"This yere (1406) a worthie citizen of London, named Rychard
Whittyngton, mercer and alderman, was elected maior of the sayde
citie, and bare that office three tymes. This worshipfull man so
bestowed his goodes and substaunce to the honor of God, to the
reliefe of the pore, and to the benefite of the comon weale, that
he hath right well deserved to be regestered in the boke of fame.
First, he erected one house or church in London to be a house of
prayer, and he named the same after his awne name Whittyngtons
College, and so it remayneth to this day. And in the same church,
besydes certeine priestes and clerkes, he placed a number of poore
aged men and women and buylded for them houses and lodgyngs, and
allowed unto them wood, cole, cloth, and weekly money to their
great reliefe and comfort.... He also buylded for the ease of the
maior of London and his brethren, and of the worshipfull citizens
at the solempne dayes of their assemblye, a chapell adioining to
the Guyldhall, to the entent they should euer before they entered
into any of theyr affayrs first to go into the chappel, and by
prayer to call upon God for assistaunce.... He also buylded a great
part of the east ende of the Guildhall, besyde many other good
workes that I knowe not. But among all other I will shewe unto you
one very notable, which I receyved credibly by a writyng of his
awne hande, which also he willed to be fixed as a schedule to his
last will and testament, the contentes whereof was that he willed
and commaunded his executors as they would aunswere before God at
the day of the resurrection of all fleshe, that if they found any
debtor of his that ought to him any money, that if he were not in
their consciences well worth three tymes as much, and also out of
the debt of other men, and well able to pay, that then they shoulde
never demaund it, for he cleerely forgave it, and that they should
put no man in sute for any debt due to him. Looke upon thys, ye