THE MODEL MERCHANT 



and expensive, being all of them manuscripts. By these means, 

 doubtless, Whittington hoped to help on the reformation of the lan- 

 guage of his country whicli, amongst the higher classes at least, had, 

 from the time of William the Conqueror, been that of jN'orman French, 

 while the lower orders spoke a most barbarous mixture of Anglo- 

 Saxon and Norman. The teaching of French was oidy left off, and 

 English substituted in its stead, in 1385. 



In the extremely interesting Mevioir of tin Life and Times of John 

 Carpenter, one of AVhittington's executors, published by Mr. Brewer, 

 Secretary of the City of London School, there is given a list of books, 

 belonging to that individual, which gives us a clue to the style of 

 literature with which "Whittington probably furnished his library."' 

 Stow, says Malcolm, mentions "another library, built by the ex- 

 ecutors of Eichard 'Whittington, which belonged to Guildhall " and 

 the College," and our worthy old author adds that " three cars 

 loaded with books were lorroivcd, but never returned, by Protector 

 Somerset." 



Yerily there seems to be no end to the good deeds of this good 

 man. " Hungry and ye gave me meat, thirsty and ye gave me drink. 

 Xaked and ye clothed me. I was in prison and ye came unto me. 

 Sick and jq visited me," according to his divine master's estimate, 

 appear to have been the rule and guide of his life. We have, therefore, 

 to follow him through all. And now we come to speak of the Hospital 



wt Sec Ap2)endix. 



n This Library was built by "Whittington's instructions, for the preservation of 

 City Records, shewing his great value of documents of that description, and that 

 he was probably the first, or one of the first, to make a collection of the Municipal 

 Records which arc so important in an historical point of view. 



Among the documents relating to the City of London was the celebrated Liber 

 Albus, so called, probably, from its having originally had a white vellum binding, 

 in which were entered " laudable customs not written, wont to be observed in the 

 Cit)', and other notable tilings worthy of remembrance here and there scattered." 

 This book was compiled, as is supposed by Strjpc, by John Cai-pcnter, who was 

 then Town Clerk, and is dated November 5th, 1419, during the mayoralty of 

 [Master * Ricliard Whyttington, and in the seventh year of the reign of Henry V, 

 It is most probable that this work was executed at "Wliittington's suggestion. 



* Whittington is still called Master; it would therefore appear that he did not 

 receive the honour of knighthood before the termination of his last mayoralty. 



