Which was so called long before the Conquest, as appears in the history of Edmund, king of the East Angles, written by Abbas Floriacensis, and John Lidgate, monk of Bury; it is said that in the year 1010, the Danes spoiling the kingdom of the East Angles, Alwyne, bishop of Helmeham, caused the body of king Edmund the martyr, to be brought from Bedrisworth, now called Bury St. Edmund's, through the kingdom of the East Saxons, and so to London, in at Cripplegate; a place so called from cripples begging there. At which gate, it was pretended, the body entering, wrought miracles, and made some of the lame to walk upright, praising God. The body of king Edmund rested for the space of three years in the parish church of St. Gregory, near the cathedral of St. Paul. Moreover, the charter of William the conqueror confirming the foundation of the college in London, called St. Martin the Great, hath in it these words: I do give and graunt unto the same church, and canons, serving God therein, all the lands, and the moor without the postern, which is called Cripplegate, on either part of the postern. Besides this, Alfune built the parish church of St. Giles, near a gate of the city, called Porta Contractorum, or Cripplegate, about the year 1090.
This postern was some time a prison, to which such citizens, and others, as were arrested for debt, or common trespasses, were committed. This appeareth by a writ of Edward I. in these words: Rex. vic. London salutem. Ex gravi querela B. capt. et detent. in prisona nostra de Cripplesgate pro x. l. quas coram Radulpho de Sandwico, tunc custod. Civitatis nostrae London, et I. de Blackwell civis recognit. debit. &c.
This gate was new built by the brewers of London, in the year 1244, according to Fabian.
Edmund Shaw, goldsmith, mayor in the year 1483, left, by his last will, four hundred marks, which, with the materials of the gate, called Cripplegate, was to rebuild the said gate, which was accordingly performed in the year 140l.
Cripplegate was again repaired, and had this inscription upon it, shewing the time when.
This gate was repaired and beautified, and the foot postern new made, at the charge of the city of London, the 15th year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Charles II., and in the mayoralty of sir John Robinson, knight and baronet, lieutenant of the Tower of London, and alderman of this ward; A. D. 1663.
The rooms over this gate were set apart for the water-bailiff of the city.
I do give and graunt unto the same church, and canons, serving God therein, all the lands, and the moor without the postern, which is called Cripplegate, on either part of the postern.
Besides this, Alfune built the parish church of St. Giles, near a gate of the city, called Porta Contractorum, or Cripplegate, about the year .
This gate was new built by the brewers of London, in the year , according to Fabian.
last will, , which, with the materials of the gate, called Cripplegate, was to rebuild the said gate, which was accordingly performed in the year l.
This gate was repaired and beautified, and the foot postern new made, at the charge of the city of London, the year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Charles II., and in the mayoralty of sir John Robinson, knight and baronet, lieutenant of the , and alderman of this ward; A. D. .