Afterwards came the bailiffs of the same Heth and complained that, after the foresaid acknowledgment, fourteen foreign ships landed with fish at Billingsgate, which ought to have landed at the foresaid Heth. And therefore the custom is, that, if any foreign ship land elsewhere in the form aforesaid, than at the foresaid Heth, it is in the king's mercy, to wit, at 40s.

FORFEITURE.

"Let this punishment have place, until one month after the feast of St. Michael, this year. And in the mean time, according to the transgression, provision is made for inflicting an heavier fine, if they will not observe the foresaid form.

"Afterwards came the maior and citizens, and say that six ships of strangers, with all salt-fish, in foreign spindler boats, landed at the Heth, in the foresaid time. But ships which were the citizens of London, landed elsewhere, where they would. And therefore let the king have his seizin.”

Thus did this weak, profligate, and arbitrary monarch and his inquitous judges cramp the citizens and harrass their trade.

Queenhithe was afterwards in the hands of Richard earl of Cornwall, brother to Henry III. and appears to have been, agreeably to the oppressive system of the times, wrongfully detained from the citizens; for upon an inquisition appointed by the justices, the third of Edward I. they made the following presentment: "That the Queenhithe was some time belonging to the city of London, and how it came to the earl of Cornwall and his heirs they knew not, nor by what warrant. And that it was worth per annum 521." They presented also, "That king John, father of lord king Henry, gave Queenhithe to Alianore, then queen of England; and was had of the king's demesne all his time. But, from that time, till now, the earl of Cornwall and his heirs held it; and still did hold it against the crown, and disinherisen of the king, as it seemed to them. But by what warrant they knew not." This earl of Cornwall, though so nearly related to the king, often joined with the discontents, and therefore, though Queenhithe might probably, by right, have been the queen's inheritance, the earl, by threats and violence, obtained the property and perquisites. The citizens had not long before purchased the rent of the Hithe of the earl, and upon some affront

Z 2

affront given by the citizens, had violently resumed the property. However, the consequence of the above presentment and remonstrance was, that the charge of Queenhithe was committed to the care of the sheriffs of London.

In the year 1302, it was found on the oath of divers men, "that bakers, brewers, and others buying their corn at Queenhithe, should pay for measuring, porterage and carriage, for every quarter of corn whatsoever; from thence to West Cheap, to St. Antholin's church, to Horseshoe-Bridge, and to Wolfes-gate Street, in the parish of Alhallows the Less, one halfpenny farthing. And from the said Hithe tot Fleet Bridge, to Newgate, to Crepelgate, and as far as Berchevers (Birchin) Lane upon Cornbull, and as far as Eastcheap, and Billingsgate, one penny. And from this Hithe of the queen, through all streets and lanes beyond the foresaid places, even to the bars of the suburbs, one penny farthing." The measurer or meter was to have under him eight chief master meters, every master to have under him three porters, each of whom was to find one horse and seven sacks, &c. or to abjure his office.

Queenhithe was at this time a place of such resort for vessels with corn, besides fish, salt, fuel and all other merchandize, that all these men maintained themselves and their cattle in a very comfortable manner by their labour. "But," says Stow," now that case is altered; the bakers of London, and other citizens, travel into the countries, and buy their corn of the farmers, at the farmers price."

Edward II. gave in the first year of his reign, £43 12 92 to Margaret, wife of Peter de Gaveston, out of the rents of Queenhithe.

Here was a place called Romeland, which being choaked with dung, filth, &c. so that the corn dealers and other merchants could not stand to dispose of their traffic, it was ordained by an order of common council, in the forty-first of Edward III. that it should be cleansed and paved; and from that period, a duty of one farthing should be imposed upon every quarter of corn whatsoever, sold there; for every quarter of salt, one farthing; for every vessel called a battel,

bringing

bringing rushes, 4d.; for every vessel called a shout, bringing corn or malt, 2d.; for every ship bringing other victuals, 2d.; of every person laying soil there, 2s.; and the sellers of rushes to pay for every boat, 4d.

This market, in the third of Edward IV. was very much injured by the inconvenience of not speedily drawing up London Bridge, it was ordained that all manner of vessels, ships or boats, great or small, resorting to the city with victuals, should be sold by retail. At this time it seems that Queenhithe had a greater resort of ships than Billingsgate.

During the mayoralty of Sir William Baily, in 1525, John Cooke, of Glocester, mercer, gave to the mayor and commonalty of London, and theirs for ever," one great barge, in which two great corn mills were made and placed; which barge and mills were set in and upon the stream of the river of Thames, within the jurisdiction and liberty of the said city of London. And also he gave to the said city all such timber, boards, stones, iron, &c. provided for marking, mending, and repairing of the said barge and mills." In reward whereof, the mayor gave him 501. directly, and 50%. yearly during his life. And if the said Cooke deceased be. fore Joan, his wife, then she to have forty marks a year during her life."

In the year 1554, Sir John Lion, mayor, by his will gave 100l. towards a large house lately built for stowage of corn, craned out of lighters and barges.

Another large mill upon barges was erected here during Stow's time, where corn was ground as at water-mills in other places, "to the wonder of many that had not seen the like." But this was soon decayed, the barges were removed and taken asunder, and the whole forgotten.

There is at present a corn-mill opposite Queenhithe, but whether upon the above liberal plan, we cannot ascertain. Queenhithe has still a resort of corn, and other merchan

dize.

Opposite to this wharf is the parish church of

ST. MICHAEL, QUEENHITHE

THE old fabric was denominated about the year 1181, St. Michael de Cornhithe, the name of the Hithe, before it was given to the queens of England.

Its history is very deficient; for there does not appear any particular account of it till Stephen Spilman, a mercer, alderman, chamberlain, and sheriff of London, bequeathed, in 1404, lands to his family, his goods to pious uses, and the foundation of a chantry here: he was buried in the choir.

This church was repaired in 1615; but sharing the effects of the great fire, was rebuilt in the year 1676, by Sir Christopher Wren.

The building is thus described: the roof is square and flat, covered with tile; the walls stone, with which also the church is paved, but the chancel is paved with marble and purbeck; the body is divided into three aisles.

The ornament of the roof is a quadrangle bounded with fret-work, the walls are ornamented with arches, imposts, and drops, and handsome arched and circular windows. There is a gallery at the west end, having an oak front, contains a good organ; the pulpit and pews are of the same species of timber. The altar-piece is painted in perspec

tive; the intercolumns are the Commandments, supported with the portraits of Moses and Aaron between the Creed and Pater noster, sustained by two angels. Over the decalogue are two attic pilasters and an arch; under which is a glory, and below that the words, Surfum Corda; the whole erniched with festoons, vases, &c.

The dimensions are, length seventy-one feet, breadth forty, altitude thirty-nine; and that of the steeple, consisting of a tower and spire, is about one hundred and thirtyfive feet; on the top of the spire is a vane, imitating a full rigged ship, in allusion to the antient port of Queenhithe.

HIGH TIMBER STREET, was formerly called Timber Hith, on account of the entry and wharfage of timber and boards.

BREAD STREET HILL, On the west side of this hill is the church-yard of

ST. NICHOLAS OLAVE,

This church, in the twelfth century, belonged to Gilbert Foliot, bishop of London, and was by him given to the dean and chapter of St. Paul's cathedral.

In 1623, it was repaired at the expence of the parishoners, and in 1666, burnt down by the great fire. Its site is now a burial ground for the use of the parish, which was united to that of St. Nicholas Coleabbey, Old Fish Street.

BREAD STREET. It appears by records, that in the year 1302 the bakers of London were bound to sell their bread only in the market, and not in their shops and houses; and that they were to have four hall-motes in the year, at four several terms, to determine concerning enormities committed by the trade.

In this street was BUCKINGHAM HOUSE, the town residence of the noble family of Stafford, earls of Wiltshire, and dukes of Buckingham. Humphrey Stafford, duke of Buckingham, was killed at the battle of Northampton, fighting for Henry VI. His grandson Henry, friend of Richard III. when he rebelled against the tyrant he had

raised,

Piates 9.22