The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-21
SOUTH LONDON.


Besides being q novelist, sir Walter
Besant Is historian, particularly the
historian par excellence OF London.
For the last few years he has written
articles on historic London for The
Pail Mall Magazine. The last series
to appear were on South London;
these, like the others, are now present
ed in book form under their original
title and with the elaborate and artistic
illustrations which so enhanced their
value when they were printed in the
magazine The publishers of South
London" in this country are Frederick
A. Stokes Company.
"The chief difficulty in writing South
London" said Sir Walter in his pre-
face, has been that of selection from
the great treasures which have accum-
ulated about this strange spot The
! contents. of this volume do not form
tenth part of what might be written on
the same plan, and still without includ-
! ing the history proper of the borough"
The author courteously acknowledges
his obligations to the artist Mr.. Perry
Wadham, who has so faithfully and so
cunningly carried out the task commit
ted to him"
MY South London" says Sir Walter,
Extends from Battersea in the west to
|
river on the north to the first rising
ground on he south. This rising
ground, gentle ascent the beginning
of the Surrey hills, can still be observ-
ed on the high roads of the south
Chaplain, Brixton, Camberwell."
At first London had no communica-
ton with the rest of the world, except
by water Then a causeway was built
across the Southwark marshes. The
second road connected with the high
road to Dover: it is now called High
Street Borough. 1t formed an entirely
open and broad communications 1t be-
gan not far to the west of St Saviour's
Church, opposite the Roman Trajectus,
the medieval ferry, now st. Mary
Overies Dock Ferries were soon es-
tablished across the Thames, and at
length the marshes were drained Pre-
historic remains prove that all this
, was done during the stone age and
the bronze age.
Centuries passed by. High Street
. of Southwark is now a crowded thor
, oughfare, because it is the main artery
, of town containing population OF
!, many hundreds of thousands In the
last century 1t was quite as animated,
because it was one of the main arteries
by which London was in communica-
ton with the country. An immense
number of coaches, carts, wagons,
and caravans passed every day up
3 and down the High Street, some
3 stopping or starting in Southwark it.
/ self; some going over London Bridge
. to their destination in the city"
= Among the relics of the bygone ages
[ stands to-day the remains of the palace
q of the Bishop of Winchester. As one
! Of ba nf
have made very good modern Police
Court Judge and District Attorney
combined, it may not be Inappropriate
at this place to tell something about
the punishments of the time that were
: ordered by the church. There was
whipping, but not the terrible muir
! derous f1ogging of the eighteenth CEN
. fury; there were hangings, but not for
8 everything. Mostly to the credit of
4 the church, punishment was designed
: not to crush a man but to shame him
, into repentance and to give him a
a chance of retrieving his character. A
:, man might be set in the stocks or put
y in pillory, and so made to feel the helm
BUSINESS of his offense This punish
ment was like that which was inflicted
on a schoolboy; the thing done the boy
8 is taken back to favor. The eighteenth
8 century branded him, imprisoned him,
: transported him, made brute of him.
8 and then hanged him. Did woman
d speak despitefully of authority-pre-
sumptuous quean-set her up in the
cage beside the stoulpes of London
4 Bridge, that every one should see her
there and should ask what she had
done. After an hour or two take her
I down; bid her go home and keep hence
= forth quiet tongue in her head. This
d lenency was only for offenses moral
e and against the law. For freedom Of
:. thought or doctrine there was Bishop
j. BonAer's better way. And it was a
way inhuman. inflexible, unable to for
q give"
;. Sir Walter Besant, in showing how
q the palace either contains or has at
= some time contained the work of nearly
every archbishop in succession, incl
u dentally remarks, in speaking of some
Q of the improvements executed by tho
q various prelates, that the Chicheey
Tower, commonly known as the "Lol-
I lards' Tower" never had any connec-
8 ton with Lolards, and that all the talk
e about the unhappy Lollard prisoners is
K without foundation"
q And, in a word, which will explain
n why | have given an apparently dispro-
: portionate space to Lambeth Palace,
|, the author thus ends his chapter on the
royal houses of South London; Lam
i beth Palace, the only palace in the
: whole of South Tendon, is a monument
g OF English history from the twelfth
o century downward. Remington ap-
i pears at intervals; Ethan is a holiday
house; Greenwich practically begins
4 with the Tudors. Lambeth, like West
J, minister or st. Paul's belongs to the
= long history of the English people"
From the fragmentary Lives" OF
Shakespeare we have learned consider
able about the Globe Theatre, but in
: South London" we find a great deal
J. more, and also much about the Bear
s Garden, Blackfriars, and Paris Garden.
r the Hope Theatre, the Swan Theatre,
: and the Rose. 1t is all very interest.
ing.
, And of the South London OF to-day.
, there is much that is of interest. much
that is fascinating, albeit the tourist
/, to London can see ii all If he only takes
Il