OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 63 



upoa the security of tlie revenues. Wliittinglon's share on that 

 occasion amounted to £1000. which, according to Dr. Henry's method 

 of calculation, would equal £10,000 of our present currency. We havo 

 only to supply Whittington's well-known liberality to fill up the 

 probabilities as to the destruction of the bonds. The merchants also of 

 the Staple which was then held at Calais, and of which Whittington 

 was rector, or mayor, were among those who lent money to the king. 

 (For Whittington's loans to Henry lY. and Henry V. ?,qq Appendix. J 



The way in which he could best serve his country was by these 

 advances to the Crown; for he was eminently a man of business, but no 

 soldier. He stuck to his trade, and his influence with the king exempted 

 him from personal service in the wars, to which he would otherwise 

 have been liable, for we find that in the 1st Henry lY. letters of 

 the Privy Seal were issued that every person holding a fee under the 

 king should present himself with all haste to do service in the Marches 

 of Scotland. But in a Council held on the 15th June, 1400, certain 

 persons were excused from this service, and exempted from the penalties 

 which would be incurred by non-attendance : among others Richard 

 Whityngton.' 



Perhaps we think we have come to an end of the good deeds of this 

 worthy man. Not at all. His care extended not only to men's 

 bodies, but to their souls, and a Church must be added to the number 

 of his benevolent acts ; and not only a Church, but a staff of Clergy, witli 

 funds for their maintenance. Malcolm says — "The celebrated Sir 

 Richard Whittington, at four different periods Lord Mayor of Loudon, 

 rebuilt the Church of Saint Michael," afterwards called Saint Michael 



Itm sur les gages des souldeours | n 

 de Gales j ^ Appromptez de 



Et pur continuer les garnisons > Whityngton =p Hcndc, 



illeoquestanq^ autr ordenance y soit \ M' vj'= Ixvj. ti. xiij s. iiij d. 



faite ^ 



Bihl. Cotton. Cleojmtra, F. iii. f. 896, contemporary MS. 11 Hen. 

 lY., 1410. 



Les sommes creances pur la sauvc garde du paiis de Gales pur un 

 quartier ^ demy. Inter alios — 



D Johan Hendo, M' marcs. 



D Richard "Whityngton, iij'^xxxiij. li. vj. s. viij. d. 



X Bill. Cotton. Vesjmsian, F. vii., f. 73, contcmporarj- MS. 



I 



