[Footnote 23: See next page.] [Footnote 24: In an early sixteenth century book (unique) printed by Wynkyn de Worde, called "Cocke Lorelles Boke" the dairy farming at Islington is mentioned-- "Also mathewe to the drawer of London, And sybly sole mylke-wyfe of Islington."] [Footnote 25: These Rolls were as famous as Chelsea Buns. "White Conduit loaves" being a familiar street cry.] [Footnote 26: This revivalist used these initials as meaning "Sinner Saved."] [Footnote 27: A somewhat famous singer in the latter part of the eighteenth and first quarter of the nineteenth centuries. She sang and acted at Drury Lane and the Haymarket--and also sang at Vauxhall. She became poor, and on July 5, 1824, she had a benefit at Drury Lane, which, with a public subscription, produced about £800. Lord Egremont also allowed her £80 a year. She was somewhat related to Royalty: her husband, Bland, an actor at Drury Lane, being the brother of Mrs. Jordan, who was the wife of William the Fourth.] [Footnote 28: A frequent visitor at these gardens was the late George Cruikshank, and many subjects were transferred to his sketch book. He was so well known, as to become a sort of terror to the habitués of the place, and children were threatened, when fractious, "that if they made such ugly faces, Mr. Cruikshank would put them in his book."] [Illustration] CHAPTER VI. Sadler's Wells does not really feed the Fleet River, but I notice the spring, for the same reason that I noticed the White Conduit. A very fair account of its early history is given in a little pamphlet entitled "A True and Exact Account of Sadlers Well: or the New Mineral Waters. Lately found out at Islington: Treating of its nature and Virtues. Together with an Enumeration of the Chiefest Diseases which it is good for, and against which it may be used, and the Manner and Order of Taking of it. Published for publick good by T. G. (Thomas Guidot) Doctor of Physick. Printed for _Thomas Malthus_ at the _Sun_ in the _Poultry_. 1684." It begins thus:--"The New Well at _Islington_ is a certain Spring in the middle of a Garden, belonging to the Musick House built by Mr. _Sadler_, on the North side of the Great Cistern that receives the New River Water near Islington, the Water whereof was, before the Reformation, very much famed for several extraordinary Cures performed thereby, and was, thereupon, accounted sacred, and called _Holy Well_. The Priests belonging to the Priory of _Clarkenwell_ using to attend there, made the People believe that the virtues of the Waters proceeded from the efficacy of their Prayers. But upon the Reformation the Well was stopt up, upon a supposition that the frequenting it was altogether superstitious, and so, by degrees, it grew out of remembrance, and was wholly lost, until found out, and the Fame of it revived again by the following accident.