Chelsea in the olden & present times / by George Bryan.

  • Bryan, George
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chelsea in the olden & present times / by George Bryan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    part of the ground a small street is built, called Danvers Street, and some other houses. Now of all these, in my opinion, Beaufort House bids fairest to be the place where Sir Thomas More’s stood.” He then proceeds to give his reasons for arriving at this conclusion, which, when considered in connection with the statements of other writers on the subject, clearly establishes the correctness of Dr. King’s opinion. Sir Thomas More’s house, therefore, we will conclude stood almost on the site of what is now called Beaufort Street, facing Battersea Bridge, After his death, however, very considerable alterations and additions were made by succeeding occupants, both in regard to the house and grounds attached to it. The house, in its altered state, was pulled down about 140 years ago. Erasmus gives a pleasing description of the manner of More’s living with his wife and family at Chelsea. “ There he conver- seth with his wife,” says he, “ his son, his daughter-in-law, his three daughters and their husbands, with eleven grand-children. There is not a man living so affectionate to his children as he; he loveth his old wife as well as if she Avas a young maid.” Fox, in his Martyrology, hoAvever, throws a sad blast over the character of More. He states that More used to bind heretics to a tree in his garden, called “ The Tree of Troth,” but this was denied by More himself. Henry VIII., to Avhom he owed his rise and fall, frequently came to Chelsea to visit him. Sometimes the king Avould ascend to the house-top with him to observe the stars and converse on astromony. Amongst the illustrious foreigners entertained and patronised by Sir Thomas More, may be mentioned Hans Holbein, a celebrated painter, who lived with him for nearly three years painting portraits of him, his relations, and friends. It is generally admitted that he had a house in Chelsea for aged people, whom he daily relieved. More delighted in telling the following “ merrie story,” as he termed it:—A friar while preaching “ spyed a poore Avyfe of the paryshe Avhysperyng to her pew-fellow, and he fallyng angry thereto, cryde out unto her aloude, ‘ Hold thy babble, I byd thee, thou wyfe in the red hood! ’ ’ He regularly attended Chelsea Church, and very often assisted at the celebration of Mass, and at times he Avould put on a surplice and join the quire. The pathetic story of More’s wit Avas never so touchingly illustrated as on the day after he resigned the Great Seal. He Avent to Chelsea Church as usual Avith his Avife and family, none