St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map]

St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street is in Fleet Street [Map].

On 17 Oct 1550 Judge John Hynde (age 70) died. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map] on the 23 Oct 1550.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 23 Oct 1550. The xviij day of October was bered Juge Hynde (deceased) in sant Donstones parryche in the whest [Map], with standard, cot, elmet, sword, and penon, target, and a harold, and Juges ij and ij to-gether, and then serjantes of coyffe ij and ij together, and then clarkes syngyng, and my lade Hynde dyd make anodur standard, and a cote armur, and a penon, and a elmet, and target, and sword, to be had at the moynthe myn[d] in the contrey for hym, and a grett dolle of monay and of mett and drynk, and gownes to the pore; for ther was myche a doo ther for hym.

Note. Funeral of judge Hynde. Sir John Hynde, made a serjeant at law 1535, a judge of the Common Pleas 1546. When Nicholas Charles surveyed the church of St. Dunstan's in the West, the armorial insignia of sir John Hynde (made by our diarist) were remaining over his tomb: see them described in Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. 1837, vol. iv. p. 100. Nicholas Charles was wrong in styling him "Chief Justice of the Common Pleas."

1551 Sweating Sickness Outbreak

Henry Machyn's Diary. 12 Jul 1551. The xij day of July ded sir Thomas Speke (age 43) knyght in Chanseler lane, in saynt Donstonys parryche in the whest [Map], at ys owne howsse; he fell [sick] in the court; and was bered with standard, penon, cote armur, elmet, sword, and target; and vj dosen of shokchyons of armes, and the compeny of the Clarkes; and the sam day ded on of the Gard, and bered ther by.

Note. Funeral of sir Thomas Speke. Sir Thomas Speke (age 43) was an eminent lawyer: he was steward of the royal manors of Greenwich, &c. and keeper of Eltham palace. His funeral achievements were remaining in St. Dunstan's church [Map] in the time of Nicholas Charles, as described in the Collectanea Topogr. et Genealog. iv. 98; and from them it appears that he married a Berkeley.

Before 10 Feb 1557 William Portman died. On 10 Feb 1557 William Portman was buried in a St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 10 Feb 1557. The x day of Feybruary was bered at sant Dunstones in the West [Map] ser Wylliam Portman, cheyffe justice of Englande, with a harold of armes, and a standard of armes, and pennon, and a cott armur, and a targett, a helmett, and the crest a leberd-hed gold, with ij snakes [coming] out of ys mowthe, with a crosse peyche [fitchy] gulles; a [herse], and sword, and the mantylles of blake velvett, and ij grett wytt branchys fayre with shochyons of armes, and ij dosen of torchys, and the powre men had go ... gownes, and iiij grett gylt candylstykes, with iiij p ... garnyshed with angelles, and armes, and penselles, and mo[ny] morners; and after came vj juges and vij sergantes of [the coif], and after all the ynes of the cowrte, ij and ij together; and the morow iij goodly masses songe, and a sermon mad.

Note. P. 125. Funeral of sir William Portman. He had been made chief justice in 1554. His funeral insignia (made by our diarist) were remaining when St. Dunstan's was visited by Nich. Charles; see Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. 1837, vol. iv. p. 99: see also his epitaph in Stowe, and the pedigree of Portman in Hutchins's Dorsetshire, vol. i. p. 154.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 03 Nov 1557. The iij day of November was bered in the parryche of sant Donstones in the West [Map], sargant Wallpoll, a Northfoke man, with a pennon and a cott of armes borne with a harold of armes; and ther was all the juges, and sergantes of the coyffe, and men of the law a ij C. with ij whytt branchys, xij stayff torchys, and iiij grett tapurs, and prestes, and clarkes; and the morow the masse of requiem.... my lade W.... wher her husband and she had a harold .... mony morners, as ser Recherd Southwell ... and dyvers odur, with ij goodly whyte branchys ... grett stayffe torchys, and xij pore men that bare ... and xij powre women xij gret tapurs of ij ... and the men had gownes of mantyll frysse and ... and the women gownes and raylles; and the morow m[ass, and] after a grett dener and a sermon.

Note. P. 156. Funeral of serjeant Walpole. John Walpole, made a serjeant at law in 1554. Nothing but his coat and peneron remained in St. Dunstan's church, temp. Nich. Charles: (Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. 1837, vol. iv. p. 102). Of this serjeant Walpole a full account will be found in Collins's Peerage, 1779, vol. v. p. 38.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Jan 1560. The iiij day of January was bered in sant Donstons [Map] in the west latt byshope of Carlell doctur Hobbellthorpe, with alff a dosen skochyons of armes.

Note. P. 221. Funeral of the late bishop of Carlisle. Owen Oglethorpe, appointed 27 Oct. 1556, deprived June 1559.

Henry Machyn's Diary. On or after 04 Jan 1560. The (blank) day was bered doctur Bayne, late byshope of Lychfeld and Coventre, in sant Donstons in the west [Map].

Note. P. 221. Funeral of the late bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. Ralph Baynes, elected 10 Nov. 1554; also deprived 1559. He died some weeks before Dr. Oglethorpe, when his burial at St. Dunstan's, Fleet Street, was thus entered in the parish register: "1559, Nov. 24. Mr. Doctor Banes." Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. vol. iv. p. 116.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 13 Sep 1561. The xiij day of September was bered at sant [Dunstan's] Fletstrett [Map], master Cottgrave, the wyffes brodur of master Grysse, lat .... master Tott, sergent penter unto kyng Henry the viijth, with .... skochyons of armes.

Note. P. 267. Funeral of master Cotgrave. This may very probably have been the father of Hugh Cotgrave, who soon after became Richmond herald. His kinsman "master Tott, serjeant painter to Henry VIII." was an Italian, Antonio Toto, whose naturalisation occurs in Rymer, xiv. 595, and several notices of whom will be found in the Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VIII. edited by Sir Harris Nicolas, 8vo. 1827.

On 13 Dec 1561 Lawrence Dalton (age 51) died. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 15 Dec 1561. The xv day of Desember was bered in sant Donstons in the whest [Map] master Norrey (deceased), alleas Dalton, kynge of armes of the North from Trent unto Barwyke [Berwick].... were hanged at Tyb]orne [Map], and on [one] off them the sur[geons took] for a notyme [anatomy] in-to ther halle.

Note. P. 273. Funeral of Laurence Dalton, Norroy king of arms. See his epitaph in Stowe, and his funeral insignia described in the Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. 1837, vol. iv. pp. 101–111. His funeral ceremony is recorded in the College of Arms. I. 13, f. 32, and his brass is drawn in the MS. Harl. 1099.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 08 Oct 1562. The viij day of October my lord the duke of Northfoke (age 26) and the duches my good lade ys wyff (age 22) cam rydyng thrughe London and thrughe Byshope-gatt [Map] to Leydyn-hall [Map], and so to Chrychyre to ys own plase, with a C [100] horse in ys leverey was ys men gentyll-men a-fore cottes gardyd with velvett, and with iiij haroldes a-for hym, master Clarenshux kyng at armes (age 52), master Somersett and and master Blumantylle ryd a-fore.... to be bered at sant [Note. Possibly St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map]] mastores Chamley the wyff of master Ch[amley recorder? of Lo]ndon, with a palle of blake velvett and with .... ther dyd pryche at her berehyng master (blank) ... mornars, and she had a harold of arm .... dosen of skochyons of armes; and after home t[o dinner.]

Note. P. 294. Funeral of mistress Chamley. This paragraph is so imperfect that it is not certain that it relates to the wife of the Recorder. He, however, was buried at St. Dunstan's in the West in the following April (see p. 395), and his epitaph commenced—"Ranulphus Cholmeley chara hic cum conjuge dormit."

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30 Apr 1563. The xxx day of Aprelle was cared to berehyng from sant Margett in Lothbere unto sant Donstones in Whest [Map] master Chamley the recorder, and ther was a C [100] mornars in blake, and the swardbayrer, and my lord mare and dyvers althermen and the reseduw [...] vyolett, and a lx gowne to pore men; and sant Donstones cherche hangyd with blake and armes, and raylles mad for the body; and so they whentt throughe Chep-syd, and so to Nuwgat, and so up Flett strett to sant Donstones, furst ij porters in blake, and then the pore men, and then serten mornars, and on bayryng ys baner of armes, and then ij haroldes of armes, and on ys cot beyryng, and then cam the corse with a pall of blake velvett and with armes, and then cam ij mornars baryng ij pennons of armes, and then the mornars cam, ser Thomas Lee, ser Wylliam Garrett, ser Thomas Offeley (age 63), master John Whytt, and after my lord mayre; and after ij C. of the yn of the cortes to the chyrche, and a xx of clarkes syngyng; and master Goodman (age 34) mad the sermon; and after to the plase to dener, for ther was the grettyst dener that ever I sawe.... strett, and he gayff for ys .... of rattes coller unto xxx pore men, and .... chyrche was hangyd with blake and armes ... the mornars and the corse hangyd with blake and armes ... furst whent the pore men, then cam a mornar beyryng a pennon of armes, and next a harold beyryng ys cote armur, and then cam the corse with a pall of blake velvett and with [arms, and] then the clarkes metyng the corse, and then cam master ... cheyff mornar, and dyvers odur mornars; and the dene of Westmynster mad the sermon.

On 28 May 1571 Edward Bulstrode of Hedgerley Bulstrode Buckinghamshire and Cecily Croke (age 16) were married at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map]. They were second cousins.

On 09 Jun 1572 Thomas Wenman (age 24) and Jane West (age 14) were married at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

On 19 Aug 1605 Bulstrode Whitelocke was baptised at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

On 02 Feb 1607 John Savile (age 62) died. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map]. His heart was taken to the Church of St Oswald, Methley [Map].

In 1636 Colonel Piers Edgecumbe (age 27) and Mary Glanville were married at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

Pepy's Diary. 11 Feb 1660. Saturday. This morning I lay long abed, and then to my office, where I read all the morning my Spanish book of Rome. At noon I walked in the Hall, where I heard the news of a letter from Monk (age 51), who was now gone into the City again, and did resolve to stand for the sudden filling up of the House, and it was very strange how the countenance of men in the Hall was all changed with joy in half an hour's time. So I went up to the lobby, where I saw the Speaker (age 68) reading of the letter; and after it was read, Sir A. Haselrigge (age 59) came out very angry, and Billing (age 37) standing at the door, took him by the arm, and cried, "Thou man, will thy beast carry thee no longer? thou must fall!" The House presently after rose, and appointed to meet again at three o'clock. I went then down into the Hall, where I met with Mr. Chetwind, who had not dined no more than myself, and so we went toward London, in our way calling at two or three shops, but could have no dinner. At last, within Temple Bar, we found a pullet ready roasted, and there we dined. After that he went to his office in Chancery Lane [Map], calling at the Rolls, where I saw the lawyers pleading. Then to his office, where I sat in his study singing, while he was with his man (Mr. Powell's son) looking after his business. Thence we took coach for the City to Guildhall, where the Hall was full of people expecting Monk (age 51) and Lord Mayor (age 27) to come thither, and all very joyfull. Here we stayed a great while, and at last meeting with a friend of his we went to the 3 Tun tavern and drank half a pint of wine, and not liking the wine we went to an alehouse, where we met with company of this third man's acquaintance, and there we drank a little. Hence I went alone to Guildhall to see whether Monk (age 51) was come again or no, and met with him coming out of the chamber where he had been with the Mayor and Aldermen, but such a shout I never heard in all my life, crying out, "God bless your Excellence". Here I met with Mr. Lock, and took him to an alehouse, and left him there to fetch Chetwind; when we were come together, Lock told us the substance of the letter that went from Monk (age 51) to the Parliament; wherein, after complaints that he and his officers were put upon such offices against the City as they could not do with any content or honour, that there are many members now in the House that were of the late tyrannical Committee of Safety. That Lambert (age 40) and Vane (age 46) are now in town, contrary to the vote of Parliament. That there were many in the House that do press for new oaths to be put upon men; whereas we have more cause to be sorry for the many oaths that we have already taken and broken. That the late petition of the fanatique people presented by Barebone (age 62), for the imposing of an oath upon all sorts of people, was received by the House with thanks. That therefore he do desire that all writs for filling up of the House be issued by Friday next, and that in the mean time, he would retire into the City and only leave them guards for the security of the House and Council. The occasion of this was the order that he had last night to go into the City and disarm them, and take away their charter; whereby he and his officers say that the House had a mind to put them upon things that should make them odious; and so it would be in their power to do what they would with them. He told us that they [the Parliament] had sent Scott and Robinson to him this afternoon, but he would not hear them. And that the Mayor and Aldermen had offered him their own houses for himself and his officers; and that his soldiers would lack for nothing. And indeed I saw many people give the soldiers drink and money, and all along in the streets cried, "God bless them!" and extraordinary good words. Hence we went to a merchant's house hard by, where Lock wrote a note and left, where I saw Sir Nich. Crisp (age 61), and so we went to the Star Tavern (Monk (age 51) being then at Benson's), where we dined and I wrote a letter to my Lord from thence. In Cheapside there was a great many bonfires, and Bow bells and all the bells in all the churches as we went home were a-ringing. Hence we went homewards, it being about ten o'clock. But the common joy that was every where to be seen! The number of bonfires, there being fourteen between St. Dunstan's [Map] and Temple Bar, and at Strand Bridge' I could at one view tell thirty-one fires. In King-street seven or eight; and all along burning, and roasting, and drinking for rumps. There being rumps tied upon sticks and carried up and down. The butchers at the May Pole in the Strand [Map] rang a peal with their knives when they were going to sacrifice their rump. On Ludgate Hill [Map] there was one turning of the spit that had a rump tied upon it, and another basting of it. Indeed it was past imagination, both the greatness and the suddenness of it. At one end of the street you would think there was a whole lane of fire, and so hot that we were fain to keep still on the further side merely for heat. We came to the Chequers at Charing Cross, where Chetwind wrote a letter and I gave him an account of what I had wrote for him to write. Thence home and sent my letters to the posthouse in London, and my wife and I (after Mr. Hunt was gone, whom I found waiting at my house) went out again to show her the fires, and after walking as far as the Exchange we returned and to bed.

Pepy's Diary. 10 Aug 1662. Lord's Day. Being to dine at my brother's, I walked to St. Dunstan's [Map], the church being now finished; and here I heard Dr. Bates,' who made a most eloquent sermon; and I am sorry I have hitherto had so low an opinion of the man, for I have not heard a neater sermon a great while, and more to my content.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Aug 1662. Lord's Day. Up very early, this being the last Sunday that the Presbyterians are to preach, unless they read the new Common Prayer and renounce the Covenant1, and so I had a mind to hear Dr. Bates's farewell sermon, and walked thither, calling first at my brother's, where I found that he is come home after being a week abroad with Dr. Pepys, nobody knows where, nor I but by chance, that he was gone, which troubles me. So I called only at the door, but did not ask for him, but went to Madam Turner's to know whether she went to church, and to tell her that I would dine with her; and so walked to St. Dunstan's [Map], where, it not being seven o'clock yet, the doors were not open; and so I went and walked an hour in the Temple-garden, reading my vows, which it is a great content to me to see how I am a changed man in all respects for the better, since I took them, which the God of Heaven continue to me, and make me thankful for.

Note 1. On St. Bartholomew's day, August 24th, 1662, the Act of Uniformity took effect, and about two hundred Presbyterian and Independent ministers lost their preferments.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Aug 1662. At eight o'clock I went, and crowded in at a back door among others, the church [Map] being half-full almost before any doors were open publicly; which is the first time that I have done so these many years since I used to go with my father and mother, and so got into the gallery, beside the pulpit, and heard very well. His text was, "Now the God of Peace-;" the last Hebrews, and the 20th verse: he making a very good sermon, and very little reflections in it to any thing of the times. Besides the sermon, I was very well pleased with the sight of a fine lady that I have often seen walk in Graye's Inn Walks, and it was my chance to meet her again at the door going out, and very pretty and sprightly she is, and I believe the same that my wife and I some years since did meet at Temple Bar gate and have sometimes spoke of.

Pepy's Diary. 17 Aug 1662. After dinner to St. Dunstan's [Map] again; and the church quite crowded before I came, which was just at one o'clock; but I got into the gallery again, but stood in a crowd and did exceedingly sweat all the time. He pursued his text again very well; and only at the conclusion told us, after this manner: "I do believe that many of you do expect that I should say something to you in reference to the time, this being the last time that possibly I may appear here. You know it is not my manner to speak any thing in the pulpit that is extraneous to my text and business; yet this I shall say, that it is not my opinion, fashion, or humour that keeps me from complying with what is required of us; but something which, after much prayer, discourse, and study yet remains unsatisfied, and commands me herein. Wherefore, if it is my unhappiness not to receive such an illumination as should direct me to do otherwise, I know no reason why men should not pardon me in this world, and am confident that God will pardon me for it in the next". And so he concluded. Parson Herring read a psalm and chapters before sermon; and one was the chapter in the Acts, where the story of Ananias and Sapphira is. And after he had done, says he, "This is just the case of England at present. God he bids us to preach, and men bid us not to preach; and if we do, we are to be imprisoned and further punished. All that I can say to it is, that I beg your prayers, and the prayers of all good Christians, for us". This was all the exposition he made of the chapter in these very words, and no more. I was much pleased with Dr. Bates's manner of bringing in the Lord's Prayer after his own; thus, "In whose comprehensive words we sum up all our imperfect desires; saying, 'Our Father,'" &c. Church being done and it raining I took a hackney coach and so home, being all in a sweat and fearful of getting cold.

Pepy's Diary. 14 Jul 1664. My mind being doubtful what the business should be, I rose a little after four o'clock, and abroad. Walked to my Lord's, and nobody up, but the porter rose out of bed to me so I back again to Fleete Streete, and there bought a little book of law; and thence, hearing a psalm sung, I went into St. Dunstan's [Map], and there heard prayers read, which, it seems, is done there every morning at six o'clock; a thing I never did do at a chappell, but the College Chappell, in all my life.

Pepy's Diary. 12 Jan 1666. Thence back by coach and called at Wotton's, my shoemaker, lately come to towne, and bespoke shoes, as also got him to find me a taylor to make me some clothes, my owne being not yet in towne, nor Pym, my Lord Sandwich's (age 40) taylor. So he helped me to a pretty man, one Mr. Penny, against St. Dunstan's Church [Map].

Pepy's Diary. 18 Aug 1667. After dinner comes Mr. Pelling the Potticary, whom I had sent for to dine with me, but he was engaged. After sitting an hour to talk we broke up, all leaving Pelling to talk with my wife, and I walked towards White Hall, but, being wearied, turned into St. Dunstan's Church [Map], where I heard an able sermon of the minister of the place; and stood by a pretty, modest maid, whom I did labour to take by the hand and the body; but she would not, but got further and further from me; and, at last, I could perceive her to take pins out of her pocket to prick me if I should touch her again-which seeing I did forbear, and was glad I did spy her design. And then I fell to gaze upon another pretty maid in a pew close to me, and she on me; and I did go about to take her by the hand, which she suffered a little and then withdrew. So the sermon ended, and the church broke up, and my amours ended also, and so took coach and home, and there took up my wife, and to Islington [Map] with her, our old road, but before we got to Islington [Map], between that and Kingsland, there happened an odd adventure: one of our coach-horses fell sick of the staggers, so as he was ready to fall down. The coachman was fain to 'light, and hold him up, and cut his tongue to make him bleed, and his tail. The horse continued shaking every part of him, as if he had been in an ague, a good while, and his blood settled in his tongue, and the coachman thought and believed he would presently drop down dead; then he blew some tobacco in his nose, upon which the horse sneezed, and, by and by, grows well, and draws us the rest of our way, as well as ever he did; which was one of the strangest things of a horse I ever observed, but he says it is usual. It is the staggers. Staid and eat and drank at Islington [Map], at the old house, and so home, and to my chamber to read, and then to supper and to bed.

On 06 Apr 1678 Joshua Marshall (age 49) died. He was buried in St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

Evelyn's Diary. 12 Jan 1690. The Parliament was unexpectedly prorogued to 2d of April to the discontent and surprise of many members who, being exceedingly averse to the settling of anything, proceeding with animosities, multiplying exceptions against those whom they pronounced obnoxious, and producing as universal a discontent against King William (age 39) and themselves, as there was before against King James (age 56). The new King (age 39) resolved on an expedition into Ireland in person. About 150 of the members who were of the more royal party, meeting at a feast at the Apollo Tavern [Map] near St. Dunstan's [Map], sent some of their company to the King (age 39), to assure him of their service; he returned his thanks, advising them to repair to their several counties and preserve the peace during his absence, and assuring them that he would be steady to his resolution of defending the Laws and Religion established. The great Lord suspected to have counselled this prorogation, universally denied it. However, it was believed the chief adviser was the Marquis of Carmarthen (age 57), who now seemed to be most in favor.

On 12 Sep 1762 Robert Hawgood Crew was baptised at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].

On 04 Apr 1853 Ford Madox Brown (age 31) and Emma Matilda Hill (age 23) were married at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map].