104 LON 
lor, having bequeathed a tlioufand pounds towards the 
expenl’e'ot a new edifice. In a large fquare over the arch 
of the gate was the figure of James I. on horfeback. 
Above his head were quartered the arms of England, Scot¬ 
land, and Ireland. In a niche on the eaft fide was the 
prophet Jeremiah, with the words of the 25th verfe of the 
17th chapter of his book. In a niche on the weft fide 
flood the prophet Samuel, with the ift verfe of the 12th 
chapter of the 1 ft book of that prophet. On the fouth 
fide was the effigies of JameS I. in his royal robes, fitting 
in a chair of ftate, done in relief. This gate was very 
much damaged by the great fire in 1666 ; but was re¬ 
paired and beautified, at the expends of the city, in the 
year 1670. The apartments over the gate were appropri¬ 
ated to the ufe of the common-crier of the city; and by 
the fides of the gate were two pofterns for the conveni¬ 
ence of foot-paffengers. 
3. Ludgate, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, quoted 
by Stow, derived its name from king Lud, a Briton, who, 
according to the former, built it about fiixtv-fix'years be¬ 
fore the Chriftian era ; and at p. 50 it will be feen, that 
London itfelf may probably owe its exiftence to the fame 
king, or chief. On the other hand it has been urged, 
that the ancient Britons had no walled towns; and that 
the name therefore might, with much greater appearance 
of probability, be derived from the rivulet Flood, Flud, 
Vloat, Fleote, or Fleet, which ran into Fleet-ditch; and 
it was very probably called Ludgate, inftead of its origi¬ 
nal name, Fludgate. 
Our favourite chronicler tells us, that in 1115, during 
the warm contentions between the barons and king John, 
this gate was the paffage through which the army made 
its entry into London, pillaged the houfes of the richeft 
Jews in the city, and dellroyed them : but foon after the 
damage caufed to the gate and adjoining wall was repaired 
by the leaders of the army, and with the very itones from 
the Jewish houfes that had been pulled down. In con¬ 
firmation of this, we are told that a ftone was found in 
1586, when this gate was rebuilt, upon which the follow¬ 
ing infcription appeared eafily legible and in Hebrew cha- 
rafters: “This is the dwelling-place of Rabbi Mofes, the 
fon of Rabbi Ifaac.” 
In the year 1260, this gate was repaired, and beautified 
with images of Lud and other kings ; but under the reign 
of Edward VI. thefe unfortunate ftatues, being miftaken 
for popifh idol “by thofe who,” fays Stow, “judged 
every image to be an idol,” had their heads fmitten off; 
but in the reign of queen Mary, by a contrary wind that 
blew the flame of zealotifm the other way, thefe ftatues 
were repaired, “ as by fetting new heads upon their old 
bodies.” Being then old friends with new faces, they 
were not much regarded, and remained quiet in their 
niches till a general decay of the whole fabric called for a 
new building; and in 1586, the 28th of Elizabeth, this 
gate was rebuilt. Old Lud took his former ftation ; fo 
tiid the other kings on the ealt fide ; whilft the Itatue of 
the reigning queen adorned the weft front. At the pul¬ 
ling down of this gate in 1738, the ftatue was prelerved, 
and placed at the eaft end of St. Dunftan’s church, Fleet- 
llreet, where it ftill remains, and affords no bad fpecimen 
of the ftatuai'y of that time. 
In the year 1373, this gate was constituted a prifon for 
poor debtors who were free of the city ; and it was after¬ 
wards greatly enlarged by fir Stephen Forfter. This gen¬ 
tleman, we are told, had been a prifoner there, and was 
begging at the gate, when a rich widow, palling by, alked 
him what fum would procure his dificharge; and, on 
his anfwering twenty pounds, (which at that time was a 
considerable fum,) file generouily advanced the money. 
His liberty being thus obtained, his kind benefadtrefs 
took hjr.: into her fervice, in which, by his indefatigable 
application tp bufinefs, and his obliging behaviour, he 
gained the affedKons of his miftrefs, and married her; af- 
n'er which he had fuch great fuccefs in trade, that he he- 
came lord-mayor of London, an^ obtained the honour of 
D O No 
knighthood. In his profperity, fir Stephen thought of the 
place of his confinement, and, acquainting his lady with 
a defign he had formed of enlarging the prifon, fhe aifo 
determined to contribute to the execution of fo benevo¬ 
lent apian. Hereupon, they caufed fevcral of the houfes 
near the gate to be pulled down, and in their ftead eredled 
a ftrong fquare ftone building, containing the following 
rooms, viz. the porch, the paper-houfe, the watch-hall, 
the upper and lower lumberies, the cellar, the long ward, 
and the chapel ; in the laft of which were the following 
inferiptions : “ This chapel was erected and ordained for 
the divine worfihip and fervice of God, by the Right Ho¬ 
nourable Sir Stephen Forfter, knight, fome time lord- 
mayor of this honourable city, and by dame Agnes his 
wife, for the ufe and godly exercife of the prifoners-in 
this prifon of Ludgate, anno 1454. 
Devout fouies that paffe this way. 
For Stephen Forfter, late rnaior, heartily pray. 
And dame Agnes, his fpoufe to God confecrate, 
That of pitie this houfe made for Londoners in Ludgate 
So that for lodging and water prifoners here nought pay. 
As their keepers filialL all anfwere at dreadful domes-day 
Thefe venerable founders not only fettled a falary for a 
chaplain of this prifon, but ordered that ail the rooms in 
thefe additional buildings fihould be for ever free to all 
unfortunate citizens, and that they, on providing their 
own bedding, fihould pay nothing at their difeharge for 
lodging or chamber-rent; but the avaricious difpofition of 
the keepers broke through this appointment, and, for many 
years, they took rent for the rooms, contrary to the ex- 
prefs order of the generous donor. Ludgate-prifon, how¬ 
ever, which is now removed to the north fide of Giltfpur- 
fitreet Compter, ftill retains fome privileges and advan¬ 
tages, which are claimed by citizens of London only. 
4. Bridgegate. This laft of the four original gates was of 
great importance to the city, as it flood expofed to the at¬ 
tack of enemies on the fouth or Surry fide. In the year 
1436, this gate with the tower upon it fell down; and, be¬ 
ing rebuilt, was burnt, in the year 1471, by fome riotous 
mariners of Kent. The gate eredted after this, being greatly 
damaged by fire in 1726, was foon afterwards taken down 
and rebuilt; it was completed in 1728, two pofterns be¬ 
ing added for the convenience of foot-paffengers. Over 
the arch, on the fouth fide, were the king’s arms, with the 
following infcription underneath ; “ This gate was widened 
from eleven to eighteen feet in the mayoralty of Edward 
Bacher, knt. S.P.Q.LT 
Stow, and later writers alfo name a confiderable num¬ 
ber of gates on the river fide, viz. Dowgate, Wolfgate, 
Ebgate, Oillergate, Botolphgate, Billingfgate, &c. But 
they appear to have been only wharfs, or places for land¬ 
ing goods. None of thefe were of any note except Dow¬ 
gate, called properly Dior or the water-gate, where there 
was a trajebfus, or ferry, in the Watling-ftreet, which 
crofted the Thames at this place, and was continued to 
Dover. 
The Four Original City Gates are reprefented on 
Plate III. in the order we have deferibed them; and, if 
they fihould be found not to anfwer fully to the deferip- 
tions, it muff be recollecied, that, as they are no longer 
in exiftence, accurate drawings could not be made. We 
have always been of opinion, that, before any valuable re¬ 
lics of antiquity are deftroyed, accurate drawings and de- 
feriptions of them fihould be taken by authority, for the 
information of future hiltorians. 
5. Bijhopfgate was fituated one tlioufand four hundred 
and forty feet north-weft from Aldgate. Though the 
building of this gate is dated by fome as early as the 
year 300, by others A. D. 675, Stow could find no men¬ 
tion of it earlier than the year 1210, when William 
Blound, one of the fiheriffs of London, fold his land and 
gardens, without Bijhopfgate, to the wardens of London- 
bridge. Henry III. granted feveral privileges'to the Han- 
featic merchants, for which they were bound to keep this 
3 " 
