John Ashton - The Fleet

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Note:

Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/fleetitsriverpri00asht

Transcriber's Note:

A single click on an illustration or decoration will give an enlarged view.

The letters 'u' and 'v' are often interchanged; as, e.g., "in haruest time" and "vnder a bridge".

Some of the spelling is very old, and often phonetic (they wrote as they heard it spoken, dialects and all).

An additional transcriber's note is at the end of the text.

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The cover image was produced by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

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THE FLEET.

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The Fleet
ITS RIVER, PRISON, AND MARRIAGES

BY
JOHN ASHTON
(Author of "Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne," "Dawn of the Nineteenth
Century," &c., &c., &c.)
ILLUSTRATED BY
PICTURES FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS AND ENGRAVINGS

New York
SCRIBNER AND WELFORD
1888

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VIEW OF MOUTH OF THE FLEET circa 1765.

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PREFACE.

THIS book requires none, except a mere statement of its scheme. Time has wrought such changes in this land of ours, and especially in its vast Metropolis, "The Modern Babylon," that the old land-marks are gradually being effacedand in a few generations would almost be forgotten, were it not that some one noted them, and left their traces for future perusal. All have some little tale to tell; even this little River Fleet, which with its Prison, and its Marriagesare things utterly of the past, entirely swept away, and impossible to resuscitate, except by such a record as this book.

I have endeavoured, by searching all available sources of information, to write a trustworthy history of my subjectand, at the same time, make it a pleasant book for the general reader. If I have succeeded in my aim, thanks are due, and must be given, to W. H. Overall, Esq., F.S.A., and Charles Welch, Esq., Librarians to the Corporation of the City of London, whose friendship, and kindness, have enabled me to complete my pleasant task. It was at their suggestion that I came upon a veritable trouvaille, in the shape of a box containing Mr. Anthony Crosby's Collection for a History of the Fleet, which was of most material service to me, especially in the illustrations, most of which were by his own hand.

I must also express my gratitude to J. E. Gardner, Esq., F.S.A., for his kindness in putting his magnificent and unrivalled Collection of Topographical Prints at my disposal, and also to J. G. Waller, Esq., F.S.A., for his permission to use his map of the Fleet River (the best of any I have seen), for the benefit of my readers.

JOHN ASHTON.

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CONTENTS.

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The River.

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CHAPTER I.

PAGE

Course of the FleetDerivation of its NameThe River of

WellsThe Fleet choked upCleansing the FleetThe

Fleet NavigableWellsPonds and Pools

CHAPTER II.

Water Supply of LondonThe Fleet to be CleansedSmell

of the RiverPrehistoric LondonAntiquarian DiscoveriesCleansing

the FleetFouling the RiverRivers

rising at HampsteadThe Tye-bourneThe

West-bourneCourse of the West-bourne

CHAPTER III.

Course of the FleetThe Hampstead PondsRural FleetGospel

OakParliament HillKentish TownBrown's

DairyCastle InnSt. Pancras WellsBurials at St.

Pancrasthe Brill

CHAPTER IV.

Battle BridgeKing's CrossThe Dust-heapsSt. Chad's

WellSt. Chad's Well-water

CHAPTER V.

Medicinal WatersSpasThe White ConduitWhite Conduit

HouseWhite Conduit Gardens

CHAPTER VI.

Sadler's DiscoveryMiles's Musick HouseA Man Eats a

Live Cock, &c.Forcer, the ProprietorMacklin on

Sadler's WellsActors at Sadler's WellsThe Pindar of

Wakefield

CHAPTER VII.

"Black Mary's Hole"Its DisappearanceBagnigge WellsNell

Gwyn's HousesBagnigge House

CHAPTER VIII.

Bagnigge WellsThe OrganistDifferent Proprietors

"Punch" on Bagnigge WellsDecadence of the Wells

CHAPTER IX.

Cold Bath Fields Prison

CHAPTER X.

The "Cold Bath"Cold BathsSir John OldcastleArcheryTea

GardensSmall Pox HospitalThe PantheonLady

Huntingdon's ChapelLady Huntingdon

CHAPTER XI.

The Spencean SystemOrator HuntRiot in the CityRiotsEnd

of the Riots

CHAPTER XII.

FightingHockley-in-the-HoleBear BaitingBear GardensBull

BaitingSword Play

CHAPTER XIII.

Mount PleasantSaffron HillOld House in West StreetFaginField

LaneThieves

CHAPTER XIV.

Bleeding Hart YardEly PlaceJohn of GauntEly ChapelTurnmill

BrookThe FleetHolborn Bridge

CHAPTER XV.

Lamb's ConduitClerkenwellFleet MarketRye-House

PlotFleet Bridge

CHAPTER XVI.

Alderman WaithmanJohn WilkesLudgate PrisonSir

Stephen Foster

CHAPTER XVII.

BridewellMontfichet CastleFuller on BridewellWard

on BridewellHoward on BridewellBridewell Prison

The City and ApprenticesMother CresswellBridewell

Court Room

CHAPTER XVIII.

AlsatiaWhitefriarsDeaths in the FleetBen Jonson and

the Fleet

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The Fleet Prison.

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CHAPTER XIX.

History of the Fleet PrisonFemale WardensSettlement of

FeesLiberty of PrisonersFilthy State of the FleetA

Quarrelsome KnightPreference for the Fleet PrisonSir

John FalstaffCardinal Wolsey

CHAPTER XX.

PrisonersPuritansBibliography of Fleet PrisonA

Warden's Troubles

CHAPTER XXI.

The Warden of the FleetPurchase of WardenshipBad

DisciplineBoundaries of the FleetPreference for the

Fleet

CHAPTER XXII.

Complaints of the WardenThe Warden keeps CorpsesHuggins

and BambridgeCastellThe First Prisoner

in IronsAcquittal of Huggins and BambridgeBambridge

and his PrisonersChapel in the Fleet Bagging

CHAPTER XXIII.

Admission to the Fleet PrisonThe Humours of the Fleet

CHAPTER XXIV.

GarnishThe "Common Side"Howard's ReportRegulations

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