a Bishop for their Prolocutor and the Lower being required by the Highe House to choose them a Prolocutor or Speaker which done they present him to the Upper House by two of their Members whereof one makes a Speech in Latin and then the Elect person makes another Speech in Latin Lastly the Archbishop answers in Latin and in the name of all the Lords approves of the person Both Houses debate and transact only such matters as His Majesty by Commission expresly alloweth In the Upper House things are first proposed and then communicated to the Lower House The Major vote in each House prevailes Out of Parliament time they usually assemble every day about Nine of the clock and first the Junior Bishop sayes prayers in Latin beginning with the Letany and then for the King c. And in the Lower House the Prolocutor says prayers In Convocation are debated only matters concerning Religion and the Church and sometime of giving His Majesty assistance in Money for as the Laity cannot be taxed without their own consent signified by their Representative in Parliament so the Clergy cannot be taxed without their consent signified by their Representative in Convocation The Clergy in Convocation might antiently without asking the Royal Assent and now may with the Royal Assent make Canons touching matters of Religion to bind not only themselves but all the Laity with-out consent or ratification of the Lords and Commons in Parliament Till the late Rebellion the Parliament did not at all meddle in the making Canons or in matters Doctrinal or in Translation of Scriptures only by their civil Sanctions when they were thereto required did confirm the Results and Consultations of the Clergy that so the people might be the more easily induced to obey the Ordinances of their Spiritual Governors The Clergy of England had antiently their Representatives in the Lower House of Parliament as appears by that antient Record so highly prized by the late Lord Coke and as the Upper House had and still hath Lords Spiritual as well as Temporal so in the Lower House there were always Commons Spiritual as well as Temporal for that Record saith expresly that the Commons in Parliament consist of three degrees or kinds First ex Procuratoribus Cleri Secondly ex Militibus Comitatuum Thirdly ex Burgensibus and the words of the Writ directed now to the Procuratores Cleri seem to give them the very same right to sit in that House as the words of the Writ to the Knights Citizens and Burgesses do give to them All the Members of both Houses of Convocation have the same priviledges for themselves and menial Servants as the Members of Parliament have and that by Statute The Archbishop of York at the same time holds at York a Convocation of all his Province in like manner and by constant correspondence doth debate and conclude of the same matters as are debated and concluded by the Provincial Synod of Canterbury Now for the Executive power in Church matters throughout the Kingdom of England there have been provided divers excellent Courts whereof the highest for criminal Causes was the High Commission Court for the jurisdiction whereof it was enacted primo Elizabethae that Her Majesty and Successors should have power by Letters Patents under the Great Seal to nominate Commissioners to exercise jurisdiction throughout the whole Realm to visit reform and correct all Errors Heresies Schisms Abuses and Delinquencies that may by any Ecclesiastical power be corrected or reformed This Court consisted of the highest persons of England in the Church and State and was the principal Bulwark and Preservative of the Church of England against the practices and assaults of all her Adversaries whether Romanist Puritan or Atheist yet for some pretended abuses the use thereof was taken away in the late seditious long Parliament whereupon followed a deluge of Errors in Religion Apostacy Atheism Blasphemy Sacriledge Incest Adultery impious Libels Schisms Conventicles c. all which so overwhelmed the manners of English men and occasioned at length so many profest Atheists that until the re-establishment of this or the like Court there cannot a Reformation be reasonably hoped for For civil affairs that concern the Church the highest Court is the Court of Delegates for the jurisdiction whereof it was provided 25 H. 8. that it shall be lawful for any subject of England in case of defect of justice in the Courts of the Archbishop of Canterbury to appeal to the Kings Majesty in his Court of Chancery and that upon such appeal a Commission under the Great Seal shall be directed to certain persons particularly designed for that business so that from the highest Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury there lies an Appeal to this Court of Delegates and beyond this to none other Next to the Court of Delegates are the Courts of the Archbishop of Canterbury where any Ecclesiastical Sutes between any persons may waving all inferior Courts be decided amongst them the highest Court is the Court of Arches so called from the Arched Church and Tower of S. Maries in Cheapside London where this Court is wont to be held the Judge whereof is called Dean of the Arches having jurisdiction over a Deanery consisting of 13 Parishes within London exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London Hither are directed all Appeals in Ecclesiastical matters within the Province of Canterbury To this Court belongs divers Advocates all Doctors of the Civil Law two Registers and ten Proctors the Dean at present is Doctor Sweat In the next place the Archbishop of Canterbury hath his Court of Audience kept within the Archbishops Palace and medleth not with any difference between parties but concerning Elections and consecration of Bishops Admission and Institution to Benefices dipensing with Banes of Matrimony c. The next Court is called the Prerogative Court which judgeth of Estates fallen by Will or by Intestates so called because the Archbishops jure Praerogativae suae hath this power throughout his whole Province where the party at the time of death had 5 l. or above in several Dioceses and these two Courts hath also the Archbishop of York Lastly the Court of Peculiars which dealeth in certain Parishes lying in several Dioceses which Parishes are exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishops of those Dioceses and are peculiarly belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury in whose Province there are 57 such Peculiars Besides these Courts serving for the whole Province every Bishop hath his Court held in the Cathedral of his Diocess over which he hath a Chancellor tearmed antiently Ecclesiecdicus Episcopi Ecdicus the Church Lawyer or the Bishops Lawyer who being skill'd in the Civil and Canon Law sits there as Judge and if his Diocess be large he hath in some more remote place a Commissary whose authority is only in some certain place of the Diocess and some certain Causes limited to him by the Bishop in his Commission and these are called Consistory Courts
Moreover every Archdeacon hath his Court and Jurisdiction where smaller differences arising within his limits are pleaded Also the Dean and Chapter hath a Court and take cognizance of Causes happening in places belonging to the Cathedral Lastly there are certain peculiar Jurisdictions belonging to some certain Parishes the Inhabitants whereof are exempt sometimes from the Archdeacons Jurisdiction and sometimes from the Bishops Jurisdiction Causes belonging to Ecclesiastical Courts are Blasphemy Apostasie from Christianity Heresies Schisms Ordinations Institutions of Clerks to Benefices Celebration of Divine Service Rights of Matrimony Divorces general Bastardy Tythes Oblations Obventions Mortuaries Dilapidations Reparation of Churches Probate of Wills Administrations Simony Incests Fornications Adulteries Solicitations of Chastity Pensions Procurations Commutation of Pennance c. the cognizance whereof belongs not to the Common Law of England The Laws and Constitutions whereby the Ecclesiastical Government doth stand and the Church of England is governed are first general Canons made by general Councels also the Arbitria sanctorum Patrum the opinion of Fathers the grave Decrees of several Holy Bishops of Rome which the Kings of England from time to time have admitted Next our own Constitutions made antiently in several Provincial Synods either by the Legats Otho and Othobon sent from Rome or by several Archbishops of Canterbury all which are by 25 H. 8. of force in England so far as they are not repugnant to the Laws and Customs of England or the Kings Prerogative Then the Canons made in Convocations of later times as primo Jacobi and confirmed by his Royal Authority Also some Statutes enacted by Parliament touching Ecclesiastical affairs And lastly divers Customs not written but yet in use beyond the memory of man and where these fail the Civil Law takes place The manner of Tryals by these Laws and Customs are different from the Tryals at Common Law and are briefly thus First goes forth a Citation then Bill and Answer then by Proofs Witnesses and Presumptions the matter is argued pro and con and the Canon and Civil Laws quoted then without any Jury the definitive sentence of the Judge passseth and upon that Execution And this is the manner of trying Ecclesiastical Civil Causes but Ecclesiastical criminal Causes are tryed by way of Accusation Denunciation or Inquisition The first when some one takes upon him to prove the crime the second when the Churchwardens present and are nor bound to prove because it is presumed they do it without any malice and that the crime is notorious Lastly by Inquisition when by reason of common fame inquiry is made by the Bishop ex officio suo by calling some of the neighborhood to their Oaths or the party accused to his Oath ex officio so called because the Ecclesiastical Judge doth it ex officio suo which is very antient and was usual among the Jews so Joshua to Acan Fili mi tribue gloriam c. So God himself to Adam upon his first transgression and likewise afterward to Sodom but by the prevailing faction in the long Parliament this power was extorted from the Church the want whereof is one main cause of the great libertinisme and debauchery of the Nation Now the punishments inflicted by these Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Courts according to these Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Laws proceed in this manner First the party delinquent is admonish'd next goes forth minor Excommunicatio whereby he is excommunicated or excluded from the Church or if not from the Church yet from the Communion of the Lords Supper is disenabled to be Plaintiff in a Law Sute c. And this commonly for stubborness shewed by not appearing in the Ecclesiastical Court upon summons or not obeying the Orders of the Court which though in smallest matters yet may be a very great crime for Res praecepta quo facilior est observatu eo praecepti violatio est gravior cum fit magis spontanea as S. Austin observes of the first sin of Adam Any command by how much the easier it may be observed by so much the more grievous is the breach thereof because it is the more voluntary besides in contempts it is not so much the violation of the Law as of the Authority which ought to be resented And herein the Church of England proceedeth no otherwise than the State of England for so odious in the eye of the common Law of Enland is the contempt thereof that not only for Felonies but even in an Action of the case in an Action of a small Debt Account or Detinue if a man will not appear and submit himself to a Tryal at Law a Process of Outlawry is grounded against him and he being once Outlawed he is out of the protection of the Law Caput gerit lupinum saith Bracton an Outlaw'd was antiently lookt upon as a Wolf lawfully to be killed by any man that should meet him as most just that he who contemned the Law and therein the King should not have benefit by the Law nor protection from the King and at this day he is to loose all his Goods and Chattels The Reader will easily pardon this digression when he considers the general cry against Excommunications at this day This power of lesser Excommunication the Bishop may delegate to any grave Priest with the Chancellour Excommunicato major is not only an exclusion from the company of Christians in Spiritual Duties but also in Temporal affairs and this commonly for Heresie Schism Perjury Incest and such grievous crimes and that it may be done with the more solemnity and terror it is to be pronounced by the Bishop himself in his proper person and being so Excommunicated a man cannot in any Civil or Ecclesiastical Court be Plaintiff or Witness And in case any man be so stubborn as to continue 40 days excommunicated the Kings Writ de excommunicato capiendo is granted forth of the Chancery against him whereupon he is cast into prison without Bail there to lie till he hath satisfied for his offence Next there is Anathematismus to be inflicted only upon an obstinate Heretick whereby he is declared a publick Enemy of God and rejected and cursed and delivered over to eternal damnation and this to be done by the Bishop also in his own person assisted by the Dean and Chapter or twelve other grave Priests Lastly there is Interdictum whereby is prohibited all Divine Offices as Christian an Burial Administration of Sacraments c. in such a Place or to such a People and if this be against a People it follows them wheresoever they go but if against a Place only then the People of that Place may go to Divine Offices elsewhere Besides these general censures of the Church which respect Church Communion there is another which toucheth the body of the Delinquent called Publick Penance when any one is compelled to confess in publick his fault and to bewail it before the whole Congregation in the Church which is done in this manner the
expedient to premise somewhat of the Ecclesiastical persons in England IN the Government of the Church of England among the Ecclesiastical persons governing in the Englih Church is First the King of England who is as the Lawyers say Personae sacra mixta cum sacerdote The King is the supreme Bishop of England and at his Coronation by a solemn Consecration and Unction he becomes a Spiritual Person Sacred and Ecclesiastical for as he hath put upon him Corona Regni as an Embleme of his King-ship and power in Temporals so hath he Stola Sacerdotis commonly called Vestis Dalmatica as a Levitical Ephod to signify his Priesthood and power in Spirituals He is Supreme Governor in all Causes Ecclesiastical as well as Civil is Patron Paramount of all Ecelesiastical Benefices in England to whom the last Appeal in Ecclesiastical Affaires are made who alone hath power to nominate persons for all Bishopricks and chief Dignities as Deaneries and some Prebends in the Church c as more at large may be seen in the First part of the Present State of England Next to the King in the Church Government are the Bishops whereof two are called Primats Metropolitans or Archbishops that is chief Bishops the one of Canterbury the other of York each of which have besides their Peculiar Dioceses a Province consisting of several Dioceses and therein by Common Law a Prerogative of proving Wills and granting Administrations where the person dying had bona notabilia that is above 5 l. in Divers Dioceses or Jurisdictions Also by Grants of several Kings they have each one certain Priviledges Liberties and immunities in their own Estates Under these two Archbishops are 26 Bishopricks whereof 22 are reckoned in the Province of Canterbury and four in the Province of York So that there are besides the two Archbishops twenty four Bishops all which have the Title of Lords by reason of their Baronies annext to their Bishopricks and have precedence of all other Barons both in Parliament and other Assemblies amongst these precedes always the Bishop of London who by antient right is accounted Dean of the Episcopal Colledg of that Province and by vertue thereof is to signify the Pleasure of his Metropolitan to all the Bishops of the Province to execute his Mandates to disperse his Missives on all emergency of affaires to precide in Convocations or Provincial Synods during the necessary absence of the Metropolitan Next to London in Parliament precedes Durham and then Winchester all the rest of the Bishops take place according to the Seniority of their Consecrations The Function of an English Bishop consists in what he may act either by his Episcopal Order or by his Episcopal Jurisdiction By his Episcopal Order he may ordain Deacons and Priests he may Dedicate Churches and burying places may administer the Rite and Ceremony of Confirmation without whom none of these things may be done The Jurisdiction of a Bishop is either Ordinary or Delegated the Ordinary is what by the Law of the Land belongs to each Bishop in his own Diocess the Delegated is what the King is pleased to confer upon him not as a Bishop but as he is a Subject and a considerable Member of the Kingdom For all Clergymen are in England as antiently among Gods own People the Jews and amongst the Primitive Christians so soon as they were under Christian Emperors judged fit to enjoy divers temporal honours and employments as First to be in the Commission of the Peace for who so proper to make and keep Peace as they whose constant duty it is to preach Peace who so fit as they whose main business and study it is to reconcile those that are at variance and therefore since His Majesties happy Restauration as well as before divers grave discreet Divines have been made Justices of Peace and thereby not only the poor Clergy-men have been protected from the oppression of their causeless enemies but many differences have been composed without any Law-sute in a more Christian and less expensive way Secondly to be of His Majesties Privy Council where frequently Cases of Conscience may arise relating to State matters that will admit neither of delay nor publication and therefore after the pattern of that excellent Christian Emperor Constantine the Great our good Kings both before and since the Reformation have always admitted some spiritual persons to their Council Tables and Closet-debates Thirdly to be employed in publick Treaties and Negotiations of Peace and this both the Ancient and Modern practice will justify that none hath been more frequently and succesfully used in such Messages then the Ambassadors of Christ Fourthly to enjoy some of the great Offices of the Crown as to be Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer c. And it hath been observed that in the late Kings Raign when the Bishop of London was Lord Treasurer that Office was executed with as much diligence faithfulness dexterity and content to the Subject as well as to the King as ever it had been by any of his late lay-Predecessors In the ordinary Jurisdicton of a Bishop as a Bishop may be considered either the Jurisdiction it self or what is instated in him by the Law of the Land for the better execution of that Jurisdiction The Jurisdiction it self is established partly by Statute Law as to Licence Physitians Surgeons and School-Masters to unite and consolidiate small Parishes to assist the Civil Magistrates in the execution of some Statutes concerning Ecclesiastical affairs to compel the payment of Tenths and Subsidies due from the Clergy to the King Partly by Common Law as upon the Kings Writ to certify the Judges touching legitimate and illegetimate Births and Marriages to require upon the Kings Writ the burning of an obstinate Heretick also to require the Kings Writ for imprisoning the Body of one that obstinately stands excommunicated 40 dayes And partly by Common and Ecclesiastical Law together as to cause Wills of the Deceased to be proved to grant Administration of Goods of such as dye intestate to give order for the gathering and preserving of perishable Goods where none is willing to administer to cause Account to be given of Administrations to collate Benefices to grant Institutions to Benefices upon the Presentations of other Patrons to command Induction to be given to order the collecting and preserving of the Profits of vacant Benefices for the use of the Successors to defend the Franchises and Liberties of the Church to visit their particular Diocesses once in three years and therein to inquire of the Manners Carriages Delinquencies c. of Ministers of Church-wardens of the rest of the Parishoners and amongst them especially of those that profess themselves Physitians Surgeons School-masters Midwives of Wardens of Hospitals how they perform their several Duties and trusts also of all others professing Christianity and offending either against Piety as by Blasphemy Idolatry Superstition Perjury Heresie Errors against the 39 Articles Schism Conventicles absence from Divine Service unlawful abstinence
Sheriff of each County hath a double function first Ministerial to execute all Processes and Precepts of the Courts of Law and to make returns of the same Secondly Judicial whereby he hath authority to hold two several Courts of distinct nature the one called the Sheriffs Turn which he holdeth in several places of the County enquiring of all Criminal Offences against the Common-Law not prohibited by any Statute The other called the County Court wherein he hears and determines civil Causes of the County under 40 s. which antiently was a considerable summe so that by the great fall of the moneys now the Sheriffs authority in that part is much diminished He is said to be the life of Justice of the Law and of the County for no suit begins and no process is served but by him then no Execution of the Law but by him lastly he is the chief Conservator of the Peace in the whole County Every County being subdivided into Hundreds so called at first either for containing an hundred houses or 100 men bound to find Armes or Wapentakes so called from touching a weapon when they swore Allegiance as the manner at this day is in Sweden at their solemn weddings for the chief witnesses to lay all their hands upon a Lance or Pike every such Wapentake oâ— Hundred hath commonly a Bayliff a very antient Officer but now of small Authority also Officers called High Constables first ordained by the Statute of Winchester 13 Edw. 1. for conservation of Peace and view of Armour they disperse Warrants and Orders of the Justices of Peace to each Pety Constable There are also in every County two Officers called Coroners whose Office is to enquire by a Jury of Neighbours how and by whom any person came by a violent death and to enter the same upon Record which is matter Criminal and a plea of the Crown and thence they are called Crowners or Coroners These are chosen by the Free holders of the County by vertue of a Writ out of the Chancery They were antiently men of estates Birth and Honour and therefore in the Reign of Edward III. a Merchant being chosen a Coroner was removed quia communis Mercator fuit whereas he ought to have been a Gentleman which have no Trades man is reckoned to be by our Laws Every County also hath an Officer called Clerk of the Mercat whose Office is to keep a Standard of all Weights and Measures exactly according with the Kings Standard kept in the Exchequer and to see that none others be used in the same County to Seal all Weights and Measures made exactly by the Standard in his custody and to burn such as are otherwise He hath a Court and may keep and hold Plea therein Of the Civil Government of Cities EVery City of England by their Charters or Priviledges granted by several Kings is a little Common-wealth apart governed not as the Cities of France by a Nobleman or Gentleman placed there by the King but wholly by themselves they choose amongst themselves their own Governor in Cities a Mayor is chosen commonly out of 12 Aldermen In some other Coâ—porations a Bailiff is chosen out of a certain number of Burgesses They are not taxed but by their own Officers of their own Corporation every trade having some of their own alwayes of the Council to see that nothing be enacted contrary to their profit Every City by Charter from the King hath haute moyenne basse Justice a jurisdiction amongst themselves to judge in all matters criminal and civil onely with this restraint that all civil causes may be removed from their Courts to the Higher Courts at Westminster The Mayor of the City is the Kings Lieftenant and with the Aldermâ—n and Common Council as it were King Lords and Commons in Parliament can make Laws called By-Laws for the Government of the City He is for his time which is but for one year as it were a Judge to determine matters and to mitigate the Rigour of the Law The next in Government of Cities are two principal Officers called though improperly the Sheriffs who are Judges in civil causes within this City and to see all execution done whether penal or capital and should rather be called Stat-reeves or Port-reeves i. e. Urbis vel Portus Praefecti In Cities the people are generally made more industrious by Manufactures and less idleness suffered then in other places so that in some Cities children of six or seven years old are made to gain their own expences In the City of Norwich it hath of late yeares been computed and found that yearly children from 6 to 10 years of age have gained 12 thousand pounds more then what they spend and that chiefly by knitting fine Jersey Stockings The Government of Burroughs and other Towns corporate is much after the same manner In some there is a Mayor in others one or two Bailiffs who have equal power with a Mayor and Sheriffs and during their Offices they are Justices of the Peace within their Liberties and have there the same power that other Justices of the Peace have in the County For the better Government of Villages the Lord of the place hath ordinarily power to hold a Court-Baron so called because antiently such Lords were called Barons as they are still in many parts of France or else Court Baron i. e. Court of Freeholders as the Barons of Germany are called Frey herren so the Barons of the Cinque Ports in England are but the Freeholders of the Cinque Ports And this Court may be held every 3 weeks Also for the Government of Villages there is a Pety Constable chosen every year by every one that is Lord of the place this Officer is to keep the Peace in case of quarrels to search any house for Robbers Murdrers or others that have any way broken the peace to raise the Hue and Cry after Robbers fled away to seize upon them and keep them in the Stocks or other Prison till they can bring them before some Justice of Peace to whom the Constables are subservient upon all occasiions either to bring crrminals before them or to carry them by their command to the common Prison Every little Village almost hath an Epitome of Monarchical Government of Civil and Ecclesiastical policy within it self which if duly maintained would render the whole Kingdome happy First for the civil Government there is the Lord of the Soyl who from the Crown immediately or mediately holds Dominium soli and is said to have in him the Royalty as if he were a little King and hath a kind of Jurisdiction over the Inhabitants of the Village hath his Court-Leetâ— or Court-Baron to which they owe suit and service and where may be tryed smaller matters happening within the Mannour Escheats upon Felonies or other accidents Custody of Infants and Lunaticks power of passing Estates and admitting of Tenants Reliefs Hariots Hunting Hawking Fishing c. under the Lord is the Constable or
in the Countrey some in the remotest parts of England to fetch in their debts Fifthly The closeness of the Buildings in that place facilitating the progress of the Fire and hindring the usual remedy which was by Engines to shoot Water Sixthly The matter of the Buildings thereabouts which was generally wooden and of old Timber Seventhly The long continued drought of the preceding Summer even to that day which had so dryed the Timber that it was never more apt to take fire Eighthly The matter of Wares in those parts where were the greatest Magazines and Store-houses of Oyls Pitch Tar Rozin Wax Butter Brimstone Hemp Cordage Cheese Wine c. Ninthly An Easternly Wind the driest of all other that had continued long before and then did blow very strongly Tenthly The unexpected failing of the Water the Thames Water-Tower then out of order and burnt down immediately after the beginning of the fire so that most Water Pipes were soon dry Lastly An unusual negligence at first and a confidence of easily quenching the Fire on a sudden changed into a general consternation and despondency all People chusing rather by flight to save their Goods then by a vigorous opposition to save their Houses and the City These causes thus strangely concurring to say nothing of Gods just anger for the notorious impenitency of the Citizens for their abetting and instigating the shedding of the precious innocent Blood both of Gods Anointed and of their other cheif Governors both in Church and State for their still going on in their old hainous sins of Despising Dominions and speaking evil of Dignities till there was no remedy those forementioned causes so wonderfully concurring by a general prodigious Conflagration did make a greater spoil in the space of Three days viz. From Sunday morning to Wednesday morning then Three or four Armies unresisted could probably have done in twice the time for to give the Reader some little Prospect of the huge damages done by this Fire it hath been computed by an ingenious person that there were burnt in all within the Walls of this City Twelve thousand Houses and without the Walls One thousand Houses all which valued one with another at no more then 25 l. yearly Rent which at the low rate of Twelve years purchase will amount in the whole to Three millions and nine hundred thousand pounds sterling Then the Eighty seven Parish Churches the most spacious Cathedral Church of S. Paul Six Consecrated Chappels the Royal Burse or Exchange the great Guild-Hall the Custome-House the many magnificent Halls of Companies the several Principal City Gates with other Publick Edifices may well be valued at Two millions The Wares Houshold-stuff Moneys and other moveable Goods lost and spoiled by the Fire may probably amount to Two millions of pounds some say much more The Money spent in a general removing of Wares and Goods during the Fire and bringing them back afterward in the hire of Boats Carts and Porters may be well reckoned at the least Two hundred thousand pounds the total whereof is Nine millions and Nine hundred thousand pounds which reduced into French Money will amount unto One hundred twenty eight millions and seven hundred thousand Livres Tournois And yet the Citizens recovering after a few months their Native Courage have since so chearfully and unanimously set themselves to rebuild the City that within the space of four years they have erected in the same streets ten thousand houses and laid out for the same Three millions of pounds sterling counting but 300 l. a house one with another besides whole Streets built and now building in the Suburbs by others as if the late Fire had onely purged the City the Buildings are become infinitely more beautiful more commodious and more solid the three main vertues of all Edifices then before nay as if the Citizens had not been any way impoverish'd but rather inrich't by that huge Conflagration they may be said to be even wanton in thâ—ir Expences upon the stately Italian Facciatta's or Fronts of their new Houses many of Portland stone as durable almost as Marble upon their richly adorned Balconies Signes Portals c. They have made their Streets much more large and straight and whereas before they dwelt in low dark deform Wooden Cottages they now live in lofty lightsome uniform Brick Buildings so that although our gracious King cannot say of this His Capital City as one of the Emperors said of Rome Lateritiam inveni Marmoream reliqui yet he may say of it what is almost equivalent Ligneam inveni Lateritiam reliqui And of a Principal Structure of this City the Royal Exchange His Majesty may say Lateritiam inveni Saxcam reliqui whereof take here this following brief Account THe former Burse began to be erected in the year 1566. just one hundred years before it was burnt it was built at the cost and charges of a noble Merchant Sir Thomas Gresham and in a solemn manner by a Herald and Trumpet in the presence and by the special Command of Queen Elizabeth proclaimed and named the ROYAL EXCHANGE it was built most of Brick and yet was the most splendid Burse all things considered that was then in Europe before the building whereof the Burse for Merchants was kept in Lumbard-street Now it is built within and without of the forementioned excellent stone with such curious and admirable Architecture that it surpasseth all other Burses Quantum lenta solent inter Viburna Cupressi It is built Quadrangular with a large Court wherein the Merchants may assemble and the greatest part in case of rain or hot sun-shine may be sheltered in side-Galleries or Portico's The whole Fabrick cost above fifty thousand pounds whereof one half is disbursed by the Chamber of London or Corporation of the City and the other half by the Company of Mercers and to reimburse themselves there will be let to hire 190 Shops above stairs at 20 l. yearly rent each and 30 l. for fine besides the several Shops below on the East and West sides and the huge vaulted Cellers under ground so that it will be the richest piece of ground perhaps in the whole world for according to exact dimensions the ground whereon this goodly Fabrick is erected is but 171 foot from North to South and 203 foot from East to West for it is Quadratum oblongum so that it is but very little more then three quarters of an Acre of Ground and will produce above 4000 l. yearly Rent The River whereon is seated this Great City for its breadth depth gentle strait even course extraordinary wholesome water and Tides is more commodious for Navigation then perhaps any other River in the world The Sea flows gently up this River fourscore miles that is almost to Kingston twelve miles above London by land and twenty by water bringing the greater Vessels to London and the smaller beyond then against the Stream boats are drawn to Oxford and higher many miles It is high water
that ground being but a Lease the present Fellows of this Colledge have purchased with their own Moneys a fair piece of Ground in Warwick-lane whereon they are now raising a sutable Edifice Of this Colledge there is a President Four Censors and Eight Elects who are all Principal Members of the Society and out of whom one is every year chosen to preside The Four Censors of the Colledge have by their Charter authority to survey correct and govern all Physitians or others that shall practise in London or within seven miles of the same to fine amerce and imprison any of them as they shall see cause Here followeth a List of all the Principal Physitians who now practise in London Socii Colleg. Med. Lond. SIr George Ent President Dr. Hamey Dr. Glisson Dr. Salmon Dr. Stane Censor Sir Alexander Frasier Dr. Micklethwait Dr. Paget Dr. Timothy Clark Dr. Goddard Censor Dr. King Dr. Cox Dr. Stanley Dr. Whistler Sir Charles Scarborough Dr. Wharton Dr. Merret Censor Dr. Samuel Collins Dr. Rugeley Sir William Petty Dr. Terne Sir John Babor Sir Edward Greaves Dr. Croyden Censor Dr. Bevoir Dr. Wolfe Dr. Luellen Sir John Finch Dr. Banes Dr. Walter Dr. Burwell Dr. Rogers Dr. Mills Dr. Lang. Dr. Betts Dr. Twisden Dr. Waldron Dr. Barwick Dr. Dacres Dr. Samuel Collins Dr. Collier Dr. James Clark Dr. Jasper Needham Dr. Henry Clark Dr. Carr. Dr. Packer Candidati Dr. Stracey Dr. Yerbury Dr. Allen. Dr. Hodges Dr. Millington Dr. Parker Dr. Jo. Smith Dr. Lawson Dr. Coysh Dr. Bruce Dr. Brooks Dr. Howarth Dr. George Smith Sir Thomas Bathurst Dr. Francklin Dr. Atfield Dr. Downes Dr. Trevor Dr. Croone Dr. Browne Dr. Burwell Dr. Short Dr. Marshall Socii Honorarii Dr. Frear Dr. Parker Dr. Gourdon Dr. Denton Sir John Colladon Dr. Meara Dr. Lampriere Dr. Bowle Dr. Bacon Sir Richard Napier Sir John Hinton Dr. Colestone Dr. Charleton Dr. Dawtrey Dr. Deodait Dr. Fogarsius Dr. Hames Dr. Jo. Skinner Dr. Timme Dr. Warner Dr. Harris Dr. Argall Dr. Arris Dr. Langham Dr. Meverell Dr. Stanley Sir Theodore de Veaux Dr. Witherley Dr. Titchborne Dr. Woodcock Dr. King Dr. Tayler Dr. Bright Dr. Moore Dr. Cursellis Dr. Walgrave Dr. Ball. Dr. Duke Dr. Harrison Dr. Man Dr. Barebone Dr. Napier Dr. Gelsthorpe Dr. Griffith Dr. Walter Needham Dr. Moesler Dr. Carter Dr. Trapham Dr. Henry Glisson Dr. Charleton Dr. John Clark Dr. Cavendish Dr. Dennis Gourden Dr. Bridgood Dr. Yardley Dr. Browne Dr. Paman Dr. Fisher Dr. Grinder Dr. Lawrence Dr Willis Dr. Dickenson Dr. Fielding Dr. Medford Dr. Grey Dr. Sagittary Dr. White Dr. Waterhouse Permissi Dr. Wedderburn Dr. Trist. Dr. Lenthall Dr. Barrough Dr. Broome Dr. Welman Dr. Vermuden Dr. Sydenham Antiently the usual Fee of a Doctor was 20 s. and of one that had not taken that degree 10 s. at present there is no certain rule But some that are eminent have received in Fees yearly 2 or 3000 l. and purchase great Estates which in other Countreys is very rare Besides the worthy persons mentioned in the List above there are divers Physitians that have good practice in London although they never had any Licence which is connived at by the Colledge and so is the too much practise of Empericks Mountebanks Pretended Chymists Apothecaries Surgeons Wise-women c. In which piece of folly the English surpass all the Nations of Christendom And yet by the Law of England if one who is no Physitian or Surgeon or not expresly allowed to practise shall take upon him a Cure and his Patient die under his hands this is Felony in the person presuming so to do Of the Colledge of Heralds NOt far from the Colledge of Doctors Commons stood the Colledge of Heralds that is of such as are to be Messengers of War and Peace that are skilful in Descents Pedigrees and Coats or Armories an Ancient House built by Thomas Stanley Earl of Derby who married the Mother of King Henry the Seventh and bestowed by Queen Mary on the Kings Heralds and Pursuivants at Arms for ever to the end that they and their Successors might dwell together if they so pleased and assemble confer and agree for the good Government of their Faculty and that their Records might there safely be preserved c. They were made a Colledge or Corporation by Charter of King Richard the Third and by him had several Priviledges granted unto them as to be free from Subsidies Tolls and all troublesome Offices of the Kingdom Afterwards another Charter of Priviledges was granted unto this Society by King Edward the Sixth in the third year of His Reign Of this Collegiate Society are first three stiled Reges Armorum Anglorum Kings at Arms six called Heralds and four Pursuivants at Arms. Amongst the Kings at Arms the first and principal is called Garter instituted by King Henry the Fifth whose office is to attend the Knights of the Garter at their Solemnities and to Marshal the Solemnities at the Funerals of all the higher Nobility of England to advertise those that are chosen of their new Election to call on them to be installed at Windsor to cause their Arms to be hung up upon their Seats there to carry the Garter to Kings and Princes beyond the Seas for which purpose he was wont to be joyned in Commission with some Principal Peer of the Realm c. The next is Clarencieux so called from the Duke of Clarence to whom he first belonged for Lionel Third Son to Edward the Third marrying the daughter and heir of the Earl of Ulster in Ireland had with her the Honor of Clare in the County of Twomond whereupon he was afterwards created Duke of Clarence or the Territory about Clare which Dukedom escheating to King Edward the Fourth by the death of His Brother George Duke of Clarence He made this Herald who properly belonged to that Duke a King at Arms and named him Clarentieux in French and Clarentius in Latin His Office is to marshal and dispose the Funerals of all the lower Nobility as Baronets Knights Esquires and Gentlemen on the South-side of Trent and therefore sometimes called Surroy or Southroy The third King at Arms is Norroy or Northroy whose Office is to do the like on all the North-side of Trent The two last are called Provincial Heralds England being by them divided into two Provinces These by Charter have power to visit Noblemens Families to set down their Pedigrees to distinguish their Arms to appoint Men their Arms or Ensigns and with Garter to direct the Heralds The Six Heralds anciently belonging properly to Dukes have been sometimes named Dukes at Arms and are thus called and ranked First Windsor secondly Richmond thirdly Chester fourthly Somerset fifthly York sixthly Lancaster Whose Office was anciently to attend Dukes in Marshal Executions Now they are to wait at Court attend Publick Solemnities Proclaim War and Peace c. thence perhaps named Heralds from two German words Here and Healt that is the Armies Champion to denounce War or offer Peace