XXXV. JOHN SPEED, THE CHRONICLER.
John Speed, the Chronicler, was also "a loving Brother of
this House," as these entries prove:—
"Curtains for the Queen's Arms and Maps (fn. 1) :—It is agreed
that provision shalbe made for curtens for the Queen's Armes
in the Hall, and for the Mappes latelie given to this Companie
by Mr. Spede, a lovinge Brother of this House."—[21st October
1600.]
"John Speede, a loving brother of this Company, became
an humble suitor for a lease in reversion of a tenement in
Fenchurch Street, submytting himself for a fyne to the consideration of the Company, whose humble suite the Company
much respect, as well in regard that he is a brother of this
Company, as also because he is a man of very rare and ingenious capacitie in drawing and setting forthe of mapps and
genealogies and other very excellent inventions, and by three
several mappes of his own invention wch he freely gave unto
this Companie maie appeare."—[28th March 1601.]
"John Speed having surrendered his lease of a garden and
tenement in the Moorefields, wherein there is yeat nine years
to come, did desire that it would please the Company to grant
him a new lease for a longer tyme; whereupon the Company,
considering how he hath heretofore expressed his love to this
house by psenting his labours of free guift, and that he hath
built on the said ground a fayer house which may stand him in
400l., ordered that he shall have a new lease of the sayed
garden and new tenemt for the terme of thirty-one years without
fyne and paying the old rent, which is twenty shillings p. ann."
—[18th March 1614.]
"An Indenture of Lease, bearing date the 8th daie of June
1618, made and granted unto John Speed, Citizen and Merchantaylor of London, of a tenemt garden and tayntor or Tayntor
ground, situate and being neere Moore fields, in the parish of
St. Giles wthout Creplegate, for 31 yeares, whereupon is reserved
the yearely rent of three pounds."—[1st July 1618.]
"Ordered, that John Speed, a student in St. John's College, (fn. 2)
Oxford, surrendering his lease in of the tenement and
garden in Little Moorfields now in his tenure, and late in the
tenure of Mr. John Speed, late Merchant Taylor, deceased, his
father, and which was heretofore built by his grandfather, shall
have a new lease thereof for 31 years from Michs next, for the
accutomed yearly rent of 40s. and for the fine of 45l., to be
paid within three months.—[16th July 1652.]