Stow also mentions this tavern:--"They" (Coppinger and
Arthington, false prophets), says the historian, "had purposed to have
gone with the like cry and proclamation, through other the chiefe parts
of the Citie; but the presse was so great, as that they were forced to
goe into a taverne in Cheape, at the sign of the 'Mermayd,' the rather
because a gentleman of his acquaintance plucked at Coppinger, whilst he
was in the cart, and blamed him for his demeanour and speeches."

There was also a "Mermaid" in Cornhill.

In Bow Lane resided Thomas Coryat, an eccentric traveller of the reign
of James I., and a butt of Ben Jonson and his brother wits. In 1608
Coryat took a journey on foot through France, Italy, Germany, &c, which
lasted five months, during which he had travelled 1,975 miles, more than
half upon one pair of shoes, which were only once mended, and on his
return were hung up in the Church of Odcombe, in Somersetshire. He
published his travels under this title, "Crudities hastily gobbled up in
Five Months' Travels in France, Savoy, Italy, Rhetia, Helvetia, some
parts of High Germany, and the Netherlands, 1611," 4to; reprinted in
1776, 3 vols., 8vo. This work was ushered into the world by an
"Odcombian banquet," consisting of near sixty copies of verses, made by
the best poets of that time, which, if they did not make Coryat pass
with the world for a man of great parts and learning, contributed not a
little to the sale of his book. Among these poets were Ben Jonson, Sir
John Harrington, Inigo Jones (the architect), Chapman, Donne, Drayton,
and others.

Parsons, an excellent comedian, also resided in Bow Lane.

"A greater artist," says Dr. Doran, in "Her Majesty's Servants," "than
Baddeley left the stage soon after him, in 1795, after three-and-thirty
years of service, namely, Parsons, the original 'Crabtree' and 'Sir
Fretful Plagiary,' 'Sir Christopher Curry,' 'Snarl' to Edwin's
'Sheepface,' and 'Lope Torry,' in _The Mountaineers_.... His _forte_ lay
in old men, his pictures of whom, in all their characteristics,
passions, infirmities, cunning, or imbecility, was perfect. When 'Sir
Sampson Legand' says to 'Foresight,' 'Look up, old star-gazer! Now is he
poring on the ground for a crooked pin, or an old horse-nail with the
head towards him!'" we are told there could not be a finer illustration
of the character which Congreve meant to represent than Parsons showed
at the time in his face and attitude.

In Queen St