PREFACE. 



notice — attracted as he was to the subject by the fact of his having 

 in his possession an early copy of Elstrack's rare and curious 

 engraving of Whittington, coupled with the further discovery that 

 he was a fellow-County-man — and has gradually extended itself to 

 its present length out of its original intention, simply as an in- 

 structive and entertaining lecture to the inhabitants of his county 

 town, and is presented to the public at the earnest request of many 

 who heard it. Being unwilling therefore to place before his readers 

 any statements which he could not substantiate by documentary and 

 other evidence, he has taken such pains as time and opportunity 

 have allowed, in the midst of a variety of other pursuits, to collect 

 materials from authentic records which may, he trusts, lead others 

 who have more time at their disposal to give some attention to the 

 subject, and follow out the biography of a man so pre-eminently 

 worthy of an abler pen and greater research. 



The author has to acknowledge his especial obligations to Mr. 

 Brewer, the able Secretary of the City of London School, and author 

 of the Life of John, Carpenter, (one of Whittington' s executors,) for 

 the assistance he has given him, in most liberally lending him a 

 collection of notes which he had himself made with a view to a 

 similar biography. His thanks are also due to Henry Eugene 

 Barnes, Esq., Clerk to the Mercers' Company, for permission to 

 inspect the original Ordinances of Whittington' s Hospital and other 

 interesting documents in the possession of that Honorable Company. 

 He would also wish to record his thanks to Sir Charles Young, 

 Garter King at Arms, to Mr. Courthopc, Somerset Herald, 

 and Mr. Addams, of the Heralds' College, London, for the kind 

 manner in which they placed the documents of the College at 

 liis disposal. 



