Stow (1615)
John Stow's description of the building of Britain's
Burse and the Royal family's inaugural visit, printed in his Annals
(1615), 895.
[p. 895]
[Britan Burse builded]
In the
Strand
on the North side of
Durham house, stoode an olde long stable, the outward
wall wherof, to the streete side, was very rude and ruinate, all which was taken
downe, and a stately building sodainely erected in ye place, by Robert Earle of
Salisbury, Lord high Treasurer of
England
. The first stone of this beautifull
building was laid the tenth of June last past, and was fully finished in Nouember
following. And vpon Tuesday the tenth of Aprill this yeere one thousand sixe
hundreth and nine, many of the vpper shoppes were richly furnished with Wares, and
the next day after that the King
, Queene, and Prince, the Ladie
Elizabeth
, and the
Duke of Yorke, with many great Lordes, and chiefe Ladies, came thither, and were
there entertayned with pleasant speeches, gifts, and ingenious deuices, and then the
King
gaue it a name, and called it Britan Burse.
Bibliography
Stow (1615), 895