DICK WHITTINGTON

New Zealand Tablet, 30 August 1906, Page 37

DICK WHITTINGTON

Most boys and girls have heard, in song or story, play or pantomime,, of the famous Dick Whittington, thrice London's Lord Mayor, and of his equally famous ca;t. The most commonly known version of fris story is that he came to London friendless and alome, save for a cat, to which he was veiy much attached. He sought vainly for employment 1 for a considerable time, bub at length found work as a scullion in the household of one of the merchant-lords that were so common in London during the reigns of the Lancastrian kings. It seems that his master was in the habit of trading with the natives of Africa ; and it was customary for each person in his employment to send, with the skippers of his -vessels, some article which might be exchanged for gold dust, ivory, or the like. Poor Dick was urged by some of his fellow-servants to send his cat ; but, getting up early one morning, he escaped from the house wiL-h the intention of shaking the dust of the capital fiom his feet. In Uheapside he sat down to rest ; and as hj sat the bells of the church of Saint Mary-le-Bow rang out." To Dick they seemed to say : Turn round, Whittington— turn around, Thiice Lord Mayor of London town. Dick returned to his work, and consigned his cat to the skipper of the next vessel of his master that sailed for Africa. In the port to which the vessel came there was a plague of rats and mice. Cats there were none, so that the skipper netted a considerable amount of valuables by hiring out the cat of the scullion. Some accounts say the cat was sold for commodities so \aluable that Dick was shortly taken into partnership by his master, and later married his daughter. Such is the le&endary story of Whittington. Sober history tells us that such a personage really existed ; that he was thrice chosen chief magistrate of London ; that during his third mayoralty he entertained with great magnificence King Henry V. and his consort, Catherine of France. He also estaib-lished several charitable foundations, one of which was a ' God's House ' for thirteen poor men. In the manuscript constitutions of the Mercers' Company of London, it is laid down that all the inmates of this almshouse ' shall say each morning a ' Pater Noster ' and an ' Aye Maria ' to God and ' Maiden Ma.ry.' Such prayers were to be offered to God for the happy repose ol the souls of Sir Richard Whittington and his wife Alice ; and the orisons were to conclude with the words : ' God have mercy on our founders' souls and on all Christians ! ' The ' cat ' that popular legends connect with Whittington is thought really ?o have been a ship which bore that name, and by trading with which he acquired an immense fortune. He was knighted by Henry V., and died in 1423.— l Aye Maria.'