The survey of London containing the original, increase, modern estate and government of that city, methodically set down : with a memorial of those famouser acts of charity, which for publick and pious vses have been bestowed by many worshipfull citizens and benefactors : as also all the ancient and modern monuments erected in the churches, not only of those two famous cities, London and Westminster, but (now newly added) four miles compass / begun first by the pains and industry of John Stow, in the year 1598 ; afterwards inlarged by the care and diligence of A.M. in the year 1618 ; and now compleatly finished by the study & labour of A.M., H.D. and others, this present year 1633 ; whereunto, besides many additions (as appears by the contents) are annexed divers alphabetical tables, especially two, the first, an index of things, the second, a concordance of names.

Of Exercise and Pastimes.

LEt us also come at last to their Sports and Exercises; for it is expedient that a City bee not onely commodious for gaine, and seri∣ous, but also pleasant and delightfull. Therefore to the time of Pope Leo, the Popes gave in their Seales, on one side of their Bull, Saint Peter like a Fisher∣man, and over him a Key reached forth to him as it were from Heaven by the hand of God, and this verse about it:

For me thy Ship thou didst forsake, Therefore the Key of Heaven take.

On the other part was stamped a City with this Inscription, Golden Rome. Also this was written to the praise of Caesar

Augustus, and Rome: All night the Sky distils downe watry showeres, The morning cleeres againe to shew the play. Great Iove and Caesar have their severall houres, And in this Vniverse by turnes beare sway.

London, in stead of common Enter∣ludes belonging to the Theatre, hath plaies of a more holy subject, represen∣tations of those miracles which the holy Confessors wrought, or of the suf∣ferings wherein the glorious constancy of Martyrs did appeare. Besides that, wee may beginne with the Schooles of youth, seeing once wee were all chil∣dren; Yeerely at Shrovetide the Boyes of every Schoole bring fighting Cocks

to their Masters, and all the forenoone is spent at Schoole, to see these Cockes fight together. After dinner, all the youth of the City goeth to play at the Ball in the fields, the Schollers of eve∣ry Schoole have their Balls. The tea∣chers also that traine up others in seats and exercises, have every one their Ball in their hands. The ancient and weal∣thy Citizens come on horsebacke to see these yongsters contending at their sport, with whom in a manner they participate by motion, stirring their owne naturall heat in the view of youth, with whose mirth and liberty they seeme to communicate. Every Sunday in Lent, after dinner, a com∣pany of young men ride out into the fields on horses which are fit for warre, and principall runners: every horse a∣mong them is taught to run his rounds. The Citizens sonnes issue out thorow the gates by troupes, furnished with Lances and warlike Shields: the yon∣ger sort have their Pikes not headed with yron, where they make a repre∣sentation of battell: There resort to this exercise many Courtiers, when the King lies neere-hand, and young strip∣lings out of the families of Barons and great persons, which have not yet at∣tained to the warlike Girdle, doe traine and skirmish. Hope of victory inflames every one: the neighing and fierce hor∣ses bestir their joynts, and chew their bridles, and cannot indure to stand still; at last they beginne their race, and then the yong men divide their troupes; some labour to outstrip their leaders, and cannot reach them; others fling downe their fellowes, and get beyond them. In Easter Holy-dayes they counterfeit a Sea-sight: a Pole is set up in the middle of the River, with a Target well fastened thereon, and a yong man stands in a Boat which is rowed with Oares, and driven on with the tide, who with his Speare hits the Target in his passage; with which blow, if he breake the Speare, and stand vpright, so that hee hold footing, hee hath his desire: but if his Speare con∣tinue unbroken by the blow, hee is tumbled into the water, and his Boat passeth cleere away: but on either side this Target, two Ships stand in Ward, with many yong men ready to tak him up after he is sunke: assoone as he appeareth againe on the top of the water; the spectators stand upon the Bridge, and other convenient places about the River to behold these things, being prepared for laughter. Vpon the Holy-dayes, the youth is exercised all Summer, in Leaping, Shooting, Wrestling, casting of Stones, and throwing of Javelins fitted with loopes for the purpose, which they strive to fling beyond the marke; they also use Bucklers, like fighting men. As for the Maidens, they have their exercise of Dancing. In Winter, almost every Holy-day before dinner, the foaming Bores fight for their heads, and pre∣pare with deadly Tushes to bee made Bacon; or else some lusty Bulls, or huge Beares, are baited with Dogs. When that great Moorish Lake at the North part of the City wall is frozen over, great companies of young men goe to sport upon th yee, then fetching a runne, and setting their feet at a di∣stance, and placing their bodies side∣wise, they slide a great way. Others take heapes of yee, as if it were great Mil-stones, and make seats: many go∣ing before, draw him that sits thereon, holding one another by the hand; in going so fast, sometime they all fall downe together: some are better pra∣ctised to the yee, and binde to their shooes, Bones, as the legs of some beasts, and hold Stakes in their hands, headed with sharpe yron, which some∣times they strike against the yee; and these men goe on with such speed, as doth a Bird in the Aire, or Darts shot from some warlike Engine: sometime two men set themselves at a distance, and runne one against another, as it were at tilt, with these Stakes, where∣with one or both parties are throwne downe, not without some hurt to their bodies; and after their fall, by reason of the violent motion, are carried a good distance one from another: and wheresoever the yee doth touch their head, it rubs off the skin and bruiseth it: and if one fall upon his leg or his arme, it is usually broken: But young men being greedy of honour, and desirous of victory, doe thus exercise them∣selves

in counterfeit battels, that they may beare the brunt more strongly, when they come to it in good earnest. Many Citizens take delight in Birds, as Spar-hawkes, Gosse-hawkes, and such like, and in Dogs to hunt in the wooddy ground. The Citizens have authority to hunt in Middlesex, Hert∣fordshire, all the Chilterns, and in Kent, as farre as Gray-water. The Londo∣ners, once called Trinovants, repulsed C. Iulius Caesar, who commonly pa∣ved his way with blood: whereupon Lucan;

He was afraid, and foil'd by Britons hand, That first presumed to invade their land.

The City of London can bring out some who subdued many Kingdomes, and the Empire of Rome, and many o∣thers who (being great Lords heires) were deified in another world: as A∣polloes Oracle did promise Brute:

Brute, thou shalt finde an Iland in the West, Beyond the Gaules, environ'd with the maine; Direct thy journey thither for thy rest, And there a second Troy shall rise againe. Kings from thy Hieres, and Conquerours shall spring. Who will the world into subjection bring.

In the times of Christianity, it brought forth the Noble Emperour Constan∣tine, who gave the City of Rome, and all the Imperiall Armes to God, and to Saint Peter, and Silvester the Pope, whose Stirrop hee refused not to hold, and pleased rather to be called, Defen∣dour of the holy Romane Church, than Emperour any more. And lest the peace of our Lord the Pope should suf∣fer any disturbance, by the noise of se∣cular affaires, he left the City, and be∣stowed it on the Pope, and founded the City of Constantinople for his owne habitation. London also in these latter times hath brought forth famous and magnificent Governours; Maud the Empresse, Henry the third, King, and Thomas the Archbishop, a glorious Martyr of Christ, then whom no man was more innocent, or more devoted to the generall good of the Latine world.