raised, was beheaded without arraignment or judgment, at Salisbury. His son Edward, duke of Buckingham, was beheaded on Tower Hill, a sacrifice to cardinal Wolsey. Here was also one of the sheriffs' prisons, called BREAD STREET COMPTER. Previously to the year 1555, this prison was kept by one Richard Husband, pastry-cook, and, as Stow calls him, "a wilful and a headstrong man," who treated his prisoners with the greatest cruelty, and used the utmost imposition. He also hired for his servants such as were notorious for their savage deportment, and though he had often been complained of, nothing would impel reformation. Therefore, in the year 1550, Sir Rowland Hill, mayor, by the assent of the court of aldermen, sent him to Newgate, and commanded the keeper to put those irons on his legs, with which he had used to load the unfortunate persons under his care, and which he called "the Widow's Alms." The keeper of Newgate punctually performed his orders, and Husband wore those distinctions of his humanity from Thursday till Sunday afternoon; and on the Tuesday following, he was released by the court of aldermen, conditionally, that he gave a bond of one hundred marks, to observe from henceforth an act made by the common council for the ordering of prisoners in the Compters. The punishment, however, had no effect upon his callous disposition; "for," for," says Stow," being on a jury, to enquire against a sessions of gaol delivery, in the year 1552, we found the prisoners hardly dealt withal for their escheats, and otherwise; as also that thieves and strumpets were there lodged for 4d. a night, whereby they might be safe from searches that were made abroad." For which enormities, and others not needful to be recited, he was indicted; but it could not be remedied, as the house of Husband was his own property by lease, and therefore no other way could be devised but the removal of the prison; this was ultimately effected in 1555. The following is an abstract of the act of common council, held September the 19th, in the third and 2 fourth fourth years of Philip and Mary, for the removal of the Compter prison out of Bread Street into Wood Street. "By reason of divers hindrances, injuries, extremities, and displeasures, done unto the prisoners in Bread Street Compter, by the keepers of the same, who, hiring the house of the Goldsmiths' Company, would not many times suffer the sheriffs of London, who stand charged with the prisoners, to use them so well as they had purposed; whereby the city hath been slandered, law and good orders broken, and poor prisoners too much abused. Therefore was the prison removed to a house belonging to the city, situate in Great Wood Street, where the sheriffs and his officers are to keep their courts, &c. as they had before used in Bread Street. At which time it was also enacted, that the said Compter in Wood Street should never hereafter, for any cause whatsoever, be letten out to any other use or person, &c." On the east side of the street stands the parish church, denominated ST. MILDRED, BREAD STREET. THIS is a rectory, founded by a knight of St. Alban's, named Trenchant, about the year 1300; but it had neither VOL. III. No. 58. A a vestry vestry room nor church-yard till 1428, when Sir John Chadworth, or Shadworth, by his will gave a vestry and church-yard to the parishioners, and a parsonage house to the rector. After this church was burnt down in 1666, and rebuilt, the parish of St. Margaret Moses was united to it. The front of the present edifice is built of free-stone; the other parts of brick: the roof is covered with lead, and the floor paved with purbeck stone. Within is a neat wainscot gallery at the west end, in which is a good organ; and the pulpit fs highly enriched with carving: the altarpiece is also handsomely adorned; and the communion table stands upon a foot-piece of black and white marble, inclosed with rails and bannisters. Stow notices the following eminent persons who were buried in this church: The above Trenchant, and Wil. Palmer, benefactors. Also, Sir John Hawlen, parson of that church, who built the parsonage house after it had been burnt (with the parson and his man in it) 1485. Christopher Turner, surgeon to H. VIII. 1530. Ralph Si monds, sheriff, 1527. Tho. Langham, a benefactor. Tho. Collins, salter, alderman. Sir Ambrose Nicholas, mayor, 1575. Sir John Chadworth, buried in a vault; he was lord mayor of London in 1401, in which year a conduit upon Cornhill was made, being before that a prison called the Tunne. Here was a monument with an obit in memory of him; and a fair inscription on the wall, containing these words: Here lyeth a Man that Faith and Works did even Like fiery Chariots, mount him up to Heav'n; He did adorn this church: when Words are weak And Men forget, the living Stones will speak. He left us Land, this little Earth him keeps ; These black Words Mourners, and the Marble weeps. Thomas Copynger, 1513. Sir Cuthbert Barn, Knight, ob. 1521. John John Ireland, and Elizabeth his wife, married together about fifty years. He had issue by her six sons and six daughters. He lived in this parish sixty years; was deputy of this ward fifteen years, and the first master of the com pany of Salters. She deceased in April 1613, aged seventy. five years; and he, in June 1613, aged eighty-three years. On a fair stone, on the south side of the chancel, these words: This Stone openeth upon the Stairs of a Vault made by Capt. Nicholas Crisp, Anno 1628. wherein lyeth buried Mr. John Ire land, late Deputy of this Ward; and his Father Ellis Crisp, late Alderman, and died Sheriff, bury'd Nov. 1625. and his Son Nicholas Crisp, 23 Jan. 1626. Also 3 of his Children, in 1632. viz. Nicholas, Elizabeth, and John. And belonging to this stone a monument, with these words: Ere his Worth was fully known The monuments in the present church merit no particular description. That part of Bread Street, which is in the parish of St. Mildred, had a large mansion belonging to a family which produced one of the wealthieft, most loyal, and disinterested Patriots, that ever graced the city. SIR NICHOLAS CRISPE was the son of a very eminent merchant, and grandson of Alderman Crispe, whose monument we have above recited, and was born in the year 1598. Being bred, according to the custom of those times, in a thorough knowledge of bu siness, though heir to a great estate, he made a considerable addition to this estate by marriage, and being of an enterprizing genius, ever active and solicitous about the new inventions and discoveries; and, which very rarely happens, wonderfully industrious and diligent about things he had brought to bear, he was soon taken notice of at court, knighted, and became one of the farmers of the king's customs. When the trade to Guinea was under great difficulties and discouragements, he framed a project for retrieving it, which required a very large sum of money to bring it about; but his reputation was so great, that many rich merchants willingly engaged with him in the prosecution of the design; and to give a good example, as well as to shew that he meant to adhere to the work that he had once taken in hand, he caused the castle of Cormantyn, upon the Gold Coast, to be erected at his own expence. By this judicious precaution, and by his wise and wary management afterwards, himself and his associates carried their trade to such a height, as to divide amongst them 50,000l. a-year. When the times grew dark and cloudy, and the king's affairs in that distress, he knew not how to provide for want of money, Sir Nicholas Crispe, and Sir Abraham Dawes, Sir John Jacob, and Sir John Wolstenholme, his partners in the farming of the customs, upon very short warning, and when their refusing it would be esteemed a favour with the parliament, raised him so large a sum as 100,000l. at one time, and that with such circumstances of cheerfulness, as might be truly said to double the value of the service. When the matter was proposed to Sir Nicholas, he faid it was a large sum, and at short warning; but that Providence had made him able, and his duty made him willing, to lay down his proportion whenever his majesty called for it. Sir Abraham Dawes had some relations, whose affections leaned the other way; and who, besides, had great expectations from him; they magnified the sum that was desired, the uncertainty of its being repaid, and the danger of its |