Breadth from East to West 32. The Whoâ— divided into six Hundreds wherein 61 Parisheâ— and 26 Market-Towns The Number of Parishâ— but small in so large a quantity of Ground but that there are many Chappels of Ease equal to Parishes elsewhere for Multitudes of People Here the Air is sharp thin and piercing seldom troubled with Fogs And the Inhabitants accordingly are healthfull comely strong and long-lived not subject to many Diseases The Soil differs much according to its different nature and situation some Parts being Mountainous and of the Champain Country some very fruitfull some Mossy and the rest Moorish The Champain Country is very good for Wheat and Barley but that which lies at the bottom of the Hills is best for Oats From the Mosses which are not unlike the Irish Bogs some of them many Miles in Compass the common People get Turves for their Firing And sometimes they dig up Trees out of them which serve both for Building and Fewel Cambden seems to be of Opinion that they are subterraneous Trees growing under Ground as some other Plants do The Mountainous Part which lies Eastward is full of stony craggy and barren Hills bare of Wood and the Habitation of Foxes Conies Otters c. Amongst these Hills some are of a prodigious height especially Pendle-Hill on the top whereof grow's a peculiar Plant called Cloudsberry as coming from the Clouds But one thing besides is remarkable in this Hill that whenever the Top of it is covered with a Mist 't is an infallible Sign of Rain The Country in general is well watered with Rivers the chief whereof are the Mersey the Rible and the Lon all three running from East to West into the Irish Sea The Mersey Waters the South Parts and serves for a Boundary betwixt this County and Cheshire the Rible waters the middle and the Lon the North Parts Besides these Rivers and many others of less note here are several great Meers or Lakes as Merton and Winder or Wimander Meer This last divides part of Lancashire from Westmorland reaching about 10 miles in length and 3 or 4 in breadth It has as most Lakes in the North a clear pebbly Bottom whence the Saying that this Lake is all paved with Stone And it breeds great store of Fish particularly Trouts Pikes Pearches Eels and Skellies But there 's one sort of Fish peculiar to it and not to be found elsewhere except in Vlles Water another Lake bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland Charre is the Name of it and 't is a dainty Fish whereof many Pies are yearly sent abroad for Presents In short tho' this Country in general cannot be called a fruitfull Country yet what is good of it yields abundance of good Grass and Corn the fairest Oxen in England and in general all sorts of Provisions Fish and Fowl particularly here 's great plenty of and in the River Lon near Cockerfand Abbey is great store of Salmon To make Linnen here grows a great deal of Flax for Fewel the Country yields not only fat Earth but good Coals and for Building Quarries of good Stone Lancaster the Shâ—re Town bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom by common computation 187 miles thus From London to Stafford 104 for the particulars whereof I refer you to Staffordshire Then from Stafford to Stone 10 to Newcastle 6 more thence to Warington 20 to Wigan 14 more to Preston 14 more then to Garstang 10 and to Lancaster 15 more A Town pleasantly seated in a good Soil on the South-side of the â—iver Lon near its fall into the Sea From which River it came to be called Loncaster since turn'd into Lancaster as from Lancaster the whole County took the Name of Lancashire The Town not very well peopled nor much frequented There are in it several fair and long Streets from the Length whereof this Town I suppose might be called Longovicus by the Emperor Antonine And yet there is but one Parish-Church which indeed is large and fair It stands on the side of a Hill on the top of which is the Castle now made use of for the County Goal both for Debtors and Malefactors and for keeping the Assizes for the County Besides the Church and Castle two of the chief Ornaments of this Town here 's a fair Stone-Bridge over the Lon supported by five Arches To which add the Market-house or Town-hall where the Mayor and his Brethren keep their Courts It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is commonly well furnished with all sorts of Provisions but Fish and among the rest Salmon especially Lastly this Town is of sufficient Fame in the Annals of England for those noble Persons which have successively born the Titles of Earls and Dukes of it the greatest Princes in their time for Revenues of any Subjects in Christendom Of which House there have been four Kings of England all under the Name of Henry viz. Henry the fourth the fifth the sixth and the seventh The last by marrying with Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward IV. of the House of York did happily unite the two Houses of York and Lancaster Whose Competition for the Crown of England under the Names of Red and White Roses had caused more Blood-shed than the Conquest of France by the English The Market-Towns of this County besides Lancaster are Manchester Sat. Leverpool Sat. Clitheroe Sat. Dalton Sat. Blackborn Mund. Poulton Mund. Cartmill Mund. Hornby Mund. Hawkshead Mund. Wigan Mund. Frid. Rochdale Tue. Chorley Tue. Ormskirk Tue. Kirkham Tue. Prescot Tue. Coln Wedn. Haslington Wedn. Warington Wedn. Preston Wedn. Frid. Sat. Bury Thu. Garstang Thu. Vlverston Thu. Besides Leigh and â—reat Eccleston whose Market-days I am ignorant of Manchester is seated upon a stony Hill in the South-East Parts of the County between the Rivers Irk and Irwell both which empty themselves not far off into the Mersey This Town called by Antonine the Emperour Mantunium was a Station of the Romans And it is to this day a Town much beyond Lancaster in beauty and populousness It s chief Ornaments are the Colledge and the Market-Place but above all the Collegiate Church beautified with a small Quire of excellent Workmanship Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Montague the present Earl of Manchester derived to him from his great Grandfather Henry Montague Viscount Mandeville created Earl of Manchester by King Charles I. Anno 1625. being then Lord Treasurer and President of the Council and afterwards Lord Privy Seal And lastly 't is a noted Place for its Linnen and Woollen Cloths as also for its Cottons which are held in great esteem Leverpool is the next Place of chief note in this County T is an excellent Sea-port commodiously seated at the fall of the River Mersey into the Sea where it affords a safe Harbour for Ships and a convenient Passage into Ireland To the immortal Praise of the Family of the Mores of Banck-hall
Kings and then a Place of larger extent than now it is Near the River stand the broken Walls of an old large Castle and in the midst of the Town is a Church the West-end whereof made of arched Work and imbowed over Head seems to be very ancient In short the Town is beautifull well frequented and full of fair Inns. It contains 3 Parish Churches and its Market which is on Saturdays iis well served with Corn and other Provisions As for honourary Titles the first that had any from hence was Elizabeth Viscountels of Kynelmalky in Ireland Created Countess of Guilford during life by Charles II. Anno 1660. Then in the Year 1671. the same King conferred the Title of Earl of Guilford upon John Maitland the late Duke of Lauderdale in Scotland And after them Francis North Lord Keeper of the Great Seal was advanced to the Peerage by being made Lord Guilford The other Market-Towns are Southwark Sat. Kingston Sat. Croydon Sat. Reygate Tue. Darking Thu. Farnham Thu. Ewel Southwark commonly pronounced Suthrick stands opposite to the City of London on the Banks of the Thames A Place which for number of Buildings and Inhabitants goes beyond most of the Cities in England But for its Streets and Buildings they are but ordinary except the broad Street which leads from the Bridge to St. George's Church A Street beautified with fair Buildings raised from the Ashes of frequent Conflagrations this Place has been afflicted with And here the Inhabitants drive a considerable Trade with the whole County this being the most convenient Place for the Surrey Carriers that come up for whose Accommodation here is Multitude of Inns. The principal Church here is that of St. Mary over Rey formerly a Priory of the B. Virgin Next to which is St. George's Church Here is also a famous Hospital called St. Thomas's Hospital founded by the Citizens of London for the Relief of impotent Persons The King's Bench and the Marshalsea are two other noted Places and but too well known to many To which add the Bear-Garden where Prizes are fought and the common People diverted with the Fighting of Dogs with Bears and Bulls In short though this Place be counted Part of London and under the Lord Mayor's Jurisdiction yet it does still injoy several of its ancient Priviledges peculiar to it self as holding of Courts within themselves and electing of Members of Parliament c. And because it lies in Surrey as London does in Middlesex I thought it not improper to bring iâ— into this List Kingston is situate ten Miles South-West from London on the Banks of the Thames over which it has a Bridge leading into Middlesex A Town heretofore famous for the Coronation of the Monarchs of the English Saxons whence it had the Name of Kingston or Kings Town whereas before it went by the Name of Moreford And for Distinctions-sake 't is called Kingston upon the Thames to difference it from Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire A Place in former times well known for its Castle belonging to the Clares Earls of Glocester And as for its present State 't is yet a goodly Town well accommodated with Inns for the Reception of Strangers and of late something advantaged by the King's Residence in Summer at Hampton-Court in its Neighbourhood as it is by the County-Assizes which are frequently held here Croydon is a long Town ten miles South from London Seated near the Spring-head of the Wandle which falls into the Thames at Wandsworth and in a manner begirt with Hills well cloathed with Wood affording good Game to the Hunter and furnishing London with great store of Charcoal This Town has but few good Buildings the Houses in it being for the most part but mean and ordinary But it has the advantage of being graced with a fine large Church set out with a lofty Steeple and with a Summer-Pallace of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Accommodated besides with an Hospital for the Relief of the Poor and a Free School for the Education of Youth From this Town to Farnham runs the Downs called Banstead Downs so noted for Hawking Hunting and Horse-racing And near the Town is a Bourn or Stream the Rising whereof has been sometimes observed to have been a Fore runner of some publick Calamity Reygate a good large Town is seated in the Vale called Holmes Dale and is now of chief note for the great plenty of excellent Fullers Earth which is digged up in its Neighbourhood Here is an ancient but ruinated Castle with a long Vault under Ground and a large Room at the end of it where if the Story be true the Barons met in Council in their War against King John Near this Town several Battels have been fought against the Danes which proved fatal to them Darking is situate on a Branch of the River Mole Where at the foot of White-Hill on which grow plenty of Box-trees the said River runs under Ground for above a Mile and rises again near Norbury The Place where it falls in is therefore called the Swallow Farnham seems to take its Name from the great Store of Fern that grows in its Neighbourhood It ly's on the edge of Surrey towards Hampshire watered by the River Wey and graced with an Episcopal Seat the usual Residence of the Bishops of Winchester Here King Alfred with a small Power had the good fortune to overcome the Danes of whom he made a great slaughter As for Ewel all I have to say is that it is but very mean and inconsiderable Other Places of Note in this County Richmond among the rest deserves the precedency A fair large and well built Town seatupon an easy ascent on the Banks of the Thames Whose pleasant and healthfull Situation has invited so many of the Gentry to be its Inhabitants Here King Henry VII built a stately Pallace which with Nonsuch and Otelands two other â—oyal Pallaces in this County has felt the sad effects of the Civil Wars in the Reign of Charles I. Here died several of the dearest Princes that ever England had Viz. King Edward III the Conquerour of France the beautifull Ann Wife to King Richard the Second and Daughter to the Emperour Charles the fourth the most wise Prince Henry the Seventh and the Wonder of her Sex the famous Queen Elizabeth Lambeth situate opposite to Westminster is a large Parish of chief note for being the Residence of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury where he has a fine Pallace And though it is counted unwholsom to live in yet it is well inhabited and the Skirts of it graced with many Gentlemens and Citizens Houses Here Canute the last Danish King ended his Days among his Cups From Lambeth Westward you will find along the River Battersea Putney Moreclack three goodly Towns and at some distance from the River Newington Clapham and Wandesworth This last on the River Wandle which drives several Mills imploy'd by Londoners and of late much improved by the French Protestants that have
Ships Horsham a large Borough-Town is situate near S. Leonards Forest It s Market is good for all sorts of Provisions but Fowl especially most of which is bought up by the London Hagglers East-Greenstead near Surrey and not far from Ashdown Forest is a goodly Town graced with a fair Church and the Place where the Assizes are sometimes kept Called East-Greenstead in opposition to another lying West-South-West from it and therefore called West-Greenstead Petworth but a small Town is finely seated near two Parks and not far from the River Arun. Of chief note for its noble House formerly belonging to the Earls of Northumberland and now by Marriage to the Duke of Somerset Arundel stands in a Dale or Valley on the Western Banks of the River Arun from whence it is called Arundel by contraction from Arundale Over the River it has a Wooden Bridge and from the Sea 't is but a small distance This is an ancient Town noted for its Castle once of great fame and strength but far more famous for the Lords and Earls thereof than either for its strength or beauty A Place in this far different from the rest of England the Title of Earl of Arundel being annexed to the Castle and its Lordship and going along with the possession of it Witness the Judgment given in that great Controversy between Sr. John Fiâ—z-Allen being in possession of the Castle against John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk being the right Heir in the nearest degree Thus it passed through several hands viz. the Montgomery's the Albeneys and the Fitz-Allens till Anno 1604 both Castle and Title came to the possession of Thomas-Howard Earl of Arundel and Surrey and Earl Marshal of England From whom is descended in a right Line the present Duke of Norfolk Earl of Arundel c. Rye a Member of the Cinque-Ports stands on the edge of the County towards Kent and at the very fall of the Rother into the Sea where it has a commodious Haven 'T is not a Town of any beauty But as it stands convenient for a ready Passage over Sea to Normandy and particularly to Diepe it is upon that account much frequented in Time of Peace Its Inhabitants are for the most part Fishermen who fish here excellent Herrings Winchelsey stands near the Place where stood another of that Name which in the Year 1250 was swallowed up by the raging Sea being a large strong and beautiful Place in which were numbered 18 Parish Churches Whereas the present Winchelsey consists but of one Parish and that going still to decay insomuch that its Markets are in a manner disused 'T is seated upon an Inlet of the Sea in the Neighbourhood of Rye But its Haven long since so choakt up that the Town suffers much by it Rye having got the advantage of it However it is still a Member of the Cinque-Ports and what it lost in Wealth it has got in Honour being advanced to the Reputation of an Earldom first in the person of Finch Viscount Maidstone created Earl of Winchelsey by King Charles I Anno 1628. The Title from him devolved to his Son Thomas after him to Heneage the late Earl and lately to his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Thomas Finch the present Earl of Winchelsey Battel is seated in a dirty part of the Country some miles West from Winchelsey A noted Place for the Battel fought here Oct. 14. 1066. betwixt King Harold II. and William the Conquerour where Harold lost his Life and William obtained the Crown of England After which the Conquerour built an Abbey here called Battel-Abbey Hastings one of the Cinque-Ports is a Town of good note and antiquity It has two Streets extending from North to South and in each Street a Parish-Church It s Haven is fed by a small River and had once for its Defence a strong Castle seated on a Hill which as ruinous as it is serves in the Night as a Direction to Sailers by the Lights that are there placed But besides the said Market-Towns which are the most considerable Pevensey and Bramber ought to find a place here as giving the Denomination to two of the six Rapes The first commonly pronounced for shortness sake Pensey is the very Harbour where William the Conquerour landed from Normandy with 896 Ships such as they were in those Times Buckhurst a Town in the North-East Parts of this County is of some Note for giving the Title of Earon to the Earl of Dorset To conclude this County now being in the Diocese of Chichester made up with Surrey the Kingdom of the South-Saxons and its Inhabitants were part of the Regni as the Romans called them Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 24 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Chichester Horsham Midhurst Lewes New Shoreham Bramber Skeyning East-Greenstead Arundel besides these three Cinque-Port Towns Hastings Winchelsey and Seaford As for honourary Titles it has been for several Ages dignify'd with that of an Earldom 1. in the House of Albeneys 2. in two Plantagenets 3. in six Ratcliffs 4. in two Savils and now in the Right Honourable Thomas Leonard who upon his Marriage with Anne Fils-Roy eldest Daughter to the Dutchess of Cleveland was by King Charles II. created Earl of Sussex Anno 1674. CHAP. XVI Of Warwickshire Westmorland and Wiltshire Warwickshire WARWICKSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by the Counties of Leicester and Northampton on the West by Worcestershire on the North by Staffordshire on the South by the Counties of Oxford Glocester and Worcester It s Length from North to South is something less than 40 miles its Breadth from East to West about 30. The Whole divided into sive Hundreds wherein 158 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns Here both the Air is wholsom and the Soil rich especially the South Parts of it called Feldon Which affords rich Meadows feeds store of Sheep and Cattle and is exceeding grateful to the Husbandman in its Crops of Corn. The North Parts formerly called Arden and since Woodland from its great plenty of Woods though at this time much wasted by reason of its Iron Mines are not altogether sofruitful as the Southern Parts It is generally well watered with fresh Streams the principal of which is the Avon which with many windings and turnings runneth through the Country and falls at last into the Severn Warwick the Shire-Town from whence the County took its Name bears from London North-West and is distant therefrom 70 miles thus From London to Buckingham 44 miles as you may see in Buckinghamshire from thence to Banbury 10 to Kyneâ—on 8 more and to Warwick 8 more 'T is seated on the Banks of the River Avon over which it has a well compact Stone-Bridge A Town adorned with very fair Houses spacious and well ordered Streets with a fine Market-house of free-Stone sustained by several Pillars It contains two fair Parish-Churches of which S. Maries is the chief Here is also
for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
plentifull Dinner for all the Clergy that shall then meet there In this Colledge now repaired since the dreadfull Fire is a fair spacious Library built by John Sympson Rector of St. Olaves Heart-street and one of the said Founder's Executors Which Library by the Bounty oâ— divers Benefactors has been well furnished with Books especially such as relate to Divinity There are likewise in London divers Publick Schools indowed as St. Pauls Merchant Taylors Mercers Chappel c. which in other Countries would be stiled Colledges But especially Paul's School a commodious and stately Building at the East end of St. Paul's Ca. thedral Founded in the Year 1512. by John Collet Dr. of Divinity and Dean of St. Pauls for 153 Children to be taught there gratis For which purpose he appointed a Master a Sub-Master or Usher and a Chaplain with large Stipends for ever committing the Oversight thereof to the Masters Wardens and Assistants of the Mercers in London his Father Henry Collet sometime Lord Mayor of London having been of their Company Moreover for the Correction of Vagabonds and other Persons of a loose Life and Conversation there are several Work-houses The principal of which is Bridewell near Fleet-Bridge A stately Building first built by King Henry VIII for the Reception of the Emperour Charles the fifth but since converted to this Use And for Trying of Malefactors there is in the Old-Baily the Sessions-House which may go with the rest among the Ornaments of this glorious City as unpleasant as it is to many people that are there tried for their Lives Within the Precincts of Westminster are also many Things worthy our Observation I begin with Whitehall belonging heretofore to Cardinal Woolsey and since his Time become the usual Place of Residence of the English Monarchs 'T is seated betwixt the Thames on the East and a fine Park on the West amidst the Pleasures of the Water and the Charms of a fine spacious Spot of Ground The River of one side affording a great deal of Variety by the Multitude of Boats that cover it the Park on the other side charming the Eye with its delicate Walks well gravelled and as well shadowed parted with a fine Canal in the middle and this fronted with a brazen Statue which for curious Workmanship is admired by Artists themselves As for Whitehall it self I confess its outward Appearance is not great but it is very convenient and more glorious within than without And yet the Chamber at the front of it called the Banquetting-House is such a Piece of Building as for Spaciousness Beauty Painting and exact Proportion is not to be parallelled by any King in Europe the Cieling whereof was all painted by the hand of the famous Sir Peter Paul Rubens Here is also besides the Protestant Chappel a neat one built by the late King James for his Use which by the Grace of God ly's now dormant And in one of the Courts stands his Brazen Statue which has had better luck than that of Newcastle upon Tine On the North-West side of the Park is another Royal Pallace called St. James which gives name to the Park In the Strand is another Pallace called Somerset-House where the Queen Dowager resides and keeps her Dourt This was built by Edward Duke of Somerset Uncle to King Edward the fixth But the Glory of Westminster is the Abbey-Church there founded before the Norman Conquest by King Edward the Confessour and most richly indowed afterwards rebuilt from the Ground by King Henry III. This huge Fabrick stands on that piece of Ground which formerly was called Thorney-Island then surrounded with Water and where of old stood a Temple dedicated to Apollo In this Church is usually performed the Coronation of our Kings with that Pomp and Magnificence as becomes such potent Monarchs On the East end of it is Henry the Sevenths Chappel built by that King with admirable artificial Work both within and without And here are the Tombs and Monuments of several of our Kings and Queens among which that of massy Brass is so curiously wrought that it is scarcely to be parallelled The Abbey was converted into a Collegiate Church by Queen Elizabeth who placed therein a Dean and 12 Prebendaries besides about 30 petty Canons and others belonging to the Quire The Dean is intrusted with the Custody of the Regalia at the Coronation and honoured with a Place of necessary Service at all Coronations Adjoyning to this Church is a famous School and Colledge called Westminster School a Seminary for the Universities The Colledge consists of 40 Scholars commonly called Kings Scholars who being chosen out of the School and put into the Colledge are there maintained And as they are fitted for the University they are yearly elected away and placed with good Allowances in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford and Trinity College in Cambridge Here is also in the Cloysters a fair publick Library free for all Strangers to study both Morning and Afternoon always in Term-time Next this Church stood the Royal Pallace of the Kings of England a great Part whereof was burnt down in the Time of Henry VIII What remained has still been imploy'd for the Use of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament and for the chief Courts of Judicature The great Hall where these are kept commonly called Wesiminster-Hell is 270 foot in length and 74 in breadth for its Dimensions not to be equalled by any Hall in Christendom And were it set out according to its Greatness and the Dignity of the Courts that are kept there it might pass for one of the most remarkable Buildings in Europe Erected as some say by King William Rufus or according to others by Richard II about 3â—0 years ago But this is not all that Westminster affords worâ—h our taking notice The Brazen Statue of King Charles I at Charing-Cross the New Exchange and Exeter Change in the Strand the Savoy once a famous Hospital several Noblemens Houses more like Princely Pallaces such as Montague Berkley Wallingford Southampton and Northumberland House the New Buildings raised from York Arundel Worcester Essex Newport and Clarendon-House Those of Sohoe which alone might make a good large City and many more too numerous to insist upon All these together with so many fine Piazza's or Squares I have already mentioned are enough if duly considered to raise the Admiration of all Strangers But for a publick Building of a late Erection 't is worth our while to step out of the Way and take a View of Chelsey-Hâ—spital Begun by Charles II. continued by King James his Brother and brought to perfection by our present King and Queen for the Refuge and Maintenance of poor and disabled Souldiers that have faithfully served their King and Country A stately Pile which in some respects outdo's in others is out done by the famous Hotel des Invalides at Paris As for the Government of London and Westminster the City of London with the Liberties thereof is governed in chief as to
72 Earls 9 Viscounts 65 Barons and 26 Spiritual Lords whereof 2 Arch-bishops and 24 Bishops But the King may by virtue of his Prerogative increase the Number of the Peers to sit and vote in their House as Barons by sending his Writs for that pupose to whomsoever His Majesty thinks fit for that Service The Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper when there is one is of course the Speaker of this House Otherwise they may appoint any of their own Members or else one of the Judges for that Place as in the Case of their late Speaker the Right Honourable the Marquis of Hallifax and that of Sir Robert Atkins Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer the present Speaker of the House of Lords Besides the first Wool-sack which is the usual Seat for the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper there are other Wool-sacks Upon which the Judges the Kings Council at Law and the Masters of Chancery not being Barons sit not to give their Suffrage but only their Advice when required thereto The Use of which Wool-sacks is probably to put them in mind of the great Advantages the English Wool has brought to this Nation so that it may never be neglected On the lowermost Wool sack are placed the Clerk of the Crown and Clerk of the Parliament The first being concerned in all Writs of and Pardons in Parliament and the other in keeping the Records of all Things passed therein Under this there are two Clerks who kneeling behind the Wool-sack write upon it Without the Bar of the House sits the Black Rod so called from a black Stick he carries in his hand who is as it were the Messenger of this House For he is imploy'd amongst other Things to call for the House of Commons to the House of Lords upon His Majesties Command and to his Custody are Committed all such Peers as the House things fit to Commit upon any Trespass Under him is a Yeoman Vsher that waits at the Door within a Crier without and a Sergeant at Mace always attending the Speaker The House of Commons otherwise called the Lower house is by much the greater Body of the two For as England consists of 40 Counties in which there are 25 Cities 8 Cinque-Ports 2 Universities and 168 Borough-Towns all which are Priviledged to send Members to Parâ—ament if we reckon two Members from each the Whole amounts to 486 Members To which adding 24 from Wales the Whole is 510. 'T is true there are three Boroughs in England each of which sends but one Member viz. Abington in Oxfordshire Higham-Ferrers in Northamptonshire and Bewdley in Worcestershire But these three wanting of the Number are made up by the City of London which sends four Members and by the City of Bath which sends three Of all this great Number many are usually absent upon Business or Sickness c. So that if they be three hundred met together 't is counted a pretty full House And if they be but forty Members in all they make a house This House representing the whole Commons of the Realm do's generally consist of the Flower of the Gentry some of them Noblemens Sons Privy Counsellors Courtiers Men learned in the Law Officers and Commanders Merchants c. but most of them Gentlemen of good Estates with the advantage of a liberal and genteel Education This is an aggregate Body from all Parts of the Nation whose Learning and Eloquence Wit and Policy strive to outdo each other A â—oble School for young Gentlemen chiefly to be versed in Things relating to the English Government Here they Sit promiscuously except the â—peaker who has a Chair placed about the middle of the Room with a Table before him the Clerk of the House sitting near him at the Table But none wears a Robe but the Speaker except as I hinted before the Members of Parliament for the City of London who at their first Meeting appear in their Scarlet Robes Every Member wears what he fancies most and so do the Temporal Lords in their House on all Days when the King comes not thither in State To Strangers I confess it looks something odd that so august an Assembly vested with a Legislative Power and met together for the Exercise of the same should have no proper Garb for so great a Council but appear in their usual Dress But Custom has so far prevailed against the Inconveniencies that attend those Formalities which the English Nebility and Gentry are generally averse from that they are not like to be ever ballanced by the Respect and Veneration that might be gained as in forein Countries by the small trouble of them The usual Time for the Meeting of each House is in the Forenoon from eight or nine a clock till twelve or one except Sundays high Festivals and Fast-Days These Things being premised my next Business is to speak about the Choice of the Speaker of the House of Commons Who is the Mouth of the House and so necessary a Part thereof that they can do no Business without him For 't is the Speakers Part to see the Orders of the House observed to state the Bills that are brought in to collect the Substance of the Debates and the Sense of the House upon them The fitst Day each Member is called by his Name every one answering for what Place he serveth That done a Motion is made to chuse their Speaker who ought to be a Person of great Ability and is usually one of the long Robe And to avoid all Delays the Choice is commonly such as the King approves of This Choice is made by the Plurality of Votes Upon which the Party chosen desires according to ancient Custom to be excused from so weighty an Office and prays the House to proceed to a new Election But he is commonly answered with a full Consent of Voices upon his Name And then two of the principal Members go to him and lead him from his Place to the Speakers Chair where being set they return to their Places Then the Speaker rises and makes a short Speech to the House consisting of his humble Thanks for their good Opinion of him with Promises of his best Indeavours for their Service At the Day appointed for his Presentation to the King which is usually the next Day His Majesty being come to the House of Lords in his Royal Robes and the Lords also in their Robes the Commons are called in Who being come the Speaker is brought between two of them with low Obeysance to the Bar and so presented at the Bar to His Majesty where he makes likewise a modest Refusal But the King approving the Commons Choice and not allowing of his Excuse the Speaker nakes an Oration to His Majesty the Matter whereof is left to his own Thoughts having â—o Direction about it from the Commons But it usually ends with these three Petitions First that the Commons may have during their Sitting a free Acess to His Majesty Secondly Freedom of Speech in their
Writs These are in the Gift of the Lord Chief Justice and hold for Life As also The four Exigenters whose Office is to make all Exigents and Proclamations in all Actions where Process of Outlawry does ly Now an Exigent is a Writ so called because it requires the Parties Appearance to answer the Law and lies against a Transgressor of the Law that can't be found nor any of his Goods within the County Whereupon he is Summoned by the Sheriff at five several County Courts and if he appear not he is Outlawed that is excluded from the Protection of the Law Which looks upon him as unworthy of it that acts in contempt of the Law Lastly there are four Criers and a Porter belonging to this Court CHAP. VI. Of the Courts of Exchequer and Dutchy of Lancaster THese two I joyn together because they both concern the King's Revenue and take Cognizance of all Causes arising from it The Judges of this Court are called Barons of the Exchequer ever since Barons of the Realm used to sit here as Judges though in latter times Men learned in the Law have usually filled up this Station They are commonly four that sit in this Tribunal as in the two former Courts the principal whereof is stiled Lord Chief Baron But 't is to be observed that the Lord Treasurer and the Chancellour of the Exchequer may sit here as Principal though they seldom do it The Lord Chief Baron is created by Letters Patents to hold this Dignity Quamdiu se bene gesserit which the Law intends for Life so that he is better fixed than either of the Chief Justices His Place is of great Honour and Profit In Matter of Law Information and Plea he answers the Bar and gives Order for Judgement thereupon He alone in the Term-time doth sit upon Nisi prius that come out of the King's Remembrancer's Office or out of the Office of the Clerk of the Pleas which can not be dispatched in the Mornings for want of time He takes Recognizances for the King's Debts for Appearances and Observing of Orders He takes the Presentation of all Officers in Court under himself and of the Mayor of London and sees the King's Remembrancer to give them their Oaths He also takes the Declaration of certain Receivers Accounts of the Lands of the late Augmentation made before him by the Auditors of the Shires and gives two Parcel-makers Places by vertue of his Office In his absence his Place is supplied by the other three Barons his Assistants according to their Seniority These Judges and those of the two former Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas make up the Number of Twelve who all sit in on their Tribunals in Robes and square Caps Next to the four Barons of this Court is first the Cursitor who administers the Oath to the Sheriffs Under-Sheriffs Bayliffs Searchers Surveyors c. of the Custom-House Then the King's Remembrancer in whose Office are entred the States of all Accompts whatsoever concerning the King's Revenue except Sheriffs and Bayliffs Accounts Here also are taken all Securities either by Bonds or Recognizances to the King for the faithful Performance of those Persons imployed in the Collecting of his Majesties Revenue and for the Payment of his Debts And all Proceedings upon the said Bonds or Recognizances or any other Bonds taken in the Kings Name by Officers thereunto appointed under the Great Seal of England besides all Proceedings upon any Statute by Information for Custom Excises or any other Penal Law concerning the Kings Revenue are transmitted hither for the Recovery thereof and properly belong to this Office From whence accordingly issue forth Process to cause all Accountants to come in and account And as the Exchequer do's consist of two Courts the one of Law and the other of Equity all Proceedings touching the same are in this Office with many other Things relating to the Kings Revenue To this Office being in the Kings Gift belong eight sworn Clerks whereof the two first are called Secondaries The Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer who makes Process against all Sheriffs Receivers Bayliffs c. for their Accompts and into whose Office all Charters and Letters Patents upon which any Rents are reserved to the King are transcribed and sent by the Clerk of the Pettibag Out of this Office Process is made to levy the Kings Fee-Farm Rents c. This Office is likewise in the Kings Gift and there are several Clerks belonging to it the two first being distinguished from the rest by the Name of Secondaries The Remembrancer of the First-fruits and Tenths who takes all Compositions for the same and makes Process against such as do not pay them He has two Clerks under him The Clerk of the Pipe who receives into his Office all Accompts which pass the Remembrancer's Office He makes Leases of the Kings Lands and extended Lands when he is ordered so to do by the Lord Treasurer and Chancellor of the Exchequer or the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury He has under him 8 sworn Clerks by whom all Accounts of Sheriffs and Bayliffs are made up and when the Accounts are even he gives the Accomptants their Quieâ—us est All Tallies which vouch the Payments contained in such Accounts are examined and allowed by the chief Clerk in the Pipe called the Secondary The Comptroller of the Pipe who writes out the Summons twice every Year to the high Sheriffs to levy the Debts charged in the great Roll of the Pipe He also writes in his Roll all that is in the great Roll and nothing entered in this can be discharged without his privity The Forein Opposer whose Office is to oppose all Sheriffs upon the Schedules of the Green Wax This Office is kept in Grays-Inn The Clerk of the Pleas in whose Office all the Exchequer Officers and other Debtors to the King are to plead and be impleaded as at the Common Law The Reason why it is done here is because their Attendance is required in this Court. And therefore here are four sworn Attorneys The Clerk of the Estreats who receives every Term the Estreats or Extracts out of the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer's Office and â—rites them out to be levied for the King He â—lso makes Scheduâ—es of such Sums as are to be â—ischarged A Clerk of the Parcels and another of the â—ichils Two Auditors of the Imprest who Audit the great Accompts of the Kings Custoâ—s Wardrobe â—int First-fruits and Tenths Naval and Miâ—tary Expences Moneys Imprested c. Seven Auditors of the Revenue who Audit all Accompts of the Kings Lands Revenue and all Taxes granted by the Parliament There are also several Receivers of the Kings Revenues arising from Lands and Rents whose Accompts are yearly made up by the Auditors To which add a Receiver of the First-Fruits Revenue As for the Tenths the Bishops are Collectors of them and account yearly for the same But there are two other considerable Officers not to be omitted viz. the Deputy Chamberlains In whose
Clayton Kt. Borough of Rygate Sir John Parsons Kt. John Parsons Esq Borough of â—uilford Morgan Randyll Esq Foot Onslow Esq Borough of Gatton Sir John Thompson Bar. Thomas Turgis Esq Borough of Haslemere Geo. Rodeney Bridges Esq Denzill Onslow Esq Susser 20. Sir John Pelham Bar. Sir Will. Thomas Bar. City of Chichester Sir Thomas Miller Kt. Thomas May Esq Borough of Horsham John Machell Esq Thomas White Jun. Gent. Borough of Midhurst Sir William Morley Knight of the Bath John Lewkner Esq Borough of Lewes Thomas Pelham Esq Richard Bridger Esq Borough of Shoreham Sir Edward Hungerford Knight of the Bath John Pery Esq Borough of Bramber Nicholas Barbon Esq Dr. John Radcliffe Borough of Steyning Sir John Fagge Bar. Robert Fagge Esq Borough of East-Greensted The Honourable Thomas Sackvile Esq Sir Thomas Dyke Bar. Borough of Arundel William Morley Esq James Butler Esq Warwickshire 6. William Bromely Esq Andrew Archer Esq City of Coventry Richard Hopkins Esq John Stratford Esq Borough of Warwick The Right Honourable William Lord Digby William Colemore Esq Westmorland 4. The Right Honourable Sir John Lowther of Lowther Bar. Sir Christopher Musgrave of Musgrave Kt. and Bar. Borough of Appleby The Honourable William Cheyne Esq Charles Boyle Esq Wilthshire 34. The Right Honourable Edw. Viscount Cornbury Sir Walter S. John Bar. City of New Sarum Thomas Hoby Esq Thomas Pitt Esq Borough of Wilton Sir Richard Grubham How Kt. and Bar. Thomas Windham Esq Borough of Downton Sir Charles Raleigh Kt. Maurice Bockland Esq Borough of Hindon Robert Hide Esq Thomas Chaffyn Esq Borough of Westbury The Honourable Peregrine Bertie Esq Richard Lewys Esq Borough of Hytesbury William Ash Esq Will. Trenchard Esq Borough of Calne Henry Baynton Esq Henry Chivers Esq Borough of the Devizes Sir Tho. Fowles Kt. Walter Grubb Esq Borough of Chipenham Richard Kent Esq Alexander Popham Esq Borough of Malmesbury The Honourable Goodwin Wharton Esq Sir James Long Bar. Borough of Criclade Edmund Webb Esq Charles Fox Esq Borough of Great Bedwin The Right Honourable Anth. Viscount Falkland Sir Jonath Raymond Kt. Borough of Ludgersale Thomas Neale Esq John Deane Esq Borough of Old Sarum Sir Thomas Mompesson Kt. William Harvey Esq Borough of Wootton-Basset Henry St. John Esq John Wildman Jun. Esq Borough of Marlborough Sir John Ernle Kt. Sir George Willoughby Kt. Worcestershire 9. Sir John Packington Kt. Thomas Foley Esq City of Worcester Sir John Somers Kt. William Bromely Esq Borough of Droitwich The Right Honourableâ— Richard Earl of Bellemont â—hilip Foley Esq Borough of Evesham Sir James Rushout Bar. Edward Rudge Esq Borough of Bewdley Henry Herbert Esq Yorkshire 30. The Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax Sir Joyn Kay Bar. City of York Robert Waller Esq Henry Thompson Esq Town of Kingston upon Hull John Ramsden Esq Charles Osborne Esq Borough of Knaresborough William Stockdale Esq Thomas Fawkes Esq Borough of Scareborough Will. Thompson Esq Francis Thompson Esq Borough of Rippon Sir Edm. Jenings Kt. Sir Jonath Jenings Kt. Borough of Richmond Sir Mark Milbanck Bar. Theodore Bathurst Esq Borough of Heydon Henry Guy Esq Matth. Appleyard Esq Borough of Boroughbrig Sir Henry Goodrick Kt. and Bar. Sir Bryan Stapleton Borough of Malton Sir William Strickland Bar. William Palmes Esq Borough of Thriske Thomas Frankland Esq Richard Staines Esq Borough of Aldborough Sir Mich. Wentworth Kt. Christopher Tancred Esq Borough of Beverly Sir Michael Wharton Kt. William Gee Esq Borough of North-Allerton Sir William Robinson Bar. Thomas Lascells Esq Borough of Pontefract The Honourable Henry Dawney Esq Sir John Bland Bar. BARONS of the Cinque-Ports 16. Port of Hastings The Honourable John Beaumont Esq Peter Gott Esq Town of Winchelsea Sir Robert Austin Bar. Samuel Western Esq Town of Rye Sir John Austen Bar. Sir John Darrel Kt. Port of New Rumney Sir Charles Sidley Kt. John Brewer Esq Port of Hythe Sir Philip Butler Bar. Will. Brockman Esq Port of Dover Thomas Papillon Esq James Chadwick Esq Port of Sandwich John Thurbarne Serjeant at Law Edward Brent Esq Port of Seaford William Campion Esq Henry Pelham Esq WALES 24. Anglesey 2. The Right Honourable Rich. Viscount Bulkely Town of Beaumaris Thomas Bulkely Esq Brecon 2. Sir Rowland Gwyn Kt. Town of Brecon Jeossery Jeffreys Esq Cardigan 2. Sir Carbety Price Bar. Town of Cardigan Hector Philips Esq Carmarthen 2. Sir Rice Rudd Bar. Town of Carmarthen Richard Vaughan Esq Carnarvan 2. Sir Wil. Williams of Vaynal Bar. Town of Carnarvan Sir Robert Owen Kt. Denby 2. Sir Richard Middleton Bar. Town of Denby Edward Brereton Esq Flint 2. Sir Roger Puleston Kt. Town of Flint Thomas Whitley Esq Glamorgan 2. Bussey Mansel Esq Town of Cardiffe Thomas Mansell Esq Merioneth 1. Sir John Wynne Kt. and Bar. Montgomery 2. Edward Vaughan Esq Town of Montgomery Charles Herbert Esq Pembroke 3. Sir Hugh Owen Kt. Town of Haverford-west Sir William Wogan Kt. Town of Pembroke Arthur Owen Esq Radnor 2. Richard Williams Esq Town of New Radnor Robert Harley Esq In all 513. A List of the Lords and others of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council with the Clerks of the Council HIS Royal Highness Prince George Thomas Marquess of Camarthen Lord President Henry Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal Charles Duke of Bolton Robert Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England William Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward Charles Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain Aubrey Earl of Oxford William Earl of Bedford Thomas Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery John Earl of Bath Charles Earl of Macclesfield Daniel Earl of Nottingham Secretary of State William Earl of Portland Thomas Earl of Faulconberg Charles Earl of Monmouth John Earl of Marlborough Richard Earl of Scarborough Henry Earl of Warrington Ralph Earl of Montague Henry Viscount Sidney Henry Lord Bishop of London Francis Lord Newport Marquess of Winchester Lord Chief Justice Holt. Sir Robert Howard Sir Henry Capel Sir Henry Goodrick Sir John Lowther Vice-Chamberlain Richard Hampden Esq Hugh Boscawen Esq Thomas Wharton Esq Comptroller of the King's Houshold Edward Russel Esq William Harbord Esq Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls Lords Commissioners of the Privy Seal William Cheyne Esq Sir John Knatchbull Bar. Sir William Palteney Kt. The Clerks of the Council Sir John Nicholas Kt. Mr. Blathwait Mr. Mountague Mr. Coleing A List of the Lords Commissioners and other Officers of the Court of Chancery The Lords Commissioners Sir John Trevor Knight Sir William Rawlinson Knight Sir Geo. Hutchins Knight Masters of Chancery Henry Powle Esq Master of the Rolls whose Sâ—cretary is Mr. John Rawlinson Sir William Child Sir John Hoskins Sir John Franklyn Sir Adam Oatley Sir Robert Legar Sir John Edgeburg Sir James Astrey Sir Miles Cook Roger Meredith Esq John Methwyn Esq Samuel Keck Esq The Six Clerks in Chancery Sir Rob. Marsham Kt. Sir W. Perkins Kr. â—hem Bridges Esq Littleton Powel Esq Rich. Garth Esq Basil Herne Esq The Cursitors Mr. Abraham Nelson Principal Mr. Mich. Terry Assistants Mr. Geo. Davies Assistants For Suffolk and
the Garter 219 Knights Baronets 223 Knights of the Bath 224 Knights Batchelours Ibid. Knights Banerets 229 L. LAnd-Forces 177 Language of the English 12 English Laws 59 Lent-Preachers 171 The Lord Lieutenant's Power 179 Way of Living among the English 31 M. MAritime Power 181 Earl Marshal of England 131 Master of the Horse 161 Master of the Houshold 149 150 Master of the Wardrobe 160 Master of the Robes 162 Master of the Revels 163 Master of the Ceremonies 164 Maundy Thursday the Ceremony of that Day 173 English Measures 53 Merchants 229 Militia 178 Millenarians 70 Mint-Officers 51 N. ENglish Names 21 Nobility of England their Creation and Distinction 210 c Their Priviledges 215 Noble Women 258 O ORder of the Garter 219 Ordination of Priests and Deacons 251 Ordnance its Office and Officers 194 c. Original of the English 1 c. Oxford Regiment 168 P. PArsons 250 Patrons of Churches 252 Pledging the Original of it 43 Post-Office 47 Poverty a description thereof 230 Power of the King by Sea and Land 113 Prebendaries 248 Prerogative of the King 109 Presbyterians 68 President of the Council 129 Prince of Wales 122 Prince George 208 Princess Ann ibid. Privy Purse 162 Privy Seal 129 Proclamation of the King 98 Pursuivants 163 Q. QVakers 70 Sovereign Queen of England 121 Queen Mary's Character 143 Queen Consort 122 Queen Dowager 122 The present Queen Dowager 207 R. ENglish Recreations 39 Recusants 71 Reformation of the Church of England 63 Regency 117 Religion of England 61 Religion alters the Temper of Men 71 Revenues of the King of England 115 Revenues of the present King Queen 199 Revenues of the Clergy 253 Revenues of the Bishops 244 Rural Deans 249 S. SCotlands Union with England 85 c. Sergeants at Arms 163 Servants 266 Act of Settlement 119 Sextons 257 Ship-yards and their Officers 190 Sidesmen 257 Marks of Sovereignty 94 High Steward of England 126 Lord Steward of the King's Houshold 148 Succession to the Crown 118 T. TEmper of the English 4 Tenure in Villenage 268 Title of the King to the Crown of France 89 Tobacco the Benefits of it 38 The great Trade of England 55 Train-Bands see Militia The English way of Travelling 46 The Lord High-Treasurer 128 Treasurer of the King's House 150 V. S. VAlentines Day 45 Vestry 258 Vicars 253 The Vnreasonableness of the present disaffected Party 144 W. WAles its Union with England 84 Wardrobes of the King 160 Weights used in England 52 Women 258 Laws concerning them 260 261 Y. YAchts 186 Yeomen 228 Yeomen of the Gard 167 The Table FOR THE THIRD PART A ALdermen 73 Alienation Office 53 Apprentices Laws concerning them 112 Aâ—â—zes 80 Attachment 95 B. BAyliffs 74 Benefit of the Clergy 58 C. CHancery see Court Circuâ—ts 80 Clerk of the Market 72 Commission of Assize 81 Commission of Nisi-prius ib. Commission of Peace 82 Commission of Oyer Terminer ib. Commission of Gaol-delivery ib. Committees 30 c. Common Pleas see Court Constables 77 Convocation 96 Coroners 71 Privy Council 43 County Court 68 Court of Chancery 49 Court of King's Bench 55 Court of Common Pleas 59 Court of Exchequer 62 Court of Dutchy of Lancaster 66 Court of Admiralty 91 Court of Marshalsea 94 Court of Requests 94 Court Martial 91 215 Court Leet 75 Court Baron 76 Courts of Conscience 94 Prerogative Court 102 Court of Arches 100 Court of Audience 102 Court of Delegates 103 Court of Peculiars 104 Court of the Lord Mayor of London 106 Court of Aldermen at Lond. 107 Court of Common Council 108 Court of Goal-Delivery 110 Court of the London Sheriffs 111 Court of the Chamberlain ib. Court of the Orphans 114 Cursitors Office 52 H. HEadboroughs 77 House of Lords 11 House of Commons 12 Hustings 109 J. GRand Jury 70 L. A List of the Kings Houshold Officers and Servants 135 A List of the Gentlemen of the King's Bedchamber 144 A List of the Genâ—l Pensioners 152 A List of the Yeomen of the Guard Officers 153 A List of the Officers of the four Troops of Horse ib. A List of the Officers of the Oxford Regim 158 A List of the Officers of the Foot-guards 159 A List of the Chappel Royal 161 A List of the Queens Houshold 163 A List of the Nobility 168 A List of the Bishops 174 A List of the House of Commons 175 A List of the Privy Council 191 A List of the Lords Commissioners and Officers of the Court of Chancery 193 A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Kings Bench 19â— A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Common Pleas 200 A List of the Judges and Officers of the C. of Exchequer 203 A List of the Judges and Officers of the Dutchy of Lancast 206 A List of the Attorney aâ—â— Solicitor General Sergeants and Council at Law ib. A List of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury 208 A List of the Officers of the Custom 209 A List of the Officers of the Excise 210 A List of the Officers of the General Post-Office 211 A List of the Officers of the Mint 212 A List of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty 213 A List of the Admirals 214 A List of the Commissioners other Officers belonging to the Navy ib. A List of the Officers of the Martial Court 215 A List of the Lords Lieutenants 216 A List of the Governours of Foregn Plantations 219 A List of the Consuls in Foreign Parts 220 A List of the Foreign Ministers residing here ibid. A List of the Knights of the Garter 221 A List of the Knights made by K. William 222 A List of the Deans in England Wales 225 A List of the Colledge of Civilians 226 A List of the Colledge of Physicians 230 A List of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London 232 A List of the Lieutenancy of London 234 A List of the Governours of the Charterhouse 236 A List of the Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Heads of Colledges and Halls Proctors Orator and Professors in Oxford University 237 A List of the Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Heads of Colledges and Halls Proctors Orator and Professors in Cambridge 239 M. MAster 's of Chancery 50 Master of the Rolls 51 Mayors 73 P. PAper-Office 47 Parliament of England 1 Pie-powder Court 96 Privy Council 43 Q. QVarter Sessions 70 S. SEcretaries of State 45 Sheriffs 67 Sheriffs Turn 68 Signet-Office 47 Speaker of the House of Lords 10 Speaker of the House of Commons 14 Stewards 75 Subpoena Office 53 Swainmote 95 T. TRial of Malefactors 83 W. WArden of the Fleet 54 ERRATA PART I. Page 4. line 12. read Wiltshire p. 7. l. 10. dele of and l. 12. r. third p. 29. l. 5. r. Lincoln p. 81. in the list 1. Burntwood p. 89. l. 11. r. be p. 116. l. 10. r. Rockingham p. 291. l. 25. r. 1209. p. 302. r. only Grocer's Hall p. 324. l. 6. r. 25. p. 329. l. 13. r. 9000. p. 331. l. 16. r. manner p. 341.
South empties it self into the Trent and so divides the County into East and West The Soil in the South and East Parts is very fruitful and yields both good Grass and Corn. But the North and West Parts being both Hilly and Stony with a black and mossy barren Ground are not so fertile Yet they are not without some rich Valleys and on the Hills themselves are bred abundance of very good though not very large Sheep For Fewel it is not beholden to Wood the Woods having been destroyed in a great measure by the Countries Iron-Works Lead-mines and Coal-Delfs But 't is so well stored with Coals that it supplies with this sort of Fewel many neighbouring Counties as Leicester Northampton Rutland and Lincoln Whose Inhabitants frequently bring Barley to sell at Darby and load themselves back with Coals For Buildings it affords not only good Clay for Bricks but also store of Free-Stone or durable Greet Stone and in many parts Lime-stone both useful in Building and for manuring the Ground Here is also Alabaster Crystal black and grey Marble not only very durable but such as polishes well As for Mill-Stones and Whet-stones here 's whole Quarries of 'em in the working whereof a great many hands are imployed before they come to be dispersed over the Nation But the chiefest Commodity of this Country is Lead which for goodness or Plenty yields to no Place in the World Famous for this is the Peak of Derbyshire as well as for its Quarries but particularly for its three wonderful Caves This Peak ly's amongst the Mountains in the North-West Parts and its three Caves of a wonderful vast height length and depth are known by the Names of Devils Arse Elden-hole and Pools hole From the Devils Arse a Water comes which is said to ebb and flow 4 times in an hour as the Well in the Peak Forest and to keep its just Tides Noted besides for the strange Irregularities of the Rocks within the Water Eldenhole is very spacious but wiâ—h a low and narrow entrance The Waters which trickle down from the top thereof do congeal into Stone and hang like Isicles in the root thereof Some are hollow within and grow Taper-wise very white and not unlike to Crystal But the greatest Wonder of all is that of Buxton-Wells Nine Springs arise out of a Rock in the compass of 8 or 9 Yards eight of which are warm and the ninth very cold These Springs run from under a square Building of Free Stone and about 300 foot off receive another hot Spring from a Well inclosed with four flat Stones near unto which another very cold Spring bubbles up These Waters are experimentally found good for the Stomach and Sinews and good to bathe in And now I come to Mineral Waters I cannot but mention Kedlaston Well Quarndon and Stanly Springs The first of which being in Kedlâ—ston Parish is noted for having cured as 't is said the Leprosy and for being singular in the Cure of old Ulcers Quarndon Springs are two Springs about a mile and a half from Derby much of the nature of Tunbridge-Waters in Kent and the Spaws in Yorkshire as strong of the Mineral and as effectual in the Operation As for Stanly-Spring 't is of the same nature but not so strong But about Wirksworth there 's a warm and a cold Spring so near each other that one may put one hand in the cold and the other in the warm Derby the Shire-Town from whence the County it self is denominated bears from London North and by West and is distant therefrom 98 miles thus From London to Leicester 78 as you may see in Leicestershire thence to Lougborough 8 and to Derby 12 more This Town is seated upon the West Bank of Derwent from whence probably the Name of Derby is extracted over which there is a fine Bridge of free Stone and upon the Bridge a Chappel called St. Maries Chappel But besides Derwent which empties it self but 6 miles lower into the Trent this Town has the Conveniency of a Brook rising Westward and running through it under nine several Bridges 'T is a large populous and rich Place few inland Towns equalizing it Here are five Parish Churches of which that of All-Saints is the fairest Whose Tower-Steeple in which are 8 tunable Bells built at the only Charge of the young Men and Maids about the Reign of Q. Mary is equalled for height and beauty by few in the Nation Here is also a fair Hall built not many years since of free Stone at the Counties Charge where the Assizes are constantly kept In short 't is a Place of good Trade and Resort no less famous for good Ale than Banbury for its Cakes and Cheese Here is chiefly a great Vent for Barley which they make into Malt and so sell it again in Cheshire Lancashire and the North of this County It s Market is on Fridays which is very great for Cattel Corn and all Provisions besides small Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays Lastly this Town is dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom now in the person of the Right Honourable William Stanley Earl of Derby and Lord of the Isle of Man Descended to him from his Ancestor Thomas Lord Stanley and of Man created Earl of Derby by King Henry VII Anno 1486. Which Title was first injoy'd by the Earls of Ferrers and Derby and afterwards by several Princes of the Royal Family till it came as I said before to Thomas Lord Stanley by Creation The other Market Towns are Chesterfield Sat. Ashbourn Sat. Alfreton Mund. Bakewell Mund. Wirksworth Tue. Tideswal Wedn. Dronfield Thu. Bolsover Frid. Drawfield Amongst which Chesterfield is pleasantly seated in a good Soil for the most part on the South-side of a little Hill and that between two small Rivers A Town which by the Ruins of it does seem to be of good Antiquity and therefore likely to have had some more ancient Name now buried in its Ruins It was made a free Borough in the time of King John And hard by it was the Battel fought between King Henry III and his Barons in which Robert de Ferrers Earl of Derby being taken Prisoner lost his Estate and Dignity though not his Life But that wherein it has most cause to glory is that from an ordinary Market Town it is become the Seat of an Earldom the Stile and Title of Earl of Chesterfield being conferred by King Charles I. upon Philip Lord Stanhop of Shelford created Earl of Chesterfield Anno 1628. From whom it descended next by Henry his eldest Son to the Right Honourable Philip Lord Stanhop the present Earl of Chesterfield Wirksworth is so called from the Worth of the Lead-Works And 't is the greatest Lead-Market in England This County formerly Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Coritani is now in the Diocese of Lichfield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Parliament Men and these two by
called Portland Castle built by Henry VIII And almost opposite to it on the Lands side towards Weymouth stands another called Sandford Castle Which two Castles command all Ships that pass into this Road. The whole Peninsule does shew it self from the top of the Rocks in a Flat and is in compass about 7 miles The Ground is very good for Corn and indifferent for Pasture but so destitute of Wood and other Feweâ— that the Inhabitants are fain to dry their Cow-dung and burn it Which Defect iâ— made up another way by its Quarries oâ— excellent free Stone for Building and thaâ— in such plenty that they make use of it foâ— their Fences On the South-East-side stands the only Church in the Isle and that so near the Seaâ— that to fence it from its furious Waves the Church-yard Banks were fain to be walled to an incredible height And here it is that Portland Race shews it self For so they call the Meeting of the two Tides here with so great striving and beating of the Waves that 't is not safe even in the calmest Season for Barks to pass over it This Peninsule has been dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom first in the person of Richard Weston created Earl of Portland by King Charles I. Anno 1632 and continued in his Son Jeremy then in Charles Son and Heir of Jeremy and lastly in Thomas Weston Uncle to Charles the late Earl of Portland But since the late Revolution our present King was pleased to confer this Title upon the Right Honourable William Bentinck the present Earl of Portland and Groom of the Stole to His Majesty East of Portland lies Purbeck an Island or rather a Peninsule that takes up the South-East part of this County about 10 miles in length and 6 in breadth reaching from Luckford Lake to the Channel So that it is surrounded with the Sea North East and South and Westward with Rivers within less than a â—ile In this Compass of Ground are many small Towns whereof Corfe is the chief Seated on the banks of a River running through the middle parts of Purbeck into Luckford Lake and that in a barren Soil betwixt two Hills upon one of which stands a Castle called from â—he Town Corfe-Castle A Castle that had great Priviledges granted to the Lords thereof â—s the free Warren Chase over all the Isle â—ea-wracks Freedom from the Lord Admiral â—f England c. To conclude this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants the ancient Durotriges is now in the Diocese of Bristol Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 18 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Dorchester Pool Lime Weymouth Melcomb Regis Bridport Shaftsbury Warham and Corfe-Castle Of this County there have been both Marquesses and Earls the Title of Marquess first injoy'd by the Beauforts and after them by the Greys the last that possessed it being Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk who was beheaded in the Year 1553. The Title of Earl was conferred by King James I. upon Thomas Sackvil Lord Buckhurst created Earl of Dorset Anno 1603 in whose Line it has continued hitherto the present Earl hereof being the Right Honourable Charles Sackvil Earl of Dorset and Middlesex and Lord High Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold Durham DVRHAM a Maritime County in the North of England is bounded Eastward by the German Ocean Westward by Cumberlanâ— and Westmorland Northward by Northumberland and Southward by the River Tees which parts it from Yorkshire It s Length from East to West is about 3â— miles its Breadth from North to South 30 The Whole divided into four Wakes noâ— Hundreds wherein 118 Parishes and 6 Maâ—ket-Towns Here the Air is pretty sharp and keen noâ— only by reason of the Climate but because 〈◊〉 its Hilliness especially the West Parts of iâ— So true it is that those Northern Counties which are so nearly related to Scotland by their Situation participate likewise of its nature This County is so well watered what with the Sea and what with the Rivers that it is almost incompassed with Water Next to the River Tine which parts it for some miles from Northumberland and the Tees from Yorkshire here is the Ware which runs through Durham and Derwent into the Tine As the Soil of it is different so it is in some Parts fertile in others barren and accordingly inhabited The Eastern Part is Champain and bears plenty of Coal the Southern is the most fertile the Western is hilly and barren and thin of Woods and Towns But it is recompensed by its Store of Coal Lead and Iron Mines Durham the County Town bears from London North by West and is distant therefrom by common Computation 200 miles That is 150 miles to York for the Particulars of which I refer you to Yorkshire and 50 miles more to Durham Viz. from York to Borough-bridge 13 to North-Allerton 13 more 10 from thence to Darlington and 14 more to Durham Whose Situation is upon Hills and Bottoms of Hills all surrounded with Hills but the â—ow Parts watered with the River Ware which incircles the best Part of it and over which there are two Stone-Bridges If what Mr. Bloom says of it in his Britannia was true when it was published the Case is altered I have been often upon the Place but could never find it fair and neatly compacted nor so beautified as he represents it nor its Market-Place so spacious nor its Trade so flourishing On the contrary 't is a good retiring Place free from the noise and hurry of Trade unless it be upon Saturdays on which Day the Market is kept Here indeed one may live plentifuly and breath good Air at an easy rate The greatest Ornament of this Place is the Castle and the Cathedral The Castle where the Bishop makes his Residence is I confess a stately Fabrick raised on the top of a Hill by William the Conquerour with all the Advantages both of a Pallace and a Castle Over against it on the same Hill stands the Cathedral whose Structure has this Defect that it is built of a soft mouldering Stone Between both these is a spacious Place called the Green On one side whereof is the Hall where the Assizes are kept with a handsom publick Library erected and founded by Dr. Cosins the late Bishop of Durham and on the other side a Row of Alms-Houses the standing Fruits of his Charity At Nevils Cross near Durham a bloudy Battel was fought the 20th of Oct. 1346 between the English and the Scots where David Bruce King of Scots was taken Prisoner by one Copland a Man of a mean degree but Knighted for this Action Then was Queen Philip Wife to King Edward III in person in the Field the Battel being managed by the Lords Mowbray Percy and Nevil The Market-Towns besides Durham it self are Darlington Mund. Bernard-Castle Wedn. Bishop Aukland Thu. Sunderland Frid. and Stainthorp Darlington is a good
handsom Town flands pleasantly among fertile Meadows near the Forest of Charwood on the Banks of the River Stowr over which it has a Bridge Lutterworth a goodly Town also beautified with a large and fair Church with a neat and lofty Spire-Steeple is seated in a good Soil on the River Swift which at a small distance from hence falls into the Avon in Warwickshire Of this Town the famous Wicless was Parson an okl Champion against the Corruptions and Errours of the Church of Rome This County now in the Diocese of Lincoln was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia in the Time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants with several of their Neighbours went among the ancient Romans under the Name of Coritani Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members of Parliament chosen by the Town of Leicester Lincolnshire LINCOLNSHIRE a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with the Counties of York Nottingham and Leicester on the North with the River Humber which parts it from Yorkshire on the South with the Counties of Cambridge Northampton and Rutland It contains in Length from North to South almost 60 miles in Breadth from East to West 35. The Whole divided into 3 Parts called Lindsey Kesteven and Holland And these 3 Divisions contain 30 Hundreds wherein 630 Parishes and 35 Market-Towns This Country being Fenny especially in the East and South Parts makes the Air something unhealthful because it is apt to be thick and foggy The Soil in the North and West Parts is exceeding pleasant and fertile stored with Pasturage Arable and Meadow Grounds But the East and South Parts that are full of Fenny Grounds and something brackish by reason of the Salt Waters that come in from the Sea through several Inlets are barren and unfit for Corn. 'T is true in recompence thereof there is such a plenty both of Fowl and Fish that no County in the Kingdom can compare with it And there goes a Story that at one draught with a Net 30â—0 Mallards have been taken besides other sorts How true it is I am as yet to seek but am apt to think there 's one Cypher too much As for Rivers no County in England is better irrigated nor Rivers any where more plentifull of Fish Northward is the Humber which as I said before parts it from Yorkshire and Westward the Trent which severs Part of it from Nottinghamshire Cross the Country you will find the Witham River Southward the Weland and the Nen. That Part of the County which goes by the Name of Lindsey lies to the Northward and is so named from Lindissi the ancient Name of Lincoln according to Beda This Part is so surrounded with Water that it is an Island and its Extent so great in proportion to the rest that it takes up at least one half of the County Noted for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Robert Bertie the present Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Kesteven and Holland take up the South Parts from Lindsey Holland lying towards the Sea and Kesteven West from it Of Holland there has been 3 Earls Henry Robert and Edward Rich. The first created Earl of Holland by King James I. Anno 1624. Robert his Son succeeded not only in this Title but also in that of Earl of Warwick upon the Death of his Cousin-german Charles Rich Earl of Warwick who died without Issue So that both Titles are now injoyd by his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick and Holland Lincoln the principal Place in this Shire and a Bishops See bears from London North by West and is distant from it by common Computation 103 miles thus Viz. from London to Huntington 48 miles for the Particulars whereof I refer you to Huntingtonshire from thence to Stilton 9 to Peterborough 5 more to Market-Deeping 8 to Sleaford 18 more and thence to Lincoln 15. A City seated on the side of a Hill the lower part whereof is watered by the River Witham over which there are several Bridges for the Conveniency of Passengers A Place of great Antiquity whose ancient ruinated Places are still an Argument of its former Greatness In the Time of the Romans 't was a Town of great strength and fame and in the Time of the Normans a Place of great Trading Whose flourishing Condition occasioned the Episcopal See then at Dorchester near Oxon to be removed hither But this City has gone through all the Calamities of Fire Sword and Earth-quake Which has so much weakned and impaired it that of 50 Churches it is said to have had for divine Worship there remains but 15 besides the Cathedral In the Time of the Saxons King Arthur drove away their Forces from this Place The like did Edmund Ironside to the Danes who had made sore havock thereof On the 5th of Sept. 1140. here was a great Battel fought between King Stephen and Maud the Empress in which the King was taken Prisoner and afterwards laid in irons in Bristol On the 19th of May 1217. here was another sore Battel fought betwixt King Henry III. and his disloyal Barons who stood for Lewis the Dauphin of France in which the King got the day But whatever Disasters and Calamities this City has gone through still 't is a large populous and well frequented Place Dignified not only with an Episcopal See whose Diocese to this day is the greatest of any in the Kingdom but also for many Ages with the Title of an Earldom Which having passed through severall Families with frequent Interruptions came at last to be in the possession of Edward Fiennes Lord Clinton who being Lord Admiral in Queen Elizabeth's Time was by her Majesty created Earl of Lincoln Anno 1565. From whom the Title is now devolved in a direct Line to the Right Honourable Edward Clinton the present Earl of Lincoln The Cathedral or Minster as now standing is one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christendom high seated on a Hill and from thence discerned over all the Country In short this City is a County of it self whose Liberties extend about 20 miles in compass and is called the County of the City of Lincoln It s Market kept on Fridays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities The other Market-Towns are Grantham Sat. Kirkton Sat. Thongcaster Sat. Waynfleet Sat. Horn-Castle Sat. Dunington Sat. Burton Sat. Bourn Sat. Spilsby Mun. Salsby Mun. Sleaford Mun. Market-Stanton Mun. Stamford Mund. Frid. Ganesborough Tue. Barton Tue. Market-Rasen Tue. Bullingbrook Tue. Spalding Tue. Alford Tue. Grinsby Wedn. Binbrook Wedn. Lowthe Wed. and Sat. Boston Wed. and Sat. Glamford Thu. Burgh Thu. Market-Deeping Thu. Folkingham Thu. Holbich Thu. Wragby Thu. Naverby Thu. Tatershall Frid. Saltfleet Crowland Barnwell Among which Stamferd in Kesteven Division and the hithermost Town of Lincolnshire is the most considerable Seated on both sides of the
it gave it out that the Body of Joseph of Arimathea lay there Interred Certain it is that this was a Shelter to the Britains in the latter Times of the British Churches when they were miserably harassed and persecuted by the Pagan Saxons And it might be as Dr. Stillingfleet says of far greater request among the Britains because it was the Place where King Arthur was buried Whose Body was found there very deep in the Earth in the Reign of Henry II with a Latine Inscription on a leaden Cross expressing that King Arthur lay there buried in the Island of Avalon And his Body was laid so deep for fear of the Saxons this being a Place of Retreat in the British Times but not without the apprehension of their Enemies Invasion Axebridge is so called from the River Axe on which it is situate Pensford and Canesham ly North and by East from Axebridge both seated on the Chire and the last at its very fall into the Avon near Bristol Philip-Norton and Froumselwood stand near the Froume on the Confines of Wiltshire Shepton-Malles and Somerton ly South and by West from 'em both pretty large but poor Towns Whereas Somerton as I said before was once a Place of such note that the Shire took its Name from it Ilchester so called from the River Ill or Yeovel upon which it is seated is a Town of great Antiquity and was once a Place of good Strength Then it had 16 Parish Churches now reduced to two However this is the Place where the County-Goal is kept Evil or Yeovel stands upon the same River and grows by the decay of of its Neighbour Ilchester Winâ—aunton stands on the side of a Hill in the Road to London and is a good Market-Town for Cheese especially Minehead Watchet and Dunster ly all three by the Sea-side But the first has the best Harbour and is a Place of some Trade especially into Ireland West from which towards Devonshire stands another Sea-Town called Porlock noted for its Bay or Harbour sometimes resorted unto by Seamen in those Parts But to conclude this County in general is noted for two Things besides the fore-mentioned The first for giving the Title of Duke to his Grace Charles Seymour the present Duke of Somerset Marquess of Hartford c. Descended from Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of King Edward the Sixth who was beheaded Anno 1552. But upon the Restauration of King Charles the Second the Title was restored to the Line in the person of William Seymour the great Grandchild of the foresaid Duke from whom it is now devolved to the present Duke Brother to Francis who was killed in Italy 'T is remarkable besides that this County was few Years since the Scene which brought the late Duke of Monmouth with many of his Followers to their tragical End and gave an Opportunity to the Popish Party by the uncontroulable Authority of the late King James to hurry on their Design of Intailing Popery and Slavery upon these Nations Which was wonderfully defeated under God by the Magnanimity of our present King Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants Part of the Belgae in the Time of the Romans is now in the Diocese of Baâ—h and Wells Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 16 Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Bristol Bath Wells Taunton Bridgewater Minehead Ilchester and Milburn Port. Which last stands on the Confines of Dorsetshire In the South Parts of this County is a sharp Hill called Montacute which gives the Title of Viscount to the Right-Honourable Francis Brown the present Viscount Montacute Derived to him from Anthony Brown created Viscount Montacute in the Reign of Queen Mary Anno 1354 being descended from the Lady Lucy Daughter of John Nevil Grandchild of Tho. Montacute Earl of Salisbury who was created Lord Montacute and afterwards Marquess Montacute by King Edward the fourth Staffordshire STAFFORDSHIRE an Inland County is bounded Eastward by Derbyshire and part of Warwickshire parted from the first for the most part by the River Dove Westward by Cheshire and Shropshire Northward by Cheshire and part of Derbyshire and Southward by Worcestershire It s Length from North to South is at least 40 miles its Breadth from East to West about 25. The whole divided into five Hundreds where in 130 Parishes and 18 Market-Towns The Air is counted here pretty good and healthfull but it is somewhat sharp in Winter As for the Soil 't is true the greatest Part of the Country is taken up with Moors and Woods insomuch that one may go the whole length of the County and see little but Heaths and Moors But they are such as yield both profit and pleasure Profit by breeding Multitudes of Sheep Deer and Conies and many of 'em by the Husbandmans Industry yielding very good Corn. Pleasure for they afford the greatest plenty of Heath-Game of any County in the Kingdom either by Hawking or Hunting And so great was formerly the Number of Parks and Warrens in this Shire that there was scarce any Gentlemans Seat in the County but what had both Park and Warrens The chief Forests are those of Cank and Kinvare and among Chases those of Needwood Peasey and Alderwas Hay In short the North Part of this Country is full of Hills and Woods the South stored with Coals and Mines of Iron and the middle Part being watered with the River Trent adorned with fair Corn-fields and Meadows And yet in the North-Parts the Pastures near the River Dove yield the sweetest and fattest Mutton in England For Manuring the Ground here 's plenty both of Lime and Marl. For Building abundance of Timber and Stone which last for its fineness and durableness is held in good esteem A sort of Plaister is made of the Lime which soon after it is laid grows as white as Snow and as hard as a Stone Here is also a good deal of Alabaster and in some Places salt Springs yielding plenty of white Salt not much inferiour to the best Salt in Cheshire The Hills of most note are Mowcop-hill in the Confines of Cheshire where Mill-stones are got Dudley-hill which affords a fine Prospect the Shaw which overlooks the Counties of Darby and Leicester and the Wever With Rivers Springs and Brooks no County in England is better watered than this Besides the Trent here is the Dove the Churnet the Blithe the Line the Tean the Sowe the Penk the Manifold and several others some emptying themselves into the Dove as this dees into the Trent and all of them stored with most sorts of fresh-water Fish The Trent of special note for its Pikes Pearches Fels and Graylings the Dove for its Trouts and the Blithe for Eels And over all these Rivers are reckoned at least 24 Stone-bridges But as the Gentry here are not so curious in their private Buildings as they be in other
wild Fowl from the Fens Spinning is here the principal Imployment of the poorer sort of Women Iksworth is but a small Market-Town which according to Cambden retains in its Name the Memory of the Iceni who partly dwelt in this County In this Town are yet some Remains of an ancient Priory founded by Gilbert Blunt Lord of the Town as also of a Guild-Hall where not many years since has been digged up a Pot of Roman Coyn bearing Inscriptions of divers Roman Emperours But besides the foresaid Market-Tows there are other Towns in Suffolk which upon some account or other do deserve a place here Exning or Ixning among others not far from Newmarket has at least as much right as Iksworth to claim its Name from the ancient Iceni This is the Place which gave Birth to St. Audry the Virgin Daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles who for her holy Life and Works of Piety was Canonized for a Saint From this Town to Ely Henry Bishop of Ely made a Causey or high Way Brandon seated upon the little Ouse over which it has a Bridge was once a Market-Town but has lost that Conveniency However 't is of some note for giving the Title of Baron to the Earl of Maclesfield And not far from it is a noted Ferry called from hence the Brandon Ferry where Things come up from the Isle of Ely Euston some miles from Brandon to the Eastward is also situate on the Banks of the little Ouse and that hard by Fackenham This indeed is but a small Place but as an Author describes it finely seated on a Flat in a fair Champain Country for pleasure and delight Which induced the late Earl of Arlington to raise a noble Structure there called Euston-Hall of extraordinary Beauty Adjoyning to which is a large Nursery containing 1560. Fruit-trees of several sorts besides artificial Fountains and a Canal which makes a pleasant noise as it falls into the River There is also to be seen a Grove of near ten thousand Trees a large Warren and many other Curiosities The Particulars whereof I shall wave to acquaint the Reader that upon the Marriage of the second Son of the Dutchess of Cleveland to the only Daughter of the Earl of Arlington it pleased King Charles II. that he should receive Denomination from the noble Seat aforesaid Accordingly he was created Baron of Sudbury Viscount Ipswich and Earl of Euston Anno 1672 and finally Duke of Grafton in the Year 1675. Offâ—on that is Offa's Town King of Mercia Who having treacherously murdered Ethelbert King of the East-Angles to whose Court he came an invited Guest Anno 793. and thereupon usurped his Kingdom erected here a small Castle on a Clay-hill The Ruins of which are yet apparent under the Name of Offton-Castle Rendlesham situate on the River Deben towards Orford is noted for being the Place where Redwald the first Christian King of the East-Angles kept his Court Who being afterward seduced by his Queen permitted an Altar to be placed in the Church for her Heathenish Sacrifices to Devils together with his Altar for the Worship of the true God Wickham or Wickham-Market North of Woodbridge and upon the same River is as big as many Market-Towns though its Market be now lost by reason of its Neighbourhood to Woodbridge 'T is a Stage-Town upon the Eastern London Road and one of those where general and Spiritual Courts are held for the Arch-Deacon of Suffolk to whom the Eastern Part of the County is assigned as the Western is to the Arch-Deacon oâ— Sudbury Here is a Spire-Steeple which serves as a Sea-mark to Saylers off the Whiting Sand by Orford Walderswick a Sea-Town near Sowolds Bay has a fine Church and Spire-Steeple which shews it to have been a much better Town than it is at present Blithborough a poor decayed Town not far West from Walderswick is so called from the River Blithe over which it has a Bridge Here are still to be seen the Ruins of a Priory founded by King Henry I and the Goal for the Division of Beckles as a Remembrance of the Session formerly kept here Of some note besides for being the Burial Place of Anna a Christian King of the East-Angles slain in the Field by Peuda the Mercian King The Church is very handsom still and that 's the only Ornament of this Place So much for the Towns of Suffolk What remains is to acquaint you that this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Norwich Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire fourteen Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Ipswich Dunwich Orford Alborough Sudbury Eye St. Edmundsbury Of this County there have been Dukes Marquesses and Earls And this last Title lives still in the person of the Right Honourable George Howard the present Earl of Suffolk Devolved to him from his Ancestor Thomas Lord Howard of Walden created Earl of Suffolk by King James the I. in the Year 1603. Surrey SVRREY an Inland County of no great extent is bounded on the East by Kent on the West by Barkshire and Hampshire Northward by Middlesex from which parted by the Thames and Southward by Sussex Called Surrey from its Situation on the South-side of the River Thames the Saxons calling that Rey which we term a River and so from Southrey came the Name of Surrey It contains in Length from East to West about 35 miles in Breadth from North to South 25. The Whole divided into thirteen Hundreds wherein 140 Parishes and yet but 8 Market-Towns The Skirts of this County are very rich and fruitfull especially towards the Thames where it yields plenty both of Corn and Grass but the middle Parts are somewhat hard and barren From whence the People use to say that their County was like a course piece of Cloth with a fine List But what the middle Parts want in Riches they supply with Pleasures as being famous for good Air and well stored with Parks the Downs affording excellent Opportunity as well for Horse-races as Hunting As for Rivers besides the Thames aforesaid here is none of any Note but the Wey which runs through Guildford the Mole through Darking and the Wandle whose Spring-head is at Croydon All which empty themselves into the Thames the first two near Hampton-Court and the last near Richmond Guilford the County-Town bears from London South-West by West and by common Computation is distant from it 25 miles thus From London to Kingston 10 miles from Kingston to Cobham 7 and to Guilford 8 more A Town no less pleasantly than commodiously seated on the River Wey which affords a good Advantage to the Inhabitants in the Conveyance of their Goods in Barges up to London much facilitated by the several Landlocks or Sluces on the said River In old time it was the Royal Mansion of the English Saxon
'T is bounded on the East with Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Darham on the West and North with Cumberland and on the South with Lancashire Which last does so interfere with Westmorland along the Sea-Coast that this County has but one Corner to peep out upon the Sea which is about the Place where the Ken falls into it It contains in Length from North to South about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into four Wards called Kendale Lensdale East and West Wards Wherein are contained 26 Parishes and 8 Market-Towns This County is very hilly there being two several Ridges of high Hills that cross the Country as far as Cumberland However it has especially in the Southern Parts many fruitfull Valleys with good Arable Meadow and Pasture-Grounds The Air by reason those Hills and the Northern Situation of the Country is very sharp and piercing and not so subject to the Fogs as many other Counties Whereby the People are very healthfull free from strange and infectious Diseases and commonly live to a great Age. As for Rivers this County is very well watered The principal of which are the Eden the Can or Ken the Lon and the Eamon The Can of some note for its two Cataracts or Water-falls near Kendall where the Waters descend with a great fall and noise From which the Country-people have made this Observation that when the North Water-fall sounds clearer and louder than the other 't is a certain presage of fair Weather But when the other does so they expect rainy Weather Here are also two noted Lakes or Meers the one called Vlles Water and the other Winder or Wimander Meer the first bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland and the last upon this County and Lancashire where you will find it described Kendall or Candale the Shire Town from whence one of the Wards or Divisions has the Name of Kendall Ward bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom 201 miles thus From London to Lancaster 181 miles the particulars whereof you may see in Lancastire and from Lancaster to Kendall 14. It is seated in a Dale on the River Ken whence it had the Name built in the manner of a Cross two long and broad Streets thwarting one another besides some by-Streets The same is a rich populous and well-traded Town especially for the making of woolen Cloth Druggets Serges Hats and worsted Stockings whereby the poor people are imployed and the adjacent Parts inriched Over the River it has two fair Stone-Bridges besides another of Wood which leads to the Ruins of a Castle the Birth-place of Queen Catherine the sixth Wife to King Henry VIII Here is a fair and large Church to which as the Parish-Church belong 12 Chappels of Ease And by the Church-yard stands a Free-School being a large Building well indowed with good Exhibitions for poor Scholars going from hence to Queens Colledge in Oxford Here are also in this Town seven Companies viz. the Mercers Shearmen Cordwainers Tanners Glovers Taylors and Pewterers having their respective Halls for managing their Concerns And for Provisions here is a great Market which is kept on Saturdays Lastly this Town is an ancient Barony Noted besides for giving the Title of an Earl to John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and to John de Foix created Earl hereof by King Henry VI. The other Market-Towns are Appleby Sat. Burton Tue. Burgh Wed. Ambleside Wed. Orton Wedn. Kirby Lonsdale Thu. Kirby Stephens Frid. Fardondyke Among which Appleby Kirby Stephens Burgh and Orton are in East Ward Kirby Lonsdale and Burton in Lonsdale Ward Ambleside in Kendale Ward Appleby the Abellaba of the ancient Romans is memorable for its Antiquity 'T is pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Eden over which ' it has a Stone-Bridge and does chiefly consist of one broad Street rising from North to South with an easy ascent In the upper Part of it stands a Castle once of good Strength in the nether end the Church and not far from it a free School In the East side of the Street leading to the Castle is an Amls-House or Hospital founded and liberally indowed by the Lady Clifford Where about the Year 1652 she placed a deceased Minister's Wife with her 12 Daughters whereof eleven Widows and the twelfth a maimed Maid She also purchased Lands which she settled upon Feoffees in Trust for the Repairing of the Church then very ruinous the School-House the Moot or Town Hall and the Bridge as Occasion required In this Town the Assizes and Bessions are usually held Kirby Lonsdale that is the Church-Town in Lonsdale is seated on the Banks of the River Lon in the pleasant and rich Vale of Lonsdale towards Lancashire A large and well-built Town well inhabited and resorted unto being the greatest Town in the County except Kendale Beautified with a fair Church and a large Stone-Bride and driving a good Trade for Cloth This Place gives Name to one of the four Divisions of the County from hence called Lonsdale Ward of some note besides for the many deep and hollow Caves near it Kirby Stephens a goodly Town is seated in East ward near the Skirts of the Hills which sever this County from Yorkshire Beautified with a fair Church and much improved by the Trade of making Stockings Near this Town is Wharton-Hall a Seat belonging to the Lord Wharton Burton an indifferent Town stands in a Valley near the great Hill called Farleton-Knot-Hill And Orton among the Heaths is so destitute of Wood that the people say they han't so much as a Stick to hang a Dog on I pass by the other Towns as inconsiderable to take notice of the Stone-Cross upon Stainmore-Hill a Hill so called for its being exceeding stony Stain in the North being the Word used for a Stone The Cross said to be erected upon a Peace concluded between William the Conquerour and Malcolm King of Scotland with the Arms of the King of England on the South-side and those of the King of Scotland on the North-side Which served for a Boundary as the Case stood then betwixt the two Kingdoms In the North-West Parts at the joyning of the River Eamont with the Lowther is Whinfeld Forest and hard by it Brougham-Castle which by the Coyns c. that have been there digged up seems to have been a Place of good account in the time of the Romans By the High-Way side leading between Lowther and Eamont Bridges is a large Circle of Ground with a fair Plain in the midst Which the Country-people give out to be the Place made use of by the Knight of the Round Table for their Tilts and Turnaments there being two opposite Passes to make their Approaches in And accordingly they call it King Arthur's Table At Shap a great Parish stood the only Abbey in this County founded by Thomas Son of Jospatrick in the Reign of Henry Iâ— and seated near the River Lowther Not far from which
now the chief Prison where Persons of quality that are charged with Crimes against the Government are kept in Custody Here are also many Dwelling-Houses foâ— the Officers that belong to it either as aâ— Arsenal or a Mint c. And as an Arsenal here is kept the Office of his Majesties Oâ—dinance to be explained in my second Part For the publick Devotion of all the Dwelleâ—â— in the Tower there is within its Walls onâ— Parochial Church called S. Petri ad Vinculâ— infra Turrim being the Kings Donative without Institution and Induction and exempâ— from all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Archbishop The Government of the Tower as it is a Place of great Trust so it has been usually put in the hands of two Persons of great worth the one called Constable and the other Lieutenant of the Tower The Constable has the chief Command and is Lord Lieutenant of the 21 Hamlets belonging to it which ly in several Parishes of large extent Whose Train-bands making two intire Regiments of Foot and above 3000 Men are to attend the Kings Person when commanded but are to march no farther than the King They were sometimes the Gards of the Tower and are bound if occasion be to reinforce the Garrison upon the Constable's Command Who by his Place is to be in the Commission of the Peace for the City of London and the Counties of Middlesex Kent and Surrey And so is the Lieutenant who is subordinate to the Constable for the time being but in his absence commands with the full Power of both His Salary is 200 l. per annum with all the Fees and Perquisites which are very considerable both from the Prisoners that happen to be in the Tower and from the Warders Places which are all at his Disposal Under the Command of the Constable and the Lieutenant of the Tower in his absence are the Gentleman Porter the 24 â—eomen Warders and the Gunners of the Tower The Gentleman Porter who holds his Place by Patent has the Charge of the Gates The Keys whereof he is every night to deliver to the Constable and in his absence to the Lieutenant and to receive them of him the next morning He commands the Warders that are upon duty and claims for his Fee at the entrance of a Prisoner his Upper Garment or else a Composition for the same The Warders are accounted the King's Domestick Servants and sworn accordingly by the Lord High Chamberlain or by the Clerk of the Check Their Duty is to wait at the Gates and by the Lieutenant of the Tower's appointment to attend Prisoners of State which is the most profitable and beneficial part of their Station At the Gates they examine every Stranger that offers to go in and before admittance according to the Rules of Military Discipline those that â—ear Swords must leave 'em in their hands â—ill they go out Ten of them are usually upon the Days Wait and two upon the Watch â—very night The Gunners are to look after the Ordâ—ance mounted on the Batteries and Lines â—nd ready for Service on the shortest Warning One or more of them are upon Duty â—ay and night to wait for Orders For the Liberty of the Tower to which â—as been annexed the old Artillery Garden â—y Spittle-Fields and the little Minories here is an ancient Court of Record held by a Steward every Monday by Prescription for Debts Trespasses c. And in the said Liberty the Gentleman Porter has the same Power and Authority as Sheriffs have within their respective Counties He constitutes Bayliffs thereof to execute all Process and Warrants directed to them by the Steward of the Court and has all Escheats Deodands and Goods of all Felones deâ—se For Ecclesiastical Causes and Probate of Wills the Tower and Liberties thereof have a Royal Jurisdiction From which there is no Appeal but to the King in his Court of Chancery who thereupon issues out a Commission under the Great Seal as in Appeals from the Arches or Prerogative Courts But whether the Tower be in the County that is under the Jurisdiction of Middlesex or in the Liberty of the City 't is undetermined to this day Some will have it to be part of it in Middlesex and part in the Liberty of the City And in the Case of Sir Thomas Overbury's Murder the Judges Opinion was that the Trial must be made in the City the Fact being done in that Part of the Tower held to be in the City Liberties Next to the Tower I come to the Custom House placed between the Tower and thâ— Bridge Which having been destroy'd by the Fire in the Year 1666 was soon afteâ— rebuilt much more commodious uniform anâ— magnificent and the Building cost the Kinâ— 10000 pounds Here are received and managed all the Impositions laid upon Merchandise Imported and Exported from this City Which are so considerable that of all the Customs of England divided into 3 Parts the Port of London pay's two Thirds that is when Trade flourishes about 400000 l. yearly In this Office are imploy'd a great Number of Officers an Account whereof you will find in my Second Part where I speak of the King's Revenues The Bridge of London offers it self in the next place to our Consideration Which considering the constant great Flux and Reflux at that Place was certainly a very difficult and costly piece of Work It consists of 19 Arches at 20 foot distance of each other with a Draw-bridge almost in the middle 'T is about 800 foot long and 30 broad Set out with a fine Row of Houses all along with Shops furnished with most sorts of Commodities So that it looks more like a Street than a Bridge the Street being widened in the late Reign from 12 to 20 foot It was built in the year 1200 in the Reign of King John And so great are the Charges of keeping it in repair that there is a large Revenue in Lands and Houses set apart for that purpose and two Bridge-Masters besides other Officers chosen out of the Liverv-men on Midsummer-Day to look after the same Near this Bridge is the fatal Place where the dreadful Fire afore-mentioned first began In perpetualâ— Memory whereof was erected by virtue of an Act of Parliament that â—aster-piece of Building called the Monument begun Anno 1671 in the Mayoralty of Sir Richard Forde Knight and finished Anno 1677 Sir Thomas Davies being Lord Mayor of London This Pillar not unlike those two ancient white Marble Pillars at Rome erected in honour of the Emperours Trajan and Antonius is all built of Portland Stone as durable almost as Marble and is of the Dorick Order 202 foot high and 15 foot Diameter Within-side is a fair winding Stair-case with Iron rails up to the top where this stately Pile is surrounded with an Iron-Balcony yielding a pleasant Prospect all over the City The Pedestal is 40 foot high and 21 foot Square the Front of it adorned with ingenious Emblems and the North and
Rent of the Shops above and below Stairs and the vaulted Cellars under Ground Which comes to about 4000 l. a Year besides 30 l. Fine which is paid for every Shop And as Dr. Chamberlain observes this goodly Fabrick not taking up quite an Acre of Ground is perhaps the richest piece of Ground in the whole World In our Way towards Westminster before we come to St. Pauls Cathedral are three Things worth taking notice of On the left hand a Statute of King Charles II. on Horseback in Stock-Market with a fine Conduit to it Bow steeple in the middle of Cheapside and on the right hand the Guild-hall The first done in white Marble at the Cost and Charges of Sir Robert Viner The other a solid and beautifull Structure composed of four of the Orders of Building which shews the rare Invention of the Architect The whole Height of it from the Ground is 225 foot and yet is but half so high as the intended Dome of St. Pauls Cathedral is designed to be Noted besides for its Ring of Bells reputed to be the best in all England Guildhall where the the City Courts of Judicature are held and where the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council meet for the Management of the City-Concerns is a spacious Building but more glorious within than without At the first coming in is a spacious Hall set out among other Things with the Pictures of Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary with those of several Judges Here are also two Giauts that stand up in their bulky Figures Blackwell-Hall is so near this Place and so famous for the Sale of Woollen-Cloths that I cannot pass it by in Silence The same was purchased by the Lord Mayor and Commonalty in the Beign of Richard II and has been since imployed as a Weekly Market-Place for all sorts of Woollen-Cloth broad and narrow brought from all Parts of the Kingdom there to be sold And it is to this day the greatest Market and Store-house for all sorts of Woolen-Cloth And now we come to St. Pauls Cathedral seated on the highest Part of all the City and first built by Sebert the first Christian King of the East-Saxons Before the Fire it was in Length 690 Foot that is 20 foot longer than St. Peter's in Rome which for beauty proportion and divers other Things excels all other Churches It s Breadth and Height were proportionable to the Length so that it stood upon so much ground as contained above 3 Acres and a half This famous Church as vast and solid as it was was devoured by that dreadfull Fire in the Year 1666. But some Years after Sir Christopher Wren having by the King's Command designed a new Model of it a new Foundation was laid accordingly And ever since this stately Fabrick has been carried on to that height we see it now So that for Greatness and Figure for Solidity Magnificence and curious-Architecture 't is like to excel all Churches in Christendom except in some particulars St. Peter's Church in Rome To this Cathedral belongs a Dean and thirty Prebendaries c. Within the Liberties The Two Sergeants Inns one in Fleetstreet and the other in Chancery-Lane Two Inns of Court the Inner and the Middle-Temple in Fleetstreet Five Inns of Chancery viz. Clifford's-Inn in Fleetstreet and these four in Hoâ—born Thavies Furnivals Bernards and Staple-Inns Without the Liberties Two other Inns of Court viz. Grays Inn in Holborn and Lincolns Inn in Chancery Lane Three Inns of Chancery viz. Clements Inn New Inn and Iyons Inn. The Sergeants Inns are so called because divers Judges and Sergeants at Law keep their Commons and Lodge there in Term-time The Number of these is about 26 who being arrived to the highest Degree in the Study of the Common Law have here their Lodging and Diet. Out of these are all the Judges of the Kings Bench Common Pleas and Exchequer elected by the King â—t being a Degree in the Common Law anâ—werable to that of Doctor in the Civil Law But whereas Doctors of Law are allowed to it covered within the Bar the Sergeants stand â—are-headed without the Bar only with Coifs â—or Caps on For they are called Servientes 〈◊〉 Legem and Servitutis Appellatio-est Ministeâ—ii Doctoris vero Magisterii The Degrees by which the Student in the â—ommon Law rises to that of a Sergeant are first by being bred 2 or 3 years in the University in the Study of Logick and Rhetorick with some Insight into the Civil Law Upon which he is admitted to one of the four Inns of Court where he is first called a Student or Inner-Barrister till after 7 Years Study he becomes a Mootman or Utter-Barrister and some Years after a Bencher Those are Utter-Barristers who from their Learning and Standing are called by the Benchers in the Mooting Time to plead and argue Moots that is doubtfull Cases and Questions And whilst they argue the said Cases they sit uttermost on the Forms of the Benchers Out of these Mootmen are chosen Readers for the Inns of Chancery where in Term-Time and Grand Vacations they argue Cases in the presence of Attorneys and Clerks In the four Inns of Chancery seated in Holbourn the Moots are read either by those of Grays-Inn or Lincolns-Inn and in the others by those of the two Temples The Benchers so called from the Bench whereon they sit at the upper end of the Hall are the Seniors to whom is committed the Government of the whole House and out of whose Number is yearly chosen a Treasurer who receives disburses and accounts for all Moneys belonging to the House Out of these are also chosen those Readers whose Reading is kept with so much feasting and solemnity To which are invited the chief Nobles Judges Bishops great Officers of the Kingdom and sometimes the King himself Such a Feasting as has cost some Readers 1000 l. After which the Reader wears a long Robâ—different from other Barristers and is then in a capacity to be made a Sergeant at Law the Sergeants being usually chosen out of these Readers The Manner of their Choice is thus When the Number of Sergeants is small the Lord Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas by the advice and consent of the other Judges makes choice of some of the most grave and learned of the Inns of Court and presents their Names to the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper Who sends by the King 's Writ to each of them to appear on such a day before the King to receive the State and Degree of a Sergeant at Law At the appointed Time they being habited in party-coloured Robes come to Westminster-Hall accompany'd with the Students of the Inns of Court and attended by a Train of Servants and Retainers in their Cloth Liveries Where they take in publick a solemn Oath and are cloathed with Coifs which they wear always in publick After this they feast the great Persons of the Nation in a most splendid manner and present them with gold Rings
Civil Affairs by a MAYOR with the Title of Lord prefixt given to no Mayor in England but that of London and of late to the Mayor of York In the Time of the Romans he was called Prefect of London in the Saxons time Port-greeve and sometimes Provost of London and after the Coming in of the Normans Bayliff 'T was King Richard I who in the Year 1189 being the first of his Reign changed the Name of Bayliff into that of Mayor a French Word originally which has continued ever since This great and mighty Magistrate is yearly chosen by the Citizens upon Michaelmas Day the 29th of September The Body out of which he is chosen are the 26 Aldermen all Persons of great Wealth and Wisdom at least ought so to be Those that chuse him are first the Livory-men or Members of the several Companies of Tradesmen within the City and at last the Aldermen which is done in this manner First the Livery-Men do usually put up four Candidates out of which they chuse two by the Plurality of Voices and out of these two the Court of Aldermen select whom they think fit And though they be free in their Choice yet commonly they have a regard for the Senior Alderman that has not been Lord Mayor and give him the Precedence The Mayor Elect being Proclaimed is sworn first at Guildhall and afterwards at Westminster There he swears to maintain the Priviledges of the People and here to be True to the King The Installation-Day is the 29th of October a Month after the Election The Solemnity of which Day upon his Account is so great that no Magistrate in Europe appears with so much state and grandure as the Mayor of London upon his Installation First he go's by water to Westminster in his Barge of state accompanied with the Aldermen in all their Formalities with their Scarlet Robes and Chains of gold hanging before their Breasts The Twelve Companies also in their several Barges â—et out with their Arms Colours and Screamers on both sides attend him in their furred Gowns In his way he is saluted from the Shore with the noise of great Guns and as he passes by Whitehall the King from thence viewing the Solemnity gives him and his Brethren a Mark of his Respect At last being landed at Westminster Bridge the several Companies march in order to their Hall and after them the Mayor and Aldermen with the Sword and Mace before them the Sword-bearer with his Cap of Maintenance on his head At their Entrance into the Hall the Hall is Intertained with the harmonious Musick of a Set of Hoboys marching in order before them and playing all the Way First they walk round the Hall where they pay their respects to each Court of Judicature and from the Hall they proceed to the Exchequer-Chamber where the New Lord Mayor is Sworn by the Barons This done they walk again in Procession round the Hall to invite the several Judges of each Court to Dinner at Guildhall And after this the whole Procession returns in the same manner by Water to Black-Friars From whence the Lord Mayor and Aldermen make their Cavalcade to Guildhall all mounted upon Horses richly Caparisoned the Livery-Men marching before in good order And now the Artillery men make their best appearance with their Buff-coats and Head-pieces But the most diverting Sight is that of the Pageants here and there in motion to divert the Spectators At last a most splendid Dinner to which besides the Judges many of the great Lords and Ladies the Privy Counsellours the forein Embassadors and oftentimes the King and Queen are invited concludes the Solemnity Such is the Magnificence of the Lord Mayor of London though always a Citizen and Tradesman being a Member of one of the 12 Companies Who for his great Dignity is usually Knighted by the King before the Year of his Mayoralty be expired unless he had received that Honour before whilst he was an Alderman as of late has been â—shal His Authority reaches not only all over this great City and part of the Suburbs except some particular Places but also on the Thames as far as the Mouth of it and Westward as far as Stanes-Bridge And so great is his Power that he may cause any Person inhabiting within London or the Liberties thereof to be Summoned to appear before him upon the Complaint of any Citizen and for Non-appearance may grant his Warrant to bring such Person before him For he has Power to determine Differences between Party and Party His Attendance whilst he is a Mayor is very considerable For besides his proper Servants first he has four principal Officers that wait on him as Lord Mayor who are reputed Esquires by their Places And those are the Sword-bearer the Common Hunt the Common Crier and the Water-Bayliff whose Places are very advantageous and purchased when vacant at a great rate from the Lord Mayor for the time being Besides them there is the Coroner 3 Sergeants Carvers 3 Sergeants of the Chamber 1 Sergeant of the Channel 4 Yeomen of the Waterside 1 Vnder Water-Bayliff 2 Yeomen of the Chamber 3 Meal-Weighers 2 Yeomen of the Wood-Wharf and several others Most of which have Servants allowed them with Livories Among which the Sword-bearer has a 1000 l. a Year allowed him for his Table in the Lord Mayor's House When he appears abroad on horseback which is his usual Appearance 't is with rich Caparison and always in long Robes sometimes of fine Scarlet-Cloth richly furred sometimes Purple and sometimes Puke with a black Velvet Hood over his Robes and a great Chain of Gold with a rich Jewel to it hanging from his Neck downwards Attended by several Officers walking before and on both sides of him He keeps an open Table all the Year to all Comers of any quality and so well furnished that it is always fit to receive the greatest Subject of England or of any other Potentate He has a Priviledge to hunt not only in Middlesex but also in Essex and Surrey and for this purpose has a Kennel of Hounds always maintained On the King's Coronation-Day he claims to be the chief Butler and bears the King's Cup among the highest Nobles of the Kingdom which serve on that Day in other Offices And upon the King's Death he is said to be the prime Person of England Therefore when King James I was invited to come and take the Crown of England Robert Lee then Mayor of London subscribed in the first place before all the Officers of the Crown and all the Nobility One Thing is observable which hapned not long since I mean four Mayors the City had in little more than half a Year viz. Sir John Shorter Sir John Eyles Sir John Chapman and Sir Thomas Pilkington For upon the Death of the first in September 1688 Sir John Eyles was made Lord Mayor and in October following the Charter being restored Sir John Chapman was chosen Lord Mayor Who dying in March following
Sir Thomas Pilkington was chosen in his room In whose Person the Chance is turned almost quite contrary For if he do's outlive the Time appointed for his Mayoralty by his late Re-election instead of being Mayor but one Year according to the usual Course his Mayoralty will reach near two Years and a half Next to the Lord Mayor there are 26 Aldermen A Recorder Two Sheriffs A Chamberlain Besides the Vnder-Sheriffs the Town-Clerk or Common Clerk and a Remembrancer these two last being both Esquires by their Places The 26 Aldermen preside over the 26 Wards of the City a peculiar Alderman being assigned to every Ward Who has under him a certain Number of Common-Council-Men and one of them his Deputy besides Constables Scavengers Beadles c. Now the Aldermen who have been Lord Mayors and the three eldest Aldermen that have not yet arrived to that honourable estate are by the City-Charter Justices of Peace of the City Upon the Death of an Alderman the Lord Mayor issues out his Precept to the Ward whereof he was Alderman to chuse two substantial Men of the City and return their Names to the Court of Aldermen Which being done the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen select one of the two such as they judge fittest for that Station The Recorder is usually a grave and learned Lawyer well versed in the Laws and Customs of the City and in that Capacity is an Assistant to the Lord Mayor He takes his place in Councils and in Court before any Man that has not been Mayor and 't is he that delivers the Sentences of the whole Court The two Sheriffs of this City are also Sheriffs of the County of Middlesex They are yearly chosen in the Guildhall on Midsummer-Day by the Livery-Men of the respective Companies that is by the Citizens from among themselves A high Priviledge considering the Importance of this Magistracy especially in their power of Impanelling Juries Yet my Lord Mayor by his Prerogative may drink to any Citizen and nominate him to be one of the Sheriffs In which Case the Usage has been for the Commons to confirm such a Person and to elect another to serve with him However the new-chosen Sheriffs are not sworn till Michaelmas Eve and till then they do not enter upon their Office If any of the Parties chosen refuse to hold he inours a Penalty of 450 l. unless he do take his Oath that he is not worth ten thousand pounds Each Sheriff has under him an Vnder-Sheriff and six Clerks viz. a Secondary a Clerk of the Papers and four other Clerks He has also a certain Number of Sergeants and every Sergeant a Yeoman The Vnder-Sheriffs have also Clerks under them The Chamberlain is an Officer of great Power in the City For without him no man can set up Shop or follow his Trade without being sworn before him neither can one be bound an Apprentice to any Tradesman but by his Licence He may Imprison any that disobey's his Summons or anv Apprentice that misdemeans himself or else he may punish him in another manner But these are only general Notions of the chief Officers and Magistrates of London for the Particulars I refer you to the Courts of Judicature in my Third Part. In relation to Trade which is the Life of this City the Traders thereof are divided into Companies which are so many Bodies Politique all injoying large Privileges granted by former Kings unto them Those Companies are in all about 70 twelve whereof are called the Chief Companies Viz. The Mercers The Grocers The Drapers The Fishmongers The Goldsmiths The Skinners The Merchant Taylors The Haberdashers The Salters The Iron-Mongers The Vintners The Cloth-Workers Each Company or Mystery has a Master yearly chosen from among themselves and other subordinate Governours called Wardens and Assistants Such is the Harmony of this Government that these Companies do exactly correspond to the general Government of the City by a Lord Mayor and Common Council who are selected out of these several Companies For he that is chosen Lord Mayor must be free of one of these 12 Companies and if he be of any other Company he presently removes to one of these Which have got so great Credit and Reputation in the World that several Kings have honoured some of them by taking their Freedom thereof The present King was lately pleased to accept of the Freedom of the Company of Grocers presented to Him in a golden Box in the Name of the City by Mr. Box upon which he was Knighted by His Majesty In short such are the Priviledges of the Citizens of London that they are Toll-free throughout England And the Lord Mayor usually at the Request of any Citizen that trades in remote Parts grants him his Warrant or Certificate They have also the Priviledge to keep out all Artificers and Handicraftsmen not free of the City So that if a Freeman of London do imploy any such to work within the City or Liberties he is liable to the Forfeiture of 5 l. a Day and an Action lies against him for the same An Alien indeed may be imploy'd six Weeks but no longer And how severe soever this may seem to Foreiners yet it is grounded upon Equity For were it not for that Priviledge here would be such a Concourse of Foreiners that it would prove as it has by Experience the utter undoing of a great Number of poor Citizens and Freemen whose Livelyhood depends upon their Handicrafts Another great Priviledge they have is their sending no less than four Members to Parliament which is twice the Number of other Cities and Borough-Towns in England And it is observable that their Members do usually appear in their Scarlet-Robes the first Day the Parliament sits when all other Members except the Speaker of the House appear in their usual Habit. Thus the Lord Mayor of London under the gracious Influences of the English Monarchs makes a Figure more like a Prince than a Subject And the Citizens of London though under the same general Government as all the rest of the Kings Subjects yet live within themselves blest with so many Advantages that I can compare them no better than to the old Citizens of Rome under the best of their Emperours And indeed the main Thing which has incouraged Trade here to that degree as to render this Place so rich and flourishing is the great Charters Priviledges and Immunities it is invested with by the Munificence of several of the former Kings Whereby the Londoners are Impowered to chuse their own Magistrates to do themselves Justice to maintain their own Peace and pursue all the good and advantagious Ends of Trade with the better Success and greater Security In order to which they keep within themselves many Courts and Councils where they make Laws for the better Government of the several Ranks and Orders of Men among them And though these grand Priviledges were judged to be forfeited by the Court of Kings Bench upon the Quo
Pugnae est ubi Victus gaudet uterque Et tamen alteruter se superasse dolet For Men of other Studies Lindwood the Canonist Cosins and Cowel eminent in the Civil Laws Bracton Briton Dier and Coke as eminent for their Knowledge in the Laws of England Johannes de Sacro Bosco the Author of the Book of the Sphere Roger Bacon a noted Mathematician in the darker Times The Lord Bacon Viscount of S. Albans Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour one of the Restorers of Learning to the Isle of Great Britain Sir Henry Savile of Eaton the Reviver of Chrysostom Sir Henry Spelman a learned Antiquary and a religious Assertor of the Churches Rights Cambden the Pausanias of the British Islands Matthew Paris Roger Hoveden Henry of Huntington William of Malmesbury Matthew of Westminster and Thomas of Walsingham all known Historians For Poetry Gower and Lydgate a Monk of Bury The famous Geosry Chaucer Brother in Law to John of Gaunt the great Duke of Lancaster Sir Philip Sidney and the Renowned Spencer Sam. Daniel and Michael Drayton That the Lucan and This the Ovid of the English Nation Beaumont and Fletcher not inferiour unto Terence and Plantus And lastly Ben. Johnson equal to any of the Ancients for the exactness of his Pen and the Decorum he kept in the Dramatick Poems never before observed on the English Theater CHAP. II. Of the English Names and of their Way of Computing CHristian Names says Cambden were first imposed for the Distinction of Persons Surnames for the Distinction of Families The first amongst the English are either Saxon as Edward Gilbert Henry Richard Walter William c. Or taken out of the Holy Writ as Abraham Jacob James Jsaac c. 'T is rare for the English to have two Christen Names together as they have in Germany But it is not unusual with them to christen Children by their Godfathers Surnames which is unpractised beyond Sea The Ancients took particular care to give their Children significative and good Names according to the Proverb Bonum Nomen Bonum Omen And the Pythagoreans affirmed the Minds Actions and Successes of Men to be according to their Fate Genius and Name In short such was Mens Superstition of old in this particular that they used a kind of Divination by Names called Onomantia which was condemned by the last General Council The Story of Augustus the Emperour is remarkable upon this Subject The Day before his Sea-fight at Actium the first Man he met was a poor Man driving his Ass before him Augustus demanded his Name and he answered Eutyches that is Happy-man then he asked his Asse's Name which proved to be Nicon that is Victor Augustus took it for a good Omen and having accordingly obtained the Victory there he built Nicopolis or the City of Victory and erected brazen Images of the Man and his Ass Alfonso IV. King of Castille had two Daughters by one of the Daughters of Henry II. King of England The Eldest Vrraca by Name was far surpassing her Sister Blanche in beauty Lewis VIII of France sent to Alfonso to demand one of the Daughters They were both presented to the Ambassadors Choice who inquiring of their Names preferred the Lady Blanche and made choice of her contrary to all expectation The Name of Vrraca though the more beautiful Lady proved unpleasing and that of the Lady Blanche signifying Fair and Beautiful carried it as a Name that would be more acceptable in France For my part though I am not so much a Pythagorean as to think a Mans Name should interpret his Fate yet I think it not amiss to name Children with Names of a happy signification as it was usual among the Primitive Christians were it but to stir them up to live according to their Names and not give themselves the lie As for the English Surnames they are generally Saxon some few Danish as Whitfeld and Wren The Whitfelds a very ancient Family came over with King Canute into England and their chief Brâ—nch is continued to this day in Northumberland with a good Estate In Q. Elizabeths Time there was a Whitfeld sent hither Embassadour from the King of Denmark But the Surnames now of best account in England are Local and so were many Names among the Romans Those you will find deduced from Places in Normandy or Countries adjacent being either the Patrimonial Possessions or native Places of such as served the Conqueror or came in after out of Normandy As Mortimer Albigny Percy Gournay Devereux Nevil Ferrers Montfort Courtney Cressy c. Or from Places in England and Scotland as Barkley Clifford Lumley Ratcliff Willoughby Douglas Some of which Local Names were formerly used with de prefixt but of late generally neglected or joyned to the Name as Darcy Devereux Others had at prefixed as At More At Wood At Down which has been removed from some and has been conjoyned to others as in these Atmore Atwood Atwells c. Many have also had their Names from Rivers as Trent Eden Swale Stoure From Trees near their Habitations as Oak Box Elder Beech. Some from their Situation in respect to adjoyning Places as North South East West according to the Greek Names Anatolius Zephyrius c. Others from several Parts of a House as Hall Parlour Cellar Lodge c. From Towns where they were born or from whence they came without being Lords or Possessors of them as Compton Egerton Or from several Denominations of Land and Water as Hill Wood Warren Field Ford Pool and Wells Among Foreiners several retained the Names of their Countries as Scot Picard Fleming French Lombard Poitevin German And these had commonly Le prefixt in Records and other Writings as Le Fleming Le Picard Next to these Local Names I shall take notice of those that have been assumed by some Families from Civil Honours and Dignities as King Duke Prince Lord Baron Knight and Squire probably because their Ancestors haâ—acted such Parts or were Kings of the Bean Christmas Lords c. Agreeable to which are the old Greek and Roman Names Archelaus Augustulus Regulus Basilius Caesarius Flaminius though they were neither Kings Caesars Dukes or Priests Others have been assumed from Offices as Chamberlain Steward Page Cook Spencer Gardener Butler Porter Foster Parker Faulconer Fowler Forester Woodward Clark Sergeant c. From Ecclesiastical Functions as Bishop Abbot Priest Monk Dean Deacon But most of all from Trades as Taylor Smith Potter Fisher Baker Chapman Spelman c. Some from Parts of the Body as Head Arm Leg Foot Others from Qualities of the Body good or bad as Greathead Whitehead Strong Armstrong Long Low Short Fair and Bell in the same sense Fairfax and Whitelock in the same sense Thin Heile or healthful c. No more to be disliked than these Roman Names Romulus and Nero which signify Strong Capito Pedâ— Labeo Naso Longus Longinus Minutius Crispus Calvus Gracchus Salustius Cocles and the like Not a few got their Names from the Colour of their Complexions
Democracy for ever all the World know's No Stone was left unturned and what came of it As soon as ever Opportunity served the very Presbyterians themselves joyned with the Royalists to bring in the exiled King and re-establish the ancient Government So soon the Nation grew sick of the Commonwealth and so strong was then the Current for Monarchy that without the shedding of a drop of Bloud the first was in a manner hissed out of the Nation and Monarchy restored with the greatest Pomp and Joy imaginable I set aside the Zeal of our English Clergy for Monarchy and their Influence upon the Laity The great Number alone of our Nobility and Gentry with their proportionable Ascendent upon the People makes me look upon it as a moral Impossibility for Commonwealth-Government ever to prevail here 'T is well known the Genius of Commonwealths is for keeping down the Nobility and extinguishing all those Beams of Royalty Therefore as 't is their Interest so I suppose it will be their Care to stick to Monarchy CHAP. VII Of the KING of ENGLAND And first of his Dominions Titles Arms his Ensigns of Royalty and Marks of Sovereignty THE King of England is otherwise called King of Great-Britain as being the sole Sovereign and supreme Head of this great and famous Island containing the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland besides the Principality of Wales Which Principality was first united by Conquest to the Crown of England Anno 1282 by King Edward I. Who overcame and slew in Battel Llewellen the last Sovereign Prince of Wales of the Race of Cadwallader the last King of the Britains After the Conquest thereof he took all the provident Care imaginable to secure it to the Crown but the Welsh seldom contained themselves within the bounds of true Allegiance till the Reign of Henry VII who was extracted from the Welsh Bloud In whose Successor's Reign Henry VIII they were made by Act of Parliament one Nation with the English subject to the same Laws capable of the same Preferments priviledged with the same Immunities and inabled to send Knights and Burgesses to the English Parliament So that the Name and Language only excepted there is now no Difference between the English and Welsh A very happy Union Scotland was also brought into Subjection by the same King Edward so that he received Homage of its King and Nobility and had there his Chancery and other Courts under a Viceroy But with much strugling they recovered at last their Liberty and set up a King of their own Robert Bruce who had the luck to be confirmed in it by the Defeat given to Edward II one of our unfortunate Kings 'T is true his Son King Edward III a most virtuous and valorous Prince changed the face of Affairs in Scotland and brought again the Scots to Obedience Insomuch that he excluded David the Son of Robert Bruce from the Crown then forced to fly into France and restored the House of Baliol to the Kingdom in the person of Edward Son of King John Baliol. Who upon his coming to the Crown did Homage to this King Edward as his Father had done to King Edward I. But 't was not long before the Scots quitted again their Subjection and Vassalage to the Crown of England the Roll of Ragman being treacherously delivered into their hands by Roger Mortimer Earl of March Which Roll contained a Confession and Acknowledgement of the Estates of Scotland subscribed by all their Hands and Seals whereby they owned the Superiority of the Kings of England not only in regard of such Advantages as the Sword had given them but as of their original and undoubted Right But setting aside this point of Vassalage the Kings of England are Kings of Scotland by a better Title For King James VI of Scotland and the first of England succeeded Q. Elizabeth in the Realm of England as the next Heir to the Crown Anno 1602 being descended by Mary Queen of the Scots his Mother from Margaret the eldest Daughter of Henry the VII King of England and Wife to James IV of Scotland And here the Wisdom and prudent Foresight of Henry is very remarkable Who having two Daughters bestowed the Eldest contrary to the Mind of his Council on the King of Scots and the younger on the French King that if his own Issue Male should fail as it did by the Death of his Grandson King Edward VI and that a Prince of another Nation must inherit England then Scotland as the lesser Kingdom should depend upon England and not England wait on France as upon the greater In which Succession of the Scots to the Crown of England the Prophecy of the fatal Stone received accomplishment I mean the Stone which the Scots lookt upon as their Palladium kept at Scone in Scotland the usual Place for the Coronation of the Scotish Kings upon which they received their Crown till the Removal of it unto Westminster by King Edward I. The Verses of old ingraven upon this Stone run thus Non fallat Fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Translated in old Meeter thus The Scots shall brook that Realm as natif Ground If Weirds fail not where ere this Stone is found Thus the Scots so often quelled and curbed by the English never subdued England but by this blessed Victory Ever since this happy Union Scotland has been deprived of its Kings Residence there who changed the worse Seat for the better But under the King there is a chief Governour appointed by his Majesty the Lord High Commissioner of Scotland who by that Title injoys the ordinary Power and Authority of a Viceroy In this manner Scotland has continued to this day a separate Kingdom governed by its own Laws 'T is true there have been several Attempts made to unite it into one Kingdom with England as Wales was by Henry VIII But hitherto they proved unsuccesfull So far we have cleared in few Words by History the whole Isle of Great Britain to the King of England with the numerous Islands about it the principal of which are the Isles of Shepey Thanet Wight Anglesey and Man The next that offers it self is the Kingdom of Ireland a great Part whereof was Conquered by the English about the Year 1172. in the Reign of Henry II and the Occasion thus Ireland being then divided amongst several â—petty Kings the King of Leinster was by the King of Meath driven out of his Kindom He fled to England for Refuge where applying himself to King Henry Henry resolved to attempt his Restauration which he did effectually and in the doing of it brought the best part of the Island under the English Subjection King John the Younger Son of Henry was the first who was Intituled Lord of Ireland Which Stile was granted him by Pope Urban III and continued to his Successors though in effect Kings thereof till the Year 1542 when Henry VIII was declared in an Irish Parliament King of
of the Kings of England when all Christendom in the Council of Constance was divided into Nations the English was one of the Principal and not Subaltern having its Voice of equal ballance with the Nations of France or Italy In those General Councils the Emperor of Germany was counted Major Filius Ecclesiae the King of France Minor Filius and the King of England Filius tertius adoptivus Whereas with submission methinks it had been more proper especially in such Assemblies to look upon the King of England as Primogenitus Ecclesiae the Eldest Son of the Church out of respect to the British King Lucius who as I said before was the first King in the World that imbraced Christianity In those Councils the King of France had place next the Emperour on his right hand the King of England next on his left hand and the King of Scotland next before Castille However the King of England acknowledges no Precedence to any Monarch but only to the Emperour and that upon the Score of Antiquity For the Crown of England is free and independent and therefore has been declared in Parliaments long since to be an Imperial Crown CHAP. VIII Of the Solemn Proclamation and Coronation of the King of England THE Kings of England are both Proclaimed and Crowned with so much Solemnity that it won't be improper to describe the Manner of it it being a Solemnity not at all disagreeable to the Design of this Work I begin with the Proclamation which is the first Step to the Crown And being we are upon the New State of England I shall describe the Manner how the present King William and Queen Mary were Proclaimed at Whitehall-Gate within Temple-Bar in Cheap-sideâ— and the Royal Exchange Which happened oâ— the 13th of Febr. Anno 1688 9. The Lords and Commons being then Assembled at Westminster came to the Banquetting-House where they presented the Princâ— and Princess of Orange the Instrument in Writing agreed upon for Declaring Their Highnesse KING and QUEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Teâ—tories thereunto belonging and received Their Consent thereto About 11 of the Clock the said Lords and Commons came down to Whitehall Gate preceded by the Speakers of their respective Housâ—â— viz. the Marquess of Hallifax Speaker 〈…〉 Lords and Henry Powle Esq Speaker of 〈…〉 mons each of them attended by a 〈…〉 Arms in order to see Their Majesties 〈…〉 Being come down to the Gate there they found the Heralds of Arms the Sergeants at Arms the Trumpets and other Officers all in readiness being assembled by Order from the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal of England And Sr. Thomas S. George Knight Garter Principal King of Arms having received a Proclamation in Writing with an Order from the Lords House to the King's Heralds and Pursuivants of Arms for Publishing or Proclaiming the same forthwith the Persons concerned disposed themselves in Order before the Court-Gate for making the said Proclamation The Trumpets having sounded a Call three several times the last of which was answered by a great Shout of the vast Multitudes of People there assembled the Noise ceasing the said Garter King of Arms read the' Proclaimation by short Sentences or Periods Which was thereupon proclaimed aloud by Robert Devenish Esq York Herald being the Senior Herald in these Words VVHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God in his great Mercy to this Kingdom to vouchsafe as a Miraculous Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Power and that our Preservation is due next unto God to the Resolution and Conduct of His Highness the Prince of Orange whom God has chosen to be the Glorious Instrument of such an Inestimable Happiness to us and our Posterity And being highly sensible and fully persuaded of the Great and Eminent Vertues of her Highness the Princess of Orange whose Zeal for the Protestant Religion will no doubt bring a Blessing along with Her upon the Nation And whereas the Lords and Commons now Assembled at Westminster have made a Declaration and presented the same to the said Prince and Princess of Orange and therein desired Them to Accept the Crown who have Accepted the same accordingly We therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Together with the Lord Mayor and Citizens of London and others of the Commons of this Realm Do with a full Consent Publish and Proclaim according to the said Declaration William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange to be KING and QVEEN of England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging Who are accordingly so to be owned deemed accepted and taken by all the People of the aforesaid Realms and Dominions who are henceforward bound to acknowledge and pay unto Theâ— all Faith and true Allegiance Beseeching God by whom Kings Reign to bless KING WILLIAM and QVEEN MARY with long and happy Years to Reign over us God save King William and Queen Mary Jo. Brown Cleric Parliamentorum Which being ended and the Trumpeâ— sounding a Flourish was answered by several repeated Shouts of the People And Direction being given to proclaim the same with in Temple-Bar in Cheap-side and at the Royal-Exchange the Proceeding marched in this manner I. The several Beadles of the Liberties of Westminister II. The Constables of the said Liberties all on foot with the high-Constable on horseback III. The Head-Bayliff of Westminster and his Men all on horseback with white Staves to clear the Way IV. A Class of Trumpets nine in all on horse-back the six first riding two and two and the three last together Followed by the Sergeant-Trumpeter carrying his Mace on the Shoulder V. A Pursuivant of Arms single a Pursui â—ant and a Sergeant at Arms and next an â—ther Pursuivant and 〈◊〉 Sergeant at Arms. The Pursuivants in â—heir rich Coats of the â—oyal Arms and each â—f the Sergeants carryâ—â—g his Mace on his Shoulder all of them on horse-back VI. Four Heralds of Arms one after another each with a Sergeant at Arms on his left hand carrying his Mace on the Shoulder and the Heralds being all in their rich Coats of the Royal Arms. VII Garter King of Arms in his rich Coat of Arms carrying the Proclamation Accompany'd with Sr. Tho. Duppa Kt. Gentleman Vsher of the Black Rod in his Crimson Mantle of the Order of the Garter and his Black Rod of Office likewise on Horseback VIII The Speaker of the House of Lords in his Coach Attended by Sr. Roger Harsnet eldest Sergeant at Arms with his Mace IX The Speaker of the House of Commons in his Coach Attended by John Topham Esq Sergeant at Arms to the said House with his Mace X. The Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and Primier Duke of England in his Coachâ— with his Marshal's Staff in his hand XI The Peers in order in their Coaches XII The Members of the House of Commons in their Coaches In this Order they proceeded towards Temple-Bar And being come as far as the May-pole in the Strand two
of the Officers of Arms with a Sergeant at Arms and two Trumpets went before to Temple-Bar where the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs were by this time arrived and had ordered the Gates to be shut The Herald at Arms knocked thereat and the Sheriffs being come to the Gate on Horse-back he acquainted them That he came by Order of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westminster to demand Entrance into that famous City for the Proclaiming of WILLIAM and MART King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and therefore required their speedy Answer Whereupon the said Sheriffs ordered the Gates to be opened Thus the Head-Bayliff Constables and Beadles of Westminster being left without the Bar the rest of the Proceeding entered Where they found the Lord Mayor Aldermen Recorder and Sheriffs all in their Formalities and on Horse-back Except the Lorâ— Mayor who was in his Coach attended by the Sword-bearer and other of his Officers The Proceeding being there joyfully received they made a Stand between the two Temple-Gates and Proclaimed Their Majesties a second time From whence they marched towards Cheapside a Class of the City-Trumpets and the Lord Mayor's Livery-men leading the Way the said Aldermen and Lord Mayor falling into the Proceeding And near Wood-street end the Place where Cheap-side Cross formerly stood they made another stand and Proclaimed Their Majesties a third time At last arriving at the Royal Exchange about two of the Clock they Proclaimed Them a fourth time Each Proclamation was ecchoed with universal Acclamations of Joy by the Multitudes of people which crowded the Streets Windows and Balconies the Streets all the way from Temple-Bar to the Royal Exchange being lined with four Regiments of the City Militia And the Night was concluded with Bonfires Ringing of Bells and all other Expressions of Duty and Affection towards Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY with hearty Wishes for Their long and happy Reign Their Coronation was performed at Westminster in Manner following Apr. 11th 1689. Their Majesties being come about Noon from Whitehall to the Palace at Westminster where the Nobility and others who were to go into the Proceeding were assembled came down in State from the House of Lords to Westminster-Hall then fitted up for this great Solemnity Where being seated on the Throne the Sword of State the Curtana or pointless Sword being an Emblem of Mercy and the two pointed Swords together with the gold Spurs were presented to Their Majesties and laid on a Table before Them Then the Dean and Prebends of Westminster having before brought the Crowns and other Regalia in solemn Procession from the Collegiate Church there came up the Hall and presented them severally to Their Majesties Which being likewise laid on the Table were together with the four Swords and Spurs delivered to the Lords appointed to carry them in the Procession which was thus First marched The Drums and Trumpets The Six Clerks in Chancery two abreast as the rest of the Proceeding went Chaplains having Dignities The Aldermen of London Masters in Chancery Sollicitor and Attorney General Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Judges Then the Children of Westminster and of the King's Chappel The Choir of Westminster Gentlemen of the Chappel Prebend of Westminster Master of the Jewel-House Privy Counsellors not Peers Two Pursuivants The Baronesses Barons Bishops A Pursuivant A Vicountess The Vicounts Two Heralds The Dutchesses The Dukes Two Kings of Arms. The Lord Privy Seal Lord President of the Council Arch-bishop of York The Prince of Denmark Two Persons in Robes of State representing the Dukes of Aquitain and Normandy Next the Lords who bore Their Majesties Regalia with the Sergeants at Arms going on each side of them Viz. The Earl of Manchester carrying S. Edward's Staff and the Lord Grey of Ruthen now Vicount of Longueville the Spurs The Earl of Clare carrying the Queen's Scepter with the Cross and the Earl of Northampton the King's The Earls of Shrewsbury Derby and Pembroke the three Swords Then Garter King Arms between the Vsher of the Black Rod and the Lord Mayor of London The Lord Great Chamberlain single The Earl of Oxford with the Sword of State between the Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and the Duke of Ormond Lord High Constable for that Day Next the Earl of Bedford with the Queen's Scepter of the Dove and the Earl of Rutland with the Kings The Duke of Bolton with the Queens Orb and the Duke of Grafton with the Kings The Duke of Somerset with the Queen's Crown and the Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and Lord High Steward of England for that Day with the King's Crown The Bishop of London with the Bible between the Bishop of S. Asaph with the Paten and the Bishop of Rochester with the Chalice The KING and QUEEN followed next under a rich Canopy born by Sixteen Barons of the Cinque-Ports the King assisted by the â—ishop of Winchester and the Queen by the Bishop of Bristol Both Their Majesties array'd in Royal Robes of Crimson Velvet furred with Ermine the King with a Velvet Cap and the Queen with a gold Circlet on her head His Majesties Train born by the Master of the Robes assisted by the Lords Eland Willoughby Lansdowne and Dunblain and Her Majesties by the Dutchess of Somerset assisted by the Ladies Eliz. Pawlet Diana Vere Eliz. Cavendish and Henrietta Hyde The Gentlemen Pensioners marched on each side of the Canopy Next to the King followed a Gentleman and two Grooms of the Bed-Chamber And after the Queen a Lady of the Bed-Chamber and two of Her Majesties Women Who were followed by the Captain of His Majesties Gard between the Captain of the Yeomen of the Gard and the Captain of the Band of Pensioners And these by the Officers and Band of the Yeomen of the Gard who closed the Proceeding Thus Their Majesties with all the Nobility in Crimson-Velvet Robes and their Coronets in their hands and the rest of the Proceeding being richly habited or wearing their proper and peculiar Robes proceeded on foot upon blue Cloth spread from the Steps of the Throne in Westminster-Hall to the Steps of the Theater in the Quire of the Collegiate Church of S. Peter Westminster The whole Passage was Railed in and Garded with Their Majesties Horse and Foot-Gards all the Way and Houses on each side being Crowded with vast Number of Spectators expressing their great Joy and Satisfaction by loud repeated Acclamations Being entred the Church and the Nobility and others all duly placed Their Majesties ascended the Theater Who being seated in their Chairs of State the Bishop of London who performed this great Solemnity began with the Recognition which ended with a mighty Shout Then Their Majesties Offered and the Lords who bore the Regalia presented them at the Altar where they were deposited After that the Litany was sung by two Bishops And after the Epistle Gospel and Nicene Creed the Bishop
King Who in such Case usually make choice of such a Person among the Nobility as is fit for that Station whose private Interest is to preserve the Kings Life and Authority and to whom least benefit can accrue by his Death or Diminution Thus in the Case of Edward VI the Duke of Somerset his Uncle by the Mothers side was made Lord Protector during the Kings Minority And when this Rule has not been observed as in the Minority of Edward V it has proved of very ill consequence But this is observable withall that when thâ— King comes to be 24 Years of Age he may bâ— his Letters Patents under the Great Seal aâ—cording to a Statute made in the Reign of Heâ—ry VIII revoke and utterly null whatsoeveâ— has been Enacted in Parliament during his Mâ—nority When the King was Absent upon any so reign Expedition as several of our Kings have been with good success the Custom was for merly to constitute a Vicegerent by Commission under the Great Seal with the Titâ— of Lord Warden or Lord Keeper of the Kingdom and sometimes that of Protector And such was the Latitude of his Power that except wearing of the Crown he was as great aâ— the King But sometimes the Kingdom durinâ— the King's Absence has been committed to thâ— Care of several Noblemen During the Absence of Henry VIII in France which hapned two several times the Queeâ— was made Regent And so is at this time oâ—â— Gracious Queen Mary during his Majesties so reign Expedition So in case of the Kings Incapacity to govern either through Age or Weakness or by reason of some Incurable Disease a Gardian 〈◊〉 Regent is constituted to govern the Kingdom for Him Such a one was John Duke of Lâ—â— caster in the latter Days of King Edward 〈◊〉 appointed by the King himself who then what with Age and Weakness what with Sickness and Grief for the untimely Death of 〈◊〉 dear Son the Black Prince was much decayâ— both in Body and Mind I come now to the Succession to the Crâ—â— Which is not in England as in France Turâ—â— and amongst Barbarians by excluding Females from the Crown For the Crown of England in its natural Course descends from Father to Sâ—n for want of Sons to the eldest Daughter and her Heirs for want of Daughter to the Brother and his Heirs for want of Brother to the Sister and her Heirs In short upon the Death of the King or Queen upon the Throne the next of Kindred though born out of the Dominions of England or of Parents not Subjects of England is immediately King or Queen before any Proclamation or Coronation And contrary to the Descent of Estates among Subjects the Half Blood inherits as in the Case of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth who succeeded King Edward the Sixth though they were his Sisters only by the Father's side But the Government being lately Dissolved by King James his Misgovernment as well as Abdication the Crown was settled in this manner by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster in the Month of December Anno 1689. First upon William and Mary then Prince and Princess of Orange during their Lives and the Life of the Survivor of Them but the sole and full Exercise of the Regal Power to be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the Names of the said Prince and Princess during their joynt Lives And after their Deceases the said Crown and Royal Dignity to be to the â—eirs of the Body of the said Princess And for default of such Issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body And for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of the said Prince of Orange Upon which the said Prince and Princess now King and Queen of England c. did accept thâ— Crown and Royal Dignity of the Kingdoms oâ— England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging And for preventing all Questions and Divisions in this Realm by reason of any pretended Titles to the Crown and for preserving a Certainty in the Succession thereof the Settlement of the Crown as aforesaid was Confirmed by an Act of the Insuing Parliament which passed the Royal Assent Dec 16. 1689. With this excellent Proviso That Whereas it hath been found by Experience that it is Inconsistent with the Safety and Welfare of this Protestant Kingdom to be Governed by a Popisâ— Prince or by any King or Queen Marrying Papist all and every Person and Persons thaâ— is are or shall be Reconciled to or shall holâ— Communion with the See or Church of Rome or shall profess the Popish Religion or shalâ— Marry a Papist shall be Excluded and be soever Uncapable to Inherit Possess or Injoy thâ— Crown and Government of this Realm and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonâ—ing or any Part of the same or to Have Usâ— or Exercise any Regal Power Authority or Jâ—risdiction within the same And in all and 〈◊〉 very such Case or Cases the People of theâ— Realms shall be and are hereby Absolved 〈◊〉 their Allegiance and the said Crown and Government shall from time to time Descend 〈◊〉 and be Injoy'd by such Person or Persons â—â—ing Protestants as should have Inheritâ—â— or Injoyed the same in case the said Pâ—â—son or Persons so Reconciled holding Coâ—munion or Professing or Marrying as afoâ—â—said were naturally Dead By which Act further Confirmed and Asserted by the Act of Recognition passed in the last Session of Parliament the Crown is by Law for ever Insured into Protestant Hands and all Pretence of Popish Succession Nulled and Invalidated CHAP. XI Of the Royal Family Particularly of the Queen and the Sons and Daughters of England THe Queen of England is either a Sovereign or Queen Consort or else Queen Dowager When the Queen is Sovereign as were Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the two Daughters of Henry VIII and Sisters of Edward VI. he is invested with all the Regal Power and â—cts as Sovereign And whoever she does marry â—o far from following her Husbands Condition â—he is her Husbands Sovereign as Queen Mary â—as Philip's The Case indeed of our present Queen Mary is â—ifferent She is a Sovereign joyntly with her â—usband King William but the Administration 〈◊〉 the Government and the sole Executive Power â—â—lodged only in the King during their Joynt â—â—ves Except the Time of his Majesties Absence 〈◊〉 his foreign Expedition during which Her â—jesty is Vested by a late Act of Parliament with the Administration and acts as Queen Regent A Queen Consort without Sovereignty is Reputed however the Second Person in the Kingdom and Respected accordingly The Law sets so high a value upon Her as to make it High Treason to conspire her Death or to violate her Chastity She has her Royal Court and Officers apart with a large Dower to maintain her Greatness And though she be an Alien born yet without Denization or Naturalization she may purchase Lands in
Fee-simple make Leases and Grants and sue in her own Name without the King which is not in the power of any other Feme-covert or married Woman to do A Queen Dowager or Widow-Queen is still Respected as a Queen in her Widowhood and keeps a Court accordingly And though she should marry a private Gentleman as did Queen Catharine King Henry the Fifths Widow she does not lose her Dignity By the Sons and Daughters of England I mean the King's Children So called because all the Subjects of England have a special Interest i◠Them though their Education and the Disposing of Them is only in the King The Eldest Son commonly called the Prince of Wales is born Duke of Cornwal and afterwards created Prince of Wales Upon his Birth he is by Law of full Age to sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom as if he were full a Years of Age. But so much of the Lands 〈◊〉 Demesns of it have been Alienated that h◠Revenues are chiefly out of the Tin-Mines i◠Cornwall Which with all other Profits of the Dutchy amount yearly to the Sum of 140◠Pounds and the Prince's whole Revenues to about 20000 l. When King Edward I had compleated the Conquest of Wales He divided it into Seven Shires to which Henry VIII added five more out of the March Lands Over each of the Seven Shires King Edward placed a particular English Lieutenant and over the whole he designed a Vicegerent The Welch being disgusted at this He sent for his Queen then great with Child to Caernarvan where she was delivered of a Son Upon the News whereof the King assembled the Chief Men of that Nation and offered to name them a Governour born in Wales who could not speak one word of English and against whose Life they could take no just exception Such a one when they had all sworn to obey he named his young Son Edward Whereupon He created him Prince of Wales and since that time the Kings of England eldest Sons have been called Princes of Wales Whereas while Normandy was in the Power of the English which lasted till the Reign of King John they were stiled Dukes of Normandy The Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and a Coronet on the Princes Head as a Token of his Principality by delivering into his hand a Verge of Gold the Emblem of Government by putting a Gold Ring on his Finger in token that he must be a Husband to his Country and a Father to her Children and by giving him a Patent to hold the said Principality to Him and his Heirs Kings of England By which Words the Separation of it from the Crown is prohibited and the King keeps to himself an excellent Occasion of obliging unto Him his Son when he pleases In Imitation of which Custom John I King of Castille and Leon made his Son Henry Prince of the Asturias a Country so Craggy and Mountainous that it may not improperly be called the Wales of Spain And all the Spanish Princes ever since have been honoured with that Title The Mantle worn in Parliament by the Prince of Wales has for Distinctions sake one gard more than a Duke's his Coronet of Crosses and Flower de luces and his Cap of State indented His Arms differ from the Kings only by addition of a Label of three points And his peculiar Device is a Coronet beautified with three Ostrich Feathers inscribed with ICH DIEN that is I serve Alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel The Heir while he is a Child differs not from a Servant Which Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohemia serving there under the French King and there slain by Edward the Black Prince Since worn by the Princes of Wales and by the Vulgar called the Princes Arms. In short the King of England's Eldest Son has ever since been stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Flint these Earldoms being conferred upon him by Letters Patent As Eldest Son to the King of Scotland he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth Though he is a Subject yet the Law looks upon his Person as so Sacred that it is high Treason to imagine his Death or violate his Wife The Younger Sons of England depend altogether upon the King's Favour both for Titles of Honour and Revenues sutable to their Birch For they are not born Dukes or Earls but are so created according to the Kings Pleasure Neither have they as in France certain Appanages but only what Revenue the King pleases to bestow upon them They are indeed by Birth-right as well as the Prince of Wales Counsellors of State whereby they may fit themselves to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom The Daughters are called Princesses And to violate them unmarried is High Treason The Title of Royal Highness is common to all the King's Children All Subjects ought to be uncovered in their Presence to kneel when they are admitted to kiss their hands and to be served on the Knee at Table unless the King be present Lastly all Persons of the Royal Bloud being a Lawful Issue have the Precedency of all others in England As for the King 's Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters they are commonly created Dukes and Dutchesses and bear what Surname the King pleases to give them King Henry I. and Charles II. of blessed Memory are noted to have had the most of any CHAP. XII Of the Nine Great Officers of the Crown NEXT to the Royal Family the Great Officers of the Crown come of course to be Inquired into which are Nine in Number Viz. The Lord High Steward The Lord High Chancellor The Lord High Treasurer The Lord President of the Kings Council The Lord Privy Seal The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord High Constable The Lord Earl Marshal The Lord High Admiral The Lord High Steward of England is the highest Officer under the King His Office not unlike that of the Mayre of the Pallace under the ancient Kings of France is to rule and govern the Kingdom under the King in Time of Peace and War during his Reign Which Power being thought too large and exorbitant for a Subject to have this Great Officer has been discontinned ever since Henry of Bullingbrock Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster afterwards King of England under the Name of Henry IV. Only at a Coronation also for the Trial of a Peer or Peeress for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime the King makes a High Steward for that Time Who during his Stewardship is called His Grace and bears a white Staff in his hand which he openly breaks when the Business is over and so ends his Office By virtue of his Office at a Coronation he sits Judicially at the King's Pallace at Westminster Where he receives the Bills and Petitions of all such Noblemen and others who by reason of their Tenure or otherwise
claim to do Services at the King's Coronation and to receive the accustomed Fees and Allowances In the Procession on the Coronation-Day 't is he that carries the King's Crown The Right Honourable the Earl of Devonshire was honoured with this great Office in the last Coronation Upon the Trial of a Peer he sits under a Cloth of State and his Commission is to proceed secundum Legem Consuetudinem Angliae He is not Sworn nor the Lords who are the Tryers of the Peer arraigned and tho he call all the Judges of the Land to assist him yet he is the sole Judge Next to the Lord High Steward is the Lord High Chancellour who in Civil Affairs now there is no High Steward is the highest Person in the Kingdom next to the Royal Family as the Arch-bishop of Canterbury is in Ecclesiastical His Oath is to do Right to all manner of People rich and poor after the Laws and Customs of the Realm truly to counsel the King and keep secret the King's Counsel to stand for the Rights of the Crown c. The Great Seal of England is in his Custody He is the Judge of the Court of Chancery otherwise called the Court of Equity where he is to judge not according to the Rigour and Letter of the Law but with Equity and Conscience He also bestow's all Ecclesiastical Benefices in the King's Gift under 20 l. a Year in the King's Books Since the Reign of Henry VII this great Office has been commonly executed by Lawyers whereas formerly Bishops and other Clergy-men learned in the Civil Laws were usually intrusted with it The Lord High Chancellour holds his Place but durante Regis Beneplacito during the King's Pleasure And his Place is counted to be worth 8000 l. a Year Anciently he had sometimes a Vice-Chancellour commonly called Keeper of the Great Seal But of later Times they differ only in Name For the late Kings have always beflowed the Great Seal either with the Title of Lord Keeper or of Lord Chancellour but still with the same Power and Right of Precedence Only the Lord Chancellour receives a Patent from the King for his Office which the Lord Keeper do's not and by the Title of Chancellour he is lookt upon as in greater favour with the King But his present Majesty since his Accession to the Crown thought fit to have this Office managed by Commissioners and accordingly it has been hitherto managed by three Lords Commissioners The third Great Officer of the Crown is the Lord High Treasurer who has the Charge and Government of all the King's Revenue kept in the Exchequer He has the Gift of all Customers Comptrolers and Searchers in all the Ports of England and the Nomination of all Escheators in every County He has also the Check of all the Officers imploy'd in collecting all the Revenues of the Crown He has power either by himself or with others joyned in Commission with him to let Leases of all the Crown-Lands And it is he that gives Warrants to certain Persons of Quality to have their Wine Custom-free Anciently he received this Office and Dignity by the delivery of the golden Keys of the Treasury which is now done by delivery of a white Staff to him by the King His Oath do's not differ much from that of the Lord Chancellour and he holds his Place as he do's during his Majesties Pleasure His Place is also reckoned to be worth 8000 l. per ann But this great Office is now executed by four Persons called the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Next is the Lord President of the King 's Privy Council an Officer as ancient as King John's Time made by the King's Letters Patent under the Great Seal durante Beneplacito His Office is to manage the Debates in Council to propose Matters from the King and report the Transactions to his Majesty In the late Reigns this Office was often supplied by the Chancellour Next to the Lord President is the Lord Privy Seal whose Office is of great Trust and Skill He is so called from the Privy Seal which is in his custody All Charters and Grants of the King and all Pardon 's signed by the King pass through his hands before they come to the Great Seal of England And hâ—â— ought not to put this Seal to any Grant withâ— out good Warrant under the King 's Privy Signet nor with Warrant if it be againsâ— Law or Custom until the King be first acquainted He manages also divers other Matters of less concernment which do not pass the Great Seal He is by his Place of the King 's Privy Council and takes his Oath accordingly besides a particular Oath as Lord Privy Seal Wheâ— there is a Court of Requests he is the chieâ— Judge of it His Place is also during the King's Pleasure 〈◊〉 and his Salary is 1500 l. per annum The sixth Great Officer of the Crown iâ— the Lord Great Chamberlain of England an Officer of State and of great Antiquity whose chief Business is on the Coronation-Day For it is his Office that Day to bring the King his Shirt Coyf and Wearing Cloaths before his Majesty rises and to carry at the Coronation the Coyf Gloves and Linnen to be used by the King upon that Occasion In the Church where the King is Crowned he undresses and attires his Majesty with Robes Royal and giveâ— Him the Gold which is offered by Him at the Altar Before and after Dinner he serves the King with Water to wash his hands For this Service he has 40 Ells of Criâ—â—son Velver for-his own Robes the King 's Beâ— and all the Furniture of his Bed-Chamber all the King's Night-Apparel and the Basoâ— and Towels used at Dinner for his Fees He has also Livery and Lodging in the King's Court certain â—ees from all Peers of the Realm at their Creation and from each Arch-Bishop or Bishop when they do their Hoâ—â—age or Fealty to the King To him belongs the Care of providing all Things in the House of Lords in Parliament-Time and therefore has an Apartment allowed him near the House of Lords This Office is Hereditary and belongs to the Earls of Lindsey The Lord High Constable is another great Officer but of too great Authority and Power to be continued and therefore is only created for the Solemnity of the King's Coronation The Duke of Ormond was High Constable in the last The next is the Earl Marshal of England an Officer of great Antiquity and anciently of great Power His proper Office is to summon the Nobility to the King's Coronation with such Directions for State and publick Appearance as becomes that Solemnity He also takes Cognizance of Matters of War and Arms out of the reach of the Common Law and in these Matters he is commonly guided by the Civil Law Neither can any obtain a Coat of Arms but he must first apply himself to the Earl Marshal to whom the Heralds Colledge is subordinate The last is the Lord
Goâ—ernment nine and twenty of the Lords Spiâ—â—al and Temporal such as â—â—â—ned to be at â—t time in and about the Cities of London â—d Westminster immediately assembled at â—ildhall Where they unanimously Reâ—â—ved to apply themselves to His Highness 〈◊〉 Prince of Orange and to assist Him â—â—th their utmost Endeavours in the obâ—â—ing with all speed such a free Parliament 〈◊〉 the security of our Laws Liberties and â—operties as thereby the Church of England 〈◊〉 particular with a due Liberty to Proteâ—â—nt Dissenters and in general the Protestant â—eligion and Interest over the whole World â—ight be supported and incouraged to the â—lory of God the Happiness of these Kingâ—oms and the Advantage of all Princes and â—ates in Christendom Whereof they made publick Declaration signed by every one of 〈◊〉 Lords amongst which the Earl of Pemâ—ke the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Bishop 〈◊〉 Ely and the Lord Culpeper were chosen to â—tend forthwith His Highness with the said â—eclaration and at the same time acquaint 〈◊〉 with what they had further done at that â—eeting Few days after this the Lord Mayor Alderâ—en and Commons of the City of London in â—mmon Council Assembled made an humble â—ddress to the Prince wherein they returned 〈◊〉 Highness their Thanks for his glorious Unâ—rtaking to rescue these Kingdoms from Poâ—ry and Slavery look'd upon him as their Reâ—â—e implored his Protection and humbly beâ—ght Him to repair to this City where he should be received with Universal Joy and Sâ—tisfaction The Prince was then at Henley where he râ—ceived the Addressers in the most obliging maâ—ner with Aâ—â—rances of his Protection aâ— of his Readiness to comply with their Dâ—fires In the mean time King James was unhappiâ— taken in a Disguise at Feversham in Kent as 〈◊〉 was going for France Where being soon Dâ— covered he was at last prevailed upon to Return so that his Guards and Coach being seâ— for Him he came back to Whitehall Sundâ—â— Dec. 16 and reassumed the Government Whilâ— King James came up to London from the South the Prince made his Way thither from tâ—â— West in hopes that his Majesty would come 〈◊〉 an amicable and equitable Accommodation by referring all Grievances to a free Parlâ—â—ment But the King not being able to bear the hâ—â— of a Free Parliament after so many notoriâ—â— Violations of the Laws of the Realm grew foâ— uneasy at Whitehall and his Heart beat agâ— for France as his only Place of Refuge 〈◊〉 Rochester he goes from whence few Days â—â—ter he privately Withdrew himself the secâ—â— time but with more success than the 〈◊〉 For he got clear to France where the Quâ—â— and the supposed Prince of Wales had soâ— time before taken Sanctuary Mean while the Prince of Orange was 〈◊〉 to St. James's Dec. 19th where his Highâ—â— received the Compliments of all the Nobiâ—â— and other Persons of the chiefest quality Town and at Night the Streets were 〈◊〉 with Bonfires with Ringing of Bells and ther publick Demonstrations of Joy Then the Scene of Affairs was so very much â—ered that nothing but a new Settlement â—â—uld Resettle us In order to which a great Assembly of Lords and Commons Members of â—rmer Parliaments besides the Lord Mayor â—ldermen and Common Council of the City of London was held at Westminster to consult â—hat was fit to be done Who after some Deâ—â—tes upon the present Juncture came to this resolve that his Highness the Prince of Oâ—â—nge should be humbly Intreated to Summon 〈◊〉 Convention of Lords and Commons by his Cirâ—ular Letters these to be chosen by the People in a Parliamentary Way to meet at Westminster on â—he 22th of January following And that His sighness in the mean time would be pleased â—o take upon Him the Administration of pubâ—ick Affairs both Civil and Military and the disposal of the publick Revenue Which was â—one accordingly The Convention being met at the Time â—ppointed the House of Commons broke the 〈◊〉 Voted the Abdication of the Governâ—ent by King James and the Vacancy of the â—â—rone that is in short a Dissolution of the whole Frame of Government The House of Lords being divided as to the Word Abdicate â—â—d several Conferences about it with the Comâ—ons till at last their Lordships Concurred with them by Plurality of Votes Which hapâ—ed on the 6th of Febr the same Day upon which King James had ascended the Throne The Government being thus declared in a â—ate of Dissolution and the Throne Vacant â—he next Business was to Resettle the first by â—lling up the last It was then in their power 〈◊〉 bestow the Crown upon whom they pleased 〈◊〉 after several Debates the Two Houses at last fully agreed upon a joynt Declaration concerning the Misgovernment of King James the Offer of the Crown to the Prince and Prince of Orange the Abrogation of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the new Oaths tâ— be taken instead of them All this was done by the 12th of February upon which Day Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange arrived at Whitehall about twâ— in the Afternoon the welcome News whereoâ— was received with universal Demonstrations oâ— Joy The next Day Febr. 13th both Houses being Assembled at Westminster came to thâ— Banqueting House where they presented tâ— the Prince and Princess of Orange the Instrument in Writing agreed upon for Declarinâ— Their Highnesses KING and QUEEN oâ— England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and received Their Consent Whereupon Their Majesties were immediately Proclaimed in thaâ— solemn Manner as I have already described iâ— the Seventh Chapter And thus was accomplished the Curse of King James J a Prince whose Learned Pen baffleâ— all the Conclave which he solemnly pronounced on any of his Posterity that should turn Papists I am heartily sorry that it should fall 〈◊〉 heavy upon the late King but it is better so than that three Kingdoms should perish And yet had he kept within some reasonable Bounds and his Religion to himself withouâ— his open Violations of the Laws as it were iâ— defiance 't is very likely the Nation would haâ—â— been upon his account very indulgent to thâ— Roman Catholick Party They might have gâ— by this means some legal Toleration which 〈◊〉 the space of few Years would have Incouraâ—â—d and Strengthned their Party here consideâ—bly So quick of growth are the Roman â—atholicks where they find Incourageâ—ent Therefore the very Court of France did oâ—enly declare his Errors to the World and â—ssed this Verdict upon him That his whole â—onduct had been very little Judicious The â—mperour on the other side in his Letter to â—ing James from Vienna Apr. 9. 1689 could â—â—t forbear amongst his tender condoling â—xpressions to tell him the Cause of his â—in But King James would never be advised to Moderation and no Counsellors were welcome 〈◊〉 him but such as prompted him to Vioâ—nce The Issue whereof proved accordingly â—ll Covet all Lose I conclude with a Character of Their
a King De Jure and a King De Facto But those Diseases I thank God are not so Epidemical as to indanger a Convulsion in the State There are excellent and approved Remedies for them in the Pastoral Letter of the present Bishop of Salisbury and in the Collection of Papers but particularly in the late Book put out by that eminent Divine Dr. Sherlock to which for brevity sake I referâ— the Diseased But if Reason cannot Time I hope will wear out their Distempers And so I bid them Farewell CHAP. XV. Of the present KING and QVEEN's Court. THeir Majesties Court is composed of two distinct Bodies one of Laymen another of Churchmen I shall begin with the first not out of any Disrespect to the second but because this seems to me the most proper and natural Method The Court-Laymen are subdivided into two distinct Parts Civil and Military But before we descend to Particulars 't is to be observed I. That the Court wherever it is has within it self a certain Latitude of Jurisdiction called the Verge of the Court which is every way within 12 miles of the chief Tunnel of the Court except London which is exempted by Charter II. That the King's Court or Pallace where is Majesty resides is counted so sacred a Place â—at not only Striking of any one there in â—assion is severely forbidden but also all Ocâ—asions of Striking The first by the ancient â—aws of England was punished with Death â—â—d Loss of Goods And to this day whoâ—â—er presumes to strike another within the Palâ—ce where the King's Person resides and does 〈◊〉 draw blood by his Stroke is liable â—thout His Majesties Pardon to lose his right Hand to be Fined at the King's Will and ly in Prison till the Fine be paid And further to deter any one from presuming to Strike in the King's Court the Punishment for it is executed with great Ceremony III. That as great as the Court is yet it falls much short of what it has been formerly whether we consider the prodigious Plenty the Court lived in or the Greatness of the Houshold The Diminution whereof was first occasioned by the Troubles in the Reign of Charles I continued by Charles his Son and made greater by the late King James Before the Troubles aforesaid this Court went far beyond all others in Plenty and Magnificence no less than 86 Tables being kept here furnished in all with about 500 Dishes each Meal with all Things sutable A Profuseness I confess becoming the Times when the English were more addicted to Feasting than they are at present But to come to the present State of the Court the King's Houshold is managed in chief by these three principal Officers whose respective Salaries I have annexed Viz.  Wages Board-wages The Lord Steward 100 00 00 1360 00 00 The Lord Chamberlain 100 00 00 1100 00 00 The Master of the Horse 1200 00 00  Under whom are almost all the King's Officers and Servants The Lord Steward is the Principal Officer oâ— the King's Houshold To whom the State oâ— the House is committed to be ruled by hiâ— Discretion and all his Commands in Court to be obeyed and observed His Authority reaches over all Officers and Servants of the King's House except those of the King's Chamber the Stable and the Chappel He is a White-Staff Officer and the White-staff is taken for a Commission In the King's Presence he holds it up in his hand and at other times when he goes abroad 't is carried by a Footman bare-headed Upon the King's Death he breaks his Staff over the King's Herse and thereby discharges all Court-Officers under him By his Office without any Commission he judges of all Treasons Murders Felonies and Bloudsheds committed in the Court or within the Verge Which is much for the King's Honour that where His Majesty is no Justice should be sought but immediately from his own Officers At the beginning of Parliaments he attends the King's Person and at the end he adjusts the Parliament Expences c. To take the Accounts for all Expences of the King's Houshold there is a Place at Court called the Compting-House And in this House is kept that ancient Court of Justice called the Green Cloth of a Green Cloth whereat the Court sits The Officers that sit in the Compting-House and at the Board of Green Cloth with their respective Salaries are Besides the Lord Steward in chief  Wages Board-wages The Treasurer and Cofferer of the Houshold 223 14 08  The Comptroller 107 17 06 1092 02 06 The Master of the Houshold 66 13 04 433 06 08 Two Clerks of the Green Cloth and Two Clerks Comptrollers each 44 06 08 455 13 04 Amongst which the Lord Steward the Treasurer and the Comptroller are usually of the King 's Privy Council and the two last are also White-Staff Officers Their Office in the Compting House is there to sit day by day to take as I said before the Accompts for all Expences of the King's Houshold to make Provisions for it to make the Payments and such Orders as they think fit for the Servants In short to Them is committed the Charge and Government of the King's House with Power to correct all the Servants therein that shall any way offend and to keep the Peace not only within it but within the Verge of the Court. And whereas the King's Servants are free from Arrest the Creditors of such as are backward to pay have no other way for Payment but to make their application to the Board of Green Cloth which upon hearing of the Matter take care to see Justice done to the Creditors In the Lord Steward's Absence the Treasurer has power with the Comptroller and Steward of the Marshalsea by virtue of their Office and without Commission to hear and determine Treasons Felonies and other Crimes committed within the King's Pallace and that by Verdict of the King's Houshold And if any Servant within the Check-Roll be found guilty of Felony he is incapable of the Benefit of the Clergy The Comptroller's Office is to Comptrol the Accounts of the Green Cloth The Cofferer pays the Wages to the King's Servants above and below Stairs and for the Houshold Provisions according to the Allowance and Direction of the Green Cloth He has also a particular Charge and Oversight of the inferiour Officers of the King's House The Master of the Houshold surveys the Accounts of the House The Clerks of the Green Cloth sum up all Bills of Comptrolment Parcels and Brievements And the two Clerks Comptrollers do let and allow them But besides the foresaid Officers belonging to the Compting House and Green Cloth there are inferiour Officers and Servants relating to the same Viz.  Per Annum  Wages Board-wages Two Yeomen each 05 00 00 73 00 00 Two Grooms each 02 13 04 54 15 00 A Messenger 02 13 04 37 06 08 In the inferiour Offices below Stairs all under the Lord Steward there is
Four Daily Waiters each 150 00 00    Eight Quarter-Waiters each 50 00 00    Four Grooms each 20 00 00 53 00 00 To the Presence Chamber Four Gentlemen Vshers Daily Waiters each 20 00 00 130 00 00 Eight Gentlemen Vshers Quarter-Waiters each 10 00 00 140 00 00 Two Barbers each 20 00 00 180 00 00 Four Pages each 02 00 00 23 00 00 Amongst which the Gentlemen Vshers Daily Waiters attend next to the King's Person and after the Lord Chamberlain and the Vice-Chamberlain they order all Affairs The chief of them is called the Black-Rod from a black Staff which he bears in his hand Of whom I shall speak more at large in another place To the Great Chamber  Per Annum  Wages Board-wages Fourteen Grooms or Messengers each 40 00 00    As to the Bed-Chamber 'T is under the peculiar Direction and Conduct of the Groom of the Stole so called from the Latine Stola a Robe of State or long Robe His Office is to put on the Kings first Garment or Shirt every Morning and to order the Things of the Bed-Chamber His Wages are 33 06 08 Board-Wages 966 13 04 In all 1000 00 00 He is the first Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber whereof there are nine in all Their Wages each 1000 00 00 They are usually of the prime Nobility And their Office in general is to wait each of them in his turn one Week of nine in the King's Bed-Chamber where they ly by the King on a Pallet-Bed all night They also wait upon the King when he eats in private for then the Cup-bearers Carvers and Sewers do not wait Next to the Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber are  Per Annum  Wages Board wages Seven Grooms each 500 00 00  And Six Pages each 02 13 04 77 06 08 Amongst the other Officers and Servants of the King's House are also reckoned Two Secretaries of State one at 730 l. Board-Wages the other at 292 l. Who have each his Vnder-Secretary and several Clerks As to their Office I shall explain it when I come to speak of the Privy Council in my Third Part. Four Clerks of the Signet each at 30 l. Board Wages The Master of the Great Wardrobe a Superiour and Independent Officer whose Sâ—â—ry is 2000 l. per Annum This is a great Office made by King James I. a Corporation or Body Politick for ever An Office which furnishes the Court and foreign Embassadors Houses at their first Arrival here with Beds Hangings and other Necessaries that makes Provisions for Coronations Marriages and Funerals that provides Presents for foreign Princes and Ambassadors Cloths of Estate and other Furniture for the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and all his Majesties Ambassadors abroad This is the Office which provides all Robes for forein Knights of the Garter for the Officers of the Garter Coats for Heralds and Pursuivants at Arms and Livories for His Majesties Servants The King has also out of this Office all the Linnen and Lace that he wears The Master of this Wardrobe Kept in York-Buildings since the Fire has under him several Officers and sworn Servants to the King The principal whereof is a Deputy at 200 a Year Saâ—ary and a Clerk whose Place is worth 300 l. a Year But besides this Great Wardrobe there are divers standing Wardrobes at Whitehall Windfor Hampton-Court the Tower of London Greenwich and other Places whereof there are fivers Officers all under the Lord Chamberlain â—nd to the Keeper of the Standing Wardrobe where the King shall reside there is an Allowâ—ce of 127 l. 15. shill per Annum Lastly there is the Removing Wardrobe which â—ways attends upon the Person of the King â—een and their Children upon Ambassadors â—hristenings Masques Plays c. Whose Offiâ—ers are also at the Lord Chamberlain's Comâ—and Viz.  Per Annum A Yeoman 230 00 00 A Clerk 160 00 00 Two Grooms each 130 00 00 Three Pages each 100 00 00 To the foresaid Officers add The Master of the Robes who has the Charge of all His Majesties Robes and wearing Apparel He has under him a Clerk whose Salary is 100 l. a Yeoman 100 l. two Grooms each 50 a Brusher 40 l. and a Page 30. Master of the Jewel-house who has 400 l. Board-Wages Treasurer of the Chamber Privy Purse Master of the Ceremonies An Office instituted by King James I for the Reception of Ambassadors and Strangers of quality with a Salary of 200 l. a Year He has under him aâ— Assistant and Marshal A Knight Marshal 26 l. per Annum Five Vnder-Marshals at 20 l. each per Annum Three Kings of Arms the first called Garter the second Clarencieux the third Norroy The Garter's Office is chiefly to attend and direct those Ceremonies and Solemnities that concert the most noble Order of the Garter to marshaâ— the Solemn Funerals of the Knights of that Oâ—der and other Peers of the Realm and to give Directions in all other Things relating to Arâ— and appertaining to Peerage Clarencieux hiâ— Province is in the Counties that ly in the South of Trent where he properly directs all Thing relating to Arms. And Norroy does the fame iâ— the North Parts of Trent To those three Kings of Arms six Herald four Pursuivants and nine Sergeants at Arms are Subordinate who give attendance with them at all publick Solemnities Each Sergeant's Salary is 100 l. per Annum A Groom Porter Whose Office is to see the King's Lodgings furnished as they ought to be to find Cards c. when the King or Queen plays and to decide differences arising at any Game His Yearly Fee is 2 l. 13. s. 4. d. and his Board-wages 127 l. 15 sh A Knight Harbinger The Keeper of the standing Wardrobe A Body-Laundress whose Salary is 20 l. and Board-Wages 199 l. per Annum A Master of the Revels Who is to order all Things concerning Comedies Balls and Masques at Coutt He has a Yeoman under him whose Fee is 46 l. 11 s. 8 d. A Keeper of the Kings private Armory whose Fee is 13 l. 6 s. 8 d. besides his Board Wages 26 l. 13 s. 4. d. A Surveyor of the Chamber and Dresser at the yearly Salary of 11 l. 8 s. 1½ House-Keeper at Whitehall at 650 l. a Year Theater-Keeper at Whitehall at 30 l. a Year Two Gallery-Keepers each at 3 sh a Day Forty Messenger in Ordinary who attend the Council and Secretaries of State at 40 l. each per Annum Master of the Barges at 50 l. a Year Master of the Tennis Courts There is also  Per Annum A Master Faulconer 1500 00 00 A Serjeant of the Hawks 136 00 00 Master of the Hart and Buck-hounds who for himself and the Huntsmen is allowed 2341 l. per Annum Ranger of S. James's Park Ranger of Hide-Park For the King's Diversion there is moreover A fine Set of Musick consisting of 40 Musicians in ordinary And Two Play-Houses with a great many Servants
Rate 3 Rate  s. d s. d. s. d. Capt. 15 00 12 00 10 00 Lieut. 03 00 03 00 02 06  4 Rate 5 Rate 6 Rate Capt. 07 06 06 00 05 00 Lieut. 02 06     The Lieutenants of the fifth and sixth Rate Ships are paid by the Month and so are all others belonging to the Ships Now you must know that in the several Rates there is a Proportion greater or lesser of some sort of Officers As in a first Rate Ship 6 Master's Mates and Pilots in a second 4 and in a third 3 in a fourth and fifth 2 in a sixth 1. Quarter-Masters 4 in all Rates except the fifth and sixth which have but 2 each Quarter-Master's Mates 4 in the first and second Rates 2 in the third and fourth 1 in the fifth and sixth Boatswains Mates 2 in the first and but 1 in â—he rest Yeomen of Sheets 4 in the first and second Rates 2 in the third and fourth that is in each of them Gunners Mates 2 in the first and second and but 1 in each of the rest Quarter-Gunners 4 in the first second and third 1 in each of the rest Carpenters-Mates 2 in the first and second 1 in each of the rest Ordinary or Crew 9 in the first 6 in the second 4 in the third 3 in the fourth 1 in each of the fifth and sixth Midshipmen 8 in the first 6 in the second 4 in the third 3 in the fourth 2 in the fifth and 1 in the sixth For the Building Repairing and Cleaning of their Majesties Ships there are six great Yards where they are usually laid up Viz. Chatham Deptsord Woolwich Harwich Sheerness and Portsmouth Fitted with several Docks Wharfs Lanches and Graving places always furnished with great Quantities of Timber and other Materials having convenient Store-houses with vast Quantities of Cables Rigging Sails Blocks and other sorts of Stores with great Rope-Yards to make Cables and all sorts of Cordage for the Navy In those Yards are imployed divers Officers the principal whereof are as follow with their Yearly Salaries Viz.  l. A Clerk of the Checque 245 A Store-Keeper 260 A Master Attendant 124 His Assistant 80 A Master Shipwright 133 His Assistants each 70 Clerk of the Survey 160 Note that the Charges of the Clerks and Inâ—â—ruments are included in their Salaries All these are under the Direction and Management of the Navy Office kept in the Crouched Friars London Where the whole Business concerning the King's Ships is managed by four principal Officers and four Commissioners of the Navy besides other Commissioners for Victualling the Navy The four principal Officers are the Treasurer Câ—mptroller Surveyor and Clerk of the Acts. The Treasurer's Office is to pay the Charges of the Navy out of the Exchequer having first a Warrant for the Mony from the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury and for the Payment thereof another Warrant from the principal Officers of the Navy His Allowance is 3000 l. a Year The Comptroller's Office is to attend and comptroll all Payments of Wages He is likewise to know all the Mâ—rket Rates of all Stores for Shipping to audit and examine all Treasurers Victuallers and Store-Keepers Accounts His Salary is 500 l. per Annum and his Assistants 400. The Surveyor's Business is to know the state of all Stores and see their Wants supplied to survey the Hulls Masts and Yards and have their Defects repaired at reasonable rates What Stores the Boatswains and Carpenters receive in order to a Voyage he is to charge them with by Indenture and at their return to state and audit their Accounts His Salary is 400 l. a Year The Clerk of the Acts is to record all Orders Contracts Bills Warrants c. relating to the Navy and his Salary is 500 l. pen Annum Amongst the four Commissioners one's Province is to Comptroll the Victualler's Accounts another's the Accounts of the Store-keepers of the Yards and the two others have the managing of Their Majesties Navy the one at Chatham and the other at Portsmouth The Salary of each is 500 l. Both the principal Officers and Commissioners hold their Places by Patent under the Great Seal of England and have Clerks allowed to each of them with respective Salaries for the Dispatch of Business The Commissioners for Victualling the Navy are commonly four and their Salary is each 400 l. a Year Lastly the Navy-Office is subordinate to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty as they execute the Office of the Lord High Admiral of England of whose Power and great Priviledges I have already spoken amongst the Great Officers of the Crown For transacting of Maritime Affairs they keep a Court called the Court of Admiralty of which in my Third Part. By virtue of their Place they appoint in divers Parts of the Kingdom several Vice-Admirals with their Judges and Marshals by Patent under the Great Seal of the High Court of Admiralty Now there are 17 of these Vice-Admiralties in England besides 2 in Wales Those in England are Chester Parts Cornwal North Parts Cornwal South Parts Devonshire Dorset Durham Northum berland Westworland and Cumberland Essex Glocester Kent Lancaster Lincoln Norfolk Somerset Southampton or Hampshire Suffolk Sussex York In Wales there 's but two Vice-Admiralties one in the North and the other in the South Parts of Wales To reflect upon what is past relating to our Naval Force this I confess was much weakened by the late King Charles his strange Neglect of Shipping and Seamen to the great discredit and damage of this Nation Then and not till then the French grew upon us and grew like a Weed so fast that they have been ever since a great Discouragement and Obstruction to our English Trade To see those Sea-Mushrooms the French dare be so bold as to crow over the English who would not have Imployed them for Swabbers some Years since 't were enough to inrage a sensible Nation But if one may guess at future Events from the present Disposition of Things I am apt to think this prodigious Gallicinium or Crowing of the French King is a Presage of his Fall And without Inquiring into the secret Causes of the late unusual and wonderful Tameness of our Fleet which gave him the satisfaction to rove a while undisturbed in our Seas now such Measures are taken as will in all probability make him lower his Top-sail As for Tourville his Admiral 's Exploit at Tingâ—nouth 't is such as deserves Derision more than a Triumph Tingmouth a small open and obscure Place the Resort of a few Fishermen who had there some Thatched Houses was wonderfully Stormed and irresistibly Burnt by this Victorious Fleet. Which flushed with this great Expedition and its happy Come-off in the Sea-fight sailed few Days after with flying Colours for Brest Brest which expected great Spoils from the British Shore and some Return for Millions expended to make this proud Appearance at Sea wondered to see nothing but their Fleet come
short home some Ships wanting and others halting with part of what Men they had left alive half starved or sick to death as if they had come from Terra Incognita But the Paris Gazette made amends which celebrated this Expedition at that rate that one would have thought the Venetians Victory over the Turks in the Gulf of Lepanto fell short of this paultry one And to raise the Credit of the great Exploit at Tingmouth there Tingmouth was represented as a flourishing Harbour crowded with Men of War and Merchant Ships richly laden of which a Sacrifice was made to the new French Neptune Thus by a false and pompous Relation which indeed sounded much to the glory of a Hamlet the French Court designed to amuse the World to raise on the one side the Spirits of the drooping French and at the same time strike an Aw amongst the Confederates Which shews what shifts the French are put to in this Juncture of Time to support their Reputation What remains is to give an Account of Their Majesties Office of Ordnance relating to their Forces both by Sea and Land and Kept within the Tower of London Which Office concerns all the principal Preparatives and Instruments of War for the Defence and Safety of the Kingdom and has the ordering and disposing of all the Magazines as well for Sea as Land The principal of these Magazines is the Tower where there are Arms for 60000 Men and a fine Train of Artillery Kept with all stores proportionable This and all other Magazines in the Kingdom as those of Portsmouth Plimouth Windsor-Castle c. are under the Master-General of the Ordnance a Place of great Trust and of a general Influence over all the Kingdom Under whom there are Six principal Officers and others subordinate all holding their Places by Patent under the great Seal The principal Officers are The Lieutenant General The Surveyor The Clerk of the Ordnance The Keeper of the Stores The Clerk of the Deliveries The Treasurer or Pay-Master The Lieutenant of the Ordinance receives at the Board with the rest of the principal Officers all Orders from the Master General and is to see them duly executed In the Master General 's Absence he may make Orders upon Occasion for Things that are not of that high Importance as to require the King's or the Lord High Admiral 's Warrants He is to see the Train of Artillery and all its Equipage fitted for Motion upon any Occasion And from him â—ssue Orders for the discharging the great Guns when required upon Coronation-Days Festivals Triumphs and the like The Surveyor's Office is to survey all Their Majesties Ordnance and Stores in the Store-Keeper's Custody and to see them placed to the best advantage He is likewise to Keep Checque upon all Labourers and Artificers Works to see that all Stores brought in be good and serviceable and to allow all Bills of Debt The Clerk of the Ordnance records all Patents and Grants relating to the Office with the Names of all concerned therein Also all Instructions and Orders sent from the King to the Office or from the Office abroad with such Letters Instructions Commissions Deputations and Contracts as are for His Majesties Service He draws all Estimates for Provisions and Supplies to be made makes all Bills of Imprest and Debenturs for Work done or Provisions received and Keeps Quarter-Books for the Salaries and Allowances of all Persons belonging to the Office He likewise Keeps Journals of the Receipts Delivery and Returns of the King's Stores which serves as a Checque between the two Accompts of the Office the one for Mony and the other for Stores The Keeper of the Stores has in his particular Charge all the Ordnance and Stores For the safe Keeping whereof and giving a true Account from time to time he must give good Security He is to see that all the Kings Store-houses be well Accommodated and Kept iâ— good Repair and the Stores kept in such Oâ—der and Lustre as becomes the Service and Honour of His Majesty He is bound not to receive any Provisions but such as have been 〈◊〉 Surveyed by the Surveyor and proved by thâ— Proof-Masters Nor is he to issue any part of the Ordnance Munition or Stores but what is agreed upon and signed by the Officers according to the appointment of the Master of the Ordnance by the Kings Order or six of the Privy Council and if it be for the Use of the Navy by the Lord Admiral 's or the Commissioner's Warrant Neither is he to receive back any Stores formerly issued till they have been reviewed by the Surveyor and registred in the Book of the Remains The Clerk of the Deliveries draws up all Orders and Proportions for delivering any Stores or Provisions at any of Their Majesties Magazines and is to see the same duly executed And for the better discharging of the Store-Keeper he is by Indenture or Receipt to charge the particular Receiver of the Stores and to register both the Warrants for Deliveries and the Proportions delivered The Treasurer or Pay-Master makes the Payments of all the Salaries and Bills of Debt but so that no Mony is to be by him allowed to any Person without being listed or appointed to be paid by the Master General under his hand So that except Salaries all the Mony of the whole Office goes towards Building Buying in of Stores Fortifications and the like and all this Mony runs through the Pay-Master's hands Amongst the Subordinate Officers we may reckon in the first place the Master Gunner ef England Who is to shew the best of his Skill to all that are imploy'd in Gunnery in Their Majesties Service and at each ones Admittance to administer unto him an Oath which binds him not to serve any forein Prince or State without Leave and not to teach any Man the Art of Gunnery but what has taken the said Oath And before any one can be actually imployed as Their Majesties Gunner the said Master must be so well satisfied with his Skill as to Certify to the Master of the Ordnance his Sufficiency and Ability to discharge the Duty of a Gunner Here is also a Principal Engineer to whom are subordinate all the King 's other Engineers Most of whom have their Salaries and Allowances out of this Office from whence they receive their particular Orders and Instructions according to the King's Pleasure signified unto them by the Master of the Ordnance The Keeper of the small Guns is another Officer relating hereunto Who has the Charge and Custody of their Majesties small Guns as Musquets Carabines Pistols c. with their Furnitures I pass by a great Number of inferiour Men imploy'd in this Office as the Under-Clerks the Proof-Masters Messenger and great many Artificers such as the Master Gun-smith the Furbisher the Master Smith the Master Carpenter Master Wheel-Wright and others CHAP. XVII Of Their Majesties present Revenues and the Management thereof THE present publick Revenues of the King
and Queen as they were lately settled by King and Parliament differ in several Points from the Settlement made in the Reign of Charles II and Confirmed to the late King James 'T is true the Excise which consists in certain Impositions upon Beer Ale and other Liquors is Settled upon Them for their Lives and the Life of the Survivor of Them But out of it a Yearly Rent of 20000 l. comes to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Denmark and her Issue during Their Majesties Lives and the Survivor of Them The Custom upon Commodities Imported and Exported which was settled upon King Charles II and afterwards his Successor for their respective Lives is now Confined within the Term of four Years to commence on the 24th Day of December 1690. And that great Branch of the Revenue the Hearth-Mony which was for ever Settled in the Crown to the great Grievance of the People is now lopt off by Act of Parliament upon the King 's generous Motion for the Relief of His Subjects As to Their Majesties other Revenues I refer you to the Ninth Chapter Which with the Excise and Custom come to above Twelve hundred thousand Pound a Year that is about 16 Millions of French Livers A Revenue which may serve in Time of Peace to Keep up the Honour of the Crown not to inable any Ambitious or Over-covetous Prince to Invade the Property and Liberty of the Engglish Subjects or under a vain Pretence of his own Glory to disturb the Peace and Quiet of his Neighbours A sad Experience whereof we have seen of late Years by the Practice of that Ambitious Monarch the French King whose exorbitant Incomes have helped him to Crush first his Subjects and then most of his Neighbours But when the Nation is concerned in a forein War and the War grounded upon Equity and Honour the Parliaments of England seldom fail of Supplying the King with Subsidies suitable to the present Occasion by a Land-Tax Poll-Mony and such other Ways as they think most convenient In the mean time as the Custom and Excise are the two principal Branches of Their Majesties Revenues let us see how the same are managed how the Products thereof come into the Exchequer and are there disposed of by such thrifty Methods that all Charges born it costs the King little above 2 Shillings in the Pound For the Managing of the Custom-Revenue there are in the first place at present Seven Commissioners who have the Charge and Oversight of all Their Majesties Customs in all Ports of England Which Customs amount to about 600000 l. a Year whereof the Port of London only pays two Thirds that is about 400000 l. Yearly The said Commissioners sit day by day at the Custom-House London They hold their Places by Patent from the King and have each a Salary of 1000 l. per Annum Under these are a great Number of Officers imployed both at London and in the Out-Ports some of them of considerable quality and ability Such as Collectors Customers Comptrollers Surveyors Registers Searchers Waiters c. whose due Perquisites are so considerable that to some they are more than their respective Salaries First there is A Collector Inwards and for the Act of Navigation 966 13 04 A Collector Outwards 276 00 00 A Customer of the Cloth and petty Customs 277 06 08 Two Customers of the great Customs each 50 00 00 A Comptroller General of the the Accompts 500 00 00 A Comptroller of the Cloth and petty Customs 100 00 00 A Surveyor General 500 00 00 A Surveyor of the Out-Ports 250 00 00 A Register of the Seizures 106 00 00 A Head-Searcher 120 00 00 Nineteen King's Waiters each 52 00 00 Forty Land-Waiters each 80 00 00 There is also a Secretary a Ware-house-Keeper a Surveyor of the Ware-house 7 Land-Surveyors 8 Tide-Surveyors 7 Under-Searchers these at 12 l. per Annum and many more Officers that I pass by for brevities sake Besides several Persons Commissioned to seize Uncustomed Goods either Inward or Outward bound 80 Tide-Waiters whose Fee is each 5 l. a Year and 3 shill a Day besides extraordinary Tide-Waiters allowed no Salary but only 3 shill a Day when Imployed To which add Noon-Tenders Watchmen and abundance of other inferiour Officers The Excise Office is Kept in a stately House in Broad Street where this Revenue is also managed by Seven Commissioners who receive here the whole Product of the Excise all over England and pay it into the Exchequer They have each of them 1000 l. Salary per Annum and are obliged by Oath to take no Fee nor Reward but from the King only Under these is A Register and Secretary 500 00 00 An Auditor who for himself and Clerks is allowed 700 00 00 A Comptroller and his Clerks 1240 00 00 There are other considerable Places belonging to this Office both within Doors and without which are injoyed and officiated by very sufficient Persons Particularly the House-Keeper's Place worth 400 l. per Annum And to collect the Excise-Duty all over the Kingdom a great Number of Men appointed for that purpose whose Salary is 20 shill a Week But 't is Observable that from the foresaid Commissioners there lies an Appeal to five others called the Commissioners of Appeal whose yearly Salary from the King is 200 l. each These and all other Their Majesties Revenues are paid at Westminster into the Exchequer that Ocean of Treasure which receives all those Streams and returns them again to refresh the Kingdom by the constant Payments out of it Whereby is caused a great Circulation of Mony throughout the Land And as there are a great many Officers for Collecting the King's Revenues so there are not a few to Receive and Disburse the same according to His Majesties Order The principal Officer is the Lord Treasurer One of the Great Officers of the Crown Whose Place is sometimes as it is at this present managed by Commissioners appointed by His Majesty The next is the Chancellour of the Exchequer an Officer of great Account and Authority whose Power extends not only in the Exchequer Court but also here in the managing and disposing of the King's Revenue He is Under-Treasurer has the Exchequer-Seal in his Custody and a Superintendency over the Lord Treasurer's Roll. The Places of the Comptroller of the Pipe of the Clerk of the Pleas the Clerk of the Nichils and the two Praisers of the Court besides the Seal thereof are all in his Gift Then there are two Chamberlains who 〈◊〉 in their Custody many ancient Records the Standards of Monies Weights and 〈◊〉 and Doomsday Book otherwise called 〈…〉 Book of the Exchequer First Known by the Name of Rotulus Wintoniae and since named Doomsday Book as containing an exact account of all the Lands of England with the true Value of them and their Owners Names So that when this Book was opened upon any Difference the Cheat appeared and Judgement was given accordingly This Tax-book has been written above
eldest Sons Marquesses younger Sons Barons Vicounts eldest Sons Earls younger Sons Barons eldest Sons Vicounts younger Sons Barons younger Sons But 't is to be observed that all Dukes that are not Princes of the Bloud are preceded by these four Great Officers of the Crown though they be but Barons viz. the Lord Chancellour the Lord Treasurer the Lord President of the Privy Council and the Lord Privy Seal I leave out the Lord High Steward of England because none of this Office is continued beyond the present Occasion As for the Lord Great Chamberlain of England the Lord High Constable the Lord Marshal the Lord High Admiral the Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and the Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold they sit above all of their Degree only The Nobility of England have at all times injoyed many considerable Priviledges Though neither Civil nor Common Law allow any Testimony to be valid but what is given upon Oath yet the Testimony of a Peer of England given in upon his Honour without any oath is esteemed valid And whereas the law allows any one of the Commonalty arraigned for Treason or Felony to challenge 35 of his Jury without shewing Cause and others by shewing Cause a Peer of the Realm cannot challenge any of his Jury or put any of them to their Oath the Law presuming that they being Peers of the Realm and judging upon their Honour cannot be guilty of Falshood Favour or Malice In Criminal Causes a Peer cannot be tried but by a Jury of the Peers of the Realm who are not as other Juries to be put to their Oath but their Verdict given in upon their Honour sufficeth All Peers of the Realm being lookt upon as the King 's constant Counsellors their Persons are at all Times priviledged from Arrests except in Criminal Cases Therefore a Peer cannot be Outlawed in any Civil Action and no Attachment lies against him The only Way for satisfaction from a Peer is by Execution taken forth upon his Lands and Goods and not by Attachment or Imprisonment of his Person So tender is the Law of the Honour Credit Reputation and Persons of Noblemen that there is a Statute on purpose called Scandalum Magnatum to punish all such as by false Reports â—ring any scandal upon them They are exempted from all Attendance at Leets or Sheriffs Turns where others are obliged to take the Oath of Allegiance And whereas for the suppressing of Riots the Sheriff may raise the Posse Comitatus yet he cannot command any Peer of the Realm to attend that Service In Civil Causes they are not to be Impanelled upon any Jury or Inquest de facto though in a Matter between two Peers and if a Peer be returned upon any such Jury there lies a special Writ for his Discharge They are upon no Case to be bound to their good Behaviour or put to swear they will not break the Peace but only to promise it upon their Honour which was ever counted so sacred as upon no terms to be violated Every Peer of the Realm summoned to Parliament may constitute in his lawful absence a Proxy to Vote for him which none of the Commons may do And any Peer in a Place of Trust is free to make a Deputy to act in his absence whilst he attends the Person of the King Where a Peer of the Realm is Defendant no Day of Grace is to be granted to the Plaintiff the Law presuming that a Peer of the Realm must always be ready to attend the Person of the King and the Service of the Commonwealth Therefore he ought not to be delayed any longer than the ordinary Use of the Court but tâ— have expedition of Justice In any Civil Trial where a Peer of the Realâ— is Plaintiff or Defendant there must be at leasâ— one Knight returned of the Jury Otherwisâ— the Array may be quashed by Challenge In all Cases wherein the Priviledge of the Clergy is allowed to other Men and in divers Cases where that Priviledge is taken away from them a Peer of the Realm upon his Request shall be for the first time adjudged as a Clerk Convict though he cannot read And that without burning in the Hand loss of Inheritance or Corruption of Bloud In case of Amerciaments of the Peers of the Realm upon Non-Suits or other Judgments a Duke is to be amerced but Ten Pounds and all others under Five This to be done by their Peers according to Magna Charta though it has been often done of late by the King's Justices A Peer of the Realm being sent for by the King to Court Parliament Council or Chancery has the Priviledge passing by the King's Park or Forest both coming and returning to Kill one or two Deer An Earl has 8 Tun of Wine Custom-free and the rest proportionably All Peers of the Realm have a Priviledge of Qualifying a certain Number of Chaplains to hold Plurality of Benefices with Cure of Souls But it must be with a Dispensation first obtained from the Archbishop and the same ratified under the Great Seal of England Thus a Duke may qualify six Chaplains a Marquess and Earl five a Viscount four and a Baron â—hree A Peer of the Realm has also the Priviledge â—f Retaining six Aliens whereas another may â—ot Retain above four These are the chief Priviledges belonging to â—e Nobility of England which are great and â—onsiderable And yet none of them ever had the Priviledge of the Grandees of Spain to be covered in the King's Presence except Henry Ratcliff Earl of Surrey 'T is true the Princes of the Bloud have often had the honour of being covered but then it was by the King 's gracious Command not by virtue of any constant Priviledge Neither are our Noblemen exempted as in France from Tailles and Contributions but always bear a share proportionable And in case of a Poll-Act they are usually thus Rated according to their several Degrees of Honour Viz. Â l. s. d. A Duke 50 00 00 A Marquess 40 00 00 An Earl 30 00 00 A Viscount 25 00 00 A Baron 20 00 00 Those of their Sons which have attained to 16 Years of Age are thus taxed As. Â l. s. d. The Eldest Son of A Duke 30 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Marquess 25 00 00 The Eldest Son of An Earl 20 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Viscount 17 00 00 The Eldest Son of A Baron 15 00 00 A Younger Son of A Duke 25 00 00 A Younger Son of A Marquess 20 00 00 A Younger Son of An Earl 15 00 00 A Younger Son of A Viscount 13 06 00 A Younger Son of A Baron 12 00 00 The Nobles to bear up their Rank have generally great and plentiful Estates some of them beyond those of several Princes beyond Sea And till the Civil Wars in the Reign of Charles I. they lived with suitable splendour and Magnisicence Keeping a plentiful Table and a numerous Attendance with several Officers delighting in
noble Exercises and appearing abroad according to their Rank and Quality Honour and Integrity Justice and Sobriety Courage and Wisdom were Virtues they excelled in A Lord's House was then lookt upon as a well disciplined Court where Servants lived not only in Plenty but in great Order with the Opportunity of getting good Breeding and the Prospect of raising themselves in the World by their Lords Bountifulness and innate Generosity How far the Case is altered 't is but too plain Yet it is hoped a virtuous and generous Prince will bring back that Golden Age. But there is an additional Honour the most ancient Order of the Garter wherein some of the chief of our Nobility have ever had a share since its first Institution The Founder of this Order was that warlike and potent Prince King Edward III who several times triumphed over France and Scotland Polydore Virgil gives it a slight Original but his Grounds by his own Confession grew from the vulgar Opinion Which is that Edward III having obtained many great Victories King John of France and David Bruce of Scotland being both his Prisoners King Henry of Castille the Bastard expulsed and Don Pedro restored by Edward the Black Prince did upon no weighty Occasion first erect this Order Anno 1350. Who dancing with the Queen and other Ladies of the Court took up a Garter that hapned to fall from one of them Whereat some of the Lords smiling the King said that e're it were long he would make that Garter to be of high Reputation and shortly after instituted this Order A very unlikely Thing that so noble an Order should be raised on so mean a Foundation Whereas according to Cambden and several others the Institution of this Order by the foresaid King Edward was upon his good success in a Skirmish wherein the King's Garter was used for a Token The Order first Instituted by the Name of the Order of S. George the Patron of England and of this Order in particular And because the Garter was the only part of the whole Habit of the Order made choice of at first to be constantly worn it came in process of Time to be called the Order of the Garter The same consists of a Sovereign which is always the King of England and 25 Companions called Knights of the Garter some of them Princes of other Countries and the rest Noblemen of this Kingdom And 't is observed that there have been of this Order since the Institution no less than 8 Emperours and 27 or 28 forein Kings besides many Sovereign Princes of a lower Rank The Garter to be daily worn upon the left Leg by the Companions of this Order is a blue Garter deckt with Gold Pearl and precious Stones and a Buckle of gold They are not to be seen abroad without it upon pain of paying two Crowns to any Officer of the Order who shall first claim it Only upon a Journey a blue Ribbon may serve instead of it The Meaning of the Garter is to put the Companions of the Order in mind that as by this Order they were joyned in a firm League of Amity and Concord so by their Garter as by a fast Tie of Affection they are obliged to love one another Now to prevent an ill Construction of it King Edward commanded these French Words to be fixt upon it Honi soit qui mal y pense that is Shame be to him that thinks evil of it And it was done in France because England being then possessed of a great Part of France the French Tongue was the usual Language in the King of England's Court. Besides the Garter the honourable Companions are to wear at Installations and high Feasts a Surcoat a Mantle a high black Velvet Cap a Collar of pure gold with other stately and magnificent Apparel The Collar composed of Roses enamelled Red within a Garter enamelled Blue with the usual Motto in Letters of gold and between each of these Garters a Knot with Tassels of gold By an Order made April 1626 they are to wear on the left side of their Upper Garment whether Cloak or Coat an Escutcheon of the Arms of S. George that is the Cross of England incirled with the Garter and Motto from whence round about are cast Beams of Silver like the Rays of the Sun in full lustre which is commonly called the Star To this Order belongs a Colledge seated in the Castle of Windsor with S. George's Chappel there erected by King Edward and the Chapter-house The Colledge being a Corporation has a great Seal and several Officers belonging to it The principal of these is the Prelate of the Garter which Office is settled on the Bishoprick of Winchester Next the Chanceliour of the Garter the Bishop of Salisbury for the time being A Register the Dean of Windsor Garter the principal King at Arms who manages and marshals their Solemnities at their Installations and Feasts And lastly the Usher of the Garter who is also the Usher of the Black-Rod To the Chappel there belongs 14 Secular Canons and 13 Vicars all Priests Besides 26 poor Knights maintained by this Colledge for their Prayers to the Honour of God and S. George The Solemnity of this Order is performed yearly on S. George's Day the 23th of April As for the Orders and Constitutions belonging to this Society touching the Solemnities in making these Knights their Duties after Creation and their high Priviledges they are too long to be inserted here CHAP. XX. Of the Gentry of England NExt to the Nobility which is lookt upon as the Flower of the Kingdom let us take a View of the English Gentry called by some the lesser or lower Nobility and Keeping a middle Rank betwixt the Nobles and the Common People Of these there are three Degrees Knights Esquires and Gentlemen We have now but three sorts of Knights in England besides the Knights of the Garter Viz. Baronets Knights of the Bath and Knights Batchelours The Degree of Baronets is the next to Barons and the only Degree of Knighthood that is Hereditary An Honour first Instituted by King James I Anno 1611 conferred by a Patent upon a Man and his Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten The Purchase of it does commonly arise Fees and all to 1200 l. the Purchaser being to pay besides the Fees as much Mony as will pay for 3 Years 30 Foot-Souldiers at 8 pence a Day to serve in the Province of Ulster in Ireland Therefore they have the Priviledge to bear in a Canton of their Coat of Arms or in a whole Scutcheon the Arms of â—lster viz. in a Field Argent a Hand Gules In the King's Armies they have place in the gross near the King's Standard And for their Funerals they have also particular Priviledges The whole Number of them by the first Institution is not to exceed 200 at one and the same time After which Number compleated as any one for want of Heirs come to be extinct the Number is
Opinion of the Yeomanry that occupy Lands than of Tradesmen or Artificers And accordingly Yeomen are capable of bearing some Offices as of Constable and Church-Warden to serve upon Juries to be Train-Souldiers to vote in the Election of Knights of the Shire to serve in Parliament c. And by the Statutes of England certain Immunities are given to Freeholders and Land-men tho they are not Gentlemen Next to Freeholders are the Copy-holders who are much of the same nature I mean those Copy-holders that hold Copy-holds certain Which is a kind of Inheritance in many Places called Customary because the Tenant dying and the Hold being void the next of Bloud paying the Customary Fine as two Shillings for an Acre or such like may not be denied his Admission They are called Copy-holders from the Copy of Court-Roll of the Mannor within which they hold their Land by which Copy only they hold it For this is all a Copy-holder has to shew for his Title which he takes from the Steward of the Lord of the Mannor's Court. But as England is one of the most trading Countries in Europe so the greatest Body of its Commonalty is that of Traders or Men that live by Buying and Selling. The most eminent whereof are those we call Merchants who trade only by Whole-sale These are the Men who by their Stock and Industry have found the Way not only to Inrich themselves but to make the whole Nation thrive and flourish by a perpetual Circulation of Trade by exporting home-bred and importing forein Commodities by incouraging thereby Navigation and by procuring comfortable Imployment to a vast Number of Artificers Tradesmen and â—â—etailers In short such is the benign Influence of Trade and Commerce by their means all over the Nation that there is scarce any part of it but feels the Benefit thereof And for this great Advantage to the Publick as well as their private Wealth they have got a proportionable esteem and respect from the rest of the Nation Insomuch that whereas Trading formerly rendred a Gentleman ignoble now an ignoble Person makes himself by Merchandizing as good as a Gentleman and many Gentlemen Born some of them Younger Sons of Noblemen take upon them this Profession without any prejudice or blemish to their Birth Nay the Law of England that ever had but a slight Opinion of Traders is so far Obliterated in this Point by Custom and Interest that whereas by Law a Ward come to Age may bring his Action of Disparagement against his Gardian for offering any such in Marriage now 't is common for Gentlemens and Merchants Sons and Daughters to Intermarry The truth is Gentility with competent Means is an excellent Compound but without it 't is but a wretched Condition as the World goes now And who would not rather be a substantial honest Trader so as to stand upon his own Legs and make some figure in the World than for want of Imployment to starve with a point of Honour or live a borrowed Life in this Age especially where Poverty is so little pitied and grown so contemptible Poverty says an Author the general Scare-crow of Mankind the fear of which keeps Men in perpetual Morion and makes them run headlong into the greatest Dangers Per Mare Pauperiem fugiunt per Saxa per Ignes Poverty a lingering kind of Death that having once seized upon ones Spirits dejects and stupifies him takes away the edge of his Senses weakens his Memory discomposes his Mind and makes him almost uncapable of any Thing Poverty in a Word that turns Men into ridicule as Juvenal has it in these Words Nil habet Paupertas durius in se Quam quod Ridiculos homines facit In France indeed where if a Gentleman born betakes himself to Trade forfeits his Gentility the Gentry stand so much upon their Honour that it is very rare to see a French Gentleman turn to Merchandizing But there they have greater Opportunities for preferring themselves according to their quality especially by the Way of Arms. And so jealous is the whole Body of them of this their Gentility that rather than have it exposed in any of their Members by naked and hungry Poverty their Way is to help one another to the utmost of their Power and which is very commendable they seldom fail to give a Gentleman though never so needy the Respect due to his Birth But it is something surprizing they should so much decline Merchandizing their King Lewis le Grand not to mention his other Commodities being the greatest Salt-Merchant in the Known World But to return to our Commonalty it may be said to comprehend three Parts in four of the Nation the Generality of them Imployed in Husbandry Trade and Navigation some in a higher others in a lesser Degree And such is the Happiness of this People in general that none injoy greater Priviledges or are more secure by Law from Oppression They are subject to no Taxes or Laws but what they contrive themselves by their Representatives in Parliament And in point of Trials none of them can be Tried but by a Jury of his Peers that is by Twelve Men Commoners like himself Nor can he be Condemned but by the Laws of the Land In short the Government is so very favourable to the Common People of England that unless the Laws be invaded which are the Bulwark of the Government they need not fear to be any Way oppressed CHAP. XXII Of the Clergy of England and first of the Bishops THE Clergy of England is like the Laity divided into several Ranks or Degrees For as the Laity consists of Nobility Gentry and Commonalty so the Clergy is divided into Bishops Dignitaries and Inferious Clergy The Bishops are those who take upon them the Government of the Church of England according to Law every one in his Diocese And as England consists of 26 Dioceses or Bishopricks so there are accordingly 26 Bishops or Diocesans Besides the Bishoprick of the Isle of Man which is a distinct Bishoprick Their Office being Pastoral their Business is to feed their Flocks with the wholsom Doctrine of the Church and so to oversee the Inferiour Clergy that by their Lives and Doctrine the People may Keep the Truth and live according to the Rules of Christianity And as each of them has a Canonical Authority over all the Priests of his Diocese so they have all in chief the Power of Ordination Which however is never performed but by the Bishop joyntly with some other Priests They are also Impowred to grant Institutions to Benefices upon Presentations of other Patrons to command Induction to be given to order the collecting and preserving of the Profits of vacant Benefices for the Successors Use They are bound to defend the Church-Liberties and once in three Years to Visit each his Diocese In this triennial Visitation they Inquire of the Manners Carriages and Offences of Ministers Church-Wardens and the rest of the Parishioners principally of Offenders against Justice
Parliament dispenses with that Act. Neither can any be legally chosen that is not of full Age that is 21 Years old at least And reason good for if no Man under that Age can dispose of his Estate much less should he have any share in the supream Power of the Nation to judge vote or dispose of the Estate of the Realm Yet the Practice in the House of Commons has often been otherwise in the House of Lords but seldom Whoever stands to be Elected must be a Native Englishman or at least must be Naturalized by Act of Parliament No Alien Denizated ought to sit here None of the Judges can be chosen that sit in the Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer because they are Assistants in the Lords House But any that have Judicial Places in other Courts Ecclesiastical or Civil being no Lords of Parliament are Eligible No Sheriff nor Clergy-man can be chosen a Member of Parliament Not the first because his personal Attendance is required within his Bayliwick during the time of his Sheriffalty Nor the last because he is of another Body viz. the Convocation and the Clergy of the Convocation-House are no Part or Member of the Parliament A Man attainted of Treason or Felony c. is not Eligible For he ought to be magis idonâ—us discretus sufficiens But a Person Outlawed in a Personal Cause may be a Burgess And tho the Common Law do's disinable the Party yet the Priviledge of the House being urged prevails over the Law Anciently the Elected Members had a competent Allowance from the respective County City or Borough for which they served in Parliament A Knight of the Shire was allowed 4 shill and a Citizen or Burgess 2 shill a Day which in those Days was a considerable Sum. But then the Sessions were but short sometimes but eight Days sometimes less seldom above three or four Weeks and yet during that short space of time several great and weighty Affairs were dispatched Which as some think were prepared to their hand by the King and Council as it is now practised in Sweden by the 40 Counsellors of State and in Scotland by the Lords of the Articles And if they did only debate upon such Things as the King did propose a little Time might serve well enough to do it But it do's not appear to be so by what passed Feb. 9. 1597 39 Eliz. When the Queen gave her Royal Assent to 24 publick and 19 private Bills but refused 48 Bills more which had passed both Houses Certain it is that there was less Canvassing and more Plainness in those Days than there is at present The Place of Meeting for this honourable Assembly is in whatsoever City Town or House the King pleases But of latter times it has been ufually at the Kings ancient Palace at Westminster the Lords in a Room by themselves and the Commons not far from them in another Room which formerly was S. Stephens Chappel When the Day prefixt by the King in his Writs of Summons is come His Majesty usually comes in person to the House of Lords cloathed with his Royal Robes the Crown upon his head and the Sword of State before Him At the upper end of the Room is placed a Chair of State under a Canopy upon which His Majesty sits Then all the Temporal Peers appear in their Scarlet Robes every one according to his Degree and the Spiritual Lords in their Episcopal Habit which they do all the Sessions On the Kings right hand next the Wall are placed on a Form the two Arch-Bishops next below on another Form the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester then upon other Forms on the same side all the rest of the Bishops sit according to the priority of their Consecration The Lord Chancellor or Keeper when there is one stands behind the Cloth of State or fits on the first Wool-sack before the Chair of State with his Great Seal and Mace by him On the Kings left hand are placed the Treasurer President of the Council and Lord Privy Seal of they be Barons above all Dukes but those of the Royal Family if not Barons then they sit uppermost on the Wool-sacks And on the same side sit the Dukes Marquesses or Earls according to their Creation Cross the House below the Wool-sacks the first Form is that which the Viscounts sit upon and upon the next Forms the Barons all in order The King being thus seated in his Throne with this noble Appearance of the Peers of the Realm all standing uncovered his Majesty sends for the Commons from their Room where they are assembled Who being come at least part of them stand at the Bar of the Lords House Whereupon the King makes a short Speech to both Houses concerning such Matters as He thinks fit to lay before them for the Good of the Kingdom Amongst which that of a Supply of Mony is most commonly one in order to answer the extraordinary Charges of the Crown The King having ended his Speech the Chancellor or Lord Keeper did formerly use by the Kings Appointment to inlarge upon it with all the Rhetorick and Logick the Matter could bear to dispose both Houses to a Compliance with the King But His present Majesty has declined that Method and being a Prince of few Words gains more upon rational Men by his concise and plain Way of Delivery as the more agreeable to a true generous Nature than perhaps he might with all the Windings and Turnings of artificial Rhetorick Then the Speaker of the House of Lords commands in the Kings Name the Commons to assemble in their House there to chuse one of their Members for their Speaker and to present him such a Day to His Majesty Upon which the King withdraws and the Commons presently re-assemble themselves in the Lower House in order to chuse one of their Members for Speaker Sometimes as in the last Session the Speaker is chosen by the Kings Command before fore His Majesty delivers his Speech to both Houses of Parliament After the Speaker is chosen and the Choice approved by the King His Majesty leaves both Houses to their private Debates upon the Subject of his Speech and do's no more appear amongst them that Session in his Royal Robes except upon the passing of any Act or at the Close of the Session whether it be by Adjournment Prorogation or Dissolution 'T is true upon any extraordinary Debate in the House of Lords 't is customary with the Kings of England to assist at the same not to argue upon it or to influence the House one way or other but only to hear the Arguments of the House upon the Matter in Debate But then the King appears without his Crown and Robes and every Peer sits except when he speaks to the House as if the King were not there The House of Lords otherwise called the House of Peers or the Vpper House consists of 189 Members Viz. 163 Temporal Lords whereof 14 Dukes 3 Marquesses
him by his Title or Addition as that Noble Lord that Worthy Knight Or by his Office as Judge Sergeant Gentleman of the long or short Robe Or by his Place as the Gentleman near the Chair near the Bar on the other side or that Gentleman that spake last or last save one or the like No reviling or reflecting Expressions must be used And though freedom of Speech and Debates be an undoubted Priviledge of the House yet whatsoever is spoken in the House is subject to the Censure of the House But if any speak irreverently or seditiously against the Prince or the Privy Council he is not only Interrupted but sometimes sent to the Tower After the Debate is ended the Speaker ought to put the Question for Ingrossing If the Plurality of Voices be against it the Clerk ought to make an Entry in his Journal that the same was Dashed and to make a Note of it upon the back of the Bill and the Day when If for it he must make his Entry and Note accordingly A Bill that has been Committed and is Reported ought not in an ordinary Course to be Recommitted but either Dashed or Ingrossed Yet when the Matter is of Importance it is sometimes Recommitted and commonly to the same Committee Some few Days after the Bill has been ordered to be Ingrossed the same being accordingly Ingrossed is offered by the Speaker to be Read the third time for the Passing thereof And to prevent carrying of Bills with a few Voices it has sometimes been ordered that no Bills should be put to the Passing until Nine of the Clock at which time the House is commonly full or shortly after But 't is Observable that the Speaker seldom puts any one Bill to the Passing by it self alone for he commonly stays till there be divers Bills ready Ingrossed for the third Reading And when he has a convenient Number as four or five he gives Notice to the House that he purposeth next Day to offer up some Bills for the Passing and desireth the House to give special Attendance for that purpose Accordingly the Day following he puts 'em to the third Reading first private Bills till the House be pretty full and then the publick ones Ingrossed A Bill being Read the third time by the Clerk of the House he delivers it to the Speaker who as before Reads the Title explains the Nature of the Bill and then tells the House that it has now been Read thrice and that with their Favours he will put it to the Passing But before he does it he pauseth a while that the Members may have liberty to speak thereto For upon the third Reading the Matter comes to a fresh Debate and for the most part it is more spoken unto at this time than upon any of the former Readings But then 't is very rare to have it Recommitted unless it be for some particular Clause or Proviso At last the Debate being over the Speaker still holding the Bill in his hand puts it to the Passing thus As many as are of Opinion that this Bill should pass say Yea. And after the Affirmative Voice given he proceeds thus to the Negative As many as are of the contrary Opinion say No. Whereupon the Speaker is to declare his Opinion whether the Yea's or the No's have it and his Opinion is to stand at the Judgement of the House unless the Case be doubtful and a Motion be made for the Dividing of the House Then the Question is put whether the Yea's or No's are to go out of the House Which commonly falls out to be the Lot of the Yea's especially upon a new Bill for it seems but reasonable that those should sit still who are for the old Law because they are in possession of it To count the House the Speaker does nominate two of the Yea's and two of the No's Who having each a Staff in his Hand are to count the Members that remain sitting in the House and then to stand within the Door two on each side and count the Number of them who went forth as they come in The House being thus told the two Tellers that have the most Votes standing at the Bar on the right hand of the two others the rest being all set in their places make their approaches together to the Table with the usual Obeysance to the House He that stands on the right hand declares to the Speaker the Number of the Yea's and No's That done they all depart with like Reverence into their Places and Mr. Speaker makes the Report to the House If it be carried in the Affirmative the Clerk is to enter the Vote Resolved If in the Negative thus The Question being put then he sets down the Words of the Question it passed in the Negative While the House is divided or dividing in order to gather the Voices no Member is to speak or to remove out of his Place except such as go forth upon the Division The Bill being thus passed the Clerk if the Bill be originally exhibited in the House of Commons ought to write within the Bill on the top toward the right hand Soit baille aux Seigneurs that is Let it be sent up to the Lords But if the Bill passed be originally begun in the Lords House then ought the Clerk to write underneath the Subscription of the Lords which always is at the foot of the Bill Ace Bill les Communes ont assenti And when the Speaker has in his hands a convenient Number of Bills ready passed he then puts the House in mind of sending them up to the Lords and desires the House to appoint the Messengers Amongst which a principal Member of the House is appointed for that purpose to whom the Bills are delivered in such Order as he is to present them to the Lords by the Direction of the Speaker except the House be pleased to give special Direction therein This principal Messenger coming in the first Rank of his Company usually consisting of 30 or 40 Members to the Bar of the Lords House with three Congies the Lords rise from their Places and come down to meet them at the Bar. Then the chief Messenger tells them that the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons have sent unto their Lordships certain Bills Whereupon he reads the Title of every Bill as it lies in order and delivers the same in an humble manner to the Speaker of the House of Lords who is come down of purpose to receive them But when any Answer is to be delivered by the Speaker of this House in the name and behalf of the whole House to such Knights and Burgesses as come from the Commons the Lords are to keep their Places and the Speaker is to deliver their Answer with his Head covered whilst the Knights and Burgesses stand uncovered toward the lower end of the House In this House the Lords give their Voices beginning at the Puisne or lowest Baron and so
the rest Seriatim every one answering apart Content or Not Content first for himself and then severally for so many as he hath Letters and Proxies For any Peer of the Realm by License of the King upon just Cause to absent may make a Proxy that is may constitute another Lord to give his Voice in the Upper House when any Difference of Opinion and Division of the House shall happen Otherwise if no such Division fall out it never comes to be questioned or Known to whom such Proxies are directed By an Order of this House in the Reign of Charles I it was Ordered that no Peer should be capable of receiving above two Proxies or more to be numbred in any Cause voted If a Bill passed in one House and being sent to the other this demur upon it then a Conference is demanded in the Painted Chamber Where the deputed Members of each House meet the Lords sitting covered at a Table and the Commons standing bare with great respect There the Business is debated and if they cannot agree it is nulled When Bills are passed by both Houses upon three several Readings in either House before they can have the force of Law they must have the Royal Assent which puts life into them For as there is no Act of Parliament but must have the Consent of the Lords and Commons and the Royal Assent of the King so whatsoever passeth in Parliament by this threefold Consent hath the force of an Act of Parliament The Royal Assent which used formerly to be deferred till the last Day of the Session is given after this manner whenever the King thinks fit His Majesty then comes into the House of Peers with his Crown on his Head and cloathed with his Royal Robes Being seated in his Chair of State and all the Lords in their Robes the House of Commons is sent for up as before by the Black Rod. Thus the King Lords and Commons being met the Clerk of the Crown reads the Title of each Bill and after the Reading of every Title the Clerk of the Parliament pronounces the Royal Assent according to his Instructions from the King If it be a publick Bill to which the King assenteth the Words are le Roy le veut the King wills it Whereas to a publick Bill which the King forbears to allow the Answer is Le Roy S'avisera the King will consider which is look'd upon as a civil Denial To a Subsidy-Bill le Roy remercie ses loyaux Sujets accepte leur Benevolence aussi le veut the King thanks his loyal Subjects accepts their Benevolence and so wills it And to a private Bill allowed by the King Soit fait comme il est desire be it done as it is desired But in case of a General Pardon as it is the King's Gift so the Return is from the Lords and Commons to His Majesty in these Words los Prelats Seigneurs Communes en ce Parlement assemblez au nom de tous vos autres Sujets remercient tres humblement Votre Majeste prient Dieu qu'il vous donne bonne longue Vie en Sante the Prelates Lords and Commons in this Parliament assembled in the Name of all Your other Subjects do most humbly thank your Majesty and pray God to give You a good and long Life in Health 'T is observable in the mean while how we have retained about making of Laws so many French Expressions derived to us doubtless from the Normans The Use of Committees is so necessary for the Dispatch of Parliament Business and their Way of managing Bills so fair and honourable that it will be proper to add something to what has been said before concerning them They consist of such Members as each House chuses from among them to make a strict Examination of the Bills and therein such Amendments and Alterations as their Reason will dictate upon a full Debate among themselves and to Report the same to the House Now there are three sorts of Committees viz. Standing Select and Grand Committees There are in the House of Commons five Standing Committees usually appointed in the beginning of the Parliament and remaining during all the Session Viz. One for Priviledges and Elections another for Religion a third for Grievances another for Courts of Justice and the fifth for Trade Amongst which the Committee for Priviledges and Elections has always had the Precedence being commonly the first Committee appointed either the same Day the Speaker did take his Place or the next day after Their Power was anciently to examine and make Report of all Cases touching Elections and Returns and all Cases for Priviledge as might fall out during the Parliament But that Power has been since abridged especially in Matters of Priviledge which are heard in the House and not in a Committee unless in some special Cases By a Select Committee I mean a Committee particularly chosen to inquire into a Bill In the Choice whereof this Rule is observed in the House that they who have given their Voice against the Body of a Bill cannot be of the Committee And though any Member of the House may be present at any select Committee yet he is not to give any Vote there unless he be named to be of the Committee As to their Number they are seldom less than eight but have been sometimes many more and commonly Men well versed in Parliament Business Upon the first Meeting of a Committee in their Committee Chamber they chuse among them a Chair-man who is much like the Speaker in the House After any Bill is Committed upon the second Reading it may be delivered indifferently to any of the Committee Who are first to read it and then to consider the same by Parts If there be any Preamble 't is usually considered after the other Parts of the Bill The Reason is because upon Consideration of the body of the Bill such Alterations may therein be made as may also occasion the Alteration of the Preamble which is best done last The Committee may not raze interline or blot the Bill it self but must in a Paper by it self set down the Amendments Which ought to â—oe done by setting down in the Paper the Number of the Folio where the Amendment is made naming the Place particularly where the Words of the Amendment are to be Inserted or those of the Bill Omitted The Breviat also annexed to the Bill must be amended accordingly and made to agree with the Bill When all the Amendments are perfected every one being Voted singly all of them are to be read at the Committee and put to the Question Whether the same shall be Reported to the House But when the Vote is to be put any Member of the Committee may move to add to those Amendments or to Amend any other part of the Bill If the Vote of the Committee pass in the Affirmative then commonly the Chair-man is appointed to make the Report Which being done that Committee is
of the House or to speak irreverently of the Court of Parliament in Time of Parliament several have been sent for by the Sergeant to answer it to the House and Committed Dec. 1641. it was Resolved that the setting of any Gards about this House without the Consent of the House is a Breach of the Priviledge of this House and that therefore such Gards ought to be dismissed Which Resolve was followed by three others Nemine Contradicente The first that the Priviledges of Parliament were broken by his Majesties taking notice of the Bill for suppressing of Souldiers being in agitation in both Houses and not agreed on The second that his Majesty in propounding a Limitation and provisional Clause to be added to the Bill before it was presented to Him by the Consent of both Houses was a Breach of the Priviledge of Parliament The third that His Majesty expressing his Displeasure against some Persons for Matters moved in the Parliament during the Debate and preparation of that Bill was a Breach of the Priviledge of Parliament And whereas in January following the King did come to the House of Commons in a warlike manner with armed Men some posted at the very Door of the House and others in other Places and Passages near it to the Disturbance of the Members then fitting and treating in a peaceable and orderly manner of the great Affairs of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and His Majesty having placed himself in the Speakers Chair did demand the Persons of divers Members of the House to be delivered unto him It was thereupon declared by the House that the same is a high Breach of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and inconsistent with the Liberty and Freedom thereof and therefore the House doth conceive they could not with safety of their own Persons or the Indemnities of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament sit there any longer without a full Vindication of so high a Breach of Priviledge and a sufficient Gard wherein they might conside Lastly both Houses of Parliament are the proper Judges of their respective Priviledges and the inferiour Courts have nothing to do with it CHAP. II. Of the King's Privy Council NEXT to the Court of Parliament which is the great Wheel that gives motion to the rest is the Kings Privy Council A Court of great Honour and Antiquity Incorporated as it were to the King Himself and bearing part of his Cares in the great Bufiness of the Government Insomuch that upon their Wisdom Care and Watchfulness depends the Honour and Welfare of His Majesties Dominions in all Parts of the World For according to their Oath they are chiefly to Advise the King upon all Emergencies to the best of their Judgment with all the Fidelity and Secrecy that becomes their Station And as the King has the sole Nomination of them so 't is his main Interest to make choice of such eminent Persons as are best able with their Wisdom Experience and Integrity to â—nswer those great Ends they are appointed for They ought to be Persons of several Capacities that nothing be wanting for good Counsel and Advice in a Court from whence in a great measure depends the Safety Honour and Welfare of the King and Kingdom Generally they are pickt out amongst the Nobility and for Things that relate to Church Affairs the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London use to be Members thereof In the late Kings Reign not only Popish Lords were admitted contrary to Law but in defiance as it were of the Nation a Traytor by the Law and the worst of Counsellours a mercurial hot-headed Jesuit whose pernicious Counsels and Influences proved accordingly fatal to King James and all the Popish Party As for the Number of Privy Counsellours 't is at His Majesties pleasure Anciently they used to be but twelve or thereabouts but since their Number has increased sometimes to forty The Privy Council is kept in the Kings Court or Pallace and the King himself do's commonly sit with them The usual Days for their sitting is Wednesdays and Fridays in the Morning out of Parliament or Term-time and in the Afternoon in Parliament or Term-time But upon extraordinary Occasions the King calls them together at any time Accordingly they wait on His Majesty in the Council-Chamber and fit at the Council Board in their Order bare-headed when the King presides To whom His Majesty declares what He thinks fit and desires their Advice in it At all Debates the lowest Counsellour delivers his Opinion first that so he may be the more free and the King last of all by declaring his Judgment determines the Matter 'T is with the Advice of the Privy Council that the King puts out Proclamations Orders and Declarations which being grounded upon Statute or Common Law are binding to the subject And upon any sudden Emergency â—herein the publick Safety may be Indangered â—or want of speedy Redress the King and Council may take a latitude of Power sutable 〈◊〉 the Occasion Formerly the Council heard and determiâ—ed Causes between Party and Party But of â—te lest private Causes should hinder the Publick they seldom meddle with them but leave â—em to the Kings Courts of Justice There are two distinct and important Offices â—longing to this Court. The first is the Lord Presidents who is one of the Nine Great officers of the Crown He is called Lord Preâ—â—dent of the Privy Council because by his office he is in a manner the Director of it â—Tis he that reports to the King when His â—ajesty has been absent from the Council the â—ate of the Businesses transacted there The other Great Office is that of Secretary â—mmonly called a Secretary of State which â—rmerly was single till about the end of Henry III. his Reign Who considering the Imâ—rtance of this great and weighty Office â—ought fit to have it discharged by two Perâ—â—ns of equal Authority and therefore both â—ed Principal Secretaries of State In those Days and some while after says 〈◊〉 Chamberlain they sat not at Council-board 〈◊〉 having prepared their Business in a Room joyning to the Council-Chamber they came 〈◊〉 and stood on either hand of the King â—d nothing was debated at the Table until 〈◊〉 Secretaries had gone through with their Proposals Which Method afterwards was altered in Q. Elizabeths Reign who seldom coming to Council ordered the two Secretaries to take their places as Privy Counsellours which has continued ever since And a Council is seldom or never held without the presence of one of them at the least Besides the publick Concerns of the Nation most of which pass through their hands they are also concerned with Grants Pardons Dispensations c. relating to private Persons For in their hands are lodged most of the Subjects Requests to be represented to the King whereupon they make Dispatches according to His Majesties Directions In short so great is their Trust and their Imployment of that great latitude that it requires their
constant Attendance upon the King As for Home Concerns whether publick oâ— private both the Secretaries do equally receive and dispatch whatever is brought to them But for forein Affairs each has his distinct Province receiving all Letters and Addresse from and making all Dispatches to the severaâ— Princes and States in his Province They keep each of them his Office called the Secretaries Office at Whitehall Where they have also Lodgings for their own Accommodation and those that attend upon it whâ— a liberal Diet at the Kings Charge or Board wages in lieu of it Their settled Allowancâ— is little less than 2000 l. a Year to each 〈◊〉 them besides Perquisites The Secretaries and Clerks they imploy uâ—der them are wholly at their own choice anâ— have no Dependance upon any other Lastly they have the Custody of the Signet one of the Kings Seals To which belongs the Signet-Office where four Clerks wait Monthly by turns preparing such Things as are to pass the Signet in order to the Privy Seal or Great Seal He that is in waiting is always to attend the Court wheresoever it removes and to prepare such Bills or Letters for the King to sign not being Matter of Law as by Warrant from the King or Secretaries of State or Lords of the Council he is directed to prepare And to this Office all Grants prepared by themselves or the Kings Learned Council at Law for the Kings hand are returned when signed and there transcribed again The Transcription is carried to one of the Principal Secretaties of State to be sealed with the Signet This done it is directed to the Lord Privy Seal and is his Warrant for issuing out a Privy Seal upon it But then it must be first transcribed by the Clerks of the Seal who are also four in Number and when it has the Privy Seal affixt 't is sufficient for the Payment of any Monies out of the Exchequer and for several other Uses If the Grant requires the passing the Great Seal as several Grants do the Privy Seal is a Warrant to the Lord Chancellour or the Lords Commissioners to pass it as the Signet was to the Lord Privy Seal But here also a new Transcription must be made of the Grant The Reason why a Grant must go through so many Hands and Seals before it can be perfected is that it may be duly considered and all Objections cleared before it take its effect The Paper-Office at Whitehall is also depending on the Secretaries of State Where all the Papers and Dispatches that pass through their Offices as Matters of State and Council Letters Intelligences and Negotiations of forein Ministers here or of the Kings Ministers abroad are from time to time transmitted and there remain disposed by way of Library The Keeper whereof has a yearly Salary of 160 l. payable out of the Exchequer To conclude the Lords of the Privy Council have always been of such high value and esteem that if a Man did but strike another in a Privy Counsellors House or elsewhere in his presence he was fined for the same To conspire the Death of any of them was Felony in any of the Kings Servants and to kill one of them was High Treason A Privy Counsellour though but a Gentleman has precedence of all Knights Baronets and younger Sons of all Barons and Viscounts And a Secretary of State has this special Honour that if he be a Baron he takes place as such of all other Barons So honourable an Imployment it is that in the late Reign the Earl of Sunderland was both principal Secretary of State and Lord President of the Privy Council CHAP. III. Of the High Court of Chancery otherwise called the Court of Equity I come now to the Courts of Judicature held at Westminster viz. the Courts of Chancery Kings Bench Common Plâ—as Exchequer and Dutchy of Lancaster whereof the three first are held at Westminster Hall the Common-Pleas near the Gate the Chancery and Kings Bench at the further end of the Hall All the fore-mentioned Courts are opened four times a Year called the four Terms Viz. Easter Trinity Michaelmas and Hilary Term. Easter-Term begins always the 17th Day after Easter and lasteth 27 Days Trinity or Midsummer Term begins the fifth Day after Trinity Sunday and lasteth 20 Days Michaelmas-Term begins the 23th of October and lasteth 37 Days And Hilary-Term so called from S. Hilary a Bishop beginneth the 23 of January and lasteth 21 Days Next to the Parliament of England and the Kings Privy Council by whose Influences the Nation is chiefly governed under the King the High Court of Chancery is the chief and the most ancient Court of Judicature Otherwise called the Court of Equity in opposition to other inferiour Courts the Judges whereof are tied to the Letter of the Law Whereas this is a Court of Mercy in which the Rigour of the Law is tempered with Equity And therefore the Kings of England would have this Court Superiour to the other Tribunals as well as for being the Original of all other Courts and the Fountain of all our Proceedings in Law For as Sir Edward Coke says this Court is Officina Justitiae out of which all Original Writs and all Commissions which pass under the Great Seal go forth which Great Seal is Clavis Regni the Key of the Kingdom and for those ends this Court is always open In the Chancery are two Courts one Ordinary and the other Extraordinary In the first the Proceedings are in Latine Secundum Legem Consuetudinem Angliae according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm In the second by English Bill Secundum aequum bonum according to Equity The Manner of Proceeding is much like that in the Courts of the Civil Law the Actions by Bill or Plaint the Witnesses examined in private and the Decrees in English or Latin not in French No Jury of twelve Men but all Sentences given by the Judge of the Court. The Judge is the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the highest Dignity that a Lay-man is capable of in England and held of the King durante Beneplacito But now this Office is executed by three Lords Commissioners Next to whom there are twelve Assistants called Masters of the Chancery who are Civilians Their Salary is each 100 Pound paid out of the Exchequer quarterly besides Robe-mony Three of these at a time sit in the Chancery Court in Term-time and two out of Term when the Chancellour sits to hear Causes at his own House Who often refers to them the further hearing of Causes c. These Masters have a publick Office where one or more of them do constantly attend to take Affidavits c. The chief of them is the Master of the Rolls whose Place is both very honourable and beneficial The same is in the King's Gift either Life or during his Majesties Pleasure And he is called Master of the Rolls as having the Custody of all Charters Patents
presence as now in his absence they answered all Motions c. So Supream is also the Jurisdiction of this Court that if any Record be removed hither it cannot being as it were in its Center be remanded back but by an Act of Parliament In this Court sit commonly four Grave Reverend Judges The principal whereof is called the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench and is thus created by Writ A. B. Militi Salutem Sciatis quod Constituimus Vos Judiciarium nostrum Capitalem ad Placita coram nobis tenenda durante Beneplacito nostro Teste meipso apud Westm The rest of the Judges of the King's Bench hold their Places by Letters Patent in these Words Rex omnibus ad quos praesentes Litera pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod Constituimus dilectum fidelem B. C. Militem unum Justiciariorum ad Placita coram nobis tenenda durante Beneplacito nostro Teste c. Though in the Writ or Patent made to these Judges they are not named Sergeants yet none can be a Judge of this Court unless he be a Sergeant of the Degree of the Coif that is a Sergeant at Law who upon taking this Degree is obliged to wear a Lawn Coif under a black Cap. These Judges or Justices are the Sovereign Justices of Oyer and Terminer Goal-Delivery Conservators of the Peace c. in the Realm So that when this Court comes and sits in any County the Justices of Eire of Oyer and Terminer and Goal-Delivery c. are ipso facto void without writing to them They are likewise the Sovereign Coroners of the Land and therefore where the Sheriff and Coroners may receive Appeals by Bill much rather the Justices of this Court may do it Their Salary from the King is each 1000 l. per Annum besides Robes and Liveries out of the great Wardrobe and two Tun of Wine to the Lord Chief Justice In this Court all young Lawyers that have been called to the Bar are allowed to practise Here are three distinct Offices Viz. the Crown Office the Protonotaries and the Custos Brevium's Office To the first belong the Clerk of the Crown a Secondary and several entring Clerks The first is a Cap-Officer who sits covered in Court The entring Clerks have Counties assigned them and usually are Attornies for Defendants prosecuted at the King's Suit To the second belongs the Protonotary a Cap-Officer to whom belong all Clerks of the Plea-side his Secondary and Deputy for signing Writs a Clerk for filing Declarations a Clerk of the Remembrances a Clerk of the Bails and Posteas To the Custos Brevium's Office belongs the Custos Brevium Recordorum a Cap-Officer who is also Clerk of the Essoins and Warrants of Attorney two Clerks one of the Inner and the other of the outward Treasury who are all Officers for Life There are besides two Book-Bearers who carry the Records into Court a Marshal or Keeper of the King's Bench Prison who has a Deputy a Clerk of the Papers a Clerk of the Rules and his Deputy a Clerk of the Errours and his Deputy a Sealer of Writs a Head-Crier two Under-Criers two Ushers and four Tip-staves Lastly there are several Filazers for the several Counties of England who make out all Process upon Original Writs Actions personal and mixt CHAP. V. Of the Court of Common-Pleas THis Court is so called because here are debated the usual Pleas between Subject and Subject For in this Court all Civil Causes real and personal are usually tried according to the strictness of the Law And real Actions are pleadable nor Fines levied or Recoveries suffered in no other Court but this Which may also grant Prohibitions as the Court of the King's Bench doth Here are also commonly four Judges the chief whereof is called the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas or of the Common Bench. Who holds his Place by Letters Patent as the other Three do derante Beneplacito Their Fee is the same as that of the King's Bench Judges None but Sergeants at Law may plead in this Court and so many of them as the King shall appoint are bound by Oath to assist all that have any Cause depending here for which the King allows them Fees Reward and Robes Many are the Officers belonging to this Court. The principal whereof is the Custos Brevium who is the first Clerk of the Court and whose Office is to receive and keep all Writs returnable here to receive of the Protonotaries all the Records of Nisi-prius called Posteas He holds his Place by Patent from the King has the Gift of the second Protontaries Place and of the Clerk of the Juries Then Three Protonotaries who enter and inroll all Declarations Pleadings Assizes Judgments and Actions and make out Judicial Writs In whose Offices all the Attorneys of this Court enter their Causes Now each of them has a Secondary who draws up the Rules of Court c. And these Secondaries are commonly the ablest Clerks or Attorneys of the Court. There is also a Chirographer whose chief Business is to ingross Fines acknowledged and for whose Office there is a Register and several Clerks having their several Counties allotted them for which they Ingross the Fines levied of Lands in their respective Divisions All which forementioned Officers are Sworn and hold their Offices for Life as a Freehold They sit in the Court covered with black round Caps such as were in fashion before the Invention of Hats Moreover there are in this Court three Officers unsworn who hold their Places durante Beneplacito Viz. 1. A Clerk of the Treasury whose Office is in the Gift of the Lord Chief Justice He Keeps the Records of this Court and makes out amongst other Things all Records of Nist Prius 2. The Clerk of the Inrollments of Fines and Recoveries who is by Statute under the three Puisne Judges of this Court and removable at their Pleasure 3. The Clerk of the Outlawries who after the Party is returned Outlawed makes out the Writs of Capias Uelegatum in the name of the Attorney General to whom this Office does properly belong and who exerciseth it by Deputy There is besides a Clerk of the Warrants who enters all Warrants of Attorney for Plaintiff and Defendant and inrolls all Deeds acknowledged before any of the Judges of the Common Pleas. The Clerk of the King's Silver to whom every Fine or final Agreement upon Sale of Land is brought after it has been with the Custos Brevium and to whom Mony is paid for the King's Use The Clerk of the Juries who makes out the Writs called Habeas Corpus and other Writs for appearance of the Jury The Clerk of the Essoins or Excuses for lawful Cause of Absence And the Clerk of the Supersedeas who makes out the Writs of Supersedeas which formerly was done by an Exigenter Here are also 15 Filazers for the several Counties of England who amongst many other Things make out all Process upon Original
the King's Court because the Authority thereof originally belongs to the Crown In short this Court first derived from the Sheriffs Turn is ordinarily Kept but twice a Year and that at certain times But there is another Court incident to every Mannor called Court-Baron because in ancient times every Lord of a Mannor was stiled Baron To this Court are all the Tenants Summoned that belong to the Mannor where part of the Tenants being Sworn make a Jury which is not called the Inquest but the Homage Here the Steward sits as Judge and directs the Jury to enquire of such Things as are proper for this Court. And these principally Inquire of Copy-holders and Free-holders that be dead since the last Court and bring in their Heirs and next Successors They likewise Inquire of any Incroachment or Intrusion of Tenants against the Lord or among themselves They also make Orders and Laws amongst themselves with a Penalty annexed for Transgressors payable to the Lord of the Mannor In short these Courts are of great Use for Men that are willing to be ordered by their Neighbours and who prefer their Quiet and Advantage in Husbandry to the Trouble and Charges of Law-Suits Otherwise either Party may procure a Writ out of a higher Court to remove the Plea to Westminster Courts-Baron may be held every three Weeks or at any longer time according to the Lords pleasure I conclude with Constables called in some Places Headboroughs and in others Tithing-men whose Office is only Ministerial These Men says Sir Thomas Smith were formerly called Custodes Pacis or Guardians of the Peace and were in much greater esteem than they be now whose Power and Authority he supposes to have been equal with that of the present Justices of Peace Lambert looks upon this Office as a Stream of that great Dignity lodged in the Lord High Constable of England Out of this high Magistracy says he were drawn those lower Constables which we call Constables of Hundreds and Franchises First ordained by the Statute of Winchester 13 Ed. I. which appoints for the Conservation of the Peace and view of Armour two Constables in every Hundred and Franchise called in Latine Constabularii Capitales in English High Constables And by reason of the Increase both of People and Offences others were made in process of time called Petty Constables which are of like Nature but of inferiour Authority to the other The Office of a Constable is properly to apprehend such as break the Peace and common Malefactors and even Persons suspected of any Crime upon a Charge given them or a Warrant for it from a Justice For a Badge of his Authority he carries a long Staff painted with the King's Arms and for a Surprise sometimes he uses a short Staff which he hides till he thinks it convenient to produce it The Party apprehended he keeps in his Custody till he can bring him before a Justice of Peace who upon a strict Examination of the Fact and hearing of the Evidence commits the Party to Prison if he sees cause in order to his Trial. Upon which the Constable conducts him to Prison and there delivers him to the Goalers Custody with the Committimus directed by the Justice of Peace to the Jayler And the Party mustly in Prison till the Justices of Peace do meet either at their Quarter-Sessions or at their Goal-Delivery when the Prisoners are by Law either condemned or acquitâ—ed When he is upon Duty and about to apprehend one he may call his Neighbours to aid and whoever declines to give him assistance is liable by Law to Punishment In case of Theft Robbery or Murder in a Country Town or Village and the Malefactor be upon flight the Constable having notice of it is to raise the Parish in pursuit of him And this is called Hue and Cry If the Malefactor be not found in the Parish the Constable and his Assistants are to go to the next to get the Hue and Cry raised there by the Constable of it In this manner the Hue and Cry is carried from Parish to Parish till the Criminal be found And that Parish which does not do its Duty but gives way by its Negligence for the Malefactors Escape is not only to pay a Fine to the King but must repay to the Party robbed his Damages When the Malefactor is taken he is presently carried by the Constable or any other by whom he was apprehended to a Justice of Peace Who examines the Malefactor writes the Examination and if he do confess his Confession Then he binds the Party robbed or him that sueth together with the Constable and so many as can give Evidence against the Malefactor to appear at the next Sessions of Goal-Delivery there to give their Evidence for the King He binds them in a Recognizance of 10. 20. 30. 40. or 100. l. more or less according to his Discretion and the quality of the Crime Which being certified under his hand fails not to be levied upon Recognizance if they fail of being there Thus the Constables which formerly had much the same Authority as our modern Justices of Peace are now subservient to them upon all Occasions either to bring the Criminals before them or to carry them by their Command to the common Prison And accordingly this Office does commonly fall into the hands of Tradesmen and Artificers and Men of small experience and ability who hold it for a Year there being commonly two of them to each Parish chosen by the Vestry But the hardest part of their Office in London especially is their Watching a Nights and walking the Rounds in their several Parishes But then they have the chief Command of the Watch and because seldom a greater Power appears abroad at that time therefore a Constable came to be called the King of the Night CHAP. IX Of the Assizes BEsides the publick Justice administred at four times of the Year in Westminster both for Civil and Criminal Causes the Twelve Judges take twice a Year a Progress in the Country and exercise their Judicial Power in the several Counties the King is pleased to appoint them for The Times of the Year fixt for it are presently after the end of Hilary-Term and after the end of Trinity Term that being called the Lent and this the Summer Assizes In relation to which England is divided into Six Parts called Circuits Viz. 1. Home-Circuit Comprehending Essex Hartford Sussex Surrey Kent 2. Norfolk Circuit Comprehending Bucks Bedford Huntington Cambridge Norfolk Suffolk 3. Midland Circuit Comprehending Warwick Leicester Derby Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Northampton 4. Oxford Circuit Comprehending Berks Oxon Glocester Monmouth Hereford Salop Stafford Worcester 5. Western Circuit Comprehending Southampton Wilts Dorset Somerset Cornwal Devon 6. Northern Circuit Comprehending York Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancaster Besides the two Circuits for Wales viz. North and South Wales for each of which two Sergeants at Law are appointed Now these Courts are called Assizes and the Judges
Hoods lined with Taffety if they be of Oxford or white Minever Furr if of Cambridge and all round black Velvet Caps Besides the Advocates here are also ten Proctors to manage other Mens Causes Who wear Hoods lined with Lambs-Skin if not Graduates but if Graduates Hoods proper to the Degree According to the Statutes of this Court all Arguments made by Advocates and Petitions by the Proctors are to be made in Latine All Process of this Court runs in the Name of the Judge To this Court belong two principal Officers that attend it Viz. an Actuary who sets down the Judges Decrees registers the Court Acts and sends them in Books to the Registry Then a Register whose Office is by himself â—or Deputy to receive all Libels or Bills Allegations and Exhibits of Witnesses to file all Sentences and keep the Records of the Court. Next to which is the Beadle an inferiour Officer who carries a Mace before the Judge â—nd calls the Persons that are cited to appear All Places and Offices belonging to this Court are in the Arch-Bishops Gift The Audience Court is a Court of equal Authority with the Arches tho inferiour both in Antiquity and Dignity The Original of this Court was thus The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury heard many Causes extrajudicially at home in his own Pallace but before he would finally determine any thing he did usually commit them to be discussed by certain Men learned in the Civil and Canon Laws who thereupon were called his Auditors till at last those Causes were committed to One thence named Causarum Negotiorumque Audientiae Cantuariensis Auditor seu Officialis And with this Office was joyned heretofore the Arch-Bishops Chancery which properly meddles not with any point of contentious Jurisdiction or deciding of Causes between Party and Party but only of Office as the Granting the Custody of the Spiritualities during the Vacation of Bishopricks Institution to Benefices Dispensing with Banes of Matrimony c. But this is now distinguished from the Audience The Prerogative Court is the Court wherein all Wills are proved and all Administrations taken that belong to the Arch Bishop by his Prerogative that is where the Deceased had Goods of any considerable value out of the Diocese wherein he died And that Value is usually 5 l. except it be otherwise by Composition between the Arch-Bishop and the Bishop as in the Diocese of London where it is 10 l. If any Contention arise between Two or more touching any such Will or Administration the Cause is properly debated and decided in this Court The Judge whereof is termed Judex Curiae Praerogativae Cantuariensis the Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Who is attended in the Court by a Register or his Deputy whose Office is to set down the Decrees and Acts of the Court to Keep the Records all Original Wills and Testaments of Parties deceased that have left Bona Not abilia c. His Office is commonly called the Prerogative Office now Kept in the Deans Court near St. Paul's Church-yard where for a moderate Fee one may have a Copy of any such Testament And Under the Register are Six Clerks severally appointed for such and such Counties This Court formerly held in the Consistory of St. Pauls is now Kept in the Common-Hall at Drs. Commons next Day after the Arches in the Afternoon All Places belonging to this Court are in his Grace's Gift The Archbishop of York has also the like Court which is termed his Exchequer but far inferiour to this in Power and Profit He has also an Audience Court For Civil Affairs that concern the Church the highest Court is the Court of Delegates A Court which consists of Commissioners delegated or appointed by the King's Commission to sit upon an Appeal to Him in the Court of Chancery and is granted in three Cases First when a Sentence is given in any Ecclesiastical Cause by the Archbishop or his Official Secondly when any Sentence is given in any Ecclesiastical Cause in Places exempt Thirdly when Sentence is given in the Admiralty in Suits Civil and Marine by order of the Civil Law The Judges are appointed by the Lord Chancellour under the Great Seal of England pro illa vice and upon every Cause or Business there is a new Commission and new Judges according to the nature of the Cause As sometimes Bishops Common-Law Judges Noblemen Knights and Civilians sometimes Bishops and Civilians at other times Common Law Judges and Civilians and sometimes Civilians only This Court is Kept in the same Place as the former the next Day after the Prerogative-Court in the Afternoon Here the Citations and Decrees run in the King's Name and to this Court belongs a standing Register From this Court lies no Appeal in common Course But the King may and sometimes does grant a Commission of Review under the Great Seal The Court of Peculiars is about certain Parishes that have Jurisdiction within themselves for Probate of Wills c. being exempt from the Ordinary and the Bishops Courts 'T is an ancient Priviledge of the See of Canterbury that wheresoever any Mannors or Advowsons do belong to it they forthwith become exempt from the Ordinary and are reputed Peculiars And there are reckoned in his Province no less than 57 such Peculiars So the King's Chappel is a Royal Peculiar exempt from all Spiritual Jurisdiction and reserved to the Visitation and immediate Government of the King himself who is supreme Ordinary Besides these Courts serving for the whole Province every Bishop has his Court held in the Cathedral of his Diocese Over which he hath a Chancellour anciently termed the Church-Lawyer who being skilled in the Civil and Canon Law sits there as Judge But if his Diocese be large he has in some more remote Place a Commissary whose Authority is only in some certain Places of the Diocese and certain Causes limited to him by the Bishop in his Commission These are called Consistory Courts Every Arch-Deacon besides has his Court and Jurisdiction where smaller Differences arising within his Limits are pleaded The Dean and Chapter of every Cathedral or Collegiate Church have also a Court wherein they take Cognizance of Causes happening in Places belonging to the Cathedral The proper Matters belonging to Ecclesiastical Courts are Ordinations Institution of Clerks to Benefices Celebration of Divine Service Tythes Oblations Obventions Mortuaries Dilapidations Reparation of Churches Rights of Matrimony Divorces general Bastardy Probate of Wills Administrations Pensions Procurations Commutation of Penance c. the Cognizance whereof does not belong to the Common Law Also Apostacy from Christianity Simony Heresy Schisms Blasphemy Fornication Incests Adulteries The Manner of Trials here is different from those at Common Law as thus First goes forth a Citation then a Bill and Answer after that they proceed to Proofs Witnesses and Presumption the Matter being argued pro and con and the Canon and Civil Laws quoted Upon which the definitive Sentence of the Judge passeth without any Jury
were not fit to live in the World In England where they are charitably lookt upon as reconciled to God upon their penitent Departure out of this World their Friends are allowed to inter them decently where they think fit He therefore that has Friends to look to his Burial go's to the Place of Execution his Coffin in the Cart with him a good Memento Mori And after he has hanged about a quarter of an hour he is cut down laid in his Coffin and conveyed in a Coach to the Place from whence he is designed to be buried But Apostates Hereticks and Extorsioners all perjured Persons and such as die Excommunicate also any one that is Felo de se or that has wittingly made himself away all such are by Law denied Christian Burial And so are for the most part Men that die for High Treason and Robbers guilty of Murder For Petty Larceny or small Theft that is under the ancient value of 12 d. the Punishment since Edward III. is by Whipping and in the late Reigns has been often by Transportation into the West-Indies where they live for some Years a slavish Life But if the Ofsender be found by the Jury to have fled for the same he forfeits all his Goods For Misprision of High-Treason that is for neglecting or concealing it the Offender's Punishment is Forfeiture of the Profits of his Lands during Life and of all his Goods besides Imprisonment for Life Perjury whereby Mens Estates Reputation and Lives ly at stake is commonly punished only with the Pillory never with Death though it has cost the Lives of many 'T is true a Perjurer Convict is by Law incapable of being a Witness or Administrator or of bearing any publick Office And in the strictness of the Law he ought to be burnt in the forehead with a P his Goods to be Confiscated and his Trees growing upon his Ground rooted up But all this is counted too little by those Nations where wilful Perjury is punished with Death At least it seems but equitable which is the Practice of Spain that the Perjurer should suffer the same Punishment which he intended for another by his Perjury Forgery Blasphemy Cheating Libelling False Weights and Measures Forestalling the Market Offences in Baking and Brewing are also punished with standing in the Pillory But sometimes the Offender is Sentenced besides to have one or both Ears nailed to the Pillory and cut off or his Tongue there bored through with a hot Iron For Striking in the Kings Court so as to draw Bloud the Criminal is to have his right Hand cut off in a most solemn manner And for Striking in Westminster-Hall whilst the Courts of Justice are there sitting the Offender is imprisoned during Life and all his Estate forfeited For one found in a Praemunire that is one who incurs the same Punishment which was inflicted on those who transgressed the Statute of Rich. II. commonly called the Statute of Praemunire which Statute was properly made against such as avouched the Popes pretended Right of bestowing by Provision most of the best Livings in England by Mandates the Punishment is Forfeiture of all his Estate to be put out of the King's Protection and Imprisoned during the King's Pleasure Vagabonds and the like who can give no good account of themselves are punished by setting their Legs in the Stocks for certain hours And Scolding Women that are always teazing their Neighbours by being set in a Cucking Stool placed over some deep Water and duck'd therein three several times to cool their heat and choler Other Misdemeanours are commonly punished with Imprisonment or Fines and sometimes with both Those are the Corporal Punishments commonly used in England for Criminals that happen to fail into the hands of Justice But there are also Spiritual Punishments such as concern the Soul especially and are in the power of the Spiritual Courts 'T is true they are but seldom put into practice but let us see however what the Law is in this point First for refusing to appear in the Ecclesiastical Court upon Summons or for not obeying the Orders of the Court the Party Delinquent is admonished If he slight the Admonition then comes upon him Minor Excommunicatio the Lesser Excommunication whereby he is Excommunicated or excluded from the Church if not from the Church at least from the Communion of the Lords Supper And by this lesser Excommunication he is disinabled to be Plaintiff in a Law-suit c. Which Power of Excommunication the Bishop may delegate to any grave Priest with the Chancellour But for Heresy Incest Adultery Perjury and other grievous Crimes Excommunicatio major or the greater Excommunication is used and pronounced by the Bishop himself in person Now this is not only an Exclusion from the Company of Christians in Spiritual Duties but also in Temporal Concerns For a Person so excommunicated cannot in any Civil or Ecclesiastical Court be Plantiff or Witness And if he continue 40 Days Excommunicated without acknowledging and giving satisfaction for his Offence the Chancery grants the King 's Writ against him De Excommunicato capiendo to take him up and cast him into Prison without Bail where he is to ly till he has fully satisfied for his Offence Then comes the Anathema but this is only inflicted upon an obstinate Heretick Whereby he is declared a publick Enemy of God cursed and delivered over to eternal Damnation And this is to be â—one by the Bishop himself in Person assisted by the Dean and Chapter or twelve other grave Priests Sometimes the Delinquent is compelled to make a publick Confession of his Fault and to bewail it in the Church before the whole Congregation Now this is called a publick Penance and the Manner of it is thus The Delinquent is to stand in the Church-porch upon a Sunday bare-headed and bare-footed in a white Sheet and with a white Rod in his hand Having there bewailed himself and begged every one that passes by to pray for him he enters the Church falling down and Kissing the Ground Then he is placed in the middle of the Church in a conspicuous Place over against the Minister Who makes a Discourse upon the foulness of his Crime and having received his humble Acknowledgement of the same and his solemn Promise with God's help and assistance to watch more carefully for the time to come against the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil pronounces in Christ's Name the Absolution The Penitent on his side humbly beseeches the Congregation to pardon him and receive him into their holy Communion and in testimony thereof to vouchsafe out of their Christian Charity to say with him aloud the Lord's Prayer Which seems to be the Way used by the Primitive Churches But when the Crime is not notorious and publick the foresaid Pennance may by the Canons of the Church be commuted at the Parties Request into a Pecuniary Mulct for the Poor of the Parish or some pious Uses Provided that
Nich. Eyre Esq Sir Ja. Chamberlen Bar. Sir Phillip Coote Kt. Sir Robert Barkham Bar. Sir Thomas Piers Bar. William Hambleton Esq Sir Robert Bacon Bar. Sir James Caldvel Bar. Sir John Ashfeild Kt. Sir Thomas Wiseman Kt. Sir John Clayton Kt. Sir William Waler Kt. Sir John Sparrow Kt. Edward Bulwer Esq Charles Ridegrew Esq John Spicer Esq Dalby Thomas Esq Sabaya Coal Esq Sir Francis Lawly Bar. Sir Tho. Grantham Kt. Sir John Morton Bar. John Duval Esq Sir Thomas Ogle Kt. Sir Char. Rawleigh Kt. Sir Edward Sutton Kt. Sir John Elloways Kt. Sir Edmond Andros Kt. Edward Randolph Esq Roger Whitley Esq James Hambleton Esq Bezaleel Knight Esq Thomas Wheate Esq Tracy Ketchmay Esq Peter Stepkin Esq Sir Edw. Eveling Bar. Sir Jame Clark Kt. Sir Robert Killegrew William Killegrew Esq The Honourable Arthur Annesly Esq James Colley Esq Sir Francis Vincent Kt. Grooms of the Bed-Chamber Charles Trelawney Col. John Sayers Esq Piercy Kirke Esq Adrian Van Borcelan Esq Hatton Compton Esq Emanuel Scroophow Esq James Stanley Esq Pages of the Bed-Chamber or Back-Stairs Mr. Maximilian van Amen Mr. John Sewel Mr. William Watson Mr. John Smith Mr. Benjamin De la Fontain Mr. Randolph Kegne The Secretaries of State Daniel Earl of Nottingham Henry Lord Viscount Sidney Clerks of the Signet Sir John Nicholas Kt. Nicholas Morris Esq Sir Will. Trumbal Kt. John Gauntlet Esq Master of the Great Wardrobe Ralph Earl of Montague His Deputy Robert Nott Esq The Clerk Laurence Townsend Esq Master of the Robes Mounsieur Zulesteyn Clerk of the Robes James Gibbons The Yeoman Bransenbargh The Grooms Gilbert Spencer Benjamin Drake Brusher Patrick Williams Page of the Robes Charles Bland Master of the Jewel-house Sir Francis Lawley Bar. Treasurer of the Chamber Sir Rowland Gwyn Privy Purse William Earl of Portland Groom of the Stole Master of the Ceremonies Sir Charles Cotterel Kt. His Assistant and Marshal La Bache Kings of Arms. Sir Thomas S. George Knight Garter Sir Henry S. George Knight Clarencieux Sir John Dugdale Kt. â—arroy Heralds of Arms. Robert Devenish Esq York Herald Henry Dethick Esq Richmond Herald Francis Burghill Esq Somerset Herald Thomas Holford Esq Windsor Herald Gregory King Esq Lancaster Herald Charles Mawson Esq Chester Herald Pursuivants of Arms. John Gibbon Bluemantle Peerse Mauduit Rougedragon Laurence Cromp Portcullis Peter Le Neve Rougecroix Serjeants at Arms. Sir Roger Harsnet Kt. Thomas Topham Esq John Topham Esq Edmund Williamson Esq Orlan Fitz. Symous Esq John Temple Esq Thomas Charnock Esq Richard Shoreditch Esq Philip Ryley Esq Groom Porter Thomas Neal Esq Master of the Revels Henry Killegrew Esq His Yeoman Harris Knight Harbinger Simon Smith Esq Keeper of the Standing Wardrobe Child Esq Keeper of the Removing Wardrobe Yeoman Thomas Sackvill Esq Grooms Peter Humes Jonathan Chase Pages Thomas Taylor Michael Ballow Christopher Smith Keeper of the private Armory Peter Beaubuisson Surveyor of the Chamber and Dresser George Wellington House-Keeper at Whitehall Piercy Kirk Esq Theater-Keeper at Whitehall John Clark Gallery-Keepers Richard Champion William Pawlet Messengers in Ordinary George Bromwich Clerks of the Checque Samuel Clark Clerks of the Checque Philip Maddox Henry Legat Thomas Smith Thomas Beak St. John Taylor Henry Evans James Kitson George Collings Ralph Young Simon Chapman William Sharp Samuel Cook Francis Clark Edward Gibs Stephen Gythins Henry Allen Christopher Seymour John Freeman Charles Keynge Robert Knowles Nicholas Hill John Thompson Thomas Davis William Richardson Ralph Gibs John Loggins Joh Bale William Knight James Manners John Jones Henry Sheldon John Symonds Peter Newlyn William Sutton George Fry Richard Poyke John King George Shipside Charles Maris Peter Marisco Messenger of the Press Robert Stephens Master Faulconer Charles Duke of S. Albans Sergeant of the Hawks William Russel Esq Master of the Hart and Buck-hounds James de Gastigny Esq Rangers Of S. James's Park John Earl of Bath Of Hide-Park William Chiffinch Esq Master of the Barges Warner Master of the Tennis Courts Captain Thomas Cook The King's Physicians Dr. John Hutton Dr. Charles Frazier Dr. William Stokehan Dr. Thomas Goodman Apothecaries John Chace Abraham Rottermond Dr. John Jones Surgeons William van Loon Esq Surgeon to his Majesties Person Charles Peter Surgeon of the Houshold To which add Principal Painter John Riley Esq Poet Laureate Thomas Shadwell Esq Hydrographer John Seller Library-Keeper Henry Thynne Esq Bookseller Major Will. Churchill Publick Notary Officers of the Works Surveyor General Sir Christopher Wren Master of the Mechanicks Sir Samuel Morland Comptroller William Talman Esq Pay-master Thomas Lloyd Esq Clerks of the Works Leo. Gamon Henry Symons Charles Browne John Scarborough Henry Winstanly Nicholas Hawksmoor Mason John Oliver Carpenter Matthew Banks Sergeant Painter Robert Streeter Sergeant Plummer Charles Atherton Bricklayer Maurice Emet Joyner Alexander Froth Glazier William Ireland Plaisterer John Grove Other Tradesmen sworn Servants to his Majesty Jeweller Sir Francis Child Goldsmith Bernard Eale Mercer Draper James Smithsby Watch-maker Thomas Herbert Officers and Servants under the Master of the Horse The Avener and Clark Marshal Anthony Row Esq Querries or Ecquerries Sir Henry Hobart Bar. Henry Ireton Esq John Letten Esq Thomas Butler Esq Thomas Fairfax Esq James Cockain Esq Peter Lorin Grammar Esq Pages of Honour Joost Capel Esq Nicholas Needham Esq Charles Dormer Esq Sergeant of the Carriages James Du Peron Master of the Studs and Surveyor of the Race Michael Studholme Surveyor of the Stables Francis Negus The Riding Surveyor Robert Hayes Clerk of the Avery Robert Manley Yeoman of the Stirrup Peter Paul Jeundcalf The Yeomen Riders John Walfraet Clerk of the Stables Euvestre Jollyvet Sergeant Farrier Andrew Snape Marshal Farrier Andrew Snape Junior Yeoman Farrier Richard Snape Groom Farriers John Willis Humphrey Bannes William Harris Esquire Saddler John Rawlins Yeoman Saddler Laurence Schacht Groom-Saddler Francis Francklyn Coach-maker Samuel Aubery Purveyors and Granitors Anthony Row Arthur Powell Robert Bainton Riding Purveyor Richard Pye Keeper of the Mews Brian Conery The three other Keepers John Robson Thomas Eagle West Young The Coachmen Derick Stork Jacob de Grave Robert Young William Welsh Samuel Kelby William Noble The Footmen George Sewell John Haycock Henry Callop John Davis Isaac White Thomas Hall Richard Sampson John Cooper John Scarping Giles Vandreburg Jacob Wigering John Watke Abraham Barton Cren Hendrick Bed Daniel van Breda John van Leven A List of the Gentlemen Pensioners under Their Captain John Lord Lovelace Lieutenant Henry Heveningham Esq Standard-bearer Boucher Fane Esq Clerk of the Checque Robert Manley Esq Thomas Hales Esq Abraham Clerk John Hubbart Walter Baker Sir Ger. Fleetwood Daniel Vivian Thomas Chid Sir Tho. Knyveton Bar. Charles Turner William Rolls Abraham Carter Amb. Seckum John Cooper Abraham Duplex Thomas Orme John Tidcomb Charles Norton Thomas Butler Thomas Pyrke Paul Colton Alexander Barham Charles Summer Edward Wroth Henry Paget Philip Reeves John Grub Thomas Freckleton Henry Bowyer Thomas Musgrave Henry Lenny Henry Purefoy William Pitts Nicholas Arnold Sir Christopher Humphreville Kt. William
of the Back-Stairs Mr. James Worthington Mr. John Jones Mr. Peter van Lewen Mr. Daniel Pulse Mr. Hamlet Kirk Mr. Richard Bradley Grooms of the Great Chamber Mr. Randolph Sparrow Mr. William Snow Mr. John Viccars Mr. Rowland Pierce Mr. John Willson Mr. Matthew Clarke Physician Sir Charles Scarborow Kt. Apothecary Christian Harel Clerk of the Closet William Stanley D. D. Treasurer and Receiver General Richard Earl of Bellomont His Clerk Mr. Edward Godfrey Auditor General Edward Clarke Esq His Clerk Messengers Timothy Goodwin Richard Hancoc Porter of the Back Stairs David Harris Master of the Barges Mr. Christopher Hill Four and Twenty Watermen Officers and Servants of the Stables Master of the Horse Sir Edward Villiers Kt. Ecquerries Charles Goltstein Esq Henry Killigrew Esq Charles May Esq Pages of Honour John Broeckhuysen Esq George Fielding Esq Purveyor Anthony Rowe Esq Yeoman Rider John Lauze Esq Yeomen of the Carriages Mr. Joseph Hough Coachmen Wessel Bosshof Christopher Ronch Herman Vanswell Lender Snellard John Catchlove Grooms Thomas Clarke Thomas Millet Footmen Samuel Clarke John Trantur Benjamin Booth Robert Howe Isaac Grafar Jacob Finke William Causey Herman Bongurs Jacob van Woestine Benjam in Ramsey Chair-men Thomas Chamberlain Benjamin Cotton Oswald Fawne Robert Giddins Bottleman Henry Gardies Groom Farrier Andrew Snape Groom Saddler John Bignell Her Majesties Women Servants Groom of the Stole and Lady of the Robes Elizabeth Countefs of Derby Ladies of the Bed-Chamber Gertrude Marchioness of Hallifax Mary Marchioness of Winchester Mary Countess of Dorset Bridget Countess of Plimouth Frances Countess of Scarborough Maids of Honour Mrs. Eleonora Francklin Mrs. Stewart Walburt Howard Mrs. Mary Villiers Mrs. Mary Compton Mrs. Jane Martha Temple Mrs. Anne Greenvill Women of the Bed-Chamber Mrs. Anna van Goltstein Mrs. Cary Jesson Mrs. Dorothy Cason Mrs. Agnes Uygh Mrs. Rachel Wyndham Mrs. Martha Lockharâ— Laundress Mrs. Elizabeth Worthington Seamstress and Stearcher Mrs. Dorothy Ireland Necessary Women Elizabeth Wiele Anne Dawhurst A List of the present Nobility and Bishops Where you find the Star prefixt the Title was conferred by His present Majesty Princes of the Blood PRince GEORGE of Denmark Duke of Cumberland * William Duke of Glocester his Son Dukes 13. Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal oâ— England Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Henry Cavendish Duke of Newcastle Charles Leons Duke of Richmond Charles Fitz-Roy Duke of Southampton Henry Fitz-Roy Duke of Grafton James Butler Duke of Ormond Henry Somerset Duke of Beaufert George Fitz-Roy Duke of Northumberland Charles Beauclair Duke of S. Albans James Fitz James Duke of Berwick Charles Pawlet Duke of Bolton Charles Schombergh Duke of Schombrgh Marquesses 3. George Savile Marquess of Hallifax William Herbert Marquess of Powis * Thomas Osborne Marquess of Carmarthen Lord President of the Council Earls 71. Aubre de Vere Earl of Oxford Charles Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey Earl of Kent William Stanley Earl of Derby John Manners Earl of Rutland Theophilus Hastings Earl of Huntingdon William Russel Earl of Bedford Thomas Herbert Earl of Pembroke Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln George Howard Earl of Suffolk Charles Sackvile Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Cecill Earl of Salisbury John Cecill Earl of Exeter John Egerton Earl of Bridgwater Philip Sidney Earl of Leicester George Compton Earl of Northampton Edward Rich Earl of Warwick William Cavendish Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the Houshold Basil Fielding Earl of Denbigh John Digby Earl of Bristol John Holles Earl of Clare Pawlet St. John Earl of Bolingbroke Charles Fane Earl of Westmorland Charles Mountague Earl of Manchester Thomas Howard Earl of Berkshire John Sheffield Earl of Mulgrave Thomas Savage Earl Rivers Robert Bertie Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Henry Mordant Earl of Peterborough Thomas Grey Earl of Stamford Charles Finch Earl of Winchelsea Evelyn Pierpoint Earl of Kingston Charles Dormer Earl of Carnarvan Philip Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield Thomas Tufton Earl of Thanet William Wentworth Earl of Strafford Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland Robert Leke Earl of Starsdale Edward Mountague Earl of Sandwich Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon Algernon Capel Earl of Essex Robert Brudenel Earl of Cardigan James Annesley Earl of Anglesey John Granvile Earl of Bath Edward Howard Earl of Carlisle William Craven Earl of Craven Thomas Bruce Earl of Ailesbury Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington Anthony Ashley Cooper Earl of Shaftsbury Edward Henry Lee Earl of Lichfield Thomas Lennard Earl of Sussex Lewis de Duras Earl of Feversham Charles Gerard Earl of Macclesfield Charles-Bodvile Roberts Earl of Radner William Paston Earl of Yarmouth George Berkeley Earl of Berkeley Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester James Bertie Earl of Abingdon Baptist Noel Earl of Gainsborough Coniers D' Accie Earl of Holderness Other Windsor Earl of Plimouth Francis Ratcliff Earl of Derwentwater Henry Howard Earl of Stafford William Bentinck Earl of Portland Thomas Bellassise Earl of Falconberg * Charles Mordant Earl of Monmouth * Ralph Mountague Earl of Mountague * John Churchill Earl of Marlborow * Arthur Herbert Earl of Torrington * Richard Lumley Earl of Scarborough * Henry Booth Earl of Warrington Viscounts 9. Edward Devereux Viscount Hereford Francis Brown Viscount Mountague William Fiennes Viscount Say and Selc Francis Newport Viscount Newport Charles Townesend Viscount Townesend Thomas Thynne Viscount Weymouth Christopher Hatton Viscount Hatton Henry Sidney Viscount Sidney Henry Yelverton Vscount Longueville Barons 66. George Nevill Lord Abergaveny James Touchet Lord Audley Robert Bertie Lord Willoughby of Eresby John West Lord de la Ware Charles Berkely Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Thomas Parker Lord Morley Robert Shirley Lord Ferrers Charles Mildmay Lord Fitzwalter William Stourton Lord Stourton Ralph Eure Lord Eure. Philip Wharton Lord Wharton Thomas Willoughby Lord Willoughby of Parham William Paget Lord Paget Francis Howard Lord Howard of Effingham Charles North Lord North. James Bruges Lord Chandos Robert Carey Lord Hunsden Robert Sidney Lord Sidney of Penshurst Thomas Petre Lord Petre. Charles Gerard Lord Gerard. Henry Arundel Lord Arundel of Wardour Christopher Roper Lord Tenham Foulk Grevil Lord Brook Ford Gray Lord Gray John Lovelace Lord Lovelace John Pawlet Lord Pawlet William Maynard Lord Maynard Thomas Coventry Lord Coventry William Howard Lord Howard of Escrick Charles Mohun Lord Mohun Henry Herbert Lord Herbert of Cherbury Thomas Leigh Lord Leigh Thomas Jermin Lord Jermin William Byron Lord Byron John Vaughan Lord Vaughan Francis Carrington Lord Carrington William Widdrington Lord Widdrington Edward Ward Lord Ward John Culpeper Lord Culpeper Charles Boyle Lord Clifford of Lanesborough Robert Lucas Lord Lucas Henry Bellassise Lord Bellassise Edward Watson Lord Rockingham Robert Sutton Lord Lexington Marmaduke Langdale Lord Langdale John Berkeley Lord Berkeley of Stratton Charles Granvile Lord Granvile Francis Holles Lord Holles Charles Cornwallis Lord Cornwallis Thomas Crew Lord Crew John Arundel Lord Arundell of Trerice Hugh Clifford Lord Clifford of Chudleigh Peregrine Osborn Lord Osborn George
Carteret Lord Carteret John Bennet Lord Ossulston George Legg Lord Dartmouth Giles Allington Lord Allington John Stawell Lord Stawell Francis North Lord Guilford â—idney Godolphin Lord Godolphin â—lenry Jermin Lord Dover â—ohn Jeffreys Lord Jeffreys â—enry Waldegrave Lord Waldegrave â—dward Griffin Lord Griffin Hugh Cholmondley Lord Cholmondley John Ashburnham Lord Ashburnham Archbishops 2 and Bishops 24. Dr. William Sandcroft Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Thomas Lampleugh Lord Archbishop of York Dr. Henry Compton L. Bishop of London Dr. Nathaniel Crew L. Bishop of Durham Dr. Peter Mew L. Bishop of Winchester Dr. Herbert Crofts L. Bishop of Hereford Dr. Thomas Wood L. Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry Dr. William Lloyd L. Bishop of Norwich Dr. Thomas Barlow L. Bishop of Lincoln Dr. William Beau L. Bishop of Landaff Dr. William Lloyd L. Bishop of S. Asaph Dr. Robert Frampton L. Bishop of Glocester Dr. Francis Turner L. Bishop of Ely Dr. Thomas Smith L. Bishop of Carlisle Dr. Thomas Sprat L. Bishop of Rochester Dr. Thomas Ken L. Bishop of Bath and Wells Dr. Thomas White L. Bishop of Peterborough * Dr. Jonathan Trelawney L. Bishop of Exeter Dr. Thomas Watson L. Bishop of S. Davids * Dr. Gilbert Burnet L. Bishop of Salisbury * Dr. Humphry Humphrys L. Bishop of Bangor * Dr. Nicholas Stratford L. Bishop of Chester * Dr. Edward Stillingfleet L. Bishop of Worcester * Dr. Simon Patrick L. Bishop of Chichester * Dr. Gilbert Ironside L. Bishop of Bristol * Dr. John Hough L. Bishop of Oxford 1. Note That the Lord President of the Council takes place of all Dukes not of the Royal Bloud 2. That the Lord Great Chamberlain of England the Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold and the Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold take place above all of their Degree 3. That the Archbishop of Canterbury takes place next to the Princes of the Blood and above all the Nobility and Great Officers The Archbishop of York above all the Nobility and Great Officers except the Lord Keeper and the rest of the Bishops next after the Viscounts and above the Temporal Barons Whereof the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester do always precede the other Bishops the rest taking place according to the Seniority of their Consecrations A True List of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Parliament at Westminster in October 1690. Bedfordshire 4. THE Honourable Edward Russel Esq Thomas Browne Esq Town of Bedford Thom. Hillersdon Esq Thom. Christie Esq Berks 9. Sir Hen. Winchcombe Bar. Sir Humfrey Forster Bar. Borough of New-Windsor Sir Charles Porter Knt. William Adderly Esq Borough of Reading Sir William Rich Bar. Sir Henry Fane Kt of the Bath Borough of Wallingford William Jennens Esq John Wallis Esq Borough of Abington Simon Harcourt Esq Bucks 14. The Right Honourable Tho. Wharton Esq The Right Honourable Rich. Hambden Esq Town of Buckingham Sir Richard Temple Knight and Baronet Alexander Denton Esq Borough of Chipping-Wicomb William Jephson Esq Thom Lewes Jun. Esq Porough of Ayliâ—bury Sir Thomas Lee Bar. Thomas Lee Esq Borough of Agmondesham Will. Mountague Esq Edmond Waller of Beconsfield Esq Borough of Wendover Richard Beake Esq John Backwell Esq Borough of Great Marlow James Chase Esq Sir Will. Whitelocke Knt. Cambridge 6. Sir Levinus Bennet Bar. Sir Robert Cotton Knt. University of Cambridge Sir Robert Sawyer Kt. The Honourable Edward Finch Esq Town of Cambridge Sir John Cotton Bar. Granado Pigott Esq Chester 4. Sir John Mainwaring Bar. Sir Robert Cotton Kt. and Bar. City of Chester Sir Thomas Grosvenor Bar. Richard Leving Esq Cornwal 44. The Honourable Francis Robert Esq The Right Honourable Hugh Boscowen Esq Borough of Dunhivid alias Launceston The Right Honourable Will. Harbord Esq The Honourable Bernard Granville Esq Borough of Leskard Sir Bourchier Wray Kt. of the Bath and Bar. Emanuel Pyper Esq Brough of Lestwithiel Sir Bevill Grenville Kt. Walter Kendall Esq Borough of Truro Sir Henry Ashurst Bar. Henry Vincent Esq Borough of Bodmin Sir John Cutler Kt. and Bar. Nicholas Glynn Esq Borough of Helston Sir John St. Aubin Bar. Charles Godolphin Esq Borough of Saltash Sir John Carew Bar. Richard Carew Esq Borough of Camelford Ambrose Manaton Esq Henry Manaton Esq Borough of Port-Higham alias Westlow Edward Sevmour Esq Jonathan Trelawny Es Borough of Grampound John Tanner Esq Walter Vincent Esq Borough of Eastlow Charles Trelawny Esq Henry Trelawny Esq Borough of Peryn Sidney Godolphin Esq Alexander Pendarvi Esq Borough of Tregony Sir John Tremaine Kt. Serjeant at Law Hugh Fortescue Esq Borough of Bossiny Samuel Travers Esq Sir Peter Colleton Bar. Borough of St. Ives James Praed Esq William Harris Esq Borough of Foway Jonathan Rashleigh Esq Shadrach Vincent Esq Borough of St. Germans Daniel Elliot Esq Henry Fleming Esq Borough of St. Michael Francis Scobell Esq Humph. Courtney Esq Borough of Newport The Right Honourable Charles Lord Cheyne John Speccot Esq Borough of St. Maws Sir Joseph Tredenham Kt. John Tredenham Esq Borough of Kellington Francis Fulford Esq Cumberland 6. Sir George Fletcher Bar. Sir John Lowther of Whitehaven Bar. City of Carlisle Jeremiah Bubb Esq Christopher Musgrave Esq Borough of Cocker-mouth Sir Orlando Gee Kt. Sir Wilfred Lawson Bar. Derby 4. Sir Gilbert Clarke Kt. Henry Gilbert Esq Town of Derby The Honourable Anchitel Gray Esq Robert Wilmot Esq Devonshire 26. Francis Courtney Esq Samuel Rolle Esq City of Exeter Sir Edward Seymour Bar. Christopher Bale Esq Borough of Tornes Sir John Powell Bar. Henry Seymour Esq Borough of Plimouth The Honourable John Greenville Esq Borough of Oakhampton William Cary Esq Henry Nortleigh Esq Borough of Branstable The Right Honourable Sir George Hutchins Kt. Arth. Champneys Esq Borough of Plimpton Sir George Treby Kt. John Pollexsen Esq Borough of Honiton Sir William Drake Kt. and Bar. Sir Walter Yonge Bar. Borough of Tavistock The Honourable Robert Russel Esq Sir Francis Drake Bar Borough of Ashburton Sir Richard Reynel Kt. and Bar. William Stawell Esq Borough of Clifton Dartmouth and Hardness Sir Joseph Herne Kt. William Hayne Esq Borough of Beralston Sir Francis Drake Bar. John Swinfen Esq Borough of Tiverton Samuel Foote Esq Thomas Bere Esq Dorsetshire 20. Thomas Strangeways Esq Thomas Freke Esq Town of Pole Sir Nathaniel Napier Kt. and Bar. Sir John Trenchard Kt. Borough of Dorchester Sir Robert Nappier Kt. and Bar. James Gould Esq Borough of Lime Regis Henry Henley Esq John Burridge Esq Borough of Weymouth Sir John Morton Bar. Michal Harvey Esq Borough of Melcomb Regis Henry Henning Esq Nicholas Gould Esq Borough of Bridport John Michel Esq Sir Stephen Evance Kt. Borough of Snafton alias Shaftsbury Sir Matthew Andrews Kt. Edward Nicholas Esq Borough of Wareham Thomas Erle Esq William Okeden Esq Borough of Corf-Castle Richard Fownes Esq William Culliford Esq Durham 4. Sir Robert Eden Bar. William Lambton Esq City of Durham William Tempest Esq George Morland Esq Essex 8. Henry Mildmay Esq Sir Fran. Masham Bar. Borough of Colchester Samuel Reynolds Esq Edward Cary Esq Borough
For Wiltsh Southampton and South-hampton Town Mr. Nath. Ryder For York City of York and Kingston upon Hull Mr. Tho. Stringer For Lincolnsh and City of Lincoln Mr. Lydel For Northumb. Westmorl Cumberl and Newcastle upon Tine Mr. Farrington For Monmouthsh Mr. Yates Exigenters Charles Broughton Esq Mr. John Faringdon Mr. Thomas Gouge Mr. Norcliffe Mr. Yates one of the Filazers Cryers Mr. Whorhood Mr. Holmes Mr. Booth Mr. Gray Court-Keeper Mr. Smith A List of the Judges and Officers of the Court of Exchequer The Barons Sir Robert Atkins Lord Chief Baron Sir Edward Nevil Barons Sir Nich. Lechmore Barons Sir John Turton Barons The Cursitor Baron Bradbury Esq King's Râ—â—embrancer Ayloff Esq in right of Charles Lord Viscount Fanshaw Deputy Remembrancer Tobias Eden Esq His Secundary Robert Den Esq Eight Attornies in the Kings Remembrancer's Office Tho. Hall Esq first Secondary and Butler Buggin Esq second Secondary Mr. George Watts Mr. Francis Butler Mr. Gabr. Armiger Mr. William Bathurst Mr. William Walker Mr. John Eyres Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Sir John Osborn Kt. Remembrancer of the First-Fruits and Tenths Sir Charles Porter Kt. His Deputy William Porter Esq Two Clerks Mr. William Prittiman and Mr. Walter Smith Pipe Office Clerk of the Pipe Robert Russel Esq Comptroler John Potenger Esq Secondaries Walter Wallinger Esq and Mr. Tho. Cole Attorneys Joseph Cranmer Simon Musgrave Charles Milborne Peter Frowd Philip Tulley William Wroth. Office of Pleas. Master of the Office Richard Beresford Esq Secondary and first Attorney Tho. Arden Esq The other Attorneys Mr. Charles Hayns Mr. Samuel Anderson and Mr. David Feilder Forein Opposer Charles Whitacre Esq Clerk of the Estreats John Hastings Esq Auditors of the Imprest Thomas Done Esq Brook Bridges Esq Auditors of the Revenue Sir Jos Seymour Kt. John Philips Esq Anthony Stevens Esq John Shales Esq Anthony Parsons Esq VVilliam Aldworth Esq Herbert Esq Auditor for VVales Receiver of the first Fruits Revenue and Clerks of the Nichils Mr. Thomas Squib Chief Usher John VValker Esq His Deputies or Under-Ushers Mr. Samuel Brewster Mr. August Brewster Mr. VVilliam Ballow Mr. VValter Peirce Marshal Mr. Michael Baker Of the Dutchy of Lancaster The Chancellour Robert Lord Willoughby Baron of Eresby Vice-Chancellour James Lighboun Esq Attorney General Edward Northey Esq Clerk of the Dutchy Cheek Gerard Esq Receiver General Sir John Elwes Kt. Auditors John Fanshaw Esq for the North. Tobias le Gros Esq for the South Deputy Clerk Mr. Benjamin Ayloff Deputy Register Mr. John Baker Attorneys Mr. Richard Husbands who is likewise Deputy Auditor for the North and Mr. Thomas Asheton Usher Mr. Thomas Desborough Messenger Mr. Abraham Millen Their Majesties Attorney and Sollicitor General Sergeants and Council at Law Attorney General Sir George Treby Kt. Sollicitor General Sir John Somers Kt. Sergeants at Law Their Majesties Sergeants Sir Ambrose Philips Sir William-Tomson Sir William Wogan Sir Nathaniel Bond Sir John Tremain Sir John Trenchard The other Sergeants Sir Robert Shaftoe Kt. Sir Francis Pemberton Kt. Thomas Rawlins Esq Thomas Stroude Esq Edward Bigland Esq Sir Creswel Levinz Kt. John Windham Esq Edwyn Wyat Esq Edward Birch Esq Anâ—hony Farrington Esq John Jeffreson Esq Thomas Powel Esq John â—ate Esq William Killingworth Esq Hugh Hodges Esq Thomas Geers Esq Christopher Milton Esq John Powel Esq Sir Francis Withins Kt. William Leffant Esq John Rotheram Esq Vâ— Denn Esq Salathiel Lovell Esq Sir Henry Chancy Kt. Henry Trinder Esq Henry Fuller Esq John Thurburn Esq William Pawlet Esq Henry Hatsell Esq John Blencow Esq Roger Bellwood Esq Council at Law Sir William Williams Kt. and Bar. Mr. Conyers Sir Charles Porter Kt. Mr. Trevor Sir William Whitlock Kt. Mr. Cooper A List of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury and other Officers appointed for Managing Their Majesties Revenue The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Sidney Lord Godolphin Sir John Lowther Kt. Richard Hambden Esq Sir Stephen Fox Kt. Thomas Pelham Esq Their Seâ—retary William Jephson Esq Chancellour of the Exchequer Richard Hampden Esq one of the Lords Commissioners The Chamberlains Sir Nicholas Steward Hilliard Esq Deputy Chamberlains Mr. John Low Mr. Peter Le Neve Auditor of the Receipts Sir Robert Howard The four Tellers Henry Maynard Esq Francis Villiers Esq John Loving Esq Thomas Howard Esq Clerk of the Pells William Wardour Esq Ushers of the Receipt Mr. Packer c. Tally-Cutter Mr. Samuel Langford Officers of the Custom Revenue The Commissioners of the Custom-House The Honourable George Booth Esq The Honourable Sir Richard Temple Baronet and Knight of the Bath The Honourable Sir John Woorden Bar. The Honourable Sir Robert Southwell Kt. The Honourable Sir Robert Clayton Kt. The Honourable Sir Patience Ward Kt. The Honourable Henry Guy Esq Collector Inwards Sir John Shaw Collector Outwards Sir Nicholas Crisp Customer of the Cloth and petty Customs Customer of the great Customs Edward Bertie Esq Comptroller general of the Accompts Giles Litcot Esq Comptroller of the Cloth and. petty Customs Richard Breton Surveyor general George Nicholas Surveyor of the Out-Ports Register of the Seizures John Earl Surveyors of the Land-Waiters George Talbot Thomas Blechynden Robert Burgoine Henry Serpant John Ward Isaac Manley William Parsons Surveyor of the Searchers Peregrine Bertie Esq The Searchers Henry Canby Richard Boys Edward Le Neve Laurence Prior John Man John Greathead Usher of the Custom-House Matthew Humburston Officers of the Excise The present Commissioners Sir Henry Ashurst Baronets Sir John Morden Baronets Sir Samuel Dashwood Knights Sir Humphrey Edwin Knights William Strong Esquires John Foche Esquires Stephen Evans Esquires The Register and Secretary Edward Noel Esq Auditor John Birch Esq Comptroller Elias Ashmole Esq House-Keeper Richard Ferguson Officers of the General Post-Office Post-Master General Major Wildman Comptroller of the Outland Office John VVildman Junior Esq Comptroller of the Inland Office Thomas Gardener Esq Receiver General Mr. Stephen Lilly Accomptant General Mr. George Serle Six Clerks of the forein Office Mr. John Leeson Mr. Ashburnham Frowd Mr. John Saladine Mr. William Sweeting Mr. Francis Clewitt Mr. Ferand Spence Six Clerks of the Roads of the Inland Office Mr. John Salter For Chester Road. Mr. John Middleton For the North Road. Mr. Richard Minors For Bristol Road. Mr. William Serle For the Western Road. Mr. Francis Garret For the Kentish Road. Mr. James Cumber For Yarmouth Road. Of the Peny-Post Office The Comptroller Nathan Castleton Esq The Accomptant Mrs. Thomas Lawe The Receiver Mr. Francis Gelling A List of the Officers of the Mint in the Tower of London Warden of the Mint Benjamin Overton Esq Master and Worker Thomas Neale Esq Comptroller James Hove Esq Assay-Master Sir John Brattell Auditors Thomas Dove and Brook Bridgeâ— Esq Surveyor of the Melting George Evans Esq Weigher and Teller Thomas Fitch Esq King's Chief Clark Thomas Hall Esq Engineer of the Mint Mr. Thomas Doyley Graver Henry Harris Esq Provost Mr. Thomas Anderson Mâ—â—ter Mr. Jonathan Ambrose A List of the Officers of the Ordnance The Master General of the Ordnance
1688. Henry Pollixfen Esq Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas Knighted at Whitehall March 5th 1688. Charles Sidley Knighted at Whitehall March 12. 1688. Thomas Pilkington Esq Lord Mayor of London Knighted April 10th 1689. William Whitelock Esq of the Middle-Temple Knighted April 10th 1689. Robert Harrison Esq Knighted at Whitehall April 12. 1689. Captain John Ashby and Captain Clovesty Shovel both Knighted on Shipboard May 16th 1689. Charles Hedges of Doctors Commons London Judge of the Admiralty Knighted at Whitehall June 4th 1689. Edward Mosely of Huling in Lancashire Esq Knighted at Whitehall June 4th 2689. Ralph Box of London Esq Knighted at Whitehall Octob. 25th 1689. Christopher Lethulier and John Houblon Knighted at Whitehall Octob. 29th 1689. Edward Clerk Alderman and Francis Child Goldsmith Knighted at Whitehall Octob. 29th 1689. Nicholas Lechmere Esq One of the Barons of the Exchequer All four Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 31. 1689. Tho. Rokesby Esq One of the the Justices of the Common-Pleas All four Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 31. 1689. Giles Eyres Esq One of the Justices of the Kings-Bench All four Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 31. 1689. Peyton Ventris Esq one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas All four Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 31. 1689. John Turton Esq One of the Barons of the Exchequer All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. George Hutchins Esq One of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. Will. Wogan Esq Their Majesties Serjeants at Law All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. J. Tremain Esq Their Majesties Serjeants at Law All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. W. Thompson Esq Their Majesties Serjeants at Law All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. J. Trenchard Esq Their Majesties Serjeants at Law All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. John Somers Esq their Majesties Sollicitor General All Knighted in the Bedchamber at Whitehall Oct. 29. 1689. James de Castillo Knighted at Whitehall Dec. 1. 1689. William Cranmer Merchant Knighted at Whitehall Dec. 14th 1689. Thomas Miller of Chichester Esq Knighted at Whitehall Dec. 23. 1659. Pury Cust of Stamford Esq Knighted at Whitehall April 10th 1690. William Hussey of London Merchant lately sent Embassador to Constantinople Knighted at Whitehall April 17th 1690. Joseph Herne of London Merchant Governor of the East-India Company Both Knighted at Kingsington Sept. 15th 1690. Thomas Cook of London Goldsmith Deputy-Governor of the said Company Both Knighted at Kingsington Sept. 15th 1690. George Meggot Esq of Horsey Down in Surrey Knighted at Kinsington Oct. 9th 1690. Stephen Evans of London Knighted at Kinsington Octob. 14th 1690. A List of the present Deans both in England and Wales S. Asaph Bangor Bristol Canterbury Carlisle Chester Chichester Christchurch in Oxford S. Davids Durham Ely Exeter Glocester Hereford Lichfield Lincoln Norwich S. Pauls London Peterborough Rochester Salisbury Wells Westminster Winchester Windsor and Woolverhampton Worcester York Dr. Bright Dr. Jones Dr. Levet Dr. Sharp Dr. Mr. Musgrave Dr. Ardern Dr. Hawkins Dr. Aldrich Dr. Ellis Dr. Greenvill Dr. Spencer Dr. Annesly Dr. Jane Dr. Benson Dr. Addison Dr. Brevint Dr. Fairfax Dr. Tillotson Dr. Kidder Dr. Ullock Dr. Pearce Dr. Bathurst Dr. Sprat Bp. of Rochester Dr. Meggot Dr. Haskard Dr. Hicks Dr. Wickham The Colledge of Civilians called Doctors Commons exercent in London DR George Oxinden Dean and Official Principal of the Arches-Court of Canterbury and Vicar General of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Sir Charles Hedges Kt. Dr. of Laws Judg of the High Court of Admiralty Master of the Faculties and Chancellor of the Diocese of Rochester Sir Richard Raines Kt. Dr. of Laws Judg of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Chancellor to the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry Dr. Thomas Bourchier Commissary of the Diocese of Canterbury Dr. Watkinson Vicar-General to the Arch-Bishop of York Sir Thomas Pinfold His Majesties Advocate-General Chancellor to the Lord Bishop of Peterborough and Official to the Dean and Chapter of St. Pauls Dr. Edward Masters Chancellor to the Lord Bishop of Exeter Dr. William Oldys Their Majesties Advocate for the Office of Lord High Admiral of England and to the Lords of the Prizes and Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln Dr. Henry Falconbridge Chancellor to the Bishop of St. Davids Dr. Pepper Chancellor to the Bishop of Norwich Dr. Henry Newton Chancellor to the Bishop of London Dr. Henry Aileworth Chancellor to the Bishop of Oxford Sir Timothy Baldwin Chancellor to the Bishops of Hereford and Worcester Dr. Briggs Chancellor to the Bishop of Chichester The Honourable Mountague Batchelor of Laws Chancellor to the Bishop of Durham Dr. John Cook Chancelor to the Bishop of Ely Morley Batchelor of Laws Chancellor to the Bishop of Winchester Dr. Powel Chancellor to the Bishop of St Asaph Dr. Richard Parsons Chancellor to the Bishop of Glocester Dr. Henry Jones Chancellor to the Bishop of Landaff Dr. Nicholas Chancellor to the Bishop of Carlisle Dr. Baylie Chancellor to the Bishop of Bath and Wells Dr. Wainwright Chancellor to the Bishop of Chester Dr. Jones Chancellor to the Bishop of Bristol Dr. Pennington Chancellor to the Bishop of Bangor Chancellor to the Bishop of Salisbury Doctors of Laws Sir William Trumball Kt. late Ambassador at Constantinople Dr. John Edisbury Official to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Dr. Joseph Taylor Dr. Charles Davenant Dr. Fisher Littleton Dr. John St. John Dr. George Brampston Dr. Stephen VValler Dr. Mathew Tindale Dr. John Conant Dr. Thomas Lane Dr. Richard Paget Dr. Philip Foster Dr. Bryan VValton Dr. John Harwood Dr. John Rudston Registers Thomas Oughton Gent. Register to the High Court of Delegates John Clements Esq Register of the Arches Court of Canterbury Thomas Smith Deputy Register Thomas Tillot Actuary of the same Orlando Gee Esq Register of the High Court of Admiralty Thomas Bedford Gent. Deputy Register John Cheek General Marshal Proctors of the Arches and in all other Courts Samuel Francklyn Esq Batchelor of the Laws Their Majesties Proctor-General Mr. Ralph Suckley Mr. Everard Exton Mr. Batchel of Laws Mr. VVilliam Cole Mr. John Hill Mr. Ric. Newcourt Mr. Thomas Smith Mr. Francis Nixon Mr. Godfrey Lee. Mr. Robert Chapman Mr. Thomas Tillot Mr. Thomas Swallow Mr. Peter Parret Mr. Thomas Rock Mr. Samuel Wiseman Mr. John Hungerford Mr. John Miller Mr. Thomas Shepard Mr. Keate VValler Mr. Edward Shaw Mr. John Lovell Mr. Richard Martin Mr. John Roberts Mr. Robert Bargrave Mr. John Tomlinson Mr. George Sayer Mr. Robert Constable Mr. Robert Peirson Mr. John Playdell Mr. John Chase Mr. Joseph Patten Mr. Goldsmith Mills Mr. Edward Cooke The Prerogative Office or Registry for the Prerogative Wills in the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury Register of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Everard Exton Batchelor of Laws Deputy Register Mr. Thomas VVelham Clerks in the said Office Mr. Charles Pinfold
High Admiral of England an Office held by Patent and of so great a Trust that it has usually been given to Princes of the Royal Bloud For the Lord High Admiral is Intrusted with no less than the Management of all Maritime Affairs with the Government of the King's Navy with Power of Decision in all Causes Maritime aswell Civil as Criminal of all Things done upon or beyond the Sea in any Part of the World in all Ports and Havens upon the Sea-Coasts and all Rivers below the first Bridge next towards the Sea In short the Admiralty being in a manner a separate Kingdom from the rest the Lord High Admiral may be reputed at least the Viceroy thereof A Multitude of Officers high and low are under him both at Sea and Land some of a Military others of a Civil Capacity some Judicial others Ministerial And under him is held the High Court of Admiralty the Places and Offices whereof are in his Gift The last High Admiral of England was the late King when Duke of York For since he came to the Crown the Office was executed by Seven Lords Commissioners as it is to this day CHAP. XIII Of Their present Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY With a brief Account of Their Accession to the Crown KING WILLIAM our present Monarch is the only Issue of the late Illustrious Prince William of Nassaw Prince of Orange and of the Deceased Princess Royal Mary eldest Daughter to King Charles I who was wedded to the foresaid Prince in the Year 1641. His Majesty was born in Holland Nov. 4th 1650 ten days after his Fathers Death and was Christened by the Names of William Henry William being his Fathers Name and Henry his Grandfathers The House of Nassaw is an Ancient and most Illustrious Family so called from Nassaw a Town and County in Weteravia a Province of Germany That Branch of it from whence the King is descended had their usual Seat at Dillenburg not far from Nassaw before they settled in the Low-Countries whence for Distinctions sake they were named the Earls of Nassaw of the House of Dillenburg Otho of Nassaw who died Anno 1190 was the Founder of the present Family of the Princes of Orange out of which descended Adolph Earl of Nassaw who was chosen Emperour in the Year 1292. By the Marriage of Engelbert the seventh Earl of this House with Mary Daughter and Heir of Philip Lord of Breda in Brabant that Town and Barony with many other fair Estates in the Netherlands was added to the Family And by the Marriage of Henry the tenth Earl of Nassaw Anno 1515. with Claude of Chalons Sister and Heir of Philibert Prince of Orange this Principality bordering upon Provence and Dauphene within the Dominions of France accrued to the Family So much the worse for having so ill an Neighbour as the present French King who has long since rapaciously seized upon it but left however what he could not take away the King 's just Title to it In short our Gracious King William is the 18th Earl of Nassaw beginning with Otho aforesaid and the 7th Prince of Orange of his Family beginning with Rene of Nassaw Son of Henry and Claude who succeeded Philibert his Uncle in the Principality of Orange A Family as much honoured for the personal Merit of the Princes of it as any other in Europe and to which the States of Holland ow the Liberty and Greatness they injoy All the World knows how great a Patron and Assertor of the Belgick Liberties against the Spaniard was the most noble and generous Prince William of Nassaw one of his Majestieâ— Ancestors And to pass by the generous Exploits of his noble Successors till the present King William 't is well known what his Majestly has done to rescue not only his Native Country but the best Part of Europe from its Oppressors It has been of late Years both at home and abroad the Maxim of some Princes to outvy each other in preying upon and destroying not only their Neighbours but their own Protestant Subjects by all Methods of Perfidiousness and Cruelty To establish or maintain their Tyranny they went about to introduce a general Ignorance For where Subjects part with their Reason 't is easy for them to part with their Liberty witness those miserable Inslaved Countries where Popery domineers On the contrary the House of Orange has always appeared against that ravenous and inhumane Principle And as if Providence had appointed them for a Check to Tyranny God has been pleased accordingly to bless their just Indeavours Never the Liberty of England and the Protestant Interest in general lay more at stake than it did in the late Reign 'T is plain there was a general Design to extirpate Herely in a Popish Sense and to inslave all Europe The Plot was laid in the Reign of blessed King Charles who with a shew of Proteslantism made the Way smooth for Popery At last when all Things were finely prepared to the hand of his next Heir King Charles go's off the Stage and his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more Courteous more Obliging or more Promising at first than He was to his new Subjects The Church of England Triumphed in his Exaltation and Addressed Him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelaâ— Angel The People in general look'd upon him as an Incomparable Hero who would quickly make it his Business to pull down the Hector of France and to carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors In short so great were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V the most glorious Monarchs of England were upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles No body dreamed of a Popish Catechism to be the first step to this Glory nor of an Army to be raised for the defence of it Under whose shelter besides a secret League with France the Prerogative began presently to swell above its Banks the Laws to be Overwhelmed the Liberty and Property of the Subject Invaded the Church of England Crushed that had raised the King to the Throne Popery crowing over all the Nation and to crown all their Hopes presto a Prince of Wales In short to speak in terms of War the Miner was fix'd and we must either Surrender or be Stormed This was our Condition when the Prince of Orange our present King undertook our Deliverance and effected it under God in a miraculous manner Upon whose Approach our Mass-Hero fled left us to shift for our selves and the Popish Party to the mercy of the Rabble This hapned Dec. 11th 1688 a fatal Year in this and the foregoing Age to Popery iâ— England In that state of Anarchy what could the Nation do less than provide for a Settlement under the gracious Influences of the Prince Which was accordingly done in as regular 〈◊〉 Way as the present state of Affairs would â—ow King James having thus deserted the
against the Executor and so much of his Will as shall be contrary to the Custom will be declared void and of none effect But if a Freeman die without a Will and leave a Wife and Children this Court grants Administration of his Estate to his Widow By the Custom of London she will claim a third part of his Estate one third must be divided amongst his Children and the other third between the Wife and Children but so that usually the Widow is allowed two Thirds of the Freemans third part and the Children one Third thereof If a Freeman shall in the time of his last Sickness give and deliver any part of his Goods Chattels or Moneys to his Wife or Child or any other Person with Intent that such Person shall keep the same to his or her own Use such Gift being against the Custom of London shall be accounted part of the Freemans Estate at the time of his Death and may be recovered by Bill in this Court. For a Freman cannot in the time of his Sickness whereof he shall die give away any part of his Estate otherwise than by his last Will. If a Freeman having given in his Life-time part of his Estate to any of his Children in Marriage or otherwise do afterwards make his Will and give all his Estate away to his other Children with a Declaration that the Child he so disposed in Marriage had received 500 l. or more of his Estate and was thereby fully advanced such Declaration shall not bar the Person so married but he or she may recover after the Father's Decease an equal share with the other Children But then the Mony received of his Father in his Life-time must come into the Account and be reckoned part of the Estate left by him at his Death Which is called bringing of the Mony into Hotchpot Moreover if a Freeman shall settle or make over any part of his Estate to the Use of his Children with design to defraud his Wife of her full third Part the Widow may after his Death set aside such Settlement by a Bill in this Court Lastly when an Inventory is exhibited in this Court and the Orphans can prove any Goods omitted or undervalued or any Debts charged to be owing from the Deceased which were not real and just Debts In such Case upon Complaint made the Clerk will summon a Jury to inquire whether the Inventory so exhibited be a true and perfect Inventory or not And if the Jury find any Omissions Undervaluations or Surcharges then the Clerk will sue the Executor upon the Bond he gave for exhibiting an Inventory and will thereby compel him to make so much as shall be found by the Jury to be omitted undervalued or surcharged Unless he can by Proof discharge himself thereof before the Court of Aldermen who upon Application made by any Executor will examine into his Accounts and do right to all Parties without any Expence to the Executor or the Orphans And when it shall appear by an Inventory that many Debts are standing out due to the Deceased the Court of Aldermen do constantly compel the Executor to give Bond to render a true Account from time to time when he shall be thereunto required which is usually once in a Twelve-month And if upon the Exhibiting thereof it shall appear that any Mony is due to the Orphans the Executor must either pay it into the Chamber of London or give good Security to pay the same Which if he omit or refuse his Bond will be put in Suit against him The Court of Conscience otherwise called the Court of Requests is a Court established and settled by an Act of Parliament in the 3d Year of the Reign of King James I. Which Impowers this Court to hear examine and determine with Equity or good Conscience all Matters brought before them between Party and Party Citizens of London where the Debt do's not amount to forty shillings An Act very beneficial both for the Relief of such poor Debtors as cannot make present Payment of their Debts and for such poor Persons as have small Debts owing to them and are not able to prosecute a Suit in Law for the same This Court sits in Guildhall every Wednesday and Saturday in the Forenoon consisting of two Aldermen and four Commoners monthly appointed by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen but any three of them make a Court. A Cause may be brought and determined in this Court for 10 pence Charge viz. 6 pence for the Plaint and the Summons and 4 pence for the Order But if the Defendant do not appear the second Court-Day after Summons an Attachment will be awarded against him which will compel him to appear and increase the Charge If any Citizen be Arrested for a Debt under â—o Shill this Court will grant a Summons for the Plaintiff in the Action And if he appear not the first Court-day after the Summons left at his House the same will grant an Attachment against him force him to take his Debt and to pay the Defendant his Costs The Court for the Conservation of the Thames is held before the Lord Mayor at such Times â—s he appoints and directs within the respective Counties near adjacent to the Cities of London and Westminster The Water-Bayliff for the time being is My Lord Mayors Deputy and ought to give notice to his Lordship of all Offences committed by any Persons contrary to the Orders made for Preservation of the Brood and Fry of Fish in the said River To which purpose he is by this Court Ordered and Impowred from time to time to Authorize Two â—onest Fishermen or more in such Town and Places as he shall think convenient aswell beâ—ow as above the Bridge to be assistant to him â—n the Execution of his Duty and when they â—hall think fit to go out and search for any â—uch Offenders take away their Nets and give â—heir Names to Mr. Water-Bayliff that they 〈◊〉 severely proceeded against according to â—aw This Power of the Lord Mayor for the Conservation of the River of Thames and the â—unishment of all Offences within it has been â—ercised by the Mayor of London and his â—redecessors time out of mind By King Edward the Thirds Charter to this City the Citizens are Authorized to remove and take away all Kidels in the Water of the River of Thames and Medway and have the Punishment to the King belonging thereof coming And by a Statute made in the 17th Year of the Reign of Richard II. it is Ordained that the Mayor of London shall have the Conservacy of the Thames and put in execution the Statutes of 13 Edward I. 13 Richard II. from the Bridge of Stanes to London and from thence over the same Water and in the Water of Medway The Pie-Powder Court is a Court held during the first 3 Days of Bartholomews Fair by Stewards assigned by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to examine and try all Suits brought for
petty Matters and Offences there committed contrary to the Proclamation made on Bartholomew Eve in the Afternoon at the great Gate going into the Cloth-Fair for the better regulating this Fair. Besides the foresaid Courts every Alderman keeps a Court in his Ward called Wardmote for Things relating to his Ward but still under the Direction of the Lord Mayor Who annually issues out his Precept to every Alderman to hold his Wardmote for the Election of Common Council-Men and other Officers The Companies of Traders have also their Courts called Halmotes for regulating what belongs to their several Trades and so called from the Halls or Assembly Places where they meet many of them very stately Buildings CHAP. XVI Of the Punishments inflicted on Malefactors IN the 9th Chapter of this Part I have shewn at large the Manner of Trying Criminals in England wherein is to be commended our English Humanity towards Prisoners that are upon their Trial. When other Nations under pretence that no Man ought to be put to Death but upon his own Confession of the Crime he stands charged with have devised such racking Tortures to extort the Confession as make often the Innocent cry Guilty and prefer Death to the Rack But this I have already toucht upon in my first Part. My Business is now to speak of the Punishments inflicted here upon Criminals of what nature soever Hanging is the usual Punishment to Death in England either for High Treason Petty Treason or Felony But the Manner is different For a Traytor to the King and Government is to be drawn upon a Hurdle or Sledge to the Gallows and there to be hanged by the Neck But then he is presently cut down â—live his Entrals pulled out of his Belly and â—urnt before his Face his Head cut off and his Body divided into four Parts and both the Head and Body hung up or impaled where the King shall command This Punishment indeed considering all its Circumstances seems cruel to such as do not narrowly consider the nature of the Crime Whereas the Law thinks it but reasonable that whosoever indeavours to cut off the King or rend the Government should be himself cut off and rent as before said As for his Lands and Goods they are forâ—eited to the King his Wife if married loses her Dower and if he be Noble his Children lose their Right of Nobility aswell as Inheritance For by the Law Treason taints the Bloud But it is observable as to the Kings Person that it is not only downright killing or murdering the King which makes it High Treason For the very imagining or contriving his Death without any overt Act is High Treason Falsifying and Clipping of Mony is also High Treason by Law But the Offender's Punishment is only to be Drawn and Hanged by the Neck till he be dead The same it is with one guilty of Petty Treason as when a Servant kills his Master or Mistris a Wife her Husband or a Clergy-man his Prelate to whom he ow's Obedience For Felony as Murder Theft or Robbery and other Capital Crimes for which anciently there were several sorts of Punishments the Malefactor is but Hanged since the Reign of Henry I. But when the Robbery is attended with Murder the Criminal after he is hanged and dead is taken down to be hanged in Chains and so to hang in terrorem till the Body be quite rotted off or eaten up by the Birds of the Air. As to Persons of great Birth and Quality convicted of High Treason Petty Treason or Felony tho the Judgment be the same with that of common Persons yet by the Kings Favour they are usually Beheaded Which is performed with an Ax upon a Block lying on the Scaffold and not as in other Countries by a Sword kneeling or standing The Notion of Murder as a Capital Crime invites me to explain two Law-Terms relating to it viz. Manslaughter and Chance-medley Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of one without prepensed Malice As when two that formerly meant no harm one to another meet together and falling out upon some sudden Occasion the one kills the other It differs from Murder because it is not done with fore-going Malice and from Chance-medley because it has a present Intent to kill 'T is Felony but it is allowed the Benesit of the Clergy for the first time Chance-medley otherwise called Manslaughter by Misadventure signifies the casual Killing of a Man not altogether without the Killer's Fault though without an evil Intent for which the Offender shall have his Pardon of course But here must be considered whether the Offender when he committed this Manslaughter by Chance-medley was doing a lawful Thing For if the Act were unlawful it is Felony As if two are fighting together and a third Man comes to part them and is killed by one of the two without any Malice fore-thought or evil Intent in him that killed the Man yet this is Murder in him and not Manslaughter by Chance-medley or Misadventure because they two that fought together were doing an unlawful Act. And if they were met with prepensed Malice the one intending to kill the other then it is Murder in them both Burning alive is sometimes used but only for Witches and Women convicted of High Treason or Petty Treason In the Time of Popery especially in the Reign of Queen Mary this was the proper Punishment for Hereticks that is in the Popish Sense for Protestants When the Papists who ever delighted in humane Sacrifices made Bonefires of them and reserved Hell-fiâ—e for themselves Pressing to Death called by the Law Peine forte dure is a Punishment for those only that being Arraigned either of Petty Treason or Felony refuse to Answer or to put themselves upon the ordinary Trial of God and the Country Which by the Law is called to stand Mute And for this Contumacy the Offender is to be sent back to the Prison whence he came there to be laid in some low dark Room all naked but his privy Members his Back upon the bare Ground his Arms and Legs stretched with Cords fastened to the several Quarters of the Room Then is laid upon his Body Iron and Stone as much as he may bear or more The next Day he shall have three morsels of Barley-bread without Drink and the Day after he shall have for his Drink as much of the next Water to the Prison as he can drink three several times except it be running Water and that without any bread And this is to be his Diet till he Die Which grievous kind of Death some stout Men have chosen to save their Estates to their Children and keep their Bloud from being stained But in case of High Treason though the Criminal stand mute yet Judgment shall be given against him as if he had been Convicted and his Estate shall be Confiscated In many Parts beyond Sea the Criminals hanged or beheaded are denied Christian Burial their Society being declined in the Grave who