the cloisters was under the Great Hall, which was pulled down in 1827, as was Whittington's Library about the same time.[1]
The Register of the Grey Friars of London is now bound as the latter part of the volume in the Cottonian Library marked Vitellius F. xii. It is of the size of a modern quarto book, and consists of 120 leaves of paper.[2]
The first thirty-two pages are occupied with a descriptive catalogue of the sepulchral monuments which existed in the church and cloisters, and the next eleven with an alphabetical index to the same. This catalogue, which was the authority for the summary and in many cases incorrect account of these monuments given by Stowe and Weever, was edited entire, by myself, in the fifth volume of the Collectanea Topographica, 1838, pp. 274—290, 385—398.
At fol. 316 of the present paging of the volume commences an historical account, in Latin, of the origin of the rule of Saint Francis, its introduction into England, and the foundation of the house of the fraternity in London, followed by an enumeration of the benefactions made to the house; at fol. 321 an account of the building of the convent and church;[3] at fol. 321 b. a description of the cistern and its watercourse; at fol. 323 "the founders of the new church;" at fol. 324 the contributors to the glazing of the windows; and at fol. 325 b an account of the foundation of the library, in the year 1421, by the worshipful (venerabilis vir) Richard Wyttyngton, mercer and mayor of London.[4] At fol. 326 is a curious English document, being "Indentures for the wyndoes of the south syde of the churche, and soo
- ↑ The shield of Whittington, within a quatrefoil, was inserted in various parts of this building. One of these carved stones is now in the museum of Mr. E. B. Price, F.S.A. and is represented in the etching at the end of this Preface.
- ↑ In the New Monasticon, vol. vii. p. 1514, it is erroneously described as being "on vellum."
- ↑ As already given in the notes, pp. xi.-xiii.
- ↑ See p. xiv.
