Guilds -- England -- London; London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History
“Of executions at the Standard in Cheape, we read, that in the year 1293
three men had their right hands smitten off there, for rescuing of a
prisoner arrested by an officer of the city. In the year 1326, the
burgesses of London caused Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exceter,
treasurer to Edward II., and other, to be beheaded at the standard in
Cheape (but this was by Paule’s gate); in the year 1351, the 26th of
Edward III., two fishmongers were beheaded at the standard in Cheape,
but I read not of their offence; 1381, Wat Tyler beheaded Richard Lions
and other there. In the year 1399, Henry IV. caused the blank charters
made by Richard II. to be burnt there. In the year 1450, Jack Cade,
captain of the Kentish rebels, beheaded the Lord Say there. In the year
1461, John Davy had his hand stricken off there, because he had stricken
a man before the judges at Westminster, etc.
“Then next is a great cross in West Cheape, which cross was there
erected in the year 1290 by Edward I. upon occasion thus:—Queen Elianor
his wife died at Hardeby (a town near unto the city of Lincoln), her
body was brought from thence to Westminster; and the king, in memory of
her, caused in every place where her body rested by the way, a stately
cross of stone to be erected, with the queen’s image and arms upon it,
as at Grantham, Woborne, Northampton, Stony Stratford, Dunstable, St.
Albones, Waltham, West Cheape, and at Charing, from whence she was
conveyed to Westminster, and there buried.
“This cross in West Cheape being like to those other which remain to
this day, and being by length of time decayed, John Hatherle, mayor of
London, procured, in the year 1441, license of King Henry VI. to
re-edify the same in more beautiful manner for the honour of the city,
and had license also to take up two hundred fodder of lead for the
building thereof of certain conduits, and a common granary. This cross
was then curiously wrought at the charges of divers citizens: John
Fisher, mercer, gave six hundred marks toward it; the same was begun to
be set up 1484, and finished 1486, the 2nd of Henry VII.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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