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Article THE TOMB OF JOHN STOWE. ← Page 2 of 8 →
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The Tomb Of John Stowe.
ward tlie Sixth's reign , Avhen a fanatical curate—one Sir Stephen—thought proper to preach a series of diatribes against it , and , by naming the church St . Andrew Undershaft , so inflamed the hearts of his hearers that they one and all rose and heAved the so-called piece of idolatry and committed it to the flames . From this time forth St . AndreAV Undershaft has
become the designation of the parish , in Avhich , however , no Maypole is noAv to be seen , and the toAver of whose church alonelight , elegant , and lofty—serves to recall the position of the ancient shaft , which , Avhen it Avas fixed in the ground , was higher than the church steeple . It is a singular fact that this Maypole was not only perfectly Avell knoAvn to the great father of English poetry , Chaucer , but Avas used as a simile by him in some verses descriptive of an arrogant knave , who , he says ,
"Eight well aloft , and high ye bear your head , As ye would bear the great shaft by Cornhill . " At the time of the Restoration , when Charles the Second Avas accustomed to mingle freely Avith his subjects , encouragement Avas given to anything in the shape of old English revels or merry pastimes ; and as a consequence Maypoles were
reerected , and often appeared decked with great ceremony and festivity . But the great shaft Avas gone , and the city parish Avas never again selected as the site for a successor . The church l'emains , the fine airy tower still rears its head aloft , and covers all that is mortal of the good old historian John StoAve , for in this edifice he Avas buried in the year 1605 . It is a melanchol
y and somewhat incongruous fact that he died , at the great age of 80 , in poverty , and that at his death he Avas buried Avith much pomp and solemnity . The monument erected to his memory is of terra cotta partially painted , and is designed Avith some skill . It represents him in a furred goAvn Avith a ruff , seated at a desk Avritingand Avould appear to have been an accurate resemblance
, of the worthy antiquarian , sculptured at the instance , it is said , of his Avidow ; and probably the work of some good friend , Avho has thus enabled a later age to form some idea of this remarkable man . StoAve Avas a tailor , and dvvelt nearly opposite this church , and witnessed many of the riotous scenes Avhich occurred from time to time in connection Avith the May Pole . His heart
seems , hoAvever , to have Avandered from his business , and to have carried him into the regions of the past , where he worked so long , so famously , and to so much good purpose , that his Survey of London is to this day a text-book for all historians and writers on the antiquities of London . Perhaps the highest testimony to his truthfulness and integrity is afforded us by
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Tomb Of John Stowe.
ward tlie Sixth's reign , Avhen a fanatical curate—one Sir Stephen—thought proper to preach a series of diatribes against it , and , by naming the church St . Andrew Undershaft , so inflamed the hearts of his hearers that they one and all rose and heAved the so-called piece of idolatry and committed it to the flames . From this time forth St . AndreAV Undershaft has
become the designation of the parish , in Avhich , however , no Maypole is noAv to be seen , and the toAver of whose church alonelight , elegant , and lofty—serves to recall the position of the ancient shaft , which , Avhen it Avas fixed in the ground , was higher than the church steeple . It is a singular fact that this Maypole was not only perfectly Avell knoAvn to the great father of English poetry , Chaucer , but Avas used as a simile by him in some verses descriptive of an arrogant knave , who , he says ,
"Eight well aloft , and high ye bear your head , As ye would bear the great shaft by Cornhill . " At the time of the Restoration , when Charles the Second Avas accustomed to mingle freely Avith his subjects , encouragement Avas given to anything in the shape of old English revels or merry pastimes ; and as a consequence Maypoles were
reerected , and often appeared decked with great ceremony and festivity . But the great shaft Avas gone , and the city parish Avas never again selected as the site for a successor . The church l'emains , the fine airy tower still rears its head aloft , and covers all that is mortal of the good old historian John StoAve , for in this edifice he Avas buried in the year 1605 . It is a melanchol
y and somewhat incongruous fact that he died , at the great age of 80 , in poverty , and that at his death he Avas buried Avith much pomp and solemnity . The monument erected to his memory is of terra cotta partially painted , and is designed Avith some skill . It represents him in a furred goAvn Avith a ruff , seated at a desk Avritingand Avould appear to have been an accurate resemblance
, of the worthy antiquarian , sculptured at the instance , it is said , of his Avidow ; and probably the work of some good friend , Avho has thus enabled a later age to form some idea of this remarkable man . StoAve Avas a tailor , and dvvelt nearly opposite this church , and witnessed many of the riotous scenes Avhich occurred from time to time in connection Avith the May Pole . His heart
seems , hoAvever , to have Avandered from his business , and to have carried him into the regions of the past , where he worked so long , so famously , and to so much good purpose , that his Survey of London is to this day a text-book for all historians and writers on the antiquities of London . Perhaps the highest testimony to his truthfulness and integrity is afforded us by