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       It is probably too neat to say that Henry VII (father) built up political and economic capital during his reign and Henry VIII (son) spent it. It makes the 'spendthrift' years seem more exciting and leads the history reader to overlook the preceding years of good governance. Being careful is a bit dull.      However, there exists at least a couple of contemporary London chroniclers whose writing suggests their relief at being able to get on with their lives during a period of relative calm. They seem to have been genuinely thankful for the first Tudor monarch and his rule of Quiet. Robert Fabyan wrote that, "consydering the contynuall peace and tranquylete whiche he kept thys his lande and comons in", the seventh Henry "ever ruled so Myghtly hys subgectes & mynystred to them such iustyce that ... they loved and drad hym .." It is an interesting feature of medieval kingship that a good king is to be regarded with love and dread. Real respect toward

A fifteenth century chronicler, William Gregory of the Skinners Company, Mayor of London in 1451, made a list of the parish churches and monasteries within and without the walled city (153 in total). In addition to the mere names and numbers of the churches, he provided  descriptive comments about some of the monastic foundations. Three of these were in the area close to Bishopsgate and operated as charitable institutions, or 'hospitals' ― in medieval usage, 'an institution supported by alms or bequests for care of the needy'.  1    Pappy Chyrche in the Walle be twyne Algate and Bevysse Markes       And hyt ys a grete frateryte of prestys and of othyr seqular men. And there ben founde of almys cetayne prestys, both blynde and lame, that be empotent; and they have day masse and xiiij d. [14 pence] a weke, barber and launder, and one to dresse and provyde for hyr mete and drynke. 2    A chyrche of Owre Lady that ys namyde Bedlem      And yn that place ben founde many men