The History of Sir Richard Whittington | Page 8

Times of Dick Whittington: an Historical Romance. London: Hugh Cuningham, St. Martin's Place. 1841. 8vo.
This is a novel written in imitation of Ainsworth, illustrated with plates in imitation of Cruikshank.
[1845.] Woodcock's "Lives of Illustrious Lords Mayors and Aldermen of London, with a Brief History of the City of London." London. 8vo. Pp. 28-46, Life of Whittington; but it contains no information of any value.
1860. The Model Merchant of the Middle Ages, exemplified in the Story of Whittington and his Cat: being an attempt to rescue that interesting story from the region of fable, and to place it in its proper position in the legitimate history of this country. By the Rev. Samuel Lysons, M.A. London: Hamilton, Adams & Co. 1860. 8vo.
1871. The Story of Sir Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London in the years 1397, 1406-7, and 1419 A.D. Written and?illustrated by Carr. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1871. Folio.
A new Ballad prettily illustrated, in which Canon Lysons's researches are taken into account, and the boy is made of good parentage, but the rest of the legend is retained.
1881. Sir Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. By Walter Besant and James Rice. London: Marcus Ward and Co. 1881. Sm. 8vo.
Whittington and his Cat. By Ernest J. Miller. Published by the Albany Institute, Albany, N.Y. Weed, Parsons, and Company. 1881. 8vo.
A valuable paper, which contains a great mass of information on both the true and----the fictitious Whittington.
Whittington and his Cat, an Entertainment for Young People, by Miss Corner.
The Remarkable History of Richard Whittington and his Cat. Aunt Busy Bee's New Series. Dean and Son. Coloured illustrations on the page.
The following title is taken from Mr. Lysons's book, and I presume it is merely an edition of the ordinary chap-book.
History of Sir Richard Whittington. Printed at Sympson's in Stonecutter Street, Fleet Market.

The following extract from Granger's History of England is curious as showing that the public would not have a portrait of Whittington without a representation of his famous cat:--
"The true portraicture of Richard Whitington, thrise Lord Maior of London; a vertuous and godly man, full of good works, and those famous. He builded the gate of London called Newegate, which before was a miserable doungeon. He builded Whitington College, and made it an almose-house for poore people. Also he builded a great parte of the hospitall of St. Bartholomew's, in West Smithfield, in London. He also builded the beautiful library at the Grey Friars in London, called Christe's Hospitall. He also builded the Guildehalle chappell, and increased a great parte of the east ende of the said halle, beside many other good workes."--_R. Elstracke sc. Collar of SS.; his right hand on a cat._
Granger says of this:
"The cat has been inserted as the common people did not care to buy the print without it. There was none originally in the plate, but a skull in the place of the cat. I have seen only two proofs of this portrait in its first state, and these were fine?impressions."--1775, vol. i. p. 62.
The following is a copy of the headings of the chapters in an early form of the chap-book version of Whittington's life:
THE
HISTORY
OF
SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON,
THRICE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.
Durham: Printed and sold by I. Lane. [1730.]
THE LIFE OF
SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON.
CHAP. I.
How, Whittington, being born of unknown parents, was left to a desperate fortune, and rambled the country till necessity and fear made him come to London.
CHAP. II.
How, at the instance of Mrs. Alice, the Merchant's daughter, he became a servant in the family under the cook maid, who used him cruelly, and how Mrs. Alice took pity on him, and interpos'd her authority.
CHAP. III.
How, lying in a garret, he was ready to be devoured by rats and mice, and to prevent it purchased a cat with a penny given him for cleaning shoes; and how, with the servants, he adventured the cat, being all his stock.
CHAP. IV.
How the bitter jade of a cook maid encreasing her cruelty towards him he grew weary of his service, and was running away on All-Hallow's day; but upon hearing the ringing of Bow bells came back again. Also how the merchant abroad disposed of his cat.
CHAP. V.
Of the great riches received for Whittington's cat more than for all the goods in the ship; on the arrival of which his master sent for him upstairs by the title of Mr. Whittington, and the excuses he made, and how he distributed part of his wealth to his fellow-servants giving the ill-natur'd cook maid 100l.
CHAP. VI.
How Mr. Whittington, being genteely dress'd, became, to all appearance, a very comely, proper person; how Mrs. Alice, his master's daughter, fell in love with him, and, by her father's consent, married him; and also how he was chosen sheriff of London.
CHAP. VII.
How he was thrice elected Lord Mayor of London; how he entertain'd