76 TEE MODEL MERCHANT 



life time." Always mindful of the poor, there is still a thought of 

 them continued to the last. He provides for the gift of a penny, nearly 

 equal to a shilling of our day, to every man, woman, and child, on 

 the day of his funeral ; whether it was every man, woman, and child 

 in the parish, or eveiy man, woman, and child attending his funeral, 

 we are not told. 



Before I conclude, you would perhaps like to know something 

 of the house in which Whittington lived. A description of it, as 

 then standing, is given in the GeniUman' s Magazine, for July, 1796, 

 vol. 66, part II., page 545, with an engraving. " It is situate in 

 Hart Street, four houses from Mark Lane, up a gateway." "It 

 is expressed," says this writer, " in the old leases as Whittington's 

 palace, and the appearance, especially external, warrants a probability 

 of the truth. It forms three parts of a square, but from time and ill 

 usage its original shape is much altered. Under the windows of the 

 first story, are carved in lasso relievo, the arms of the twelve 

 companies of London, except one, which is destroyed to make way 

 for a cistern. The wings are supported by rude carved figures, ex- 

 pressing Satyrs, and from its situation near the church, it is probable 

 it has been a manor house. The principal room has the remains of 

 grandeur; it is about 25 feet long, 15 broad, and 10 high. The ceil- 

 in «• is elegantly carved in fancied compartments; the wainscot is about 

 6 feet high, and carved, over which is a continuation of Saxon arches 

 in lasso relievo, and between each arch is a human figure. The anti- 

 room has nothing worth notice but the mantel piece, which, however, 

 is much more modern than the outside."* 



I have now given you all that I can collect respecting this pre- 

 eminently worthy man, a man in eveiy way in advance of the age in 



a " Nos exccutorcs siios praidictos in Iccto transmigrationis sure districtius oner- 

 avlt, suam nobis in hac parte voluntatcm plcnius dcclarando." — Charter of 

 Foundation of WhittingtorC s College, in Dugdalc's Monasticon, vol. vi., p. 744. 



h This may bo the house mentioned in Whittington's will, or it may be the 

 house alluded to in page 741 of Dugdale's Monasticon, which was bought by his 

 executors for the first College, and which was alienated into lay hands, in the 

 person of Armigel "Wade, 2 Edw. VI.— See Appendix. 



" In Hart Street, four doors from Mark Lane, up a gateway, are the remains of 

 the residence of the celebrated Whittington."— Lambert's Sist. of London. 



