,
also, that London is already being enriched by the visits and residence
of great lords who, with their retinues, spend 'largely.' Down to the
present day the same thing has always gone on. The wealthy people who
have their town houses in the West End of London and the thousands of
country people and foreigners who now flock to the London hotels are the
successors of the great men and their following who came up to London in
the twelfth century and spent 'largely.'

'I do not think,' says FitzStephen, 'that there is any city with more
commendable customs of church attendance, honour to God's ordinances,
keeping sacred festivals, almsgiving, hospitality, confirming,
betrothals, contracting marriages, celebration of nuptials, preparing
feasts, cheering the guests, and also in care for funerals and the
interment of the dead. The only pests of London are the immoderate
drinking of fools and the frequency of fires.'

15. LONDON BRIDGE.

PART I.

Nobody knows who built the first Bridge. It was there in the fourth
century--a bridge of timber provided with a fortified gate, one of the
gates of the City. Who put it up, and when--how long it stood--what
space there was between the piers--how broad it was--we do not know.
Probably it was quite a narrow bridge consisting of beams laid across
side by side and a railing at the side. That these beams were not close
together is known by the fact that so many coins have been found in the
bed of the river beneath the old Bridge.

[Illustration: ROYAL ARMS OF ENGLAND FROM RICHARD I. TO EDWARD III.

(_From the wall arcade, south aisle of nave, Westminster Abbey._)]

Besides the Bridge there were ferries across the river, especially
between Dowgate and the opposite bank called St. Mary Overies Dock,
where was afterwards erected St. Mary Overies Priory, to which belonged
the church now called St. Saviour's, Southwark. The docks at either end
of the old ferry still remain.

The Bridge had many misfortunes: it is said to have been destroyed by
the Danes in 1013. Perhaps for 'destruction' we should read 'damage.' It
was, however, certainly burned down in the Great Fire of 1136. Another,
also of wood, was built in its place and, in the year 1176, a bridge of
stone was commenced, which took thirty years to build and remained
standing till the year 1831, when the present Bridge was completed and
the old one pulled down.

The Architect of this stone Bridge, destined to stand for