famous fable of Whittington and his puss shall be forgotten."

The next allusion is in Thomas Heywood's _If you know not me, you know
nobody_, 2nd part, 1606.

_Dean Nowell._ "This Sir Richard Whittington, three times Mayor,
Sonne to a knight and prentice to a mercer,
Began the Library of Grey-Friars in London,
And his executors after him did build
Whittington Colledge, thirteene Alms-houses for poore men,
Repair'd S. Bartholomewes, in Smithfield,
Glased the Guildhall, and built Newgate.

_Hobson._ Bones of men, then I have heard lies;
For I have heard he was a scullion,
And rais'd himself by venture of a cat.

_Nowell._ They did the more wrong to the gentleman."

Here it will be seen that, although the popular tale is mentioned, it is
treated as a mere invention unworthy of credence.

The next in point of time is the ballad by Richard Johnson, published in
the _Crowne Garland of Goulden Roses_ (1612), which probably had a much
earlier existence in a separate form. It is the earliest form of the
story of Whittington now in existence.

_A song of Sir Richard Whittington, who by strange fortunes came to bee
thrice Lord Maior of London; with his bountifull guifts and liberallity
given to this honourable Citty._