{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_60380/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_60380","id":"gutenberg_60380","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60380","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: History - British","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Folklore -- England","Whittington, Richard, -1423"],"text":"_Chap-Books\n  and\n  Folk-Lore Tracts._\n\n  _Edited by\n  G. L. Gomme, F.S.A.\n  and\n  H. B. Wheatley, F.S.A._\n\n\n  _First Series._\n\n  =V.=\n\n\n\n\n  THE HISTORY\n\n  OF\n\n  SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON.\n\n  BY T. H.\n\n  EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION,\n\n  BY\n\n  HENRY B. WHEATLEY, F.S.A.\n\n  LONDON:\n  PRINTED FOR THE VILLON SOCIETY.\n\n  1885.\n\n\n\n\nIntroduction.\n\n\nThe popular story of Whittington and his Cat is one in which a\nversion of a wide-spread folk-tale has been grafted upon the history\nof the life of an historical character, and in the later versions\nthe historical incidents have been more and more eliminated. The\nthree chief points in the chap-book story are, 1, the poor parentage\nof the hero; 2, his change of mind at Highgate Hill by reason of\nhearing Bow Bells; and, 3, his good fortune arising from the sale\nof his cat. Now these are all equally untrue as referring to the\nhistorical Whittington, and the second is apparently an invention\nof the eighteenth century. When the Rev. Canon Lysons wrote his\ninteresting and valuable work entitled _The Model Merchant_ he showed\nthe incorrectness of the first point by tracing out Whittington\u2019s\ndistinguished pedigree, but he was loath to dispute the other two. It\nis rather strange that neither Mr. Lysons nor Messrs. Besant and Rice\nappear to have seen the work which I now present to my readers, which\nis the earliest form of the life of Whittington known to exist. This\nis printed from the copy in the Pepysian Library, a later edition\nof which, with a few typographical alterations, will be found in the\nBritish Museum library. This _History_ will be found to differ very\nconsiderably from the later and better-known story, which appears to\nhave been written early in the eighteenth century. A comparison between\nthe latter which I print at the end of this Preface (p. xxix.) with\nT. H.\u2019s earlier text will not, I think, be found unprofitable. _The\nFamous and Remarkable History_ here reprinted is undated, but was\nprobably published about 1670; the later edition in the British Museum\nis dated 1678. One passage on page 7--\u201cThe merchant went then to the\nExchange, which was then in Lumber-street, about his affairs\u201d--seems\nto show that it was originally written quite early in the century, and\nit is just possible that T. H. stands for the voluminous playwright\nand pamphleteer Thomas Heywood. The Exchange was removed to its\npresent site in 1568, and therefore our tract could not have been\nwritten before that date, but must have appeared when the memory of\nthe old meeting-place was still fresh in public memory. On page 11 it\nwill be seen that Whittington, when discontented with his position in\nFitzwarren\u2019s house, set out before day-break on All Hallows-day with\nhis clothes in a bundle, in order to seek his fortune elsewhere. He\nhad only got as far as Bunhill when he heard Bow bells ring out what\nappeared to be--\n\n  \u201cTurn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London,\n  Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London.\u201d\n\nThese words took complete possession of him, and he returned before\nit was known that he had run away. In the more modern chap-book\nWhittington is made to reach Holloway, where it would be less easy\nto hear Bow bells, and from which place he would have found it more\ndifficult to return before the cook had risen. As far as I can find\nthere is no allusion to Holloway or Highgate hill in any early version,\nand it is evident that this localization is quite modern. Mr. Lysons\nis certainly wrong when he says that at Highgate \u201ca stone continued\nto mark the spot for many centuries.\u201d It is not known when the stone\nwas first erected there, but it was probably put up when the name of\nthe place was first foisted into the tale. One stone was taken away\nin 1795, but others have succeeded it, and now there is a Whittington\nStone Tavern; and the situation of Whittington College, which was\nremoved to Highgate in 1808, has helped to favour the supposition that\nWhittington himself was in some way connected with that place.\n\nThe form of invitation which the bells rung out varies very much in the\ndifferent versions.\n\nIn Richard Johnson\u2019s ballad (1612) we find--\n\n  \u201cWhittington, back return.\u201d\n\nwhich is then amplified into--\n\n  \u201cTurn againe, Whittington,\n  For thou in time shall grow\n  Lord Maior of London.\u201d\n\nIn T. H.\u2019s _History_ (see p. 11) we have--\n\n  \u201cTurn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London.\u201d\n\nIn the later chap-book version this is altered into--\n\n  \u201cTurn again, Whittington,\n  Lord Mayor of great London.\u201d\n\nIt will be seen that the special reference to the fact that Whittington\nwas three times Lord Mayor is not to be found in either the ballads or\nthe chap-books.\n\nIn the _Life_, by the author of _George Barnwell_ (1811), however we\nread--\n\n  \u201cReturn again, Whittington,\n  Thrise Lord Mayor of London.\u201d\n\nAnd in _The Life and Times of Whittington_ (1841)--\n\n  \u201cTurn again, turn again, Whittington,\n  Three times Lord Mayor of London.\u201d\n\nIn the early version of the _History_ by T. H. the fanciful portions\nare only allowed to occupy a small portion of the whole, and a long\naccount is given of Whittington\u2019s real actions, but, in the later\nchap-book versions, the historical incidents are ruthlessly cut down,\nand the fictitious ones amplified. This will be seen by comparing the\ntwo printed here. Thus T. H. merely says (p. 6) that Whittington was\nobscurely born, and that being almost starved in the country he came up\nto London. In the later chap-book the journey to London is more fully\nenlarged upon (p. xxxiii.), and among those at Whittington\u2019s marriage\nwith Alice Fitzwarren the name of the Company of Stationers not then\nin existence is foisted in (pp. xlii.) It does not appear in T. H.\u2019s\n_History_.\n\nIn many other particulars the later chap-book which contains the story\nas known to modern readers is amplified, and thus shows signs of a very\nlate origin.\n\nWith regard to the three fictitious points of Whittington\u2019s history\nmentioned at the beginning of this preface, the first--his poor\nparentage--is disposed of by documentary evidence; the second--his\nsitting on a stone at Highgate hill--has been shown to be quite a\nmodern invention; and the third--the story of the cat--has been told\nof so many other persons in different parts of the world that there\nis every reason to believe it to be a veritable folk-tale joined to\nthe history of Whittington from some unexplained connection. None of\nthe early historians who mention Whittington allude to the incident of\nthe cat, and it is only to be found in popular literature, ballads,\nplays, &c. The story seems to have taken its rise in the reign of Queen\nElizabeth. The reason why however the life of Whittington should have\nbeen chosen as the stock upon which this folk-tale should be grafted is\nstill unexplained. Some have supposed that he obtained his money by the\nemployment of \u201ccats,\u201d or vessels for the carriage of coals; but this\nsuggestion does not appear to be worthy of much consideration.\n\nIt is said that at Newgate, which owed much to Whittington, there was\na statue of him with a cat, which was destroyed in the Great Fire; and\nin 1862, when some alterations were made in an old house at Gloucester,\nwhich had been occupied by the Whittington family until 1460, a stone\nwas said to have been dug up on which was a basso-relievo representing\nthe figure of a boy carrying a cat in his arms. This find, however,\nappears rather suspicious.\n\nKeightley devotes a whole chapter of his _Tales and Popular Fictions_\nto the legend of Whittington and his Cat, in which he points out how\nmany similar stories exist. The _Facezie_, of Arlotto, printed soon\nafter the author\u2019s death in 1483, contain a tale of a merchant of\nGenoa, entitled \u201cNovella delle Gatte,\u201d and probably from this the story\ncame to England, although it is also found in a German chronicle of\nthe thirteenth century. Sir William Ouseley, in his _Travels_, 1819,\nspeaking of an island in the Persian Gulf, relates, on the authority\nof a Persian MS., that \u201cin the tenth century, one Keis, the son of a\npoor widow in Sir\u00e1f, embarked for India with a cat, his only property.\nThere he fortunately arrived at a time when the palace was so infested\nby mice or rats that they invaded the king\u2019s food, and persons were\nemployed to drive them from the royal banquet. Keis produced his\ncat; the noxious animals soon disappeared, and magnificent rewards\nwere bestowed on the adventurer of Sir\u00e1f, who returned to that city,\nand afterwards, with his mother and brothers, settled on the island,\nwhich from him has been denominated Keis, or according to the Persians\nKeisch.\u201d Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps quotes from the _Description of\nGuinea_ (1665) the record of \u201chow Alphonso, a Portuguese, being wrecked\non the coast of Guinney, and being presented by the king thereof with\nhis weight in gold for a cat to kill their mice; and an oyntment to\nkill their flies, which he improved within five years to 6000_l._ in\nthe place, and, returning to Portugal after fifteen years traffick,\nbecame the third man in the kingdom.\u201d[A] Keightley also quotes two\nsimilar stories from Thiele\u2019s _Danish Popular Traditions_ and another\nfrom the letters of Count Magalotti, a Florentine of the latter half of\nthe seventeenth century.\n\nMr. Lysons gives much information as to the great value of cats in the\nMiddle Ages, but the writer of the _History of Whittington_ does not\nlead us to believe that they were dear in England, for he makes the\nboy buy his cat for one penny. The two following titles are from the\nStationers\u2019 Registers. The ballad is probably the one subsequently\nreferred to as by Richard Johnson:--\n\n\u201cThe History of Richard Whittington, of his lowe birthe, his great\nfortune, as yt was plaied by the Prynces Servants. Licensed to Thomas\nPavyer, Feb. 8, 1604-5.\u201d\n\n\u201cA Ballad, called The vertuous lyfe and memorable death of Sir Richard\nWhittington, mercer, sometymes Lord Maiour of the honorable Citie of\nLondon. Licensed to John Wright, 16 July, 1605.\u201d\n\nThe first reference that we find to the cat incident is in the play\n_Eastward Hoe_ by Chapman, Ben Jonson, and Marston; for, as the\nportrait which was said to have existed at Mercers\u2019 Hall is not now\nknown, it can scarcely be put in evidence. This half-length portrait of\na man of about sixty years of age, dressed in a livery gown and black\ncap of the time of Henry VIII. with a figure of a black and white cat\non the left, is said to have had painted in the left-hand upper corner\nof the canvas the inscription, \u201cR. Whittington, 1536.\u201d\n\nIn _Eastward Hoe_, 1605, Touchstone assures Goulding that he hopes to\nsee him reckoned one of the worthies of the city of London \u201cWhen the\nfamous fable of Whittington and his puss shall be forgotten.\u201d\n\nThe next allusion is in Thomas Heywood\u2019s _If you know not me, you know\nnobody_, 2nd part, 1606.\n\n  _Dean Nowell._ \u201cThis Sir Richard Whittington, three times Mayor,\n  Sonne to a knight and prentice to a mercer,\n  Began the Library of Grey-Friars in London,\n  And his executors after him did build\n  Whittington Colledge, thirteene Alms-houses for poore men,\n  Repair\u2019d S. Bartholomewes, in Smithfield,\n  Glased the Guildhall, and built Newgate.\n\n  _Hobson._ Bones of men, then I have heard lies;\n  For I have heard he was a scullion,\n  And rais\u2019d himself by venture of a cat.\n\n  _Nowell._ They did the more wrong to the gentleman.\u201d\n\nHere it will be seen that, although the popular tale is mentioned, it\nis treated as a mere invention unworthy of credence.\n\nThe next in point of time is the ballad by Richard Johnson, published\nin the _Crowne Garland of Goulden Roses_ (1612), which probably had a\nmuch earlier existence in a separate form. It is the earliest form of\nthe story of Whittington now in existence.\n\n  _A song of Sir Richard Whittington, who by strange fortunes came\n  to bee thrice Lord Maior of London; with his bountifull guifts and\n  liberallity given to this honourable Citty._\n\n(To the tune of \u201c_Dainty come thou to me_.\u201d)\n\n  \u201cHere must I tell the praise\n    Of worthie Whittington,\n  Known to be in his dayes\n    Thrice Maior of London.\n  But of poor parentage\n    Borne was he, as we heare,\n  And in his tender age\n    Bred up in Lancashire.\n\n  Poorely to London than\n    Came up this simple lad,\n  Where, with a marchant-man,\n    Soone he a dwelling had;\n  And in a kitchen plast,\n    A scullion for to be,\n  Whereas long time he past\n    In labour grudgingly.\n\n  His daily service was\n    Turning spits at the fire;\n  And to scour pots of brasse,\n    For a poore scullions hire.\n  Meat and drinke all his pay,\n    Of coyne he had no store;\n  Therefore to run away,\n    In secret thought he bore.\n\n  So from this marchant-man\n    Whittington secretly\n  Towards his country ran,\n    To purchase liberty.\n  But as he went along\n    In a fair summer\u2019s morne,\n  London bells sweetly rung,\n    \u2018Whittington, back return!\u2019\n\n  \u2018Evermore sounding so,\n    Turn againe, Whittington;\n  For thou in time shall grow\n    Lord-Maior of London.\u2019\n  Whereupon back againe\n    Whittington came with speed,\n  Aprentise to remaine,\n    As the Lord had decreed.\n\n  \u2018Still blessed be the bells\u2019\n    (This was his daily song),\n  \u2018They my good fortune tells,\n    Most sweetly have they rung.\n  If God so favour me,\n    I will not proove unkind;\n  London my love shall see,\n    And my great bounties find.\u2019\n\n  But see his happy chance!\n    This scullion had a cat,\n  Which did his state advance,\n    And by it wealth he gat.\n  His maister ventred forth,\n    To a land far unknowne,\n  With marchandize of worth,\n    And is in stories shewne.\n\n  Whittington had no more\n    But this poor cat as than,\n  Which to the ship he bore,\n    Like a brave marchant-man.\n  \u2018Vent\u2019ring the same,\u2019 quoth he,\n    \u2018I may get store of golde,\n  And Maior of London be,\n    As the bells have me told.\u2019\n\n  Whittington\u2019s marchandise,\n    Carried was to a land\n  Troubled with rats and mice,\n    As they did understand.\n  The king of that country there,\n    As he at dinner sat,\n  Daily remain\u2019d in fear\n    Of many a mouse and rat.\n\n  Meat that in trenchers lay,\n    No way they could keepe safe;\n  But by rats borne away,\n    Fearing no wand or staff.\n  Whereupon, soone they brought\n    Whittington\u2019s nimble cat;\n  Which by the king was bought;\n    Heapes of gold giv\u2019n for that.\n\n  Home againe came these men\n    With their ships loaden so;\n  Whittington\u2019s wealth began\n    By this cat thus to grow.\n  Scullions life he forsooke\n    To be a marchant good,\n  And soon began to looke\n    How well his credit stood.\n\n  After that he was chose\n    Shriefe of the citty heere,\n  And then full quickly rose\n    Higher as did appeare.\n  For to this cities praise\n    Sir Richard Whittington\n  Came to be in his dayes\n    Thrise Maior of London.\n\n  More his fame to advance,\n    Thousands he lent his king\n  To maintaine warres in France,\n    Glory from thence to bring.\n  And after, at a feast,\n    Which he the king did make,\n  He burnt the bonds all in jeast,\n    And would no money take.\n\n  Ten thousand pound he gave\n    To his prince willingly,\n  And would not one penny have.\n    This in kind courtesie.\n  God did thus make him great,\n    So would he daily see\n  Poor people fed with meat,\n    To shew his charity.\n\n  Prisoners poore cherish\u2019d were,\n    Widdowes sweet comfort found;\n  Good deeds, both far and neere,\n    Of him do still resound.\n  Whittington Colledge is\n    One of his charities,\n  Records reporteth this\n    To lasting memories.\n\n  Newgate he builded faire,\n    For prisoners to live in;\n  Christ\u2019s Church he did repaire,\n    Christian love for to win.\n  Many more such like deedes\n    Were done by Whittington;\n  Which joy and comfort breedes,\n    To such as looke thereon.\n\n  Lancashire thou hast bred\n    This flower of charity;\n  Though he be gone and dead,\n    Yet lives he lastingly.\n  Those bells that call\u2019d him so,\n    \u2018Turne again, Whittington,\u2019\n  Call you back may moe\n    To live so in London.\u201d\n\nThis ballad, as it stands here with the exception of the last stanza,\nwas reprinted in _A Collection of Old Ballads_, 1823, vol. i. p. 130.\n\nThis ballad is the original of all the later ballads, although the\ntitles have been greatly varied. The Roxburghe ballad (vol. iii. p. 58)\nis dated in the British Museum Catalogue 1641[?]. Its full title is as\nfollows:--\n\n\u201cLondon\u2019s Glory and Whittington\u2019s Renown, or a Looking Glass for\nCitizens of London, being a remarkable story how Sir Richard\nWhittington (a poor boy bred up in Lancashire) came to be three times\nLord Mayor of London in three several kings\u2019 reigns, and how his rise\nwas by a cat, which he sent by a venture beyond sea. Together with his\nbountiful gifts and liberality given to this honourable City, and the\nvast sums of money he lent the King to maintain the wars in France;\nand how at a great Feast, to which he invited the King, the Queen, and\nthe Nobility, he generously burnt the writings and freely forgave his\nMajesty the whole Debt. Tune of \u2018Dainty, come thou to me.\u2019 London:\nPrinted for R. Burton, at the Horse Shoe in West Smithfield.\u201d\n\nThe bulk of the ballad is the same as Richard Johnson\u2019s, but the\nfollowing first stanza is added, the original first stanza becoming the\nsecond:--\n\n  \u201cBrave London Prentices,\n    Come listen to my song,\n  Tis for your glory all\n    And to you both belong.\n  And you poor country lads,\n    Though born of low degree,\n  See by God\u2019s providence\n    What you in time may be.\u201d\n\nThe second half of the original seventh stanza, and the eighth, ninth,\nand tenth stanzas, are left out.\n\nImmediately before the last stanza the following one is introduced:--\n\n  \u201cLet all kynde Citizens\n    Who do this story read,\n  By his example learn\n    Always the poor to feed.\n  What is lent to the poor\n    The Lord will sure repay,\n  And blessings keep in store\n    Until the latter day.\u201d\n\nThe other alterations are not many, and chiefly consist in\ntranspositions by which the rhymes are varied. This may be seen by\ncomparing with the original the Roxburghe version of the last stanza\nwhich is as follows:--\n\n  \u201cLancashire, thou hast bred\n    This flower of charity;\n  Though he be dead and gone,\n    Yet lives his memory.\n  Those bells that call\u2019d him so,\n    Turn again, Whittington,\n  Would they call may moe\n    Such men to fair London.\u201d\n\nAt the end of one of the chap-books there is a version of the ballad in\nwhich Lancashire is replaced by Somersetshire.\n\nIn the same volume of the _Roxburghe Ballads_ (p. 470) is a short\nversion [1710?] containing a few only of the verses taken from the\nballad. It is illustrated with some woodcuts from T. H.\u2019s earlier\n_History_.\n\n\u201cAn old Ballad of Whittington and his Cat, who from a poor boy came to\nbe thrice Lord Mayor of London. Printed and sold in Aldermary Church\nYard, London.\u201d\n\nThere is a copy of this in the Chetham Library.\n\nThe following are some of the chief references to Whittington\u2019s story\nin literature after the publication of Johnson\u2019s ballad, arranged in\nchronological order:--\n\n  \u201cAs if a new-found Whittington\u2019s rare cat,\n  Come to extoll their birth-rights above that\n  Which nature once intended.\u201d--\n\n  Stephens\u2019s _Essayes and Characters_, 1615.\n\n  \u201cFaith, how many churches do you mean to build\n  Before you die? Six bells in every steeple,\n  And let them all go to the _City tune_,\n  _Turn again, Whittington_, and who they say\n  Grew rich, and let his land out for nine lives,\n  \u2019Cause all came in by a cat.\u201d--\n\n  Shirley\u2019s _Constant Maid_ (1640), act ii. sc. 2.\n\n  \u201cI have heard of Whittington and his cat, and others, that have made\n  fortunes by strange means.\u201d--Parson\u2019s _Wedding_ (1664).\n\nPepys went on September 21, 1668, to Southwark Fair, \u201cand there saw the\npuppet show of Whittington, which was pretty to see.\u201d He adds in his\n_Diary_ \u201chow that idle thing do work upon people that see it, and even\nmyself too.\u201d\n\nIn the _Tatler_ of September 13, 1709 (No. 67), is a list of great men\nto be entered in the Temple of Fame, and in the subsequent No. 78 is\nprinted the following letter from a Citizen:--\n\n  \u201cMr. Isaac Bickerstaff, Sir, Your _Tatler_ of September 13 I am now\n  reading, and in your list of famous men desire you not to forget\n  Alderman Whittington, who began the world with a cat, and died worth\n  three hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, which he left to\n  an only daughter three years after his mayoralty. If you want any\n  further particulars of ditto Alderman, daughter, or cat, let me know,\n  and per first will advise the needful, which concludes, Your loving\n  Friend, LEMUEL LEGER.\u201d\n\n  \u201cI am credibly informed that there was once a design of casting into\n  an opera the story of Whittington and his Cat, and that in order to\n  it there had been got together a great quantity of mice; but Mr.\n  Rich, the proprietor of the playhouse, very prudently considered\n  that it would be impossible for the cat to kill them all, and that\n  consequently the princes of the stage might be as much infested\n  with mice as the prince of the island was before the cat\u2019s arrival\n  upon it; for which reason he would not permit it to be acted in his\n  house.\u201d--_Spectator_ (No. 5, March 6, 1711).\n\nThe Rev. Samuel Pegge brought the subject of Whittington and his Cat\nbefore a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries in 1771, but he could\nmake nothing at all of the cat. There is no record of the inquiry in\nthe _Archaeologia_, but it is mentioned in a letter from Gough to\nTyson, 27 Dec. 1771 (Nichols\u2019s _Literary Anecdotes_, vol. viii. p.\n575). Horace Walpole was annoyed at the Society for criticising his\n\u201cRichard III.\u201d and in his _Short Notes on his Life_ he wrote--\u201cFoote\nhaving brought them on the stage for sitting in council, as they had\ndone on Whittington and his Cat, I was not sorry to find them so\nridiculous, or to mark their being so, and upon that nonsense, and the\nlaughter that accompanied it, I struck my name out of their book.\u201d\n\nFoote brought out his comedy of _The Nabob_ at the Haymarket Theatre\nin 1772. Sir Matthew Mite, the hero of the piece, is elected a\nmember of the Society of Antiquaries, and delivers an address on\nWhittington and his Cat in which he gave the following solution of the\ndifficulty:--\u201cThe commerce this worthy merchant carried on was chiefly\nconfined to our coasts. For this purpose he constructed a vessel which\nfor its agility and lightness he aptly christened a cat. Nay, to this\nour day, gentlemen, all our coals from Newcastle are imported in\nnothing but cats. From thence it appears that it was not the whiskered\nfour-footed, mouse-killing cat that was the source of the magistrate\u2019s\nwealth, but the coasting, sailing, coal-carrying cat; that, gentlemen,\nwas Whittington\u2019s cat.\u201d\n\nWe may now pass from the fictitious to the real Richard Whittington,\nand although this is not the place for a life of the distinguished\ncitizen, which may be found elsewhere, it will be convenient to set\ndown in order the chief incidents of his career.\n\nRichard Whittington was the third son of Sir William Whittington,\nknight, of Pauntley, Gloucestershire, and it is assumed, by some\nwriters, that he was born in or about the year 1360. We must, however,\nplace his birth at an earlier date, for his name appears in the city\n_Letter Book_, H, fol. 110_a_, (as Richard Whyttingdone), in the\nsecond year of Richard II. (A.D. 1379), as a contributor of five marks\ntowards a loan to the city authorities; about four-fifths of the\nsubscribers contributing the same, which is the lowest figure among the\ncontributions.[B] This is the first appearance of Whittington\u2019s name\nin the city books. William, the eldest son, succeeded to the family\nproperty of Pauntley, but, dying without issue, the estate went to\nRobert, the second son, who became high sheriff of the county in 1402,\nand again in 1407. Pauntley remained in the family as late as 1546.\n\nNothing is known of Richard\u2019s early life, either as to when or how\nhe came to London. He appears to have married Alice, daughter of\nHugh Fitzwarren, and probably he was originally apprenticed to his\nfather-in-law, whose name appears in all the versions of his history.\n\nThe second appearance of Whittington\u2019s name in the city books is in\n8 Richard II., when he was one of the eight common councilmen for\nColeman Street ward. In 11 Richard II. he is named as becoming surety\nto the chamberlain in the sum of ten pounds towards providing money\nfor defence of the city. In the following year he appears to have been\nno longer a member for Coleman Street ward. On the 12th of March,\n1393, he is named as then chosen alderman of Broad Street ward; and on\n21st September of the same year he was chosen by the mayor, William\nStaundon, one of the sheriffs for the ensuing year.[C]\n\nWhen Adam Bamme died in the year 1397, during his mayoralty, Richard\nII. arbitrarily put Whittington in his place, and at the lord\nmayor\u2019s day of that year Whittington again filled the office, being\nthen regularly elected.[D] From his will we find that this king,\nwho was a member of the Mercers\u2019 Company, to which Whittington was\napprenticed, was an especial patron of his. In 1400 he was excused\nfrom attending the Scottish wars, and in 1406 he was again elected\nmayor. He rebuilt his parish church, and Mr. Riley has printed in his\nvaluable _Memorials_ (p. 578) the grant by Whittington of land for the\nre-building of the church of St. Michael, Paternoster, \u201cin the street\ncalled La Riole,\u201d called after the merchants of La Riole, a town near\nBordeaux, who had established themselves there.\n\nWhittington was knighted by Henry V., and in 1419 he was elected mayor\nfor the fourth time. It was in this year that John Carpenter commenced\nthe compilation of his famous _Liber Albus_. We see how highly this\ndistinguished citizen was appreciated from the writings of such men as\nGrafton and Stow. Richard Grafton writes in his _Chronicle_ (1569, p.\n433)--\n\n   \u201cThis yere (1406) a worthie citizen of London, named Rychard\n  Whittyngton, mercer and alderman, was elected maior of the sayde\n  citie, and bare that office three tymes. This worshipfull man so\n  bestowed his goodes and substaunce to the honor of God, to the\n  reliefe of the pore, and to the benefite of the comon weale, that he\n  hath right well deserved to be regestered in the boke of fame. First,\n  he erected one house or church in London to be a house of prayer, and\n  he named the same after his awne name Whittyngtons College, and so\n  it remayneth to this day. And in the same church, besydes certeine\n  priestes and clerkes, he placed a number of poore aged men and women\n  and buylded for them houses and lodgyngs, and allowed unto them wood,\n  cole, cloth, and weekly money to their great reliefe and comfort....\n  He also buylded for the ease of the maior of London and his brethren,\n  and of the worshipfull citizens at the solempne dayes of their\n  assemblye, a chapell adioining to the Guyldhall, to the entent they\n  should euer before they entered into any of theyr affayrs first to go\n  into the chappel, and by prayer to call upon God for assistaunce....\n  He also buylded a great part of the east ende of the Guildhall,\n  besyde many other good workes that I knowe not. But among all other\n  I will shewe unto you one very notable, which I receyved credibly by\n  a writyng of his awne hande, which also he willed to be fixed as a\n  schedule to his last will and testament, the contentes whereof was\n  that he willed and commaunded his executors as they would aunswere\n  before God at the day of the resurrection of all fleshe, that if they\n  found any debtor of his that ought to him any money, that if he were\n  not in their consciences well worth three tymes as much, and also\n  out of the debt of other men, and well able to pay, that then they\n  shoulde never demaund it, for he cleerely forgave it, and that they\n  should put no man in sute for any debt due to him. Looke upon thys,\n  ye aldermen, for it is a glorious glasse.\u201d\n\nStow writes as follows in his _Survey of London_ on some of\nWhittington\u2019s good works:--\n\n  \u201cRichard Whittington, mercer, three times mayor, in the year 1421\n  began the library of the grey friars in London, to the charge of\n  four hundred pounds: his executors with his goods founded and built\n  Whittington College, with almshouses for thirteen poor men, and\n  divinity lectures to be read there for ever. They repaired St.\n  Bartholomew\u2019s hospital in Smithfield; they bare half the charges of\n  building the library there, and they built the west gate of London,\n  of old time called Newgate,\u201d &c.[E]\n\n  \u201cThe 1st year of Henry VI. John Coventrie and John Carpenter,\n  executors to Richard Whitington, gave towards the paving of this\n  great hall twenty pounds, and the next year fifteen pounds more, to\n  the said pavement, with hard stone of Purbeck; they also glazed some\n  windows thereof, and of the mayor\u2019s court; on every which windows the\n  arms of Richard Whitington are placed.\u201d[F]\n\nRespecting the library at Guildhall, Stow, after relating how the Duke\nof Somerset, Lord Protector, borrowed the books and never returned\nthem, writes:--\u201cThis library was built by the executors of Richard\nWhittington and by William Burie; the arms of Whittington are placed on\nthe one side in the stone work, and two letters, to wit W and B, for\nWilliam Burie, on the other side; it is now lofted through, and made a\nstorehouse for clothes.\u201d[G]\n\nWhittington appears to have died childless, and in the interesting\npicture of his deathbed, copied by Mr. Lysons from an illumination in\nthe ordinances of his college, his executors are seen around his bed.\nHis will was proved in 1423 by John Coventry, John White, William Grove\nand John Carpenter. The College of St. Spirit and St. Mary consisted of\na master, four fellows (masters of arts), clerks, conducts, chorists,\n&c. It was dissolved by Edward VI.; but the memory of it remains in the\nname College Hill, Upper Thames Street. God\u2019s House or Hospital for\nthirteen poor men was moved to Highgate in 1808.\n\nBy his will Whittington directed that the inmates of his college\nshould pray for the souls of himself and his wife Alice, of Sir William\nWhittington, and his wife Dame Joan, of Hugh Fitzwarren and his wife\nDame Malde, as well as for the souls of Richard II. and Thomas of\nWoodstock, Duke of Gloucester, \u201cspecial lords and promoters of the said\nWhittington.\u201d\n\nWhittington\u2019s epitaph is preserved by Stow and is in Latin; yet\nthe author of a _Life of Whittington_ (1811) makes the following\nmisstatement:--\n\n  \u201cRecord, however, has handed down to us the original epitaph, as it\n  was cut on the monument of Sir Richard, by order of his executors;\n  and, exclusive of its connection with the subject of these pages,\n  it may be subjoined as a curious specimen of the poetry of an age\n  which was comparatively with the present so entirely involved in the\n  darkness of superstition and ignorance.\n\n  \u201cBeneath this stone lies Whittington,\n    Sir Richard rightly named;\n  Who three times Lord Mayor served in London,\n    In which he ne\u2019er was blamed.\n\n  He rose from indigence to wealth\n    By industry and that;\n  For lo! he scorned to gain by stealth\n    What he got by a cat.\n\n  Let none who reads this verse despair\n    Of providences ways;\n  Who trust in him he\u2019ll make his care,\n    And prosper all their days.\n\n  Then sing a requiem to departed merit,\n  And rest in peace till death demands his spirit.\u201d--\n\n  _Life of Sir R. Whittington_, by the author of _Memoirs of George\n  Barnwell_, 1811, p. 106.\n\n\nLIST OF VERSIONS, EDITIONS, &c.\n\n  1604-5, Feb. 8. Play licensed, see _ante_, p. vii.\n\n  1605, July 16. Ballad licensed, see _ante_, p. vii.\n\n  1612. Johnson\u2019s Ballad published in _Crowne Garland of Goulden\n  Roses_, see _ante_, p. ix.\n\n  1641? Roxburghe Ballad (\u201cLondon\u2019s Glory\u201d), see _ante_, p. xiv.\n\n  1670? Famous and Remarkable History by T. H., reprinted in this\n  volume (see p. 1).\n\n  1678. Another edition with the same title as the above (see p. 1),\n  but with the following imprint:\n\n  \u201cLondon: Printed by A. P. and T. H. for T. Vere and J. Wright, and\n  are to be sold at their shops at the Angel without Newgate and at the\n  Crown on Ludgate Hill. 1678.\u201d\n\n  There are a few alterations in spelling, &c. but otherwise it is the\n  same as the earlier edition.\n\n  1730. The History of Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of\n  London. Durham: Printed and sold by I. Lane.\n\n  This is the earliest version of the common chap-book tale in the\n  British Museum. It is divided into chapters, and the headings of\n  these chapters are given at p. xxx. of the present preface. All\n  the other chap-books that I have seen are more or less versions of\n  this story, but one of the most complete is that printed in this\n  Introduction (p. xxxii.) The book was printed in most of the chief\n  towns, as Newcastle, Edinburgh, &c. but one of the most interesting\n  editions is that printed at York and illustrated by Bewick:--\n\n  The History of Whittington and his Cat; how from a poor country boy\n  destitute of parents or relatives he attained great riches and was\n  promoted to the high and honorable dignity of Lord Mayor of London.\n  York: Printed by J. Kendrew, Colliergate.\n\n  The frontispiece represents the stiff figure of a man in wig and gown\n  of the time of Charles II., underneath which is printed--\n\n    \u201cSir Richard Whittington behold\n    In mayor\u2019s robes and chain of gold.\u201d\n\n  1808. In the _Antiquarian Repertory_ (vol. ii. pp. 343-346) there is\n  a good account of Whittington.\n\n  1811. The Life of Sir Richard Whittington, Knight, and four times\n  Lord Mayor of London, in the reigns of Edward III. Richard II. and\n  Henry V. Compiled from authentic documents; and containing many\n  important particulars respecting that illustrious man never before\n  published: intended to amuse, instruct, and stimulate the rising\n  generation. By the Author of \u201cMemoirs of George Barnwell.\u201d Harlow:\n  Printed by B. Flower for M. Jones, No. 5, Newgate Street, London.\n  1811. Small 8vo.\n\n  1828. The Life of Sir Richard Whittington, Knight, four times Lord\n  Mayor of London. London: Published by Thomas North, 64, Paternoster\n  Row. 1828. (Lysons.)\n\n  1841. The Life and Times of Dick Whittington: an Historical Romance.\n  London: Hugh Cuningham, St. Martin\u2019s Place. 1841. 8vo.\n\n  This is a novel written in imitation of Ainsworth, illustrated with\n  plates in imitation of Cruikshank.\n\n  [1845.] Woodcock\u2019s \u201cLives of Illustrious Lords Mayors and Aldermen\n  of London, with a Brief History of the City of London\u201d. London. 8vo.\n  Pp. 28-46, Life of Whittington; but it contains no information of any\n  value.\n\n  1860. The Model Merchant of the Middle Ages, exemplified in the\n  Story of Whittington and his Cat: being an attempt to rescue that\n  interesting story from the region of fable, and to place it in its\n  proper position in the legitimate history of this country. By the\n  Rev. Samuel Lysons, M.A. London: Hamilton, Adams & Co. 1860. 8vo.\n\n  1871. The Story of Sir Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London in\n  the years 1397, 1406-7, and 1419 A.D. Written and illustrated by\n  Carr. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1871. Folio.\n\n  A new Ballad prettily illustrated, in which Canon Lysons\u2019s researches\n  are taken into account, and the boy is made of good parentage, but\n  the rest of the legend is retained.\n\n  1881. Sir Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. By Walter Besant\n  and James Rice. London: Marcus Ward and Co. 1881. Sm. 8vo.\n\n  Whittington and his Cat. By Ernest J. Miller. Published by the Albany\n  Institute, Albany, N.Y. Weed, Parsons, and Company. 1881. 8vo.\n\n  A valuable paper, which contains a great mass of information on both\n  the true and----the fictitious Whittington.\n\n  Whittington and his Cat, an Entertainment for Young People, by Miss\n  Corner.\n\n  The Remarkable History of Richard Whittington and his Cat. Aunt Busy\n  Bee\u2019s New Series. Dean and Son. Coloured illustrations on the page.\n\n  The following title is taken from Mr. Lysons\u2019s book, and I presume it\n  is merely an edition of the ordinary chap-book.\n\n  History of Sir Richard Whittington. Printed at Sympson\u2019s in\n  Stonecutter Street, Fleet Market.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe following extract from Granger\u2019s _History of England_ is curious\nas showing that the public would not have a portrait of Whittington\nwithout a representation of his famous cat:--\n\n  \u201cThe true portraicture of Richard Whitington, thrise Lord Maior of\n  London; a vertuous and godly man, full of good works, and those\n  famous. He builded the gate of London called Newegate, which before\n  was a miserable doungeon. He builded Whitington College, and made it\n  an almose-house for poore people. Also he builded a great parte of\n  the hospitall of St. Bartholomew\u2019s, in West Smithfield, in London.\n  He also builded the beautiful library at the Grey Friars in London,\n  called Christe\u2019s Hospitall. He also builded the Guildehalle chappell,\n  and increased a great parte of the east ende of the said halle,\n  beside many other good workes.\u201d--_R. Elstracke sc. Collar of SS.; his\n  right hand on a cat._\n\nGranger says of this:\n\n  \u201cThe cat has been inserted as the common people did not care to buy\n  the print without it. There was none originally in the plate, but a\n  skull in the place of the cat. I have seen only two proofs of this\n  portrait in its first state, and these were fine impressions.\u201d--1775,\n  vol. i. p. 62.\n\nThe following is a copy of the headings of the chapters in an early\nform of the chap-book version of Whittington\u2019s life:\n\n  THE\n  HISTORY\n  OF\n  SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,\n  THRICE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.\n\n  _Durham: Printed and sold by I. Lane._ [1730.]\n\n\nTHE LIFE OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON.\n\n\n  CHAP. I.\n\n  How, Whittington, being born of unknown parents, was left to a\n  desperate fortune, and rambled the country till necessity and fear\n  made him come to London.\n\n\n  CHAP. II.\n\n  How, at the instance of Mrs. Alice, the Merchant\u2019s daughter, he\n  became a servant in the family under the cook maid, who used him\n  cruelly, and how Mrs. Alice took pity on him, and interpos\u2019d her\n  authority.\n\n\n  CHAP. III.\n\n  How, lying in a garret, he was ready to be devoured by rats and\n  mice, and to prevent it purchased a cat with a penny given him\n  for cleaning shoes; and how, with the servants, he adventured\n  the cat, being all his stock.\n\n\n  CHAP. IV.\n\n  How the bitter jade of a cook maid encreasing her cruelty\n  towards him he grew weary of his service, and was running away\n  on All-Hallow\u2019s day; but upon hearing the ringing of Bow bells\n  came back again. Also how the merchant abroad disposed of his\n  cat.\n\n\n  CHAP. V.\n\n  Of the great riches received for Whittington\u2019s cat more than for\n  all the goods in the ship; on the arrival of which his master sent\n  for him upstairs by the title of Mr. Whittington, and the excuses\n  he made, and how he distributed part of his wealth to his\n  fellow-servants giving the ill-natur\u2019d cook maid 100_l_.\n\n\n  CHAP. VI.\n\n  How Mr. Whittington, being genteely dress\u2019d, became, to all\n  appearance, a very comely, proper person; how Mrs. Alice, his\n  master\u2019s daughter, fell in love with him, and, by her father\u2019s\n  consent, married him; and also how he was chosen sheriff of London.\n\n\n  CHAP. VII.\n\n  How he was thrice elected Lord Mayor of London; how he\n  entertain\u2019d King Henry V. in his return from the conquest of\n  France: with an account of his buildings for pious and charitable\n  uses, great liberality to the poor, his death, burial, and epitaph.\n\n\n  EPITAPH.\n\n  Here lies Sir Richard Whittington, thrice mayor,\n  And his dear wife, a virtuous, loving pair;\n  Him fortune rais\u2019d to be belov\u2019d and great,\n  By the adventure only of a cat.\n  Let none who read of God\u2019s great love despair,\n  Who trusts in Him of him He will take care;\n  But growing rich chuse humbleness, not pride,\n  Let these dead persons\u2019 virtues be your guide.\n\nThe following reprint of a later version of the chap-book is almost\nidentical with a large number of editions:\n\n  THE\n  ADVENTURES\n  OF\n  SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,\n  WHO WAS\n  THREE TIMES\n  LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.\n\n  _And the Surprising History of his_\n\n  CAT,\n\n  TO WHICH IS ADDED\n  THE CALEDONIAN, A POEM.\n\n  _Banbury:\n  Printed and sold by J. Cheney, in the High Street._\n\n\n  THE\n  HISTORY\n  OF\n  WHITTINGTON.\n\n\nDick Whittington was a very little boy when his father and mother died;\nlittle indeed, that he never knew them, nor the place where he was\nborn. He strolled about the country as ragged as a colt, till he met\nwith a waggoner who was going to London, and who gave him leave to walk\nall the way by the side of his waggon without paying anything for his\npassage, which pleased little Whittington very much, as he wanted to\nsee London sadly, for he had heard that the streets were paved with\ngold, and he was willing to get a bushel of it; but how great was\nhis disappointment, poor boy! when he saw the streets covered with\ndirt instead of gold, and found himself in a strange place, without a\nfriend, without food, and without money.\n\nThough the waggoner was so charitable as to let him walk up by the side\nof the waggon for nothing, he took care not to know him when he came\nto town, and the poor boy was, in a little time, so cold and so hungry\nthat he wished himself in a good kitchen and by a warm fire in the\ncountry.\n\nIn this distress he asked charity of several people, and one of\nthem bid him \u201cGo to work for an idle rogue.\u201d \u201cThat I will,\u201d says\nWhittington, \u201cwith all my heart; I will work for you if you will let\nme.\u201d\n\nThe man, who thought this favoured of wit and impertinence (tho\u2019 the\npoor lad intended only to show his readiness to work), gave him a blow\nwith a stick which broke his head so that the blood ran down. In this\nsituation, and fainting for want of food, he laid himself down at the\ndoor of one Mr. Fitzwarren, a merchant, where the cook saw him, and,\nbeing an ill-natured hussey, ordered him to go about his business\nor she would scald him. At this time Mr. Fitzwarren came from the\nExchange, and began also to scold at the poor boy, bidding him to go to\nwork.\n\nWhittington answered that he should be glad to work if any body would\nemploy him, and that he should be able if he could get some victuals to\neat, for he had had nothing for three days, and he was a poor country\nboy, and knew nobody, and nobody would employ him.\n\nHe then endeavoured to get up, but he was so very weak that he fell\ndown again, which excited so much compassion in the merchant that he\nordered the servants to take him in and give him some meat and drink,\nand let him help the cook to do any dirty work that she had to set\nhim about. People are too apt to reproach those who beg with being\nidle, but give themselves no concern to put them in the way of getting\nbusiness to do, or considering whether they are able to do it, which is\nnot charity.\n\n                     \u201cThink of this ye affluent,\n  And when the overplus of your fortunes disturb\n  Your minds, think how little stops the lash of penury,\n  And makes the wretched happy!\u201d\n\nI remember a circumstance of this sort, which Sir William Thompson told\nmy father with tears in his eyes, and it is so affecting that I shall\nnever forget it:\n\n\nSTORY OF SIR WILLIAM THOMPSON.\n\n\u201cWhen Sir William Thompson was in the plantation abroad, one of his\nfriends told him he had an indentured servant whom he had just bought,\nthat was his countryman and a lusty man; \u2018but he is so idle,\u2019 says he,\n\u2018that I cannot get him to work.\u2019 \u2018Aye,\u2019 says Sir William, \u2018let me see\nhim.\u2019 Accordingly they walked out together and found the man sitting\non a heap of stones. Upon this Sir William, after enquiring about his\ncountry, asked why he did not go out to work. \u2018I am not able,\u2019 answered\nthe man. \u2018Not able?\u2019 says Sir William, \u2018I am sure you look very well;\ngive him a few stripes.\u2019 Upon this the planter struck him several\ntimes, but the poor man still kept his seat.\n\n\u201cThen they left him to look over the plantation, exclaiming against\nhis obstinacy all the way they went; but how surprised were they, on\ntheir return, to find the poor man fallen from off the place where he\nhad been sitting, and dead! \u2018The cruelty,\u2019 says Sir William, \u2018of my\nordering the poor man to be beaten while in the agonies of death lies\nalways next my heart. It is what I shall never forget, and will for\never prevent my judging rashly of people who appear in distress. How\ndo we know what our children may come to? The Lord have mercy upon\nthe poor, and defend them from the proud, the inconsiderate, and the\navaricious.\u2019\u201d\n\nBut we return to Whittington: who would have lived happy in this worthy\nfamily had he not been bumped about by the cross cook, who must be\nalways roasting or basting, and when the spit was still employed her\nhands upon poor Whittington! \u2019till Miss Alice, his master\u2019s daughter,\nwas informed of it, and then she took compassion on the poor boy, and\nmade the servants treat him kindly.\n\nBesides the crossness of the cook, Whittington had another difficulty\nto get over before he could be happy. He had, by order of his master,\na flock-bed placed for him in a garret, where there were such a number\nof rats and mice that often ran over the poor boy\u2019s nose and disturbed\nhim in his sleep. After some time, however, a gentleman, who came to\nhis master\u2019s house, gave Whittington a penny for brushing his shoes.\nThis he put into his pocket, being determined to lay it out to the best\nadvantage; and the next day, seeing a woman in the street with a cat\nunder her arm, he ran up to know the price of it. The woman (as the cat\nwas a good mouser) asked a deal of money for it, but on Whittington\u2019s\ntelling her he had but a penny in the world, and that he wanted a cat\nsadly, she let him have it.\n\nThis cat Whittington concealed in the garret, for fear she should be\nbeat about by his mortal enemy the cook, and here she soon killed or\nfrightened away the rats and mice, so that the poor boy could now sleep\nas sound as a top.\n\nSoon after this the merchant, who had a ship ready to sail, called\nfor his servants, as his custom was, in order that each of them might\nventure something to try their luck; and whatever they sent was to pay\nneither freight nor custom, for he thought justly that God Almighty\nwould bless him the more for his readiness to let the poor partake of\nhis fortune. \u201cHe that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord, who will\nreturn it seventy-fold.\u201d\n\nAll the servants appeared but poor Whittington, who, having neither\nmoney nor goods, could not think of sending anything to try his luck;\nbut his good friend Miss Alice, thinking his poverty kept him away,\nordered him to be called.\n\nShe then offered to lay down something for him, but the merchant told\nhis daughter that would not do, it must be something of his own.\nUpon which poor Whittington said he had nothing but a cat which he\nbought for a penny that was given him. \u201cFetch thy cat, boy,\u201d said the\nmerchant, \u201cand send her.\u201d Whittington brought poor puss and delivered\nher to the captain, with tears in his eyes, for he said he should now\nbe disturbed by the rats and mice as much as ever. All the company\nlaughed at the adventure but Miss Alice, who pitied the poor boy, and\ngave him something to buy another cat.\n\nWhile puss was beating the billows at sea, poor Whittington was\nseverely beaten at home by his tyrannical mistress the cook, who used\nhim so cruelly, and made such game of him for sending his cat to sea,\nthat at last the poor boy determined to run away from his place, and,\nhaving packed up the few things he had, he set out very early in the\nmorning on All-Hallows day. He travelled as far as Holloway, and there\nsat down on a stone to consider what course he should take; but while\nhe was thus ruminating, Bow bells, of which there were only six, began\nto ring; and he thought their sounds addressed him in this manner:\n\n  \u201cTurn again, Whittington,\n  Lord Mayor of great London.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord Mayor of London!\u201d said he to himself; \u201cwhat would not one endure\nto be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in such a fine coach? Well, I\u2019ll\ngo back again, and bear all the pummelling and ill-usage of Cicely\nrather than miss the opportunity of being Lord Mayor!\u201d So home he went,\nand happily got into the house and about his business before Mrs.\nCicely made her appearance.\n\nWe must now follow Miss Puss to the coast of Africa, to that coast\nwhere Dido expired for loss of \u00c6nus (_sic_). How perilous are voyages\nat sea, how uncertain the winds and the waves, and how many accidents\nattend a naval life!\n\nThe ship, which had the cat on board, was long beaten at sea, and at\nlast, by contrary winds, driven on a part of the coast of Barbary which\nwas inhabited by Moors, unknown to the English. These people received\nour countrymen with civility, and therefore the captain, in order\nto trade with them, shewed them the patterns of the goods he had on\nboard, and sent some of them to the king of the country, who was so\nwell pleased that he sent for the captain and the factor to his palace,\nwhich was about a mile from the sea. Here they were placed, according\nto the custom of the country, on rich carpets, flowered with gold and\nsilver; and the king and queen being seated at the upper end of the\nroom, dinner was brought in, which consisted of many dishes; but no\nsooner were the dishes put down but an amazing number of rats and mice\ncame from all quarters, and devoured all the meat in an instant. The\nfactor, in surprise, turned round to the nobles and asked \u201cIf these\nvermin were not offensive?\u201d \u201cO yes,\u201d said they, \u201cvery offensive; and\nthe king would give half his treasure to be freed of them, for they\nnot only destroy his dinner, as you see, but they assault him in his\nchamber, and even in bed, so that he is obliged to be watched while he\nis sleeping for fear of them.\u201d\n\nThe factor jumped for joy; he remembered poor Whittington and his\ncat, and told the king he had a creature on board the ship that would\ndespatch all these vermin immediately. The king\u2019s heart heaved so high\nat the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off his\nhead. \u201cBring this creature to me,\u201d says he; \u201cvermin are dreadful in\na court, and if she will perform what you say, I will load your ship\nwith gold and jewels in exchange for her.\u201d The factor, who knew his\nbusiness, took this opportunity to set forth the merits of Miss Puss.\nHe told his majesty \u201cThat it would be inconvenient to part with her,\nas, when she was gone, the rats and mice might destroy the goods in the\nship--but to oblige his majesty he would fetch her.\u201d \u201cRun, run,\u201d said\nthe queen; \u201cI am impatient to see the dear creature.\u201d\n\nAway flew the factor, while another dinner was providing, and returned\nwith the cat just as the rats and mice were devouring that also. He\nimmediately put down Mrs. Puss, who killed a great number of them.\n\nThe king rejoiced greatly to see his old enemies destroyed by so small\na creature, and the queen was highly pleased, and desired the cat might\nbe brought near that she might look at her. Upon which the factor\ncalled \u201cPussy, pussy, pussy,\u201d and she came to him. He then presented\nher to the queen, who started back, and was afraid to touch a creature\nwho had made such a havoc among the rats and mice; however, when the\nfactor stroked the cat and called \u201cPussy, pussy,\u201d the queen also\ntouched her and cried \u201cPutty, putty,\u201d for she had not learned English.\n\nHe then put her down on the queen\u2019s lap, where she, purring, played\nwith her majesty\u2019s hand, and then sung herself to sleep.\n\nThe king having seen the exploits of Mrs. Puss, and being informed that\nshe was with young, and would stock the whole country, bargained with\nthe captain and factor for the whole ship\u2019s cargo, and then gave them\nten times as much for the cat as all the rest amounted to. With which,\ntaking leave of their majesties, and other great personages at court,\nthey sailed with a fair wind for England, whither we must now attend\nthem.\n\nThe morn had scarcely dawned when Mr. Fitzwarren stole from the bed of\nhis beloved wife, to count over the cash, and settle the business for\nthat day. He had just entered the compting-house, and seated himself\nat the desk, when somebody came, tap, tap, at the door. \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d\nsays Mr. Fitzwarren. \u201cA friend,\u201d answered the other. \u201cWhat friend can\ncome at this unseasonable time?\u201d \u201cA real friend is never unseasonable,\u201d\nanswered the other. \u201cI come to bring you good news of your ship\n_Unicorn_.\u201d The merchant bustled up in such an hurry that he forgot his\ngout; instantly opened the door, and who should be seen waiting but the\ncaptain and factor, with a cabinet of jewels, and a bill of lading, for\nwhich the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked heaven for sending\nhim such a prosperous voyage. Then they told him the adventures of the\ncat, and shewed him the cabinet of jewels which they had brought for\nMr. Whittington. Upon which he cried out with great earnestness, but\nnot in the most poetical manner,--\n\n  \u201cGo, send him in, and tell him of his fame,\n  And call him Mr. Whittington by name.\u201d\n\nIt is not our business to animadvert upon these lines; we are not\ncritics, but historians. It is sufficient for us that they are the\nwords of Mr. Fitzwarren; and though it is beside our purpose, and\nperhaps not in our power to prove him a good poet, we shall soon\nconvince the reader that he was a good man, which was a much better\ncharacter; for when some, who were present, told him that this treasure\nwas too much for such a poor boy as Whittington, he said, \u201cGod forbid\nthat I should deprive him of a penny; it is his own, and he shall have\nit to a farthing.\u201d He then ordered Mr. Whittington in, who was at this\ntime cleaning the kitchen, and would have excused himself from going\ninto the compting-house, saying, the room was rubbed, and his shoes\nwere dirty and full of hob-nails. The merchant, however, made him come\nin, and ordered a chair to be set for him. Upon which, thinking they\nintended to make sport of him, as had been too often the case in the\nkitchen, he besought his master not to mock a poor simple fellow, who\nintended them no harm, but let him go about his business. The merchant,\ntaking him by the hand, said, \u201cIndeed, Mr. Whittington, I am in\nearnest with you, and sent for you to congratulate you on your great\nsuccess. Your cat has procured you more money than I am worth in the\nworld, and may you long enjoy it and be happy.\u201d\n\nAt length, being shown the treasure, and convinced by them that all of\nit belonged to him, he fell upon his knees and thanked the Almighty for\nhis providential care of such a poor and miserable creature. He then\nlaid all the treasure at his master\u2019s feet, who refused to take any\npart of it, but told him he heartily rejoiced at his prosperity, and\nhoped the wealth he had acquired would be a comfort to him, and would\nmake him happy. He then applied to his mistress, and to his good friend\nMiss Alice, who refused to take any part of the money, but told him she\nheartily rejoiced at his good success, and wished him all imaginable\nfelicity. He then gratified the captain, factor, and the ship\u2019s crew,\nfor the care they had taken of his cargo. He likewise distributed\npresents to all the servants in the house, not forgetting even his old\nenemy the cook, though she little deserved it.\n\nAfter this Mr. Fitzwarren advised Mr. Whittington to send for the\nnecessary people and dress himself like a gentleman, and made him the\noffer of his house to live in till he could provide himself with a\nbetter.\n\nNow it came to pass that when Mr. Whittington\u2019s face was washed, his\nhair curled, and dressed in a rich suit of clothes, that he turned\nout a genteel young fellow; and, as wealth contributes much to give a\nman confidence, he in a little time dropped that sheepish behaviour\nwhich was principally occasioned by a depression of spirits, and soon\ngrew a sprightly and good companion, insomuch that Miss Alice, who had\nformerly seen him with an eye of compassion, now viewed him with other\neyes, which perhaps was in some measure occasioned by his readiness to\noblige her, and by continually making her presents of such things that\nhe thought would be most agreeable.\n\nWhen her father perceived they had this good liking for each other\nhe proposed a match between them, to which both parties cheerfully\nconsented, and the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, Sheriffs, the Company\nof Stationers, and a number of eminent merchants attended the ceremony,\nand were elegantly treated at an entertainment made for that purpose.\n\nHistory further relates that they lived very happy, had several\nchildren, and died at a good old age. Mr. Whittington served Sheriff of\nLondon in the year 1340, and was three times Lord Mayor. In the last\nyear of his mayoralty he entertained King Henry V. and his Queen, after\nhis conquest of France, upon which occasion the King, in consideration\nof Whittington\u2019s merit, said, \u201cNever had prince such a subject;\u201d which\nbeing told to Whittington at the table, he replied \u201cNever had subject\nsuch a king.\u201d His Majesty, out of respect to his good character,\nconferred the honour of knighthood on him soon after.\n\nSir Richard many years before his death constantly fed a great number\nof poor citizens, built a church and a college to it, with a yearly\nallowance for poor scholars, and near it erected an hospital. He also\nbuilt Newgate for criminals, and gave liberally to St. Bartholomew\u2019s\nHospital and other public charities.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTwo old houses in London, which were pulled down at the beginning\nof the present century, have been associated with the name of\nWhittington, but there is no evidence that he really dwelt in either\nof them. One ruinous building in Sweedon\u2019s Passage, Grub Street,\nengravings of which will be found in J. T. Smith\u2019s _Topography of\nLondon_, was pulled down in 1805, and five houses built on its site.\nA tablet was then set up, on which was an inscription to the effect\nthat the house had been called Gresham House, and that Whittington once\ninhabited it.\n\nThe magnificent house which stood in Hart Street, Crutched Friars, a\nfew doors from Mark Lane, is said to have been called Whittington\u2019s\npalace in the old leases, but this is the only evidence in favour\nof the popular belief. The front was elaborately carved in oak, the\nwork of a much later date than that of Whittington. The decoration is\nattributed to the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII., and on the\nceiling among other forms was that of a cat\u2019s head, from which possibly\nthe tradition of its having been the residence of Whittington arose.\nThere was a popular superstition that the cat\u2019s eyes followed the\nvisitor as he walked about the room. This house was taken down in 1801,\nbut both it and the house in Sweedon\u2019s Passage were reproduced in the\ninteresting Old London Street at the International Health Exhibition of\n1884.\n\n\n\n\n  THE\n  FAMOUS AND REMARKABLE\n  HISTORY\n\n  OF\n\n  SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,\n\n  THREE TIMES LORD MAYOR OF LONDON:\n\n  _who lived in the time of King Henry the Fifth in the year 1419, with\n  all the Remarkable Passages, and things of note, which happened\n  in his time: with his Life and Death._\n\n\n  WRITTEN BY T. H.\n\n\n  _Printed by W. Thackeray and T. Passinger._\n\n\n\n\n_The Printer to the Reader._\n\n\nCourteous Reader,--I here present unto thee no strange or forreign\nnews, no imagination, or vain conceit of poetical fiction; neither do\nI tell thee of Gallagantua or of the Red Rose Knight, nor such like\nstories; but I here offer to thy view a true pattern of humility; being\nthe glory of our Kingdom, and raised to Honour by desert; the title\ntells you that it is the life and death of Richard Whittington, who for\nhis clemency and understanding was three times chosen Lord Mayor of the\nHonourable City of London, who always acknowledged his beginning to be\nof mean and low rank; yet he was beloved of the King for his fidelity\nand trust, as may appear in larger volumes, and the entertainment that\nhe gave at his own house to his Soveraign at several times: his bounty\nupon all occasions, when the King wanted his purse; his love to the\nCity and Commons; which are not to be buried in oblivion, but rather\nto be proclaimed as living monuments to all people of what condition\nsoever, to animate them never to be dejected though never so poor, as\nthe story will more at large declare; all which happened in the days of\nour forefathers, and very probable it may be for us to believe; if we\nwill not give credit to former historians who will give the like to us\nin future ages: read it through, and you will find something worthy of\nnote, and thou shall do thy self some pleasure and me a high favour.\n_Vale._\n\n\n\n\n_The Life and Death of Sir Richard Whittington; who was three times\nLord Mayor of the City of London._\n\n\nThe saying is not so old as true, He that refuseth to buy counsel cheap\nshall buy repentance dear; neither let any work [mock?] a man in his\nmisery, but rather beware by him how to avoid the like misfortune; if\nthou intend to do any good, defer it not till the next day, for thou\nknowest not what may happen over night to prevent thee. Behold thyself\nin a looking glass, if thou appearest beautiful do such things as may\nbecome thy beauty; but if thou seem foul or deformed, let the actions\nof thy life make good that splendor which thy face lacketh. Tell not\nthy mind to every man, make thy self indebted to no man, be friend to\nfew men, be courteous to all men, let thy wit be thy friend, thy mind\nthy companion, thy tongue thy servant, let vertue be thy life, valour\nthy love, honour thy fame and heaven thy felicity. These (Reader) be\ngood documents for thee to follow, and I am now to present thee with\na worthy president to imitate; observe his beginning, forget not\nthe middle passage of his life, and thou wilt no question crown his\nhead. He that made all things of nothing can of a little make much,\nand multiply a mite into a magazine, as will easily appear by the\nsucceeding history.\n\nThis Richard Whittington was so obscurely born that he could scarcely\ngive account of his parents or kindred, and being almost starved in\nthe country, necessity compelled him up to London, hoping to find\nmore charity in the town than in the country: to beg he was ashamed,\nto steal he did abhor: two days he spent in gaping upon the shops and\ngazing upon the buildings feeding his eyes but starving his stomach. At\nlength meer faintness compell\u2019d him to rest himself upon a bench before\na merchant\u2019s gate, where he not long sat but the owner of the house\nhaving occasion of business into the town finding him a poor simple\nfellow, and thinking that he had no more within him than appeared\nwithout, demanded of him why he loytered there, and being able to\nwork for his living did not apply himself unto some lawful calling,\nthreatning him at the first with the stocks and the whipping-post;\nbut the poor man, after the making of some plain leggs and courtesie,\ndesired him to pardon him, and told him that he was a dejected man, who\ndesired any imployment, and that no pains how mean or course (_sic_)\nsoever could seem tedious or burthensome unto him, so he might but\nfind some good master, by whose charity he might relieve his present\nnecessity: for his great ambition was but to keep his body from\nnakedness and his stomach from hunger, and told him withal how long it\nwas since he had tasted meat or drink.\n\nThe worthy merchant seeing him of a personable body, and an ingenious\naspect howsoever both were clouded under a rustick habit, began\nsomewhat to commiserate his estate, and knocking for a servant had him\ntake in that fellow and give him such victuals as the house for the\npresent afforded, and at his return he would have further conference\nwith him. The servant did as he was commanded and took him in.\n\nThe merchant went then to the Exchange, which was then in Lumber\nStreet, about his affairs; in which intrim (_sic_) poor Whittington\nwas hied into the kitchin to warm himself, for faintness by reason of\nhunger and cold (for it was then in the winter time) had quite rob\u2019d\nhim of his colour. Meat was set before him in plenty, and being bred in\nthe country, as the proverb goeth, _He fed like a farmer_, and having\nsatisfied himself sufficiently and warm\u2019d him to the full, a fresh\ncolour began to come into his cheeks: at which the Merchant\u2019s daughter\n(hearing of a new come guest) came into the kitchin, and began to\nquestion him of divers things concerning the country, to all which he\ngave her such modest and sensible answers that she took a great liking\nunto him, and so left him.\n\nDinner time came, and Master Fitzwarren (for so was the merchant\ncalled) came home with a good stomach, and brought a friend or two with\nhim from the Exchange; down they sat to meat, and had speech of many\nthings at the table; meanwhile the servants were set also at dinner,\nwho would needs have Whittington, though he had so lately broke his\nfast, to keep them company, some of them delighting in his country\nspeech, others deriding his supposed simplicity.\n\nBut to come to the purpose, the table being withdrawn in the parlour,\nand the guests departed, and Master Fitzwarren and his daughter left\nalone, she being of a good and gentle disposition, began to commend\nhis charity concerning the poor man whom he relieved that morning, to\nwhom he answered, God-a-mercy daughter, thou hast done well to remember\nme, such a one I sent indeed, but have my servants done as I commanded\nthem? and where is he now? who answered him, that she had given order\nhe should stay dinner, and not depart the house till he himself had\nfurther spoken with him. At which they both went unto the Hall, and\ncalled the fellow before them; who appeared unto them with such a\nbashful humility that it seemed to them both to beg a charity; some\nlanguage past betwixt them concerning him, which gave them content; at\nlength they bid him retire himself.\n\nWhen the father and the daughter had some private conference concerning\nhim she urged him to entertain him into his house, and that there\nwould be some employment for him, either to run or to go of errands or\nelse to do some drudgery in the kitchin, as making of fires, scouring\nkettles, turning the spit, and the like: To whom the father reply\u2019d\nthat indeed his work might be worth his meat, but he had no lodging to\nspare, and she again answered that there were garrets in the house that\nwere put to no use at all, and in one of them he might conveniently be\nlodged and put the house to no trouble at all.\n\nWell at length he was admitted, and made a member of the family, in\nwhich he demeaned himself so well by his willingness to run or go or do\nany service how mean so ever that he had got the good will of all the\nwhole houshold, only the kitchin maid being a curst quean, and knowing\nhim to be an under servant to her, domineered over him and used him\nvery coursely and roughly, of which he would never complain, though he\nhad cause enough. The garret in which he lay, by reason it had been\nlong unfrequented, was troubled with rats and mice, insomuch that he\ncould not sleep in the night but they ran over his face, and much\ndisturb\u2019d him in his rest: to prevent which having got a penny either\nfor going of an errand, or for making clean boots or shooes or the\nlike, with that he bought a young cat which he kept in his garret, and\nwhatsoever he had from the reversion of the servants table he would be\nsure to reserve part for her, because he had found by experience that\nshe had rid him of the former inconveniences.\n\nThe History tells us that this merchant, Master Hugh Fitzwarren, was\nso generous that he never adventured any ship to sea but he would have\nhis daughter, his cashire, and every one of his servants, whar (_sic_)\nor whatsoever, to put in something, and to adventure with him, and\naccording to that proportion which they could spare, every one received\nto a token at the return of the ship. His daughter she began, the\nrest followed, and the servants borrowed out of their wages everyone\naccording to their abilities, and when they all had done Whittington\nwas remembered and called for, and his master telling him the custome\nof his home, asked him what he had to hazard in this adventure, who\nreplyed again, he was a poor man, and had nothing in the world saving\nthe cloaths upon his back, but for money he had none at all: then\nhis daughter drew out her purse and told her father, that for his\nservant Whittington she would lay down whatsoever he would desire. Who\nanswered again, that what she had spoke was nothing to the purpose; for\nwhatsoever was ventured in that kind must be out of ones proper goods\nand chattels, and again demanded of him if he had anything he could\ncall his own to put to hazard, and charged him deeply concerning that\npoint, who making some unnecessary leggs, told him that he had nothing\nwhich he could call his saving a cat, which he had bought with his\npenny, which he could not spare because she had done him so many good\noffices, and told them every circumstance before related, which when\nthe merchant heard he told him that he should venture that commodity\nand none else, and charged him to fetch her instantly (for the ship\nwhich was called the Unicorn) was fallen down as low as Blackwal\nand all their lading was already had aboard. Whittington although\nunwilling to part from so good a companion yet being forced by his\nmasters command by whom he had his subsistence he brought her and (not\nwithout tears) delivered her to his factor who was partly glad of her,\nby reason they were troubled with mice and rats in the ship, which not\nonly spoyled their victuals but damaged their wares and commodities.\n\nI must leave the cat upon her voyage at sea and honest Whittington\non land, who by that cursed quean the kitchin maid was so beaten and\nabused that he was as weary of his life as of his service: for she\n(usurping upon his plainness and modesty) would be quarrelling with\nhim, upon every small or no occasion at all; sometimes beating him with\nthe broom, sometimes laying him over the shoulders with a laddle, the\nspit or what came next to her hands, being of so dogged a disposition\nthat she still continued her cruelty towards him, and therefore he\nresolved with himself to run away, and for that purpose he had bundled\nup those few clothes which he had, and before day broke was got as far\nas Bunhill, and then he sat down to consider with himself what course\nhe were best to take; where by chance (it being all-hallows day) a\nmerry peal from Bow Church began to ring, and as he apprehended they\nwere tun\u2019d to this ditty,--\n\n  Turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of London,\n  Turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of London.\n\nThis took such a great impression in him, that finding how early it\nwas, and that he might yet come back in his masters house before any\nof the family were stirring, he resolved to go back, and found every\nthing according to his own wishes and desires, insomuch that when the\nhousehold were up none could challenge him to have been missing. And\nthus he continued as before in his first plainness and honesty, well\nbeloved of all save the kitchin drudge; I come now to tell you what\nbecame of his adventure.\n\nIt so hapned that this goodly ship Unicorn was by contrary gusts and\nbad weather driven upon the utmost coast of Barbary, where never any\nEnglishman (or scarce any Christian) had ever traded before, where they\nshowed their commodities and offered them to be vended. The Moors came\ndown in multitudes, much taken with the beauty of their ship, for they\nhad never seen any of that bigness or burthen before, but when they\nhad taken a serious view of their commodities as hatchets, knives and\nlooking-glasses, fish-hooks, &c. but especially their cloth and kersies\nof several sizes and colours, they brought them gold in abundance for\nit was more plentiful with them then (_sic_) lead or copper with us.\n\nPresently the news was carryed to the king who sent some of his chief\nnobility to bring him some sorts of every commodity that was aboard,\nwhich when he saw they pleased him highly, sending for the master and\nmerchants factor to court. He at their own rate bargained with them\nfor their whole lading, nor would he suffer them to depart till he had\nfeasted them royally.\n\nNow the fashion of the Moors is not to sit at the table as the custom\nis among us, but to have a rich carpet spread upon the ground, and\nwhen the meal or banquet is served in, as well the king himself as\nthe rest sit round about cross-legg\u2019d as taylors commonly used to do\nupon their shop-boards, and in that manner our English are set at the\nking\u2019s banquet, but the meal was no sooner served in but swarms of\nrats and mice seized upon the dishes, and snatched away the meat even\nfrom the king and queen\u2019s trenchers: at which the factor being annoyed\nasked one of the nobility (by an interpreter) if they preserved those\nvermin for sport, or if they were noysome, and troublesome unto them:\nwho answered him again, that they were the greatest vexation unto them\nthat could be possible, and by reason of their multitudes they could\nnot be destroyed, but the king would willingly give half the revenue\nof his crown if he could but only clear the court of them, for not\nonly his table but his very bed-chamber swarmed with them, insomuch\nthat he durst not lay him down to rest without a watch about him, to\nkeep them off his pillow: To whom the factor replyed, that they had a\nstrange beast aboard which he made no doubt would rid them of those\nvermine: which being told the king he rose from his place and imbracing\nthe factor told him if he could shew him such a creature he would\nballast his vessel with silver and lade her with gold and pearl. Who\napprehending the occasion made very coy of the business, telling him it\nwas a creature of great value and not common. Besides they could not\nspare her from the ship, in regard when they were asleep yet she was\nstill waking in the night, not only to preserve their merchandise but\nthere dyet from the like spoyl. The more dainty that he made of the\nmatter the more earnest was the king for this beast, insomuch that he\nwas presently sent for.\n\nAnd a second feast being prepared and the rats and mice appearing as\nthey did before, the young merchant having the cat under his cloak the\nking desired to see the thing which he had before so much commended;\nwhen presently he discovered her, and cast her among them; she no\nsooner saw these vermine but fell upon them with such a fury that here\nlay one panting, there another quite dead; nor left them till she had\nfrighted and disperst the whole number, but such as she seized their\ncarkasses lay there as witnesses of their unexpected slaughter.\n\nGreat pleasure took the king and the nobility in the sport, vowing that\nthe hunting of the lyon (of which there was plenty in that country)\nwas not answerable unto it. In the interim one began to praise her for\nher colour, another commending her for her valour, one said she had\nthe countenance of a lyon, and every one gave his sentence. When the\npoor cat finding no more work for her to do, went round to the King and\nQueen purling and curling (as their manner is), which they apprehended\nto be, as if she inquired of them what she had deserved for that late\nservice.\n\nTo cut off circumstance, no price could part them, and the rather when\nthe factor had told the king that she was with kittens, and that her\nbrood would in some few years, being carefully lookt into, furnish the\nwhole kingdom, so that Whittingtons cats adventure only surmounted all\nthe ships lading beside, with which fortune and unexpected gain we\nbring them safe into England; the ship lying at anchor near Blackwal,\nand the Pilot and Cape-merchant, with some other officers in the ship\nat Mr. Fitzwarrens house, which was by Leaden-Hall, to give accompt\nof their voyage. But these caskets of jewels and pearls, with other\nunvaluable (_sic_) riches which were given for the cat, they caused to\nbe brought along, not daring, by reason of their inestimable value,\nto trust them in the ship. The Bills of lading and the benefit of the\nreturn of the Commodities being viewed and considered of by the owner,\nhe praised God for so prosperous a voyage, and called all his servants\nand gave order that according to their adventures every one should\nreceive his portion.\n\nAt length casting his eye upon those rich caskets and cabinets, he\nasked to whose share they belonged; who whispered him in the ear,\nand told him to his poor Whittington, relating every particular as is\nbefore discoursed. To whom Master Fitzwarren replyed, if they then be\nhis, God forbid I should keep from him the least farthing that is his\nright, and presently commanded Whittington to be sent for by the name\nof Mr. Whittington.\n\nThe servants not knowing anything of the business, went unto him into\nthe kitchin, where he was then rubbing the spits, scouring the kettles,\nand making clean the dressers, and told him he must come to his Master\npresently into the parlor. The poor man excused himself, that his\nshooes were dirty and the room was rubb\u2019d, and if he should but touch\nany thing there he should spoyl and deface those things in the room.\nBut still the master of the House called for Master Whittington,\nsending one servant after another till he was brought before him; and\nhaving scraped some few legs, instantly his master took him by the\nhand, and called for a chair for Master Whittington, his daughter, the\npilot, and the factor, every one of them saluted him by the name of Mr.\nWhittington and forced him to sit down. He wondering what this should\nmean desired them not to mock a poor simple man who meant none any\nharm, &c. and wept (the tears dropping from his eyes), desiring them\nnot to deride his poverty, for his ambition was never to come so high\nas from the kitchin to the hall much more from the hall to the parlor.\n\nThen came his master to him seriously and said, Indeed Mr. Whittington,\nwe are all in very good earnest, for you are at this time a better\nman than myself in estate, and then shewed him all those cabinets and\ncaskets, and how richly they were lined.\n\nWhen he perceived by all their earnest asservations that all was true\nhe first fell down upon his knees and gave God most hearty thanks,\nwho out of his great bounty would vouchsafe to cast an eye upon so\npoor and wretched a creature as himself; then turning to his master\nhe presented all his riches before him and told him that all he had\nwas at his disposing and service, who answered him again, that for his\nown part God had sent him sufficient of his own, neither would he take\nfrom him the value of one Barbary ducket. He came nere and with a low\nleg saluted his mistris, and told her that when she pleased to make\nchoice of a husband he would make her the richest marriage in London,\nbecause she was so willing out of her own purse (when he was altogether\npenniless) to lay out for his adventure. To the pilot, and master, and\nevery officer, and common saylor he gave liberal according to their\ndegree, even to the ship boy, and then to every servant of the house,\nnay to the very kitchin wench who was so churlish unto him, and had so\noften basted him instead of her roast meats; having caused her to be\ncalled unto him he gave her an hundred pounds towards her marriage.\n\nThis being done, taylors were sent for, sempsters and the like to put\nhim into cloaths and linnen of the best, who were to accommodate him\nwith all speed possible, and his lodging in the garret was chang\u2019d into\nthe best chamber of the house. And when the barber had been with him\nand the rest to make him compleat in his habit, there was a strange and\nsudden metamorphosis; for out of a smoky and dirty kitchin-drudge there\nappeared a proper and well-proportioned man, and gentile merchant, in\nso much that his young mistris began to cast a more amorous eye upon\nhim than before, which not a little pleased Master Fitzwarren her\nfather, who intended a match betwixt them.\n\nThe brute of this great adventure was presently revised through the\nwhole city, insomuch that his master intreated his late servant to\nwalk with him into the Exchange to see the fashion of the merchants,\nwhich he did, when all of them came about him and saluted him, some\nbid God give him joy of his fortune, others desired of him better and\nfurther acquaintance, and every one as his several fancy led him:\nsome commended him for his person, others for his modest answers and\ndiscreet carriage. Indeed, wealth is able to make all these good where\nthey are most wanting, which was not in him as appears by the sequel.\n\nWithin few weeks the match was propounded betwixt Master Whittington\nand Mistris Alice, and willingly entertained by both parties and not\nwithout great cost, with the invitation of the Lord Mayor and the\nAldermen very nobly celebrated, and the bridegroom by this means had\ngot acquaintances with the best.\n\nAfter this his father-in-law demanded of his son what he purposed to\ntake in hand (his freedom being offered him). Who made answer again\nthat since God had so blest him in his small adventure he would not\nleave it of so, but prove his goodness in a greater, and that his\npurpose was to turn merchant, which reply gave him no small content in\nregard he knew the best among them would be glad to have the society of\nso hopeful a citizen, which he continued adventuring in divers bottoms\nwith his father, and had very happy and prosperous returns.\n\nThe time being come when he was prickt for Sheriff he modestly refused\nit as unable to take so great a charge, and would willingly have paid\nhis fine, which his father-in-law would not suffer, at whose persuasion\nhe took the place upon him, in which he so well behaved himself in the\nmanagement of all affairs belonging to his office that he not only left\nit without the least taxation, but with a general love and approbation,\ninsomuch that the universal eye of the whole city was fixt upon him in\nan hopeful expectation what a profitable member of that united body he\nmight futurely prove, and this hapned in the year of our Lord 1493,\nSir John Hodley grocer being mayor and Drewerie Barentine his fellow\nSheriff, of the truth of which Mr. Fabian in his _Chronicle_ and Mr.\nJohn Stow in his _Survey of London_ can fully satisfie you.\n\nIn the year 1497 and the one and twentieth of the same Kings reign, Sir\nRichard Whittington was Lord Mayor of London, John Woodcok and William\nAskam being Sheriffs, and he held the place with great reputation and\nhonour. In which time of his Mayoralty there was much discontent in\nthe kingdom, by reason of many differences betwixt the King and the\nCommons; the circumstances whereof were here too long to relate, only\none thing is worthy of observation that whether by his adventures or\nno may it be questioned, bringing in yearly such store of gold, silks,\nsattins, velvets, damasks, stones, and jewels, &c. into the kingdom\nmight be the cause of that great pride and rioting in apparel which was\nused in those days. But as Harding, Fabian, and others have left to me\nhow in that year of his Mayoralty and after there resorted to the Kings\nCourt at their pleasures daily, at the least ten thousand persons. In\nhis kitchin were three hundred servitors, and in every office according\nto that rate. Moreover of ladies, chambermaids, and laundresses about\nthree hundred, and they all exceeded in gorgeous and costly apparel far\nabove their degrees; for even the yeomen and grooms were clothed in\nsilks and velvets, damasks, and the like, with imbroydery, rich furs,\nand goldsmiths work, devising very strange and new fashions.\n\nAnd in this year also, about the feast of St. Bartholomew, grew a great\ndiscord betwixt the Duke of Hereford and Mowbery, Duke of Norfolk,\nthe beginning thereof being as followeth: The two Dukes riding from\nthe Parliament towards their lodgings, the Duke of Norfolk said to\nthe other, Sir, you see how variable the King is in his words, and\n(reflecting upon what had past) how without mercy he putteth his Lords\nand kinsfolks to death, imprisoning some and exciting others. Therefore\nit behoveth us not too much to trust to his fair and smooth language,\nfor doubtless in time he will bring even to us the like death and\ndestruction. Of which words he accused him to the King, which the other\ndenying it was to be tryed by combate. The lists were appointed and the\nday of meeting the eleventh day of September, to which place and on the\nday assigned came both the Dukes and bravely accoutred, appeared before\nthe King ready to enter into battel; when the King threw down his\nwarder, and staying the combate banished the Duke of Hereford for ten\nyears, but the Duke of Norfolk for ever, was travelling many countries,\nat the last came to Venice and then ended his life.\n\nAgain in 1406, and in the eighth of Henry the fourth, Sir Richard\nWhittington was the second time Lord Mayor, Nicholas Worton and Geffery\nBrook being Sheriffs. Again in the year 1409, being the seventh year\nof Henry the fifth, he supplyed the Pretorship, Robert Whittington\n(his near Kinsman) and John Butler being Sheriffs, and which is more\nremarkable of him then of any other that ever preceded him in that\nplace of honour, he was once Sheriff and three times Lord Mayor of this\nfamous and honourable City in three several Kings reigns.\n\nNow to cut off all circumstances and come close to the matter, we may\neasily find what this man was, by the pious and religious acts done in\nhis life to the Cities present grace, use and benefit, and to his own\nblessed memory for ever.\n\nIn the Vintry-ward he built a church and dedicated it to S. Michael\ncalling it Pater Noster in the Royal, and added to it a Colledge\nfounded to St. Mary, and placed therein a President and four fellows\nwhich ought to be masters of arts, besides other yearly allowance to\nclerks and young schollars, near which he erected an Hospital which\nhe called God\u2019s house, for thirteen poor men, and there according to\nthe devout superstition of those days were to pray for the souls of\nhis father-in-law Hugh Fitzwarren and Dame Molde his wife, for whom\nhe erected a fair tomb in the church he before built, leaving also a\nplace for himself and Dame Alice his lady when it should please God to\ncall them. In which place they were afterwards both of them according\nto their degree very honourably interred, great mourning and much\nlamentation being made for him by the Commons of the City in regard he\nwas a man so remarkable for his charity.\n\nHe builded another brave structure which he called after his own name\nWhittington Colledge, with a perpetual allowance for Divinity Lectures\nto be read there for ever, leaving good land for the maintenance\nthereof.\n\nAnd on the west side of the City he built that famous gate and prison\nto this day called Newgate, and thereupon caused the Merchants arms\nto be graven in stone. He added to St. Bartholomew\u2019s Hospital in\nSmithfield and was at the charge of repairing thereof.\n\nFurther at the Grey-Fryars in London he erected a Library as a\ntestimony of the great love he had to Learning, which he began in the\nyear of our Lord 1421 and finished it in the year following. Moreover\nthat place which is called the Stocks to this day, betwixt Cheapside\nand Cornhill, a good house of stone, which for a flesh market and a\nfish market greatly beneficial to the City.\n\nBesides he enlarged Guild Hall and glazed most or all of the windows at\nhis own costs or charges, paving the Hall and contributing largely to\nthe Library, adding to those places a conduit which yieldeth store of\nsweet and wholesome water to the general good and benefit of the City.\n\nIn the year 1497, when Sir Richard Whittington was first elected Lord\nMayor, that rebel Sir John Oldcastle was taken in the territories of\nthe Lord Powess, not without danger and hurt of some that took him, at\nwhich time all the States of the realm were assembled at Parliament\nin London, therein to provide the King of a subsidy and other aid of\nmoney and ammunition, who took great pains beyond the seas in France.\nThese Lords and others when they heard that the publick enemy was\ntaken they agreed all not to dissolve the Parliament, until he were\nexamined, and heard to answer in the same. Whereupon the Lord Powess\nwas sent for to fetch him up with power and great aid, who brought him\nto London in a lyter wounded very much having received seventeen wounds\nand also a clerk which he called his Secretary with him that was of his\ncounsel in all his secrecy. As soon as the aforesaid Sir John Oldcastle\nwas brought into the Parliament before the Earl of Bedford who was\nthen left Regent and Governour of the Realm in the time of the King\u2019s\nabsence being in France and other Lords and States, his indictment\nbeing read before him of his forcible insurrection against the King\nand State in St. Gyles\u2019s Fields, and other treasons and outrages by\nhim committed, the question was asked how he could excuse himself and\nshow why he should not be judged to dye according to the law. But he\nseeking other talk and discourse of the mercies of God, and that all\nmortal men that would be followers of God ought to prefer mercy above\njudgment and that vengeance pertained only to the Lord, and ought not\nto be practised by them that worship, but to be left to God alone, with\nmany other words to protract the time, until the Lord Chief Justice\nadmonished the Regent not to suffer him to spend the time so vainly,\nin molesting the nobles of the Realm, whereupon the Duke of Bedford,\nRegent, commanded him to answer formally and punctually to the matter\nlaid to his charge.\n\nThen said Sir John, being thus urged at last after deliberation\ntaken, he said, It is the least thing that I account of to be judged\nby you as of man\u2019s judgment, and again he began to talk, but nothing\nto the purpose until the Chief Justice commanded him again to answer\nfinally, and to answer them if he could, why he should not suffer death\naccording to his desert. To which he stoutly answered that he had no\njudge amongst them, so long as his liege Lord King Richard was alive\nand in his realm of Scotland, which answer when he had made, because\nthere needed no further witness, he was then presently censured to\nbe drawn and hanged on a gallows and then to be burnt hanging upon\nthe same, which judgment was executed upon him the thirtieth day of\nDecember in St. Gyles\u2019s Fields, where many honourable persons were\npresent, and the last words that he spake were to Sir Thomas Upingham,\nadjuring him that if he saw him rise from death to life again the third\nday he would procure that his sect which he had raised might be in\npeace and quiet. He was hanged by the neck in a chain of iron and after\nconsumed by fire.\n\nMoreover it is recorded that in the time of this worthy pretor Sir\nRichard Whittington the glorious city of Constantinople was taken by\nMahomet the Second, Prince of the Turks, whose souldiers sacked it with\nall extremity and omitted no manners of cruelty by violence to either\nvirgins, aged women, or sucking babes. This Sir Richard Whittington had\ntraffick from thence by his factors which there abode, and were then\ntaken prisoners, so that he lost near upon fifteen thousand pounds,\nwhich when he heard of never was so much as cast down or dismayed, but\nsaid God will send more; yea such was the incessant practice of the\nTurkish tyranny upon this imperial city, as it exceeded the damage,\nrapes and spoyls of other cities. They also beheaded at the same time\nConstantine, sticking his head upon a launce, and with derision caused\nit to be carried thorow the Turkish camp.\n\nIn the space of a week after, there hapned a horrible tempest of\nthunder and lightning which burned almost eight hundred houses and\nspoiled three thousand people at the sacking of the aforesaid city by\nthe said Mahomet. The Turks found therein so much treasure that they\nwondred that the citizens would not spend it in souldiers for their own\ndefence, but so dotingly to spare the true spending thereof to become\nan enticing prey for their irreconcileable enemies, for indeed it was\nthought that if the State would have hired souldiers, and given them\ngood pay they might have raised the siege of the Turks. It is an old\nand true saying, Covetousness is the mother of ruine and mischief.\n\nThis strange thing hapned in the second time that he was elected Lord\nMayor and that was upon the twenty-seventh of April, being Tuesday\nin Easter week: William Foxley, Pot maker for the Mint in the Tower\nof London, fell asleep, and so continued sleeping and snoring and\ncould not be wakened with pricking, cramping, or otherwise burning or\nwhatsoever till the first day of the term, which was full 14 days and\n15 nights. The cause of this his sleeping could not be known though\nthe same was diligently searched for by the King\u2019s Command of his\nPhysicians and other learned men, yea the King himself examined the\nsaid William Foxley, who was in all points sound at his awaking to be\nas if he had slept but one night, and yet lived 41 years after. But in\nlength of time did call to mind how he did wish to God that he might\nsleep a fortnight together if it was not so and so concerning a bargain\nbetween a neighbour of his and himself.\n\nOne Thursday in Whitson week following the Duke of Somerset with\nAnthony Rivers and four others kept Justs and Tournament before the\nKing and Queen and others of the nobility in the Tower of London,\nagainst three Esquires of the Queen\u2019s Bedchamber, which were performed\nbefore some of the French nobility that then were Prisoners to the\nKing, which he took in France, to the great admiration of those\nstrangers who never saw the like action before, being so earnestly\nperformed. There was also Sir Richard Whittington and the two\nSheriffs, and that night the King and Queen did sup with the Lord Mayor.\n\nThose strangers which beheld those Justs were prisoners in the Tower at\nthat time, namely, the Duke of Orleance and Burbon, brother to the Duke\nof Britain, the Earls of Vaudosine, of Ewe and Richmond, and the High\nMarshal of France, and many other Knights and Esquires to the number of\nseven hundred, all which were at one time prisoners to the King, but\nnobly used and attended every one according to their rank and quality,\nwho when they were ransomed made it known to their King how honourably\nthey were attended in England, and what respect the King and our\nEnglish nation shewed them being prisoners who might have taken their\nlives away as well as their persons prisoners.\n\nThe second thing that was remarkable in Sir Richard Whittington\u2019s year\nwas that the King kept his Christmas at Lambeth, and at the feast of\nPurification seven Dolphins of the sea came up to the River of Thames\nand played there up and down until four of them were kill\u2019d.\n\nOn Saturday the eve of St. Michael the Archangel the year following, in\nthe morning before day, betwixt the hour of one and two of the Clock,\nbegan a terrible earthquake with Lightning and thunder which continued\nthe space of six hours, and that universally through the whole world,\nso that most men thought the world as then would have ended. The\nunreasonable beasts roared and drew to the town with a hideous noise,\nalso the fowls of the ayr cryed out, such was the work of God at that\ntime to call his people to repentance.\n\nThe four and twentieth day of January following a battel or combat\nwas fought in Smithfield within the lists before the King between the\nmen of Feversham in Kent, John Upton Notary Appelant and John Down\nGentleman defendant. John Upton accused John Down that he and his\ncompiers should design the King\u2019s death on the day of his Coronation\nfollowing. When they had fought somewhat long and received each of them\nsome wounds, and still persisting in their violent action and no hopes\nto find out the truth, the King took up the matter and forgave both\nparties.\n\nOn Candlemas eve following in divers places of England was great\nweathering of wind, hail, snow, rain with thunder and lightning,\nwhereby the church of Baldock in Hertfordshire and the church and part\nof the town of Walden in Essex, with other neighbouring villages, were\nsore shaken, and the steeple of St. Pauls in London about two in the\nafternoon was set on fire in the midst of the shaft first on the west\nside and then on the south, and divers people espying the fire came to\nquench it in the steeple, which they did with vinegar, so far as they\ncould find, so that when the Lord Mayor with much people came to Pauls\nto have holpen if need had been they returned again every man to his\nown home, trusting in God all had been well, but anon after between\neight and nine of the clock the fire burst out again afresh out of the\nsteeple, by reason of the wind more hot and fervent then before, and\ndid much hurt to the lead and timber thereof. Then the Lord Mayor and\nmany people came thither again and with vinegar quenched the fire which\nwas so violent, but no man received any hurt.\n\nMoreover in Sir Richard Whittington\u2019s time lived one Richard Fleming,\nBishop of Lincoln, in the year 1430 who founded Lincoln Colledge in\nOxford, which was afterwards in Richard the third\u2019s time in the year of\nour Lord 1479 by Thomas Rotherham Bishop of the same sea (_sic_) much\naugmented and enlarged with great revenues. Likewise Magdalen Colledge\nin Oxford was built by William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester, who\nwas a loving and constant friend to Sir Richard Whittington and did\nmuch good in many parts of this kingdom, and the said Sir Richard did\nlargely contribute to these and the like pious uses by the intreaty of\nthis Bishop.\n\nIn the year of our Lord 1419, in which Sir Richard Whittington was the\nthird time inaugurated into the Mayoralty as is before mentioned King\nHenry the fifth, who having conquered the greatest part of France and\nespoused Katherine sole daughter to the King and heir to the crown,\ntaking leave of his father-in-law, embarked with his Royal bride and\nlanded at Dover upon Candlemas Day, leaving in France for his deputy\nhis brother the Duke of Clarence, from thence arrived in London the\nfourteenth day of February, and the Queen came thither the one and\ntwentieth day of the same month, being met upon Black-Heath by the\nLord Mayor and three hundred aldermen and prime citizens in gold chains\nand rich costly habits with other sumptuous and brave devices as\npageants, speeches and shows to the great delight and content of both\ntheir Maiesties.\n\nThe four and twentieth day of February following being St. Mathew\u2019s Day\nher coronation was solemnized in St. Peter\u2019s Church in Westminster;\nwhich being ended, she was afterwards royally conveyed into the great\nhall and there under a rich canopy of State sat to dinner, upon whose\nright hand sate at the end of the table the Lord Archbishop\u2019s grace of\nCanterbury and Henry called the rich Cardinal Bishop of Winchester,\nupon the left hand of the Queen sat the King of Scots in a chair of\nState, and was served with covered dishes, as the Bishops were. But\nafter them and upon the same side next to the Boards end were seated\nthe Dutchess of York and Countess of Huntington, the Earl of March\nholding a scepter in his hand, kneeling upon the right side, the Earl\nMarshal in the like manner kneeled upon the left hand of the Queen:\nthe Countess of Kent sat under the table at the right foot, and the\nCountess Marshal at the left foot of her Majesty.\n\nHumphery Duke of Glocester was that day overseer and stood before\nthe Queen bareheaded, Sir Richard Newel was carver and the Earl of\nSuffolk\u2019s brother cup-bearer, Sir John Stewart, Sewer, the Lord\nClifford (instead of the Earl of Warwick) Pantler, the Lord Willoby\n(instead of the Earl of Arundel) chief Butler, the Lord Gray Caterer,\nNaperer, the Lord Audley (in the stead of the Earl of Cambridge)\nAlmner, the Earl of Worcester was Lord high Marshal, who rode about\nthe Hall on a great courser, with many tip-staves about him to make\nroom in the Hall. In the which Hall next after the Queen, the Barons\nof the Cinque Ports began the table, upon the right hand towards St.\nSteven\u2019s Capel (_sic_), and beneath them at the table sat the Vouchers\nof the Chancery, and upon the left hand next to the cupboard sat Sir\nRichard Whittington (now the third time Lord Mayor) and his brethren\nthe Aldermen of London. The rest of the Bishops began the table over\nagainst the Baron of the Cinque Ports, and the ladies and chief\nnoble-women the table against the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen, at which\ntwo tables of the Bishops the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Durham\nsat highest at the one and the Countess of Stafford and the Countess\nof March on the other. And for ordering of the service divers chief\nlords were appointed officers as Steward, Controuler, Surveyor, and\nthe like, which places were supplyed by the Earls of Northumberland\nand Westmorland, the Lord Fizmur, the Lord Farneval, the Lord Gray\nof Wilton, the Lord Feres of Groby, the Lord Poynings, the Lord\nHarrington, the Lord Ducy, the Lord Daker, the Lord Delaware, &c.\n\nI have shewed you onely the ordering of this rich feast, but the\ncost and sumptuousness of the fare would ask too long and large a\ncircumstance to discourse; what I have hitherto done was onely to\nshow to the world that at those high solemnities inaugurations and\ncoronations the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Aldermen have\nplace, and their presence is still required; the City being the King\u2019s\nChamber and in an interregnum he the first and prime officer in the\nkingdom. But I fear I have dwelt too long on the premises which I hope\nnone will hold for an unnecessary deviation. I come now to discourse\nunto you of Sir Richard Whittington\u2019s invitation of the King and Queen\ninto the City when he bountifully feasted them in his own house at his\nown proper charge.\n\nHow great and magnificent the Londoners feasts be even amongst\nthemselves especially at that high and pompous festival at Guild-Hall\nthe day after Simon and Jude, at the solemn inauguration of his\nLordship who but knows, as also the ordinary Tables of the Lord Mayor\nand the Sheriffs where there is free and generous entertainment for\nall men of fashion and quality, the like both for plenty of dishes\nand order of service is not elsewhere to be or found through Europe.\nIf then their daily provision be so curious and costly, what may we\nthink their variety and rarity was at the invitation and entertainment\nof two such great majesties? I must therefore leave it to the Readers\nimagination being so far transcending my expression. Let it therefore\ngive satisfaction to any one that shall doubt thereof, that it was\nperformed to the everlasting reputation of the honour of the city\nand great content of these royal personages invited. The bounty of\nthe table not to be question\u2019d. I come now to the fire that he made\nin the Presence chamber where the King and Queen then dined, which\nwas only of sweet and odoriferious (_sic_) wood, far exceeding the\nsmell of juniper, for it was mixed with mace, cinnamon, and other\nrare and costly spices, which did cast such a pleasant and delightful\nsavor through the room that it pleased his majesty to call him unto\nhim and say, my good Lord Mayor, though your fare be choice, costly\nand abundant, yet above all things I have observed in your noble\nentertainment this fire which you have provided for me gives me more\ncontent. To whom Sir Richard Whittington making a low obeysance made\nanswer, It much rejoyceth me dread Soveraign that any that remaineth\nin my power can give your highness the least cause to be pleased, but\nsince you praise this fire already made I purpose ere your sacred\nmajesty depart the house to entertain you with one (I hope) that shall\ncontent you much better. The King not thinking it could be possible\ndesired him to make a proof thereof, when he (having before provided\nhimself for that purpose) brought a great bundle of Bonds, Indentures\nand Covenants under his arm, said thus to the King, Royal Soveraign\nto whom I owe both my fortunes and my life, I have here a faggot of\npurpose left for this fire, which I hope will smell much more sweetly\nthan the first in your nostrils, for saith he, here is first your\nHighness security for ten thousand marks, lent you for the maintainance\nof your royal wars in France, by the Right Worshipful Company of the\nMercers, which I here cancel and cast into the fire, fifteen hundred\nlent by the City to your Majesty I send after the former, two thousand\nmarks borrowed of the Grocers Company, three thousand of the Merchant\nTaylors, one thousand of the Drapers, one thousand of the Skinners, one\nthousand of the Ironmongers, one thousand of the Merchant Staplers,\nof the Goldsmiths three thousand, of the Haberdashers as much, of the\nVintners, Brewers and Brown Bakers three thousand marks. All these you\nsee are cancel\u2019d and burnt, saith he, with divers other bonds for money\nlent by my father in law Aldermen Fitzwarren for the payment of your\nsouldiers in France, which coming unto me by executorship I have taken\nin and discharged.\n\nOthers there likewise due to me of no small sums by divers of your\nnobility here present, all which with the former I have sacrificed to\nthe love and honour of my dread sovereign, amounting to the sum of\nthree score thousand pounds sterling, and can your Majesty (saith he)\ndesire to sit by a fire of more sweet scent and savour? At this the\nKing was much extasi\u2019d and the rather because it came unexpectedly and\nfrom so free a spirit, and embracing him in his arms said unto him that\nhe thought never King had such a subject, and at his departure did him\nall the grace and honour that could descend from a King to a subject,\npromising him moreover that he should ever stand in the first rank of\nthose whom he favoured. And so the Lord Mayor bearing the sword before\ntheir two most sacred Majesties as far as Temple Bar the King for his\nformer service and his most kind and loving entertainment at that\ntime, and the noble men for that extraordinary courtesie offered them\nall unitely (_sic_) and unanimously commended his goodness, applauded\nhis bounty and wished that he might live to perpetual memory and so bid\nboth him and the City for that time adieu.\n\nTo omit all other circumstances having acquainted you with the poor\nand mean estate of this Sir Richard Whittington when he came first\ninto the City of London, and by what means he was relieved in his\nmiserable poverty, as also the fortunate success of his small adventure\nwhereby he was raised unto so great honour, that he became the Cities\nGovernour, and how discreetly and wisely he behaved in his authority\nand office, gaining thereby the love and probation (_sic_) of all men.\nAnd further having shewed you what goodly buildings have been raised by\nhis great cost and charge, as one church, two colledges, and certain\nalmshouses, with yearly means left for the maintenance of all such as\nshall be admitted into them, and many other charitable acts performed\nby him which are before related, to the great good and benefit of the\nCity, and what things of note happened in his time, I will now conclude\nwith Master Stow, O that London had a Park near adjoining to it, stored\nwith such Deer (as doubtless it hath, though not easily known) for\nsome build Alms houses, free schools, causies and Bridges in needful\nand necessary places, others repair ruinated and decayed churches,\nrelieving Hospitals in a bountiful manner, and are weekly benefactors\nto Prisons and those performed by such agents faithfully, that the\ntrue bestowers are not publicly noted, howsoever they may be easily\nsupposed. But the glory they seek to invade here will (no doubt) for\never shine on them elsewhere. And that great God who hath created us,\nand plentifully distributed in his great bounty all things to men, and\nyet not given all things to any one man, lest it might take away that\nnecessary commerce and mutual society which ought to be amongst us,\nstir up the minds of more of them to imitate at least, though not to\nexceed them in their bounty and liberality.\n\n\nFINIS.\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES:\n\n[A] _Catalogue of Chap Books, Garlands, &c._ 1849, p. 69.\n\n[B] Riley\u2019s _Memorials of London and London Life_, p. 534 (note).\n\n[C] Riley\u2019s _Memorials_, pp. 533-4.\n\n[D] The Royal Mandate, dated June 8, is printed in Riley\u2019s _Memorials_,\np. 545.\n\n[E] _Survey of London_, ed. Thoms, 1842, p. 41.\n\n[F] _Survey of London_, ed. Thoms, 1842, p. 162.\n\n[G] _Ibid._ p. 103.\n\n\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER\u2019S NOTES:\n\n\n  Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.\n\n  Emboldened text is surrounded by equals signs: =bold=.\n\n  Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.\n\n  Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.","title":"The History of Sir Richard Whittington","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":19227}