Pages 65-66
Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664. Originally published by EJ Francis, London, 1878.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
Cheapside Cross.
I. 234. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the
Council, stating that Her Majesty's pleasure had been signified to
the Court of Alderman by Mr. Secretary Wolley, (fn. 1) for the reparation
of the Cross (fn. 2) in Cheapside, as it seemed, upon some information given of some notorious defacement thereof in a superstitious
manner without order of authority; not fully conceiving how Her
Majesty had been advertised thereof, nor in what form she desired
the said repairing to be done, it had been thought dutiful to inform
the Council of the matter, that upon her pleasure being known, the
repair of the Cross might be proceeded with. Such defacement as
had happened was very small, and not easily discerned by passers-by
unless pointed out to them by those that knew it; some part had
been injured four or five years past, and not marked, and some lately,
as it had been thought by light persons who had pilfered a little lead
from the arms and crosses in the lower part, which were easiest to
break away, and not for any public defacement, which, if they had
intended it, would have been done upon the faces of the images.
Steps had been taken to find out the offenders, and the reparation of
the Cross would be proceeded with. Many strangers and other
superstitious people, misliking the State and religion, passing by the
Cross knelt down to the images there, and daily gave idolatrous
worship thereunto, both in bending their knees, uncovering their
heads, and other outward shows of reverence, which matters had
been sundry times presented upon the oaths of men sworn in the
Bishop's and Archdeacon's visitations, and which were greatly to the
offence of God, and to the contempt of the laws and orders of the
Church set forth by authority of Her Majesty. Finding, by
experience, upon how small occasions the dislikers of the State and
of Her Majesty's godly proceedings were ready to take courage to
move factious enterprises, and specially what vain hopes and boastings
of alterations shortly to happen the Seminarians and others had
lately instilled into Her Majesty's subjects, and fearing that the
repairing and garnishing of the images of that Cross might assist
their objects, the Court of Aldermen desired to know Her Majesty's
further pleasure therein.
Sans date.