68 TBE MODEL MERCHANT 



" Teach me to live tliat I may dread 

 The grave as little as my bed," 

 appears to have been Whittington's ruling principle. 



We might have imagined that if certain events of A\Tiittington's life 

 appeared to involve a question as to their reality, it would be more difl- 

 cult to speak on the subject of his deathbed; but that which no written 

 history gives us is supplied, in the most feeling manner, in a drawing 

 executed immediately after his death, by order of those able and excellent 

 men to whom he had consigned the important task of carrying out the 

 instructions of his will. Although we are not much acquainted with 

 the excellencies of his other executors, yet no one need any longer be 

 ignorant of the high and noble character of his chief executor, John 

 Carpenter, the illustrious Town Clerk of London, since his Life and 

 Times have been so ably illustrated by Mr. Brewer, the Secretary of the 

 City of London School ; the very school which was founded by that 

 worthy citizen who desired nothing better than to tread in the steps of 

 his illustrious friend Richard Whittington. How zealously he carried 

 out his friend's instructions is there so admirably set forth, and how 

 well he imitated his friend's example is so clearly delineated, that I need 

 only advert to those points which are necessary to complete the history 

 of our hero. Besides Carpenter, Whittington's other executors were 

 John Coventre,-^ Alderman; John White," Clerk ; and William Grove. 

 The drawing here introduced, which represents the death bed of 

 Whittiugton, is an illumination upon the Ordinances, or rules, for the 

 foundation and regulation of his College.'' In the centre of the picture 

 is seen Whittington, stretched on a tester bed, his body naked ' and 



/ Coventre was Sheriff of London, 1417, and Lord Mayor, 1425 ; he died on 

 Easter Monday, 13th April, 1429, and was biiried in Bow Church. White died 

 about 1424. 



g John "White was the fii-st minister of the Church of Saint ilichael, Tatcrnoster, 

 endowed by "Whittington. See Cat. Inq.postmort., 11th Henry IV., No. 48,p. 361. 



Eicus Whytington et Henr' London et alii. Dederunt Jotii White 

 pcrsone cccl Sci Mich'is in Paternoster Churche (London) quandam 

 parccllam "trc in poch' ibiri. 



A This illumination is considered by Mr. Brewer as the representation of an 

 actual scene, which I sec no reason at all to doubt. There is evciy appearance of 

 truth about it. 



» This is a true representation of the facts of the case, for Sti-utt remarks that 



