Richard many years before his death constantly fed a great number of
poor citizens, built a church and a college to it, with a yearly
allowance for poor scholars, and near it erected an hospital. He also
built Newgate for criminals, and gave liberally to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital and other public charities.

* * * * *

Two old houses in London, which were pulled down at the beginning of the
present century, have been associated with the name of Whittington, but
there is no evidence that he really dwelt in either of them. One ruinous
building in Sweedon's Passage, Grub Street, engravings of which will be
found in J.T. Smith's _Topography of London_, was pulled down in 1805,
and five houses built on its site. A tablet was then set up, on which
was an inscription to the effect that the house had been called Gresham
House, and that Whittington once inhabited it.

The magnificent house which stood in Hart Street, Crutched Friars, a few
doors from Mark Lane, is said to have been called Whittington's palace
in the old leases, but this is the only evidence in favour of the
popular belief. The front was elaborately carved in oak, the work of a
much later date than that of Whittington. The decoration is attributed
to the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII., and on the ceiling among
other forms was that of a cat's head, from which possibly the tradition
of its having been the residence of Whittington arose. There was a
popular superstition that the cat's eyes followed the visitor as he
walked about the room. This house was taken down in 1801, but both it
and the house in Sweedon's Passage were reproduced in the interesting
Old London Street at the International Health Exhibition of 1884.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] _Catalogue of Chap Books, Garlands, &c._ 1849, p. 69.

[2] Riley's _Memorials of London and London Life_, p. 534 (note).

[3] Riley's _Memorials_, pp. 533-4.

[4] The Royal Mandate, dated June 8, is printed in Riley's _Memorials_,
p. 545.

[5] _Survey of London_, ed. Thoms, 1842, p. 41.

[6] _Survey of London_, ed. Thoms, 1842, p. 162.

[7] _Ibid._ p. 103.

* * * * *

THE

FAMOUS AND REMARKABLE

HISTORY

OF

SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,

THREE TIMES LORD MAYOR OF LONDON:

_who lived in the time of King Henry the Fifth in the year 1419, with
all the Remarkable Passages, and things of note, which happened in his