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<v Speaker 1>Chapter twelve of Unknown London, written by Walter George Bell.

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<v Speaker 1>This LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by

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<v Speaker 1>Janet Chapter twelve London's Lost King Lost. The statue of

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<v Speaker 1>a king lost, that is to London this past century

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<v Speaker 1>and a half, but not to the country of its creation.

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<v Speaker 1>If travel leads your steps north, you will find in

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<v Speaker 1>the beautiful grounds of Newby Hall, near rip in Yorks,

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<v Speaker 1>raised in front of the mansion the historical but forgotten

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<v Speaker 1>statue of King Charles, the second trampling on the prostrate

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<v Speaker 1>protector Oliver. Originally it stood where to day is the

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<v Speaker 1>mansion house. It was the one architectural adornment of the

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<v Speaker 1>old stocks market. The king astride a pawing horse, being

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<v Speaker 1>mounted on a high pedestal, but little honored I fear

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<v Speaker 1>by the fishwives, the vegetable and herb cellars, and the butchers,

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<v Speaker 1>who till the middle eighteenth century kept his company and

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<v Speaker 1>made this central spot in the city noisy with their cries.

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<v Speaker 1>The stocks market has gone stalls name and all. Long

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<v Speaker 1>since the Lord Mayor's stocks have disappeared, wherein many av

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<v Speaker 1>agram Man has been held fast by the legs. Saint

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<v Speaker 1>Christopher le Stock's Church no longer stands. The entire parish

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<v Speaker 1>church and churchyard have been swallowed up in the Bank

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<v Speaker 1>of England. The passer by occasionally gets a glimpse through

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<v Speaker 1>frowning portals of the pretty garden within the bank, bright

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<v Speaker 1>in summer, with the gorgeous coloring of flowers amidst which

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<v Speaker 1>a fountain plays. That was the churchyard. After the building

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<v Speaker 1>over of the ground, the interment of one Jenkins, a

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<v Speaker 1>bank clerk, was allowed there. He stood seven feet six

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<v Speaker 1>inches high, and his burial took place within the bank,

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<v Speaker 1>in order to defeat the body snatchers who might be

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<v Speaker 1>covetous for so rich a prize. Sir Robert Viner, the

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<v Speaker 1>Prince of Goldsmith's, was the donor of the stocks Market statue,

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<v Speaker 1>an episode in his picturesque career. Baronet, Alderman, Sheriff, lord mayor,

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<v Speaker 1>and much more. A genial soul addicted to good living,

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<v Speaker 1>he was a familiar figure in restoration days. Peppies who

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<v Speaker 1>loved bright Company kept an account with him, knew him well,

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<v Speaker 1>and often in the diary mentions his activities in the

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<v Speaker 1>King's interests. For Viner possessed money and Charles did not

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<v Speaker 1>and there was the bond that linked the two goldsmith

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<v Speaker 1>and banker. He was indeed the chief financier of his day,

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<v Speaker 1>a man with whom Charles, in his many and devious

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<v Speaker 1>shifts for money, could not do without. He gave Charles

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<v Speaker 1>his crown literally for the state jewels having been sold

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<v Speaker 1>or pawned by Charles the First, and the Parliament to

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<v Speaker 1>provide funds for the opposing armies. Sir Robert Viner advanced

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<v Speaker 1>thirty two thousand pounds to furnish a new set of regalia.

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<v Speaker 1>Charles ruined him, leaving him when by an arbitrary act,

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<v Speaker 1>the King closed the exchequer in January sixteen seventy two.

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<v Speaker 1>An unsatisfied creditor for four hundred and sixteen thousand pounds,

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<v Speaker 1>Viner shouldered his burden and struggled along to eventual bankruptcy,

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<v Speaker 1>protected by royal command forbidding his clients to sue him,

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<v Speaker 1>and an annual payment of interest promised but long deferred.

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<v Speaker 1>And in his broad mindedness, he seems to have borne

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<v Speaker 1>the King no malice. He is best remembered by an

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<v Speaker 1>anecdote told of a city feast in his mayoralty whereat

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<v Speaker 1>the king stealing away to his coach in Guildhall Yard,

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<v Speaker 1>was seized by the hand by his host, who cried

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<v Speaker 1>with an oath, sire, you shall stay and take t'other bottle.

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<v Speaker 1>Charles Ready and Wit replied with the line of an

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<v Speaker 1>old song. He that is drunk is as great as

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<v Speaker 1>a king, and the two jovial monarchs returned to the

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<v Speaker 1>table to finish the carrouse. The Great Fire of London

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<v Speaker 1>in sixteen sixty six swept the full length of Lombard

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<v Speaker 1>Street on its second day. Viner's fine House Air, the

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<v Speaker 1>typical mansion of a rich city merchant, stood in a

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<v Speaker 1>pleasant garden where now is a branch post office, and

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<v Speaker 1>it burnt with the rest, but his wealth, being largely

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<v Speaker 1>in bonds and securities, was easily removed. While the flames

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<v Speaker 1>were still threatening, the King sent an order to Windsor

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<v Speaker 1>Castle that Viner's securities, money and jewels should be safe

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<v Speaker 1>lodged there, and appointed also a place for him, in

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<v Speaker 1>order that his labors for the crown should continue undisturbed.

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<v Speaker 1>The city churches destroyed in the Great Fire included Saint

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<v Speaker 1>mary Woolchurch Hall and a finer and larger stocks market,

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<v Speaker 1>being afterwards determined upon the site of the church and

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<v Speaker 1>graveyard were thrown into it. What more befitting so central

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<v Speaker 1>a position than a statue raised to the greatness of

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<v Speaker 1>Charles the Second, So thought Sir Robert, with whom loyalty

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<v Speaker 1>was the very life blood. When surely the most curious

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<v Speaker 1>combination of circumstances that has ever occurred placed such a

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<v Speaker 1>statue within his reach, the story has run with a

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<v Speaker 1>ripple of laughter. It chanced that John Sobeski, King of Poland,

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<v Speaker 1>having slaughtered a vast number of Turks and so saved Vienna,

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<v Speaker 1>his ambassador in England, ordered an equestrian statue of his master,

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<v Speaker 1>commemorative of the victory. Sebesky, engrossed with larger affairs, did

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<v Speaker 1>not send his ambassador the money with which to pay

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<v Speaker 1>the sculptor, and, pending a settlement of this vital matter,

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<v Speaker 1>the statue lay boxed up on Tower Wharf the Low

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<v Speaker 1>London Bridge, awaiting exportation. That was Viner's opportunity, and he

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<v Speaker 1>was prompt to seize it. The sculptor, forgotten but meritorious,

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<v Speaker 1>put vigor into his work, representing Sobeski in warrior's dress,

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<v Speaker 1>trampling upon a helpless Turk. The goldsmith purchased the statue

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<v Speaker 1>footnote one. There is another version of the origin of

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<v Speaker 1>the statue, that Viner first heard of it from his

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<v Speaker 1>agent at Leghorn, that he acquired it for a mere song,

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<v Speaker 1>and shipped it from the continent to Tower wharf. I

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<v Speaker 1>do not know which is true, end footnote, And regarding

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<v Speaker 1>the incongruities of costume, had the head of the Polish

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<v Speaker 1>king replaced by that of Charles the Second, and the

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<v Speaker 1>features of the turk lying prostrate under his horse's feet

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<v Speaker 1>altered to those of Oliver Cromwell. Thus maneuvered the statue

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<v Speaker 1>arose on this spot in honor of the sovereign. It

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<v Speaker 1>was dedicated on the anniversary of the King's birthday in

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<v Speaker 1>sixteen seventy two. Walpole says that Latham carved the head

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<v Speaker 1>of King Charles. There is not the least doubt about

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<v Speaker 1>the story, which the oriental attire and head dress of

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<v Speaker 1>the betrampled Cromwell, as still to be seen at Newby Hall,

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<v Speaker 1>fully bear out. Naturally, the lampooners made busy. One wrote

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<v Speaker 1>these lines some years after the erection of the statue.

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<v Speaker 1>Could Robert Viner have foreseen the glorious triumph of his

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<v Speaker 1>master the wolf Church statue to gold has been, which

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<v Speaker 1>now is made of alabaster. But wise men think, had

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<v Speaker 1>it been wood, twere for a bankrupt king to good

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<v Speaker 1>Those that the fabric well consider do of a diversely discourse.

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<v Speaker 1>Some pass their censure on the rider, others their judgment

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<v Speaker 1>on the horse. Most say the steed's a goodly thing,

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<v Speaker 1>but all agree tis elude. King Andrew Marvell, when Member

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<v Speaker 1>of Parliament for Hull, spent his satire upon the ill

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<v Speaker 1>judged statue in lines which passed from hand to hand,

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<v Speaker 1>but attained print only posthumously. In order to understand them.

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<v Speaker 1>Remember that the equestrian figure was set up after the

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<v Speaker 1>general ruin which attended the closing of the exchequer. So

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<v Speaker 1>Sir Robert advanced the king's statue in token of a

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<v Speaker 1>broker defeated in Lombard streak broken. Some thought it a

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<v Speaker 1>mighty and generous deed, obliging the city with a king

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<v Speaker 1>on a steed, when with honor he might, from his word,

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<v Speaker 1>have gone back. He that waits for a calm is

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<v Speaker 1>absolved by a rack. By all it appears, from the

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<v Speaker 1>first to the last to be a revenge and a

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<v Speaker 1>malice forecast upon the king's birthday, to set up a

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<v Speaker 1>thing that shows him a monkey more like than a king.

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<v Speaker 1>When each one that passes finds fault with the horse,

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<v Speaker 1>yet all do assure that the king is much worse,

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<v Speaker 1>and some by its likeness. Sir Roberts suspect that he

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<v Speaker 1>did for the king his own statue erect, but with

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<v Speaker 1>all his faults, pray give us our king as ever

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<v Speaker 1>you hope in December for spring. For though the whole

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<v Speaker 1>world world cannot shew such another, we have better have

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<v Speaker 1>him than his bigoted brother. Not less biting in their

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<v Speaker 1>illusions are verses on a dialogue between two horses. The

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<v Speaker 1>steeds bearing the figures of Charles the first at charing

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<v Speaker 1>Cross and Charles the second at the stocks Market, have

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<v Speaker 1>joined company at night, their riders having dismounted the father

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<v Speaker 1>to visit Archbishop Laud and the son to seek more

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<v Speaker 1>questionable associates. An anonymous writer of the next century gave

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<v Speaker 1>in satirical form the last dying speech and confession of

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<v Speaker 1>the horse at stocks Market. You whimsical people of London's

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<v Speaker 1>fair town, who one year put up with the next

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<v Speaker 1>year you pull down full Sixty one years have I

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<v Speaker 1>stood in this place, and never till now met with

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<v Speaker 1>any disgrace. What affront to crowned heads? Could you offer

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<v Speaker 1>more bear than to pull down a king to make

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<v Speaker 1>room for a mayre? The great Sebesky on horse with

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<v Speaker 1>long tail, I first represented when set up for sale,

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<v Speaker 1>A turk, as you see, was placed under my feet

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<v Speaker 1>to prove o'er the Sultan my triumph complete. When the

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<v Speaker 1>king was restored, you then, in a trice, called me

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<v Speaker 1>Charles the second, and by way of device, said the

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<v Speaker 1>old whiskered turk had Oliver's face. Though you know to

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<v Speaker 1>be conquered, he ne'er felt the disgrace. As the market

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<v Speaker 1>is moved, I'm obliged to retreat. I could stay there

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<v Speaker 1>no longer with nothing to eat. Now the herbs and

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<v Speaker 1>the greens are all carried away, I must trot unto

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<v Speaker 1>those who will find me. In Hay. The city bore

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<v Speaker 1>with the statue a constant shaft of opprobrium and ridicule

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<v Speaker 1>uel for two thirds of a century. When in seventeen

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<v Speaker 1>thirty eight the closing of the stocks market and clearance

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<v Speaker 1>of the ground for building the mansion house left it

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<v Speaker 1>on hand. What to do with it was a problem

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<v Speaker 1>the Civic Fathers could not solve. They had then had

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<v Speaker 1>more experience of the Stuarts, in no way enlarging the

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<v Speaker 1>popularity of that dynasty. A Hanoverian sat on the British throne.

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<v Speaker 1>Rider and horse were laid aside for several years, out

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<v Speaker 1>of sight in a builder's shed, and when memory of

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<v Speaker 1>them had faded, the Common Council in the year seventeen

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<v Speaker 1>seventy nine presented the statue to Robert Viner, a descendant

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<v Speaker 1>of the Loyal Lord Mayor. It was set up by

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<v Speaker 1>him at Gottbee Park, Lincolnshire, and its last migration was

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<v Speaker 1>in eighteen eighty three to Newby Hall, the Yorkshire seat

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<v Speaker 1>of the present head of the Viner family, where to

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<v Speaker 1>day it stands. Such in brief is the story of

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<v Speaker 1>the stocks Market statue, and one wonders if another royal

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<v Speaker 1>effigy has ever had such adventures. End of Chapter twelve.