The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-04-14
whittington and His Cat.


Wilmington and His Cat.
Most boys, and most girls, too, for
that matter, are familiar with the
nursery ballad of the lad that, when
running away from a hard master,
heard the bells of the great city, or
thought he did, peal over the meadows
on the quiet night, each chime echo
ing, Turn again, Wilmington; turn
again, Whittington; thrice lord mayor
of London"
And You remember that the story
goes on to relate how the runaway
did turn and go back; how he bought
a cat with the only penny that he had
in the world, not out of pity but with
the sensible view of keeping down the
rats and mice by which he was annoy
ed in his garnet, and how, by this
lucky investment, he secured a great
fortune. For grimalllin, being sent
out as venture in one of his masters
ships, brought so high price in Bar
barry, where rats and mice were rife
but cats were unknown, that he was
enabled to go into trade himself and
became a millionaire merchant and
was elected thrice as lord mayor of
London.
Probably you have wondered how
much of this legend is true. or if any
of it is. Did ever Dick Wilmington
exist? Was he lord mayor of London?
Did he really possess cat and was
that cat the source of his wealth?
To begin, there was Richard Whit
tington. He lived back in those glor-
ious days of chivaIry of which Frois-
sart tells, and was nearly contem-
porary with the Black Prince and
with gallant Henry the Fifth, the
hero of Agincourt. The early part of
his career is involved in comparative
obscurity.
We are not, however, to credit all
that the ballad says. His reputed low
birth is distinctly disproved, for, if
we are to believe the statement of his
own will, Wilmington was the son of
Sir William Wilmington, of the Whit
tingtons of that illk, who owned lands
in Worcestershire as early as the
reign of Edward the First, the estate
being at Parently, where, in the
church, are emblazoned the arms of
Wilmington impaling Warren.
Lord may )r of London, however, he
was three times, says the Philadelphia
Times. For more than forty years
Richard Wilmington figured in the
annals of the city as civic officer and
as its most important merchant He
was sheriff of London in the
year of Richard H., in
1898. The next year he was knighted,
and in the twenty-second Year of the
same reign, 1898, he was chosen mayor
of the city. He was again mayor in
the eighth year of Henry w., 14O7,
and the third time in the seventh year
of Henry w., 141s. He was also mem
Der of parliament for the city In 14lG
It was during his third mayoralty
that Sir Richard entertained Henry of
his queen, Catherine of
France. Never before did merchant
display such magnificence as was then
exhibited in the guild hall. The walls
were splendid with costly tapestry;
the lights of the chandeliers were re-
Elected from scores of precious stones,
and the song of welcome was sung by
a choir of lovely girls dressed in their
holiday attire.
The fires were fed with cedar and
perfumed woods, the wine flowed in
hogsheads from marble conduits, and
the banquet board was spread with
delicate meats, choice fish, exquisite
birds and rare CONNECTIONS; the plate
was Of solid gold and silver. No king
Of his time could have provided so
an entertainment
King Henry was amazed and ex-
claimed:
"Surely no other sovereign ever
had such subject"
''If your majesty will permit me-"
said Wilmington smiling,"I will make
these flames still more costly than
from the scent of perfumcd woods"
The king nodded, of course, not
knowing what was coming, and the
mayor drew forth a packet of bonds
and advancing to the fire resumed:
"Thus do acquit your highness of
4 debt of $50, OOO."
1t reads almost like chapter from
q fairy tale, but it is veritable history
II seems that Wilmington had adj
yanced the king money for carrying
On his wars IN France and Henry had
given his bonds for the payment. 1t
was princely gift, however, and.
probably no other man in Christendom