gentlemen, all our coals from Newcastle are imported in nothing but
cats. From thence it appears that it was not the whiskered four-footed,
mouse-killing cat that was the source of the magistrate's wealth, but
the coasting, sailing, coal-carrying cat; that, gentlemen, was
Whittington's cat."

We may now pass from the fictitious to the real Richard Whittington, and
although this is not the place for a life of the distinguished citizen,
which may be found elsewhere, it will be convenient to set down in order
the chief incidents of his career.

Richard Whittington was the third son of Sir William Whittington,
knight, of Pauntley, Gloucestershire, and it is assumed, by some
writers, that he was born in or about the year 1360. We must, however,
place his birth at an earlier date, for his name appears in the city
_Letter Book_, H, fol. 110_a_, (as Richard Whyttingdone), in the second
year of Richard II. (A.D. 1379), as a contributor of five marks
towards a loan to the city authorities; about four-fifths of the
subscribers contributing the same, which is the lowest figure among the
contributions.[2] This is the first appearance of Whittington's name in
the city books. William, the eldest son, succeeded to the family
property of Pauntley, but, dying without issue, the estate went to
Robert, the second son, who became high sheriff of the county in 1402,
and again in 1407. Pauntley remained in the family as late as 1546.

Nothing is known of Richard's early life, either as to when or how he
came to London. He appears to have married Alice, daughter of Hugh
Fitzwarren, and probably he was originally apprenticed to his
father-in-law, whose name appears in all the versions of his history.