"Oldborne Conduit, which stood by Oldborne Crosse, was first builded
1498. Thomasin, widow to John Percival, maior, gave to the second making
thereof twenty markes; Richard Shore, ten pounds; Thomas Knesworth, and
others also, did give towards it.--But of late, a new conduit was there
builded, in place of the old, namely, in the yeere 1577; by William
Lambe, sometime a gentleman of the chappell to King Henry the Eighth,
and afterwards a citizen and clothworker of London, which amounted to
the sum of 1,500_l_.

"Scroops' Inne,[2] sometime Sergeant's Inne, was situate against the
church of St. Andrew, in Oldborne, in the city of London, with two
gardens.

"On the High-streete of Oldborne (says Stowe) have ye many fair houses
builded, and lodgings for gentlemen, innes for travellers, and such
like, up almost (for it lacketh but little) to St. Giles's in the
Fields."

Gerard, the famous herbalist, lived in Holborn, and had there a large
botanic garden. Holborn was then in the outskirts of the town on that
side. Richard the Third asked the Bishop of Ely to send for some of the
good strawberries which he heard the bishop had in his garden in
Holborn.

"In 1417, Lower Holborn (says Brayley) one of the great inlets to the
city, was first paved, it being then described as a highway, so deep and
miry, that many perils and hazards were thereby occasioned; and the
King, at his own expense, is recorded to have employed two vessels,
each of twenty tons burthen, for bringing stones for that purpose.