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LANGBOVRNE VVARD, And Fenny about.
LAngbourne Ward, so called,* 1.1 of a long Boorn of sweet wa∣ter, which (of old time) breaking out into Fenne-Church-street, ranne downe the same street, and Lombard street, to the West end of S. Mary Woolnoths Church, where turning South, and breaking into small shares, rils or streams,* 1.2 it left the name of Share∣borne lane, or Southborne lane, (as I have read) because it ranne South to the Ri∣ver of Thames. This Ward beginneth at the West end of Ealdgate Ward, in Fen-Church street, by the Ironmongers Hall, which is on the North side of that street,* 1.3 at a place called Culver Alley, where sometime was a lane, through the which men went into Limestreet; but that being long since stopped up,* 1.4 for suspition of Theeves that lurked there by night, as is shewed in Limestreet Ward; there is now in this said Alley a Tennis Court, &c.
Fenne-Church street tooke that name of a Fenny or Moorish ground,* 1.5 so made by meanes of this Boorne, which passed thorow it; and therefore (untill this day) in the Guild-hall of this Citie, that Ward is called by the name of Lang∣borne, and Fenny about, and not other∣wise: yet others be of opinion, that it tooke that name of Foenum, that is, Hay, sold there, as Grasse-street-tooke the name of Grasse or Herbes there sold.
In the midst of this street standeth a small Parish Church,* 1.6 called S. Gabriel Fenne-Church, corruptly, Fan-Church.
Helming Legget, Esquire, by licence of Edward the third, in the 49. of his reigne, gave one Tenement, with a cur∣telarge thereto belonging, and a garden with an entry thereto leading, unto Sir Iohn Hariot, Parson of Fen-Church, and to his successors for ever; the house to be a Parsonage house; the Garden to be a Church-yard, or burying place for the Parish.
Then have ye Lombard street,* 1.7 so cal∣led of the Longobards, and other Mer∣chants, strangers of divers Nations, assembling there twise every day, of what originall, or continuance, I have not read of record, more than that Ed∣ward the second, in the twelfth of his reigne, confirmed a Messuage sometime belonging to Robert Turke, abutting on Lombard street toward the South, and toward Cornehill on the North, for the Merchants of Florence: which proveth that street to have had the name of Lombard street before the reigne of Ed∣ward the second. The meeting of which Merchants and others there, continued untill the 22. of December, in the yeere 1568. on the which day, the said Mer∣chants began to make their meetings at the Burse, a place then new builded for that purpose, in the ward of Cornehill, and was since by Her Majestie, Queene Elizabeth, named the Royall Exchange.
On the North side of this Ward, is Limestreet,* 1.8 one halfe whereof (on both sides) is of this Langborne VVard, and therein on the west side, is the Pewte∣rers Hall,* 1.9 which Company were admit∣ted to be a Brotherhood, in the 13. of Edward the fourth.
At the South-west corner of Lime∣street, standeth a faire Parish Church