A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Royal biography 7 · Part 8 – Part 9
Workes of piety done by him, or by others in his time.
HIs workes of Piety were great and many, as the Founding of East Minster, an Abbey (of the Cistea… Order) neare the Tower. An Abbey for Nunnes at D…rtford in Kent. The Kings Hall in Cambridge for poore Schollers. An Hospitall for the poore at Callice. He conferred upon the University of Oxford, where he had himselfe beene trained up, under the learned Walter Burley, the chiefe rule of the City, subordinating the Major and Citizens to the Chancellour of the University. He Built Saint Stephens Chappel at Westminster, with the endowment of 300. pound per annum. He augmented the Chappell at Windsore, and made provisions there for Church-men, and foure and twenty poore knights. These were his publicke workes; But besides these, his private Buildings were, the Castle of Windsore, which he re-edified and enlarged, the Castle at Quinborough, Fortifications at … and other places. His Queen Philippa founded Queens Colledge in Oxford: … Countesse of Pembroke, the Colledge called Pembroke Hall in Cambridge. In this Kings t…me Sir Iohn Poultney Major of London, built the Colledge in London cal…d … L…wrence Poult…y, and little Alhollo…es, a Parish Church in Thames street, …d also the Carmelite Friers Church in C…ventry. Henry Earle of Lancaster and …, …ounded the new Hospitall by the Castle of Leycester, wherein a hundred … impotent people were provided for with all things necessary. William Elsing Merc… of London, made a new Hospitall of an old house of Nunnes by Crippleg…, and placing Chanons Regular there, he became the first Prior thereof. Walter … Bishop of Exeter, Founded Exeter Colledge, and Hart Hall in Oxford. William B…eman Bishop of Norwich, builded Trinity Hall in Cambridge. Simon … Arch-bishop of Canterbury, Founded Canterbury Colledge in Oxford. William … Treasurer of England, Founded the Monastery of Edendon; the religious brethren whereof were called B…nhommes. Sir Walter de Manny, borne in Cambray, purchased a piece of ground called Spittle Croft, containing thir…eene Acres, withou… the barres of West Smithfield, and caused the same to be enclosed, where he built a Chappell, and after Founded the same to be a house of Charter-house Monkes. Humphrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex, re-edified the Augustine Friers Church in London, and was buried in the Quire there… In the two and thirtieth yeare of this Kings Raigne, Iohn Stody Major of London, gave unto the Vintners of London all the Quadrant where the Vintners Hall now standeth, with the Tenements round abou…, from the lane to this day called Studis lane… where are Founded thir…eene houses for thirteene poore people, which are there kept of charity. Also in this Kings time Sir Iohn Cobham Founded the Colledge of Cobham in Kent. I…hn L…vekin foure times Major of London, builded at Kingston upon Thames, where he was borne, a Chappell called Magdalens, to the which he joyned an Hospitall, wherein was a Master, two Priests, and certaine poore men: and for that the Parish Church of Saint Michael by Crooked-lane, where he dwelled, was a very homely thing, and the ground thereabout a filthy plot, by reason of the Burchers in Eastcheape, who made the same their lay-stall; he on the same ground builded the faire new Parish Church of Saint Michael now standing, and was buried there in the middle of the Quire, under a faire Tombe of stone. He also Founded a Colledge to the same Church, neare thereunto adjoyning. Iohn Barnes Major of London, gave a Chest with three locks, and a thousand Markes to be lent to young men, upon sec…rity, so that it passed not one hundred Markes; and for the occupying thereof, if he were learned, to say at his pleasure, De Profundis, for the soule of Iohn Barnes; if he were not learned, to say Pater Noster: but howsoever the money is lent, the Chest at this day standeth in the Chamber of London, without money or p…dges. Thomas of Woodstocke, the youngest sonne of King Edward, Founded a Colledge at Playsi… in Essex, where in his life he had provid…d a sumptuous Tombe, where he was first laid, but translated afterward to Westminster.
Casualties happening in his time.
IN the the two and twentieth yeare of his Raigne, a contagious Pestilence arose in the East and South parts of the world, and spread it selfe over all Christendome; and comming at last into England, it so wasted the people, that scarce the tenth person of all sorts was left alive. There died in London (some say in N…rwich) betweene the first of Ianuary, and the first of Iuly, 57374. persons. In Yarmouth, in o…e yeare, 7052. men and women: before which time, the Parsonage there was worth 700. Markes a yeare, and afterwards was …carce worth forty pounds a yeare. This Plague beganne in London about Alhollan…ide, in the yeare 1348. and continued till the yeare 1357. …here it was observed, that those who were borne after the beginning of this mortality, had but twenty eight teeth, where before …hey had two and thirty. In the twelveth yeare of his Raigne, a sudden …undation of water, at New-castle upon Tyne, bare downe a pi…ce of the Towne w…ll, and sixe pearches in length, neare to a place called Walkenew; where a hundred and twenty men and women were drowned. In the five and thi…ieth yeare of his Raigne, another Pestilence h…pp…ned in England, which was called the second Pestilence, in which died Henry Duke of La…caster, also Regin…ld Lord C…ha…, and Walter Fits-warren, two famous men; and five Bishops, of W…rcester, of London, of Ely, of Lincolne, and of Chich…ster. In this Kings time, a Frost lasted from the midst of September, to the monethmonth of Aprill. In the fourth yeare of his Raigne, a solemne Justing or Turnament was holden at London in Ch…pside, be…wixt the great Crosse and the great Conduit, … S…per-la… … which lasted three dayes; where the Queen Philippa, with many Ladies, fell from a Stage, set up for them to behold the Justing; and though they were not hurt at all, yet the King threa…ed to p… nish the Carpenters for their negligence, till the Que…ne in…ated pardon for them upon her knees: as indeed she was alwayes ready to doe all good offices of merciemercy to all people. In the eleventh yeare of his Raigne was so great plenty, that a quarter of Wheate was sold at London for two shillings, a fat Oxe for a Noble, a fat Sheepe for sixe pence, and sixe Pigeons for a penny, a fa… Goose for two pence, and a Pigge for a penny, and other things after that rate.