutual  intercourfe,  adoptincr 
their  manners  and  habits,  and  leaving  their  wandering  life  in  woods 
built  houfes  and  erefted  towns  for  their  cohabitation,  and  by  inter- 
marriages and  trafficking  with  them  in  fupplying  the  garrifons  with 
provifions  <S:c.  the  Britons  foon  became  romanized,  the  people  being 
united  by  the  ftrongeft  ties  of  intereft,  friendfliip,  and  good  neigh- 
bourhood. 
446  This  continued  till  the  Roman  armies  were  called  away  from  Britain, 

and  the  regular  communication  betwixt  the  colonies  at  Aquae  Solis 
(Bath)  and  Caerwent,  and  Caerlegion  acrofs  the  Severn  ceafed.  The 
romanized  Britons  left  in  thofe  flations  repaffing  the  Severn,  and  the 
camps  in  the  neighbourhood,  being  nowdefertedas  no  longer  wanted,  they 
flocked  hither  to  the  city  of  Briftol  as  a  fecure  place  and  well  known 
to  them  by  the  frequent  intercourfe  and  refort  to  it  in  their  journies 
betwixt  thefe  feveral  ftations,  and  better  calculated  to  receive  the 
numerous  colonies  that  were  attendant  on  thofe  camps  than  any  other 
place,  and  to  fupply  them  with  all  the  necelFaries  of  life  by  its  efta- 
bliflied  trade,  and  convenient  fituation  for  extending  it. — But  the  civil 
diflentions  of  the  Britons  themfelvcs  amongft  each  other,  gave  a  check 
to  the  flourifhing  ftate  of  this  and  other  cities;  till  the  Saxons  impoli- 
ticly called  in,  a  warlike  people,  foon  fixed  themfelves  in  thofe  ftrong 

584  camps  before  occupied  by  the  Romans  and  drove  the  poor  Britons 
again  into  Wales,  and  pofTelTed  themfelves  of  this  city;  and  perceiving 
the  advantages  of  its  fituation  for  trade  &c.  they  foon  improved  it  with 
a  fortified  wall,  and  at  length  with  a  ftrong  caft^le,  which  is  well  expreft 
by  John  Leland,  "  Aufta  eft  a  Saxonibus."  After  the  heptarchy  was 
eftabliftied,  the  city  of  Briftol  with  Glocefterlhire  was  part  ofMercia; 
and  the  Anglo  Saxon  Comites  Earls  or  Lords  of  Glocefterftiire  go- 
verned the  city,  of  the  names  of  thefe  many  have  come  down  to  us,  fee 
p.  32,  33,  till  the  time  of  Aylward  Sneaw,  a  defcendant  of  Edward  the 

goo  fon  of  Alfred,  p.  35,  who  about  the  year  900  was  a  man  of  valour  under 
King  Athelftan,  held  the  barony  of  Glocefterftiire  and  lordftiip  of 
Briftol  caftle,  afterwards  inherited  by  his  fon  Algar  and  wife  Algiva, 
from  whom  it  defcended  to  Birtrick  or  Britrick,  who  was  Lord  High 

990  Steward,  and  a  very  confiderable  man  in  his  country  as  well  as  on 
account  of  his  parentage  as  pofteftions.  Befides  the  earldom  of  Glo- 
cefter  and  the   feveral  manors  appendant  thereto,    he  was    Lord  of 

Tewkefbury, 


[    Coi     ] 
A.  D. 

Tewkefbury,  Avening,  Fairford,  Temple  Guiting,  Lea,  Wheatenhurll, 

Woodchefter  &c.  &c.  held  lands  in  Emfton,  Harfield,  Leckampton, 
and  the  hundred  of  Cirencefter,  as  appears  by  doomfday. — He  lived 
in  the  time  of  the  ConfefTor  Edward,  who  being  devoted  to  the  French 
intereft  in  prejudice  to  this  Saxon  nobleman,  and  to  pleafe  his  courtiers 
1050  gave  the  lordfhip  of  Briftol  and  its  caflle  to  Leofwyn,  p.  204.  33. 
though  he  held  it  but  a  fliort  fpace  through  a  quarrel  betwixt  Earl 
Godwyn  and  the  King. 

1067  Hardy ng,  the  anceflor  of  the  Berkeley  family,  is  faid  to  have  ac- 
companied the  Norman  William  into  England,  and  after  the  battle  of 
Haftings  fettled  in  Briflol,  and  became  a  rich  merchant :  he  held 
Wheatcnhurfl  (now  \\hitminfler)  in  mortgage  of  Earl  Birtrick. — 
Leland  lays,  "  he  had  a  howfe  at  PortcheRer  and  another  in  Brigh- 
ftowe  towne  :"  fome  manufcripts  fay,  in  Baldwin-ftreet,  where  was  the 
chapel  of  St.  Baldwyn,  afterwards  converted  to  lay  ufe,  now  the  Back- 
Hall. — He  is  the  firft  magiftrate  of  Briftol  we  have  any  account  of, 
though  it  may  be  fiippofed  he  afled  under  the  authority  of  the  Gover- 
nor of  the  caflle,  before  whom  the  city  officers  were  to  be  allowed  and 
fworn.      He  died  the  6th  of  November  1116. 

1068  Earl  Birtrick  by  his  great  eflates  having  attracked  the  envv  of  the 
Norman  invaders,  and  by  his  gallant  and  fplendid  appearance  at  court 
gained  the  love  of  Matilda  daughter  of  Baldwin  Earl  of  Flanders, 
afterwards  married  to  William  the  Conqueror,  now  felt  at  once  the 
ill  eflPecl  of  the  infatiable  avarice  and  enmity  of  the  Norman  nobi- 
lity, and  the  fury  of  an  highly  affronted  lady  exafperated  at  a  former 
flight  fhewn  her,  which  all  concurred  to  deprive  him  not  only  of  his 
eftate  but  his  liberty,  being  at  the  Queen  Maud's  inftigation  confined  at 
Winchefter,  and  his  earldom  of  Gloccfter  and  lordfliip  of  Bridol  being 
fettled  by  the  King  on  the  Queen,  (Leland  v.  6.  f.  82. )  who  feems  to 
have  deputed  Haymon  a  Norman  as  Governor  of  Briflol,  and  after- 
wards  Godfrey   Bifliop    of   Conftance,  to    her    death    1084,  and   this 

1086  Bifliop  Godfrey  is  mentioned  in  Doomfday-Book  as  having  in  Briftow 
thirty  marks  and  one  mark  of  gold.  Vide  p.  201.  206.  To  him  liic- 
ceeded  in  the  year  1090  Robert  Fithavmon,  who  died  1107. 

1090  Bridol  from  its  fituation  was  early  famous  for  voyages  and  trade   to 

Ireland.  But  the  following  trade  one  fliould  have  fcarce  thought  had 
fo  early  an  origin  and  place  here,  which  fliews  the  barbarifin  of  thofe 
times  recodcd  in  the  life  of  Wulllan  in  Anglia  Sacra,  2.  258.     '•  There 

is 


.\^D. 


[      662      ] 


is  a  tow  n  called  Brickftou  oppofite  to  Ireland,  and  extremely  conve- 
nient for  trading  with  that  country.  Wulfftan  induced  them  to  drop  a 
barbarous  cudom,  which  neither  the  love  of  God  nor  the  king  could 
prevail  on  them  to  lay  afide.  This  was  the  mart  for  flaves  collefted 
from  all  parts  of  England,  and  particularly  young  women,  whom  they 
took  care  to  provide  with  a  pregnancy,  in  order  to  enhance  their  value. 
It  was  a  moft  moving  fight  to  fee  in  the  public  markets  rows  of  young 
people  of  both  fexes  tied  together  with  ropes,  of  great  beauty  and  in 
the  flower  of  their  youth,  daily  proflituted,  daily  fold.  Execrable 
fact !  Wretched  difgrace  !  Men  unmindful  even  of  the  affeftion  of  the 
brute  creation  !  Delivering  into  (lavcry  their  relations,  and  even  their 
verv  offspring." 

1110  Robert  Earl  of  Gloceflcr,  by  favour  of  Henry  ift.  and  marriage  with 
Matilda  heirefs  of  Robert  Fitzhaymon,  p.  209.  was  Lord  of  Briftol, 
and  in  part  rebuilt  its  caRie  and  fortified  it  againQ  King  Stephen, 
vhom  he  took  and  confined  therein  a  prifoner.  Indeed  fuch  was  the 
anarchy  of  thofe  times,  that  Lord  Lyttelton,  vol.  i.  p.  320.  obferves, 
that  "  Earl  Robert's  head  quarters  at  Briftol  became  during  thefe 
inteftine  diforders  a  meer  ftrong  hold  of  banditti,  which  the  Earl  could 
bv  no  means  reflrain  :  they  made  excurfions  hence  to  plunder  the  neigh- 
bouring counties,  and  returning  into  the  caftle  with  numbers  of  mifer- 
able  captives  ;  many  who  could  not  redeem  themfelves  they  murdered 
in  torturing  to  make  them  confefs  what  money  they  could  raife,  &:c." 
Thus  the  power  being  now  vefted  in  the  people  and  the  regal  authority 
difputec|,  its  natural  confequences  anarchy  and  confufion,  fire  and 
fword,  murder  and  devaftation  fpread  terror  through  the  kingdom,  and 
the  nation  in  general  groaned  under  the  fevereil  calamities;  the  barons 
even  coined  their  own  money,  though  the  coins  are  now  very  fcarce. 
Robert's  arc  ftill  extant.     He  died  1147,  3othof  Oftober. 

1  1  iS  Robert  Fitzharding  founded  the  monaftery  of  St.  Augudin,  Briftol, 

p.  246.   and  died  1 170. 

Dermot  King  of  Lemftcr  in  Ireland,  with  only  60  men  in  his  com- 
pany, fled  over  to  Briftol,  where  he  was  entertained  by  Robert  Fitz- 
harding, a  nobleman  of  Briftol  of  the  royal  blood  of  the  Danes,  and 
underftanding  there  that  Henrv  King  of  England  was  then  in  Aquitain, 
he  haftencd  over  thither,  and  with  all  fubmiflion  oftered  to  fubjefthim- 
Iclf  and  his  kingdom  to  the  crown  of  England,  if  by  his  aftiftance  he 
could    recover  it.     Demiot  with    letters  returned   to  Briftol,    where 

com- 


[    663     ] 
A.  D. 

communicating  the  matter  with  Richard  finnamcd  Stronqbow,   Earl  of 

StrigLiIc,  it  was  agreed  that  the  next  Ipring  the  Earl  fliould  fend  auxil- 
iary forces  into  Ireland  to  rellore  him.  Ware's  Hillory  of  Ireland 
in  Henry  2d. 

1 149  William  Earl  of  Glocefter  and  Lord  of  Briftol,  fays  Leland,  vol.  vii. 
p.  74.  '■  died  in  Briftol  caftle,  wyllyd  to  be  buried  by  his  father  Robert 
at  St.  James's,  but  he   was  prively   conveyed  by  night  to  Cainfliam." 

1173  Henry  the  2d.  now  detained  tiic  honour  of  Glocefter  in  his  own  hands 
eight  years,  and  thengavelfabel  third  daughter  of  William  to  JohnEnrl  of 
Moreton  his  youngeft  fon,  with  the  whole  honour  of  Gloucefter  and  caf- 
tleof  Briftol  and  Berton  hundred,  which  Leland,  vol.  vi.  p.  86.  well 
defcribes,  adding  "  fo  it  hath  flill  remayned  yn  the  kynges  hands." 
Henry  the  2d.  about  this  time  granted  a  charter  to  the  men  of  RedclifF 
under  the  title  of  "  Homines  mei,  qui  manent  in  fcodo  mco  in  marifco 
juxta  pontem  de  Briftow,"  omitted  in  the  publiflicd  Briftol  charters  : 
HenricusRex  Anglise,  Dux  Normanniae,  &c.  "  Henry  Kingof  England, 
Duke  of  Normandy  and  Aquitain,  Earl  of  Anjou,  to  all  barons,  jufli- 
ces,  fherifFs,  and  other  his  fcrvants,  Englifh  or  Welfli,  wifheth  health. 
I  grant  that  my  men  that  dwell  in  my  fee  in  the  Marfli  near  the  bridge 
of  Briftow  have  their  certain  cufloms  and  liberties  and  quittances 
through  all  England  and  Wales,  as  my  burgeffes,  and  namely  thofc'in 
Briftow  and  through  my  land  of  the  county  of  Glocefter  as  my  charter 
teftifies  ;  and  I  forbid  that  any  one  do  them  any  injury  or  reproach  upon 
this  account."  By  this  it  appears  there  was  a  bridge  over  the  Avon  in 
Henry  2d's.  time.  And  foon  after  he  granted  a  charter  to  his  burgelFes 
of  Briftol,  by  which  he  gave  them  the  city  of  Dublin,  extant  in  Dr. 
Leland's  Hiftory  of  Ireland,  Henry  2d.  about  this  time  granted  the 
firfl;  charter  to  his  burgefies  of  Briftol  without  date,  though  the  editor  of 
the  Briftol  charters  in  Englifh  has  through  miflake  afcribcd  the  date  of 
Henry  3d's.  charter  of  confirmation  to  this  original  charter  of  Ilcnrv 
2d.  which  is  therein  only  recited.  "  Henry  King  of  England,  Duke 
of  Normandy  and  Aquitain,  and  Earl  of  Anjou,  to  all  archbifliops, 
bifhops,  abbots,  priors,  earls,  barons,  juftices,  flierifts,  and  to  all  the 
men  of  his  land,  greeting.  Know  ye,  that  I  have  granted  to  m\'  bur- 
geftcs  of  Briftol  that  they  be  free  of  toll  and  paftagc,  and  all  other  cuf- 
toms  throughout  my  land  of  England,  Normandy,  or  Wales,  wherefo- 
cver  they  or  their  goods   ftiall   come.      Wherefore  I   will  and   ftrictly 

command 


A.  D. 


[     664     ] 


command  that  they  have  all  their  liberties,  privileges,  and  free  cuftoms 
freely,  fully,  and  honourably,  as  my  free  and  faithful  men,  and  that 
they  may  be  free  from  toll  and  paffage  and  all  other  cuftoms.  And  I 
forbid  that  any  one  diflurb  them  hereupon  contrary  to  this  my  charter, 
on  ten  pounds  forfeiture.  Witnefs,  Thomas  Kant,  William  the  king's 
brother,  Reginald  Earl  of  Cornwall,  Roger  Earl  of  Hereford,  Patrick 
Earl  of  Salifbury,  Richard  de  Hum  conftable,  \\'arren  the  fon  of 
Gerard  chamberlain,  Walter  de  Hereford,  John  Marfliall,  at 
Salifbury, 

J 177  The  town  of  Briflow  was  fined  for  Sturmis  the  ufurer. 

1184  The  burgeffes  of  Briftol  paid  a  fine  of  50I.  to  have  refpite  that  they 
might  not  plead  without  the  walls  of  their  town  till  the  return  of  the 
king  into  England,  who  was  then  gone  into  Normandy. 

»i89  Henry  2d.   confirmed    the   charter  or  grant  of  lands  given  to  the 

priory  of  St.  James  in  Briftol  by  William  Earl  of  Glocefter. 

11 90  Jf^hn  Earl  of  Moreton,  in  the  reign  of  Richard  ift.   now  inheriting 

by  the  bounty  of  his  father  and  marriage  of  Ifabel,  the  rich  earldom  of 
Glocefter  and  lordfhip  of  the  fee  of  Briftol,  granted  to  his  burgeffes 
the  following  charter.  The  original  in  Latin  is  now  in  the  chamber  of 
Briftol,  which  I  have  examined  ;  and  the  officer  mentioned  therein  as 
provoft  is  in  the  original  "  prepofito,"  fo  that  prepofitor  feems  to  be 
the  earlieft  chief  officer  of  the  city  ;  in  Doomfday-Book  this  officer  is 
mentioned,  "  Sheruvinus  prepofitusde  Briftou,"  who  held  a  manor  in 
Swinefhead  hundred  in  the  county  of  Glocefter.  —  The  "  probi  homines 
de  Redcliff^"  before  it  was  united  to  Briftol  were  governed  in  like  man- 
ner by  a  prepofitor,  as  appears  in  the  "  hiis  teftibus"  of  fome  very  old 
deeds  as  early  as  1200  penes  me.  The  "  prepofito  de  Redcliff""  being 
always  the  firft  witnefs,  as  in  all  old  deeds  of  Briftol  after  mayors 
were  appointed  the  mayor's  name  is  always  put  down  as  the  firft 
witnefs. 

The  charter  of  John  Earl  of  Moreton  to  his  burgeffes  of  Briftow. 
"  John  Earl  of  Moreton  to  all  his  men  and  friends.  Frenchmen  and 
Engliftimen,  Welchmcn  and  Iriflimcn,  now  prefent  and  in  time  to 
come,  greeting.  Know  ye,  that  I  have  granted  and  by  this  my  prefent 
charter  confirmed  to  my  burgeffes  of  Briftow,  dwelling  within  the 
walls  and  without,  unto  the  bounds  of  the  town,  that  is  to  fay.  Sand- 
brook,  Bewell,  and  Brightnee-bridge,  and  the   well  in  the  way  near 

Addlebury 


[    66s    ] 

Addlebury  of  Knoll,*  all  their  liberties  and  free  cuftoms,  as  well,  and 
in  as  free  and  full  manner  as  in  the  time  of  mv  predcccflbrs.  The  li- 
berties wliich  are  granted  to  them  are  thefe :  that  is  to  fay,  that  no  biir- 
gefs  of  Briftow  may  fue  or  be  fued  out  of  tlic  walls  of  the  faid  town  in 
any  plea,  except  for  any  pleas  of  foreign  tenements  that  do  not  belong 
to  the  hundred  of  the  town;  and  that  they  fliall  be  free  of  murder  within 
the  bounds  of  the  town  ;  and  that  no  burgefs  fhall  wage  duel,  unlefs 
he  were  appealed  of  the  death  of  any  foreigner  that  was  killed  in  the 
town  and  who  was  not  of  the  town.  And  that  no  man  fhall  take  an  inn 
within  the  walls,  by  the  affcnt  or  order  of  the  marflial,  againft  the  will 
of  the  burgeffes.  And  that  they  fhall  be  free  from  toll,  ladage,  and 
pontage,  t  and  of  all  other  cuRoms,  through  all  my  lands  and  terri- 
tories. And  that  none  fhall  be  judged  and  amerced  in  money  but  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  the  hundred,  that  is  to  fay,  by  the  forfeiture  of 
forty  fhillings.  And  that  the  hundred  court  of  Briflow  be  kept  only  once  in 
feven  days;  and  that  in  no  plea  anyone  be  charged  in  mefkeyningham.  J 
And  they  may  lawfully  have  their  lands  and  tenures,  ^  days  of  appear- 
ance, and  duty,  through  all  my  lands,  whatfoever  fhall  be  due  unto 
them.  And  that  for  the  lands  and  tenures  within  the  town  right  be 
done  according  to  the  cuftom  of  the  town.  And  that  for  the  debts 
which  were  made  in  Briftow,  and  for  the  pledges  there  made  pleas  may 
be  there  holden  in  the  town.  And  that  if  any  one,  any  where,  of  any 
land    fhall    take     toll    of    the   men   of    Briilow,    if   he   doth    not    deliver 

M  M  M  M  it 

•  This  is  the  dcfcription  of  the  antient  boundaries  of  the  town,  wliich  were  not  enlarged  at 
the  perambulation  in  the  47th  of  Edward  3d.  1373,  when  inquifition  was  then  made  of  its  antient 
liberties,  upon  the  oaths  of  thirty-fix  jurors  before  juftices  afligned  for  that  purpofe.  If  you 
will  obfcr\'e  by  this  charter  the  bounds  here  defcribed  correfpond  with  thofe  agreed  upon 
when  that  inquifition  was  taken,  which  was  ratified  by  a  record  thereof  in  the  court  of  Chanccrv, 
and  exemplified  under  the  great  feal  and  confinned  by  aft  of  parliament.  See  Briftol  Charters, 
primed  1736,  p.  29  to  47,  and  51  to  54. 

N.  B.  Brightnce-bridgc  then  called  is  now  called  Bright-bow  (from  the  arch  bridge)  at  the 
end  of  Bcdminfter  caufey.  Bewell  or  Bewell's  Crofs  then  called  is  that  where  tlie  criminals 
now  ufually  pray  before  their  execution  at  St.  Michael's-hill  gallows.  The  Well  then  called 
in  the  way  near  Addlebury  of  Knoll  is  that  now  called  Holy  Brook  Well,  going  to  Low  cr 
Knowl,  or  rather  one  at  Totterdown,  now  flopped  up. 

+  Laftagc  is  a  cuftom  in  fome  markets  and  fairs  for  carr)'ing  things ;  alfo  a  duty  paid  for  wares 
fold  by  the  laft,  that  is,  by  certain  weights,  meafures,  or  tale.  —  Pontage  is  a  contribution  for 
the  repairing  and  rc-cdifS'ing  of  bridges  ;  alfo  a  bridge  toll. 

i  That  is,  if  either  party  on  his  allegation,  var)-  and  change  his  fpeccli  in  court,  no  advantage 
fhall  be  taken  of  him  to  his  detriment. 

^  Tenure  is  the  manner  whereby  tenants  hold  lands  and  tenements  of  their  lords. 


C    666    ] 

it  again  after  it  fliall  be  demanded  to  be  reftored  to  the  provoft,  *  he 
may  take  and  didrain  a  fliip  for  the  fame.  And  that  no  foreign  mer- 
chant fhall  buy  within  the  town  of  any  Itranger  hides,  corn,  or  wool, 
but  of  the  burgeffes.  And  that  no  foreigner  fliall  have  any  tavern  but 
in  Jiis  fhip,  nor  fell  cloih  to  be  cut  but  in  the  fair.  And  that  no  (Iran- 
gcr  fliall  tarry  in  the  town  with  his  merchandizes  to  fell  the  fame,  but 
only  forty  days.  And  that  no  burgcfs  any  where  elfe  within  my  land 
or  jurifdiclion  fliall  be  attached  or  diftrained  for  any  debt,  unlefs  he 
be  debtor  or  furety.  And  that  they  may  marry  themfelves  and  fons 
and  daughters  and  widows,  without  licence  of  their  lords.  And  that 
none  of  their  lords,  by  reafon  of  their  foreign  lands,  may  have  the 
cuflody  or  gift  of  their  fons  and  daughters  or  widows ;  but  only  of 
their  tenements,  which  be  of  their  fee,  until  they  be  of  age.  And 
that  no  recognizance  be  made  in  the  town.  And  that  none  fliall  take 
tynam  t  in  the  town,  but  to  the  ufe  of  the  lord  of  the  country,  and 
that  according  to  the  cufl.om  of  the  town.  And  that  they  may  grind  their 
corn  wherefoever  they  will.  And  they  may  have  all  their  reafonable 
gilds  +  in  as  full  manner  as  they  held  them  in  the  time  of  Robert  and 
William  his  fon.  Earls  of  Gloceflcr.  And  no  burgefs  fliall  be  compel- 
led to  take  fureties  of  any  man,  except  himfelf  be  willing  thereunto, 
although  he  be  remaining  upon  his  ground.  And  I  have  alio  granted 
to  them  all  their  holds,  within  the  walls  and  without,  unto  the  afore- 
faid  mounds  of  the  town,  in  houfes  and  woods  in  buildings,  by  the 
water  and  elfewhere,  wherefoever  it  fliall  he,  to  be  holden  in  free 
burgage  ;  that  is  to  fay,  by  landgable  fervice,  ^  which  they  fliall  do 
within  the  walls.  And  I  have  alio  granted,  that  every  one  of  them 
may  amend  as  much  as  he  can,  in  making  buildings,  every  where  upon 
the  bank  and  elfewhere,  without  the  damage  of  the  borough  and  town» 
And  that  they  may  have  and  pofl'efs  all  lands  and  void  places,  which 
are  contained  in  the  faid  mounds,  at  their  wills  to  build.  ||  Where- 
fore I   will    and  flritlly    command,    thai    my  faid   burgeffes  of  Brifl:ow  and 

their 

*  The  chief  magjftrate  of  any  town,  In  the  original  "  picpofito." 

+  That  is  to  fay,  that  a  tync  may  contain  twenty-four  gallons ;  and  where  it  is  not  taken, 
there  Hiall  be  paid  unto  us  two  pence  for  the  fame  lyne. 

J  Gild  is  a  fociety  of  men  incorporated  by  the  king|'s  authority. 

§  Burgage  is  a  law  term,  and  fignifics  a  tenure  proper  to  towns  and  cities,  whereby  they  hold 
their  lands  and  tenements  for  a  certain  yearly  rent.     It  is  the  fame  with  landgable  fervice. 

II  The  mayor  and  corporation  of  Briftol  claim  this  right  to  this  day,  as  lords  of  the  wafte, 
from  this  charter,  and  have  thereby  annexed  great  cftates  to  the  city's  ufe  ;  all  Queen's-fquare, 
King-ftrect,  &c.  was  city  waftc,  and  part  of  St.  Auguftinc"s-back,  all  Princc's-ftrcct,  and  the 
Key,  Grove,  and  Back. 


A.  D. 


[     667     ] 


their  heirs  fliall  have  and  hold  all  their  aforcfaid  liberties  and 
free  cuUoms  as  aforefaid  of  me  and  mv  heirs,  as  amply,  whoUv, 
peaceably,  and  honourably,  as  ever  they  had  the  fame,  when,  well, 
and  in  time  of  peace,  without  the  hindrance  or  moleflation  of  any 
perfon  whatfoever.  ^\'itnefs,  Stephen  Rid,  my  chancellor,  William 
de  Wennen,  Roger  de  Dlan,  Roger  dc  Xewborough,  Maurice  dc 
Berkly,  Robert  his  brother,  Hamar  Dcval,  Simon  de  Marifco,  Gil- 
bert Ralph,  ^^'illiam  de  la  Fcleyfe,  Maltcr  Bcncdift,  Maflcr  Peter, 
and  many  others  at  Briftow." 

The  nature,  effetl,  and  extent  of  this  grant  may  be  coUeQed  from 
the  grant  itfelf.  It  muft  have  been  highly  advantageous  to  the  burgef- 
fcs,  who  mufl;  have  behaved  in  a  manner  very  agreeable  to  their  lord 
to  merit  fuch  favour  from  his  hands. 

1200  After  King  John  came  to  the  crown  he  granted  the  town  of  Briftow 

in  fee  farm  with  a  reftrvation  of  the  caftle  to  the  burgeffes,  at  the 
yearly  rent  of  245I.  * 

1202  In  the  third  year  of  his   reign  I  find  the  following  record   enrolled 

that  year:  "  Glouceft.  Anno  tertio  rcg.  Joannis  termino  Miehaelis 
tria  melTuagia  cum  pertinentiis  in  Briftolia  funt  infra  libertates  Roberti 
de  Berkley,  qui  nuUam  vult  facere  fummoniiionem  fine  breve  origi- 
nali,  &c.      Rot.  xvi." 

i2og  King  John  iffiied  a  proclamation  at  Briftol,  forbidding  the  taking  all 

forts  of  feathered  game  throughout  England  :  the  firft  edift  of  this  kind 
ever  made  by  any  king. 

1210  The  King  compelled  the  Jews  to  pay  great  part  of  his  charge  into 
Ireland.  The  burgeffes  of  Glocefter  paid  500  marks  towards  it, 
whilft  the  burgeffes  of  Briflol  paid  1000,  others  their  refpe£livc  quotas, 
which  were  paid  into  the  royal  treafury  at  Briftow  ;  and  one  Engelard 
Cygoine,  the  fheriff  of  Glocefter  and  the  king's  jufticiary,  was  King 
John's  treafurer  here. 

He  feized  the  goods  of  the  Jews;  and  one  inftance  of  cruelty  and 
oppreffion  we  have  of  a  Jew  at  Briftol,  who  though  cruelly  tormented 
refufed  to  ranfom  himfelf.  The  king  ordered  that  they  fiiould  every 
day  pull  out  one  of  his  cheek  teeth  till  he  would  pay  down  ten  thou- 
fand  marks,  accordingly  they  pulled  out  feven  in  as  many  days,  but 
on  the  eighth  he  relented,  and  fo  with  the  lofs  of  feven  teeth  parted 
with  the  money  at  laft. 

M  .M  M  M   2  1212 

•  Madox,  Excheq.  228.  c.  3.  (H.)  (S.) 


[    668     ] 

A.  D. 

1212  Anno  J3,  BriAol.  Inquifitio,  Sec.  ubi  jiiraii  prefentant  qviot  pifces 
de  qiiolibet  gcnere  pifcium  quilibet  batellus  debet  reddere  conflabu- 
lario  caftri  Briflollia?.  By  tliis  it  appears  the  town  was  obliged  to 
fiipply  the  conftable  of  the  caftle\vith  a  certain  quantity  of  fifli,  and  of 
different  kinds,  out  of  every  battel  or  fmall  boat  that  came  in. 

King  John,  after  a  feries  of  troubles  with  his  barons,  left  his  fon 
Henry  involved  in  the  fame,  who  by  the  conduct  of  the  brave  and  wife 
Earl  of  Pembroke  was  proclaimed  at  Glocefler  and  there  crowned. 

1215  Guallo,  Pope  Innocent  3d's.  legate,  immediately  on  this  held  a  fynod 
at  Briftol,  where  King  Henry  3d.  then  young,  the  regent  Earl  of 
Pembroke,  and  other  nobles  ■were  convened.  It  is  mentioned  by 
Lcland  out  of  a  little  boke  of  the  Calendaries  of  Brightftowc  :  — 
"  Swalo  Cardinale  a  Romaine  legate  after  the  coronation  of  Henry  3d. 
at  Glocefler  cam  to  Brighteftow,  and  kept  a  fynode  there  tempore 
Henrici  Blefenfis  cpifcopi  Wigornienfis."  But  this  memorable  tran- 
faclion  is  more  particularly  related  in  Wilkin's  Concilia,  vol.  i.  p.  546. 
"  Poll  coronationem  Henrici  regis  terti,  &c."  i.  e.  "  After  crowning 
King  Henry  3d.  Guallo  the  legate  held  a  council  at  Briflol  on  the  feaft 
of  St.  Martin,  in  which  he  compelled  eleven  bifhops  of  England  and 
Wales  that  were  prefent,  and  other  prelates  of  a  lower  clafs,  and  the 
earls,  barons,  and  knights  that  were  convened,  to  fwear  fealty  to  King 
Henry.  He  put  ail  Wales  under  an  interdifl,  becaufe  it  held  with  the 
barons,  and  excommunicated  the  barons  with  all  their  accomplices,  in 
which  Lewis  was  put  at  the  head."  This  excommunication  of  Lewis 
the  French  King's  fon,  who  had  been  invited  over  by  the  barons,  gave 
fome  of  them  a  pretence  to  refufe  him  homage,  and  flrengthened  the 
intereft  of  the  new  crowned  king. 

1216  At  this  time  the  king  with  his  counfellors  and  tutor  came  to  Briftol 
as  to  a  fafe  place,  at  which  time  he  permitted  the  town  to  choofe  a 
mayor  after  the  manner  of  London,  and  with  him  were  chofen  two 
"  grave,  fad,  worfhipful  men,"  who  were  called  prepofitors. 

Mayors.  Prepositors. 

1216     Adam  le  Page.  Stephen  Hankin,  Reginald  Hazard. 

The  charter  of  Henry  3d.  confirms  that  of  King  John,  and  farther 
grants  that  nonufage  of  privileges  or  freedoms  fhall  be  of  no  prejudice, 
but  they  fhall  all  be  enjoyed  without  difturbance  of  any  of  the  king's 
cfEcers  ;  and  that  the  goods,  &c.  of  orphans  and  children  under  age 
fliall  be  committed  by  the  mayor  to  certain  keepers  and  fureties,  who 

Qiall 


[    (>^>9    ] 


fhall  anfwer  at  due  time  for  the  fame  according  to  the  form  of  tlic  (latutc  of 
fuch  recognifances  at  Wenminfter  fct  forth.  And  moreover  the  burgelTcs  fhall 
have  view  of  frank  pledge  in  the  town  and  fuburbs  thereof  for  the  good  fervice 
done  by  them  to  the  King  and  his  progenitors,  and  for  a  fine  paid,  with  all 
things  to  fuch  view  belonging,  and  (hat  they  fhould  not  be  queftioned  for 
what  has  been  done  before.  Witnefs  the  King  at  Weflminfler  the  28th  of 
February  in  the  id  year  of  his  reign,  and  confirmed  the  5th. 


A.  D. 

1217 

1218 

i2ig 

1220 

1221 

3  22  2 
1223 
1224 
1225 
1226 
1227 
1228 
1229 
1230 
1231 
1232 

1233 
1234 

1235 
1236 

1237 

1238 

1239 
1240 


1241 
1242 
12  13 


M.WORS. 

Martin  Underyatc. 
John  Athalle. 
Robert  HolbraQ. 
Roger  de  Staines. 
Walter  Mom  bray. 
John  de  Berdwvcke. 
James  de  Rowborowc. 
Walter  de  Wynton. 
Hugh  de  Fairford. 
John  de  Marfefielde. 
Henry  Long. 
Nicholas  Higham. 
John  Brufelaunce. 
Henry  de  Berdwycke. 
Elias  Spryngham. 
Walter  le  Fraunces. 
Richard  Ayhvard. 
Jordan  Brown. 
James  le  Warre. 
Richard  de  Horton. 
Phillip  de  Pawlet. 
Thomas  de  Wefton. 
Robert  le  Bell. 
Richard  Aylward. 


Prepositors. 
Richard  Martyn,  Hugh  Upwell. 
Richard  Palmer,    John  Snowe. 
John  Oldliam,   Henry  Vynpenny. 
Peter  leGoldfmith,  Robert  de  Monmouth. 
John  de  Rumney,    Philip  le  Coke, 
Robert  de  Wefton,  William  Dexe. 
Thomas  le  Spycer,  Walter  Ubbely. 
Robert  Martyn,  John  Metheham. 
Richard  de  Bury,  John  de  Broadways. 
William  Colepeke,  Nicholas  Coker. 
Alexander   Rope,  Henry  de  Tame. 
William  Chard,  Richard  Bryan. 
Nicholas  de  Portbury,  Wm.  de  Hayles- 
Ralph  Atfhip,  \\'alter  Ic  Rede. 
John  de  KerdyfF,  John  Atwall. 
Henry  le  Walleys,  Thomas  de   Pedefton. 
Gilbert  le  Plomer,  Thomas  le  Chaloner. 
Thomas  Updyke,  John  Ergleys. 
William  Clarke,  John  de  Belliter. 
William  Goldc,  Richard  de  Bury. 
Thomas  Aylward,  Roger  Cantockc. 
Richard  Ofmonde,    John  de  Gallande. 
William  le  Chilton,  Henry  le  Challoncr. 


\^'m.  de  Bellcmonte,  Rob.  de  Kilmainam. 
The  ground  in  the  Marfh  of  St.  Auguflinc  was  now  purchafcd  of  Abbot 

Bradfton  for  making  the  trench  called  the  Quay,  fee  p.  68. 
William  Spackftonc.  William  de  Leigh,  Robert  Parment. 

John  Veils.  Thomas  Rice,  Richard  Hackall. 

Ralph  Moiny.  Paul  Cut,  Roger  Snake. 

1244 


C   670   ] 

A.  D.  MAVoRi.  Prepositors. 

J  244     Walter  Ncfliam.  Ralph  Nupton,  John  Walker. 

This  year  King  Henry  granted  the  following  charter:  —  "  Hcnrv 
King  of  England  Lord  of  Ireland  Duke  of  Normandy  and  Acquitain 
and  Earl  of  Anjou.  Knowvc,  that  we  do  grant  and  h)-  this  our  char- 
ter conHrm,  for  us  nnd  onr  heirs,  to  the  burgeifes  of  BriRol,  that  they 
may  out  of  themfelyes,  chofe  a  coroner.  And  the  burgeffes  through 
the  trcfpafs  of  feryants  fhall  not  forfeit  their  goods.  And  if  any  of  the 
burgeffes  fliould  die  within  our  land  or  jurifditlion,  their  goods  fhall 
not  be  forfeited  by  death  with  or  without  a  will.  And  they  fliall  have 
their  liberties  as  free  as  the  ciiy  of  London.  And  the  negleB:  of  ufage 
of  privileges  fliall  be  no  prejudice.  And  all  their  liberties  fliall  be  by 
them  freely  enjoyed.  The  difturbers  thereof  fliall  forfeit  20I.  And 
we  do  grant  and  confirm  the  faid  charter,  as  it  doth  reafbnably  teflify. 
And  moreover  we  do  grant  to  the  burgeffes,  for  us  and  our  heirs,  that 
they  and  their  fucceffors,  burgeffes  of  the  faid  town  for  ever,  fhall 
be  free  of  murage,  ftallage,  and  pannage  through  all  England  and  the 
dominion  thereof.  And  whenever  they  fhall  choofe  their  mayor  in  the 
town  aforcfaid  (time  of  war  excepted)  they  fliall  prefent  him  to  the 
conflable  of  the  caflle  of  Briftol  as  he  was  wont  to  be  at  the  Exchequer, 
;uid  thereof  fhall  certify  to  the  treafurer.  Thefe  being  witneffes  ;  our 
befl  beloved  brother,  Edmund  Earl  of  Kent  &c."  Dated  the  28th 
year  of  his  reign,  and  confirmed  the  40th. 

1245  Elias  de  Axbridge.  J"hn  de  St.  Barbara,  Richard  de  Tilley. 

1246  Richard  Froflall.  David  le  Wright,  Richard  de  Lemfler. 

1247  Richard  Aylward.  \\'illiam  Tonnard,    John  Norfolk. 

The  following  charter  was  granted  by  Henry  the  3d. — "  Henricus  Dei 
Gratia  &:c.  Sc.iatis  &c.  Know  ye,  that  we  have  granted  for  us  and  our  heirs 
to  our  burgeffes  of  Redclive  in  the  fuburbs  of  Briftol,  that  they  for  ever  fliall 
anfwer  with  our  burgeffes  of  Briflol  before  our  juflices,  as  our  faid  burgeffes  of 
Briftol  do  anfwer,  and  where  they  anfwer  and  not  elfewhere:  wherefore  we 
will  and  firmly  command  for  us  and  our  heirs,  that  our  faid  burgeffes  of  Red- 
clive in  the  fuburb  of  Briftol  do  anfwer  with  our  burseffes  of  Briftol  before 
our  juftices  as  our  faid  burgeffes  of  Briftol  do  anfwer  and  where  they  anfwer 
and  not  elfewhere  as  aforefaid.  Thefe  being  witneffes,  Richard  Earl  of 
Cornwal  our  brother,  Richard  de  Clare  Earl  of  Glocefter  and  Hertford,  John 
Maunfel  provoft  &c.  Given  under  our  hand  at  Wodeftoke  the  28th  of  July 
in  the  31ft  year  of  our  reign,  1247." 

About 


[    671     ] 

About  the  fame  time  Maurice  Fitzliarding  confirmed  to  his  men  of  RedclKF, 
^^•hich  was  in  his  lordfhip  or  fee,  all  their  liberties  and  cufloms  which  Robert 
his  father  had  granted  them  in  Henrv  the  id's,  time,  which  fee  before  p.  73. 
"  Mauritius  filius  Robcrti  omnibus  hominibus  fuis  Sz  aiuicis  falutem.  Sciatis 
mc  concefriffc  &  hac  cai  ta  mca  confirmaffc  hominibus  meis  de  Redclive  omnes 
confuetudines  libertates  &  quietancias  quas  habucrunt  in  tempore  patris  mei 
Sc  quas  pater  meus  iis  carta  fua  confirmavit :  hi  funt  tcfles  Elias  Capellanus, 
magifter  Mauritius,  Adam  Dapifer  &  alii. 

After  obtaining  this  charter  of  the  King,  the  mayor,  burgeffes  and  com- 
monalty ofBriftol,  with  the  confcnt  and  joint  charges  of  the  men  of  Redclive, 
and  the  governors  alfo  of  Temple  fee,  (the  trench  for  forming  the  New  Key  or 
Quay  begun  in  1240,  being  now  completed,)  begun  building  a  large  ftonc 
bridge  over  the  Avon,  p.  75. 

Henry  the  3d.  alfo  confirmed  the  charter  of  King  John,  and  granted  to  the 
burgeffes  an  additional  liberty,  that  none  of  them  for  the  future  fhould  be 
molefled  by  any  of  his  juftices  of  the  forefl:  or  any  of  his  bailiffs  for  venifon 
found  within  the  walls  of  the  fame  town.  Dated  at  Wodeftoke  the  36th 
year  of  his  reign. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Prepositors. 

1248  Reginald  de  Panes.  .1°^"  Wcflon,  Walter  de  Berkham. 

The  charter  of  the  town  being  now  enlarged  the  fiiire  ftones  were 
fet  up,  both  on  Somerfet  and  Gloceflerfhire  fides,  how  far  the  city 
bounds  fhould  go  ;  which  were  again  more  particularly  afcertained 
afterwards  by  perambulation,  and  the  charter  of  Edward  the  3d. 

1249  Galfridus  le  Wright.  Walter  Tropp,  William  Snake. 

1250  John  Adrian.  Vv  alter  Dalmagc,   Henry  Farnham. 

1251  Roger  deBury.  Thomas  de  Norwood,  John  Cornhill. 

1252  Elias  Long.  Rob.  de  Bellemont,  Gilbert  de  Malbrege. 

1253  Thomas  Rowfe.  John  Attwood,  John  Atknowle. 

1254  Raynold  White.  Ralph  Ouldham,  William  Hafeldenc. 

1255  Henry  Adrian.  Hugh  Mitcliel,   William  Sevar. 

The  King  bellowed  on  his  fon  Prince  Edward  the  town  of  BriUol  and 

other  revenues. 

1256  Adam  de  Berkham.  Robert  Shirley,  William  Freebody. 

A  great  famine  in  Brifiol,  provifions  were  fo  fcarce  that  people 
often  fought  for  the  carcafes  of  dogs  and  other  carrion  ;  wheat  fold 
here  for  16s.  the  bufhel.  Prince  Edward  was  taken  by  the  Barons, 
who  by  the  King's  connivance   had  enriched  himfclf  by  the  fpoils  of 

the 


A.  D. 


[      672      ] 


the  country,  the  firll  caufe  of  the  barons  wars.     The  army  oeing   dif- 
charged    came    and  abode     at    Briftol,    until   the    Prince   made  his 
efcape,  and  they  then  went  to  the  battle  of  Evefliam. 
Mayors.  Prepositors. 

1257  Roger  de  Stokes.  Thomas  Eldifliam,  Robert  Pickeridge. 

1258  Clemenf  Romney.  Roger  Piper,  Thomas  Winficld. 

1259  William  de  GlouceRer.  John  Plartniorn,  Robert  Hornebey. 

1260  John  de  Lync.  Ralph  de  Bird,  Roger  deCantock. 

Robert  de  Peretone,  Abbot  of  Glaflonbury,  difcharged  the  many 
debts  of  his  abbey;  Roger  de  Cantocke,  citizen  and  prepofitor  of  Briftol, 
demanded  82lb.  of  filver,  owing  fince  the  laft  abbot's  time  ;  but  it  was 
compromifed  by  the  interpofition  of  friends,  and  the  abbot  paid  him 
15  pounds. 

1261  Robert  Kilmanam.  Thomas  Tremworth,  Richard  Ruftheton. 

1262  Adam  de  Berkham.  Thomas  Hemmingfield,  Geoffry  Uflicr. 

1263  Thomas  Rowfe.  Harry  de  Puxton,  Robert  Tremworth. 

Prince  Edward  a  prifoner  in  the  caftle  of  Briftol. 

1264  Henry  Adrian.  Jofeph  Caparon,  William  Chadbourn. 

1265  Stephen  Ormftone.  Ralph  Bardwin,  John  E.xhall. 

Prince  Edward   took  Briftol  caftle  from  the  barons,   and  the  town  was 

fined  loool. 

1266  Thomas  Sclby.  Raynold  Richards,  John  Puxton. 

1267  Simon  Clarke.  William  de  Bclmontc,  Roger  de  Berckam. 

This  year  the  prepofitors  were  called  Senefchals  or  Stewards. 
Mayors.  Seneschals. 

1268  Robert  Manfell.  Jo''*"  Legatt,  Peter  Marten. 

1269  Robert  Fifher.  Simon  Adrian,  Roger  Draper. 

1270  Ralph  Palden.  Richard  de  Clifton,  Thomas  Hafelden. 

1271  John  WifTcy.  Roger  de  Cantock,  William  Bradwick. 

1272  Richard  de  Welles.  Robert  Snowand,  Simon  de  Wedmorc. 

1273  Peter  de  Keinftiam.  Jo^^"  Salkin,  Ralph  de  Ax. 

1274  Thomas  de  Hafelden.  Simon  Adrian,  William  de  Marina. 

1275  Gerrard  le  Francis.  John  de  Portfhead,  Robert  Lancafter. 

1276  Simon  de  Bardney.  Rob.  de  Kingfwood,  Raynald  de  Capener. 

1277  John  de  Lydeyard.  Robert  Truelove,  William  de  Scriven. 

1278  Roger  le  Tavernor.  John  Bryan,  Nicholas  Atokcs. 

Wars  were  now  between  King  Edward  and  Lewcllin  Prince  of 
Wales,  in  the  midftof  which  four  fhips  of  Briftol  took  a  prize  near  the 

iftand 


A.  D. 

1279 

1280 

1281 

1282 

1283 


1284 
1285 
1286 
1287 
1288 
1289 
1290 
1291 
1292 
1293 
1294 


1295 
1296 

1297 

1298 

1299 

1300 

1301 

1302 

1303 
1304 
»305 


Seneschals. 

John  Iloddy,   Thomas  Conon. 

John  dc  Cardiff,   Robertde  Whetmarfh. 
William  Wedmore,  Robert  Golding. 
Richard  Atokes,  William  Boyfe. 


[     073      ] 

ifland  of  Scilly,  in  which  was  the  intended  fpoufe  of  Lewellin  and 
daughter  of  Simon  Montford,  which  was  well  accepted  by  the  Kin^. 
See  Langtoft's  chronicle. 

Mayors. 
Peter  de  Rumney. 
John  Beauflour. 
\\'illiam  Horncaftle, 
Roger  Piper, 

(fome  Thomas  Coker.) 
Peter  de  Rumney.  Richard  Tunbrill,  William  Whitchwell. 

King  Edward  ift.  came  from  Wales   to  Bridol  about  the  middle   of 
December,  and  kept  his  ChriRmas  here  with   much  content  and  fatis- 
faclion,  and  held  a  parliament. 
Richard  de  Mangotsfield.        Henry  Horncaftle,  Galfrid  Snell. 

Thomas  de  Wefton,    John  Tonney. 

William  Howden,  Thomas  Preftley. 

Thomas  Royfton,  John  Bennington. 

John  de  Cheddre,  John  le  Long. 

Hugh  de  Langbridge,  John  Francis. 

Simon  de  Burton,  William  Randolph. 

John  de  Cheddre,  John  de  Snow. 

Walter  Glen,  Simon  Ricroft. 

Walter  Godfhalf,  Thomas  de  \Vefton. 

Robert  de  Ottery,  William  Rowbrough. 
This  year  the  mayor  founded  the  church  of  St.  Mary  RedclifF,  and 
alfo  the  alinfhoufein  the  Long-Row  in  St.  Thomas  parifh,  fee  p.  567. 


Richard  de  Mangotsfield 
John  de  la  Ware. 
Roger  de  Grafton. 
Roger  ie  Draper. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Richard  Mangotsfield. 
Simon  de  Burton. 
Thomas  de  Tilly. 
Walter  Francis. 
Simon  de  Bourton. 


William  Randolph. 
Simon  de  Bourton. 
John  Snow. 
Richard  Mangotsfield. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Thomas  de  Tilly. 
Walter  de  Adrian. 
Simon  de  Bourton. 
Thomas  le  Grave. 
Simon  de  Bourton. 
Simon  de  Bourton. 


Thomas  Updifh,  Robert  Holdbufli. 
Robert  de  Ottery,  William  Rowbrough. 
John  de  Long,  Adam  Welfliot. 
Jeffery  Godfhalf,  William  Marina. 
John  Francis,  Hugh  de  Langbridge. 
Richard  de  Colepitt,Wm.  de  GlafTonburv. 
Robert  Boflock,  Jolm  Horflialt. 
Robert  Ottery,  Nicholas  Rowbrough. 
John  Tike,  Roger  Beauflour. 
William  Updifli,  Robert  Hornhurfl. 


N> 


Robert  Ottery,  Nicholas  Rowbrough. 


N   N   N 


Tht 


.?/*?. 


[    674     ] 


A.  D. 

1306 
1307 
1308 


1309 
1310 
1311 
1312 

1313 


1314 

1315 
1316 

i3'7 
1318 

1319 
1320 

1321 

1322 

1323 
1324 

1325 
1326 

1327 
1328 
1329 
1330 
1331 
1332 
1333 
»334 
1335 


The  town  of  Briftol  gave  the  King  400I.  and  it  was  paid  into  the 
treafury,  to  be  freed  from  certain  payments  required  of  ail  cities  and 
towns. 

Mayors.  Seneschals. 

William  Randolph.  John  de  Chedder,  John  de  Long. 

John  Snow.  Nicholas  Brerton,  Thomas  de  Barwici<, 

JohnTaverner.  William  Le  Olive,  Gilbert  Pickering. 

King  Edward  came  to  Briftol  with  Gavefton  in  his  way  to  Ireland,  tO' 
bring  him  on  his  way  thither. 

John  Taverner.  Robert  de  Ottery,  Adam  Welfcott. 

William  Randolph.  Joh"  Ramney,  Walter  Trapin. 

J.  Danfelier.  Thomas  Spicer,  Robert  Randolph. 

William  Hore.  John  Beauflower,  Thomas  le  Spicer. 

John  le  Taverner.  Lawrence  de  Gary,  Richard  de  Whitt. 

This  year  fenefchals  were  left  out  and  bailiffs  chofen  in  their  place. 

Bailiffs. 

Richard  Winfman,  John  le  Honte. 

Robert  Holburt,  John  Wellifhotte. 

Richard  Colepeck,  Henry  Winpenny. 

Thomas  Fraunces,  Hugh  de  Langbridge. 

Richard  de  Paines,  Richard  le  White. 

Roger  de  Littlebury,   Jeffery  de  Wraxall. 

William  Hangfield,  Hughde  Prowt. 

Gilbert  Pickeril,  Clement  Turtle. 

Thomas  le  Spicer,  Hugh  de  Langbridge. 

Everard  le  Fraunces,  Stephen  le  Spicer. 

Stephen  le  Spicer,  Gilbert  Pickerill. 

John  Fraunces,  Walter  Prentis. 

Robert  Guy  en,  Robert  de  Wrynton. 

John  de  Romney,  Nicholas  Free. 

John  Atwell,  Henry  de  Francis. 

Roger  Plewett,  Henry  Babcarv. 

Stephen  de  Spicer,  Henry  Babcary. 

Jofias  de  Ramy,  Thomas  Terpin. 

Stephen  le  Spicer,  Henry  Babcary. 

Jofias  de  Ramy,  Peter  Teftin. 

Stephen  le  Spicer,  Thomas  Terpin. 

Richard  dc  Calne,  Walter  de  Peleveli. 

1336 


Raynald  de  Paines. 
William  Randolph. 
Robert  PalTons. 
Richard  Tilly. 
Roger  Terrill. 
William  de  Axe. 
•  Richard  de  Tilly. 
Richard  de  Tilly. 
Roger  Terrill. 
|ohn  de  Keinfliam.. 
John  de  Romney. 
John  dc  Romney. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Hugh  de  Langbridge. 
John  Francis. 
John  dc  Axbridge. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Everard  le  Frances. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Roger  Turtle. 
Hugh  Lanbridge. 
Roger  Turtle, 
7  times  mayor. 


C    ^75     J 

A.  D.         Mayors.  Eaififfs. 

1336  Everard  le  Frances.  Thomas  Tilly,  John  de  Laxhani. 

1337  Stephen  le  Spicer.  Robert  de  Wrington,  John  le  Spiccr. 

1338  Stepiicn  le  Spiccr.  Peter  Teftin,  William  Hanny. 

1339  Everard  le  Frances.  Thomas  Turpine,  John  de  Cobbinton. 

1340  Roger  Turtle.  James  Tilly,  Thomas  Blanket. 

1341  Roger  Turtle.  Thomas  Turpine,  Thomas  Blanket. 

1342  Robert  Wrington.  William  Hains,  Thomas  Albon. 

1343  Stephen  le  Spicer.  John  Curtis,  William  Hanny. 
^344  Stephen  le  Spicer.  William  Hains,  Thomas  Albon. 
1345  Robert  Gwyen.  John  Neal,  James  Tilly. 

William  de  Colford,  then  recorder  of  Briftol,  at  the  requeft  of  the 
commonalty  drew  up  the  ordinances,  cuftoms,  and  liberties  of  the 
town  and  recorded  them  in  writing,  together  with  the  by-laws  and 
other  memorable  things  for  a  perpetual  remembrance ;  and  the  mayor 
calling  to  his  affiftance  48  of  the  more  powerful  and  principal  citizens 
as  Roger  Turtle,  Robert  Gyen,  Sec.  they  agreed  on  many  ufcful  laws 
and  ordinances,  which  were  confirmed  by  the  charter  obtained  of 
Edward  the  3d.  dated  the  16th  of  Oftober  in  the  5th  year  of  his  rei"-n 
including  thofe  of  Henry  the  3d.  Edward  the  2d.  John  Earl  of 
Moreton. 

Amongfl:  many  regulations  then  made  it  was  ordered  that  no  leprous 
man  flay  within  the  precinQs  of  the  town,  nor  any  common  woman 
remain  within  its  walls ;  andiffuch  women  be  found  rcfidinfr  there 
then  the  doors  and  windows  of  the  houfes  fliall  be  unhung  and  carried 
by  the  ferjeants  of  the  mayor  to  the  houfe  of  the  confiable  of  the  ward 
and  there  to  be  kept  till  the  women  be  removed. — That  no  whore 
fhould  ever  appear  in  the  flrccts,  or  even  within  the  bars  in  St. 
James's  without  their  head  covered  (capite  (Iragulato)  &c.  &c. 

1346  Robert  Gwyen.  Robert  Codner,  William  Hanny 

1347  Robert  Wrington.  Roger  Banner,  Walter  Wenlake. 

1348  John  le  Spicer.  John  Cobbington,  Roger  Prentis. 

In  Januarv  this  year  the  plague  raged  far  and  near,  Rcgifl.  Radulp. 
Epifc.  Wellens. 

1349  Robert  Gwyen.  Edmund  Blanket,  Ravnald  French. 

1350  John  Wickham.  John  dc  Caftlccary,  V/alter  Darby. 

1351  John  Spicer.  Robert  Chedre,  Walter  Derby. 

1352  John  de  Cobbinion.  Thomas  de  Coventrv,  John  de  Caftlecary. 

X  N  N  N    2  '353 


[  676  ] 


A.  D.  Mayors. 

1353  Richard  Ic  Spycer. 

1354  Richard  le  Spycer. 
*355  Thomas  Babcary. 

1356  Reynald  le  French. 

1357  Walter  Frampton. 

1358  Reynald  le  French. 
^359  Thomas  Babcary. 

1360  Robert  Chedre. 

1361  Richard  Brandon. 
1262  Robert  Chedre. 

1363  Walter  Derby. 

1364  John  Stokes. 

1365  Walter  Frampton. 

1366  John  Stokes. 

1367  Walter  Derby. 
J 368  John  Bath. 

1369  Elias  Spelly. 

1370  John  Bathe. 

J 371  Richard  Spycer. 


Bailiffs. 
Robert  Attwall,  John  Stoke. 
John  Stoke,  Richard  de  Dean. 
Richard  Hemming,  John  Cobbinton. 
Walter  Derbv,  Thomas  Inhing, 
Richard  Bromdon,    JefFery  Beauflower. 
John  Stoar  or  Sore,  Henry  Vyell. 
Walter  Derby,  John  Stoke. 
F.lias  Spelly,  Henry  SomerweU. 
Walter  Derby,  William  Canynges. 
Elias  Spelly.   Henry  Willifton. 
Henry  Willifton,  William  Woodrover. 
William  Hayle,  John  Bate. 
|ohn  de  Stowe,   Henry  Willifton. 
William  Somervell,  John  Keenc. 
William  Dagon,  John  Blunt. 
John  Blunt,  John  Vyell. 
William  Canynges,  John  Vyell. 
Thomas  Beaupenny,  Henry  Vyell. 
John  Inhynge,  John  Prefton. 


Mayors.  Sheriffs.  Bailiffs. 

1372  Wm.  Canynges.  John  Vyell.  Tho.  Sampfon, Walter  Hudly. 

1373  Wm.  Canynges.         John  Vyell.  Tho.  Sampfon,  Nich.  Studley. 
This  year  a  new  charter  was  granted  by  Edward  the  3d.  fee  Briftol  charters 

p.  6.  by  which  the  King  willing  to  help  the  town,  and  on  account  of  the  good 
behaviour  of  the  burgelfes  towards  him,  and  of  their  good  fervice  by  their 
fliips  and  otherwifc  done  in  times  paft,  and  for  a  fine  of  600  marks  by  them 
paid,  granted  the  town  to  be  feparatcd  from  Glocefterlliire  and  Somerfetfliire 
and  to  be  henceforth  a  county  of  itfelf,  to  have  one  fherifF  out  of  three 
returned  into  chancery  to  be  chofen  by  the  King,  who  is  to  be  efcheator,  the 
fheriff  to  hold  his  court  the  firfl  Monday  in  every  month ;  and  the  mayor  to 
hold  his  court  as  hath  been  accuflomed. — The  mayor  after  his  eleftion  fhall 
take  his  oath  before  his  next  predecefTor  mayor  in  the  Guildhall,  and  not  be 
prefcntcdto  the  conftable  of  the  caftle  to  be  by  him  accepted  ;  that  the  mayor 
and  fherifF  are  to  hear  and  determine  the  feveral  offences,  and  no  other  juftice 
to  intermeddle  ;  and  that  the  mayor  have  power  to  enroll  deeds  of  lands, 
tenements  «fec.  within  the  faid  town   in  like  manner  as   in    chancery,  with 

power 


C   677   ] 


power  to  prove  wills  of  lands  &c.  within  tlie  faid  town,  and  to  put  the  legacies 
in  execution  :  that  they  fhall  be  burdened  to  fend  but  two  knights  and  bur- 
geffes  to  parliament;  and  in  cafe  any  thing  new  and  of  difficulty  fhall  happen, 
the  mayor  and  fheriff  fliall  choofe  40  honeft  men,  who  together  fhall  have 
power  to  make  bye-laws  and  to  raife  taxes  for  the  necefTity  and  profit  of  the 
town. — All  difturbers  to  be  puniflied  by  the  mayor  and  fheriff,  and  all  former 
liberties  and  charters  are  alfo  confirmed. — WitnefFes  William  -Archbifhop  of 
Canterbury  primate  of  all  England,  and  others,  dated  at  Wodeftock  the  8th  of 
Augufl,  the  47th  of  Edward  the  3d. 

At  the  fame  time  the  King  granted  a  commiffion  to  12  men  of  Briftol,  12  of 
Gloceftefhire,  and  12  of  Somerfetfliire,  by  perambulation  to  fix  by  verdift  the 
meets  and  bounds  of  the  town,  as  in  page  105,  which  fee. — This  charter  was 
confirmed  by  parliament. 


A.  D.  Mayors. 

1374  Walter  Frampton. 

1375  Wm.  Canynges. 

1376  Walter  Derby. 

1377  Tho.  Beaupeny. 

1378  Elias  Spelly. 

1379  J°^"  Stokes. 

1380  Walter  Derby. 

1381  Wm.  Canynges. 

1382  Elias  Spelly. 

1383  Tho.  Beaupenny. 

1384  Walter  Derby. 

1385  Wm.  Canynges. 

1386  Thomas  Knappe. 

1387  Wm.  Somervell. 

1388  JohnVyell. 

1389  Wm.  Canynges. 

1390  Elias  Spelly. 

1391  Thomas  Knappe. 

1392  John  Canynges. 

1393  John  Somervell. 
1391  Wm.  Froome. 

1395  John  Barftable. 

1396  Thomas  Knappe. 
'397  John  Banbury. 


Sheriffs. 
Tho.  Beaupeny. 
Henry  Vycll. 
Wm.  Somervell. 
Walter  Studly. 
Wm.  Coombe. 
Tho.  Knappe. 
Wm.  Somervell. 
John  Candever. 
John  Canynges. 
Rob.  Candever. 
Tho.  Sampfon. 
John  Somervell. 
Peter  Barogh. 
Wm.  Froome. 
Wm.  Wodrowe. 
John  Barflable. 
Tho.  Athay. 


Baimi  FS. 
Tho.  Sutton,  Reginald Towker. 

No  bailiffs  this  year. 
Wm.  Coombe,  Tho.  Knappe. 
Tho.  Sampfon, Wal.  Tyddeley. 
Wm.  Elingham,  John  Stanes. 
John  Stanes,  John  Barftablo. 
Rob.  Candever,  John  Canynges. 
Walter  Seymor,   John  Prillon. 
John  Stanes,  Wm.  Warmifter. 
John  Somervell,  Peter  Barogh. 
John  Young,  Wm.  Draper. 
Roger  Tucker,  John  Bright. 
Wm.  Froome,  Thomas  Athay. 
Thomas  Colllon,  John  Snell. 
Tho.  Athay,  John  Stephens. 
John  Banbury,John  Havering. 


Rob.  Dudbrook,  John  Sclwoddc 
John  de  Banbury.     John  Burtone,  Ric.  Hantcford. 
Walter  Seymour.     Tho.  Norton,  Ric.  Brookworth. 

Wm.  Solers,  Thomas  Blunt. 

John  Pry  Hon,  John  Cafllc. 

R'    Dudbrook,  John  dcSodbury. 

R'-   Brookworth, John  Hardwitk. 

Wm.  Draper,  Henry  R(jkcrill. 

1398 


John  Havering. 
John  Stephens. 
Roger  Toker. 
■Wm.  Warmifter. 
John  Pryflon. 


C   678   ] 


A.  D.         Mayors. 

1398  John  Canyngcs. 

1399  Thomas  Knappe 

1400  Wni.  Froome. 

1401  John  Barflable. 

1402  John  Stephens. 

1403  Thomas  Knappe. 

1404  Rob.  Dudbrook. 

1405  John  Barftable. 

1406  John  Droyfe. 

1407  Thomas  Blunt. 

1408  John  Fiflier. 

1409  John  Droyfe. 


Sheriffs.  Bailiffs. 

Robert  Baxter.  Jo'i"  I'-'  Manner,  John  Sodbu:  >% 

Thomas  Blunt.  Tho.  Glocefler,  Jeffry  Barber. 

Robert  Dudbrook.  Mark  Williams,  John  Seelv. 
Thomas  Norton.       Rich.  Paines,  Simon  Algod. 

Thomas  Young,  Nich.  Exetor. 

John  Droyes,  Adam  Inhyng. 

Robert  RufTell,  Gilbert  Joyce. 

John  Cleve,  John  Newton. 

Jam.  Crokys,  David  Dudbrook. 

John  Spyne,  Robert  Barflable. 

John  Shipward,  John  Leycefter. 

John  Sutton,  Wm.  Bendey. 


John  Seely. 
Thomas  Gloufter. 
John  Droyes. 
Mark  Williams. 
John  Fifher. 
Thomas  Young. 
John  Olyffe. 


James  Cokys. 

In  the  parliament  of  the  loth  of  Henry  the  4th.  the  commons  of  the 
counties  of  Somerfet,  Briftol  and  Wilts,  exhibited  their  petition  to  the 
King  to  remove  all  wears  and  obftruftions  of  the  river  Avon,  which 
hindered  the  free  paflage  of  boats  and  other  veflels  to  the  public  pre- 
judice, and  much  enhanced  the  price  of  carriage  by  water  betwixt  Bath 
and  Briftol.  Before  the  time  of  R.ichard  the  iH.  the  Avon  to  Bath  was 
navigable,  and  wine,  wax,  fait,  wool,  fkins  and  cloth  ufed  to  be  carried 
in  vefTels  between  Bath  and  BriRol ;  and  there  is  a  long  deed  (Clauf.  4. 
Edw.  1.  Pat.  ii.  M.  4.)  being  a  writ  dire£led  to  the  mayor  of  Briftol, 
and  Richard  de  Tikehull  fheriff  of  Somerfet,  to  fee  all  wears  and 
obftru£lions  in  the  river  Avon  betwixt  Briftol  and  Bath  removed  ;  that 
the  faid  navigation  be  free  and  uninterrupted  ;  which  however  in  the 
fucceeding  reign  was  again  obftruftcd  and  again  ordered  to  be  cleared. 

Robert  Clovelde,  Walter  Parle. 
Wm.  Stephens,  David  Ruddeck. 
Thomas  Hendy,  Wm.  Barret. 
Wm.  Wefterly,  Walter  Milton. 
John  Draper,  John  Milton. 
Nich  Baggod,  John  Shipward. 
John  Burtone,  Nicholas  Dennis. 
Roger  Levcdon,  Walter  Milton. 
Thomas  IloUway,  John  Langley. 
Henry  Gildency,  Thomas  Fifh. 
Rich.  Trenolde,  John  Cotton. 
Richard  Arves,  Edmund  Brown* 

142a 


1410 

John  Seely. 

Nicholas  Exeter. 

1411 

Thomas  Young. 

John  Spine. 

1412 

John  Cleve. 

John  Sharpe. 

1413 

Thomas  Norton. 

John  Newton, 

1414 

John  Droyes. 

Robert  RufTell. 

i4»5 

John  Sharpe. 

Wm.  Bendy. 

1416 

Thomas  Blount. 

David  Dudbrook, 

1417 

Robert  RuflcU. 

John  Leycefter. 

1418 

John  Newton. 

John  Burtone. 

M»9 

James  Cokis. 

David  Ruddock. 

1420 

Thomas  Young. 

Roger  Lavindon. 

1421 

John  Spyne. 

Nicholas  Baggod. 

[    ^79    ] 


A,  D.       Mayors. 
1422  Mark  Williams. 


Sheriffs.  Bailiffs. 

Richard  Trenoldc.  Thomas  Erie,  John  Peers. 
A  mint  eflablifhcd  atBrifto!  ftjr  Cfiinirif'. 


1423  John  Burtone. 

1424  John  Leycefler. 

1425  John  Cleve. 

1426  Robert  Ruffell. 

1427  John  Newton. 

1428  Roger  Levedon. 

1429  John  Burtone. 

1430  John  Leycefler. 

1431  Rich.  Tranode. 

1432  John  Sharpe. 

1433  John  Fiflier. 

1434  Tho.  Holeway. 

1435  John  Milton. 

1436  Richard  Fofter 

1437  Clement  Baggod. 

1438  Hugh  Whitford. 

1439  J°'^"  Sharpe. 

J  440  Nicholas  Freme. 

1441  Wm  Canynges. 

1442  Clement  Baggod. 

1443  John  Stanley. 

1444  John  Shipyard. 


Thomas  Holway. 
Thomas  Earle. 
Robert  Cloveld. 
Nicholas  Dennis. 
John  Sharpe. 
Henry  Giidney 


John  Heihc,  Richard  Alexander, 

Thomas  Hook,  Walter  Powell. 

Walter  Powel,  John  Snethe. 

Clemi  Baggod,  Hugh  Whitford. 

Andrew  Parle,    John  Erie. 

John  Talbot,  John  Triott. 
John  Shipwarde.       Richard  Fofter,  John  Albinton, 
Hugh  Whitford.       Wm.  Dunftcr,  John  Papinham. 


Clement  Baggod. 
Richard  Arfoifc. 
Richard  Fofler. 
Tiiomas  Fiflier. 
John  Spycer. 
Walter  Powel. 
Nicholas  Frome. 
'^\'m.  Canvnges. 
Richard  Roper. 
John  Stanley. 
John  Shipward. 
Nicholas  Hill. 
William  Coder. 


John  Spicer,  Nicholas  Frome. 
Tho.  Noreys,  Wm.  Canynges. 
John  Englifh,  Thomas  Markes. 
Richard  Roper,    John  Stanley. 
Nicholas  Hill,  William  Clynche^ 
William  Coder,  John  Forde. 
Thomas  Hore,  Thomas  Balle. 
Thomas  Mede,  John  Gofling. 
William  Pavy,  John  Shipward. 
John  Whiteford,  Wm.  Howell. 
Nicholas  Stone,  Robert  Sturing, 
Richard  Hatter,  Rich.  Haddon. 
Wm.  Skermott,  Wm.  Powney. 
Philip  Mead,  Thomas  Rodgers. 


John  Foord. 

1445-6     This  year  about  St.  Paul's  tide  RedclifF  ftecple  was  thrown  down  by  a 
great  tempeft;  of  thunder  and  lightning,  and  great  damage  was  received 
by  the  faid  church,  which  was  re-cdificd  by  the  good  devotion  of  Mr. 
William  Canynges,    merchant. 
1445-  Nicholas  Hill.  John  Bolton.  Richard  Marfliall,  Rich.  Bayly. 

This  year  a  charter  was  granted  the  town  by  Henry  6th.  who  came  to 
Briftol  at  this  time.  He  granted  to  hold  and  occupy  the  town  to  their 
fuccefTors  unto  the  end  and  during  the  term  of  60  years  in  reverfion  of  20 
years  to  be  ended.  And  moreover  he  granted  to  the  mayor.  Sic.  during 
the  faid  term  of  60  years  certain  liberties,  franchifes,  &c.  under  a  cer- 
tain form,  yielding  and  paving  yearly  to  King  Henry  6th.  and  his  heirs 
at  the  end  of  the  faid  20  years,  during  the  faid  term  of  60  years,  102!; 
15s.  6d.  at  the  fcaft  of  Eaflcr  and  St.  Michael  the  archangel,  by  equal 

portions 


[    68o    3 


portions  to  the  abbot  of  Tcwkefbury  14I.  10s.  to  the  prior  of  St.  James  of 
Briftol,  and  to  his  luccefTors  for  the  tirne  being,  for  the  annual  rent  of  the 
mill  of  the  faid  town,  3I.  to  tlic  conllablc  of  the  caftle  of  BriRol,  and  his  of- 
ficers for  the  time  being,  that  is  to  fay,  to  the  porter  of  the  gate  and  watch- 
men of  the  cafllo,  and  to  tlie  forefler  of  Kingfwood,  39I.  14s.  6d.  to  be  paid 
during  the  term  of  fixty  years  as  aforefaid.  He  alfo  granted  all  fines,  forfeit- 
ures, &c.  in  as  full  manner  as  if  he  had  retained  the  town  in  his  own  hands  ; 
fo  that  the  mayor  and  commonalty  may  levy,  gather,  and  receive  and  retain 
all  floods  forfeited  to  the  ufe  and  profit  of  the  fame  mayor  and  commonalty 
and  their  fucceffors  for  ever,  and  alfo  have  the  court  of  view  of  frank-pledge, 
&c.  (the  efcheat  of  lands  and  tenements  in  times  to  come  happening  being 
always  excepted)  all  the  before-mentioned  privileges,  liberties,  &c.  within 
the  faid  town  and  prccinfts  thereof  happening  or  to  happen  he  granted  fully, 
and  wholly  to  the  mayor,  &c.  yielding  and  paying  102I.  15s.  6d.  in  manner 
as  aforefaid. 

Sheriffs. 

John  Troyte. 

Thomas  Balle. 

William  Pavie. 

Thomas  Hore. 

Robert  Sturmy. 

Richard  Hatter. 

Thomas  Mead. 

William  Howell. 

Philip  Mead. 

Thomas  Rodgers. 

William  Daine. 
This  year  Queen  Margaret  came  toBriftol  with  her  nobility. 
'457  William  Coder.        JohnWickham.         John  Gierke,  Robert  Ball. 

1458  Philip  Mead.  }ohn  Baggott.  John  Hawks,  John  Jav,  junr, 

1459  Thomas  Rodgers.     Robert  Jakis.  John  Gaywood,  John  Saint. 

1460  Wm.  Ganyngcs.       Tho.  Kenyflbn.        Wm.Woddington,  Lewis  Morris. 
J461   Philip  Mead.  William  Spencer.    Robert  Strange,  Henry  Balle. 

Edward  4th.  in  September  came  to  Briftol,  and  had  SirBaudwin  Ful- 
ford.  Bright,  and  HefTant,   Efqrs.  beheaded.      See  p.  220. 

1462  John  Wickham.       Rich.  Alberton.         John  Fofter,   JefFry  Griffith. 

1463  John  Shipward.         John  Hawkins.        William  Bird,  Walter  Cofton. 

1464  William  Coder.        John  Cogan.  William  Rokye,  John  Gyton. 

1465 


A.  D.       Mayors. 

1446  Richard  Fofter. 

1447  Richard  Fofter. 

1448  John  Burtone. 

1449  Wm.  Canynges. 

1450  John  Burtone. 

1451  John  Stanley, 

1452  William  Coder. 

1453  Robert  Sturmy. 

1454  Richard  Hatter. 

1455  Jobn  Shipward. 

1  456  Wm.  Canynges. 


Bailiffs. 
William  Deane,  William  Talbot. 
William  Rolph,  John  Wickham. 
John  Eaftmande,  John  Bennet. 
Rich.  Abberton,  Wm.  Spencer. 
John  Sharpe.junr.  Wm.  Dillyng. 
Robert  Jakes,  John  Hofier. 
Thomas  Afh,  William  Raines. 
Nicholas  Long,  Tho.  Keynfliam. 
William  Hatton,    John  Cogon. 
John  Baggott,  Robert  Bolton. 
Henry  Chefter,  John  Jay,  fenr. 


C   681    J 


A.  D 

1465 
1466 
1467 
J468 
1469 
1470 
1471 
1472 

»473 
»474 

M75 
1476 

1477 
1478 

1479 
1480 

1481 

1482 

1483 
1484 
1485 
i486 
1487 
1488 
1489 
1490 


1491 
1492 

1493 
1494 

•t495 
1496 

1497 
1498 

1499 

1500 


Sheriffs. 
John  George- 
John  Gavwood. 
John  Hooper. 
Robert  Strange. 
William  Bird. 
Henry  Chefter. 


Mayors, 
William  Spencer 
Wm.  Canynges. 
Robert  Jakys. 
Philip  Mead. 
John  Shipyard. 
Tho.  Kainlham. 
John  Hawkes. 
John  Cogan. 
"William  Spencer 
Robert  Strange. 
William  Bird. 
John  Baggott. 
John  Shipward. 
William  Spencer.  John  Shyven, 
Edmund  Weftcott.  John  Powke. 
Wm.  Wodington.  William  Duket 
John  Fofter. 


Wm.  Wickham. 
Henry  Vaughan. 


Bailiffs. 

J.  Shipward,  junr.  E.  Wcftcot. 

Walter  Grimfteed,Tho.  Rowley. 

Wm.  \\"ickham,  John  Skevyn. 

John  Lancorton,  John  Goodard. 

Henry  Vaughan,  John  Powke. 

John  Stevens,  William  Dokett. 
Wm.  Weddington.  John  Powke,  John  Eaflerfield. 
John  Jay.  John  Gurncy,  John  Gregory. 

Edmund  Weftcott.    John  Swayne,  Thomus  Flexall, 
John  Fofter.  Thomas  Hexton,  Wm.  Rowley. 

Thomas  Rowley.     John  Sing,  Richard  Sherman. 

John  Chefter,  Philip  Caple. 

John  Batkok,  Clement  Wiltfhiro. 

John  Drewes,  Richard  Bond. 

John  Griffith,  John  Wofwall. 

Rob.  Bonnok,  John  Houndeflow. 

Wm.  Regent,  John  Langforde. 

Thomas  Spicer,   Henry  Dale. 

John  Vaughan,  Wm.  Gawnfell. 

John  Hemming,  William  Spyccr. 

Philip  Kingfton,   Hugh  Joncs^ 

John  Jay,  Thomas  ap  Howell. 

Nicholas  Brown,  John  Walfh. 
Clement  Wiltfliire.   John  Howell,  John  Hurler. 
Thomas  Spicer.        Jol"i  Taylor,  Robert  Fourtie. 
William  Regent.      Rich.  Vaughan,  Geo.  Mononx. 
The  ftone  bridge  on  the  Were  now  made,  and  the  ftreets  new  paved. 
The  city  gave  the  King  500I.  as  a  benevolence. 
William  Toker.       Henry  Dale.  David  Cogan,    John  Fiftier. 

Clement  Wiltfhire.  John  Drewes.  John  Popley,  Roger  Dawes. 

Henry  Vaughan.       Philip  Kingfton.       John  Keynes,   Philip  Green. 
Matthew  Juhbes. 
Nicholas  Brown. 
Hugh  Jones. 


Robert  Strange. 
Henry  Vaughan. 
Wm.  Wickham. 


John  Pynke. 
John  Eafterfield. 
John  Stephens. 
John  Swaine. 


Edmund  Weftcott.  Richard  Sherman 
Wm.  Wickham.       John  Snigg. 


John  Eafterfield. 
John  Pinke. 
Robert  Strange. 
John  Stevens. 


John  Cheftre. 


John  Eafterfield. 
William  Regent. 
John  Drewes. 
Henry  Dale. 
Philip  Kingfton. 
Nicholas  Brown. 
Rich.  \'aughan. 


William  Eallby,  John  Rowland. 

David  Lyfton,  John  Jones. 

Thomas  \'aughan,  John  Elliott. 
Richard  Vaughan.    William  Lane,  John  Spicer. 
John  Jay.  John  Vaughan,  Tho.  Weftcott. 

Philip  Green.  Richard  Hobby,   Walter  Rice. 

Hugh  Elliot  and  John  Batten,  IhcrilFs  this  year. 

O  o  o  o  A 


C     682     ] 

A  new  charter  granted  this  year  from  Henry  7th.  to  the  corporation,  that  they 
(hall  have  fix  aldermen,  the  recorder  to  be  one,  with  like  powers  as  the  alder- 
men of"  London,  to  be  chofen  for  the  firft  time  by  the  mayor  and  common  coun- 
cil   and  always  after  by  the  aldermen.      And  that  the  two  bailiffs  to  be  chofen 
as  of  old  hath  been  iifed,  fhall  likewife  be  flieriffs  of  the  county,  and  be  fworn 
into  and  execute  both  offices.     And  the  mayor  and  two  of  the  aldermen,    in- 
ftead  of  the  fherifl's  as  before,  are  (with  the  alfent  of  the  commonalty)  to  choofe 
the  forty  coinmon  council-men,  with  the  fame  powers  as  were  granted  to  them 
by  the  charter  of  the  .{jlh  of  Edward  the  3d.     And   that  for  the  futvire  there 
fhall  be  one  chamberlain,  who    fliall  be  defied  by  the  mayor  and  common 
council   in  the    Guildhall  :     the    perfon  fo    elefted    fhall   be    a    burgefs,  and 
continue  in  that  office   fo  long  as  the  mayor  and  common  council  fliall  pleafe  : 
he  fhall  alfo  take  his  oath  to  perform    the  office   of  chamberlain  before  the 
mayor,  &c.   and  alfo  fliall  have  a  feal  affixed  to  his  office,  with  the  like  pow- 
ers as  the  chamberlain  of  the  city  of  London.     That   if  any   of  the   town   of 
Briftol,  &c.  for  the  future  fliall  be  difobedient  to  the  ordinances  of  the  mayor, 
aldermen,  and  common  council,  or   fliall    be  any  ways  abetting  or  caufe  dif- 
turbance  on  the  eleftion  of  the  mayor,  or  any  other  officer  whatfoever,  the  of- 
fender fliall  be  puniflied  according  to  the  law  of  the  kingdom  of  England,  by 
the  mayor  and  two  of  the  aldermen.     And  alfo  the  faid  mayor  fliall  have  power 
to  take  the  probates  of  wills  of  lands,  tenements,  rents,  and  tenures,  within 
the  faid  town,  fuburbs,  and  precinfts   of  the   fame,  bequeathed   within  two 
years  after  the  death  of  the  teftator  :  fo  that  fuch  tenements  and  legacies  be  pro- 
claimed in  full  court  of  the  Guildhall  of  Briflol,  and  enrolled  in  the  rolls  of  the 
fame  court,  the  enrolment  fliall  be  of  record  ;  and  from  thence  the  faid  mayor 
and  hisfuccelfors  may  have  power  to  put  the  legacies  aforefaid  in  execution  by 
his  officers  in  form  of  law,  or  by  due  procefsto  be  made  before  them  by  writ  ex 
gravi  querela,  at  the  profecution  and  elcclion  of  any  man  who  will  profecute 
the  fame.      And  that  the  mayor  and  one  alderman  may  hold  their  courts,  and 
fuch  pleas  and  plaints  as  at  any  time  before  have  been  ufcd   and  accuftomed, 
for  the  time  being  for  ever.      And  that  all  fines  and  amerciaments  fliall  come 
to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  of  the   town,  without  accounting  to  the  King, 
Jiis  heirs,  or  fucccffors. 

Alfo  Henry  the  7th.  in  the  firfl  year  of  his  reign,  dated  at  Weftminftcr, 
September  24,  did  give  and  grant  to  Thomas  Hoflcins  the  oflice  of  bailiflf  of 
ihe  water  of  the  town  of  Brillol  for  term  of  his  life,  and  at  his  deceafe  it  is 
"ranted  to  the  mayor  and  commonalty  to  chufe  one  of  the  burgetfes  of  the  faid 
town  to  that  oflice,  and  he  fo  to  continue  lb  long  as  it  fhall  pleafe  the  mayor 

ap-d 


[    6Ss     ] 

and  aldermen  of  the  faid  town  for  the  time  being,  and  he  fhall  be  named  Bai- 
liff of  the  Water,  alias  \^^1tcr-Bailiff  of  the  faid  town;  and  the  mayor,  &c. 
fliall  have  power  to  nominate  and  conRitiite  the  wages,  fees,  &c.  to  the  faid 
office  due  and  anciently  accuftomed,  yielding  to  the  King  and  his  heirs  a 
rent  of  four  marks  of  lawful  money  of  England  yearly,  at  the  fcaft  of  St.  Mi- 
chael the  Archangel,  and  to  be  accountable  for  no  more  than  the  four  marks 
as  aforefaid  to  be  paid  for  the  fame  office.  And  we  grant  that  any  three  of  the 
faid  aldermen,  whereof  two  of  them  fliall  be  the  mayor  and  recorder  of  the 
faid  town,  may  be  juftices  of  goal  delivery  within  the  town,  and  may  have  for 
the  future  for  ever  the  like  power  with  other  juftices  of  gaol  delivery,  faving 
always  to  the  King  and  his  heirs  all  amerciaments  at  gaol  delivery.  Thefe  be- 
ing witneffes,  our  moft  dear  firft-born  fon  Arthur,  Prince  of  Wales,  Duke  of 
Cornwall,  and  others.  Dated  at  Knoll,  the  17th  of  December,  in  the  15th 
year  of  our  reign,  1500.  See  p.  134. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1501  George  Mollins.  Thomas  Snyg,  Thomas  Paruaunt. 

1502  Hugh  Jones,  alias  Brewer.     John  CoUor,  John  Capell. 

In  the  colleQ.ion  of  public  aBs,  upon  the  gthof  December  this  year, 
1502,  King  Henry  gave  a  patent  to  James  Elliot  and  Thomas  Afliurft, 
merchants  of  Briftol,  and  to  John  Gonfalez  and  Francis  Fernandez, 
natives  of  Portugal,  to  go  with  Englifli  colours  in  queft  of  unknown 
countries,  upon  certain  terms  expreffed  in  the  patent. 

Richard  ap  Merrick,   William  Bedford. 

William  Jefferis,  Edward  Penfon. 

Thomas  Elliott,    John  Harris. 

William  Edwards,    John  Attwillis. 

John  Edwards,  Simon  Jarvis. 

John  Matthews,  William  Neal. 

John  Williams,  John  Wilkins. 

Robert  Hutton,   Ralph  Aprys* 

John  Hutton,   Humphrey  Brown. 

Thomas  Dale,  Thomas  Broke. 

William  Wodey,  John  Shipman. 

John  Ware,  Richard  Tonnell. 

Richard  Abyngdon,  William  Vaughan. 

Thomas  Pacy,  Edward  Prynne. 

John  Drcwes,    John  Pope. 

John  Hall,  William  Dale. 
O  o  o  o   2  15'^ 


1503 

Henry  Dale. 

1504 

David  Cogan. 

1505 

Roger  Dawes. 

1506 

Philip  Ringfton, 

1507 

John  Vaughan. 

1508 

Richard  Hoby. 

1509 

John  Capell. 

1510 

John  Poplay. 

1511 

John  Rowland. 

1512  John  Ellyott. 

1513  William  Bedford. 

1514  Robert  Thorn 
J515  Roger  Dawes. 

1516  John  Vaughan. 

1517  Richard  Hoby. 

1518  John  Edwards. 


C   684   ] 


A.  D. 

Mayors. 

^5^9 

John  Williams. 

1520 

Roger  Dawes. 

1521 

John  Shipman. 

1522 

John  Rowland. 

1523 

John  Williams. 

1524 

John  Hutton. 

1525 

Richard  Abingdon. 

1526 

Thomas  Broke. 

1527 

John  Ware. 

1528 

Richard  Tonnell. 

1529 

John  Shipman. 

1530 

Thomas  White. 

1531 

Thomas  Pacy. 

1532 

Clement  Bays. 

1533 

William  Shipman. 

1534 

Roger  Cook. 

1535 
1536 
1537 

1538 


1539 
1540 

1541 
1542 


Sheriffs. 

Clement  Bays,  Robert  Sailbrige. 

William  Shipman,  Robert  Aventry. 

Robert  Eljyott,  Roger  Coke. 

Gilbert  Cogan,  William  Chefter. 

Robert  Chapman,  John  Davis. 

Thomas  JefFeris,  John  Spring 

Henry  White,  John  Jervis. 

George  Bathram,  David  Lawrence. 

Thomas  Nafli,  David  Hutton. 

Nicholas  Thorn,  John  Thorn. 

William  Kelke,  Thomas  Silke. 

George  Hall,  Robert  Adams. 

William  Carey,  John  Mancell. 

John  Smith,  William  Pykes. 

William  Howell,  Anthony  Pain. 

John  Brampton,  Nicholas  Woodhoufe. 
The  King  and  his  train  went  to  Thornbury  and  the  mayor  fent  him 
ten   fat  oxen  and  forty  fheep  for  his  hofpitality,  and  to    Queen  Ann 
a  filver  cup  and  cover  with  100  marks  of  gold. 

One  manufcript  fays.  King  Henry  8th.  went  to  Thornbury  in  hispro- 
grefs,  and  thence  came  difguifed  toBriftol  with  certain  gentlemen  to  Mr. 
Thorn's  houfe  and  fecretly  viewed  the  city,  which  Mr.  Thorn  fliewed 
him,  and  he  faid  to  Mr.  Thorn,  "  this  is  now  but  the  towne  of  Briflol, 
but  I  will  make  it  the  city  of  Briflol,"  which  he  afterwards  did  by 
erefting  it  into  a  bifliop's  fee.     See  p.  80,  279. 

Great  difputes  about  laymen's  preaching  in  Briflol  favoured  by  the 
mayor,    and  priefls  fent  to  Newgate. 

John  Hutton.  Thomas  Hart,  John  Northal!. 

Richard  Abingdon.  Richard  Prinn,  Thomas  Moore. 

William  Chefler.  Thomas  Winfmorc,   Rowland  Cowper. 

Thomas  Jeffreys.  David  Harris,  William  Jay. 

George  Wifard,  an  heretic,  preached  in  St.  Nicholas  church,  and 
was  ordered  to  bear  a  faggot  for  his  erroneous  do£lrine. 
Roger  Cook.  William  Rowley,    William  Young. 

John  Springe.    See  p.  379.     William  Spratt,  Richard  Morfe. 

Richard  Watlcy,  Robert  Saxfe. 

William  Ballard,  William  Pcpwall. 

1543 


Robert  Elliot. 
Henry  White. 


[    (>S5     ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1543  Thomas  Pacy,   fenr.  Francis  Codrington,  Thomas  Landfdown. 

The  litany  was  firft  fung  in    Englifli  in  a  general  proceffion  from 
Chrift  Church  unto  St.  Mary  RedclifF. 

1544  Nicholas  Thorn.  John  Gurney,  Roger  Jones. 

1545  Robert  Adams.  William  Carr,  Robert  Davis. 

1546  William  Gary.  John  A  Weilis,  Thomas  Joackym. 

1547  John  Smyth.  Thomas  Harris,  William  Tindall. 

1548  William  Pyckes.  Edward  Tynte,  John  Mathews. 

1549  William  Jay.  Edward  Prynne,  John  Stone. 

1550  David  Harris.  Roger  Milward,  Thomas  Sheward. 

1551  Roger  Gook.  William  Jones,  Nicholas  Williams. 

1552  William  Chefter.  Thomas  Tyfon,  Anthony  Standback. 
^553     Jo'"""  Northall.  John  Pikes  fen.  Thomas  Pikes  jun. 

1554  John  Smyth.  Giles  White,  John  Cutt. 

He  died  in  his  mayoralty  and  was  buried  in  St.  Werburgh's  church, 
he  was  anceftor  of  the  Smyths  of  Long-Afhton,  fee  p.  484. 

1555  William  Young.  Thomas  Shipman,  John  Griffiths. 

1556  Robert  Saxfe.  George  Snigg,  ^V'illiam  Butler. 

In  this  year  Queen  Mary  incorporated  the  Merchant  Adventurers  to 
Ruffia  into  a  company,  confiding  of  4  confuls  and  24  affiftants;  and 
Sebaftian  Gabotbornin  Briftol  of  Geneofe  parents  was  conftituted  the 
firft  governor,  being  the  chief  encourager  of  this  branch  of  trade. 

1557  William  Pepwall.  William  Tucker,  Arthur  Richards. 

1558  Robert  Adams.  John  Brown,  John  Prewett. 

1559  Roger  Jones.  Thomas  Chefter,  Thomas  Kelke. 

1560  William  Carr.  Michael  Sowdelay,  George  Higgins, 

1561  John  Reekes.  John  Wade,  Thomas  Golfton. 

This  year  the  citizens  of  Briftol  by  the  induftry  and  coft  of  this 
mayor,  were  clearly  exempted  and  freed  for  ever  from  the  marches  of 
Wales,  which  had  been  very  burdcnfomc  to  them. 

1562  John  Stone.  John  Roberts,  William  Belflier. 

1563  Nicholas  Williams.  Thomas  Young,  Richard  Davis. 

1564  Anthony  Standback.  Edmund  Jones,  Thomas  Slocomb. 

1565  John  Northall.  William  Young,  John  Jones. 

A  wind-mill  was  crefted  on  Brandon-Hill  by  Mr.  Read  the  town's 
attorney,  where  before  the  chapel  of  St.  Brandon  ftood. 
.566     John  Cutt.  Phillip  Langley,  Thomas  Aldworth. 

*5^7 


C    686    ] 


A.  D. 

Mayors. 

1567 

William  Pepwall. 

1568 

John  Stone. 

1569 

Thomas  Chefter. 

1570 

William  Tucker. 

157^ 

John  Stone. 

1572 

John  Brown. 

1573 

Thomas  Kelkc. 

1574 

George  Snigg. 

1575 

John  Prewett. 

1576 

John  Wade. 

1577 

Thomas  Colfton. 

^578 

John  Roberts. 

1579 

Thomas  Young. 

1580 

Thomas  Slocombe. 

1581 

Philip  Langley. 

1582 


1583 
1584 

1585 


1586 


Sheriffs. 

Dominick  Chefter,  Walter  Fykes. 

Thomas  Kyrklanti,  Robert  Smith. 

Thomas  Rowland,  Richard  Cole. 

William  Hicks,  John  Barnes. 

Thomas  Warren,  Randolph  HafTell. 

'\\'illiam  Gibbons,  Robert  Kitchen. 

Edward  Porter,  William  Bird. 

^^'illiam  Salterne,  Robert  Halton. 

Michael  Pepwall,  Nicholas  Blake. 

John  Afli,  Richard  Afhurft. 

William  Hopkins,  Walter  Standfaft. 

William  Prewett,  Ralph  Dole. 

George  Bathram,  Francis  Knight. 

William  Parfey,  William  Yate. 

Bartholomew  Cook,  Humpry  Andrews. 
By  charter  this  year  Queen  Elizabeth  granted  the  town  6  more 
aldermen  added  to  the  former  6,  with  the  like  powers  according  to  the 
directions  of  this  and  other  charters;  agreeable  to  this  charter  6  alder- 
men were  fvvorn  this  year,  and  the  city  was  divided  into  12  wards, 
over  which  were  fet  11  aldermen,  the  recorder  always  made  the  12th. 
Thomas  Aldworth.  Thomas  Pollington,  John  Webb. 

A  letter  wrote  by  this  mayor  to  Sir  F.  Walfingham,  extant  in 
Hackluit's  Voy.  v.  3.  p.  182.  dated  March  27,  1583,  concerning  the 
Briftol  merchants  furnifhing  1000  marks  and  two  fliips,  one  of  60,  the 
other  a  bark  of  40  tons,  for  the  difcovery  of  the  coaft  of  America 
S.  W.  of  Cape  Breton,  and  their  zeal  for  the  weftern  difcovery  was 
greatly  commended  in  a  letter  from  that  her  Majefty's  principal 
fecretary. 

Walter  Pykes.  Walter  Davis,  William  Ellis. 

Thomas  Rowland.  Rice  Jones,  Richard  Kelke. 

Richard  Cole.  Henry  Gough,  John  Hart. 

The  17th  of  March  the  Earl  of  Pembroke  came  from  Wales  to 
Briftol  to  review  the  trained  bands,  and  he  taking  the  upper  hand  of 
the  mayor,  notice  thereof  being  given  to  the  Queen,  fhe  fent  for  him 
by  poft  to  court  and  he  was  committed  to  the  Tower  for  a  time,  he 
paid  a  fine  for  the  offence. 
William  Hicks.  Edward  Long,  John  Hopkins. 

1587 


[    687     ] 


A.  D. 

1588 


1589 

1590 

1591 
1592 

1593 
1594 

1595 
1596 

1597 


1598 

»599 
1600 

1601 

1602 

1603 

1604 

1605 

1606 


Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

John  Barnes.  William  Vawer,  Ralph  Hurt, 

Robert  Kitchen.  Nicholas  Hobbs,  John  Oliver. 

Four  fhips  were  this  year  fitted  out  from  Briflol  to  join  the  Queen's 
fleet  at  Plymouth  againll  the  Spaniards,  their  names  were  the  Unicorn, 
the  Minion,  the  Handmaid,  and  the  Ayde.  —  The  23d  of  July  the 
Spanifh  Armada  wasdeftroyed  by  our  fleet,  we  took  15  great  fhips  and 
4791  men,  in  our  Channel.  —  All  the  canvas  that  was  brought  to  the 
Back-Hall  was  bought  up  and  fcntto  London  to  make  field  tents,  par- 
ticularly for  the  camp  at  Tilbury.  —  We  took  upon  the  coaft  of  Ireland 
in  September  17  more  fliips  and  5394  men,  in  all  32  fhips  and  10,185 
men. 

John  Whitfon,  Chriftopher  Kedgwin. 

George  Snow,  Hugh  Griffith. 

Thomas  James,  Walter  Williams. 

Richard  May,  John  Young. 

John  Barker,  Richard  Smith. 

Matthew  Haviland,  Thomas  Pitcher. 

Richard  Rogers,  John  Sly. 

John  Boucher,  Robert  Aldworlh. 

John  Englesfield,  Richard  George. 
This  year  was  a  fcarcity  of  provifion  in  Briflol,  every  perfon  of 
ability  was  obliged  to  keep  as  many  poor  perfons  in  their  houfes  as 
their  income  would  permit,  for  fear  of  an  infurreftion,  wheat  being 
then  fold  for  20s.  a  bufliel,  malt  at  8  s.  Rye  at  los.  Dantzic  Rye  at  5s. 
The  parliament  in  the  year  1601  appointed  a  weekly  relief  for  the  poor 
in  every  parifh,  and  the  manner  how  it  fliould  be  raifed. 


William  Bird. 
John  Hopkins. 
Walter  StandfaH:. 
Thomas  Aldworth. 
Michael  Pepwall. 
Francis  Knight. 
William  Parfey. 
William  Yate. 
John  Webb. 


William  Ellis. 
John  Hart. 
John  Hopkins. 
William  Vawer. 
Ralph  Hurt. 
John  Whitfon. 
Chriflopher  Kedgwin. 
Thomas  James. 
John  Barker. 


William  Gary,  Abel  Kitchen. 
William  Colfton,  John  Harrifon. 
John  Boulton,  Thomas  Hopkins. 
William  Hopkins,  John  Fowncs. 
Thomas  Farmer,  John  Aldworth. 
William  Barnes,  George  Richards. 
William  Cole,  George  Harrington. 
John  Rowbrough,  John  Guy. 


Thomas  Packer,  John  Doughty. 
This  year  upon  the    20th    of  January,    being  Tuefday  morning,  at 
high-water   there  arofe  fo  great  a  flood  that  the    fea   broke  down  the 
banks  and  drowned  all  the  niarfli  country.  1607 


[    688    ] 

A.  D.         Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1607  Matthew  Haviland.  Robert  Rogers,  Arthur  Neads, 

1608  Jolin  Boucher.  Thomas  Moor,  William  Young. 
i6og  Robert  Aldworth  Thomas  Aldworth,  William  Challoner. 

This  mayor  was  a  great  adventurer  in  trade  and  fuccefsful  in  mer- 
chandize.    John   Guy  returned    from  Newfoundland   from  fettling  a 
colony,  leaving  his  fon  there.     The  great  fcarcity  of  corn  the  preced- 
ing year  was  now  fucceeded  with  a  moft  plentiful  harveR. 
1610      John  Eglesfield.  Thomas  Whitehead,  William  Pitt. 

i6n     William  Gary.  William  Burroughs,  Henry  Gibbs. 

Mr.  John  Guy,  with  a  preacher  and  feveral  men  and  women,  re- 
turned to  Newfoundland  to  his  fon. 

1612  Abel  Kitchen.  Chriftopher  Gary,  John  Barker. 

1613  Francis  Knight.  Ghriflopher  Whitfon,    John  Gunning.' 

Queen  Ann  came  to  Briftol,  and  was  prefented  by  the  mayor  with  a 
rich  embroidered  purfe  of  gold,  and  attended  in  a  grand  proceffion  of 
the  trained  bands  and  others  to  her  lodgings  at  Sir  John  Young's,  St. 
Auguftine's-back,  when  flie  was  faluted  with  42  great  guns.  Sunday 
flie  went  to  the  college,  and  Monday  a  fham  fight  at  high  tide  was  exhi- 
bited for  her  entertainment,  and  Tuefday  flie  went  to  Bath.  She 
was  fo  pleafed  with  her  reception  here,  that  flie  gave  the  mayor  a  gold 
ring  fet  witli  diamonds  worth  60I.  faying,  "  flie  never  knew  fhe  was  a 
Queen  till  flie  came  to  Briflol." 

1614  Thomas  James.  John  Langton,  Humphrey  Hook. 

1615  John  Whitfon.  William  Baldwin,  John  Tomlinfon. 

1616  Thomas  Farmer.  Henry  Yate,  Henry  Hobfon. 

1617  George  Harrington.  Matthew  Warren,  William  Turner. 

1618  John  Guy.  Thomas  Cecil,  Thomas  Wright. 

1619  Thomas  Packer.  William  Lilfet,  Humphrey  Brown. 

1620  John  Doughty.  Andrew  Charlton,   Peter  Millard. 

1621  Robert  Rogers.  Richard  Holworthy,  Richard  Long. 

1622  William  Young.  Edward  Cox,  William  Jones. 

1623  William  Pitt.  Oliver  Sncll,  Ezekiel  Wallis. 

1624  Henry  Gibbes.  William  Pitt,  junr,  Nathaniel  Boucher. 

1625  John  Barker.  George  Knight,  John  Taylor. 

By  aft  of  common  council  Brandon-hill  was  adjudged  to  the  mayor 
and  fherifFs,  but  the  citizens  were  allowed  to  dry  clothes  there. 

1626  Chriftopher  Whitfon.  John  Lock,  Walter  Ellis. 

1627 


[    68c,    ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1627  John  Gunning.  Richard  Aldworth,   Richard  Plea. 

This  mayor  gave  10s.  per  week  whilft  he  lived  to  good  ufes,  as 
did  Alderman  Kitchen  at  his  death. 

1628  John  Langton.  Alexander  James,  Francis  Crefwick. 

1629  Humphrey  Hook.  Thomas  Colflon,  Giles  Elbridgc. 

1630  John  Tomlinfoa.  Derrick  Poppely,  Gabriel  Sherman. 

Charles  ift.  by  a  charter  granted  that  the  caftlc,  with  the  walls,  banks, 
ditches,  houfes,  gardens,  &:c.  within  the  precintlsof  the  caflle  be  hence- 
forth for  ever  feparated  from  the  county  of  Glocefter,  and  made  part  of 
the  city  and  county  of  Briflol,  and  to  be  uitiiin  the  bounds,  jurif- 
diftion,  and  authority  of  the  mayor,  fheriffs,  coroners,  and  juflicci, 
&c.  and  that  no  officer  of  the  county  of  Glocefter  intermeddle,  and  that 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  caftle  fliall  be  made  freemen  of  Briftol,  and 
that  the  mayor  fliall  anfwer  alike  for  the  caftle,  although  it  be  parcel  of 
the  crown  lands,  &c.  Dated  at  Weftminfter,  13  April,  5th  year  of 
his  reign.     Sec  p.  224. 

1631  Henry  Yate.  John  Gunning,  junr.  Miles  Jackfon, 

The  caftle  was  purchafed  of  Charles  ift.  who  granted  it  to  the  cor- 
poration for  the  fum  of  959!.  in  reverfion  after  three  lives,  which  they 
alfo  bought  off  afterwards.  See  p.  225.  They  paid  the  King  40I.  per 
annum  rent,  which  was  purchafed  of  the  crown  in  Charles  2d's.  time. 
See  p.  134. 

1632  Henry  Hobfon.  Thomas  Jackfon,  William  Fitzherbert. 

1633  Matthew  Warren.  Robert  Elliott,  Thomas  Flovd. 

1634  Andrew  Charlton.  John  Langton,  junr.  Thomas  Hook. 

1635  Richard  Holworthy.  William  Cann,  William  Hobfon. 

It  appeared  by  the  Cuftom-houfc  books  the  city  paid  vearly  above 
25000I.  for  cuftoms ;  and  towards  fitting  out  a  fleet  againft  France  and 
Holland  in  league,  meditating  fome  ftroke  againft  this  nation,  Briftol 
gave  2163I.  13s.  4d. 

1636  Richard  Long.  Richard  \'ickris,   Thomas  Woodward. 

1637  William  Jones.  Edward  Peters,  William  Wyatt. 

1638  Ezekiel  Wallis.  George  Hellier,  Luke  Hodges. 

From  September  to  December  the  city  was  never  free  from  commil- 
fioncrs  and  purfuivants,  who  examined  on  oath  merchants  what  com- 
modities thev  had  fent  to  fca,  what  entries  were  made  at  the  Cuftom- 
houfe,  what  foreign    goods   imported,  <&c.   for  years  paU .''    Agreeable 

P  p  !•  i'  to 


[    690     ] 

to  thefe  informations  they  examined,  whereby  fome  were  compelled  to  accufe 
one  another,  and  were  fent  for  up  to  London.  Shopkeepers  alfo  were  exa- 
mined, and  had  great  impofls  laid  on  them.  Soap-makers  paid  4I.  cuftom 
per  ton  for  foap,  the  brewers  forty  marks  per  annum  for  a  commiflion,  which 
were  fuch  grievances  that  it  foured  the  nation  much  againfl  the  king  and  go- 
vernment, &c.  Four  aldermen  and  fome  merchants  went  to  complain  to  the 
King  concerning  the  above  fevere  ufage,  on  the  city's  behalf.  His  Majefty 
embraced  them  moft  gracioufly,  and  was  forry  that  by  wrong  information  he 
had  granted  fuch  oppreffive  comminions,  which  then  however  he  could  not 
recall  ;  but  gave  them  liberty  to  prefer  a  bill  againft  them  in  the  Star  Cham- 
ber, and  retain  counfellors  to  plead  for  them  before  the  privy  council ;  for 
before  thefe  commiffioners,  were  lords  and  judges  over  them.  They  ftaid  at 
great  expence  for  trial,  but  it  could  not  be  determined ;  his  Majefty  wilhed 
them  to  follow  their  fuit,  and  when  it  came  to  the  higheft  his  grace  would 
mediate  between  them.  To  add  to  thefe  troubles,  corn  was  fcarcc  this  year 
and  fold  for  gs.  a  bufhel,  and  would  foon  have  been  20s.  if  a  great  quantity 
of  French  wheat  and  other  grain  had  not  been  imported  into  Briftol  and  other 
ports. 

The  28th  of  July  this  year,  a  fhip  was  launched  at  the  end  of  the  Quay,  ia 
which  eleven  boys  were  drowned,  and  flie  was  called  thence  the  Drown  Bov. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  SiiERiirs. 

1639  George  Knight.  Matthew  Warren,  Walter  Dcyos. 

1640  John  Taylor.  Henry  Gibbs,  Edward  Pitt. 

1641  John  Lock,  Richard  Balman,  Robert  Yeamans. 

The  latter  part  of  this  year,  war  was  begun  by  the  Parliament 
againfl;  the  King.  Denzil  Hollis  was  nominated  as  fit  to  command  the 
militia  at  Briftol.      He  fubfcribed  loool.  againft  the  King. 

1642  Richard  Aldworth.  Jofeph  Jackfon,  Hugh  Brown. 
0£lober  23,   the  caftle  of  Briftol  was  repaired  and  the  walls  round  the  city, 

a  fort  made  at  Brandon-hill,  and  another  on  St.  Michael's-hill  near  the  wind- 
mill afterwards  turned  to  a  royal  pentagonal  fort.  Two  regiments  under  Col. 
Effex  were,  by  the  management  of  the  mayor's  wife,  Mrs.  Rogers,  and  Mrs. 
V'ickris,  let  into  the  city.  A  weekly  afTcffment  was  made  by  the  Parliament 
on  all  cities  and  counties.  Briftol  paid  55I.  15s.  per  week,  levied  upon  all 
lands,  goods,  money,  ftock,  &c.  in  the  manner  of  a  land  tax,  (which  was  a 
precedent  whence  the  land  tax  was  afterwards  taken.)  Befides,.  many  were 
obliged  to  a  heavy  compofition  to  fave  the  remainder  of  their  cftates.  The 
mob  having  now  the  rule,    the  better  fort  of  inhabitants    dared  not  appear 

ia 


C   691    ] 

in  the  ftrects   without   being  grofly  infulted  by    the   rebellious  rabble,  and  il 
they  went  out  of  town  they  were  taken  up  and  fent  to  prifon.     See  p.  227. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1643  Humphrey  Hook.  Henry  Crelwick,  William  Colfton. 

Augufl:  2,  the  King,  Charles  ift.  came  to  Briftol,  and  Sundav  wcnr 
to  college. 

1644  Alexander  James.  Nathaniel  Cale,  William  Bevan. 

1645  J"^^"  Gunning.  Jo^^n  Young,  Walter  Stephens. 

The  peftilcnce  raged  in  the  city,  about  3000  died. 

1646  Richard  Vickris,  Walter  Sandby,  Edward  Tyfon. 

1647  Gabriel  Sherman.  Arthur  Farmer,  George  White. 

1648  William  Cann.  Robert  Challoner,  Robert  Yate. 

This  mayor  did  in  his  year  proclaim  no  King  to  be  in  England,  and 
the  fuccefibrs  of  Charles  ift.  to  be  traitors  to  the  flatc.  He  was  the 
firfl:  that  did  it,  after  it  was  refufed  by  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London. 

1649  Miles  Jackfon.  William  Dale,  William  Yeamans. 

1650  Hugh  Brown.  James  Crofts,  George  Hort. 

The  walls  about  the  Royal  fort  made  by  order  of  Parliament,  who 
gave  loool.  towards  it. 

1651  Jofeph  Jackfon.  George  Lane,  Robert  Cann. 

1652  Henry  Gibbs.  Thomas  Amory,    Jonathan  Blackwell. 

1653  George  Hellier.  John  Pope,  ThomasBubb. 

Quakers  came  firft  to  Briftol. 

1654  John  Gunning.  Jo'"""  Lawford,  Chriflopher  Griffith. 

1655  Walter  Deyos.  Thomas  Harris,  John  Bowing. 

1656  Richard  Balman.  Robert  Vickris,  John  Harper. 

Oliver  Cromwell,  November  10,  fcnt  for  James  Nailor,  Dorcas 
Erbury,  and  other  Quaker  preachers,  to  London.  The  Parliament 
pafTcd  fentence  on  Nailor  to  /land  in  the  pillory  two  hours,  and  then  to 
be  whipped  by  the  common  hangman,  his  tongue  to  be  bored  through 
with  a  hot  iron,  and  his  forehead  to  be  fligmatized  with  tlie  letter  B, 
and  then  to  be  fent  to  Briftol  to  be  there  publicly  whipped  : — a  fevcre 
fentence  ! 

1657  Arthur  Farmer.  John  Willoughby,  Henry  Appleton. 
December  8,   1657.     This   day  was   received  a  letter  from   ihc  Lord  Pro- 

teclor  as  follows : 

Oliver,    P. 
Trudy  and  well  beloved,  we  greet  you  well:  remembering  well  the  late  ex* 
prcffions  of  love  that  I  have  had  from  you,  I  cannot  omit  any  opportunity  to 

P  !■  p  i'   2  cxprcis 


[    692     ] 

cxprefs  my  care  of  you.  I  do  hear  on  all  hands,  that  the  cavalier  party  are 
(lefigning  to  put  us  into  blood.  We  are,  I  hope,  taking  the  beft  care  we  can 
by  the  blcfTing  of  God  to  obviate  this  danger;  but  our  intelligence  on  all 
hands  being  that  they  have  a  dcfign  upon  your  city,  ve  could  not  but  warn 
you  thereof,  and  give  }  ou  authority  as  we  do  hereby  to  put  yourfelves  into 
the  bell  pollure  you  can  for  your  own  defence,  by  raifing  your  militia  by  vir- 
tue of  the  comniiffion  formerly  fent  you,  and  putting  them  in  a  readinefs  for 
the  purpofe  aforefaid  ;  letting  you  alfo  know  that  for  your  better  encourage- 
ment herein,  you  fhall  have  a  troop  of  horfe  fent  you  to  quarter  in  or  near 
your  town.  We  defire  you  to  let  us  hear,  from  time  to  time,  what  occurs 
touching  the  malignant  party,  and  fo  we  bid  you  farewell.  Given  at  White- 
hall, this  2d  December,  1657. 

To   our  trufty   and  well  beloved   the    mayor,  aldermen,  and  common 
council  of  the  city  of  Briflol. 
In  purfuance  of  this  command,  the  city  was  put  into  a  pofture  of  defence^ 
by  raifing  the  militia. 

Sheriffs. 
Edward  Morgan,  Nathaniel  Collins. 
Francis  Gleed,  Timothy  Parker. 
Richard  Grigfon,  Thomas  Langton. 
Thomas  Stephens,    John  Hicks. 
John  Wright,  Sir  Robert  Yeamans. 
John  Broadway,  Richard  Stremer. 
The  5th  of  September,  the  King  and  Queen,  with  James  Duke-  of" 
York  and  his  Dutchefs,  and  Prince  Rupert,  &c.  came  to  Briftol,  and 
were  fplendidly   received  and  entertained   by  ^he  mayor,  at  a  dinner 
provided  on  the   occafion.     They   returned    to  Bath   at   four  o'clock,, 
150  pieces  of  ordnance  were  difcharged  in  the  Marfli  at  three  diftinfl: 
times. 

1664  Joli"  Lawford.  John  Knight,  Ralph  Oliffe. 

Charles  2d.  confirmed  the  charters  of  Charles  ift.  of  1630,   1631. 

1665  John  Willoughby.  William  Crabb,  Richard  Crump. 

1666  Sir  Thomas  Langton.  J"'i"  Floyd,  Jofcph  Crefwick. 

1667  Edward  Morgan.  Henry  Gough,    John  Aldworth. 

J  668  Thomas  Stephens.  Humphrey  Little,  Richard  Hart. 

1669  Sir  Robert  Yeamans.  Charles  Powel,   Edward  Hurn. 

1670  John  Knight.  Thomas  Dav,  Thomas  Eaflon. 

1671  John  Hickcs.  Richard  Stubbs,  Thomas  Earle. 


A.  D. 

Mayors. 

1658 

Walter  Sandy. 

1659 

Edward  Tyfon. 

1660 

Henry  Crefwick. 

i66t 

Nathaniel  Cale. 

1662 

Sir  Robert  Cann. 

1663 

Sir  John  Knight. 

[    693     ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Siikriffs. 

1672  Chriftopher  GiifTuh.  Edward  Young,  JoJin  Cook. 

1673  Richard  Stremer.  John  Cicil,    John  Dymcr. 

1674  Ralph  OlifFe.  Samuel  Wharton,   Edward  Fielding. 

1675  Sir  Robert  Cann.  Charles  Williams,  George  Lane. 

1676  William  Crabb.  Henry  GlifTon,   Henry  Merrett. 

1677  Richard  Crump.  William  Donning,  John  Moore. 

1678  Sir  John  Lloyd.  William  Jackfon,  William  Clutterbuck. 

1679  Jofeph  Crcfwick.  William  Hayman,  William  Swimmer. 

1680  Richard  Hart.  Abraham  Saunders,  Arthur  Hart. 

1681  Sir  Thomas  Earle.  Sir  John  Kight,  Richard  Lane. 

1682  Thomas  Eafton.  John  Coombcs,  George  Hart. 

1683  Sir  William  Clutterbuck.        Nathaniel  Driver,   Edmund  Arundel. 

A  quo  warranto  being  brought  againft  the  old  charter,  it  was  refigncd 
into  the  King's  hands. 

1684  Sir  William  Hayman.  Giles  Merrick,  James  Twyford. 
Charles  2d.  granted  a  new  charter,  by  which  he  confirms  it  as  a  city  incor- 
porate and  county  within  itfelf  with  the  fame  bounds  ufually  enjoyed,  and 
grants  the  fame  powers  to  the  mayor  and  two  flicriffs,  &c..  that  they  may  have 
a  common  feal,  and  take  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and  the  oaths  appointed  by 
aft  of  parliament  for  corporations;  that  the  common  council  men  may  not 
exceed  forty-three,  to  continue  for  their  natural  lives,  who  are  to  have  power 
to  make  laws,  iSre.  but  not  contrary  to  the  ftatutes  of  the  realm,  and  to  be  in 
force  but  one  year  if  the  Lord  Chancellor  approves  thereof.  The  mayor  and 
fheriffs  to  be  always  chofen  the  15th  of  September,  and  all  the  oaths  aclminifkred 
the  2gth-.  If  the  mayor  or  flieriff  die,  another  to  be  elettcd  by  the  common 
council.  A  recorder  to  be  chofen  a  barrillcr  of  five  years  {landing,  to  be 
approved  under  the  royal  hand.  That  there  be  tw-elve  aldermen,  the  recor- 
der to  be  the  fenior  alderman.  That  they  be  rcfidcnt  in  the  city,  and  no  one 
elefled  for  nuiyor,  flicrifl,  or  aldcrmaa  that  fliall  voluntarily  abfcnt  himfelf 
when  to  be  fworn,  and  a  fine  not  exceeding  5;ool.  be  impofcd  on  thofe  refuf- 
ing  to  be  chofen,  unlcfs  they  fwear  they  are  not  worth  2000I.  The  mayor 
and  aldermen  to  be  juflices  of  the  peace,  and  to  punifh  ofl'enders  at  the  felTions 
four  times  a  vear.  That  a  town  clerk  be  chofen  by  them,  a  barriUer  of  three 
years;  and  a  llcward  of  the  flieriff's'  court,  alfo  two  coroners.  Tin-  mayor. 
Sec.  to  have  the  regulation  of  the  markets,  and  may  have  three  fairs  fvjr  wool. 
Sec.  the  18th  of  April,  the  10th  of  June,  and  the  firfl  Thurfda.\;  after  Michael- 
mas,   to  be  kept  in  King's-flrcct  ;  and  fi\e   otiier  fairs    for  horfcs.  Sec.  the 

25  til. 


C   694   ] 


A.  D. 


25tli  of  January  in  Temple-nreet,  on  the  25th  and  26th  of  March  al 
Rcdcliff-Hill,  on  the  25th  and  26th  of  May  in  Broadmead,  on  the 
25th,  26th  and  27th  of  September  in  Temple-ftreet,  and  on  the  25th, 
26th  and  27th  of  November  on  Rcdcliff-Hill;  alfo  that  tliev  mav  keep 
the  piedpowder-court  there  at  the  faid  fairs,  with  the  liberties  and 
cuftoms  thereof.  1683,  witnefs  myfelf  at  Weftminfter  the  2d  of  June, 
the  36th  year  of  our  reign.  PIGOT. 

Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1685     Abraham  Saunders.  William  Merrick,  Robert  Yate. 

On  the  25th  of  June  a  great  alarm  in  Brillol  of  the  Duke  of  Mon- 
mouth's coming  hither  from  Taunton  and  Wells:  which  caufeda  great 
llir.— .The  Duke  of  Beaufort,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  the  city,  drew  up 
21  companies  of  foot  in  Redcliff-Mead. 

The  Duke  of  Monmouth  certainly  was  on  his  March  towards  the  city 
of  Briflol,  abounding  in  money,  arms,  ftores,  and  in  his  own  friends, 
intending  to  make  an  attempt  upon  it,  becaufe  he  was  affured  of  affif- 
tance  from  within  :  but  the  Duke  of  Beaufort  having  declared  to  the 
citizens  that  he  would  fct  fire  to  the  town  if  they  made  an  infurreftion  ; 
Monmouth  is  reported  to  have  faid,  "  God  forbid  that  I  fliould  bring 
the  two  calamities  of  fire  and  fword  together  on  fo  noble  a  city!"  and 
marched  towards  Bath  :  from  whence  he  retired  to  Frome,  and  thence 
to  Bridgwater,  where  from  the  top  of  a  high  tower  he  took  the  laft  view 
of  a  country  he  forefaw  he  muft  foonquit:  whence  perceiving  Lord 
Feverfham's  horfe  and  foot  lying  at  a  diflance  on  King's  Sedgmore, 
from  each  other  and  carelefly  encamped,  he  refolved  inflantly  to  attack 
them  in  the  night,  but  was  defeated,  and  taken  afterwards  near  Ring- 
wood  in  Dorfctfliire,  lying  in  a  ditch  covered  with  fern  in  the  habit  of  a 
peafant ;  he  had  fome  green  peafe  in  his  pocket  on  which  he  had  fub- 
fiRed,  with  his  George  of  diamonds,  having  not  flept  for  three  nights  ; 
from  exhauftion  of  fpirits  he  fainted  and  wept. — He  was  tried  and  con- 
demned the  15th  of  July  this  year  to  be  beheaded,  then  30  years  old. 

Judge  Jefferies  came  to  Brilfol  and  opened  his  commifTion  with  a 
long  fpeech  full  of  afperity  againll  the  citizens  of  Briftol,  accufing  the 
mayor  &c.  of  pride,  and  of  kidnapping  away  and  felling  abroad  to  his 
advantage  fellows  that  had  been  brought  before  him  for  fmall  crimes, 
and  making  them  compound  to  go  abroad  &c.  recorded  in  the  life  of 
Lord  Keeper  North. — He  condemned  fix  men  here  for  high  trea- 
fon,  three  were  reprieved. 
1686     A\'illiam  Swymmer.  George  Morgan,  Edward  Tockncll. 

1687 


[    %5     ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Siieiuffs. 

1687     Thomas  Day.  Thomas  Saunders,  Thomas  Hiiie. 

The  13th  of  January  there  came  a  letter  and  order  of  council  from 
King  James  for  difplacing  the  prcfent  members  of  the  corporation, 
and  placing  others  therein  named  in  their  room,  which  was  accordingly 
done. 

The  glh  of  April  this  year  the  declaration  was  brought  hither  for 
indulging  all  perfons  in  their  religion  of  what  kind  foever,  and  in  build- 
ing meeting-houfes,  acquainting  the  next  juftice  of  peace  therewith: 
for  which  the  dilfenters  prcfentcd  an  addrefs  of  thanks  from  all  parts  of 
the  kingdom. — The  panick  that  now  had  pervaded  all  ranks  of  people 
left  popery  fliould  be  introduced  under  this  mafk,  and  the  dread  of 
many  lofing  their  lands  that  once  belonged  to  fome  abby,  operated  fo 
powerfully,  that  neither  this  declaration  nor  his  immediate  order  for 
reftoring  corporations  difplaced,  would  avail:  many  great  men  and 
bidiops,  fee  page  332,  fided  with  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  many  mili- 
tarv  officers  deferted  to  him. 

i688     Wm.  Jackfon.  J"'in  Lyflon,  Jofcph  Jackfon. 

The  old  corporation  was  rellored  by  the  King's  proclamation,  which 
concluded  with  "  his  gracious  intention  of  calling  a  parliament  as  foon 
as  the  general  difturbance  of  his  kingdom  by  the  intended  invafion  will 
admit  thereof."  But  the  5th  of  November  the  Prince  of  Orange 
landed  in  England;  and  the  13th  of  Feb.  1688-9  he  and  his  Princcfs 
were  proclaimed  King  and  Queen,  andon  the  15th  fo  proclaimed  here  ; 
whereby  our  civil  and  religious  liberties  were  fecured  on  the  firmefl. 
bafis,  the  bill  of  rights  obtained,  and  magna  charta  and  our  glorious 
conftitution  in  church  and  (late  invariably  eftablifhed, — now  admired 
and  envied  by  all  the  world. 

1689  Arthur  Hart.  John  Bubb,  John  Blackwell. 

1690  Sir  John  Knight.  Robert  Dowting,  John  Yeamans. 

1691  Richard  Lane.  Thomas  Bradway.  Thomas  Opic. 

Bifhop  Hall  occafloned  the  eftablifhing  of  the  clergy  fociety's  feafl, 

1692  Edmund  Arundel.  James  Pope,  Henry  Coombes. 

1693  Robert  "^'atc.  Marmaduke  Bowdlcr,  John  Batchelor. 

1694  Sir  Thomas  Day.  John  Hawkins,  Sir  Wm.  Daines. 

Eroom-Gate  taken  down  with  the  houfe  over  it. 

1695  Samuel  Wallis.  Wm.  Lewis,  Wm.  French. 

1696  John  Hinc.  Peter  Saunders,  Francis  Whitcluircli. 

i%7 


C  696  ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1697  John  Bubb.  Nathaniel  Day,  John  Day. 

1698  John  Blackwell.  George  Stevens,  John  Swymmer. 

1699  )ohn  Batchclor.  Wm.  Whitehead,  James  Holledge. 

1700  Sir  \Vm.  Daines.  Robert  Bound,  Ifaac  Davis. 

1701  John  Hawkins.  Samuel  Bayly,  Richard  Bayly. 

The  coronation  day  of  Queen  Ann  was  celebrated  here  with  great 
folemnity,  and  much  pageantry  difplayed  by  the  young  men  and  maidens 
dreft  with  ribbons  and  wearing  coronets  of  laurel  leaves  gilded,  at- 
tended with  mufic,  and  the  procelTion  was  very  noble  and  grand,  the 
fhips  were  drefl  out,  as  well  as  the  churches,  gates  and  houfes,  cannons 
firing  and  bells  ringing,  windows  all  illuminated,  the  whole  concluded 
with  burning  the  figure  of  the  Pope  with  a  triple  crown. 

1702  Sir  Wm.  Lewis.  Abraham  Elton,  Chrillopher  Shutcr. 

1703  Peter  Saunders.  Thomas  Hort,  Henry  Whitehead. 

A  great  dorm  of  wind  and  rain  that  drowned  all  the  marfh  country, 
and  all  the  cellars  and  warehoufcs  in  Briflol  were  filled,  to  the  very 
great  damage  and  lofs  of  the  merchants;  the  boats  fent  hence  faved  the 
lives  of  many  found  upon  trees  &c. 

1704  Francis  Whitchurch.  Anthony  Swymmer,  Henry  Walter. 

The  number  of  alehoufes  here  were  limited  to  220,  flage  plays  forbid 
within  the  jurifdiclion  of  the  city. 
lyor^      Nathaniel  Day.  Morgan  Smith,  Nathaniel  Webb. 

1706  George  Stevens.  Abraham  Hook,  Nicholas  Hicks. 

1707  Wm.  Whitehead.  Onefiphorus  Tindall,  Thomas  Tyler. 

1708  James  Hollidge.  Philip  Freke,  John  Day. 

A  fcarcity  of  corn,  and  it  being  bought  up  by  the  merchants  to  fend 
abroad,  occafioned  an  infurreftion  of  the  colliers,  which  was  appeafed 
by  reducing  the  price  of  wheat  to  6s.  8d.  per  bufliel. 

1709  Robert  Bound.  James  Haynes,  Thomas  Clements. 

The  new  cuftoni-houfe  in  Queen-Square  was  built  by  the  corpora- 
tion, atthetxpence  of  2777I.  7s.  5d. 

1710  Abraham  Elton.  Edmund  Mountjoy,  Abraham  Elton,  jun. 

Queen  Ann  renewed  the  charter  of  Briflol,  (fee  Briftol  charters,  p. 
273,)  confirming  all  former  charters  and  liberties,  and  granting  pardon 
to  the  mayor  and  other  officers  for  having  executed  their  offices  without 
approbation  under  the  royal  fignct,  contrary  to  the  charter  of  the  36th 
of  Charles  the  2d.  and  relcafing  all  fuch  powers  in  faid   charter  re- 

ferved 


[    697    ] 

ferved  of  approbation  of  fuch  offices  to  which  they  fhall  be  chofen  ;  and 
releafing  all  power  in  the  crown  of  removing  any  mayor  or  other  officer,  &c. 
Dated  24  July,  1710. 

Twenty  marks  fterling  to  be  paid  as  a  fine  into  the  Queen's  hannipcr. 

Cowper,  chancellor. 

The  annual  dinner  of  the  Loyal  Society  was  held  the  2d  of  November,  Mr. 
Colfton's  birth-day,  who  could  not  come  being  aged,  and  was   reprefented  by 
the  Moft  Noble  Henry  Duke  of  Beaufort. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1711  Chriftopher  Shuter.  William  Bayly,  Poole  Stokes. 

An  aft  of  parliament  was  procured,  at  the  expcnce  of  the  Duke  of 
Beaufort,  to  compleat  the  navigation  betwixt  Briltol  and  Bath ;  though 
thirteen  years  elapfed  before  any  thing  was  done,  when  by  dividing  the 
expence  into  thirty-two  fhares,  it  was  fet  about  by  fubfcription,  and 
completed  December  27,  1727,  when  the  firft  barge  was  brought  to 
Bath  from  Briftol,  laden  with  deals,  lead,   and  meal. 

1712  Thomas  Hort.  Richard  Gravet,  Henry  Watts. 

1713  Anthony  Swymmer.  John  Becher,  Henry  Swymmer. 

1714  Henry  Whitehead.  William  Whitehead,  Richard  Taylor. 

1715  Henry  Walter.  James  Donning,  Jofeph  JefFeries. 

Lord  Berkeley  was  made  Lord  Lieutenant  of  this  city. 

1717  John  Day.  Henry  Nafh,  John  Price. 

1718  Edmund  Mountjoy.  Samuel  Stokes,  Edward  Foy. 

1719  Abraham  Elton.  Arthur  Taylor,  John  King. 

1720  Henry  Watts.  Robert  Addifon,  Jacob  Elton. 

The  new  wharf  on  the  Back,  oppofite  King-ftrcet,  built  by  the  city, 
at  the  expence  of  1053I.  3s. 

1721  John  Becher.  John  Rich,  Noblct  Ruddock. 

1722  Henry  Swymmer.  Robert  Smyth,   Lionel  Lyde. 

A  new  gunpowder  repofitory  built  at  Tower  Harris,  which  coft  the 
corporation  143I.  18s.  5d. 

1723  James  Donning.  John  Blackwell,   Nathaniel  Wraxhall. 

1724  Jofeph  Jeffisriesi  Nathaniel  Day,  William  JefFeries. 

1725  Robert  Earlc.  Michael  Puxton,  Stephen  Clutterbuck. 

1726  Peter  Day.  Ezekicl  Longman,  Henry  Coombe. 

An  aft  obtained  for  erefting  turnpikes  round  the  city  ;  but  the  col- 
liers, not  being  exempted  from  paying  and  under-hand  encouraged, 
cut  down  and  entirely  deftroycd  them. 

Q  Q  Q  Q  The 


[    698     ] 

The   wharf  continued  to  be  built  on  the  Back  behind  the  Square  for   180 
feet  forward.     It  cod  the  chamber  488I.  12s.  yd. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1727  Henry  Xafli.  Richard  Bayl\',  John  Bartlet. 

1728  John  Price.  Henry  Lloyd,  Abraham  Eton. 

1729  Samuel  Stokes.  John  Barrow,  John  Day. 

1730  Edward  Foy.  Edward  Buckler,  William  Barnfdale. 

The  firfl:  incendiary  letters  ever  known  in  the  kingdom  were  fent  to 
divers  perfons  here,  threatening  to  fire  their  houfes  if  they  did  not 
leave  ten  guineas  in  certain  places.  Mr.  Packer,  fhip-builder,  had  his 
houfe  burnt  down  in  confequence,  which  fo  alarmed  the  city  that  it 
caufed  a  double  watch  till  fix  in  the  morning.  A  reward  of  400I.  was 
offered.  One  Power,  an  Irifli  attorney,  was  taken  up  on  ftrong  proof 
and  circumftances  ;  but  he  got  fome  to  fwear  fo,  that  he  was  cleared. 

1731  Arthur  Taylor.  Edward  Cooper,  William  Barnes. 

1732  John  King.  '  -.        John  Foy,  Buckler  Weeks. 

1733  Jacob  Elton.  Micltael  Pope,  Benjamin  GlifTon. 

The  great  crane  at  the  Gibb  built  by  the  ingenious  Mr.  Padmore, 
and  the  dock  compleated  at  the  expence  of  the  Merchants'  Society.— 
See  the  print,  p.  87.       The  Prince  of  Orange  vifited  this  city. 

1734  John  Rich.  Thomas  Curtis,  James  Laroche. 

Two  petitions  were  prefcnted  to  the  parliament  againfl  the  return  of 
Mr.  Cofter  for  member,  which  being  thought  afterwards  unjuft  and  ill- 
grounded  were  withdrawn.  This  however  occafioned  much  ill  will 
among  the  citizens,  fee  p.  161.  as  Mr.  Cofter  was  a  very  uiiexception- 
able  candidate,  a  fenfible  and  worthy  man,  and  refident  in  Briftol. 
He  lies  buried  in  the  cathedral,  fee  p.  209.  with  a  handfome  monu- 
ment and  elegant  Latin  infcription. 

1735  Lionel  Lyde.  David  Peloquin,  John  Clements. 

1736  John  Blackwell.  Morgan  Smith,  Abraham  Elton. 

1737  Nathaniel  Day.  Jofeph  Eyles,  Henry  Dampicr. 

This  mayor  fixed  up  the  table  of  the  loan  money  and  benefactors  for 
public  infpeftion  in  the  Council-houfe,  fee  p.  136.  and  made  manv 
improvements  in  the  city. 

1738  William  Jefferies.  John  Coinbe,  Giles  Baylv. 

His  Royal  Highnefs  Frederick  Prince  of  Wales  and  Augufta  his 
Princefs  came  hither  from  Bath,  and  were  met  by  the  mayor,  &c.  at 
Temple-gate,  where  a  platform  was  erefted  for  the  corporation  dreflcd 

in 


[    ^99    ] 

in  tlicir  fcarlet  gowns  to  falute  them  on  their  coming,  and  the  recorder  deli- 
vered a  fpeech  to  them.  All  the  trading  companies,  with  their  flags,  &c. 
walked  in  proceffion  before  their  coach  up  High-ftreet  and  along  the  Quay  to 
Oueen-fquare  to  Mr.  Combcs's.  After  he  had  received  the  compliments  of 
the  clergy,  gentlemen,  &c.  he  was  conducted  to  the  Mcrchants'-hall,  where 
an  elegant  dinner  was  provided,  and  a  ball  at  night.  They  lay  at  Mr.  Combes's 
that  night,  and  returned  the  next  morning  at  ten  o'clock  to  Bath,  highly 
pleafed  with  their  entertainment  here. 

The   library,  built  at  the  expence  of  the  chamber,  amounting  to   1600I. 
in  the  whole,  was  finifhed  this  year.     See  p.  508. 
A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1739  Stephen  Clutterbuck.  Michael  Becher,  David  Dehany. 

1740  Henry  Combe.  Walter  Jenkins,  William  Martin. 

The  loth  of  March  the  firfl;  ftone  was  laid  for  the  foundation  of  the 
new  Exchange.     See  p.  459. 

1741  John  Bartlett.  John  Chamberlain,  Henry  Muggleworth. 

1742  Abraham  Elton.  William  Cofsley,  Jeremiah  Ames. 

1743  John  Berrow.  Ifaac  Elton,  John  Durbin. 

1744  John  Day.  John  Foy,  Buckler  Weeks. 

1745  William  Barnes.  Thomas  Marfh,  John  Noble. 

The  Pretender's  Son,  having  now  formed  a  large  body  of  highlanders,  was 
advanced  into  England  as  far  as  Derby,  and  threw  the  kingdom  into  the  utmoft 
confternation,  Confultations  were  every  where  held,  for  putting  thcmfelves 
into  the  befl  pofture  of  defence.  Numbers  of  the  citizens  here  met  at  the  Mer- 
chants'-hall,  and  there  fignedaparchment,  containing  their  refolution  to  ftandby 
King  George  and  the  Royal  Family  ;  and  on  another  they  fubfcribed  their 
names  to  fuch  fums  as  they  intended  to  contribute  for  raifing  men  for  the 
King's  ufe,  which  at  lengh  amounted  to  36,4501.  They  gave  about  5I.  a  man 
to  inlift,  and  above  60  were  fent  to  be  incorporated  in  the  King's  guards,  London. 

Monday  the  7th  of  Oftober  the  Trial  privateer,  and  her  prize  which  fhe  had 
taken,  bound  to  Scotland  with  firelocks  and  other  warlike  florcs,  having  on 
board  6000I.  in  money  and  a  number  of  men,  came  into  Kingroad.  Two 
Iriflimen  taken  on  board  the  prize  were  font  to  London  in  a  coach  and  fix 
horfes  the  Thurfday  following. 

Alfo  two  London  privateers,  the  i2ih  of  fuly,  landed  here  the  money  taken 
in  two  Spanifli  fhips,  which  was  depofited  in  the  Cuftom-houfe,  where  it  was 
v/eighed.     Its  weight  and  value  was  as  follows: 

Qqq  e   2  1093 


[     700     ] 

Cwt.    qrs,     lb. 

1093  Chefts  of  filver,  weight,  grofs       -         _         _         _     1573     2   10 
Tare,  at  10  per  cent.  -         -  -         -         -         -  97     2    10 

Neat     -     1476     o     o 
1476  Cwt.  weight  neat  is  2,644,992  ounces,  at  5s.  6d.  per  ounce,  comes  in 

flcrling  money  to  727,372!.   16s. 

Befides  five  chefts  of  wrought  plate,  feveral  tons  of  cocoa,  a  gold  church  in 

miniature,  and  feveral  other  valuable  things.     It  was  conveyed  to  London  in 

twenty-two  waggons,  guarded  by  foldiers. 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1746  Edward  Cooper.  Henry  Swymmer,  Richard  Farr,  junr. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  at  this  time  William  Cann,  Efq;  town  clerk, 
John  Mitchell  his  clerk,  and  James  Britton  the  under  clerk,  officers 
under  the  corporation,  were  all  mad.  The  former  cut  his  throat  with 
a  pruning  knife,  but  not  mortally  ;  the  two  latter  were  fcnt  to  the  mad 
houfe  at  the  Fifliponds. 

1747  John  Fry.  John  Berrow,  Giles  Bayly. 

1748  Buckler  Weeks.  Jofeph  Daltera,  Ifaac  Baugh. 

The  market  flieds  on  the  Back  to  fecure  the  corn  were  finiflied. 

1749  Thomas  Curtis.  William  Barnes,  John  Curtis. 

1750  James  Laroche.  George  Wear,  Jofeph  Love. 

A  great  dorm  of  wind  in  January,  and  on  the  8th  of  February  an 
earthquake  in  London,  and  felt  alfo  here. 

Two  fhips,  fitted  out  here  for  the  whale  fifhery  at  Greenland,  arrived 
with  two  whales;  the  blubber  was  boiled  at  Seamills.  This  lucrative 
trade  is  not  revived  Cnce.  The  naturalization  bill  of  foreign  Pro- 
tcftants  was  oppofed  by  the  citizens  of  Bridol. 

1751  David  Peloquin.  Henry  Dampicr,  Ifaac  Baugh. 

1752  John  Clement.  Daniel  Woodward,  Edward  Whatley. 

A  riot  by  the  colliers  from  Kingfwood,  on  account  of  the  fcarcity  of 
corn,  kept  up  for  a  whole  week.  The  citizens  were  fworn  as  confta- 
blcs,  and  armed  in  defence  of  the  city.  The  colliers  refifted;  many 
were  wounded,  fome  (liot  and  killed,  before  the  riot  was  quelled,  and 
three  were  indifted  and  tried,  fome  fuffered  by  fine  and  long  im- 
prifonment. 
1  753     Abraham  Elton.  Henry  Bright,  Thomas^  Harris. 

The  intended  bill  to  naturalize  Jews  was  ftrongly  oppofed  in  this  city  by 
addrefles  fcnt  to  the  members  of  parliament,  from  the  citizens  at  large^^^and 
from  the  Merchants'-hall. 

»754 


[     701     ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1754  Morgan  Smith,  Thomas  Knox,  Thomas  Dean. 

This  year  the  new  flone  bridge  was  built  and  finifhcd  at  the  head  of 
the  Key,  which  coft  the  chamber  upwards  of  2500I. 

The  bill  was  alfo  pafFed  for  regulating  a  nightly  watch  in  this  city. 

1755  Henry  Dampier.  Henry  Weare,  James  Hillhoufe. 

The  Draw-bridge  was  rebuilt  on  a  new  plan,  and  much  more  commo- 
dious than  the  former.     It  cod  the  chamber  1066I.  6s.     Seep.  88. 

1756  Giles  Bayly.  Nathaniel  Foy,  Auftin  Goodwin. 

1757  William  Martin.  Robert  Gordon,  Ifaac  Pigucnit. 

Fifty-one  privateers  fitted  out  at  Briftol  to  cruize  againft  the  French 
to  the  public  good  in  taking  the  (lores  going  to  the  French  in  America, 
but  many  private  perfons  who  hoped  to  make  their  fortunes  by  thefe 
adventures  were  great  lofers. 

1758  Henry  Muggleworth>  John  Berrow,  Samuel  Webb. 

Friday,  November  3,  was  taken  without  rcfiftance  by  the  Antelope, 
of  50  guns,  a  64  gun  French  man  of  war,  called  the  Belliqueux, 
415  men,  blown  up  our  channel  near  Lundy,  and  could  not  get  back. 

1759  Jeremy  Ames.  Charles  Hotchkin,  John  Noble. 

1760  JohnDurbin.  Ifaac  Piguenit,  Samuel  Sedgeley- 

In  January  the  corporation  rcfolved  to  prefent  the  freedom  of  this 
city  to  the  Honourable  William  Pitt  and  the  Duke  of  Newcaftle  in  two 
gold  boxes.  —  The  att  for  taking  down  the  old  bridge  paffed. 

1761  Ifaac  Elton,  Jofeph  Daltera,  William  Barnes. 

In  September,  1761,  the  day  of  the  Royal  nuptials  was  celebrated 
in  this  city  with  great  folemnity  and  eclat,  and  on  December  27  the 
Duke  of  York  honoured  this  city  with  his  prefencc,  by  invitation  of  the 
mayor  and  aldermen. 

A  temporary  bridge  built  above  the  old  one,  wliicii  was  begun  to  be 
taken  down.     See  p.  96. 

1762  John  Noble.  George  Were,  Thomas  Farr. 

In  06tober  a  great  flood,  fo  that  the  low  lands  were  all  fcven  feet 
under  water. 

1763  Richard  Farr.  Andrew  Pope,  John  Durhin. 

1764  Henry  Swynimer.  James  Larochc,  John  Bull. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  1764,  Mrs.  Rufcomb  and  Mary  Sweet 
her  fervant  murdered  at  her  houfe  in  College-green,  at  eleven  o'clock 
in  the  morning.     The  wicked  author  has  never  been  difcovercd. 

This  year  the  great  New  Dock  was  begun  by  Mr.  Champion. 

1763 


C     702     ] 

A.  D.         Mayors-  Sheriffs. 

1765  Ifaac  Baugh.  Ifaac  Elton,  junr.  Michael  Miller,  junr. 

The  ftone  bridge  was  built  at  Bridewell,  which  had  hitherto  been  of 
wood,  now  decayed. 

The  new  Theatre  built  in  King-flreet  and  opened  with  the  play  of 
the  Confcious  Lovers  with  the  Miller  of  Mansfield,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Infirmary. 

An  aft  pafled  to  take  down  all  the  fign-pofls  and  fpouts,  and  to  carry 
the  water  down  the  fides  of  the  houfes  into  gouts. 

Rioting  here  about  the  fcarcity  of  corn,  which  occafioned  an  order 
of  Council  to  ftop  all  veffels  laden  with  corn  till  the  parliament  fat. 

1766  William  Barnes.  William  Miles,  Henry  Cruger. 

Callle-gate  taken  down,  and  removed  by  Mr.  William  Reeve,  mer- 
chant, to  his  feat  at  Briflington. 

Key-lane  was  widened  by  taking  down  the  houfes  on  one  fide. 

1 767  George  Weare.  Edward  Brice,  Alexander  Edgar. 

A  new  commodious  dock  made  at  the  Grove,  and  the  Key  wall  con- 
tinued round  to  the  market-houfe  on  the  Back. 

Brunfwick-fquare  in  St.  James's  laid  out  for  building. 

1768  Edward  Whatley.  John  Crofts,  Henry  Lippincott. 

September  17,  Briftol  bridge  was  finiflied  by  the  contraftors. 
Decem^r.15,  William  Hillhoufe  chofen  fword-bearer,  in  the  room 
John  Wraxal,  deceafed. 

The  Bridge  rebuilt  was  now  open  for  paflTengers.     See  p.  96. 

1769  Thomas  Harris.  John  Merlott,  George  Daubeny. 

The  time  of  holding  the  two  yearly  Briftol  fairs  was  changed  from 
the  25ih  of  January  to  the  ill  of  March,  and  from  the  25th  of  July  to 
the  ift  of  September. 

1770  Thomas  Dcanc.  Henry  Lippincott,  Ifaac  Elton,  junr. 

St.  Leonard's  church  and  Blind-gate  were  taken  down  and  the  old 
buildings  behind  it,  by  which  St.  Stephen's  church  was  more  opened 
to  view. 

1771  Henry  Bright.  Levi  Ames,  Jeremy  Baker. 

The  new  road  opened  from  Corn-ftrcet  to  the  Quay,  and  Clare-flreet 
began  to  be  built. 

A  ftage  coach  for  paffengers  betwixt  Briftol  and  the  Hotwells,  at  a  fix- 
penny  fare,  began  to  run  regularly  ;  five  or  fix  more  were  foon  added,  for 
the  convenience  of  the  inhabitants  of  Briftol  and  the  Hotwells. 


[   703   ] 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1772  Nathaniel  Foy.  John  Xoble,  John  Anderfon. 

1773  Robert  Gordon.  Andrew  Pope,  Thomas  Pierce. 

1774  Charles  Hodgekin,  John  Diirbin,  James  Hill. 

1775  Thomas  Farr.  Edward  Brice,  John  Noble. 
J 776     Andrew  Pope.  John  Farr,  John  Harris. 

An  aft  pafTed  for  the  regulation  of  lighters,  &c.  and  other  purpofes. 

1777  Sir  John  Durbin,  Knight.      John  Fiflier  Weare,  Philip  Prothero. 

The  American  Colonies  proclaimed  themfelves  independent  of  Eng- 
land. And  feveral  attempts  to  fire  the  city,  the  fhipping  at  the 
Key,  &c.  in  his  enthufiafm  for  the  Americans,  were  made  by  Tphn 
Aitkin,  the  painter;  a  warehoufe  was  burnt  down  in  Bell-lane.  The 
citizens  were  fo  alarmed,  that  gentlemen  kept  nightly  watches  ;  but 
Divine  Juflice  overtook  the  villain,  and  he  was  hanged  at  Portfmouth. 

1778  Sir  John  Durbin,  Knight.       Benjamin  Lofcombe,  James  Morgan. 

1779  Michael  Miller,  junr.  Edward  Brice,  Jofeph  Harford. 

John  Bull,   (in  the  room  of  M.  Miller,  junr.  who  died  in  his  mayoralty.) 

1780  William  Miles.  Samuel  Span,  Jofeph  Smith. 

1781  Henry  Cruger.  Robert  Coleman,  John  Collard. 

1782  Edward  Brice.  Rowland  Williams,  William  Blake. 

Next  to  All  Saints  church  the  houfe  rebuilt  at  the  fouth  end,  and  the 
Tolzey  made  there  1615  taken  down.  The  Quay  conduit  erefted 
anew  1703  taken  down  and  removed,  and  the  Fifh  JVIarket  there  in 
future  appointed  to  be  held  in  St.  James's  New  Market  in  Union-flrect. 

1783  John  Anderfon.  John  Garnet,  Andrew  Henderfon. 

1784  John  Farr.  John  Fifhcr  Weare,  James  Harvey. 

The  foundation  of  the  new  Infirmary  erefted  on  a  larger  plan  was 
laid  June  2.  A  manfion-houfc  for  the  mayor's  refidencc  fitted  up  in 
Ouecn-fquarc,  and  a  new  banqucting-room  in  Charlotte-ftrect  adjoin- 
ing opened  the  5th  of  April  following  for  company. 

1785  John  Crofts.  Jofeph  Harford,  Sir  Stephen  Nafli,  Knt. 

A  Marine  Society  cftabliflied  here  for  educating  poor  boys  for  the 
fea  fervice.  ^ 

1786  George  Daubcny.  Evan  Baillie,  Thomas  Daniel. 

A  fland  of  three  hackney  coaches  firfl   fet  up  at  the  Exchange  for  the  ufc 
of  the  citizens,  foon  incrcafcd  to  twenty. 

November  4,  the  foundation  floJie  for  rebuilding  Chrift  Church  was  laid. 

The 


C    701    ] 

The  library  in  King-ftreet  was  enlarged  with  an  additional  wing  built  by  the 
Library  Society,  fo  that  it  now  holds  conveniently  a  very  large  colleftion  of 
books  ancient  and  modern,  of  the  bell  editions,  and  in  all  fciences.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  Catcott  left  by  will  a  great  many  books  to  it,  and  a 
cabinet  of  very  curious,  valuable,  and  fcarce  foflils,  fliells,  ores,  8cc.  for  the 
life  of  the  public.     See  p.  508. 

A.  D.  Mayors.  Sheriffs. 

1787     Alexander  Edgar.  John  Morgan,  Robert  Claxton. 

The   three  Briftol  police  or  regulation  bills  were  palfed  in  parlia- 
ment this  year. 
178^     Levi  Ames.  James  Hill,  John  Harris. 

In  this  mayoralty,  March  5,  1789,  a  general  joy  was  diffufed  through  the 
city  on  account  of  the  King's  happy  recovery,  and  being  able  to  refume 
the  reins  of  government.  Bell  ringing,  firing  cannons  all  day  from  Brandon- 
hill,  a  general  brilliant  illumination  at  night,  with  tranfparent  emblematical 
devices,  and  every  demonftration  of  joy  that  could  be  difplayed,  proved  the 
true  affeftion  and  loyalty  of  our  citizens  for  their  amiable  and  auguft  Sove- 
reign, who  thus  reigns  in  the  hearts  of  his  fubjecls. 

;.       [  C-^  ^^"  Annals  may  be  continued  as  events  occur,  and  the  Hijlory  thus  proceed,  ] 


■«?. 


/  . 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hllgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  tfiis  material  to  tfie  library 

from  whicti  it  was  borrowed. 


fs. 


Book 


D     000  530  203     9 


UCLA-College  L/bmry 

*  DA  690  B8B27 


L  005  657  256  3 


CoUcgc 
Library 

*DA 
690 
B8B27