Bank Side was formerly a range of dwellings licensed by the bishops of Winchester, for

the repair of incontinent men to the like women.

the Bordello, or Stewhouses.

Winchester geese;

In a parliament holden at , in the year of the reign of Henry II. it was ordained by the commons, and confirmed by the king and lords,

That divers constitutions for ever should be kept within this lordship or franchise, according to the old customs that had there been time out of mind.

That no stewholder, or his wife, should let or stay any single woman to go and come freely at all times when they listed.

No stewholder to keep any woman to board, but she to board abroad at her pleasure.

To take no more for women's chamber in the week than fourteen pence.

Not to keep open his doors on the holidays.

Not to keep any single woman in the house on the holidays, but the bailiff to see them voided out of the lordship.

No single woman to be kept against her will that would leave her sin.

No stewholder to receive any woman of religion, or any man's wife.

No single woman to take money to lie with any man by; she may lay with him all night till the morrow.

No man to be drawn or enticed into any stewhouse.

The constables, bailiffs, and others, every week to search every stewhouse.

No stewholder to keep any woman that hath the perilous infirmity of burning; nor to sell bread, ale, fish, wood, coal, or any victuals, &c.

These and many more orders were to be observed, upon great pain and punishment.

There were also several patents of confirmation; exclusive of those mentioned above. In the of Richard II. these stewhouses, then belonging to sir William , mayor of London, were farmed by froes, or bawds, of Flanders, and were destroyed by Wat Tyler and other rebels of Kent.

It seems highly probable, that resentment for the personal injury sustained on this occasion might have had its share, as well as loyalty, in producing the action for which is particularly distinguished. The ordinances respecting these houses were, however, again confirmed by Henry VI., but in , as Fabian informs us, they were for some time uninhabited. It was not long before they were again opened, that is, so many as were permitted;

for whereas before were eighteen houses, from thenceforth were appointed to be used but

twelve

only.

The Single Women's Church-yard,

In the volume of a collection of proclamations, in the library of the Society of Antiquaries of London, p. , is the following:

The king's most excellent majestie, considering howe by tollerac'on of such dissolute and miserrable persons, as putting awaie the feare of Almightie God and shame of the world, have byne suffered to dwell besides London and ells where in common open places, called , and there, without punishment or correccion, exercise therein abhominable and detestable synne, there hath of late encreased and growne such enormities, as not only provoke instantly the anger and wrath of Almightie God, but also engender such corrupcion among people as tendeth to the intollerable annoyance of the common wealth, and where not only the youth is provoked, enticed, and allured to execute the fleshly lusts, but also, by such assemblies of evil disposed persons, haunted and accustomed as daily devise and conspire howe to spoyle and robb the true labouring and well-disposed men; for theis cosideracions hath, by the advise of his counsele, thought requisite utterly to extinct such abhominable license, and cleerely to take away all occasion of the same; wherefore, his majestie straightlie chargeth and commandeth, that all such persons as have accustomed most abhominably to abuse their bodies, contrary to God's lawe and honestie, in any such common places called , in or about the cittie

Finallie, to the intent all resort should be eschued to the said place, the king's majestic straightlie chargeth and commaundeth, that from the feast of Easter next ensuing there shall be no bearebating be used in that rowe, or in any other place on that side of the bridge called London-bridge, wherebye the accustomed assemblies may be in that place clerely abolished and extinct, upon like paine as well to them that keepe the beares and dogges which have byn used to that purpose, as to all such as will resort to see the same.

Et hoc periculo incumbenti nullatenus omittat. Teste me ipso apud Westm. xiiio die Aprilis, anno tricessimo septimo regni Regis Henrici Octavi.

The liberty of the Clink is of considerable size, extending from the river to , and from cast, to south. This liberty belongs to the see of Winchester, and a court leet is held yearly at Michaelmas, for the election of officers.

There was a prison belonging to this liberty, situate at the corner of Maid-lane, turning out of ; but in it was in great decay, and a dwelling house on the was used; but it was burnt in the great riots of , and at the present time there is none.