The History of Sir Richard Whittington

"Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of great London."

It will be seen that the special reference to the fact that Whittington was three times Lord Mayor is not to be found in either the ballads or the chap-books.

In the Life, by the author of George Barnwell (1811), however we read--

"Return again, Whittington, Thrise Lord Mayor of London."

And in The Life and Times of Whittington (1841)--

"Turn again, turn again, Whittington, Three times Lord Mayor of London."

In the early version of the History by T. H. the fanciful portions are only allowed to occupy a small portion of the whole, and a long account is given of Whittington's real actions, but, in the later chap-book versions, the historical incidents are ruthlessly cut down, and the fictitious ones amplified. This will be seen by comparing the two printed here. Thus T. H. merely says (p. 6) that Whittington was obscurely born, and that being almost starved in the country he came up to London. In the later chap-book the journey to London is more fully enlarged upon (p. xxxiii.), and among those at Whittington's marriage with Alice Fitzwarren the name of the Company of Stationers not then in existence is foisted in (pp. xlii.) It does not appear in T. H.'s History.

In many other particulars the later chap-book which contains the story as known to modern readers is amplified, and thus shows signs of a very late origin.

With regard to the three fictitious points of Whittington's history mentioned at the beginning of this preface, the first--his poor parentage--is disposed of by documentary evidence; the second--his sitting on a stone at Highgate hill--has been shown to be quite a modern invention; and the third--the story of the cat--has been told of so many other persons in different parts of the world that there is every reason to believe it to be a veritable folk-tale joined to the history of Whittington from some unexplained connection. None of the early historians who mention Whittington allude to the incident of the cat, and it is only to be found in popular literature, ballads, plays, &c. The story seems to have taken its rise in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The reason why however the life of Whittington should have been chosen as the stock upon which this folk-tale should be grafted is still unexplained. Some have supposed that he obtained his money by the employment of "cats," or vessels for the carriage of coals; but this suggestion does not appear to be worthy of much consideration.

It is said that at Newgate, which owed much to Whittington, there was a statue of him with a cat, which was destroyed in the Great Fire; and in 1862, when some alterations were made in an old house at Gloucester, which had been occupied by the Whittington family until 1460, a stone was said to have been dug up on which was a basso-relievo representing the figure of a boy carrying a cat in his arms. This find, however, appears rather suspicious.

Keightley devotes a whole chapter of his Tales and Popular Fictions to the legend of Whittington and his Cat, in which he points out how many similar stories exist. The Facezie, of Arlotto, printed soon after the author's death in 1483, contain a tale of a merchant of Genoa, entitled "Novella delle Gatte," and probably from this the story came to England, although it is also found in a German chronicle of the thirteenth century. Sir William Ouseley, in his Travels, 1819, speaking of an island in the Persian Gulf, relates, on the authority of a Persian MS., that "in the tenth century, one Keis, the son of a poor widow in Siraf, embarked for India with a cat, his only property. There he fortunately arrived at a time when the palace was so infested by mice or rats that they invaded the king's food, and persons were employed to drive them from the royal banquet. Keis produced his cat; the noxious animals soon disappeared, and magnificent rewards were bestowed on the adventurer of Siraf, who returned to that city, and afterwards, with his mother and brothers, settled on the island, which from him has been denominated Keis, or according to the Persians Keisch." Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps quotes from the Description of Guinea (1665) the record of "how Alphonso, a Portuguese, being wrecked on the coast of Guinney, and being presented by the king thereof with his weight in gold for a cat to kill their mice; and an oyntment to kill their flies, which he improved within five years to 6000l. in the place, and, returning to Portugal after fifteen years traffick, became the third man in the kingdom."[1] Keightley also quotes two similar stories from Thiele's Danish Popular Traditions and another from the letters of Count Magalotti, a Florentine of the latter half of the seventeenth century.

Mr. Lysons gives much information as to the great value of cats in the Middle Ages, but the writer of the History of Whittington does not lead us to believe that they were dear in England, for he makes the boy buy his cat for one penny. The two following titles are from the Stationers' Registers. The ballad is probably the one subsequently referred to as by Richard Johnson:--

"The History of Richard Whittington, of his lowe birthe, his great fortune, as yt was plaied by the Prynces Servants. Licensed to Thomas Pavyer, Feb. 8, 1604-5."

"A Ballad, called The vertuous lyfe and memorable death of Sir Richard Whittington, mercer, sometymes Lord Maiour of the honorable Citie of London. Licensed to John Wright, 16 July, 1605."

The first reference that we find to the cat incident is in the play Eastward Hoe by Chapman, Ben Jonson, and Marston; for, as the portrait which was said to have existed at Mercers' Hall is not now known, it can scarcely be put in evidence. This half-length portrait of a man of about sixty years of age, dressed in a livery gown and black cap of the time of Henry VIII. with a figure of a black and white cat on the left, is said to have had painted in the left-hand upper corner of the canvas the inscription, "R. Whittington, 1536."

In Eastward Hoe, 1605, Touchstone assures Goulding that he hopes to see him reckoned one of the worthies of the city of London "When the famous fable of Whittington and his puss shall be forgotten."

The next allusion is in Thomas Heywood's If you know not me, you know nobody, 2nd part, 1606.

Dean Nowell. "This Sir Richard Whittington, three times Mayor, Sonne to a knight and prentice to a mercer, Began the Library of Grey-Friars in London, And his executors after him did build Whittington Colledge, thirteene Alms-houses for poore men, Repair'd S. Bartholomewes, in Smithfield, Glased the Guildhall, and built Newgate.

Hobson. Bones of men, then I have heard lies; For I have heard he was a scullion, And rais'd himself by venture of a cat.

Nowell. They did the more wrong to the gentleman."

Here it will be seen that, although the popular tale is mentioned, it is treated as a mere invention unworthy of credence.

The next in point of time is the ballad by Richard Johnson, published in the Crowne Garland of Goulden Roses (1612), which probably had a much earlier existence in a separate form. It is the earliest form of the story of Whittington now in existence.

A song of Sir Richard Whittington, who by strange fortunes came to bee thrice Lord Maior of London; with his bountifull guifts and liberallity given to this honourable Citty.

(To the tune of "_Dainty come thou to me_.")

"Here must I tell the praise Of worthie Whittington, Known to be in his dayes Thrice Maior of London. But of poor parentage Borne was he, as we heare, And in his tender age Bred up in Lancashire.

Poorely to London than Came up this simple lad, Where, with a marchant-man, Soone he a dwelling had; And in a kitchen plast, A scullion for to be, Whereas long time he past In labour grudgingly.

His daily service was Turning spits at the fire; And to scour pots of brasse, For a poore scullions hire. Meat and drinke all his pay, Of coyne he had no store; Therefore to run away, In secret thought he bore.

So from this marchant-man Whittington secretly Towards his country ran, To purchase liberty. But as he went along In a fair summer's morne, London bells sweetly rung, 'Whittington, back return!'

'Evermore sounding so, Turn againe, Whittington; For thou in time shall grow Lord-Maior of London.' Whereupon back againe Whittington came with speed, Aprentise to remaine, As the Lord had decreed.

'Still blessed be the bells' (This was his daily song), 'They my good fortune tells, Most sweetly have they rung. If God so favour me, I will not proove unkind; London my love shall see, And my great bounties find.'

But see his happy chance! This scullion had a cat, Which did his state advance, And by it wealth he gat. His maister ventred forth, To a land far unknowne, With marchandize of worth, And is in stories shewne.

Whittington had no more But this poor cat as than, Which to the ship he bore, Like a brave marchant-man. 'Vent'ring the same,' quoth he, 'I may get store of golde, And Maior of London be, As the bells have me told.'

Whittington's marchandise, Carried was to a land Troubled with rats and mice, As they did understand. The king of that country there, As he at dinner sat, Daily remain'd in fear Of many a mouse and rat.

Meat that in trenchers lay, No way they could keepe safe But by rats borne away, Fearing no wand or staff. Whereupon, soone they brought Whittington's nimble cat; Which by the king was bought; Heapes of gold giv'n for that.

Home againe came these men With their ships loaden so; Whittington's wealth began By this cat thus to grow. Scullions life he forsooke To be a marchant good, And soon began to looke How well his credit stood.

After that he was chose Shriefe of the citty heere, And then full quickly rose Higher as did appeare. For to this cities praise Sir Richard Whittington Came to be in his dayes Thrise Maior of London.

More his fame to advance, Thousands he lent his king To maintaine warres in France, Glory from thence to bring. And after, at a feast, Which he the king did make, He burnt the bonds all in jeast, And would no money take.

Ten thousand pound he gave To his prince willingly, And would not one penny have. This in kind courtesie. God did thus make him great, So would he daily see Poor people fed with meat, To shew his charity.

Prisoners poore cherish'd were, Widdowes sweet comfort found; Good deeds, both far and neere, Of him do still resound. Whittington Colledge is One of his charities, Records reporteth this To lasting memories.

Newgate he builded faire, For prisoners to live in; Christ's Church he did repaire, Christian love for to win. Many more such like deedes Were done by Whittington; Which joy and comfort breedes, To such as looke thereon.