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THe Wall of the City was furnished round about with Towers and Bulworks at due and Regu∣lar distances. Of which (where the Wall ended to∣wards the River on the East-side) the most eminent was that which we call the To••••r of London, Built by William the Conqueror, about the Year 1078.
(Some say that Caesar built the White-Tower, but that is not so: nor does he mention it in his Commentary, though an exact Recorder of his own Actions) Gundulph Bishop of Rochester, being Principal Sur∣veyor and Overseer of the Work. This was the great Square Tower now called the White-Tower, which has been much inlarged by several Buildings since adjoyned at diverse times, and incompassed with a Wall. And Anno 1190 in the 2 R. 1. (as was said,) the Bishop of Ely Chancellor of England, incl••sed it with a thick and strong outward Wall of stone Embattailed, and caused a Broad and Deep Ditch to be cast about the same, thinking to have Invironed it with the River of Thames, so that it is a most Famous Goodly Citadel, resembling a big Town. Edward the 4th. fortified this Tower, inclo∣sing a certain piece of Ground taken from Tower-Hill, on the West, which is now called the Bulwark. Near West-gate opening to the South, there is a strong Postern for passengers, by the Ward-House, over a Drawbridg let down for that purpose. On the South side towards the East, is a large Water-gate, for the Receipt of small Vessels, under a store Bridg from the River Thames; beyond it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a small P••stern with a Draw-bridg, seldom let down but to receive great Persons that are Prisoners. The Lyon-Tower was built by Edward the 4th. This is not on∣ly a Fort or Citadel to Defend and Command both City and River, but al••o a Royal Palace, where our Kings with their Courts have Lodged some times. 'Tis furnished with an Armory and Royal Arsenaf of Arms, and Ammunition for 60000 Men. Here are kept the Tre••sury for the Jewels and Ornaments of the English Crown, the only Mint now for Coin∣ing Silver and Gold in England. And the most An∣tient Records of the King's Courts of Justice at West∣minster. This is the Chief Prison for the safe Cu∣stody of Great Persons that are Criminals. It is out
of any County or Parish, yet a great part of it is within the liberty of the City. For it was the Judges opinion that those that were to be Tried for the Mur∣der of Sir Thomas Overbury, must be Tried in the City, the Fact being done there.
The Office of his Majesties Records is of venerable Antiquity. And as the Chapel of the Rolls in Chan∣cery-Lane, and Petty Bag-Office, doth fill with Re∣cords out of other Offices, they are transmitted into the Tower after some years, for preservation and secu∣rity. These Records contain the Foundations and Dissolutions of Abbeys, Donation of Land, &c.
These Records at the Rolls being joyned to those in the Tower, will make a perfect continuance of all the Antient Rights of England, as,
1. The Leagues and Treaties of Foreign Princes.
2. The Warlike Atchievments of the English in France and other Parts.
3. The Original of all the Laws Enacted and Recorded till the Reign of Richard the 3.
4. The Homage and Dependancy of Scotland upon England. The Establishment of Ireland in Laws and Dominions.
5. The Dominion of the British Seas exclu∣ding both French and Dutch from Fishing there with∣out the Kings License, proved by Records before the Conquest.
6. The Title of the Realm of France, and how obtained.
7. And all that the Kings or Princes of this Land have until that time done abroad, on granted, or confirmed unto their Subjects, at home or abroad.
8. Tenures of all Lands, extents of Surveys of Mannors and Land, Inquisitions post mortem.
9. Libertys and Priviledges Granted to Citys, Towns, or private Men.
10. Several Writs Bleadings, Proceedings, &c.
in Courts of Chancery, Common Law, Exche∣quer, &c.
11. Inspeximus's and Inrollments of Charters and Deeds before the Conquest.
12. Metes and Bounds of all Forrests, with the respective Rights of the Inhabitants to common pa∣sture; besides many other things too tedious to be repeated, and are in the Petition of the Com∣mons of England in Parliament. Anno 46. E. 3. Num. 43. Said to be the perpetual Evidence of every Mans Right, and the Records of this Nation, without which no Story of the Nation can be written or proved.
They are reposited in Wakefield-Tower, adjoyning to the Blood-Tower near Traytors-gate. It is to be kept open and constantly attended, for all Resorters thereto, from 7. to 11. of the Clock in the Morn∣ing, and from 1. till 5. in the Afternoon every Day of the week; but in December, January, and Februa∣ry, from 8. in the Morning to 4. in the Afternoon, except Holy-days, &c.
The Governor is call'd the Lieutenant of the Tower, who ought to be a Person of Worth and Fidelity, and by Vertue of his Office, is to be a Justice of Peace in Kent, Surrey, and Middlesex; he is High Steward of a Court there held, hath a Deputy, may refuse an Habeas Corpus, and may give Protection to all Debt∣ors belonging to the Tower, all England over. He can take two Gallons and a Pint of all. Wine-Ships that come. His Sallary is 200 l. per annum. His usual Fee for every Prisoner sent to the Tower, who are commonly Men of Estates, is 20 l. and 3. l. a week of an Esq 5. l. for a Knight; for a Baron or above 5. l. at Entrance, to whom the King weekly al∣lows 10 l. whereof two parts to the Prisoner, the third to the Lieutenant for Lodging and Dyet, and 50 l. to the Lieutenant, upon the Prisoners discharge.
The Gentleman Taylor is put in by the Lieutenant
of the Tower, and his Fee is 41 s. of a Gentleman, and 5 l. of a Knight. There are 40 Warders of the Tower, accounted the King's Domestick Ser∣vants, and sworn by the Lord Chamberlain of His Maiesties Houshold, or by the Clerk of the Check.
In this Tower is kept the Office of His Majesties Ordnance, the standing and grand Magazine of the principal Preparatives, Habiliments, Utensils, and Instruments of War by Sea and Land. It is under the Government in chief of the Master of the Ordnance, by whom it is committed to principal Of∣ficers, as a Lieutenant, who, in the absence of the Ma∣ster of the Ordnance, imparts all Orders and War∣rants directed to the Office, and is to see them duely executed, and to give Order for the discharging great Ordnance when required, at Triumphs, Festivals, &c. As also to see the Train of Artillery, and all its Equipage, fitted for motion upon any occasion.
The Surveyor is to survey all the Stores and Ordnance; to allow Bills of Debt, and see that all Provision be good, &c.
The Clerk of the Ordnance Records all Orders and Instructions for the Government of the Office, and Patents, Grants, Names of Officers, &c. Draw Estimates of Provision and supplys, Letters, Contracts, &c. Make all Bills of Imprest and Debentures; Keep Journals and Liegers of Receipts, and Returns of Stores. The Store-keeper takes into his charge the Munitions and Stores, and is to look that the Store-houses be kept in due Repair.
The Clerk of the Deliveries is to draw all Pro∣portions for Deliveries of any Stores or Provisions, and to be present at the Delivery. There are other Patent Officers, as the Master-Gunner of England, the Keeper of the small Guns, a principal Engineer, with divers inferior Attendants and Artificers, which, for brevity, we omit.
In the Tower is also the Office of Warden of the
Mint, where is Coined all the Bullion that is minted in England. The chief Officer is the Warder of the Mint, who receives all the Silver and Gold brought in by Merchants, Goldsmiths, or others, and pays them for it. Then the Master-Worker, who causes the Bullion to be melted, delivers it to the Moneyers, and when minted, receives it again from them. The Comptroller, who is to see that all the Money be made according to the just Assize, &c. The Assay-Master weighs the Bullion, and is to see that it be according to the Standard. The Auditor passes all Accompts. The Surveyor of the Melt∣ing is to see the Bullion cast out, and not to be al∣tered after it is delivered to the Melter. There are several other inferior Officers, &c. As for the Mo∣ney, &c. See the Present State of England, p. 10.
The first Gold that was Coined in the Tower, was in the Reign of Edward III. and the Pieces were called Florences, of the value of 6 s. 8 d. All great Sums before were used to be paid by the Weight, as so many Pounds or Marks of Silver or Gold, but not stampt. Lesser Payments in Starlings (probably because there was a Star stamped upon them) and were called Pence: nor can we read of them before the Reign of Henry II.
In this Tower only is the Brake or Rack, usual∣ly called, The Duke of Exeter's Daughter, because he was the first Inventer of it. So much of the Tower of London.
Besides the Towers on the Bridge, which have suf∣fered by the Accidents of Fire, Antiquaries speak of two Castles that were on the West-part of London, one the Castle of Monfiquet, built by a Baron of that Name, that came over with the Conqueror, but since demolished, and the Black-Fryars risen out of the Ruines of it.
The second is Baynard's Castle by Paul's Wharf, built by one Baynard, who came hither likewise with
the Conqueror, who being Ennobled, the Honour suc∣ceeded from Father to Son a long time, till it came to Robert Fitz-water, a brave and valiant Knight, who falling into the displeasure of King John, was banished, and the Castle ruined; but recovering his favor by a notable Combat he perform'd in France against an English Knight, (Fitz-water being on the French side) he was re-invested in his Posses∣sions, and so repaired the Castle again.
He was made chief Bannerer (or Banner-bearer) of London; what his Office was, and the Solemnity about it, is to be seen in Stowes Survey of London, in the Chapter of Towers and Castles. When thi•• Honour fell from the Fitz-Waters, or Baynard Castle, is uncertain. Henry VII. repaired this Castle and Queen Mary was proclaimed there. We rea•• of a Tower that stood where Bridewell now stands and a Royal Palace where our Kings kept the•• Courts, and summon'd Parliaments. A great par•• of this on the West-side was given to the Bishop 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Salisbury, and thence is derived the Name of Salis∣bury-Court. The Eastern-part was waste, till Hen. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 built a stately Palace there, and call'd it Bridewel•• where the Emperor Charles V. was most magnifi∣cently entertained Anno 1522.
There was a Tower call'd the Royal Tower i•• the Parish of St. Michael de Pater Noster, wher•• King Stephen kept his Court, afterwards call'd, Th•• Queens Wardrobe. There was another at Buckler••bury, called, Serns Tower, where King Edward II kept his Court, and his Exchange of Money.
Barbican was likewise another Tower, where th•• City Centinels were wont to Watch, but demolishe•• by King Henry III. Anno 1227. after he was r••••conciled to the Barons.