E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Cresswell (Madame).
A woman of infamous character who bequeathed £10 for a funeral sermon, in which nothing ill should be said of her. The Duke of Buckingham wrote the sermon, which was as follows: “All I shall say of her is this—she was born well, she married well, lived well, and died well; for she was born at Shad-well, married to Cress-well, lived at Clerken-well, and died in Bride-well.”
