London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
Ye have before heard that the wall of this city was all round about
furnished with towers and bulwarks, in due distance every one from
other; and also that the river Thames, with his ebbing and flowing, on
the south side, had subverted the said wall and towers there. Wherefore
King William, for defence of this city, in place most dangerous, and
open to the enemy, having taken down the second bulwark in the east
part of the wall from the Thames, built this tower, which was the great
square tower, now called the White Tower, and hath been since at divers
times enlarged with other buildings adjoining, as shall be shown. This
tower was by tempest of wind[64] sore shaken in the year 1090, the 4th
of William Rufus, and was again by the said Rufus and Henry I. repaired.
They also caused a castle to be built under the said tower, namely, on
the south side towards the Thames, and also incastellated the same round
about.
Henry Huntingdon, libro sexto, hath these words: “William Rufus
challenged the investure of prelates; he pilled and shaved the people
with tribute, especially to spend about the Tower of London, and the
great hall at Westminster.”
Othowerus, Acolinillus, Otto, and Geffrey Magnaville, Earl of Essex,
were four the first constables of this Tower of London, by succession;
all which held by force a portion of land (that pertained to the priory
of the Holy Trinitie within Aldgate); that is to say, East Smithfield,
near unto the Tower, making thereof a vineyard,[65] and would not depart
from it till the 2nd year of King Stephen, when the same was abridged
and restored to the church. This said Geffrey Magnaville was Earl of
Essex, constable of the Tower, sheriff of London, Middlesex, Essex, and
Hertfordshire, as appeareth by a charter of Maud the empress, dated
1141. He also fortified the Tower of London against King Stephen; but
the king took him in his court at St. Albones, and would not deliver him
till he had rendered the Tower of London, with the castles of Walden and
Plashey in Essex. In the year 1153 the Tower of London and the castle
of Windsor were by the king delivered to Richard de Lucie, to be safely
kept. In the year 1155, Thomas Becket being chancellor to Henry II.,
caused the Flemings to be banished out of England,[66] their castles
lately built to be pulled down, and the Tower of London to be repaired.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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