St. Thomas his Hospital c. p. 81. Of the Charter-House or Sutton's Hospital p. 90 Of Old and New Bedlam p. 97. Sect. 4. Of its Palaces viz. Whitehall or the Kings Court c. p. 99. Of St. James's Palace and the Park p. 122 Of Westminster-hall and the Courts there viz. Common-Pleas Kings-Bench Chancery and Exchequer p. 126. Of Dooms-day-Book p 135. A full Account of the High-Court of Parliament c. p. 193. Of Somerset-house p. 156. Sect. 5. Of the Royal Exchange c. p. 159. Sect. 6. Of Colledges and Inns of Court viz. Gresham-Colledge Sion-Colledge Physitians-Colledge Doctors Commons Colledge of Heralds c. and Inns of Court and Chancery p. 162 179. Sect. 7. Of London-Bridge p. 191. Of the River of Thames and Lord Mayors Jurisdiction there p. 195. Of the New River p. 209. Chap. 4. Of the Government of London Ecclesiastical Temporal and Military c. p. 213. to 288. Of the Charters By-Laws and Courts in London p. 263. to 277. Chap. 5. Of the Trade of London its Merchants the Original of Money an Account of the several Corporations and their Coats of Arms blazon'd p. 269. The Oath of a Freeman p. 331. Of Guild-hall Leaden-hall Blackwel-hall and the Custom-house p. 333 to 336. Of Docks Porters c. p. 340. Of the Markets for Coals Corn and Fish p. 342. Of the Navy-Office and Post-Office p. 343 345. Of the Penny-Post p. 350. The Rates of Coachmen p. 359. An Alphabetical Account of the Carriers Waggoners and Stage-Coaches that come to the respective Inns in London from all parts of England and Wales with the days of their Coming in and Going out p. 383. The Rates of Carmen and Watermen p. 436 442. An Historical Account of the Wars Tumults Fires Epidemical Diseases Rarities and Accidents that have happened in the City of London Briefly abstracted from Ancient and Modern Writers p. 443. An Appendix containing the Names of the present Aldermen and the respective Wards they Govern With a List of the present Officers of the Lord Mayors House and the Officers belonging to the Two Counters THE PRESENT STATE OF LONDON CHAP. I. Of its Antiquity and Original OUr Famous Antiquaries generally agree that the Britains whose Posterity now inhabit the Dominion of Wales and are called Welsh â—eâ—e the Founders of the Renowned City of LONDON They were in old times known by the Name of Aborigines because they first inhabited the Countrey Some derive the name London which is the greatest probablity from the British word Llhong which signifies a Ship and Dinan a Town that is a Town of Ships this City being in all Ages since its foundation very renowned for Shipping and Navigation 2. Others from Llhwindian because as Caesar in his Commentaries and Strabo mention the Ancient Britains called their fortified Woods Llhwn which is equivalent to a fenced Town and that where S. Pauls Church now stands there was in old times a Wood where a Temple was built for Diana it being the custom of those Pagan Times to build their Fanes or Temples to Diana in Woods or Groves and so it signifies Dianas Town 3. Some derive it from Llhandian the Britains still calling Llan a Church and so may signifie Dianas-Church or Temple for there have been frequently digged up Oxens Heads and Bones which have been offered as Victims or Sacrifices there viz. in Camera Dianae So that this word came in tract of time to be pronounced London Caesar Comment lib. 5. calls it Civitas Trinobantum viz. The City of the Trinobants some would have it translated the state of Trinobants for Trosa Nova or Troy Novant New Troy Which appellation was in old times by many ascribed to London as Geoffery of Monmouth the Welsh Historian affirms It is said by the same Author that King Lud repaired this City and much augmented it with fair buildings calling it Caire Lud that is Lud's Town and from him Ludgate takes its Name This City was built 2789 years ago that is 1108 years before the birth of Christ and by the exactest computation in the time of Samuel the Prophet and 350 years before the building of Rome Of all Historians Cornelius Tacitus who first called it Londinum says that it was in his time which is about 1655 years ago Copia Negotiatorum Commeatu valde celebre that is very famous for multitude of Merchants and Traffick or Commerce Herodian in the Life of the Emperour Severus says it was Vrbs magna opulenta that is a Great and Rich City Marcelinus says That in his time which is 1200 and odd years ago it was Vetustum oppidum an ancient Town Fitz-Stephens tells us That haec Civitas Vrbe Roma secundum Chronicorum fidem satis Antiquior est c. Viz. This City according to the credit of Chronologers is far more ancient then Rome In the flourishing Estate of London it was called Augusta a Name denoting Dignity and Majesty for the Great Octavian Successor to Julius Caesar took to himself the Name of Augustus as a Title most Sacred and Honourable This Marcellinus witnesses in his 27 and 28 Books calling it Augusta and that in old times it was called London It was very famous by that Appellation under the Emperour Valentinian And in Constantine's time there was a Mint appointed there and Money stamp'd with this Impression P. Lon. S. that is Pecunia Londino Signata Money stamp'd in London And the Overseer or Master of the Mint was called Praepositus Thesaurorum Augustensium that is Provost of the Treasures of Augusta in Britain CHAP. II. Of the Situation of London THe Wisdom of our Ancestors is very Eminent and Remarkable in the Excellent Situation of this famous City which we shall shew 1. With respect to Air 2. Its conveniencies of being supplied with all sorts of Provisions by Sea and Land 1. With respect to Air This City being situate on the North side of the River in the Latitude of 51 Degrees 30 Minutes and so far distant from the Sea that it is not annoyed with the boistrous Winds or unwholsom Vapours of it and yet so near that it enjoys the mild salubrious Breezes of the Eastern Southern and Western Seas with the wholsom gusts and fresh Air of the Country round about it must needs therefore have an Excellent Air. And it is by Experience found to be as healthy a City considering its greatness and Number of Inhabitants with the prodigions quantity of Coals burnt yearly in it as any in the known World 2. The Soil is rich and fertile abounding with plenty of all things useful for the life of Man The Country round about it being very well Inhabited supplying it with plenty of all Sorts of Provision and the Respective Manufactories of England to furnish not only the Inhabitants but for Transportation to the several parts of the World where its Merchants Trade For which it has the advantage of large strait and fair High-ways for Carriages and Passengers by Land
well furnished with choice Books of all sorts but chiefly such as are useful for Divines and that by the bounty of several Benefactors This Colledge felt the Rage of the great Fire anno 1666. but it is very handsomly repaired and the damage of the Library which was very great made up It receives increase every year by the Legacies or Gifts of worthy Persons and the Piety of good Authors who commonly bestow one Book of what they publish especially of Subjects that are Voluminously handled upon this Colledge where they are Chain'd up and kept very well which is a very good work much tending to the advancement of Learning Here any Student may repair at seasonable hours morning and afternoon and may study six hours in a day without interruption and may enter himself a Member if he pleases paying Half a Crown to the Library-Keeper and Twelve-pence to the Person that sweeps and keeps it clean To conclude it is extraordinary useful especially for the poorer sort of Students who cannot purchase a necessary store of Books for their own use And I could heartily wish that some of our learned men who are of brave publick and generous minds would examine wherein it is deficient and set on foot some Medium to furnish it better especially with Mathematical Physical Common and Civil Law-Books of all which there are many of our Modern Writers have Treated more Exquisitely than any of their Predecessors Of the Colledge of Physicians In this Renowned City there is a Colledge or Corporation of Physicians who by Charters and Acts of Parliament of Henry VIII and since his Reign have certain Priviledges whereby no man though a Graduate in Physick of Oxford and Cambridge may without Licence under the said Colledge Seal practise Physick in London or within seven Miles of the said City nor in any other part of England in case he hath not taken any Degree in Oxford or Cambridge whereby also they can administer an Oath Fine and Imprison any Offenders in that and divers other Particulars can make By-Laws purchase Lands c. whereby they have Authority to search all the Shops of Apothecaries in and about London to see if their Drugs and Compositions be wholsom and well made whereby they are freed from all troublesom Offices as to serve upon Juries to be Constables to keep Watch and Ward to bear Arms or provide Arms or Ammunition c. Any Member of this Colledge may practise Chyrurgery if he please not only in London but in any part of England This Society had anciently a Colledge in Knight-rider-street the Gift of Dr. Linacre Physician to King Henry VIII since which a House and Ground was purchased by the Society of Physicians at the end of Amen-Corner whereon the Famous Dr. Harvey anno 1562 at his own proper charge did erect a magnificent Structure both for Library and a Publick Hall and for the meeting of the several Members of this Society endowed the same with his whole Inheritance which he resigned up while he was living and in health part of which he Assigned for an Anniversary Harangue to commemorate all their Benefactors and exhort others to follow their good Example and to provide a plentiful Dinner for the Worthy Company This Goodly Edifice was burnt Anno 1666 and the Ground being but a Lease the present Fellows of the College have purchased with their own Moneys a Fair piece of Ground in Warwick-Lane whereon they have raised a very Magnificent Edifice Of this Colledge there is a President four Censors aud eight Elects who are all Principal Members of the Society and out of whom the President is Yearly chosen The four Censors have by their Charter Authority to Survey Correct and Govern all Physitians or others that shall Practice in London or within Seven Miles of the same to Fine Amerce and Imprison any of them as they shall see Cause The usual Fee of a Doctor in antient times was 20 s. and one that had not taken that Degree 10 s. But now there is no certain Rule but some that are Eminent have received in Fees Yearly 2000 or 3000 l. and purchased great Estates which in other Countries because the Fees are exceedingly less is very rare Besides the Members of this Colledge there are divers able Physitians in London that have great Practice although they never had any License which is conniv'd at by the Colledge and so is the too much practice of Empericks Mountebanks Apothecaries Chirurgeons c. with other pretenders to Cure by things which they call Vniversal Medicines or Panpharmâ—câ— And certainly it is a very Perillous and Destructive abuse to suffer unskilful Persons that know not the Nature of Diseases nor are able from the Constitution of the Patient and requisite Symptoms to infer a Rational Conclusion or make a true discovery of Causes or give probable Prognosticks of the event to take up this profession because they neither understand the Nature of Simples nor the proper and fit mixture of Compounds and consequently cannot apply sutable Medicaments to the languishing Patient but where by meer chance they Cure one they destroy hundreds such being as great Murtherers of the Body as some Audacious Graceless Heretical and unskilful Pretenders to Preach the Sacred Mysteries of the Gospel are instruments to pervert their too too Credulous Disciples and consequently to destroy their Souls which is hinted not to cast any disparagement upon those Honorable Functions but only such as abuse them and are not fitly qualified to practice them And it could be wished that there were a Reformation of the abuses in each their errors having a direct tendency to destroy both Body and Soul Indeed the Law of England has provided that if one who is no Physitian or Chirurgeon or is not expresly allowed to practice shall undertake a Cure and the Patient die under his hand it shall be Felony in the Person presuming so to do And the Law of God is as expresly against the other who must give a strict account to the Physitian of Souls for infecting instead of Spiritually healing as far as instruments may do his Flock But this by the way Of the College of Civilians called Doctors Commons The Civil Law is most practised in London though Degrees therein are taken only in Oxford and Cambridge and the Theory there best acquired The College called Doctors Commons was first purchased by Doctor Henry Harvey Dean of the Arches for the Professors of the Civil Law where commonly did reside the Judge of the Arches the Judge of the Admiralty and the Judge of the Prerogative Court with divers Eminent Civilians who living in a Collegiate manner and Commoning together it was called Doctors Commons It stood near St. Pauls in the Parish of St. Bennets Pauls-Wharf in Farringdon-Ward-within The Buildings were utterly consumed by the Dreadful Fire in 1666 and then they resided at Exeter-House in the Strand but it has been since Re-built at the proper Cost and Charges
sumptuous Fane The Lands Chief Seat that challengeth for hers Kings Coranations and their Sepulchers Then goes along by that more beautious Strand That shews the Wealth and glory of the Land Such sumptuous Seats within so little space Th' all-viewing Sun scarce sees in all his Race By London leads which like a Crescent lies Whose Windows view with the be-spangled Skies Her rising Spires so thick themselves do show As do the Reeds that on her Banks do grow There sees his Wharffs and People-crowded Shores His bosom spread with shoals of labouring Oars With that great Bridge that doth him most Renown By which he puts all other Rivers down This Noble River hath her Original out of the side of an Hill in Cotswold Downs a little above a Village called Winchcomb in Oxfordshire where it was antiently called Isis or the Ouse running to Oxford and by the way receiving many small Rivulets and Brooks joyning at that City with the Charwell then by Abington Dorchester where the River Thame and Isis joyn from whence it is called Thamâ—sis or Thames thence by Reading Maiden-head Windsor Stanes and several other considerable Palaces Towns and stately Houses to London and receives the Medway a considerable River that runs by the City of Rochester and Waters all the Southern parts of Kent The length of it being at least if measured by the Journeys at Land 180 Miles and Ebbs and Flows as before near 80 Miles The Common difference betwixt Tide and Tide is found to consist of 24 Minutes which wanteth but 12 of a whole hour in 24 by which they come later than the other Mr. Stow tells us that in his time the first Edition of his Survey being Printed above 80 years ago there were 2000 Wherries or small Boats whereby 3000 Water-men got their Living their Gains being most in Term-time but now there are a great many more this River being a Nursery to breed young Men sit for the Sea to Serve His Majesty or the Merchants c. Besides these there is an Infinite Number of Wherries Tide-Boats Tilt-Boats Barges Hoys c. for Passengers or to bring necessary Provision of all sorts from all Quarters of Oxfordshire Berkshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Hartfordshire Middlesex Essex Surrey and Kent unto the City but of the Navigation of London we refer to the Chapter of Trade and the Rates of Water-men to a distinct head to be Treated of hereafter The Extent of the Jurisdiction and Prerogative of the Lord Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London on the River Thames c. THe Lord Mayor of LONDON for the time being and his Successors for ever in that great Dignity have full Power and Authority over the Rivers of Thames and Medway to inflict punishment upon all Transgressors relating to the said Rivers the Water-Bayly of London being his Substitute The Extent of this Jurisdiction begins at a place called Colnie-Ditch a little above Stains-Bridge Westward as far as London-Bridge and from thence to a place called Yendall otherwise Yenland or Yenleete and the Waters of Medway This Authority and Jurisdiction belongs to the Lord Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London by divers Grants Charters and Confirmations made by the Kings and Queens of England besides sundry Acts of Parliament Yet there have been some contests betwixt the Lord Mayor and the Lord High Admiral of England about it but after a fair and Judicial Tryal in open Court the Controversie was decided in favour of the City and the Lord Mayor was adjudged to be Conservator of the Thames There were also some Controversies about the Rivers of Thames and Medway but all differences were absolutely concluded Anno 1613. Sir John Swinnerton being then Lord Mayor and Thomas Sparry Esq being then his Deputy in that Office So that the Lord Mayor bears always since as in former times the stile of Conservator of the said River within the said Limits and Bounds And whereas there was a Company of Fishermen called Tinckermen that with unlawful Nets and other devices made an infinite destruction of the young Brood or Fry of Fish to feed their Hogs by the singular care and cost of the Lord Mayor and vigilance of the Citizens they were many years ago supprest and a regular and orderly manner of Fishing brought in use that such a havock may not be made of the young Fry As also sundry other abuses by unlawful Fishing and some annoying Timbers in Tilbury-hope dangerous to Passengers and destructive to the young Brood of Fish and Fishermens Nets were also to general benefit reformed Likewise they took care to clear and cleanse the River Westward of about 79 Stops or Hatches consisting of divers great Stakes and Piles erected by Fishermen for their private lucre and standing ill-favouredly for Passengers near the Fair-Deep but none now are left except such as stand out of the passable high stream that can prejudice none The like Course was kept in the time of Henry the 4 th and Henry the 8 ths times There is also a watchful Eye that no Carrion nor Dead Carkasses be thrown into the River to pollute or infect the stream To all these intents and purposes the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen his Brethren with the under Officers meet eight times a year in the four Counties of Middlesex Surrey Kent and Essex and have a Judicial sitting for Maintenance of the Rivers Rights and Priviledges where they have power to Impanel Juries to make Inquisition after all Offences committed upon the River within their Exteâ—â— and as the Verdict given by the Jury makes it appear so they proceed to the punishment of the 〈◊〉 sors according to the quality of the offence whereof it may be proper to give this Memorable Instance as it is Recorded by Mr. Stow in his Survey page 20 Printed Anno 1633. and more briefly delivered by Mr. Howel in his Londinopolis Printed Anno 1657. page 15. Thus. Sir John Rolls Knight and Lord Mayor of the City of London and Conservator of the River of Thames and Waters of Medway assisted and accompanied by the Aldermen and two Sheriffs then contemporary and attended by the Recorder and the Sub-conservation or Water-Bayly with 50 Officers and Servants took their Barges at Billings-gate the third of July 1616. and in a few hours arrived at Graves-end in Kent where a Session for Conservancy of the said River was kept before the said Lord Mayor and his said Assistants at which place and time a Jury of the Free-holders of the said County being sworn to inquire of all Offences committed in any part of the River whatsoever within the said County The Common Sergeant of the City the Recorder being then absent upon extraordinary occasions Delivered them a Charge to this effect That for as much as there had not been any Session of Conservancy in many years passed kept by any Lord Mayor of London in that place it was probable and evident they could not be well informed neither of the Lord Mayor's