Whilst Whoring was in this unsettled Condition, the _Bishop_ thought it a good Opportunity to ingross the whole Profit of licensing Courtezans, which occasion’d them fresh Trouble; for _John Northampton_, who succeeded _Walworth_, either piqued at the Bishop’s invading his Right, or out of a real Reforming Principle, for he was a Follower of _Wickliff_, commenced a severe Persecution. He had his Spies and Constables in every Street, to apprehend Strollers; and such Women as were neither handsome nor rich enough to bribe his Officers, were carried through the Streets in great Pomp, with their Hair shorn, and Trumpets and Pipes playing before them. All this he did contrary to the express Commands of the Bishop, who had several Bickerings with him upon that Head. This great Reformer _John Northampton_ was, from his troublesome Temper, nick-nam’d _Cumber-Town_; and as he succeeded _Tyler_ in the Work of Reformation, so he had like to have met with as bad a Fate: For two Years after he was found guilty of High Treason, without making the least Defence; had his Goods confiscated, and was condemned to perpetual Imprisonment 100 Miles from _London_: Accordingly he was sent to _Tentagil-Castle_ in _Cornwall_. This dreadful _Cumber-Town_ being removed, the _Stews_ had Leisure to re-settle themselves under the Protection of the Church; and enjoyed an almost uninterrupted Tranquillity for 150 Years. We find, indeed, an Act passed at _Westminster_, in the 11th of _Hen._ VI. that no Keepers of _Stews_, or _Whore-Houses_ in _Southwark_, should be impannelled upon any Jury, or keep a Tavern in any other Place. But the most sensible Blow they ever felt, was the Invasion of the _French-Pox_. The _Spaniards_ had brought it from the Islands of _Florida_ to _Naples_, and the Army of _Charles_ VIII. when he conquer’d that Kingdom in the Year 1495, transmitted it into _France_, from whence it had a very quick Passage into _England_; for there was an Act passed in the latter end of _Henry_ VII’s Reign, for expelling out of the _Stews_ all such Women as had the Faculty of _Burning_ Men. However, we find they still continued in good Repute in the Reign of _Henry_ VIII.[10] and yielded a considerable Revenue to the _Bishop_ of _London_; for _Bucer_, in one of his Books against _Gardiner_, taxes him with it as _an heinous Crime, that he should receive most of his Rents out of the Public Stews_. [10] In the latter end of _March_ (Anno Reg. _Hen._ VIII. 36) “the _Stewes_ on the Bank-side of the _Thames_, in _Southwark_, was put down, by the King’s Commandment, which was proclaimed by sound of Trumpets, no more to be privileged, or used as a common Bordell, but the Inhabitants of those Houses, to keep good and honest Rule, as in all other Places of the Realm.                 STOW’s Chron. p. 591.