"The true portraicture of Richard Whitington, thrise Lord Maior of
London; a vertuous and godly man, full of good works, and those
famous. He builded the gate of London called Newegate, which before
was a miserable doungeon. He builded Whitington College, and made
it an almose-house for poore people. Also he builded a great parte
of the hospitall of St. Bartholomew's, in West Smithfield, in
London. He also builded the beautiful library at the Grey Friars in
London, called Christe's Hospitall. He also builded the Guildehalle
chappell, and increased a great parte of the east ende of the said
halle, beside many other good workes."--_R. Elstracke sc. Collar of
SS.; his right hand on a cat._
Granger says of this:
"The cat has been inserted as the common people did not care to buy
the print without it. There was none originally in the plate, but a
skull in the place of the cat. I have seen only two proofs of this
portrait in its first state, and these were fine
impressions."--1775, vol. i. p. 62.
The following is a copy of the headings of the chapters in an early form
of the chap-book version of Whittington's life:
THE
HISTORY
OF
SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,
THRICE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.
_Durham: Printed and sold by I. Lane._ [1730.]
THE LIFE OF
SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON.
CHAP. I.
How, Whittington, being born of unknown parents, was left to a
desperate fortune, and rambled the country till necessity and fear
made him come to London.
CHAP. II.
How, at the instance of Mrs. Alice, the Merchant's daughter, he
became a servant in the family under the cook maid, who used him
cruelly, and how Mrs. Alice took pity on him, and interpos'd her
authority.
CHAP. III.
How, lying in a garret, he was ready to be devoured by rats and
mice, and to prevent it purchased a cat with a penny given him for
cleaning shoes; and how, with the servants, he adventured the cat,
being all his stock.
CHAP. IV.
How the bitter jade of a cook maid encreasing her cruelty towards
him he grew weary of his service, and was running away on
All-Hallow's day; but upon hearing the ringing of Bow bells came
back again. Also how the merchant abroad disposed of his cat.
CHAP. V.
Of the great riches received for Whittington's cat more than for
all the goods in the ship; on the arrival of which his master sent
for him upstairs by the title of Mr. Whittington, and the excuses
he made, and how he distributed part of his wealth to his
fellow-servants giving the ill-natur'd cook maid 100l.
CHAP. VI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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