tres plus compleverat annis Nam tribus octensis Regia Sceptra tulit Quindecies Domini centenus fluxerat annus Currebat nonus cum venit atra Dies Septima termensis lux tunc fulgebat Aprilis Cum Clausit summam tanta Corona Diem Nulla Dedere prius tantum tibi saecula Regem Anglia vix similem posteriora Dabunt This Church is famous for the Monuments and Tombs of our Kings Queens Nobility and other eminent Men as Sebert the first Christian King of the Eastâ— Saxons Harold the Bastard Son of Canutus the Dane King of England King Edward the Confessor and his Queen Edith Maud Wife to King Henry the First the Daughter of Malcolm King of Scots Henry the 3. and his Son King Edward the 1. with Eleanor his Wife daughter to Ferdinando the first King of Castile and Leon. King Edward the 3. and Philippa of Henault his Wife King Henry the 5. with Katherine his Wife Daughter to King Charles the 6. of France Anne Wife to King Richard 3. Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick King Henry the 7. with his Wife Elizabeth Daughter to King Edward the 4. and his Mother Margaret Countess of Richmond King Edward the sixth that most Religious and truly Vertuous Prince who lyeth under the Brass richly Gilded Altar most curiously wrought with Excellent Workmanship Anne of Cleave the 4 th Wife of King Henry the Eight Queen Mary and the Renowned Queen Elizabeth upon the Remove of whose Body from Richmond where She Dyed to White-Hall by Water these Lines were Written which may for their Elegancy and in Remembrance of that most Illustrious Protestant Queen be inserted The Queen was brought by Water to White-Hall At every stroake the Oars their tears let fall More clung about the Barge Fish under water Wept out their Eyes of Pearl swam blindly after I think the Barge-men might with easier Thighs Have row'd her thither in her Peoples Eyes For howsoe'er thus much my thoughts have scann'd Sh 'ad come by Water had she come by Land Prince Henry eldest Son of King James the First Monarch of Great Britain King James Himself and Queen Ann his Wife and the first Male born of King Charles the First dying an Infant Of Dukes and Earls and Lords Degree Edmund Earl of Lancaster second Son of King Henry the Third and his Lady Aveline de fortibus Countess of Albemarle William and Andomar of Valente of the Family of Lusignian Earls of Pembrooke Alphonsus John and other Children of King Edward the first John of Eltham Earl of Cornwall Son to King Edward the Second Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester the youngest Son of Edward the Third with other of his Children Eleanor Daughter and Heir of Humphry Bâ—hun Earl of Hereford and of Essex Wife to Thomas of Woodstock The young Daughter of Edward the Fourth And King Henry the Seventh Henry a Child of two months old Son of King Henry the Eighth Sâ—phia the Daughter of King James who died as it were in the first Day-dawning of her Age. Philippa Mohun Dutchess of York Robert of Henault in right of his Wife Lord Bourchier Ann the young Daughter and Heir of John Mowbraâ— Duke of Norfolk promised in Marriage unto Richard Duke of York younger Son to King Edward the Fourth Sir Giles Dawbny Lord Chamberlain to King Henry the Seventh and his Wife of the House of the Arundels in Cornwall John Viscount Wells Frances Brandon Dutchess of Suffolk Mary her Daughter Margaret Douglas Countess of Lenex Grandmother to James King of Great Britain with Charles her Son Winefrid Bruges Marchioness of Winchester Ann Stanhope Dutchess of Somerset and Jane her Daughter Ann Cecil Countess of Oxford Daughter to the Lord Burleigh Lord High-Treasurer of England with Mildred Burghley her Mother Elizabeth Berkly Countess of Ormond Frances Sidney Countess of Sussex James Butler Viscount Thurles Son and Heir to the Earl of Ormond Besides these Humphry Lord Bourchier of Cornwall Sir Humphry Bourchier Son and Heir to the Lord Bourchier of Berners both slain at Barnetfield Sir Nicholas Carew Baron Powis Thomas Lord Wentworth Thomas Lord Wharton John Lord Russel Sir Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor of England Douglas Howard Daughter and Heir General of Henry Viscount Howard of Bindon Wife to Sir Arthur Gorges Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Edward Earl of Rutland Wife to William Cecil Sir John Puckering Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal of England Frances Howard Countess of Hartford Henry and George Cary the Father and Son Barons of Hunsdon both Lords Chamberlains to Queen Elizabeth The Heart of Ann Sophia the Daughter of Christopher Harley Count Beaumont Ambassador for the King of France in England bestowed within a small Gilt Urn over a Pyramid Sir Charles Blunt Earl of Devonshire Lord-Lieutenant-General of Ireland Geoffrey Chaucer the Prince of English Poets in his time Edmund Spencer an eminent Poet. William Cambden Clarencieux King of Arms. Causabon the Famous French Writer Michael Drayton c. Then there is George Villiers Duke Marquiss and Earl of Buckingham Favourite to King James and King Charles the First Also the Earl of Essex and several others Interr'd there during His present Majesties Absence from His Government There is also Interr'd George Duke of Albemarle Father to his Grace the present Duke whose Funerals were Solemnly performed the Thirtieth of April 1670. The Dutchess of Albemarle was also Interr'd in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel the twenty eighth of February 1669. in Westminster Church There is likewise Interr'd that Celebrated Poet Mr. Abraham Cowley under a Monument of Exquisite Curiosity at the Charges of his Grace the Noble Duke of Buckingham Having done with Westminster-Abby we shall give a Brief account of the other Churches Alphabetically as they were before the Fire And of such as are Re-built which are now far more Durable and Stately than before the Reader may expect an Account hereafter I. St. Albans Church in Woodstreet is of great Antiquity being Dedicated to St. Albans the first Martyr of England Another mark of Antiquity was to be seen in the manner of the turning the Arches in the Windows and heads of the Pillars There were also Roman Bricks found inlay'd here and there among the Stones of the Building it was Anno 1632. being wonderfully decay'd pull'd down in order to be Re-built In it were diverse Monuments which for brevity sake are omitted II. On the North side of the East end of Tower-street is the Parish-Church called All-hallows Barkin a very fair Church standing in a large Church-Yard on the North side whereof was built a fair Chappel by King Richard the first whose heart 't is said was buryed there under the high Altar This Chappel was Augmented by King Edward the first And a fraternity setled there by King Edward the fourth King Richard the third new Built it and founded therein a Colledge of Priests which was suppressed in the Year 1548. in the Second of Edward the sixth and the Ground made
Mr. Sutton to affect that House as the only Place whereon to build the Foundation of his Religious Purpose For among other his Christian Determinations he had formerly intended to build an House at Hallingbury-Bouchers in Essex to be an Hospital for such Poor Men and Children as he himself in his life time or future Governors for the same to be Deputed should think fit to be Lodged and Relived there Also for a School-Master and Vsher to Teach Children to Read and Write and instruct them in the Latin and Greek Grammar with a Learned Divine likewise to Preach the Word of God to them all And a Master beside to Govern all those People belonging to that House But finding this Goodly Mansion of the Charter-House to be much more convenient for the purpose he became an earnest Suitor to the Earl of Suffolk to purchase that House of him acquainting his Honour with the alteration of his mind concerning Hallingbury and his earnest Desire to make the Charter-House the Hospital The Earl being Honorably inclin'd to so Godly a motion the Price being concluded on the Bargain and Sale was assured The Sum disburs'd for this purpose amounted to 13000 l. which was Paid down in hand before the unsealing of the Conveyance Then he became Suitor again to his Majesty to perform all that at the Chartor-House which he had formerly intended at Hallingbury Whereto the King readily yielded being Graciously affected to so Charitable a Work and Granted His Letters Patents to the same effect This Gentleman lived always a Batchelor and by sundry Employments and Parsimony grew to great Wealth which he well Employed to his immortal honnour He endowed 〈◊〉 Hospital with above 3000 l. a Year in Land viz. All and singular the Mannors Lordships Messuages Lands Tonements Reversions Services Meadows Pastures Woods Advowsons Patronages of Churches and Hereditaments of the said Thomas Sutton whatsoever Situate lying and being within the County of Essex Lincoln Wilts Cambridg and Middlesex or in any of them with all and every of their Rights Members and Appurtenances whatsoever Except all his Mannors and Lordships of Littlebury and Haddestock with their Appurtenaâ—ces in the County of Essex In this Hospital he placed Fourscore Poor Men with convenient Lodging Dyet and Allowance of Money for Apparel also Forty Poor Children with the like Provision and a Grammar School with a Master and an Vsher to Teach them over all whom he ordained a Learned Man to be Master of the Houshold to be chosen by the Governors whom he appointed for the present by the Authority of the Kings Letters Patents to be George Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Lord Elsemore Lord Chancellor Robert Earl of Salisbury Lord Treasurer John Bishop of London Lancelot Bishop of Ely Sir Edward Cook Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Thomas Foster a Judg of the Common-Pleas Sir Henry Hubbard the Kings Attorney-General Doctor Overal Dean of Pauls Doctor Mountain Dean of Westminster Henry Thursby Esq Master of the Chancery Richard Sutton Esq Auditor of the Impress Geoffery Nightingale Esquire John Low Gentleman Thomas Brown Gentleman and Master of the Houshold for the time being to be always one and as any of those Sixteen Governors should die the Survivors to make present Additions of others Towards the building of this Hospital Chappel and School-House he gave 5000 l. but he lived not to see it performed but what Death bereft him of he left to the performance of his Faithful Executors Mr. Richard Sutton and Mr. John Low Men of Religious and upright Souls who carefully accomplished the Work so that the Monday after Michâ—â—â—mas day being the 3 d of October Anno Dom. 1614. The Captains Gentlemen and Officers entered into their Famous prepared Hospital to the Glory of God Honour of the King's Majesty Credit of the Governors and Joy of Honest minds and the Eternal Fame of the Noble Founder who is laid in a goodly Tomb in the Chappel of his own Hospital With this Inscription Sacred to the Glory of God in Grateful Memory of Thomas Sutton Esquire Here lieth buried the Body of Thomas Sutton late of Castel Camps in the County of Cambridge Esq at whose only Costs and Charges this Hospital was Founded and Endued with large Possessions for the Relief of Poor Men and Children He was a Gentleman born at Knayth in the County of Lincoln of Worthy and Honest Parentage He lived to the Age of 79 Years and Deceased the 12th Day of December Anno Domini 1611. Though we Design to avoid all Prolixity yet 't is hoped it will be Pardoned if we Transcribe an Epitaph made upon this Worthy Man by a Friend to Piety and Goodness for he being a Rare Example challenges as his due Merit a more than ordinary mention When bad Men die the Memory Remains Of their Corruptions and ungodly ways As Merit to their mis-applyed pains Out of ill actions forming as ill praise For Vertue wounded by their deep disgrace Leaves Fame to their posterity and Race When Good Men die the Memory remains Of their true Vertue and most Christian ways As a due Guerdon to their Godly gains Out of good Actions forming as good praise For Vertue cherish'd by their Deeds of Grace Leaves Fame to their Posterity and Race Among these Good if Goodness may be said To be among the seed of Mortal Men In upright Ballance of true Merit weigh'd Needs must we reckon Famous SUTTON then In whom as in a Mirror doth appear That Faith with Works in him did shine most clear And let us not as is a common use Measure him by a many other more In Death to cover their bad lifes abuse To lanch out then some bounty of their store No SUTTON was none such his Hospital And much more else beside speaks him to all For as God blest him with abundant Wealth Like to a careful Steward he emplo'd it And order'd all things in his best of health As glad to leave it as when he enjoy'd it And being prepared every hour to die Disposed all his Gifts most Christianâ—y In Abrahams bosome sleeps he with the blest His Works they follow him his worth survives Good Angels guide him to eternal rest Where is no Date of time for Years or Lives You that are Rich do you as he hath done And so assure the Crown that he hath woâ—â— To conclude in a word this Famous Hospital with the value of the Lands laid into it the Purchase of the House Stock laid in which he hath given into the Treasury or Store of the said Hospital to begin with and to defend the Rights of the House being 1000 l. and Allowance towards the Building also the Remainder of his Goods unbequeathed his large Gifts and Legacies to divers Honorable and Worthy Friends besides great store of far more inferior account which would puzle me to number and the residue of 20000 l. left to the discretion of his Executors may truly and deservedly be said to be
Jurisdiction and power to Reform Annoyances and Offences there and to inflict due punishments upon the Offendors nor of the Nature of the Service to be by them performed in the Course of their Inquiry therefore he thought it convenient to make both the one and the other known unto them Hereupon he shewed them that the Jurisdiction of the Court of London in the River of Thames from Stanes Bridge Westward unto the points of the River next unto the Sea Eastward appeared to belong to the City in manner and form following I. First in point of Right by prescription as appears by an ancient Book called Dunâ—horp That Civitatis fundationis aedificationis constructionis causa erat Thamesis Flâ—vâ—us quorum vero Civitatis fluminis gubernationem tam duces Majores Custodes Vicecomites Aldr. Magnates Civitatis Memoratae hucusque obtinuerunt habuerunt Whence he inferr'd that the Government of the River hath belonged to the City time out of mind In 21. H. 3. Jorden Coventry one of the Sheriffs of the City was sent by the Mayor and Aldermen to remove certain Kiddles that Annoyed the Rivers of Thames and Medway who ultra Yenland versus mare did take divers persons that were Offenders and imprisoned them Whereupon complaint being made to the King he took the matter ill at the first and sent for the Lord Mayor and Citizens to Kennington Where upon hearing of the Matter before the said King the Cities Jurisdiction over the said River was set forth and allowed and the Complainants convinced and every one of them Amerced at 10 l. and the Amercements adjudged to the City And afterward their Nets were burnt by Judgment given by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in the Hustings 1. R. 2. Writs were directed to the Sheriffs of Essex and Kent Reciting the Cities Title with Command not to suffer the Citizens of London to be molested contrary to the Liberties formerly granted and allowed unto them II. Secondly In point of Right by Allowance in Eire the Conservation of the Thames belongs to the City For it was produced that 1 R. 2. before Hugh Bigot Justice Iâ—enerant the Sheriffs and Citizens of London were called in Question for their Jurisdiction exercis'd on the Thames before whom it was found by a Jury in Southwark Quod nullus habet aliquid Juris in Thamisia usque ad Novum Gurgitem nisi Civis London In the 14 E. 2. The Constable of the Tower was Indicted by Divers Wards of London before the Justices in Eire at the Tower De muneris recep Cove pro Kedellis in Thamisiis Constabularius ad Kidellas respondet quod Justic non habent Jurisdictionem extra London prolitum inde cognoscere cum praedict Kidelli sunt in aliis Comitatibus Justic. dixerunt aqua Thamisiae pertinet ad Civitatem London usque Mare si velit respondeat Who then Pleaded Not Guilty III. He went further in point of Right that this Jurisdiction belonged to the City by antient Charters 8 R. 1. that is 480 and odd Years ago Dominus Richardus Rex Filius Regis Henrici secundi concessit firmiter praecepit ut omnes Kidelli qui sunt in Thamisia amoveantur ubicunque fuerint in Thamisia 1. Joh. Rex concessit firmiter praecepit ut omnes Kidelli qui sunt in Thamisia vel in Medway amoveantur ne caeteri Kidelli alicubi ponantur in Thamisia vel in Medway super forf 10 1. sterlingorum Then he urged the Famous Charter of King Henry the III. which ran thus Henry by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy and Aquitain and Earl of Anjou unto all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Barons Justices Sheriffs Stewards Ministers and to all Bayliffs and to all his True Men Greeting wotteth well that we for the health of our Soul and the health of the Soul of King John our Fader and the Souls of our Ancestors and also for the Common profit of our City of London and of all our Realms have Granted and stedfastly Commanded That all the Weares that be in Thames or in Medway be done away and that from henceforth no Weares be set in Thames or Medway upon the forfeiture of 10 1. Also we claim quit to our Citizens of London all that that our Constable of our Tower of London was wont to take of the said Weares Wherefore we will and stedfastly Command that no Constable of the aforesaid Tower at any time from henceforth forward any thing ask nor any Grievance do to any of the same City by Eâ—cheson of the same Weares it is to us known enough and by our true Men do us to understand that most privacy and least profit might fall unto the same City and to the whole Realm by Enchesen of the same Weares which we make for ever firm and stable unto the same City as the Charter of our Lord King John our Fader which our Barons of London thereof have reasonably Witnessed Witnesses Eustace of London Peter of Westminster c. at Westminster the 18th of February in the Year of our Reign Eleven Besides these he produced divers others in this King ' s Reign to the purpose aforesaid and the 7th of E. III. IV. This Jurisdiction belongs to the City of London by Acts of Parliament W. 2. cap. 47. an 13. No Salmons to be taken from the Nativity of our Lady unto St. Martins Day in all points nor none to be taken in Mill-Pools from the midst of April until Midsummer under penalty for the first Offence of burning of Nets and Engines the second Offence Imprisonment for a Quarter of a Year the third Offence for a whole Year 13. R. II. confirms the restraint of taking Salmons in many Waters from the midst of April until Midsummer upon the same pain nor within that time to use any Nets called Stalkers nor any other Engine whereby the Fry may be destroyed He urged likewise 17 R. II. cap. 9. and the 11. H. VII cap. 15. 1 Eliz. cap. 17. Against Nets Wheeles and other Engines for destroying the Fish against killing of Salmon and Trouts out of season against killing Pike or Pickerel not ten Inches long or Salmon not 16 Inches long or Trout not 8 Inches long or Barbel 12 Inches and more nor to Fish with any Nets but such whereof every Meash or Mash shall be two Inches and a half broad Angling excepted This not to extend to Smelts Roches Minoes Bullhead Gudgeons or Eâ—les in place where the same have been used to be taken The Offender to lose for every Offence 20 â—s and the Fish also the unlawful Nets Engines and Instruments The Mayor of London Inter alia hath full Power and Authority by this Act to Inquire of all Offences Committed contrary thereunto by the Oaths of 12 Men or more and to Hear and Determine all and every the same and inflict Punishments and impose Fines accordingly V. He proceeds to assert the Cities
quarter must stay till other Poor be so served and that it comes to their turn again There are other Charities which came in Gifts of ready money and are accordingly truly distributed This Church being decayed began to be Repaired in the year of our Lord 1631. and was fully Repaired and curiously adorn'd Anno 1633. the charge of it amounting to above 2400 l. to make up which many worthy Parishioners did very bountifully contribute XXIX The Parish-Church of St. Edmond King and Martyr commonly called St. Edmond Lombard-street by the South-corner of Birchover-lane is also called St. Edmond Grass-Church because the Grass or Herb Market came down so low In this Church were divers Monuments and several pious Benefactors contributed to the Relief of the Poor of which more in its proper place under the Head of Benefactors This Church was Repaired and Beautified very richly at the charge of the Parishioners Anno 1631 and 1632. It cost 248 l. XXX The Parish-Church of St. Ethelburgh stands near Little St. Helens in Bishopsgate-Ward It was Repaired and Beautified at the charge of the Parishioners Anno 1612. And Anno 1620 the Steeple was Repaired Anno 1630 a Gallery was built in the South Isle at the charge of Owen Santpeere an Inhabitant of that Parish XXXI At the West-end of Jesus Chapel under the Quire of Pauls was the Parish-Church of St. Faith commonly called St. Faith under Pauls which served for the Stationers and others dwelling in Pauls Church-yard Pater-Noster-Row and places adâ—oining The Chapel of Jesus being suppressed in the Reign of Edward VI. The Parishioners of St. Faith's Church were removed into the same as being more large and lightsom Anno 1551. As to the Repairs of this we will only say what was anciently said of it that This Church needs no Repair at all Saint Faith's defended by Saint Paul XXXII In the midst of Fenchurch-street stands the Parish-Church called St. Gabriel Fen-church to which Helming Legget Esq by Licence of Edward III. in the 49 year of his Reign gave one Tenement with a Curtelage thereunto belonging and a Garden with an Entry thereto leading to the Parson and his Successors as a Parsonage-house and the Garden to be a Burying-place for the Parish This Church was inlarged Nine Foot and very richly Beautified at the charge of the Parish Anno 1631 and 1632. which cost them 537 l. 7 s. 10 d. XXXIII The Parish-Church of St. George Botolph-lane in Billinsgate-Ward is small but had divers Monuments It was Repaired and Beautified at the Parish-charge Anno 1627. XXXIV Adjoining to the place where Lollards Tower stood called the Bishops Prison where they committed such as gain-said the Opinions of their Church is the Parish-Church of St. Gregory appointed to the Petty Canons of Pauls This Church was repaired and richly adorned at the cost of the Parishioners Anno 1631 and 1632. which amounted to above 2000 l. XXXV The Parish-Church of St. Hellens in Bishopsgate-Ward was sometimes a Priory of Black Nuns founded in the Reign of Henry III. which was demolished the 30 of Henry VIII The whole Church and the Partition betwixt the Nuns Church and Parish-Church being taken down remaineth to the Parish and is a fair Parish-Church This Church was Repaired and Beautified at the charge of the Parishioners 1631 1632 1633. which amounted to above 1300 l. XXXVI The Parish-Church of St James Dukes-Place in Aldgate-Ward was built in King James's time and consecrated Anno 1622. Sir Peter Proby being Lord Mayor John Hodges Esq and Sir Humphry Hanford Kt. Sheriffs and Aldermen It was built where the Priory as they called it of the Holy Trinity formerly stood the Parishioners obtaining License of King James to build themselves a Parish Church having long been destitute to the building of which many worthy Persons were Benefactors It is a very beautiful and handsome Church and at the time of re-edifying it was called Trinity Christ Church XXXVII The Parish-Church of James Garlick-hithe or Garlick-hive because on the River Thames near this Church Garlick was usually Sold in former Days This was a handsom Church It is Recorded that Richard Rothing one of the Sheriffs of London new built it in anno 1326 and lyes Buryed there c. The North Ile was New Built and the whole Church Repaired at the charge of the Parishioners anno 1624. which amounted to above seven hundred Pound This is in Vintry-Ward XXXVIII The Parish-Church of St. John Baptist called St. John upon Wallbrook because the West end thereof is on the very Bank of Wallbrook by Horse-shooe-bridge in Horse-shooe-bridge-street was some Years before the Fire new built For in the Year 1412 License was granted by the Lord Mayor and Commonalty to the Parson and Parish to enlarge it with a piece of Ground on the North part of the Quire one and twenty Foot in length and seventeen Foot in breadth and three Inches and and on the South side of the Quire one Foot of the common Soyl. The most Memorable Monument there was that of Sir Henry Fitz-Alwin Draper the first Lord Mayor of London in the Tenth of King John anno 1208. who continued by many Elections in the Mayoralty several Years His dwelling House in that Parish was divided into two or three Houses and given to the Drapers for which they pay a quit-rent in his Name yearly for ever So that Mr. Stow's avouching that he was Buried in the Priory of the Holy Trinity within Ald-gate now called Dukes-place is a mistake The Curious in this matter may be satisfied in the Drapers-Hall This Church was Re-edified and Adorned anno 1621. It is in Wallbrook-Ward XXXIX On the East side of Friday-street so called of Fishmongers dwelling there that served Fridays Market is the Parish-Church commonly called St. John Evangelist in Bread-street-Ward It was Repaired and Beautified at the cost of the Parishioners anno 1626. And a new Gallery was Built and Beautified at the proper charge of Thomas Good-year a Citizen and Draper of London that dwelt in the Parish XL. At the North-West Corner of Maiden-lane in Alderâ—gate-Ward is the fair Parish-Church of St. John Zachary Thomas Lichfield founded a Chauntry there in the Fourteenth year of Edward the Second Sir Nicholas Tâ—yford Goldsmith and Lord Mayor with Dame Margery his Wife lye Interr'd there Of whose Goods the Church was made and new Built with a Tomb for them and their posterity Anno 1390. Amongst many other Pious and Worthy Persons and Benefactors to the publick we cannot omit a Monument erected there in Memory of Sir James Pemberton Knight who being Sheriff of this City at the coming in of King James entertained near Forty Earls and Barons when the King was proclaimed Anno 1612. he was Elected Mayor of this Honourable City of London He Erected a Free-School in the Parish of Ecleston in Lancashire sixteen years before his Death and gave Fifty Pound by the Year for the maintaining thereof for ever He gave also five hundred pound
Foreigner an English Man can Attaint a Man of Treason when he is Dead and when he is no more a Man c. A Parliament is Summoned in manner following About fourty Days before the Parliament doth Assemble the King Issues out His Writ out of the Chancery cum advisamento Consilii sui with the advice of His Council and the Warrant is per ipsum Regem Consilium by the King Himself and His Council The King's Writ which is a short Letter or Epistle is directed and sent to every particular Person of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal commanding the Lords Spiritual in Fide Dilectione in Faith and Love and the Lords Temporal per fidem allegantiam by their Faith and Allegiance to appear at a certain time and place to Treat and give their Advice in some certain Important Affairs concerning the Church and State c. Other Writs are sent to the High Sheriff of each County to Summon the People to Elect two Knights for each County two Citizens for each City and one or two Burgesses for each Burrough according to Statute Charter or Custom In these Elections antiently all the People had their Votes and most Votes carried it but for avoiding of Tumults and Trouble it was Enacted by Henry the VI. that none should have any suffrage in the Election of Knights of the Shire but such as were Free-holders did Reside in the County and had of Yearly Revenue 40 s. which till the discovery of Gold and Silver in America was as much as 30 or 40 l. now The Persons Elected for each County are to be Milites Notabiles or at least Esqs or Gentlemen fit to be made Knights as it is in the Statutes of Henry the VI. they ought to be de discretionibus Militibus ad laborandum potentioribus of the discreetest Knights and most able to endure Labour of age viz. 21 Years at least and Experience without Rancor Malice Heat and Envy to be constant so as not to be swerved from Right by Fear Reward or Favour and in Judgment no respecters of Persons of a ripe and good Memory that remembring Perils past they may prevent Dangers to come They are to be Vigorous Active and Temperate and content to give their Attendance for Publick Good with which they are Intrusted Men of Noble Spirits and good Estates to prevent their being Mercenary or Bribed to betray their great Trust Men well verst in National and Political Affairs and of Capacious Understandings that so they might not be imposed upon ' by the Subtilty of such as would over-reach them They ought also to be well acquainted with the Laws of the Land and the Transactions of former Parliaments in order to the Repeal of Old Laws which though fit for the times they were made may not be so for the present times the Circumstances of things being varyed much from what they were by divers Revolutions and to Enact New Laws for general Good And indeed we have had of late Parliaments of this Character Men of such brave Spirits such Sagacity Prudence and Integrity to promote the General Welfare of that Great Body Politick whose Worthy Representatives they were as have exceeded their Predecessors and will hardly be out-done in succeeding times They ought to be Native English Men or at least such as have been Naturalized by Act of Parliament No Alien or Denizen none of the twelve Judges no Sheriff of a County no Ecclesiastical Person that hath curam animarum the cure or care of Souls may be chosen to Serve for any County City or Burrough This Grand and Illustrious Senate Consists of the three great Estates of the Kingdom the King 's most Excellent Majesty being the head viz. The Prelates and the Peers of the Realm and the Commons in which is such a Co-ordination of Power such a Wholsom mixture betwixt Prince and Commonalty during the time of Consultation that they make but one Body Politique their Results when they concur being as so many Harmonious Diapasons arising from the Touch of different Strings This Great Council is the great Bulwark of the English Liberty Property and Religion and the great Bank that keeps them from Slavery and the Inundations of Tyrannical Incroachments and unbounded Will-Government The People are lyable to no Laws but what they themselves make and are subject to no Contribution Tax Assessment or Pecuniary Leveys whatsoever but what they themselves Vote and Voluntarily yield to For there all Degrees of People be Represented the Yeoman Merchant Tradesman Mechanick c. have their inclusive Votes as well as the Gentry and Free-holders their Burgesses and Knights The House of Lords consists of Eleven Dukes whereof two are of the Royal Family viz. the Duke of York and Prince Rupert then the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Privy Seal takes Place before all Dukes not of the Royal Blood There are two Marquesses the Lord High Chamberlain of England the Lord Steward of the King's Houshold and the Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshould in respect of their Offices takes place of all Earls who at present are in Number viz. such as may Sit in the House of Lords 64. Then there are 7 Viscounts and 60 Barons according to the Printed List of the last Parliament that met at Oxford March 21. this present Year 1681. Then there are two Archbishops and twenty four Bishops so that the whole Number may be about 176 some of which Lords are under Age some Employed abroad by the King some Sick or Infirm so that the ordinary Number that Sits besides the Peers in the Tower and such as are Excluded by Act of Parliament for Recusancy c. may be about one hundred The House of Commons consists of two Knights for each of the 40 Shires in England being 80. One for each County in Wales being 12 Knights Two for each of the 25 Cities in England and four for London in all 52. Sixteen Barons for the Cinque-Ports Two Burgesses for each of the two Vniversities About 330 Burgesses for 168 Burroughs in England of which some few send but one Burgess a piece Lastly of twelve Burgesses viz. one for one Burrough in each County of Wales so that the Total according to the aforesaid List is 513. Of which many are absent somtimes by permission of the House upon business or because of Sickness c. The Number of the Parliament Men that each County sends are as followeth 1. Bedfordshire 4 2. Berkshire 9 3. Buckinghamshire 14 4. Cambridgeshire 6 5. Cheshire 4 6. Cornwall 44 7. Cumberland 6 8. Derbyshire 4 9. Devonshire 26 10. Dorsershire 20 11. Durham 4 12. Essex 8 13. Glocestershire 8 14. Herefordshire 8 15. Hartfordshire 6 16. Huntingtonshire 4 17. Kent 10 18. Lancashire 14 19. Leicestershire 4 20. Lincolnshire 12 21. Middlesex 8 22. Monmouthshire 3. 23. Norfolk 12 24. Northamptonshire 9 25. Northumberland 8 26. Nottinghamshire 8 27. Oxfordshire
the Dukes Marquesses and Earls according to their Creations Upon the first Form across the House below the Woolsacks sit the Viscounts and upon the next Forms the Barons all in Order The Lord Chancellor or Keeper if the King be present stands behind the Cloth of Estate otherwise sits on the first Woolsack thwart the Chair of State his Great Seal and Mace by him he is Lord Speaker of the Lords House Upon other Woolsacks sit the Judges the Privy Counsellors and Secretaris of State the King's Council at Law the Masters of Chancery who being not Barons have no suffrage by Voâ—ce in Parliament but only sit as was said to give Advice when required The Reason of their sitting upon Woolsacks is thought to be to put them in mind of the Great Importance of our Woollen Manufactories which is the Grand Staple Commodity of England and so not to be by any means neglected On the Lowermost Woolsack are placed the Clerk of the Crown and Clerk of the Parliament whereof the former is concern'd in all Writs of Parliament and Pardons in Parliament The other Recordeth all things done in Parliament and keepeth the Records of the same This Clerk hath also two Clerks under him who kneel behind the same Woolsack and write thereon Without the Bar of the Lords House sits the King 's first Gentleman Usher called the Black-Rod from a Black-staff he carries in his hand under whom is a Yeoman Usher that waits at the Door within a Cryer without and a Serjeant at Mace always attending the Lord Chancellor When the King is present with His Crown on his Head none of the Lords are covered The Judges stand till the King gives them leave to sit When the King is absent the Lords at their entrance do Reverence to the Chair of State as is or should be done by all that enter into the King's Presence Chamber The Judges then may sit but may not be covered till the Chancellor or Keeper signifies unto them the leave of the Lords The King's Council and Masters of Chancery sit also but may not be covered at all The Commons in their House sit Promiscuously only the Speaker hath a Chair placed in the middle and the Clerk of that House near him at the Table They never had any Robes as the Lords ever had but wear every one what he fancyeth most The time of Sitting in Parliament is on any day in the Morning or before Dinner When the day prefixt by the King in His Writs of Summons is come the KING usually in his Royal Robes with His Crown on His Head declares the cause of their being Assembled in a short Speech leaving the rest to the Lord Chancellor who then stands behind His MAJESTY the Commons in the mean time standing bare at the Bar of the Lords House who are Commanded to chuse then a Speaker which without the KING's Command they may not do whereupon they Return to their own House and choose one of their own Members whom they present on another Day to the KING and being approved of by His MAJESTY sitting in His Chair and all the Lords in their Scarlet Robes he makes a modest refusal which not allowed he Petitioneth His Majesty That the Commons may have during their Sitting 1. A free Access to His Majesty 2. A freedom of Speech in their own House 3. Freedom from Arrests Which the King Grants Before they enter upon Affairs all the Members of the House of Commons take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in the presence of an Officer appointed by the KING And since the Papists have been found by the Wisdom of the KING and Parliament to be Plotting and Contriving to introduce the pretended Supremacy of their Pope and inslave the Nation to their Tyrannical Anti-spiritual Jurisdiction by Horrid Projections Plots Intrigues c. to prevent any such from Voting in either House it was thought meet though no Oaths can bind such who profess the Impious Doctrine of Equivocation that all are to declare their Opinion against the Doctrines of Transubstantiation Invocation and Adoration of Saints the Sacrifice of the Mass which Test the Lords also are Obliged to take in their House before they can Sit and Debate upon any Affair The Lords House hath a power not only in Making and Repealing Laws but also in tractando Consilium impendendo that is in Treating and Counselling c. as the words of the Writ are also in Judging of Controversies Judging in the Arraignment of any Peer of the Realm putting Men to their Oaths especially in matters of Importance as the Corruption of Judges and Magistrates in Illegal proceeding in other Courts in Appeals from Decrees in Chancery No Papist is to Sit or have Suffrage in the Lords House The Lords in case of necessary or unavoidable absence may make their Proxies to Vote in their place after License obtained under the KING's Signet The Commons as was said have a power in Making and Repealing Laws they have a Negative Voice as the KING and Lords have for nothing can pass into a Law without the joint concurrence of the King and both Houses Bills for Levying of Mony upon the Subject begin in the House of Commons because the greater part of the same arises from them The Commons have a power to Supplicate and propose Laws and as before to Impeach publick Delinquents of the Highest Quality that are Subjects for they are the Grand Inquest of the Nation and are to present Publick Grievances to be Redressed and Delinquents to be punished To this end the Lords sit in their Robes on the Bench covered they Swear and Examine Witnesses and at last pass Sentence the Members of the House of Commons stand bare at the Bar of the Lords House produce Witnesses manage Evidences c. Though every Member of the House of Commons is chosen to Serve for one particular County City or Borough yet he Serves for the whole Kingdom and his Voice is equal to any other his power is absolute to consent or dissent They are to make it their special care to promote the good of that County City or Borough for which they Serve so as that no particular benefit may interfere with or be prejudicial to the Good of the whole Kingdom The Lords are to bear their own Charges because they Represent only themselves The Commons usually had their Reasonable expences In the 17 of Ed. II. they had Ten Groats for Knights and Five Groats for Burgesses a day and not long after Four s. a day for Dubbed Knights and Two s. for all others which in those days as appears by the Prices of all things was a considerable Sum above Twenty times more than it is now So that some decayed Boroughs finding the expence heavy Petitioned that they might not be obliged to send Burgesses to Parliament and so were Vnburgessed c. It is the Practice of each House to debate all publick Affairs relating to the general or
When the King Prorogues or Dissolves the Parliament He commonly comes in Person to the House of Lords in his Robes with the Crown on his Head and sends by the Vsher of the Black-Rod for all the House of Commons to the Bar of that House and after the King's Answer to each Bill signified as aforesaid his Majesty usually makes a Solemn Speech the Lord Chancellor another and the Speaker of the House of Commons a Third Then the Lord Chancellor by the special Command of the King doth pronounce the Parliament Prorogued or Dissolved The King being Head of the Parliament if his Death doth happen during the Sitting of the Parliament it is ipso facto Dissolved IV. Sommerset-House in the Strand is the Queens Palace In the Year 1549. Edward Duke of Sommerset Uncle to Edward the 6 th and Lord Protector pulled down several adjoyning Buildings to make him a Mansion-House there the Stones of which Houses and some other more remote Buildings which he demollished were converted to this Spatious and Beautiful Palace of which we cannot add much more but that it was the Fatal place where the wicked Romish Assassinates prompted by Hell and their accursed Principles most barbarously Murdered that Noble Patriot and never to be forgotten Knight Sir EDMOND-BERRY GODFREY on Saturday the 12 th of October 1678. The Bloody Villains being enraged at the Discovery of their Execrable Plot in which this brave Gentleman was very active made him a Sacrifice to their Revenge so that he may be truly stiled the Martyr of the English Protestant Interest and deserves a Memorial in all Loyal Christian Hearts The Narrative is published at large to which we refer our Reader only we cannot omit his Majesties Royal act who so resented this Abominable Villany that he issued his Proclamation the 20 th of October promising 500 l. to the Discoverer and a Pardon if one of the Malefactors and another soon after promising on the word of a King not only the said Reward of 500 l but such care for the Security of the Discoverer as he could in Reason propose upon which Captain William Bedlow since Dead and Mr. Miles Praunce a Silver-smith in Princes-street which last confessed to have been in the Fact made the Discovery and upon their clear and undoubted Evidence three of the Wretches were Executed viz. Green Berry and Hill the rest fled from Justice but cannot escape Divine Vengeance Having spoken of these principal Palaces it may be expected that we should speak something of the Great and Famous Houses of the Nobility which are very many and Magnificent not yielding to any in Europe as Clarendon-House which for Situation stately Architecture spacious solid uniform Structure is admirable Berkley-House Wallingford-House Northumberland-House Salisbury and Worcester Houses Bedford Leicester Newport Mountague and Southampton Houses and indeed most Houses of the great Peers But the brevity of our Volume will not admit a large Description only in General we shall say something of them in the Section that Treats of the Fire Anno 1666. and the Rebuilding of the City SECT 5. Of Exchanges and Publick-Halls THe Royal Exchange in Cornhil-Ward was Erected in the Year 1566 just one hundred Years before it was Burnt in this manner Certain Houses upon Cornhil containing Eighty Housholds were purchased by the City of London for above 3532 l. which they sold for 478 l. to such as would take them down and carry them away Then the Ground or Plot was made plain at the Charges of the City and Possession thereof was given to Sir Thomas Gresham Knight a Noble Merchant and Agent to Queen Elizabeth by certain Aldermen in the name of the whole for to Build an Exchange thereon for Merchants to Assemble On the 7 th of June he laid the first Stone in the Foundation being accompanied with some Aldermen where every one of them laid a piece of Gold which the Work-men took up The Work was advanced with such Expedition that in November 1567 it was finished and afterwards in the presence and by the special Command of the Queen it was Proclaimed by a Herald and with sound of Trumpet named The ROYAL EXCHANGE It was Built most of Brick and yet was the most splendid Burse all things considered that was then in Europe The Burse for Merchants was kept before in Lumbard-street In the great and dismal Conflagration Anno 1666. the Royal Exchange was consumed But it is since Rebuilt in a far more stately and Magnificent manner of excellent Portland Stone almost as durable as Marble with such curious and admirable Architecture especially for a Front a Turret and for Arch-work that it surpasseth all other Burses in Europe The Form is Quadrangular with a large Paved Court where the Merchants Meet it is Quadratum Oblongum an Oblong square and on each side are stately Galleries or Portico's Checquered with a smooth and delicate Stone-Pavement the Arches supported with strong Stone Pillars where in case of Rain or extream Heat the greatest part may be sheltered The whole Fabrick cost above 50000 l. whereof one half was disbursed by the Chamber of London and the other by the Company of Mercers And to reimburse them there are to be let 190 Shops above-stairs at 20 l. per annum and 30 l. Fine besides the several Shops below on the several sides and the huge Vaulted Cellars under ground so that it must needs be the richest piece of Ground in the World For The Exact Dimensions of the Ground whereon this Goodly Fabrick is Erected is but 171 Foot from North to South and 203 Foot from East to West and little more than three quarters of an Acre of Ground yet producing above 4000 l. Yearly Rent The New Exchange on the Strand was called Durham-House Built by Thomas Hatfield Bishop of Durham who being made Bishop of that See Anno 1549. continued so 36 Years It was a very Capacious Edifice on the North side stood a row of Thatcht low Stables which the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Salisbury then Lord High Treasurer of England purchased and pulled down Erecting in the room thereof at his own Charge a very goodly and beautiful Building with Cellars underneath and a Walk fairly Paved above it with Rows of Shops and the like above stairs The first Stone was laid the 10 th of June 1608 and it was finished in November following The Shops above and under were curiously adorn'd and in April following the Earl Invited King James the Queen the Prince the Duke of York to come thither who came attended with many of the Nobility where after a Rich Banquet the King named it Britains Burse There are also two Exchanges more viz. The Middle Exchange and Exeter Exchange which last was lately built in both which Goods are sold as at the Royal Exchange Having done with Exchanges we shall proceed to the Publick Halls of Companies As for the Great Guild-Hall for Orders sake the Reader is referred to the Section
of the said Doctors in a most Capacious and Beautiful manner where they keep their Courts and pleadings every Term which begins and ends almost at the same time with the Term at Westminster The Chief Court is that of the Arches so called from the Arched Church of St. Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside where this Court was wont to be held but now in the Common-Hall at Doctors Commons the Judge whereof is called the Dean of the Arches having Jurisdiction over a Deanry consisting of thirteen Parishes within London exempt from the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of London Hither are directed all Appeals in Ecclesiastical matters within the Province of Canterbury to this belong divers Advocates all Doctors of the Civil Law two Registers and ten Proctors The Dean or Judge of the Arches sitteth alone without any Assessors and Heareth and Determineth all Causes without any Jury of Twelve Men. The manner is briefly thus Fist goes out a Citation then a Bill and Answer then by Proofs Witnesses and Presumptions the matter is Argued pro and con and the Canon and Civil Laws quoted and then the Definitive Sentence of the Judge passeth and upon that Execution But by Statute 25 Henry the VIII it was provided that it shall be Lawful for any Subject of England in Case of Defect of Justice in the Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury to Appeal to the King's Majesty in His Court of Chancery and that upon such an Appeal a Commission under the Great Seal shall be directed to certain Persons particularly Designed for that business so that from the Highest Court of the Archbishop there lyes an Appeal to this Court and beyond it to none other It is called the Court of Delegates and in Civil Affairs is the Highest Court in England Ecclesiastical Criminal Causes are Tried by way of Accusation Denunciation or Inquisition The first When some one takes upon him to prove the Crime The second When the Church-Wardens Present and are not bound to prove because it is presumed they do it without Malice and that the Crime is Notorious Thirdly By Inquisition when by reason of Common Fame inquiry is made by the Bishop ex Officio suo by calling some of the Neighborhood or the Party Accused to their Oaths But this Oath ex Officio was taken away by Parliament in the time of King Charles the First If the Party Accused after Admonition submits not he is Excommunicated from the Church and is disenabled to be a Plaintiff in a Law Suit c. Which is called Excommunicatio Minor Excommunicatio Major excludes from the Church and from Society in Temporal Affairs and that for Heresie Schism Perjury Incest or such grievous Crimes then a Man cannot be Plantiff or Witness in any Civil or Ecclesiastical Court. And if he continues Excommunicated 40 Days the King 's Writ de Excommunicato capiendo is granted out of the Chancery against him whereupon he is cast into Prison without Bail there to lye till he hath submitted to the Bishop and satisfied for what he is charged with by which many tender Consciences have suffered deeply There is an Anathematismus inflicted upon an obstinate Person that is Judged an Heretick wherein he is Curs'd and Rejected to Damnation There is also an Interdict Prohibiting all Divine Offices to a Place or People if against a People it follows them any where if against a Place the People may go elsewhere to hear Somtimes a Person Adjudged a Delinquent is punished another way which is called Publick Pennance and is to stand in the Church-Porch upon Sunday bare Headed and bare Footed in a White sheet and a White Rod in his Hand then he is to go into the Church and his Crime being publickly repeated and he professing Repentance is Absolved but in some Cases the Party may come off for Money to the Poor or some Pious Use which is not always converted that way Christian Burial is denyed to Persons Excommunicate or Perjured to such as are Hang'd for Felony or Kill themselves to Apostates Hereticks and Extortioners Somtimes the Clergy Men are suspened ab Officio viz. from the Exercise of their Functions somtimes there is a Deprivatio a Beneficio when deprived of their Livings somtimes they are Degraded that is Deprived of their Orders which is commonly for some Heinous Crime So much Briefly of these Censures and Punishments The Office of Actuary attending the Court of Arches is to set down the Judges Decrees Register the Acts of the Court and send them in Books of the Registry The Office of the Register is to Attend the Court by himself or Deputy and receive all Libels or Bills Allegations and Exhibits of Witnesses Files all Sentences and keeps the Records of the Court. The Beadle attends the Court carryeth a Mace before the Judge and calls the Persons Cited to appear The Judge and all the Advocates who are all Doctors of the Civil Law wear Scarlet Robes with Hoods lined with Taffata if they be of Oxford or White Miniver Furr if of Cambridge and the Proctors ought to wear Hoods lined with Lamb skin if not Graduates but if Graduates Hoods according to their Degree The Proctors are Persons that Exhibit their Proxies for their Clients and make themselves Parties for them and draw and give in Pleas or Libels and Allegations in the behalf of their Clients produce the Witnesses prepare the Causes for Sentence and and attend the Advocates with the proceedings All Arguments made by Advocates and all Petitions made by Proctors are to be in Latin All process of this Court runs in the Name of the Judge and returnable before him heretofore in Bow-Church but now in the Common-Hall at Doctors Commons The Places and Offices of this Court are in the Gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury These Ecclesiastical Laws consist of Canons made by General Councels the Opinion of Fathers the Decrees of several Bishops of Rome formerly admitted and our own Constitutions made antiently in several Provincial Synods which by 25 Henry VIII are in Force so far as they are not Repugnant to the Laws and Customs of England or the King's Prerogative Then the Canons made in the Convocations of latter times as Primo Jacobi and confirmed by him some Statutes Enacted by Parliament and divers old Customs not written but yet in use and where these fail the Civil Law takes place Amongst the Great Officers of the Crown which are Nine viz. the Lord High Steward of England the Lord High Chancellor the Lord High Treasurer the Lord President of the KING's Council the Lord Privy Seal the Lord Great Chamberlain the Lord High Constable the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Admiral of England The last only appertains to this place his Trust and Honour is so great that it has been usually given to the KING 's Younger Sons near Kinsmen or some of the Highest and Chiefest of all the Nobility He has the management of all Maritime Affairs as well in respect of Jurisdiction as
Right to the Conservation of the Thames and the Waters of Medway by way of Inquisition whereof there were two the one taken at Raynam in Essex the other at Gravesend in Kent before Sir William Cambridge Grocer then Lord Mayor of London 9 Henry V. where it was presented that whereas by the antient Ordinances of London the Meshes of Nets should be two Inches in the fore part and one Inch in the hinder part and it being found that the Offences according to the said Inquisitions are Contra libertates consuetudines Civitatis it was adjudged that the Nets should be burnt according to the antient Custom in that behalf provided VI. He goes on after to prove that this Right belongs to the City by Decrees In 8 Henry IV. the Mayor and Aldermen did exhibit their humble Petition to the King's Councel reciting that time out of mind they had the Conservation and Correction of the River of Thames of all Trincks Nets and other Engines whatsoever in the River of Thames and Medway placed and have used to make a Sub-Conservator under them and complaining that Alexander Bonner then Sub-Conservator having discharged his Duty in removing Kiddles he was ill intreated by the owners dwelling in Erith Bratriferry Barking Woolwich and other places in the Counties of Kent and Essex and upon hearing of the matter in Camera Stellata they were found Guilty and Constrained to submit themselves to the Lord Mayor and ordered to bring always their Nets unto him before they should use them and that the Kiddles then taken should be at the disposition of the Lord Mayor so the Offenders made their submission accordingly VII He proceeds This Right appertains to the City of London by Letters Patents which he proved by a Grant made by Edward IV. to the Earl of Pembroke for setting up a Wear in the River of Thames which Grant was Revoked and Cancelled at the Request of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen upon shewing their Right therefore alleaged it was contrary to their antient Liberties At which time the Cities Title to the Conservancy of the Thames and Medway was at large set forth and recited to have been shewn to the Lord Chancellor and to the said Earl and his Counsel which accordingly was also read VIII He reinforceth the Right of the City by Proclamations whereof one was made by H. VIII in the 34 of His Reign wherein it is affirmed that the Lord Mayor and his Predecessors have had by divers Grants of the Kings of England and by Acts of Parliaments enjoyed always the Conservacy of the Thames without Impediments or Interruption By which Proclamation it was Commanded that none should resist deny or impugne the Lord Mayor or his Deputy in doing or executing any thing that might conduce to the Conservacy of the River and of the Fish and Fry within the same IX He produceth Report for in a Controversie betwixt the Lord Admiral and the Lord Mayor for the Measuring of Coals and other things upon the Thames it then fell into Debate to whom the Conservacy of the Thames did belong which cause was referred by Queen ELIZABETH's Councel of State 1597 to the Attorney-General and Solicitor who joyntly Certified amongst other things that the Conservancy and care of the said River did and ought to belong to the City of London X. By quo Warranto it was proved that the Conservacy of the Thames belongs to the City for 3 Jac. a quo Warranto was brought against the City in the Exchequer to know by what Title She claimed the Conservacy of the River of Thames and the Waters of Medway whereupon the City made Her Title Good thereunto by antient prescription and otherwise so Judgment was given in Her Favour XI He goes on afterwards to confirm the Right of the City by Proof of Vsage in regard the Lord Mayor and Aldermen have time out of mind made Ordinances concerning the Good Government of the River of Thames as well for the Seasons and Manner of Fishing beneath London-bridge Eastward upon pain of certain Penalties as appears from time to time from the Reign of Henry III. and so downward The Lord Mayor hath removed Kiddles Wears Trinks and other unlawful Engines and reformed the disorders of such as have offended besides in the River of Thames and inflicted punishment upon Offenders accordingly The Right of the City appears also by the Writs and Preceps under the Teste of the Lord Mayor to the Sheriffs of Kent and Essex for the Returning of Juries before him to inquire of Offences done in the River The same Right of the City appears also by Commissions whereof divers have been directed to the Lord Mayor to put in Execution the Acts of Parliament made for Conservance of the Thames and Medway and to inquire of all Offences made or done in the said Waters and to punish the Deliaquents accordingly Lastly He makes good the Right and Title of the City by the Continual Claim She has made thereunto as appears in those various Contests She had with the Lord Admiral of England wherein after divers Debates and Disputes She still came off well and made Her Title good Which moved King Jamts in the third Year of His Reign to put a Final Determination to the Business by the Letters Patents he passed unto the City wherein he saith That ad omnem Controversiam in hac parte Temporibus tam presentibus quam futuris tollendam omne Dubium amo vendam that to cut off all Controversies as well of the present times as of Future and to remove all Doubts he did Confirm and Ratifie the said Right unto the City of London c. I. This Office of Conservator of so Noble a River is of great Extent for he is to preserve the Currency of the stream on the Banks on both sides II. To preserve the Fish and Fry within the same that no Fishermen use unlawful Nets or Engines or fish at Prohibited Seasons III. To hinder the erection of any Weares Kiddles or Engines and the knocking in of any Posts Piles or Stake which may in any sort hinder the Stream or Navigation and to pull them up if already done and punish the Offenders also to prevent all incroachments upon the Rivers and the Banks thereof likewise to inquire of all Bridges Flood-Gates Mill-dams and such like Annoyances and whether any do hurl in any Soyl Dust or Rubbish or other Filth whatsoever to choak her But for the strength and safety of the River against the Invasion of an Enemy by Block-Houses Forts Bastions or Castles and the securing of the Merchant and Navigation to and fro that Charge belongs to the Soveraign Prince The former Charge Care and Circumspection belongs properly to the City of London which is Seated in a fit place to be watchful over her for which Vigilance the Thames Rewards the City abundantly by bringing her in the Spices of the South the Jewels of the East and the Treasures of the
purchase of outward peace forced me to insert and perhaps it were more fit for a Divine and for another Treatise in this Section of the Ecclesiastical Government of this Renowned City There belong to this Cathedral besides those mentioned before A. Chaunter a Chancellor five Arch-Deacons viz. London Middlesex Essex Colchester and S. Albane a College of 12 Petty Canons 6 Vicars Choral and Choristers c. In the Bishop of London's Diocess there is contained the City of London all Middlesex and Essex and a part of Hartfordshire SECT 2. Of the Temporal Government of the City of LONDON THis great and populous City is governed with that admirable Order and Regularity that it is even astonishing For therein as in most other things she excells all the Cities in the World To handle this at large would make this small Tract swell beyond bounds we shall therefore give a brief abstract of it for Methods sake under these heads 1. Its Magistrates and Publick Officers 2. Its Charters and Priviledges 3. It s Particular or By-laws 4. Its Courts 5. Its Prisons 6. Its Watches 1. Of the Magistrates and Publick Officers of London This Renowned City in the time of the Romans was made a Praefectura and the chief Magistrate call'd a Prefect which continued about 300 years In the time of the Saxons the name was changed into a Portgreeve that is Custos or Guardian and sometimes Provost of London After the coming in of the Normans the chief Magistrate was called Bailivus from the French word Bailler tradere committere that is Commissarius or one that hath Commission to govern others and there were sometimes two Bayliffs in London till King Richard the First in the year 1189. changed the name of Bayliff into Mayor which hath so continued 482 years The first Lord Mayor was Henry Fitz-Alwin Draper who continued in the Mayoralty from the first of Richard the First untill the 15 th of King John which was above 24 years He was interred in the Parish Church of S. Mary Bothaw near to London-Stone where he dwelt not S. John Baptist as was by mistake affirm'd p. 39. which the Reader is desired to correct by this c. In this place before we come to treat more particularly of this great and honourable Magistrate it may not be amiss to give a List of all the Lord Mayors and Sheriffs from that time to this present year 1681. Richard the First began his Raign July the 6th 1189. A. D. A. R. Lord MAYORS SHERIFFS 1189 1 Henry Fitz-Alwin Henry Cornhil Richard Reynere 1190 2 The same John Herlion Roger Duâ—e 1191 3 The same William Haverel John Buckmote 1192 4 The same Nicholas Duke Peter Newly 1193 5 The same Râ—ger Duke Richard Fitz-Alwin 1194 6 The same William Fitz-Isabel William Fitz-Arnold 1195 7 The same Robert Besaunt Joke de Josne 1196 8 The same Gerard de Antiloche Robert Durant 1197 9 The same Roger Blunt Nicholas Ducket 1198 10 The same Const Fitz-Arnold Robert le Bean. 1199 11 The same Arnold Fitz-Arnold Ri. Fitz Bartholomew King John began his Reign the 6th of April 1199. A. D. A. R. Lord MAYORS SHERRIFFS 1199 1 Henry Fitz-Alwin Arnold Fitz-Arnold Ri. Fitz Bartholomew 1200 2 The same Roger Dorset James Bartholomew 1201 3 The same Walter Fitz-Allice Sim. de Aldermanbury 1202 4 The same Norman Blondel John de Ely 1203 5 The same Walter Browne W. Chamberlaine 1204 6 The same Thomas Haverel Hamond Brond 1205 7 The same John Walgrave Rich. de Winchester 1206 8 The same John Holy-land Edm. Fitz-Gerard 1207 9 The same Roger Winchester Edmund Hardle 1208 10 The same Peter Duke Thomas Neal. 1209 11 The same Peter le Josue William Blound 1210 12 The same Adam Whitbey Stephen le Grass 1211 13 The same John Fitz-Peter John Garland 1212 14 The same Randolph Eyland Constantine Josue 1213 15 Roger Fitz-Alwin Martin Fitz-Allice Peter Bate 1214 16 The same Solomon Basing Hugh Basing 1215 17 William Hardel John Travers Andrew Newland King Henry the III. began His Reign the 19th of October 1216. A. D. A. R. Lord MAYORS SHERIFFS 1216 1 William Hardel John Travers Andrew Newland 1217 2 Robert Serl Thomas Bokerel Ralph Holyland 1218 3 The same Bennet Senturer William Blundivers 1219 4 The same John Wail or Veil Josue le Spicer 1220 5 The same Richard Wimbledon John Wail or Veil 1221 6 The same Richard Renger John Veil 1222 7 The same Richard Joyner Thomas Lambert 1223 8 Richard Benger William Joyner Thomas Lambert 1224 9 The same John Travers Andrew Bokerel 1225 10 The same The same The same 1226 11 The same Roger Duke Mar. Fitz-Williams 1227 12 Roger Duke Stephen Bokereâ— Henry Cocham 1228 13 The same The same The same 1229 14 The same William Winchester Robert Fitz-John 1230 15 The same Richard Walter John de Woborn 1231 16 Andrew Bokerel Michael of St. Helen Walter de Enfield 1232 17 Andrew Bokerel Henry de Edmonton Gerard Bat. 1233 18 The same Roger Fitz-Mary Roger Blunt 1234 19 The same Ralph Ashwray John Norman 1235 20 The same Gerard Bat. Rich. or Rob. Hardel 1236 21 The same Henry Cobham Jordan Conventry 1237 22 The same John Tolason Gerv. the Cordwainer 1238 23 Richard Benger John Codras John Wilhall 1239 24 William Joyner Reymond Bongy Ralph Ashwy 1240 25 Gerard Bat. John Gisors Michael Tony. 1241 26 Reymond Bongy Thomas Duresm John Voyl 1242 27 The same John Fitz-John Ralph Ashwy 1243 28 Ralph Ashwy Hugh Blunt Adam Basing 1244 29 Michael Tony. Ralph Eoster Nicholas Bat. 1245 30 John Gisors Robert Cornhil Adam of Bewly 1246 31 The same Simon Fitz-Mary Lawrence Frowick 1247 32 Peter Fitz-Alwin John Voil Nicholas Bat. 1248 33 Michael Tony. Nicholas Fitz-Josue Geoffry Winchester 1249 34 Roger Fitz-Roger Richard Hardel John Tolason 1250 35 John Gisors Humphrey Bat. Will. Fitz. Richard 1251 36 Adam Basing Lawrence Frowick Nicholas Bat. 1252 37 John Tolason William Durham Thomas Wimborn 1253 38 Richard Hardel John Northampton Richard Richard 1254 39 The same Ralph Ashury Robert of Limâ—n 1255 40 The same Stephen Doe Henry Walmond 1256 41 The same Michael Bokerel John the Minor 1257 42 The same Richard Otwell William Ashwy 1258 43 The same Robert Cornhill John Adrian 1259 44 John Gisors John Adrian Robert Cornhill 1260 45 Will. Fitz-Richard Adam Browning Henry Coventry 1261 46 The same John Northampton Richard Pichard 1262 47 Thom. Fitz-Richard John Taylor Richard Wallbroke 1263 48 The same Rob. de Mountpeter Osbert de Suffolk 1264 49 Thomas Fitz Thomas Fitz-Richard George Râ—kestey Thomas de Detford 1265 50 The same Edward Blâ—nt Peter Anger 1265 51 William Richards John Hind John Walraven 1266 52 Allen de-la-Zouch John Adrian Lucas de Batencourt 1267 53 T. Wimborn Custos Sir Stephen Edward Walter Harvey William Duresm 1268 54 Hugh Fitz-Ottonis Custos of London and Constable of the Tower Thomas Basing Robert Cornhill At this time the KING Granted the Choice of the Mayors and Sheriffs to
Stones that immur'd up the Door they were heard to cry seven days after and then perished From the Savoy they went to the Temple where they burnt the Lawyers Lodgings with their Books and Writings and all they could lay hands on They broke up the Fleet Prison and let the Prisoners go where they would The like they did at Newgate and made a most dreadful havock up and down The house of St. Johns by Smithfield they set on fire so that it burnt seven days together After this they came to the Tower where the King was then lodged And though he had at that time 600 armed Men and 600 Archers about him yet he durst not but suffer them to enter where they abused the King's Mother in a rude manner offering to kiss her c. that she fell into a Swoon And finding in the place Simon Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor and Sir Robert Hale Prior of St. John and Lord Treasurer and one Richard a Carmelite Monk the King's Confessor these they led to Tower-hill and there most cruelly cut off their heads as they served divers others Indeed Polidore Virgil writes That the Rebels were not at all in the Tower but that the King sent these three men to appease them hoping that they would not offer to abuse such eminent Clergy-men For saith he Si vulgus it a concitatus turrem expugnasset non eos utique tres duntaxat uti credere par est sed Regem relquos ommes quos imprimis ad supplicium petebat interfecisset that is If the enraged Common People had taken the Tower by force they would in all probability destroy not only those three but the King also and all the rest whom first of all they demanded to be deliver'd to them â—or punishment They drew Thirteen Flemings out of Austin-Fryers and Beheaded them in the Streets Seventeen more out of another Church And Thirty two out of the Vintry and several out of their own or others whom they Beheaded yet after all these barbarous and bloody Outrages the King proclaimed Pardon to all such as would lay down Arms and go quietly home which the Essex men did but the Kentish men continued still with their Captain Wat-Tyler of Maidstone a crafty Fellow of an acute wit but very graceless Polidore Virgil says He was Manibus promptus ac Consiliis praeceps of a ready hand and hasty or precipitate in counsel To this Ringleader of Mischief the King sent Sir John Newton to understand what his meaning was Wat Tyler was offended because he came on Horse-back telling him It became him to alight from his Horse in his presence and therewith drew out his Dagger to strike him The King perceiving this Noble Knight to be in danger to qualifie the severity of Wat for a time commanded Sir John to alight which did not pacifie but made Wat the more insolent and would have the King's Sword which Sir John carried offering again to assault him But the Lord Mayor of London William Walworth with other Persons of Quality being just come affirm'd it to be an unheard-of Indignity and a most intolerable Disgrace if the King should suffer so Noble a Knight to be basely murdered in his presence Upon which the King commanded the Lord Mayor to arrest him who did it to purpose for being a man of an invincible Courage and a brave Mind he regarded not the hazard that probably would follow his attacking that Darling and Leader of a Rude Numerous and Rebellious Rabble but prefer'd his Duty to his King and Countrey and the Generosity of rescuing an abused Gentleman even before life I insert this as a Remark due to this brave and memorable Action which deserves never to be forgotten The Mayor immediately rides up to Wat and Arrests him with such a salutation of his Mace on his head that he tumbles him down and then he was by some of the King's Servants some say by John Cavendish Esq run through in several places many persons encompassing him so as that he could not be seen by his Plebeian Army and then caus'd his dead Body to be drawn into St. Bartholomews Hospital But the Commons perceiving it they cry'd Their Captain was slain and animated each other to revenge Upon which the King though not above 15 years of age was so Couragious as to ride up to them telling them That now their Leader was dead he would be their Leader himself and if they would follow him into the Fields they should have whatsoever they desired In the mean time the Lord Mayor Walworth with one Servant Rides speedily into the City and raised One thousand armed Men where meeting Sir Robert Knolls a Citizen by accident got him to be their Leader who coming into the Field where the Rebels were so daunted them that throwing down their weapons they cry'd for mercy so that it was a wonderful thing to see how suddenly Fear overtook Presumption and how quickly terms of the most servile Submission succeeded their insolent Brags viz. That they had the King's life in their power c. and what else they would do On the other side 't was as strange to see how quickly Boldness surprized Fear in those about the King for a little before they trembled at the sight of the Rebels but now they are mad to be at them which the King would not suffer but commanded the Charter they had demanded to be scaled and delivered to them because these Commotions might have the speedier End for the Commons in other places were not yet quiet and the King thought it more prudent rather to pacifie than provoke them The Rabble being dispersed the King called for the Mayor and Knighted him in the Field as also five Aldermen his Brethren viz. Nicholas Brember John Philpot Robert Lawnd John Standish Nicholas Twyford and Adam Francis Some affirm that the Dagger was added to the City Arms for this Reason but Antiquaries make out that this Coat with the Sword of St. Paul not a Dagger belonged to the City long before this hapned The Mayor of London after this sate in Judgment upon Offenders where many were found Guilty and were Executed amongst others Jack Straw John Kirby Alane Tredder and John Sterling who gloried that he slew the Archbishop Sir Robert Tresilian the Chief Justice was appointed to sit in Judgment against the Offenders before whom above 1500 were found Guilty and in several places put to Death amongst whom was John Ball the Priest their Incendiary And thus ended that dangerous Rebellion About the Year 1450. 29 H. 6. there was another Insurrection in Kent headed by one Jack Cade who stiled himself John Mortimer Captain Mend-all He marches with a small but well-order'd Number to Black-Heath where he lay about a Month exercising his Men and in the mean time presents several Complaints to the King and Parliament of various Grievances and Oppressions but they were judged too insolent and therefore rejected
and in the midst of the Cross upon mighty high Arches was the Tower built It was a very magnificent Structure for Beauty Dimensions and Proportion as William of Malmsbury says adding That it ought to be numbred among the Number of the most excellent Edifices the large Arched Vault and the Church above it being of such a capacity that saith he it may seem sufficient enough to receive any Number of People The Caemitery or Church-yard was of a very great Dimension for it reached North as far as St. Nicholas Market-place West almost as far as Lud-gate South near to Baynards Castle I my self this last year viz. January 1680. saw in the place where the New Conduit is a building where they digged to lay the Foundation several Coffins and Bones so that it extended farther by far on that side and probably on all sides than it does now As to its Benefactors and its being consumed by the dreadful Conflagration in 1666. more shall be spoken under their proper Heads As to its Situation it was built on the highest part of the City and so more conspicuous perhaps than any Cathedral in the World His present Majesty in the year 1673. having with great cost pulled down the Burnt Walls removed the Rubbish and cleared the Foundation has laid another Foundation which is considerably advanced and for Magnificence Splendor Solidity Figure and Curious Architecture will probably excel any to be seen elsewhere Besides this stately Cathedral there were destroyed in the dreadful Fire of 1666 Eighty seven Parish Churches and six Consecrated Chapels a great many of which are since Re-built far more stately and magnificent than ever they were before of solid Stone with very curious Workmanship beautified with excellent various Towers and Fronts of true Roman Architecture Of the Churches in City and Suburbs we will give a brief Account beginning with Westminster Abby and so on with the rest Alphabetically Westminster Abby was founded by Sebert King of the East Saxons out of the Ruines of a Temple of Apollo which stood there and fell by an Earthquake in the time of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius about the year of our Lord 605 and had its Name from its Situation as being West from London and its Minster It was dedicated to St. Peter and destroyed in the furious Wars of the Danes but Reedified by Bishop Dunstan by the favor of King Edgar who gave it some few Monks Afterwards King Edward called the Confessor built it anew and richly endowed it but about 160 years after King Henry III. Rebuilt it from the Ground with that rare Architecture now seen It was the work of 50 years complete The King himself laid the first Stone and covered the Roof with Lead in the year 1220. The Abbots much inlarged it afterwards to the Westward And King Henry VII Anno 1502. bestowed 14000 Pounds in Building that admirable Chapel which Leland calls the Wonder of the World for if we respect the admirable and artificial Work without and within Beauty and Elegancy it can scarce be parallel'd in the World And it is the judgment of the most Exquisite Architects that it comprehends whatsoever is rare and delicate in that Noble Art Here is to be seen his own Tomb and Monument made of solid and massie Brass The Form of the old Building as an old Manuscript shews was That the principal Plot or Ground-work of the Building is supported with most lofty Arches cast round with a Four-square Work and semblable Joints But the Compass of the whole with a double Arch of Stone on both sides is enclosed with Joined Work firmly knit and united together every way The Cross of the Church which was to compass the Mid-quire of those that chaunted unto the Lord and with a twofold supportance that it had on either side to uphold and bear the lofty top of the Tower in the midst simply ariseth at first with a low and strong Arch then mounteth it higher with many winding stairs artificially ascending with a number of steps but afterwards with a single wall it reacheth up to the Roof of Timber well and surely covered with Lead But the new Work of King Henry III. far excels that for rare Workmanship being supported with several Rows of Marble Pillars in very curious Order and the Roof covered with sheets of Lead When the Monks were driven from this Church it had 1 A Dean and Prebendaries 2 Afterwards one Bishop viz. T. Thurlby who having wasted the Church Patrimony was removed 3 Queen Mary set the Monks and their Abbot in possession But 4 They were by Queen Elizabeth and the Parliament cast out and it was converted to a Collegiate Church and a Dean placed therein with 12 Prebendaries and as many old Soldiers past Service Petty Canons and others of the Quire to the number of 30. And ten Officers belonging to the Collegiate Dyet a Schoolmaster and an Usher Forty Scholars who are in their due time preferred to the Universities they are called the Queens or Kings Scholars Twelve Almsmen with plentiful Maintenance for all Twelve poor Scholars besides Stewards Receivers Registers Collectors and other Officers the Principal whereof is the High Steward of Westminster who is usually one of the Prime Nobility The Dean is intrusted with the Custody of the Regalia at the Coronation honoured with a place of necessary service at all Coronations and a Commission of Peace within the City and Liberties of Westminster The Dean and Chapter invested with all manner of Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical and Civil not only in the City and Liberties of Westminster but within the Precincts of St. Martins le grand within the Walls of London and in some Towns of Essex exempted in the one from the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of London and in the other from that of the Archbishop of Canterbury There is a fair publick Library free for all Strangers to study both morning and afternoon always in Term-time William the Conqueror and all our Kings and Queens since have been Crowned in this Church The Monument of King Henry VII in the New Chapel was made and finished in the year 1519. by one Peter a Florentine for which he received of the Kings Executors 1000 l. The King with Elizabeth his Queen lie Interr'd in it being as was said a Tomb of solid Brass compassed about with these Verses which for their Elegancy and because they describe him to be so Renowned we shall here insert Septimus Henricus Tumulo requiescit in isto Qui Regum splendor lumen orbis erat Rex vigil sapiens comis virtutis amator Egregius formae strenuus atque potens Qui pâ—perit pacem Regno qui bella peregit plurima qui victor semper ab hoste redit Qui natus binis conjunxit Regibus ambas Râ—gibus Cuncti foedere Junctus erat Qui sacrum hoc struxit Templum statuitque sepulchrum Pro se proque sua conjuge prole Domo Lustra Decem atque annos
Zeal of the King was as he said himself so astonished That he could not tell what to say But after some pause said That he thought at this present for some entrance to be had it were good to practise with the City of London because the Number of the Poor there are very great and the Citizens also very many and wise and he doubted not but they were also both pitiful and merciful as the Mayor and his Brethren and other the Worshipful of the said City And that if it would please the Kings Majesty to direct His Gracious Letters unto the Mayor of London willing him to call unto him such Assistants as he should think meet to consult of this matter for some Order to be taken therein he doubted not but good would follow thereon and he himself promised the King to be one himself that should earnestly travel therein The King forthwith not only Granted his Letter but made the Bishop tarry until the same was written and his Hand and Signet set thereto and commanded the Bishop not only to deliver the said Letter himself but also to signifie unto the Mayor that it was the Kings especial Request and express Commandment that the Mayor should therein travel and so soon as he might conveniently give him knowledge how far he had proceeded therein The Bishop was so joyous at the having this Letter that now he had occasion to travel in so good a matter wherein he was marvellous zealous that nothing could have more pleased and delighted him wherefore the same Night he came to the Lord Mayor of London who was then Sir Richard Dobbs Kt. and delivered the King's Letter and shewed his Message with effect The Lord Mayor not only joyfully received this Letter but with all speed agreed to set the matter forward for he also favoured it very much And the next day being Monday he desired the Bishop of London to dine with him and against that time the Mayor promised to send for such men as he thought meetest to talk of this matter and so he did He sent first for two Aldermen and six Commoners and afterwards more were appointed to the number of 24. In the end after sundry Meetings for by the means and good diligence of the Bishop it was well followed they agreed upon a Book that they had devised wherein first they considered on Nine special kinds and sorts of poor People and those they brought into these Three degrees 1. The Poor by Impotency 2. The Poor by Casualty 3. The Thriftless Poor 1. The Poor by Impotency are also divided into three kinds viz. 1. The Fatherless Poor Mans Child 2. The Aged Blind and Lame 3. The Diseased Person by Leprosie Dropsie c. 2. The Poor by Casualty are likewise of 3 kinds that is to say 1. The Wounded Soldier 2. The Decayed Housholder 3. The Visited with any grievous Disease 3. The Thriftless Poor are three kinds in like manner viz. 1. The Rioter that consumeth all 2. The Vagabond that will abide in no place 3. The Idle Person as Strumpets and others For these three sorts of Poor three several Houses were provided 1. For the Innocent and Fatherless which is the Beggars Child and is indeed the Seed and Breeder of Beggary they provided the House that was the late Gray-Fryers in London and called it by the Name of Christs-Hospital where poor Children are trained up in the knowledge of God and some virtuous Exercises to the overthrow of Beggary For the 2 Degree was provided the Hospitals of St. Thomas in Southwark and St. Bartholomew in West-Smithfield where are continually at least 200 Diseased Persons which are not only there lodged and Cured but also fed and nourished For the 3 Degree they provided Bridewell where the Vagabond and idle Strumpet is chastised and compelled to labour to the overthrow of the vicious life of Idleness They provided also for the honest decayed Housholder that he should be relieved at home at his House and in the Parish where he dwelt by a Weekly Relief and Pension And in like manner they provided for the Lazer or Leprous Person to keep him out of the City from Clapping of Dishes and Ringing of Bells to the great trouble of the Citizens and also to the dangerous Infection of many that they should be relieved at home at their Houses by several Pensions Now after this good Order taken to the Eternal Honour of this Noble City and the Citizens willing to further the same the Report thereof was made to the King And His Majesty for the Advancement thereof was not only willing to grant such as should be Overseers and Governors of the said Houses a Corporation and Authority for the Government of them but also required that he might be accounted as the Chief Founder and Patron thereof And for the furtherance of the said Work and continual maintenance of the same He of his meer Mercy and Goodness granted that whereas before certain Lands were given to the maintaining of the House of the Savoy founded by King Henry VII for the Lodging of Pilgrims and Strangers and that the same was now made but a Lodging for Loyterers Vagabonds and Strumpets that lay all day in the Fields and at night were harboured there the which was rather the maintenance of Beggary than any Relief to the Poor gave the same Lands being first surrendred by the Master and Fellows there which Lands were of the yearly value of 600 l. unto the City of London for the maintenance of the Foundation aforesaid And for a further Relief a Petition being made to the King's Majesty for a Licence to take in Mortmaine or otherwise without Licence Lands to a certain yearly value and a space left in the Patent for His MAJESTY to put in what Sum He pleased He looked on the void place called for Pen and Ink and with His own Royal Hand wrote this Sum 4000 Marks by the year which is 2666 l. 13 s. 4 d. and with the former 600 l. makes in all 3266 l. 13 s. 4 d. and then said in the hearing of his Council Lord I yield thee most hearty thanks that thou hast given me life thus long to finish this work to the Glory of thy Name After which Foundation established he lived not above two days whose life would have been wished equal to the Patriarchs if it had pleased God so to have prolonged it He dyed at Greenwich the 6th of July Anno 1553. He was in Body beautiful of a sweet Aspect and specially in his Eyes which seemed to have a starry liveliness and lustre in them For his pregnancy of Wit and Knowledge in all kinds of Learning Cardan who coming into England had often conference with him reporteth of him that he was extraordinary skilful in Languages and in the Politicks well seen in Philosophy and in Divinity and generally indeed a very Miracle of Art and Nature He would answer Ambassadors sometimes upon the sudden either in
French or Latin He knew the state of Foreign Princes perfectly and his own more He could call all Gentlemen of Account through his Kingdom by their Names And all this when he had scarce yet attained to the Age of Fifteen Years and dyed before Sixteen That from hence we may gather It is a sign of no long Life when the Faculties of the Mind are ripe so early His Pious and Religious Life was Remarkable as may be seen in the whole series of it and his Death was no less for the hour before he dyed he was over-heard to pray thus by himself O Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen's sake if it be thy Will send me life and health that I may truly serve thee O Lord God save thy chosen People in England and defend this Realm from PAPISTRY and maintain thy true Religion that I and my People may praise thy Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake So turning his Face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had not been so nigh Yes said Dr. Owen we heard you speak to your self Then said the King I was praying to God I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit And in so saying his blessed Spirit departed to take possession of an heavenly Crown when he had enjoyed an earthly Crown six years five months and nine days He was buried the 9th of August in Henry the Seventh's Chappel at Westminster near the Body of the said King Henry the Seventh his Grandfather This small Digression I hope will not be unacceptable to all true Christians being in memorial of that Peerless and Never-enough Bewailed Prince but he was too good for the World and rests now in endless Happiness In the year 1552 began the Repairing of the Gray-Fryers House for the poor Fatherless Children and in the month of November the Children were taken in to the same to the Number of almost 400. On Christmas-day in the Afternoon while the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Rode to Pauls the Children of Christs-Hospital from St. Lawrence-lane end in Cheapside towards Pauls all in one Livery of Russet-Cotton Three hundred and forty in Number and at Easter next they were in Blue at the Spittle and so they have continued ever since but they were this Year at St. Sepulchres This indeed was a work of extraordinary Piety and in my judgment it is a very Comely Sight to see the Poor Boys when they Sup all together with what Decency Order and Neatness they are serv'd and Governed by the respective Persons in that Office how plentifully they are provided with good Dyet Washing Lodging and Learning to fit them for business which the City takes care to settle them in according to their respective Capacities and it is known that many of them came to be Men of Note Wealth and great Usefulness in their Countrey Christs-Hospital Bridewel and St. Thomas are Incorporated by the Names of the Mayor Commonalty and Commons of the City of London Governors of the Possessions Revenues and Goods of the Hospitals of Edward King of England the Sixth oâ— Christ Bridewel and St. Thomas the Apostleâ— c. St. Bartholomew-Hospital is Incorporated by thâ— Name of the Mayor Commonalty and Citizens 〈◊〉 the City of London Governors of the Hospital 〈◊〉 the Poor called Little Saint Bartholomews near to West-Smithfield of the Foundation of King Henry the Eighth In the Year 1533 the 10th of April Sir George Barnâ— being Mayor of this City was sent for to the Court at Wâ—itehall where the King gave him 〈◊〉 was said his House of Bridewel and 700 Marks of Land late belonging to Savoy Hospital and all the Bedding and other Furniture c. for Bridewel and St. Thomas in Southwark The Gift was confirmed by Charter dated June 26. following And in the Year 1555 Sir William Gerrard Lord Mayor and the Aldermen entred Bridewel and took possession thereof according to the Gift of the said King Edward the same being confirmed by Queen Mary This Bridewel is now buâ—lt in a very curious and stately manner To reckon up the several Eminent and Bountiful Benefactors to these Hospitals would be endless they except some that would be concealed are to be found in the Records of those places to which the Reader is referred Only it being a very singular Example of Honesty Industry and Piety not to detract in the least from any Worthy and Bountiful Benefactor I will Remark one Richard Castel oâ— Castellâ—r Shoemaker dwelling in Westminster a Man of great labour and care in his Faculty with his own hands so that he was called the Cock of Westminster because both Winter and Summer he was at his Work before Four a Clock in the morning This Man thus honestly and painfully labouring for his Living God blessed and increased his Labours so â—bundantly that he purchased Lands and Tenements â—n Westminster to the yearly value of 44 l. And having no Child with the consent of his Wife who survived him and was a virtuous good Woman gave the same Lâ—â—ds wholly to Christs-Hospital aforesaid to the Relief of the Innocent and Fatherless Children and for the Succor of the Miserable Sore and Sick harboured in other Hospitals about London Sir William Chester Kt. and Alderman of London and John Calthrop Citizen and Draper of the same City at their own proper Costs and Charges â—â—ade the Brick-Walls and Way on the Back-side which leadeth from the said New Hospital unto the Hospital of St. Bartholomew and also covered and vaulted the Town-Ditch from Aldersgate to Newgate which before was very Noisom and Contagiouâ— to the said Hospital Sir Rowland Hill Lord Mayor in the 3d Year of this King besides many large and bountiful Charities on other things gave this Hospital 500 l. in his Life and 100 l. at his Death In the Year 1552 the Citizens of London having purchased the void suppressed Hospital of St. Thomas in Southwark in the Month of July began the Reparations thereof for Poor Impotent Lame and Diseased People so that in November following the Sick and Lame were taken in II. Of all the Hospitals that ever were Founded in Christendom there is none can parallel that of Thomas Sutton Esq called Sutton's Hospital which will commend to all succeeding Posterity the duely deserved Praises of that truely Worthy and Never-to-be-forgotten Gentleman the Phoenix of Charity in our Times The Dissolved Charter-house by West-Smithfield belonging to the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Suffolk after Lord Treasurer of England is sufficiently known to be a very large and goodly Mansion beautified with spacious Gardens Walks Orchards and other Pleasures Enriched with divers Dependencies of Lands and Tenements thereunto belonging and very aptly seated for wholesom Air and several other Commodities All which Commodiousness of Situation and largeness of Circuit gave occasion to this well minded Gentleman
Edifices yet there is not in Christendom a Court more convenient and meet for Royal Accommodation nor more Richly Furnisht But for the Readers more distinct information we will give him a Brief account of our King 's Court under two heads Viz. 1. It s Government both Ecclesiastical Civil and Military 2. It s Hospitality and plentiful Tables 1. It s Government c. The Dean of the Kings Chappel is usually some Grave and Learned Prelate chosen by the King who only is his Superiour his Chappel being exempt from all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction being called Capella Dominica the Demean Chappel in no Diocess but is a Regal Peculiar Exempt and Reserved to the Visitation and immediate Government of the King who is Supream Ordinary and as it were Prime Bishop over all the Churches and Bishops of England By the Dean are chosen all other Officers of the Chappel viz. A Sub-Dean or Praecentor Capellae Thirty two Gentlemen of the Chappel whereof twelve are Priests the other twenty commonly called Clerks of the Chappel are to perform with the said Priests the Office of Praying Singing c. One of these being well skill'd in Musick is chosen Master of the Children whereof are twelve in Ordinary to instruct them in the Rules and Art of Musick for the service of the Chappel three others are chosen to be Organists to whom is joyned upon Solemn Days a Consort of the King's Musick to make the Musick more full and compleat There are four Officers called Vergers because they carry Silver Rods in their hands viz. a Sergeant two Yeomen and a Groom of the Chappel Common Prayers are Read there three times a day The King has his private Oratory where some of his Chaplains in Ordinary perform the Office every day of the Week Upon twelve high and Principal Festivals in the Year the King after the Service is over attended with the Principal Nobility offers a Sum of Gold to God in signum specialis Domini that by his Grace he is King and holds all of Him which belongs to the Dean to be distributed amongst the Poor This Gold offered is called the Bizantine which anciently was a Piece of Gold Coyned by the Emperours of Constantinople in Latin Bizantium That which was used by King James was a piece of Gold having on the one side the Pourtrait of the King kneeling before an Altar with four Crowns before Him and this Motto circumscribed Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi On the other side was a Lamb lying by a Lyon with this Motto viz. Cor Contutum humiliatum non despiciet Deus The King hath besides His Extraordinary which are many Fourty Eight Chaplains in Ordinary who are Eminent Doctors in Divinity whereof Four every Month wait at Court to Preach The Lord High Almoner is usually the Bishop of London who disposeth of the Kings Alms and for that use receiveth besides other Moneys allowed by the King all Deodands and bona felonum de se to be that way disposed Under the Lord High Almoner there is a Sub-Almoner two Yeomen and two Grooms of the Almonry Then there is the Clerk of the Closet usually some Reverend Divine much esteemed by His Majesty who attends at his Right hand in Service time to Resolve Doubts about Spiritual matters to wait upon His Majesty in His private Oratory or Closet The Dean of the Chappel's Fee is 200 l. Yearly And the Sub-Deans one hundred pound The Clerk of the Closet's Fee is twenty Nobles per annum The Chief Officer of Civil Government in His Majesties Court is the Lord Steward To whom the State of the Kings-House is committed to be Ruled and Guided by his Discretion whose Commands in Court are to be obey'd whose Power State and Dignity is very great He hath Authority over all Officers and Servants of His Majesties Court except those of His Majesties Chappel Chamber and Stable c. He may by his Office without any Commission Judge of all Discords as Treasons Murders Felonies Bloodsheds committed within the Court or the Verge thereof which is every way within Twelve Miles of the Chief Funnel of the Court only London by Charter is exempted because where the King is Justice ought to be immediatly sought of the King 's own Officers So that the Jurisdiction of the Verge hath been from very Antient times Executed by the Lord Steward with great Ceremony in the Ntaure of a peculiar King 's Bench and that not only within but without the Kings Dominions The Lord Steward is a White-staff-Officer for he in the King's presence carrieth a White-staff and at other times going abroad it is carried by a Footman bare-headed Which White-staff is taken for a Commission When the King Dies he breaketh his Staff over the Herse made for the King's Body and thereby discharges all the Officers whom the succeeding Kings usually establish in their former Offices His Fee is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes of Meat daily besides Wine Beer c. The next Officer is the Lord Chamberlain who hath the Over-sight of all Officers belonging to the King's Chamber except the Precincts of the King's Bed-Chamber which is wholly under the Groom of the Stole and all above Stairs who are all sworn by him or his Warrant to the Gentlemen Ushers to the King He hath also the Over-sight of the Officers of the Wardrobe at all His Majesties Houses and of the Removing Wardrobes or of Beds of the Tents Revels Musick Comedians Hanting and of the Messengers of the Trumpeters Drummers of all Handicrafts and Artizans retained in the King's Services He hath also the Over-sight of the Heralds and Pursuivants and Sergeants at Arms of all Physicians Apothecaries Chyrurgeons Barbers Chaplains though himself be a Lay-man Also of the Charges of Coronations Marriages Entries Cavalcades Funerals c. His Fee is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes each Meal with the Appurtenances The third great Officer is the Master of the Horse anciently called Comes Stabuli or Constable who hath the ordering and disposal of all the King's Stables and Races or Breed of Horses He hath also power over the Escuries and Pages Footmen Grooms Riders of the Great Horses Farriers Smiths Coachmen Sadlers and all other Trades working to the King's Stables to all whom he or by his Warrant the Avener giveth an Oath to be true and faithful He hath the Charges of all Lands and Revenues appointed for the King's Breed of Horses and for Charges of the Stable and for Litters Coaches Sumpter-Horses c. At any Solemn Cavalcade he Rides next behind the King and leads a Leer Horse of State His annual Fee is 666 l. 16 s. 4 d. and a Table of 16 Dishes each Meal The Accompt of the Stables for Horse-meat Livery Wages and Board-Wages are brought by the Avener being chief Clerk of the Avery to be passed and allowed by the Green-Cloth Under these Principal Officers are almost all the other Officers and Servants as under
the Lord Steirard in the Compting-house is the Treasurer of the Houshold the Comptroller the Cofferer the Master of the Houshold the two Clerks of the Green Cloth the two Clerks Comptrollers one Sergeâ—nt two Yeomen the Cofferers Clerks or Clerks of the Assignments the Groom two Messengers The Compting-house is so called because the Accompts for all Expences of the King's Houshold are theâ—e daily taken by the Lord-Steward the Treasurer Comptroller the Cofferer the Master of the Houshold the two Clerks of the Green Cloth and the two Clerks Comptrollers who also there make Provisions for the Houshold according to the Law of the Land and make Payments and Orders for the Well-governing of the Servants of the Houshold In the Compting-house is the Green-Cloth which is a Court of Justice continually sitting in the King's House composed of the Persons last mentioned whereof the three first are usually of the King 's Privy Council To this Court being the first and most ancient Court of England is committed the charge and over-sight of the King's Court Royal for matters of Justice and Government with Authority for maintaining the Peace within 12 Miles distance wheresoever the Court shall be and within the King's House the power of correcting all the Servants therein that shall any way offend It is called the Green-Cloth of a Green-Cloth whereat they 〈◊〉 over whom are the Arms of the Compting-house bearing Vert a Key or and a Staff Argent Saultier signifying their power to Reward and Correct as Persons for their great Wisdom and Experience thought fit by His Majesty to exercise both these Functions in His Royal House The Treasurer of the King's House is always of the Privy Council and in absence of the Lord Steward hath power with the Comptroller and Steward of the Marshalsea to hear and determine Treasons Felonies and other Crimes committed within the King's Palace and that by Verdict of the King's Houshold If any Servants within the Check-Roll be found Guilty of Felony they are to have no Benefit of Clergy allowed them The Comptrollers Office is to Controul the Accompts and Reckonings of the Green-Cloth His Fee is Annually 107 l. 12 s. 4 d. A Table of 16 Dishes each Meal He bears a White Staff c. The Cofferer is a principal Officer and hath especial Charge and Over-sight of other Officers of the House for their good Demeanor and Carriage in their Offices and is to pay the Wages of the King's Servants above and below Stairs And for Provisions by the Direction and Allowance of the Green-Cloth His Annual Fee is 100 l. and a Table of seven Dishes each day The Office of the Master of the Houshold is to survey the Accompts of the House His Fee is 100 Marks and seven Dishes daily All Bills of Comptrolment Parcels and Brievements are lotted and allowed by the Clerks Comptrollers and summed up by the Clerks of the Green-Cloth ☞ Note That though the King pays still the ancient Fees which at first were above ten times the value they are now yet the Perquisites in many Oâ—fices make sometimes a place of 10 l. Fee to be worth near 500 l. per Annum ☞ Note also That in each Office there is a Succession from one to another the inferior Degree still coming into the place of the next above if he dyes as one of the Children may come to be Groom then Yeoman then Gentleman then Sergeant c. as he happens to out-live them above him The Chief Clerk waits upon and appoints the Kings Queens and Houshold Dyets every third Month waits upon all Foreign Princes Strangers and Ambassadors when His Majesty gives them Entertainment He keeps all the Records Leger-Books and Papers relating to that Office makes up all Bills Parcels and Debentures for Board-Wages and Provisions and Necessaries issuing from the Offices of the Pantery Buttery and Cellar Keeps Accompt of and makes up the Remains with several other Duties which oblige him to constant Waiting He appoints Scowrers Turn-Brochers and Porters in his turn with the Master Cook in the several Kitchens and hath a Fee equal to an Officer of the Green-Cloth and Diet of seven Dishes each Meal The second and third Clerks wait upon the Diet as abovesaid each of them one month in three and attend the King and Queen in their Progresses when appointed by the Green-Cloth and have a Table of five Dishes There are three Master Cooks for the King Queen and Houshold who have each a Table of five Dishes There is a Knight Harbinger three Gentlemen Harbingers and seven Yeomen Harbingers The Office is given to the Knight-Harbinger by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England during Life When the King goes on Progress in England or Beyond the Seas he does by himself or his Deputy provide and appoint all Lodgings and Harbingage for all great Persons all Noblemen Bishops all His Majesties Servants and Attendants c. For all Ambassadors and Foreigners c. His Salary is 20 Marks per Annum and 10 s. a day out of the Exchequer besides Fees for Honours given by the King and Homage done to His Majesty and divers other Perquisites In the Court the Officers according to their several Degrees are called either Lords Knights Esquires Sergeants Gentlemen Clerks Yeomen Grooms Pages or Children There are two Lords viz. the Lord Steward and the Lord Chamberlain Two Knights viz. the Knight Marshal and the Knight Harbinger Four Esquires of the Body c. The Knight Marshal called Mareschalus Hospitii Regis hath Jurisdiction and Cognizance of all Crimes within the Royal Palace whereunto one of the Parties is the King's Servant He is one of the Judges of the Court called the Marshalsea or Marshal-Seat of Judicature which is held in Southwark and hath there a Prison belonging to the same Upon Solemn Occasions he Rides before the King with a short Baston tipt at both ends with Gold and hath six Provost Marshals or Virgers in Scarlet Coats to wait on him and to take care of the Royal Palace that no Beggars Vagabonds Common Women that prostitute their Bodies Malefactors c. come within or near the Court. There are divers other Officers below Stairs under the Lord Steward as also the Officers belonging to the Queens Kitchin Cellar Pantery c. and to the Lords Kitchin together with Children Scowrers Turn-Broaches c. His Majesties Servants in Ordinary above-stairs are as followeth THE Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber whereof the first is called the Groom of the Stole as it were Servant of the Robe or Vestment he having the Office and Honour to Present and Put on His Majesties first Garment or Shirt every morning and to order the things of the Bed-Chamber The Gentlemen are usually of the prime Nobility of England Their Office is each one in his Turn to wait a Week in every quarter in the King's Bed-Chamber there to lie by the King in a Pallet-Bed all Night and in the absence of the Groom
of the Stole to supply his place They wait on the King when he eats in private for then the Cup-Bearers Carvers and Sewers do not wait The yearly Fee to each is 1000 l. There is a Vice-Chamberlain a Keeper of the Privy-Purse a Treasurer of the Chamber who pays Riding and Lodging Wages as the Lord Chamberlain shall direct a Surveyor General of His Majesties Works The Master of the Robes belonging to His Majesties Person whose Office it is to order them at Coronations St. George's Feast and Parliament-Time He has also the ordering of all His Majesties Wearing Apparel of His Collar of Esses Georges and Garter beset with Diamonds and Pearls The Grooms of the Bed-Chamber are Twelve besides some Supernumeraries They are to be under the degree of Knights and to attend in the King's Bed-Chamber to dress and undress him in private The yearly Fee to each is 500 l. Then there are Six Pages of the Bed-Chamber Four Gentlemen-Vshers of the Privy Chamber who wait one at a time in the Privy Lodgings There are Forty eight Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber in Ordinary who are all Knights or Esquires of Note of which Twelve every Quarter wait on the King's Person within doors and without so long as His Majesty is on Foot and when the King is in the Privy Chamber they wait at the Table and bring in his Meat They wait also at the Reception of Ambassadors and every Night two of them lie in the King 's Privy Chamber A Gentleman of the Privy Chamber by the King's Commandment onely without any written Commission may Arrest any Peer of England as Cardinal Wolsey acknowledged There are Six Grooms of the Privy Chamber in Ordinary all Gentlemen of Quality These wait as all Grooms without Sword Cloak or Hat whereas the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber wear always Cloak and Sword There is also a Library Keeper In the Presence Chamber Gentlemen-Vshers daily Waiters in Ordinary are four whereof the first hath that considerable Office of the Black Rod and in time of Parliament is to attend every day in the Lords House and is also Vsher of the most Honourable Order of the Garter Second Gentleman Vsher daily Waiter c. their Office is to wait in the Presence Chamber and to attend next the King's Person and after the Lord Chamberlain and Vice-Chamberlain to order all Affairs and all Under-Officers above-stairs are to obey these There are Eight Gentlemen-Vshers Quarter-Waiters in Ordinary who wait also in the Presence Chamber and are to give Directions in the absence of the Gentlemen-Vshers daily Waiters to the Grooms and Pages and other Under-Officers who are to attend in all Offices next below the Gentlemen-Vshers Quarter-Waiters The Grooms of the great Chamber are Fourteen Six Gentlemen-Waiters Four Cup-Bearers Four Carvers Four Sewers Four Esquires of the Body whose Office is to guard the King's Person by Night to set the Watch and to give the Word and to keep good Order in the whole House by Night as the Lord Chamberlain and his other Officers are to do by day The Sewers of the Chamber are Eight The Groom-Porter's Office is to see the King's Lodgings furnished with Tables Chairs Stools Firing to furnish Cards Dice c. to decide Disputes arising at Cards Dice Bowling c. There are Sixteen Sergeants at Arms all Gentlemen or Knights attending upon His Majesty There are also Four other Sergeants at Arms whereof one attends the Lord President of Wales another the Speaker of the House of Commons and another the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland There are Forty eight Chaplains in Ordinary usually Doctors in Divinity and for the most part Deans or Prebends and all principal Preachers who attend by Four every month to Preach before the King There are Four Physicians in Ordinary for the King's Person whereof one is assigned to attend the Queen There are also Physicians in Ordinary to the Houshold of which one is for the Tower of London There are besides these above Twelve able Physicians who are the King 's Sworn Servants but wait not nor have Fee There is a Master and Treasurer of the Jewel-house and three Under-Officers called Yeomen and Grooms whose Office is to take charge of all Vessels of Gold or Silver Gilt for the King and Queens Table of all Plate in the Tower of Chains and loose Jewels not fix'd to any Garment The Master of the Ceremonies has a Fee of 200 l. his Assistant 120 l. 13 s. 4 d. and one Marshal 100 l. per Annum This Office of Master of the Ceremonies was instituted by King James for the more Honourable Reception of Ambassadors and Strangers of Quality The Assistant Master of the Ceremonies is to execute the same Imployment in all Points whensoever the other is absent The Marshal of the Ceremonies is their Officer for the more easie performance of the said Services and being subordinate to them both is to act nothing but by the directions of one of them Amongst the King's Servants in Ordinary are three Kings of Arms six Heralds or Dukes of Arms and four Pursuivants at Arms. The Title of the first is Garter whose Office is to attend and direct at those Ceremonies and Solemnities that concern the most Noble Order of the Garter and to Marshal the Solemn Funerals of the Knights of that Order as also of the Peers of England and to direct all things else relating to Arms which appertain to the Peerage The Title of the Second is Clarencieux who regulates and directs the Proceedings at Solemn Funerals of all Degrees under Peers as shall be celebrated in his Province which is the Counties on the South of Trent and whatsoever else there relateth to Arms. The Title of the Third is Norroy who regulates and directs like the Second throughout his Province on the North of Frent The Offices of the Heralds and Pursuivants besides their Services at the aforesaid Solemnities are together with the Kings of Arms to attend at Publick Solemnities and some or all of them to proclaim War or Peace carry Defiances summon Fortified Places or Rebels in Arms proclaim Traytors and to do their best Service in whatsoever relateth to the Nobility and Gentry of England in point of Honour and Arms. Amongst the King's Servants in Ordinary are reckoned one Geographer one Historiographer one Hydrographer one Library-keeper one Cosmographer one Poet Laureat and one Publick Notary The King besides the Great Wardrobe hath divers standing Wardrobes at Whitehal Windsor Hampton-Court the Tower of London and Greenwich c. whereof there are divers Officers There is the Removing Wardrobe which always attends upon the Person of the King Queen and the Children as also upon Ambassadors Christenings Masks Plays c. at the Command of the Lord Chamberlain who hath the disposing of vacant places Here are fix Officers one Yeoman two Grooms and three Pages the Salary of the Yeoman is 200 l. of the Grooms 100 l. and of the Pages 100 Marks And to all
together six Dishes each Meal The Moveables of this Wardrobe are at length divided into three parts whereof the Yeoman hath one for his own use the Grooms another and the Pages the third In the Office of the Tents Soyls Hayes and Pavilions are two Masters four Yeomen one Groom one Clerk Comptroller and one Clerk of the Tents The Master of the Revels is to order all things concerning Comedies c. there is one Yeoman one Groom Engraver Sculptor one in each Office In the Office of the Robes besides the Master above-mentioned there is one Yeoman three Grooms one Page two Purveyors one Brusher one Taylor one Dyer one Girdler one Clerk one Lace-man one Cutter and Racer two Embroiderers two Silkmen one Shoemaker one Perfumer one Feather-maker one Millener one Mercer one Hosier one Draper one Surveyor c. Falconer with Thirty three Officers under him Master of the Buck-Hounds with a Sergeant and Thirty four persons under him Master of the Otter-Hounds Master of the Harriers and five under him Master of the Ordnance a Lieutenant and Master Armorer with Seventeen Under-Officers Messengers of the Chamber in Ordinary two Clerks of the Check and Forty more in all Forty two Musitians in Ordinary Sixty two Trumpeters and Kittle-Drummers Fifteen Drummers and Fifes Seven Apothecaries Two one for the King's Person and one for the Houshold Chyrurgeoâ—s two Bâ—rbers two Printers three besides one for the Oriental Tongues Bookseller Stationer and Book-binder Silâ—man Woollen-Draper and two Taylors Post-Masters for all the Port-Towns in England all sworn to and paid by the King A Master of the Game of Cock-fighting One Sergeant Skinner who hath the care of His Majesties Furrs Two Embroiderers Two Keepers of the Privy Lodging Two Gentlemen and one Yeoman of the Bows One Cross-Bow-maker One Fletcher One Cormorant-Keeper One Hand-Gun-maker One Master and Marker of Tennis One Mistriss Semstress and one Laundress One Perspective-Maker One Master-Fencer One Haberdasher of Hats One Comb-maker One Sergeant Painter One Painter One Limner One Picture-Drawer One Silver-Smith One Goldsmith One Jeweller One Peruque-maker One Keeper of Pheasants and Turkies Joyner Copier of Pictures Watch-maker Cabinet-maker Lock-Smith of each one Game of Bears and Bulls one Master one Sergeant one Yeoman Two Operators for the Teeth Two Coffer-bearers for the Back-stairs One Yeoman of the Leash Fifty five Watermen Vpholsterer Letter-Carrier Foreign-Post Coffee-maker of each one Ten Officers beionging to Gardens Bowling-Greens Tennis-Court Pall-Mall Keeper of the Theatre at Whitehall Cutler Spurrier Girdler Corn-cutter Button-maker Embosser Enameler of each one Writer Flourisher and Embellisher Scenographer or Designer of Prospects Letter-Founder of each one Comedians Seventeen Men and Eight Women Actors Gunner Gilder Cleanser of Pictures Scene-keeper Coffer-maker Wax-chandler of each one Keeper of Birds and Fowl in St. James's Park one Keeper of the Volery Coffee-club-maker Sergeant-Painter of each one with divers other Officers and Servants under the Lord Chamberlain to serve His Majesty upon occasion Many of which Offices and Places are of good Credit and great Profit and enjoyed by Persons of Quality As to the Officers under the Master of the Horse there are Twelve Querries so called of the French Escayer derived from Escury a Stable Their Office is to attend the King on Hunting or Progress or on any occasion of Riding abroad to help His Majesty up and down from his Horse c. Four of these are called Querries of the Crown-Stable and the others are called Querries of the Hunting-Stable The Fee to each of these is only 20 l. yearly according to the ancient Custom but they have allowance for Diet to each 100 l. yearly besides Lodgings and two Horse-Liveries Next is the chief Avener from Avena Oats whose yearly Fee is 40 l. There is moreover one Clerk of the Stable four Yeomen-Riders four Child-Riders Yeomen of the Stirrup Sergeant-Marshal and Yeomen-Farriers four Groom-Farriers Sergeants of the Carriage three Surveyors a Squire and Yeomen-Sadlers four Yeomen-Granators four Yeomen-Purveyors a Yeoman-Peckman a Yeoman-Bitmaker four Coach-men eight Litter-men a Yeoman of the Close Wagon Sixty four Grooms of the Stable whereof 30 are called Grooms of the Crown Stable and Thirty four of the Hunting and Pad-Stable Twenty six Footmen in their Liveries to run by the King ' s Horse All these Places are in the Gift of the Master of the Horse There is besides these an antient Officer called Clerk of the Market who within the Verge of the King's Houshold is to keep a Standard of all Weights and Measures and to burn all that are false From the Pattern of this Standard all the Weights and Measures of the Kingdom are to be taken There are divers other considerable Officers not Subordinate to the Three Great Officers as the Master of the great Wardrobe Post-Master Master of the Ordinance Warden of the Mint c. Upon the King are also attending in his Court the Lords of the Privy-Council Secretaries of State the Judges the College of Civilians the King's Council at Law the King's Serjeants at Law the Masters of Requests Clerks of the Signet Clerks of the Council Keeper of the Paper-Office or Papers of State c. There is always a Military Force to preserve the King's Person which are His Guards of Horse and Foot The Guards of Horse are in Number 600 Men well Armed and Equipped who are generally Young Gentlemen of considerable Families who are there made fit for Military Commands They are divided into Three Troops viz. The King's Troop distinguished by their Blew Ribbons and Carbine Belts their Red Hooses and Houlster-Caps Embroidered with His Majesties Cypher and Crown The Queens Troops by Green Ribbons Carbine Belts covered with Green Velvet and Gold Lace also Green Hooses and Houster Caps Embroidered with the same Cypher and Crown And the Dukes Troop by Yellow Ribbons and Carbine Belts and Yellow Hooses Embroidered as the others In which Troops are 200 Gentlemen besides Officers Each of these Three Troops is divided into Four Squadrons or Divisions Two of which consisting of one hundred Gentlemen and Commanded by one Principal Commissioned Officer two Brigadiers and two Sub-Brigadiers with two Trumpets mount the Guards one day in six and are Relieved in their turns Their Duty is always by Parties from the Guard to attend the Person of the KING the Queen the Duke and the Dutchess wheresoever they go near home but if out of town they are attended by Detachments out of the said Three Troops Besides this there is a more strict Duty and Attendance Wâ—â—â—ly on the KING's Person on Foot wheresoever He walks from His Rising to His going to Bed by one of the three Captains who always waits immediatly next the KING 's own Person before all others carrying in his hand an Ebony-staff or Truncheon with a Gold head Engraved with His MAJESTIES Cyper and Crown Near him also attends a Principal Commissioned Officer with an Ebony-staff and Silver head who is ready to Relieve the
Captain on occasion and at the same time also two Brigadiers having also Ebony-staves headed with Ivory and Engraven as the others There is added a Troop of Grenadiers to each Troop of Guards one Division of which mounts with a Division of the Troop to which they belong they never go out on small Parties from the Guard only perform Centry-Duty on Foot and attend the KING also on Foot when he walks abroad but always March with great Detachments The KING's Troop consists of a Captain two Lieutenants three Sergeants three Corporals two Drums two Hautbois and eighty private Souldiers Mounted The Queens Troop of a Captain two Lieutenants two Serjeants two Corporals two Hautbois and Sixty private Souldiers Mounted The Dukes Troop consists of the like Number with the Queens The Captains of His MAJESTIES Guards always Command as Eldest Colonels of Horse the Lieutenants as Eldest Lieutenant-Colonels of Horse the Cornets and Guidons as Eldest Majors of Horse the Quartermasters as Youngest Captains of Horse the Brigadiers as Eldest Lieutenants of Horse and amongst themselves every Officer according to the Date of his Commission takes precedency when on Detachments but not when the Three Troops march with their Colours for then the Officer of the Eldest Troop commands those of equal Rank with him in the others though their Commission be of Elder Date Next immediatly after the Three Troops of Guards His MAJESTIES Regiment of Horse Commanded by the Earl of Oxford takes place and the Colonel of it is to have precedency after the Captains of the Guards and before all other Colonels of Horse whatsoever change may be of the Colonel and all the Officers thereof in their proper Degree are to take place according to the Dates of their Commissions As to the Foot the King's Regiment Commanded by the Honorable Colonel John Russel takes place of all other Regiments and the Colonel thereof is always to precede as the first Colonel The Colestream Regiment Commanded by the Earl of Craven takes the next the Duke of Yorks Regiment next then His Majesties Holland Regiment Commanded by the Earl of Mulgrave and all other Colonels according to the Dates of their Commissions All other Regiments of Horse and Foot not of the Guards take place according to their Respective Seniority from the time they were first Raised and no Regiment loses its precedency by the Death of its Colonel At the KING's House there is a Guard for His Person both above and below stairs In the Presence Chamber the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners wait instituted by King Henry the VII and chosen out of the best and antientest Families in England to be a Guard to His Majesties Person and also to be a Nursery to breed up hopeful Gentlemen and fit them for Employments Civil and Military as well abroad as at home as Deputies of Ireland Embassadors in Foreign Parts Counsellors of State Captains of the Guard Governours of places Commanders in the Wars both by Sea and Land of all which there have been Examples They are to attend the King's Person to and from His Chappel only as far as the Privy Chamber also in all other Solemnity as Coronations publick Audience of Embassadors c. They are 40 in Number over whom there is a Captain usually some Peer of the Realm a Lieutenant a Standard-bearer and a Clerk of the Check They wait half at a time quarterly Those in quarter wait daily five at a time upon the King in the House and when He walks abroad Upon extraordinary occasions all of them are Summoned Their ordinary Arms are Gilt Pole-Axes Their Arms on Horse-back in time of War are Cuirassiers Arms with Sword and Pistol These are only under their own Officers and are always Sworn by the Clerk of the Check who is to take Notice of such as are absent when they should be upon their Duty Their Standard in time of War is a Cross Gules in a Field Argent also 4 bends In the first Room above stairs called the Guard-Chamber attend the Yeomen of the Guard of His Majesties Body whereof there were wont to be 250 Men of the best quality under Gentry and of larger Stature then ordinary for every one was to be Six Foot high there are at present 100 Yeomen in dayly waiting and 70 more not in waiting and as any of the 100 die his place is filled up out of the 70. These wear Scarlet Coats Down to the knee and Scarlet Breeches both richly Guarded with black Velvet and rich Badges upon their Coats both before and behind moreover black Velvet round broad Crown'd Caps with Ribbons of the King's Colour One half of them of late bear in their hands Harquebuzes and the other half Partizans with large Swords by their sides they have Wages and Diet allowed them Their Office is to wait upon the King in His standing Houses 40 by by Day and 20 to Watch by Night about the City to wait upon the King's Person abroad by Water or Land The KING's Palace Royal ratione Regiae dignitatis is exempted from all Jurisdiction of any Court Civil or Ecclesiastick but only to the Lord Steward and in his absence to the Treasurer and Comptroller of the King's Houshold with the Steward of the Marshalsea who by vertue of their Office without Commission may Hear and Determin all Treasons Fellonies Breaches of the Peace Committed within the KING's Court or Palace The Orders and Rules for the Demeanor of all Officers and Servants are hung upon Tables in several Rooms at the Court and Signed with the King 's own hand worthy to be Read of all Strangers The Court or House where the King resides is accounted a Place so Sacred that if any Man presume to strike another there and only draw blood his Right hand shall be cut off and he Committed to perpetual Imprisonment and Fined All occasions of striking are also there forbidden The Court of England for Magnificence Order Numberâ— and Quality of Officers rich Furniture Entertainment and Civility to Strangers and for plentiful Tables might compare with the best in Christendom and far Excels most Courts abroad It hath for a long time been a Pattern of Hospitality and Charity to the Nobility and Gentry of Eugland All Noblemen or Gentlemen Subjects or Strangers were freely Entertained at the plentiful Tables of His Majesties Officers Divers Dishes were provided every day extraordinary for the King's Honour Two hundred and fourty Gallons of Beer a day were allowed at the Buttery-Bar for the Poor besides all the broken Meat Bread c. gathered into Baskets and given to the Poor at the Court-Gates by Two Grooms and Two Yeomen of the Almonry who have Salaries of His Majesty for that Service The Lord Almoner hath the Priviledge to give the King's Dish to whatsoever Poor Man he pleases that is the first Dish at Dinner which is set upon the King's Table or in stead thereof four pence a day which anciently was equivalent to four shillings now
next he distributes to 24 poor men named by the Parishioners of the Parish adjacent to the King's place of Residence to each of them four pence in money a Two-penny Loaf and a Gallon of Beer or in stead thereof three pence in money equally to be divided among them every morning at seven of the Clock at the Court-gate The Sub-Almoner is to scatter New-coined Two-pences in the Towns and Places where the King passes through in his Progresses to a certain Sum by the year Besides there are many poor Pensioners either because so old that they are unfit for service or the Widows of any of the King's Servants that dyed poor who have a Competency duly paid them Besides there are distributed among the Poor the large Offerings which the King gives in Collar days The magnificent and abundant plenty of the King's Tables hath caused amazement in Foreigners In the Reign of King Charles I. there were daily in his Court 86 Tables well furnished each Meal whereof the King's Tables had 28 Dishes the Queens 24 4 other Tables 16 Dishes each 3 other 10 Dishes 12 other 7 Dishes 17 other 5 Dishes 3 other 4 32 had 3 and 13 had each two in all about 500 Dishes each Meal with Bread Beer Wine and all other things necessary There was spent yearly in the King's House of gross meat 1500 Oxen 7000 Sheep 1200 Veals 300 Porkers 400 Sturks or young Beefs 6800 Lambs 300 Flitches of Bacon and 26 Boars Also 140 dozen of Geese 250 dozen of Capons 470 dozen of Hens 750 dozen of Pullets 1470 dozen of Chickens for Bread 36400 Bushels of Wheat and for Drink 600 Tun of Wine and 1700 Tun of Beer Moreover of Butter 46640 together with the Fish and Fowl Venison Fruit Spice proportionably This prodigious plenty in the King's Court caused Foreigners to put a higher value upon the King and was much for the Honor of the Kingdom The King's Servants being Men of Quality by His Majesties special Order went to Westminster-Hall in Term-time to invite Gentlemen to eat of the King 's Acates or Viands and in Parliament-time to invite the Parliament-men thereto On the Thursday before Easter called Maunday Thursday the King or his Lord Almoner was wont to wash the Feet of as many poor Men as His Majesty had Reigned years and then to wipe them with a Towel according to the Pattern of our Saviour and then to give every one of them two Yards and a half of Woollen Cloth to make a Suit of Cloaths also Linnen Cloth for two Shirts and a pair of Stockings and a pair of Shoes three Dishes of Fish in Wooden Platters one of Salt Salmon a second of Green Fish or Cod a third of Pickle-Herrings Red Herrings and Red Sprats a Gallon of Beer a Quart Pottle of Wine and four six-penny Loaves of Bread also a Red Leather-purse with as many single Pence as the King is years old and in such another Purse as many shillings as the King hath reigned years The Queen doth the like to divers poor Women The Form of Government is by the wisdom of many Ages so contrived and regulated that it is almost impossible to mend it The Account which is of so many Natures and is therefore very difficult must pass through many hands and is therefore very exact is so wisely contrived and methodized that without the Combination of every one of these following Officers viz. the Cofferer a Clerk of the Green Cloth a Clerk Comptroller a Clerk of the Kitchin of the Spicery or Avery or a particular Clerk together with the conjunction of a Purveyor and Waiter in the Office it is impossible to defraud the King of a Loaf of Bread of a Pint of Wine a Quart of Beer or Joint of Meat or Money or any thing else Having given this brief Abstract if any would be more curious to read it more at large or about the Courts of the Queen and Royal Family they are referred to the Present State of England II. West from Charing-Cross there stood sometimes an Hospital of St. James founded by the Citizens of London before the time of any Mans memory for 14 Sisters Maidens that were Leprous This Hospital was surrendred to King Henry VIII in the 23 of his Reign The Sisters being compounded with were allowed Pensions for term of their Lives and the King built there a goodly Mannor now the Duke of York's Palace annexing thereunto the beautiful Park called St. James's inclosed with a Wall of Brick serving indâ—â—â—erently for that Palace and the Court or Palace of Whitehall which in a word for extraordinary Commodiousness Conveniency and Situation being seated between a Noble Navigable River and a most Deiectable and Spacious Park full of great and rare Varieties as hath been hinted for the Great Chamber there called the Banquetting-House the like whereof for Spaciousness Beauty Peinture and exact Proportion no King in Europe can parallel deserves the View and Notice of all Strangers III. Although it might seem more proper to treat of Westminster-Hall under the Head or Chapter of Publick Halls or Courts yet being a Place so Eminent above any other in this Renowned City and formerly a Royal Palace we shall leave our Remarks upon it with the Reader in this place and give a brief Account 1 of its Foundation and Antiquity 2 of the Courts held there especially the High Court of Parliament which we hope will be acceptable 1. Many Eminent Authors do affirm That this Great Hall was built by William Rufus about the year of our Lord 1097. amongst whom Roger of Windover and Matthew Paris write that King William being returned out of Normandy into England kept his Feast of Whitsontide very Royally at Westminster in the New-Hall which he had lately built This Hall for all Dimensions is not to be equalled by any Hall in Christendom It is say some 270 Foot in length and 74 broad It is reported that the King should say to one that thought the Hall too big That it was not big enough by one half and was but a Bed-chamber in comparison of what he meant to make This Palace was Repaired Anno 1163. by Thomas Becket Chancellor of England with exceeding great celerity and speed being before ready to have fallen down It hath been the principal Seat and Palace of all the Kings of England since the Conquest where they kept Coronation and other Solemn Feasts till the time of King Henry VIII In this Palace by a marvelous Inundation or Overflowing of the River of Thames in the year 1236 which drowned many Cattle and Men Women and Children Men did Row with Wherries in the midst of the Hall The like or rather more dreadful Inundation hapned in the year 1242. the Thames overflowing the Banks about Lambeth In the year 1299 27 Edw. 1. this Palace was burnt by a vehement Fire kindled in the lesser Hall of the King's House by which the same with many other Houses adjoining together with
the Queens Chamber was consumed but after that repaired In the year 1397 King Richard II. caused the Walls Windows and Roof to be taken down and new made with a stately Porch and divers Lodgings of a marvelous Work and with great Costs which being finished Anno 1399. He kept a most Royal Christmas there with daily Justings and Runnings at Tilt whereunto resorted such a number of People that there was every day spent 28 or 26 Oxen 300 Sheep and Fowl without number He caused a Gown to be made for himself of Gold garnished with Pearl and precious Stones to the value of 3000 Marks There daily fed there 10000 People as appeareth by the Messes told out from the Kitchin to 300 Servitors A great part of this Palace was burnt Anno 1512 the 4th of Henry VIII since which time it hath not been Re-edified Only the Great Hall with the Offices near adjoining are kept in good Reparations and serveth as afore for Feasts at Coronations Arraignments of Great Persons charged with Treason and keeping of the Courts of Justice For whereas formerly the Courts and Benches followed the King wheresoever he went before and since the Conquest but being found to be troublesom chargeable and inconvenient to the People it was Anno 1224 9 H. 3. agreed that theâ—e should be a standing place appointed where Matters should be heard and judged which was in the Great Hall at Westminster I. The Court of COMMON-PLEAS Where he appointed Three Judgment-Seats viz. at the Entry on the Right-hand the Court of Common-Pleas So called because there are debated the usual Pleas between Subject and Subject as about Tenures of Lands and Civil Actions 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 in that Court Pleas are distinguished into Pleas of the Crown as Treason and Felony with Misprision of Felony which belong to the Kings-Bench and Common or Civil Pleas whereof this Court takes Cognizance This Court may grant Prohibitions as the Kings-Bench doth The Chief Judge is called the Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas or de Communi Banco the Common Bench who holds his place by Letters Patents Durante Beneplacito and so do the other inferior Judges of this Court whereof there are commonly Three Here all Civil Causes Real and Personal are usually Tryed according to the strict Rule of the Law Real Actions are pleadable in no other Court nor Fines levied or Recoveries suffered but only in this Court The King allows to the Lord Chief Justice of this Court a Fee Reward Robes and two Tun of Wine Also to the other Judges of this Court and to four Sergeants is allow'd Fees Reward and Robes to each one The Officers are many Custos Brevium three Protonatories Clerk of the Warrants Clerk of the Kings Silver four Exigenters fourteen Filazers Clerk of the Juries Clerk of the Essoignes Clerk of the Outlawries which belongeth to the Attorney General who exercises it by Deputy c. For which at large see the Present State of England Pag. 102. Edit 1679. II. KINGS-BENCH At the upper End of the Hall on the Right-hand or South-east Corner the Court of Kings-Bench was appointed which is of a larger Extent of Power and more Uncontroulable than any other Tribunal For the Law presumes that the King is there still in Person He being Lord Chief Justice of England Himself yet it is observable that though He should personally sit upon the Bench He can pass no Sentence of Judgment but by the Mouths of His Judges who did use to sit there at His Feet when He was present After the House of Lords in Parliament this is the Highest Court in England and the Judicature in the Absence of the King belongs to His Judges In this Court are handled the Pleas of the Crown all things that concern loss of Life or Member of any Subject for then the King is concern'd because the Life and Limb of the Subject in the sense of the Law belong only to the King so that the Pleas here are between the King and the Subject Here are handled all Treasons Felonies Breach of Peace Oppression Misgovernment c. This Court hath power to Examine and Correct all Errors in Facto and in Jure of all the Judges and Justices of England in their Judgments and Proceedings and this not only in Pleas of the Crown but in all Pleas Real Personal and Mixt except only in the Exchequer In this High Court sit commonly four Grave Reverend Judges whereof the first is stiled The Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench and is Created not by Patent but by a short Writ yet of large Extent in point of Authority thus Rex c. Mathaeo Hale Militi salutem Sciatis quod constituimus vos Justiciarium nostrum Capitalem ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro teste Me Ipso apud Westm c. That is in English The King c. To Sir Matthew Hale Kt. Greeting Know ye That we have Constituted you our Capital or Chief Justice in Pleas held before Vs during Our Pleasure Witness My Self at Westminster c. The rest of the Judges of the Kings-Bench hold their Pleas by Letters Patents in these words Rex omniblis ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod Constituimus Dilectum Fidelem nostrum A. B. Militem unum Justiciariorum ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro Teste c. These Judges and all the Officers belonging to this Court have all Salaries from the King and the chief of them have Robes and Liveries out of the great Wardrobe In this Court all young Lawyers that have been called to the Bar are allowed to plead and practise This Court may grant Prohibitions to keep other Courts both Ecclesiastical and Temporal within their due Bounds and Jurisdiction The Jurisdiction of this Court is general extending to all England as before None can be a Judge in this Court unless he be a Sergeant of the Degree of the Coif that is a Sergeant at Law and yet in the Writ or Patent to them made they are not called Sergeants who upon taking this high Degree is obliged to wear a Lawn Coif under his Cap for ever after For the Officers of this Court see the Present State of England of the same Edition Pag. 98. III. CHANCERY On the Left-hand or South-west Corner sitteth the Lord Chancellor accompanied with the Master of the Rolls and eleven other Men learned in the Civil Law and called Masters of Chancery which have the King's Fee This Court is placed next the Kings-Bench to mitigate the Rigor of it It is Curia Cancellariae because as some think the Judge of this Court sate anciently intra Cancellos or Lattices as the East-end of Churches are separated per Cancellos from the Body of the Church as
peculiarly belonging to the Priest and were thence called Chancels This Court is Officina Justitiae the Fountain of all our Fundamental Laws and Proceedings in Law and the Original of all other Courts It is as antient as the Civility of the Nation though perhaps by another Name This Court proceeds either ordinarily according to the Laws Statutes and Customs of the Nation and in Latin granting out Writs Mandatory and Remedial Writs of Grace or else according to Equity and Conscience and by English Bill so that the Chancery hath two Courts in one The Equitable part is by Bills Answers and Decrees to Examin Frauds Combinations Trusts Secret Vses c. To moderate the Rigour of the Laws and Rescue Men out of the hands of their Oppressors To Relieve a Man especially in three things viz. against Cheats unfortunate Accidents and Breaches of Trust Out of this Court Issue out Writs or Summons for Parliaments Edicts Proclamations Charters Protections safe Conducts Writs of Moderata Misericordia when any Person hath been Amerced too high are for a reasonable part of Goods for Widows and Orphans Patents for Sheriffs Writs of Certiorari to remove Records and false Judgments in inferior Courts Writs of Audita Querela and Scire Facias here are Sealed and Inrolled Letters Patents Treaties and Leagues with Foreign Princes Deeds between Party and Party touching Lands Estates or Purchasers taking Recognizances and making Extents upon Statutes and Recognizances for Payment of Money or securing of Contracts Writs Remedial or Magisterial Commissions of Appeal Oyer and Terminer c. The Court of Common Pleas which are between Subject and Subject hath its Original and Commission from the Chancery and cannot hold Pleas without it For the Latin part of this Court are the 24 Cursitors and for the English part are the Six Clerks The Court of Equity that proceeds not according to Law is no Court of Record and therefore binds only the Person not his Lands or Goods The Judge of this Court is the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England He is here the Sole Judge whereas in other Courts there are three or four Judges But he may and doth often in Cases of greater Weight and Difficulty in Cases of Law call some of the other Judges to his assistance and therefore it is said this Office may be discharged by one that is no professed Lawyer as it has been frequently to their great Praise It is the highest Dignity in England that a Lay-Man is capable of it is Summum ambientis animi quasi solstitium and the Chancellor is Magistratum omnium Antistes Antiently the Lord Chancellor had somtimes his Vice-Chancellor commonly called Keeper of the Great Seal but of latter times they differ only in Name The Chancellor is said to be Keeper of the King's Conscience to Judge secundum aequum bonum according to Equity and Conscience he is to moderate the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exact Rigor and Letter of the Law whereunto other Judges are exactly tyed For the Princes of this Realm in imitation of the KING of Kings governing the Woâ—ld by Justice and Mercy have Erected two Supreâ—m Tribunals together at the upper end of Westminster-Hall one of Justice wherein nothing but the strict Letter of the Law is observed and the other of Mercy where in the Rigor of the Law is tempered with the sweetness of Equity which is nothing else but Mercy qualifying the sharpness of Justice This Court being a Court of Conscience the less it is perplexed with the Quirks of Lawyers the more it is guided by Conscience and Equity The manner of proceeding in this Court is thus the Action is by Bill or Plaint the Witnesses Examined in private the Decrees in English or Latin not in French No Jury of Twelve Men but all Sentences are given by the Judge of the Court. The place of Master of the Rolls is of great Dignity in the Gift of the King for life or during pleasure This Officer hath Jure Officii the Gift of those considerable Officers of the Six Clerks in Chancery hath the keeping of the Rolls and in the absence of the Chancellor hears Causes and makes Orders by Vertue of a Commission with two Masters and that Jure Officii by right of Office This Court is always open whereas all the others are shut but only in Term time so that if a Man be wrongfully Imprisoned in the Vacation time out of Term the Lord Chancellor may Grant his Writ of Habeas Corpus and do him Justice according to Law so likewise may this Gourt Grant Prohibitions in time of Vacation as well as in Term time The Defendant is to Answer Bills and Interrogatories upon Oath though to the accusing of himself in divers matters Dammageable and Penal the Witnesses are to Depose upon Interrogatories and in perpetuam rei Memoriam by the Term and use of Final Decree agreeable with the Civil Law In the Master of the Rolls Office are kept all the Rolls since the beginning of King Henry the VII the rest are kept in the Tower of London In this Gift are besides the Six Clerks Office the Offices of the Examiners and three of the Clerks of the Petty-Bag-Office The Office of Clerk of the Crown is of High importance he is either by himself or Deputy continually to attend the Lord Chancellor for special matters of State and hath place in the Higher House of Parliament He makes all Writs for Election of Members of Parliament Sitting in Parliament upon Warrant directed to him upon the Death or Removal of any Member and also Commissions of Oyer and Terminer Goal-Delivery Commissions of Peace and many other Commissions distributing Justice to His Majesties Subjects The Office of the Protonotary of this Court is chiefly to expedite Commissions for Embassies The Office of the Clerk of the Hanaper or Hamper is to receive all the Money due to the King for the Seals of Charters Patents Commissions and Writs and to attend the Keeper of the Seal daily in Term time and at all times of Sealing with Leather Bags now but antiently probably with Hampers wherein are put all the Sealed Charters Patents c. And then those Bags delivered to the Comptroller of the Hamper The Office of Warden of the Fleet or Keeper of the Fleet-Prison is very Considerable He is to take care of the Prisoners there who are commonly such as are sent thither from this Court for contempt of the King or His Laws on such as will not pay their Debts c. The Sergeant at Arms Office is to bear a Gilt Mace before the Lord Chancellor or Keeper for the time being The Six Clerks are Officers of great account next in Degree to the Twelve Masters in Chancery whose Office is to Inroll Commissions Pardons Patents Warrants c. that are passed the Great Seal They are Attorneys for Plaintiffs and Defendants in Causes depending in this Court Their Offices are at a place
called Six-Clerks-Office in Chancery-Lane they keep Commons together in Term time The Three Clerks of the Petty-Bag are under the Master of the Rolls they make all Patents for Customers Comptrollers all Congeâ—d ' Estires first Summons of Nobility Clergy Knights Citizens and Burgesses to Parliament From the Subpoena-Office are Issued Writs to Summon Persons to appear in Chancery There are two Examiners who are to examin Witnesses upon upon their Oaths in any suit on both sides The Curssiters Office is to make out Original Writs they were antiently called Clerici de Cursu They are in Number 24 whereof each one hath certain Counties and Cities allotted to him They are a Corporation of themselves c. IV. EXCHEQVER Within the Port or Entry into the Hall on either side are ascendings up into large Chambers without the Hall adjoyning thereunto wherein certain Courts be kept namely on the Right hand is the Court of Exchequer which is so called as some think from a Chequer-wrought-Carpet covering the great Table in that Court or else from the French word Exchequer a Chess Board because the Accomptants in that Office were wont to use such Boards in their Calculation Here are Tried all Causes that belong to the King's Treasury or Revenue as touching Accounts Disbursements Customs and all Fines imposed upon any Man In this Court do Sit the Lord Treasurer the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Lord Chief Baron and Four other Learned Judges called Barons of the Exchequâ—r and one other Cursitor-Baron but the two first â—â—â—dom Sit and the five last seldom fail The first of these five is the Principal Judge of this Court which is a place of High Honour and Profit he iâ— stiled Lord Chief Baron is created by Letters Paâ—tents to hold this Dignity quam diu bene se gesseriâ— wherein he hath a more fixed Estate than the Chiâ— Justices of either Bench for the Law intends this aâ— Estate for Life In the absence of the Lord Chieâ— Baron the other three Barons supply his place acâ—cording to their Seniority but the 5 th is said to bâ— Cursitor of the Court and Administers the Oaths tâ— the Sheriffs under-Sheriffs Bayliffs Searchers Surveyors c. of the Custom-House In the Exchequer are held two Courts one oâ— Law another of Equity all Judicial proceedings according to Law are Coram Baronibus before the Barons but the Court of Equity held in the Exchequer-Chamber is Coram Thesaurario Cancellario Baronibus before the Treasurer Chancellor and Barons The Authority of this Court is of Original Jurisdiction without any Commission All the Twelve Judges belonging to these High Tribunals sit in Robes and Square Caps like Doctors of Divinity because as some say they were in old times most commonly Clergy Men. There are divers Officers belonging to the upper Exchequer as the King's Remembrancer in whose Office are Eight Sworn Clerks All Accounts pass there that concern the King's Revenue for Customs Excise Hearth-Money Subsidies and all aids granted to the King in Parliament and all other Accounts of what nature soever concerning the King's Revenue either Certain or Casual all Securities whether by Bond or Recognizances to the King for any of His Debts are taken here All proceedings upon any Statute by information for Custom Excises or any other Penal Law All proceedings upon the said Bonds or Recognizances or any other Bonds taken in the King's Name by Officers appointed thereunto under the Great Seal of England and transmitted into this Office for Recovery thereof From whence Issue forth Process to cause all Accountants to come in and Account c. This Office is in the King's Gift The Office of the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer is to make Process against all Sheriffs Receivers Bayliffs c. for their Accounts and many other things of Moment as Estreal Rules all Charters and Letters Patents whereupon any Rents are reserved to the King This also is in the KING's Gift The Clerk of the Pipe hath all the Accounts and Debts due to the King drawn down out of the Remembrancers Office and chargeth them down out of the Remembrancers Office and chargeth them down in the Great Roll or Pipe and therefore probably called the Pipe-Office he hath under him Eight Sworn Clerks Here Accountants have their quietus est and here are made Leafes of extended Lands The Comptroller of the Pipe writes out all Summons twice every Year to the High Sheriffs to Levy the Farms and Debts of the Pipe He keeps a Roll of the Pipe-Office Accounts whereby to discover any thing that shall be amiss In the Office of the Clerk of the Pleas all the Officers of the Exchequer and other priviledged Persons as Debtors to the King c. are to have their Priviledge to Plead and be Impleaded as to all matters at the Common Law And the Proceedings are accordingly by Declarations Pleas and Trials as at the Common Law because they should not be drawn out of their own Court where their attendance is Required In this Office are four Sworn Attorneys To the Forâ—ign Opposers-Office all Sheriffs repair to be by him opposed of their Green-Wax and from thence is drawn down a Charge upon the Sheriffs to the Clerk of the Pipe This Office is kept in Grays-Inn The Office of the Clerk of the Estreats is to receive every Term the Estreats or Extracts out of the Office of the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer and to write them out to be Levied for the King Also to make Schedules for such Sums as are to be discharged The Auditors of the Imprest Audit the Great accounts of the King's Customs Wardrobe Mint First Fruits and Tenths Naval and Military Expences Moneys imprested c. The Auditors of the Revenue Audit all the accounts of the King 's other Revenue that arise by Aids granted in Parliament The Remembrancer of the first Fruits and Tenths takes all Compositions for first Fruits and Tenths and makes Process against such as pay not the same This Office is kept in Hatton-Garden c. As to the other part of the Exchequer where the King's Revenue is received and disbursed the Principal Officer is the Lord Treasurer whose place is somtimes and is at this present managed by Commissioners appointed by His Majesty The next is the Chancellor of the Exchequer who is an Officer of great Account and Authority He hath a Principal Power not only in the Exchequer-Court but also here in the managing and disposing of the King's Revenue he hath the Custody of the Exchequer-Seal He hath the Gift of the Comptroller or Clerk of the Pipe of the Clerk of the Pleas of the Clerk of the Nichils and of the Seal of the Court He is also under Treasurer and hath the Gift of the two Praisers of the Court. Then there are two Chamberlains of the Exchequer in whose Custody are many ancient Records Leagues and Treaties with Foreign Princes the Standards of Moneys Weights and Measures those antient Books called Dooms-Day and the Black
Book of the Exchequer The former was six Years a making by William the Conqueror and is a Cense or compute of all England as it was then viz. all the Lands with the value and Owners and Account of all Cities Towns Villages Families Men Souldiers Husbandmen Bondmen Servants Cattle how much Money Rents Meadow Pasture Woods Tillage Common Marsh Heath every one possessed So that in Disputes about Taxes this determined it without further controversie as the Book of the Great day of Doom will then and therefore so called It is kept under three Locks and not to be lookt into under 6 s. 8 d. And for every Line Transcribed is to be paid 4. d. The Auditor of the Receipts is to File the Bills of The Tellers whereby they charge themselves with all Money Received and to draw all Orders to be Signed by the Lord High Treasurer for Issuing forth all Moneys by Vertue of the Privy Seals which are Recorded and Lodged in his Office He makes all Debentures to the several Persons who have Fees Annuities or Pensions by Letters Patents from the King out of the Exchequer and directs them for payment to the Tellers He receives every Week the state of the Account of each Teller and also Weekly certifies the whole to the Lord High Treasurer who presently presents the Estimate or Ballance to the King He takes the Tellers Account in Gross at Easter and Michaelmas By him are kept the several Registers appointed for paying all Persons in Course upon several Branches of the King's Revenue he is Scriptor Talliorum hath five Clerks to manage the whole Estate of Moneys received disbursed and remaining There are four Tellers who Receive all Moneys due to the King and thereupon throw down a Bill through a Pipe into the Tally-Court where it is received by the Auditors Clerk who there attends to write the words of the said Bill upon a Tally and then delivers the same to be Entred by the Clerk of the Pells or his under Clerk who Enters it in his Book Then the Tally is cloven by the two Deputy Chamberlains who have the Seals and while the Senior Deputy reads one part the Junior Examines the other part with the other two Clerks The Clerk of the Pels Enters every Tellers Bill into a Parchment of Skin in Latin Pellis whence this Office hath its Name all Receipts and Payments for the King for what cause or by whomsoever and is in Nature of a Comptroller hath four Clerks whereof one is for the Introitus and another for the Exitus Moreover he is to make Weekly and half Yearly Books both of the Receipts and Payments which are delivered to the Lord Treasurer He that Pays the King any Moneys receives for his Acquittance a Tally so called from the French Verb Tallier to cut that is one half of a Stick cloven with certain proportionable Notches thereon expressive of the Sum from the said Deputy Chamberlains who keep the other cloven part of the Stick called the Foyl and Delivers it to the Tally-Joyners on the other side of the Exchequer who are also Deputies to the Chamberlains an◠they joyn it with the Foyl which agreeing the◠give it their Test and send it by an Officer of the◠own to the Pipe where their quietus est is Ingrosse◠in Parchment In the Office of the Deputy-Chamberlains Westminster are preserved all the Counterfoyls 〈◊〉 these Tallies so exactly ranged by Months an◠Years that they are to be presently found out t◠be joined with their respective Stock or Tally when required which proving true they deliver it Attested for a Lawful Tally to the Clerk of the Pipe for to be allowed in the great Roll but in Case any Corruption hath been used the same is easily and soon discovered and the Offender severely punished by Fine and Imprisonment This Antient way of striking of Tallies hath been found by long experience to be absolutely the best way that ever was invented for it is Morally impossible so to Falsifie or Counterfeit a Tally but that upon rejoyning it with the Counterfoyl it will be obvious to every Eye either in the Notches or in the Cleaving in the Longitude Latitude Natural growth or shape of the Counterfoyl whereas Acquittances in Writing cannot be so done but that they may be Counterfeited by skilful Penmen and that so exactly as that he who wrote the Original shall not be able to know his own hand from the Counterfeit as hath been frequently seen in all the Courts of Westminster There are two Vshers whose Office it is to secure the Exchequer by Day and Night and all the Avenues leading to the same and to furnish all Necessaries as Books Paper c. There is a Tally-Cutter and four Messengers This Exchequer is the best ordered publick Revenue in the World Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster Before we come to treat of the High Court of Parliament we will give an Account of the Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster kept at Westminster-Hall on the left hand above Stairs which takes Cognizance of all Causes that any way concern the Revenue of that Dutchy which hath been long since Annexed to the Crown The Chief Judge of this Court is the Chancellor of the Dutchy who is assisted by the Attorney of the Dutchy To this Court belong divers other Officers It is kept near the lower Exchequer and at the Office of Sir Gilbert Gerrard at Grays-Inn Of the High Court of PARLIAMENT Sir Richard Baker tell us in his Chronicle that King Henry the I. instituted the Form of the High Court of Parliament and that the first Council of this sort was held at Salisbury on the 19 th of April and the 16 th of his Reign which is 560 and odd Years ago Before the Conquest the great Council of the King consisting only of the Great Men of the Kingdom was called Magnatum Conventus the Convention or Meeting of the Grandees or Great Men or else Prelatorum Procerumque Concilium and by the Saxons in their own Tongue Michel Gemot the great Assembly After the Conquest it was called Parlementum a French word derived of Parler to talk together consisting still only of the great Men of the Nation till the aforesaid King's Reign None but the King hath Authority to Summon a Parliament In the King's absence out of the Realm the Custos Regni in the King's Name doth Summon a Parliament and During the King's Minority within the Realm the Protector Regni doth the same When the King of England is with His Parliament in time of peace He is then said to be in the height of His Royal Dignity as well as when He is at the head of His Army in time of War He can with the concurrence of his Lords and Commons then do any thing in point of Enacting or Repealing Laws Legitimate one that is born Illegitimate Bastardize one that is born Legitimate He can make an Infant of full Age make an Alien or
9 28. Rutland 2 29. Shropshire 12 30. Somersetshire 18 31. Southampton Or Southamptonshire 26 32. Staffordshire 10 33. Suffolk 16 34. Surrey 14 35. Sussex 20 36. Warwickshire 6 37. Westmorland 4 38. Wiltshire 34 39. Worcestershire 9 40. Yorkshire 30 BARONS of the CINQUE-PORTS Port of Hastings 2 Town of Winchelsey 2 Town of Rye 2 Port of new Rumney 2 Port of Hieth 2 Port of Dover 2 Port of Sandwich 2 Port of Seaford 2 WALES 1. Anglesey 1 Bewmaris 1 2. Brecon 1 Town of Brecon 1 3. Cardigan 1 Town of Cardigan 1 4. Carmarthen 1 Town of Carmarthen 1 5. Carnarvan 1 Town of Carnarvan 1 6. Denbigh 1 Town of Denbigh 1 7. Flint 1 Town of Flint 1 8. Glamorgan 1 Town of Cardiff 1 9. Merioneth 1 10. Pembrook 1 Town of Haverford-west 1 Town of Pembrook 1 11. Montgomery 1 Town of Montgomery 1 12. Radnor 1 Town of Radnor 1 The Barons of the Cinque-Ports are at this Day only as Burgesses in Parliament yet they are still called Barons after the antient manner because heretofore they got Renown by their Exploits at Sea in defending the Kingdom in Memory whereof they have yet the priviledge to send Burgesses to bear the Cloth of State over the King's Head on the day of His Coronation and to Dine that Day in the King's presence The Writ or Summons to the Sheriff for Election of Members to Serve in the House of Commons runs to this purpose The KING to the Sheriff c. Greeting WHereas by the Advice and Assent of our Council for certain arduous and urgent Affairs concerning Vs the State and Defence of our Kingdom of England and the Church of England We have Ordamed a certain Parliament of Ours to be held at this Our City of the Day of next Ensuing and there to have Conference and to Treat with the Prelates Great Men and Peers of Our said Kingdom We command and strictly enjoyn you that making Proclamation at Our next County Court after the Receipt of this Our Writ to be holden the day and Place aforesaid you cause two Knights girt with Swords the most fit and discreet of the County aforesaid and of every City of that County two Citizens of every Burrough two Burgesses of the discreetest and most sufficient to be freely and indifferently chosen by them who shall be present at such Proclamation according to the Tenor of the Statutes in that Case made and provided and the Names of the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses so châ—sen to be inserted in certain Indentures to be then made between you and those that shall be present at such Election whether the Parties so Elected be present or absent and shall make them to come at the said Day and Place so that the said Knights for themselves and the County aforesaid and the Citizens and the Burgesses for themselves and the Commonalty of the said Cities and Boroughs may have severally from them full and sufficient Power to do and to consent to those things which then by the Favour of GOD shall happen to be Ordained by the Common Councel of Our said Kingdom concerning the businesses aforesaid so that the business may not by any means remain undone for want of such Power or by reason of the improvident Election of the foresaid Knights Citizens and Burgesses But we will not in any Case that you or any other Sheriff of Our said Kingdom shall be Elected and at the Day and Place aforesaid the said Election being made in a full County Court you shall certify without Delay unto Vs in Our Chancery under your Seal and the Seals of them who shall be present at the Election sending back unto Vs the other part of the Indenture aforesaid affixed to these presents together with the Writ Witness Our Self at c. The King is in the sence of Law the Fountain of Justice He is Lord Chief Justice of England and therefore all the Laws of the Realm are called His Laws for He is Caput principium finis Parliamenti that is the head beginning and end of Parliament and nothing can have the Force of a Law but what has His Royal Assent The highest Court of Judicature in England is the House of Lords in Parliament who are assisted with the most Grave and Eminent Lawyers of England both in Common and Civil Law who are only Ministerial there and have no Voices but to give their Opinions in matters of Law which become doubtful To the Judicature of this Supreme and most Honorable Court all other Courts and Persons that are Subjects of England are accountable for all Crimes not properly Tryable Remediable or Punishable in other inferiours Courts of Justice and to this Court all last Appeals are made from whose Sentence there lies no Appeal but to a succeeding Parliament and this Supreme Judicatory or Judicial Power lies only in the King and House of Lords and at the Bar of this High Court may the House of Commons as the Grand Inquest of the Nation Impeach the Highest Subject of England whether of the Clergy or of the Laity and prosecute them till it come to a Sentence All Members of Parliament both Lords and Commons that they may attend the publick Service of their Country are priviledged with their Menial Servants attending on their Persons together with all their necessary Goods brought along with them from all Attachments and Imprisonments for Debts Trespasses Account or Covenant all the time that they are on the way to the Place of Parliament all the time that they tarry there and return Eundo Morando ad propria redeundo but not from Arrests for Treason Felony or breach of the Peace The place of Meeting for this High and Honorable Assembly is in whatsoever City Town or House the King pleaseth but most usually at Westminster All the Lords Sit in a fair Room by themselves and the Commons not far from them in another Fair Room heretofore the antient Free Chappel of St. Stephen The King as oft as he comes which is usually at the opening of Parliaments passing of Bills or Solemn Debates is placed at the upper end of the Room in a Chair of State under a Cloth of State under which on either hand sit none but the King's Children On the King 's right hand is a Seat for the Prince of Wales on His left hand is a Seat for the Duke of York On the King 's right hand next the Wall are placed on a Form the two Archbishops next below on another Form the Bishops of London Durham and Winchester Upon other Forms on the same side the rest of the Bishops sit according to the Priority of their Consecration On the King 's left hand upon Forms are placed the Lord Chancellor Treasurer President of the King's Council the Lord Privy Seal if they are Barons above all Dukes except those of the Royal Family if they are not Barons then they Sit uppermost on the Wool-sacks On the same side Sit
particular Welfare of the Kingdom or Subject And every Parliament may get a Bill drawn and give it to the Speaker or Clerk of the Parliament to be presented in convenient time Whatsoever is proposed for a Law is first put in Writing and called a Bill which being read in a full Assembly it is either unanimously rejected or else allowed to be Debated and then it is Committed to a certain Number of the House presently Nominated and called a Committee After it hath been Amended and twice Read two several Days in the House it is Ingrossed that is Written Fair in a Parchment and Read the Third time another day and then if in the Lords House the Chancellor or if in the House of Commons the Speaker demands if they will have it put to the question whether a Law or no Law If the Major part be for it there is Written on the Bill by the Clerk of the Lords House Soit baille aux Seigneurs or of the House of Commons Soit baille aux Communes retaining the Antient Custom which was to speak in French When the Speaker finds divers Bills prepared to be put to the Question he gives Notice the day beâ— before that to morrow he intends to put such Bills to the passing or third Reading and desires the special attendance of all the Members If a Bill be rejected it cannot be any more proposed during that Session All Bills sent by the Commons to the Lords House are usually attended to shew their respect with several of their Members and as they come up to the Lords Bar the Member that 's to present the Bill maketh three profound Reverences and delivers it to the Lord Chancellor who comes down to the Bar to receive it A Bill sent by the Lords to the Commons is usually by some of the Masters of Chancery or some other whose seat is on the Wool-sacks and by none of the Members who coming up to the Speaker bow thrice and deliver it to him after one of them hath read the Title and desired it might be taken into Consideration If it pass that House then is Written on it Les Communes ont assentez When any Member of the House of Commons speaks to a Bill he stands up uncovered and directs his Speech only to the Speaker then if what he Delivers be confuted by another yet he is not allowed to Answer again the same day lest the whole time should be spent in a Dispute between two talkative persons Also if a Bill be debating in the House no man may speak to it in one day above once If any one speak words of offence which the House takes cognizance of as such he is called to the Bar and sometimes sent to the Tower The Speaker is not allowed to persuade or dissuade in passing of a Bill but only to make a short and plain Narrative nor to Vote except the House be equally Divided In Committees though of the whole House it is allowed to Speak and Reply as often as they please In the House of Lords they give their Suffrages or Votes beginning at the lowest Baron and so to the highest Peer in order every one Answering apart Content or Not content In the House of Commons they Vote by Yea's and No's and if it be doubtful which is the greater Number then the Yea's are to go forth and the No's sit still because these are content with their present condition without any addition or alteration of Laws as the other desire and then some are appointed to Number them But at a Committee though it be of the whole House as it is sometimes the Yea's go on one side and the No's on the other whereby they may be discerned If a Bill pass in one House and being sent to the other House they of the other House Demur upon it then a Conference is demanded in the Painted Chamber where certain deputed Members of each House Meet the Lords sitting covered at a Table and the Commons standing bare the business is then debated If they agree not it is Nulled if they do agree it Passes When Bills have past both Houses they are presented to his Majesty for his Royal assent who comes in his Robes with the Crown on his Head and being Seated in his Chair of State the Lords being all in their Robes the Clerk of the Crown reads the Tiâ—tle of each Bill and as he reads the Clerk of the Parliament according to his Instructions from the King who before hath maturely considered each Bill pronounceth the Royal assent If it be a Publick Bill the Answer is Le Roy le veut and then that Bill becomes a Law If a Private Bill the Answer is Soit fait comms el est desire If it be a Pubblick Bill which the King likes not then the Answer is Le Roy s'avisera which is taken for an absolute Denial in a more Civil way and that Bill wholly nulled So that nothing but what the King confirms by his Royal Assent hath the force of a Law The King can by Commission granted to some of His Nobles give His Royal Assent to any Bill that requires haste If it be a Bill for Monies given to His Majesty then the Answer is Le Roy remercie ses Loyaux Sujets accepte leur Benevolence aussi le veut which is an ancient Ceremony of Thanking the Subjects for parting with their Money The Bill for the King 's General Pardon hath but one Reading in either House because they must take it as the King will please to give it so the Bill of Subsidies granted by the Clergy Assembled in Convocation for the same Reason When the Bill for the General Pardon is passed by the King the Answer is thus Les Prelates Seigneurs Communes en ce Parliament Assemblez au nom de tous vos autre Sujects remercient tres humblement votre Majeste prient Dieu vous donner en sante bonne vie Congue All Acts of Parliament before the Reign of Henry 7. were Passed and Enrolled in French now in English The stile runs thus Be it Enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons c. When it pleases the King the Parliament is Adjourned Prorogued or Dissolved thus Adjournments are usually made in the Lords House by the Lord Chancellor in the King's name to what other day and place the King pleases and then all things already Debated and Read in one or both Houses may be resumed because they continue in the same State they were in before to the next Meeting When the Parliament is Prorogued there is a Session and then all Bills and Debates must begin anew at the re-assembling of the Parliament The Speaker of the House of Commons upon notice given that it is the King's pleasure that that House shall also Adjourn doth say with the Assent of the House This House is Adjourned
Protection he Governs the Navy Royal and decides all Civil and Criminal Causes in Sea Affairs whether done upon or beyond Sea in any part of the world on the Sea Coasts in all Ports or Havens and all Rivers beyond the First Bridg next towards the Sea Which Dignity is now executed by Commanders To the ADMIRALTY belong several Courts but this at Doctors Commons is the Principal or Supreme and it may not be improper in Treating of this Colledge to give a brief account of it for the rest the Reader is referred to the Present State of England In this Court called the COURT of ADMIRALTY he hath usually a Lieutenant called Judge of the Admiralty who is commonly some Learned Doctor of the Civil Law The proceedings in all Civil Matters are according to the Civil Law because the Sea is without the Limits of the Common Law and by Libel they proceed to the Action the Plaintiff giving Caution to prosecute the Suit and to pay what shall be Adjudged against him if he fail in the Suit the Defendant on the Contrary securing the Plaintiff by a sufficient Surety or Caution as the Judge shall think meet that he will appear in Judgment and pay what shall be Adjudged against him and that he will ratifie and allow all that his Proctor shall do in his Name whereby the Clients are well assured to obtain that which by Law shall be Adjudged to them let the Cause fall on which side soever They make use also of the Laws of Rhodes and Oleron whereof the former is an Island in the Mediâ—â—rranean Sea about 20 Miles distant from the Continent of Asia Minor and is now under the Turk the antient Inhabitants whereof by their mighty Trade and Power at Sea grew so expert in the Regulation of all Maritime Matters and Differences that their Determinations therein were esteemed so Just and Equitable that their Laws in such Affairs have ever since been observed for Oracles Those Laws were long ago incorporated into the Volumes of the Civil-Law and the Romans who gave Laws to other Nations for their Sea Affairs referred all Debates and Differences to the Judgment of these Rhodian Laws Oleron is an Island antiently belonging to the Crown of England seated in the Bay of Aquitaine not far from the Mouth of the Garonne where our Famous King Richard the first caused to be compiled such Excellent Laws for Sea-Matters that in the Ocean-Sea West ward they had almost as much repute as the Rhodian-Laws in the Mediterranean and these Laws were called La Rool d' Oleron What we have of the Rhodian-Law with the Comments thereon inserted by the old Juris-Consults in the Pandects and the Constitutions made by the Roman Emperors contained in the Code and in the Novelles still hold preheminence of all others Under this Court there is a Court of Equity for Determining Differences between Merchants Former Customs and Decrees are of Force also to decide Controversies The proceeding in Criminal Affairs as about Piracy is according to two Statutes made by H. VIII to be Tried by Witnesses and a Jury by special Commission of the KING to the Lord Admiral wherein some of the Judges of the Realm are ever Commissioners and the Trial according to the Laws of England directed by those Statutes All Causes that happen between the High and Low-Water-Mark are determinable at Common-Law because that place belongs then to the body of the Adjacent Country but when it is Full Sea the Admiral hath Jurisdiction there also so long as the Sea flows over matters done between Low-Water Mark and the Land as appears in Sir Henry Constables Case 5 Report Coke p. 107. For Regulating and Ordering His Majesties Navy Ships of War and Forces by Sea see those excellent Articles and Orders in Stat. 13. Car. 2. Cap. 9. The Writs and Decrees of this Court run in the Name of the Lord High Admiral and are Directed to all Vice Admirals Justices of Peace Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables Marshals and other Officers and Ministers of our Soveraign Lord the King as well within Liberties â—s without To this Court belongs a Register a Marshall who carries a Silver Oar before the Judge whereon are the Arms of the King and the Lord High Admiral The Lord High Admiral hath here his Advocate and Proctor and all other Advocates and Proctors are presented by them and admitted by the Judge This Court is held on the same day with the Arches but in the afternoon in the same Common-Hall at Doctors Commons But the Admiralty Session is held at St. Margarets-Hill in Southwark where it was antiently kept for the Tryal of Malefactors and Crimes Committed at Sea The Places and Offices of this Court are in the gift of the Lord High Admiral At Doctors Commons is another Court belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury called the Prerogative Court which Judgeth all Estates fallen by Will or by Intestates It is so called because the Archbishop by vertue of his Prerogative hath this Power throughout the whole Province where the Party at the time of Death had 5 l. or above in several Diocesses All Citations and Decrees run in the Name of the Archbishop This Court is kept in the same Common-Hall in the Afternoon next day after the Arches and was heretofore held in the Consistory at Pauls The Judge is attended with a Register who sets down the Decrees and Acts of the Court and keeps the Records all Original Wills and Testaments of Parties Dying having Bona Notabilia c. The place is commonly called the Prerogative Office now kept in the Deans Court near St. Pauls Church-yard where for a Moderate Fee one may search for and have a Copy of any such Testament made since the Rebellion of Wat-Tyler and Jack-Straw which is above 300 years ago in the Reign of Richard the Second for by those Rebels many Records and Writings in London and other places were then burnt and destroyed The Places belonging to this Court are in the Gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury The Court of Delegates who upon every New Business have a New Commission and New Judges according to the Nature of the Affair is kept also in the same Common-Hall in the Afternoon the Day after the Prerogative But of this we have spoken something before the Citations and Decrees here run in the King's Name Of the College of Heralds Not far from the College of Doctors Commons stood the College of Heralds now Rebuilt It was an antient House Built by Thomas Stanley Earl of Derby who Married the Mother of King Henry the VII and was bestowed by Queen Mary on the King's Heralds and Pursuivants at Arms for ever to the end that they and their Successors might dwell together if they so pleased and Assemble Confer and Agree for the good Government of their Faculty and that their Records might there be safely preserved These are to be the Messengers of War and Peace they are skilful in Descents
sense of Honour in persons of Birth and Fortune engages them to preserve their Reputation These Colleges are called Inns which was the old English Word for the Houses of Noblemen or Bishops or men of great Note as the French word Hostel at Paris There are Two Inns of Sergeants Four Inns of Courts and Eight Inns of Chancery of which there are Nine within the Liberty of the City and five in the Suburbs Those within the City Liberties are Sergeants Inn Fleetstreet Sergeants Inn Chancery-lane For Judges and Sergeants only The Inner The Middle Temple in Fleet-street are Inns of Court Cliffords Inn Fleetstreet Thavies Inn Furnivals Inn Bernards Inn Staple Inn Holborn Are Inns of Chancery Without the Liberties are Grays Inn Holborn Lincolns Inn Chancery-lane Inns of Court Clements Inn New Inn Lyons Inn Inns of Chancery Of these we shall briefly speak in this Oâ—deras 1. The Sergeants Inns are so called because Divers Judges and Serjeants at Law keep their Commons and Lodge there in Term-time In these Inns or Colleges the Students of the Common-Law when they are arrived to the highest Degree have Lodging and Dyet They are called Servientes ad legem Sergeants at Law These are bred two or three years in the University and there chiefly versed in Logick and Rhetorick which are expedient for a Lawyer as also in the Theory of the Civil-Law and some knowledge in the French Tongue as well as Latine then the Student is admitted to be one of the Four Inns of Court where he is first called a Moot-man and after about seven years Study is chosen an Vtter Barrister and having then spent twelve years more and performed his Exercises of which more hereafter he is chosen a Bencher and sometime after a Reader During the Reading which heretofore was three Weeks and three Days as afore-mentioned the Reader keeps a Constant and sumptuous Feasting Inviting the Chief Nobles Judges Bishops Great Officers of the Kingdom and sometimes the King himself that it costs them sometimes 800 l. or 1000 l. Afterwards he wears a long Robe different from other Barristers and is then in a capacity to be made a Sergeant at Law when his Majesty shall be pleased to call him which is in this Manner 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 six or eight more or less of the most grave and learned of the Inns of Court and presents their Names to the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper who sends by the Kings Writ to each of them to appear on such a Day before the King to receive the State and Degree of a Serjeant at Law at the appointed time they being habited in Robes of two Colours viz. Brown and Blew come accompanied with the Students of the Inns of Courts and attended by a Train of Servants and Retainers in peculiar Cloath-Liveries to Westminster-Hall and there in publick take a Solemn Oath and are Cloathed with certain Robes and Coifs without which they may be seen no more in publick After this they Feast the great Persons of the Nation in a very Magnificent and Princely manner give Gold Rings to the Princes of the Royal Family the Archbishops Chancellor and Treasurer to the value of 40 s. each Ring and to Earls and Bishops Rings of 20 s. To other Great Officers to Barons c. Rings of less value Out of these are chosen all the Judges of the King's Bench and Common-Pleas Wherefore all those Judges do always wear the white Linnen Coif which is the principal Badge of a Sergeant and which he has had the priviledge to wear at all times even in the King's presence and whilst he spake to the King though antiently no Subject may be so much as capped in the King's presence When any of the Judges are wanting the King by advice of the Council makes choice of one of those Sergeants at Law to supply his place and by Letters Patents Sealed by the Lord Chancellor who Constitutes him sitting in the middle of the rest of the Judges by a set Speech Declaring to the Serjeant that upon this occasion he is called to do Justice with Expedition and Impartiality to His Majesties Subjects causing the Letters Patents to be read and then Departs after which the Lord Chief Justice places the said Sergeant on the Bench Junior to all the rest and having taken an Oath well and truly to Serve the King and his People in his Office to take no Bribâ— to do equal and speedy Justice to all c. He sets himself to the Execution of his Charge Being thus advanced he hath great honour and a considerable Salary besides perquisites for each one hath 1000 l. a year from the King His habit of a Sergeant is somewhat altered his long Robe and Cap his Hood and Coif are the same but there is besides a Cloak put over him and closed on his Right Shoulder and instead of a Caputium lined with Minever or de minuto vario divers small pieces of white rich Fur only the two Lord Chief-Justices and the Lord Chief-Baron have their Hoods Sleeves and Collars turned up with Ermine ☞ Note that the two Sergeants Inns belong to the twelve Judges and about twenty-six Sergeants The Fees in old times from a Client to a Sergeant at Law for advice in his Chamber or for pleading in any Court of Judicature was but 20 s. and the Fee of a Barrister 10 s. which is now more then is given in our Neighbour Nations but at present it is usual to give some some Sergeants 10 l. and some 20 l. and to a Barrister half as much at the pleading of any Considerable Cause so that some Lawyers gain 3000 or 4000 l. yearly in Fees and purchase great Estates in a few years and are sometimes advanced to be Peers of the Realm as late times especially have shewn When there was a call of Serjeants at Law it was almost incredible to hear of their preparations in old times they have often kept their Feasts in Ely House which was the Bishop of Ely's Palace in Holborn There was a call of Seven Sergeants in the year 1464. 4. E. 4. in Michaelmas Term who kept their Feast in this Palace to which Sir Matthew Philip Lord Mayor of London with the Aldermen Sheriffs and the most eminent Commoners were invited to which they came but the Lord Gray of Ruthen then Lord Treasurer of England was placed against the minds of the Serjeants as they said before the Lord Mayor who thereupon took such Distaste that he went away with the Aldermen Sheriffs and Commons without partaking of the Feast to the great trouble of the New Sergeants as well as the dissatisfaction of the City There was another Feast kept there for Five days by the Sergeants in the Year 1531. 23 Henry VIII where the King Queen and Foreign Ambassadors Dined as also the Lord Mayor the
sumptuous Fane The Lands Chief Seat that challengeth for hers Kings Coranations and their Sepulchers Then goes along by that more beautious Strand That shews the Wealth and glory of the Land Such sumptuous Seats within so little space Th' all-viewing Sun scarce sees in all his Race By London leads which like a Crescent lies Whose Windows view with the be-spangled Skies Her rising Spires so thick themselves do show As do the Reeds that on her Banks do grow There sees his Wharffs and People-crowded Shores His bosom spread with shoals of labouring Oars With that great Bridge that doth him most Renown By which he puts all other Rivers down This Noble River hath her Original out of the side of an Hill in Cotswold Downs a little above a Village called Winchcomb in Oxfordshire where it was antiently called Isis or the Ouse running to Oxford and by the way receiving many small Rivulets and Brooks joyning at that City with the Charwell then by Abington Dorchester where the River Thame and Isis joyn from whence it is called Thamâ—sis or Thames thence by Reading Maiden-head Windsor Stanes and several other considerable Palaces Towns and stately Houses to London and receives the Medway a considerable River that runs by the City of Rochester and Waters all the Southern parts of Kent The length of it being at least if measured by the Journeys at Land 180 Miles and Ebbs and Flows as before near 80 Miles The Common difference betwixt Tide and Tide is found to consist of 24 Minutes which wanteth but 12 of a whole hour in 24 by which they come later than the other Mr. Stow tells us that in his time the first Edition of his Survey being Printed above 80 years ago there were 2000 Wherries or small Boats whereby 3000 Water-men got their Living their Gains being most in Term-time but now there are a great many more this River being a Nursery to breed young Men sit for the Sea to Serve His Majesty or the Merchants c. Besides these there is an Infinite Number of Wherries Tide-Boats Tilt-Boats Barges Hoys c. for Passengers or to bring necessary Provision of all sorts from all Quarters of Oxfordshire Berkshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire Hartfordshire Middlesex Essex Surrey and Kent unto the City but of the Navigation of London we refer to the Chapter of Trade and the Rates of Water-men to a distinct head to be Treated of hereafter The Extent of the Jurisdiction and Prerogative of the Lord Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London on the River Thames c. THe Lord Mayor of LONDON for the time being and his Successors for ever in that great Dignity have full Power and Authority over the Rivers of Thames and Medway to inflict punishment upon all Transgressors relating to the said Rivers the Water-Bayly of London being his Substitute The Extent of this Jurisdiction begins at a place called Colnie-Ditch a little above Stains-Bridge Westward as far as London-Bridge and from thence to a place called Yendall otherwise Yenland or Yenleete and the Waters of Medway This Authority and Jurisdiction belongs to the Lord Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London by divers Grants Charters and Confirmations made by the Kings and Queens of England besides sundry Acts of Parliament Yet there have been some contests betwixt the Lord Mayor and the Lord High Admiral of England about it but after a fair and Judicial Tryal in open Court the Controversie was decided in favour of the City and the Lord Mayor was adjudged to be Conservator of the Thames There were also some Controversies about the Rivers of Thames and Medway but all differences were absolutely concluded Anno 1613. Sir John Swinnerton being then Lord Mayor and Thomas Sparry Esq being then his Deputy in that Office So that the Lord Mayor bears always since as in former times the stile of Conservator of the said River within the said Limits and Bounds And whereas there was a Company of Fishermen called Tinckermen that with unlawful Nets and other devices made an infinite destruction of the young Brood or Fry of Fish to feed their Hogs by the singular care and cost of the Lord Mayor and vigilance of the Citizens they were many years ago supprest and a regular and orderly manner of Fishing brought in use that such a havock may not be made of the young Fry As also sundry other abuses by unlawful Fishing and some annoying Timbers in Tilbury-hope dangerous to Passengers and destructive to the young Brood of Fish and Fishermens Nets were also to general benefit reformed Likewise they took care to clear and cleanse the River Westward of about 79 Stops or Hatches consisting of divers great Stakes and Piles erected by Fishermen for their private lucre and standing ill-favouredly for Passengers near the Fair-Deep but none now are left except such as stand out of the passable high stream that can prejudice none The like Course was kept in the time of Henry the 4 th and Henry the 8 ths times There is also a watchful Eye that no Carrion nor Dead Carkasses be thrown into the River to pollute or infect the stream To all these intents and purposes the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen his Brethren with the under Officers meet eight times a year in the four Counties of Middlesex Surrey Kent and Essex and have a Judicial sitting for Maintenance of the Rivers Rights and Priviledges where they have power to Impanel Juries to make Inquisition after all Offences committed upon the River within their Exteâ—â— and as the Verdict given by the Jury makes it appear so they proceed to the punishment of the 〈◊〉 sors according to the quality of the offence whereof it may be proper to give this Memorable Instance as it is Recorded by Mr. Stow in his Survey page 20 Printed Anno 1633. and more briefly delivered by Mr. Howel in his Londinopolis Printed Anno 1657. page 15. Thus. Sir John Rolls Knight and Lord Mayor of the City of London and Conservator of the River of Thames and Waters of Medway assisted and accompanied by the Aldermen and two Sheriffs then contemporary and attended by the Recorder and the Sub-conservation or Water-Bayly with 50 Officers and Servants took their Barges at Billings-gate the third of July 1616. and in a few hours arrived at Graves-end in Kent where a Session for Conservancy of the said River was kept before the said Lord Mayor and his said Assistants at which place and time a Jury of the Free-holders of the said County being sworn to inquire of all Offences committed in any part of the River whatsoever within the said County The Common Sergeant of the City the Recorder being then absent upon extraordinary occasions Delivered them a Charge to this effect That for as much as there had not been any Session of Conservancy in many years passed kept by any Lord Mayor of London in that place it was probable and evident they could not be well informed neither of the Lord Mayor's
West yea a considerable share of the richest Merchandizes of the World c. so that this Famous River may be said to be as it were the Radical Moysture of London and its best Friend which was hinted by the Lord Mayor to King James for the King being displeased because the City would not lend Him a Sum of Money told the Mayor and Aldermen that he would Remove His Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another place with further expressions of that kind The Lord Mayor calmly heard all and at last Answered Your Majesty hath Power to do what You Please and Your City of London will obey accordingly but She humbly Desires that when Your Majesty shall remove Your Courts You would please to leave the Thames behind You. Besides the inestimable Benefit that this Noble River brings to the City and the Adjacent places by the easie conveyance of all Sorts of Goods and Merchandizes almost all the Fuel for Firing being also brought by it from Newcastle Scotland Kent Essex c. It supplies the City in very many places with excellent wholsom Water convey'd into all the Adjacent Houses by Water Engines of great cost and Artifice So much for the Thames The City of London is supply'd with pure Spring-Water from above Twenty Conduits so Commodiously placed that they serve all the Chiefest parts of the City And in all parts though on the highest Ground It is abundantly Served with Pump Water and those Pumps in many places hardly Six Foot deep in the Ground Of the New-River This Famous and never-to-be-forgotten Work brought by the Liberal Charge and Exquisite Skill of one Worthy Man Sir Hugh Middleton Knight and Baronet Citizen and Goldsmith of London deserves an everlasting Memorial Several Wells and Springs of sweet and fresh Water with which the City was served being Decayed sundry Projects were on Foot to supply that want but this Principal Device was found out by the aforesaid Gentleman and the Difficulties and vast Expence made it for some time to be retarded but Courage and a Resolution to promote the Publick Good prompted him on to the Atchievment which since hath proved happily Commodious and of infinite Utility to the whole City so that the brave Adventurer deserves a Statue to Eternize his Name and Transmit his Memory to keep it Fresh like his Waters to future Ages Now as Mr. Stow speaks very ingeniously if those Enemies to all Good Actions Danger Difficulty Detraction Contempt Scorn and Envy could have prevailed by their Malevolent Interposition either before at the beginning and in the very Birth of the Attempt and a good while after this work had never been accomplished Queen Elizabeth granted Power to the Citizens by Act of Parliament for Cutting and Conveying of a River from any part of Middlesex or Hartfordshire to the City of London with a Limitation of ten Years time for the performance thereof But She dyed before it was undertaken King James Granted the like but without limitation of time And when others would not undertake it Sir Hugh Middleton did with infinite Pains and vast Charge both begin and finish it He brought it from Amuel and Chadwel two Springs near Ware in Hartfordshire from whence in a turning and winding Course it Runs threescore Miles before it reaches the City At the North-side of the City at Islington he built a large Cistern to receive it and from thence it is dispersed in Pipes serving the highest parts of London in their lower Rooms and the Lower parts in their higher Rooms It was begun the 28 th of February Anno Dom. 1608 and finished in five Years It can hardly be imagined what difficulties and rubs there were in the way through which the Water was to pass some being Ozie Soft and Muddy other again as Hard Craggy and Stâ—ny in some places the Channel is Thirty Foot deep in other places it is carried over Valleys in open Troughs betwixt Hills which Troughs are supported by Wooden Arches some of them fixt in the Earth very deep and rising in Height above 23 Foot Over this New-River are made 800 Bridgs some of Stone some of Brick and some of Wood and six hundred Men have been at once imployed in this Great Work The River being brought to the said Great Cistern the Water was not let in till Michaelmas Day Anno 1613. Sir John Swinnerton then Lord Mayor and Sir Thomas Middleton Brother to the said Sir Hugh being Elected Lord Mayor for the Ensuing Year In the Afternoon Sir John Swinnerton and Sir Thomas Middleton with Sir Henry Mountague the Recorder of London and many of the Worthy Aldermen Rode in a Solemn manner to see the Great Cistern and first Issuing of the strange River thereunto which was then made Free Denizen of London and the Solemnity was thus A Troop of Labourers of the Number of Sixty or more well Apparrelled and wearing Green Monmoth Caps after the Brittish manner all alike carried Spades Shovels Pickaxes and such like Instruments of Laborious Employment and marching after Drums twice or thrice about the Cistern presented themselves before the Mount where the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen were with a Worthy Company besides and one Man in the behalf of the rest delivered a handsom Speech in Verse at the Conclusion of which the Flood-Gates flew open and the Stream ran Cheerfully into the Cistern the Drums Beating and Trumpets Sounding in Triumphant manner and a Gallant Peal of Chambers gave a Period to the Entertainment Upon which brave Man these Lines were made Ad Hugonem Middleton Equitem Aurat um De stupenda hac aquarum opera Compita qui fluvium per Londinensia Duxti Vt jam quisque suis vicus abundet aquis Non Aganippe tuas satis est depromere laudes Haec scaturigo novae quam tibi fundit aquae Before we leave this Head although it is noâ— necessary to give a particular Account of every Conduit whereof there are many in and about the City as was said and one now a Rearing in the place of the Old Conduit at the West end of Cheapâ— side which is intended to be a Stately one and beseeming the Magnificence of the City and that Gallant Street where it is to be Erected c. Yeâ— that neatly-wrought Conduit in Stocks-Market aâ— the West end of Lumbard-street is not to be omitted whereupon is placed a very Magnificent Statue of KING CHARLES the II. on Horseback Trampling upon an Enemy all in Excellent White-Marble at the Sole Cost and Charges of Sir Robert Viner who was Lord Mayor of London in the Year 1675. There is likewise a very Magnificent Statue of King CHARLES the I. on Horse-back all ofâ— Solid Brass at Charing-Cross the Figures of both which are here Exhibited THE K. AT THE STOCKs MARKET THE K. AT CHARING CROSs CHAP. IV. Of the Government of London IN this Chapter we shall briefly Treat of the Government of this Renowned City
in Three Sections 1. The Ecclesiastical Government 2. The Temporal or Civil Government 3. The Military Government SECT 1. Of the Ecclesiastical Government THe Government of London considering how great and populous it is is very admirable and might take up a volume in the Description thereof The Ecclesiastical Government is by a Bishop and I have read that in the Britains time it was an Archbishops See of which see page 57. before but removed in the Saxons time to Canterbury for the sake of Austin the Monk who first preached the Gospel to the Heathen Saxons and lies buried there To the Cathedral of London belongs a Dean a Chapter a Treasurer and 30 Prebendaries In the several Parishes there are placed many learned and eminent Divines a Rector or Vicar for every Parish who are reputed the most excellent Preachers in Christendom insomuch that divers Foreigners have come hither on purpose to learn their way There is in every Parish a Vicarage or Parsonage-House for these Divines and their Families with good allowances for their Maintenance of which and the Union of Parishes take the following account By an Act of Parliament made in the 19 Car. 2. Cap. 3. Sect. 31. It was Enacted that the Parishes to be Rebuilded within the City of London in lieu of those which were demollished by the late Dreadful Fire should not exceed the number of 39. But in the 22 Car. 2. Cap. 11. Sect. 62. It was Enacted that for as much as upon an exact Survey taken of the Number of Houses to be Rebuilded and of the Extent of the respective Parishes necessary to be continued within the said City it doth appear that the Parishes to be setled and continued and the Parish-Churches to be rebuilded within the said City of London in lieu of those demollished or consumed by the said late Fire cannot conveniently by Union or otherwise be reduced to a less Number than fifty one It was therefore further Enacted that the Number of Parishes to be setled and of Parish-Churches to be rebuilded within the said City of London should be Fifty One the aforesaid Act or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding There was also Anno 22. and 23. Car. 2. Cap. 15. An Act of Parliament for the better Settlement of the Maintenance of the Parsons Vicars and Curates of the said Parishes to prevent Controversies of Law that might arise about the alteration of Houses in the Rebuilding of the City It was therefore reduced to a certainty of Tythes or a sum of Money in lieu of Tythes as in the following Table may be seen ☞ Note that the first Seventeen Parishes after mentioned are to remain and continue as heretofore they were and that the respective Parish Churches to each of the said Parishes belonging were to be Rebuilded for the use of the said Parishes ☞ Note likewise that the rest that are joined in Order are the united Parishes and that the first Parish mentioned in each line is the Parish-Church of the Parishes so united and that the sum annexed to each is the annual payment to be made to the Parson Vicar or Curate of the same in lieu of Tythes l. 1. Allhallows Lumbardstreet 110 2. S. Bartholomew Exchange 100 3. S. Bridget alias Brides 120 4. S. Bennet-Fink 100 5. S. Michael Crooked-lane 100 6. S. Christopher 120 7. S. Dionys Back-Church 120 8. S. Dunstans East 200 9. S. James Garlick-hith 100 10. S. Michael Cornhill 140 11. S. Michael Bassishaw 132 l. 11 s. 12. S. Margaret Lothbury 100 13. S. Mary Aldermanbury 150 14. S. Martin Ludgate 160 15. S. Peter Corn-hill 110 16. S. Stephen Colemanstreet 110 17. S. Sepulchres 200 Parishes United 18. Alhallows Breadstreet and S. John Evangelist 140 19. Alhallows the Great and Alhallows the Less 200 20. S. Alban Woodstreet and S. Olaves Silverstreet 170 21. S. Ann and Agnes and S. John Zachary 140 22. S. Augustine and S. Faith 172 23. S. Andrew Wardrobe and S. Anne Black-Fryers 140 24. S. Antholin and S. John Baptist 120 25. S. Bennet Grace-Church and S. Leonard East-cheap 140 26. S. Bennets Pauls-Wharff and S. Peter Pauls-Wharff 100 27. Christ-Church and S. Leonard Foster-lane 200 28. S. Edmond the King and S. Nicholas Acons 180 29. S. George Botolph-lane and S. Botolph Billings-gate 180 30. S. Laurence Jewry and S. Magdalen Milk-street 120 31. S. Magnus and S. Margaret New Fish-street 170 32. S. Michael Royal and S. Martin Vintry 140 33. S. Matthew Friday-street and S. Peter Cheap 150 34. S. Margaret Pattons and S. Gabriel Fen-Church 120 35. S. Mary at Hill and S. Andrew Hubbard 200 36. S. Mary Wolnoth and S. Mary Wool-Church 160 37. S. Clement East-Cheap and S. Martin Orgars 140 38. S. Mary Abchurch and S. Laurence Pountney 120 39. S. Mary-Aldermary and S. Thomas Apostles 150 40. S. Mary-le-Bow S. Pancras Soper-lane and Alhallows Honey-lane 200 41. S. Mildred Poultry and S. Mary Cole-Church 170 42. S. Michael Woodstreet and S. Mary Staining 100 43. S. Mildred Breadstreet and S. Margaret Moses 130 44. S. Michael Qeeen-hith and Trinity 160 45. S. Magdalen Old Fish-street and S. Gregory 120 46. S. Mary Sommerset and S. Mary Mountâ—aw 110 47. S. Nicholas Cole-Abby and S. Nicholas Olaves 130 48. S. Olave Jewry and S. Martin Ironmonger-lane 120 49. S. Stephen Walbrook and S. Bennet Shâ—erhog 100 50. S. Swythin and S. Mary Bothaw 140 51. S. Vedast alias Fosters and S. Michael Quern 160 These respective sums in liue of Tyths are to be yearly paid over and above Glebes Perquisites and Bequests the Assessment to be made by the Aldermen of each Ward or his Deputy the Common-Councel-men and Church-Wardens and one or more of the Parishioners Impropriators are by the said Act to make the same allowances to the Incumbents as they did before the Fire Upon Refusal of Payment the Lord Mayor may Grant his Warrant to the Collector who with a Constable in the Day-time may Levy the same by Distress and sale of the Goods of the Party so refusing c. restoring the overplus but may deduct the reasonable Charges of making Distress c. Provided that it shall and may be lawful to and for the Warden and Minor Canons of S. Pauls Church London Parson and Proprietors of the Rectory of the Parish of S. Gregory aforesaid to receive and enjoy all Tythes Oblations and Duties arising or growing due within the said Parish in as large and beneficial a manner as formerly c. The Parish-Churches were to be Rebuilt according to Models appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London and the Lord Mayor of London with the King's Approbation The Church-yards of the Demolished Churches were to be inclosed with Brick or Stone-Walls for Burial for the Parishes formerly belonging to the same and the Parishes to which they are respectively united and not used or employed for any other purpose whatsoever except such parts thereof as the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with
George Whitmore Samuel Cranmore Henry Prat. 1632 8 Sir Nicholas Raynton Hugh Perry Henry Andrews 1633 9 Sir Râ—lph Freeman Sir Thomas Mouldston Gilbert Harrison Richard Gurney 1634 10 Sir Robert Parkhurst John Heylord John Cordel 1635 11 Sir Christ Cletherow Thomas Soame John Gayer 1636 12 Sir Edw. Bromfield William Abel John Garret 1637 13 Sir Richard Fen. Thomas Atkin. Edward Rudge 1638 14 Sir Maurice Abot Isaac Pennington John Wollaston 1639 15 Sir Henry Garraway Thomas Adams John Warner 1640 16 Sir Edmund Wright John Towse Abrah Reynardson 1641 17 Sir Richard Gurney George Garret George Clarke 1642 18 Isaac Pennington John Langham Thomas Andrews 1643 19 Sir John Wolaston John Fowke James Bunce 1644 20 Thomas Atkin. William Gibbs Richard Chambly 1645 21 Thomas Adams John Kendrick Thomas Foot 1646 22 Sir John Gayer Thomas Cullam Simon Edmonds 1647 23 Sir John Warner Samuel Avery John Bide 1648 24 Sir Abra Reinardson Thomas Andrews in his Room Thomas Viner Richard Brown King CHARLES the II. began His Reign the Thirtieth of January 1648. 1649 1 Thomas Foot Christopher Pack Rowland Wilsen John Dethick 1650 2 Thomas Andrews Robert Tichborn Richard Chiverton 1651 3 John Kendrick Andrew Richards John Ireton 1652 4 John Fowke Stephen Eastwick William Vnderwood 1653 5 Thomas Viner James Philips Walter Bigge 1654 6 Christopher Pack Edmund Sleigh Thomas Aleyn 1655 7 John Dethick William Thompson John Detherick 1656 8 Robert Tichborn Tempest Milner Nathaniel Temms 1657 9 Richard Chiverton John Robinson Tho. Chandler died Richard King 1658 10 John Ireton Anthony Bateman John Lawrence 1659 60 11 12 Sir Thomas Aleyn Knight and Bar. Francis Warner William Love Esq 1660 61 12 â—3 Sir Richard Brown Baronet Sir Will. Bolton Knt. Sir William Peâ—k Kt. 1661 2 13 14 Sir John Frederick Francis Menil Esq Samuel Starling Esq 1662 3 14 15 Sir Joh. Robinson Bar. Sir Thom. Bludworth Sir Wilâ—iam Turner 1663 4 15 â— Sir Anthon. Bateman Sir Richard Food Sir Richard Rives 1664 â— 16 17 Sir John Lawrence Sir George Waterman Sir Charles Doe 1665 6 17 â— Sir Thom. Bludworth Sir Robert Hanson Sir William Hooker 1666 7 18 â—9 Sir William Boulton Sir Robert Viner Sir Joseph Sheldon 1667 â— 19 20 Sir William Peake Sir Dennis Gauden Sir Thomas Davies 1668 9 20 21 Sir William Turner John Forth Esq Sir Francis Chaplain 1669 70 21 22 Sir Samuel Starling Sir John Smith Sir James Edwards 1670 71 22 23 Sir Richard Ford. Samuel Forth Esq Patience Ward Esq 1671 2 23 24 Sir George Waterman Sir Jonat Daws died Sir Robert Clayton Sir John Moore 1672 3 24 25 Sir Robert Hanson Sir Will. Pritchard Sir James Smith 1673 4 25 â—6 Sir William Hooker Sir Henry Tulse Sir Robert Jeffry 1674 5 26 7 Sir Robert Viner Knt. and Barronet Sir Nathan Herne Sir John le Thuilâ—er 1675 6 27 â— Sir Joseph Sheldon Sir Thomas Gold Sir John Shorter 1676 7 28 9 Sir Thomas Davies Sir John Peak Sir Thomas Stamp 1677 8 29 30 Sir Francis Chaplain Sir William Royston Sir Thomas Becâ—ford 1678 9 30 31 Sir James Edwards Sir Richard How Sir John Chapman 1679 80 31 2 Sir Robert Clayton Sir Jonath Raymond Sir Simon Lewis 1680 1 32 3 Sir Patience Ward Slingsby Bethel Esq Henry Cornish Esq Having given a Catalogue of all the Mayors and Sheriffs that have been in London to this present year we shall proceed to give a brief Account of this great Magistrate for to give a full and distinct Account of all things relating to that high Place quadrates not with the intended bulk of this little Memorial The Lord Mayor of London upon the Death of the King is the prime Person of England and therefore when King James came to take possession of the English Crown Sir Robert Lee then Lord Mayor of London subscribed before all the great Officers of the Crown and all the Nobility He is always for his great Dignity Knighted before the Year of His Mayoralty be expired unless Knighted before whilst Alderman which of 〈◊〉 hath been usual He keeps a Table so richly and plentifully furnished where all strangers or others that are of any quality are nobly entertained at all times of the year that it is fit to receive the greatest Subject of England or of other Monarchs Nay it is Recorded that in the 31. E. 3. Henry Picard Lord Mayor of London Feasted Four Kings viz. The King of England the King of France the King of Cyprus and the King of Scotland with other great Estates all in one day And their Present Majesties of Great Britain have been by some of the late Lord Mayors Treated at their Table There is also for the Grandeur of the Lord Mayor 1000 l. a year allowed for his Sword-bearer's Table in the Lord Mayor's House His Domestick attendance is very honourable He hath Four Officers that wait on him who are reputed Esquires by their places that is the Sword-Bearer the Common-Hunt the Common-Cryer and the Water-Bayliff there is also the Coroner three Sargeants Carvers three Sergeants of the Chamber a Sergeant of the Channel four Yeomen of the Water-side one Vnder-WaterBayliff two Yeomen of the Chamber three Meal-Weighers two Yeomen of the Wood-Wharffs most of which have their Servants allowed them and have Liveries for themselves c. His State and Magnificence is remarkable when he appears abroad which is usually on Horse-back with rich Caparisons himself always in long Robes sometimes of fine Scarlet Cloath richly Furr'd sometimes Purple sometimes Puke and over his Robes a Hood of Black Velvet which is said to be a Badge of a Baron of the Realm with a great Chain of Gold about his Neck or Collar of SS's with a great rich Jewel Pendant thereon with many Officers walking before and on all sides of him He is usually Chosen on Michaelmas-day by the Livery-men or Members of the several Companies in London out of the twenty-six Aldermen all persons of great Wealth and Wisdom in which Election the Senior Alderman hath usually the precedence yet in this particular the said Electors are at their liberty On the 29 th of October there is a most Magnificent Cavalcade when the Lord Mayor attended with all the Aldermen all his Officers all the several Companies or Corporations rides to the Water-side where they enter their stately Barges with their Arms Colours and Streamers and go to Westminster to be sworn to be true to the King c. in the Exchequer Chamber after which he returns in the same manner to Guild-Hall that is the great Common-Hall of Guilds or Incorporated Fraternities where is prepared for him and his Brethren a most sumptuous Dinner to which many of the Great Lords and Ladies and all the Judges of the Land are invited And the King and Queens Majesties the Duke of York and Prince Rupert did lately honour that Feast with their presence The Lord Mayor on the Day of the King's Coronation is Chief Bâ—tler and bears the Kings Cup
amongst the highest Nobles of the Kingdom which serve on that Day in other Offices He presents the King with Wine in a Golden Cup having a Cover of which the King Drinks and the Lord Mayor receives the said Cup for his Fee The first Lord Mayor that went by Water to Westminster was Sir John Norman Draper Anno 1453. the 32. of H. 6. that is 228 years ago The two Sheriffs of this City are also Sheriffs of the County of Middlesex and are annually Chosen by the Citizens from among themselves in the Guild-Hall upon Midsummer-day a high Priviledge among many others anciently granted to this City by several Kings and Queens of this Kingdom but they are not Sworn till Michaelmas-Eve and then are also presented at the Exchequer to be allowed by the Barons and Sworn after which they enter upon their Office If the Persons so chosen refuse to hold they incur a Penalty unless they will take a Solemn Oath that they are not worth 10000 l. In the Year 1199. that is 482 years ago King John granted the Sheriff-Wick of London and Middlesex to the City as King Henry the First before had done for the sum of 300 l. a year which is paid into the Exchequer to this Day He gave them also Authority to Chuse and Deprive their Sheriffs at pleasure In the 1. of R. 1. the Citizens obtained to be Governed by two Bayliffs which Bayliffs are in Divers antient Deeds called Sheriffs according to the Speech of the Law which called the Shire Ballâ—va c. which King also as formerly said gave the City liberty to be governed by a Mayor as their Principal Governour and their Bayliffs were changed into Sheriffs The Sheriffs of London In the Year 1471. were appointed each of them to have Sixteen Sergeants every Sergeant to have his Yeoman and Six Clerks viz. A Secondary a Clerk of the Papers and Four other Clerks besides the Under-Sheriffs Clerks their Stewards Bâ—tlers Porters and other in Houshold many There are Twenty-six Aldermen that preside over the Twenty-six Wards of the City of which more when we speak of Wards when any of these die the Lord Mayor and Aldermen chuse another out of the most substantial men of the City If any so chosen refuse to hold he is usually Fined 500 l. All the Aldermen that have been Lord Mayors and the Three eldest Aldermen that have not yet arrived to that Honourable Estate are by their Charter Justices of the Peace of this City In the Year 1555. Seven Aldermen Died in less than Ten Months The Recorder of London is usually a Grave and Learned Lawyer that is skilful in the Customs of the City who is to be an Assistant to the Lord Mayor He taketh his place in Councels and in Courts before any man that hath not been Mayor and Learnedly Delivers the sentences of the whole Court The Present Recorder is Sir George Treby an eminent Gentleman and a Worthy Member of our last Parliaments The Chamberlain of London is at present Sir Thomas Player a Gentleman that has deserved very well of this City and the Protestant Interest in General both in that Station and as a Member for this Honourable City in the last Parliaments The Chamberlain is Elected by the Commons upon Midsummer-day so are the Two Bridge-Masters The Auditors of the City and Bridge-House Accounts the Surveyors for BEER and ALE. There is also a Town-Clark or Common-Clerk and a Remembrancer who are Esquires The Chamberlain of London is an Officer very considerable in point of power for without him can no man set up Shop or Occupy his Trade without being Sworn before him no man can set over an Apprentice to another but by his Licence he may Imprison any that disobeys his Summons or any Apprentice that misdemeans himself or punish him otherwise On Munday and Tuesday in Eâ—ster-week all the Aldermen and Sheriffs come unto the Lord Mayor's House before Eight of the Clock in the Morning to Break-fast wearing their Scarlet Gowns Furr'd and their Cloaks as also their Horses attending When Break-fast is ended they mount their Horses and ride to the Spittle which is an ancient Custom not changed but once in 300 years and that upon extraordinary occasion till this year when they went to S. Sepulchres the Sword and Mace being born before the Lord Mayor There they hear a Sermon and then return to Dinner and some of the Aldermen Dine with the Sheriffs and some with the Lord Mayor On Wednesday in Easter-week they go thither in the same manner only the Lord Mayor and Aldermen wear their Violet Gownes and sutable Cloaks But the Ladies on the former Days wearing Scarlet on this Day are attired in Black On Whitsunday all the Aldermen use to meet the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs at the New-Church-yard by Moorfields wearing their Scarlet Gowns lined without Cloaks there they hear a Sermon appointed for that Day and so return to Dinner When they chuse Parliament-men all the Aldermen meet the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs at the Guild-Hall by nine of the Clock in the Morning wearing their Velvet Gowns and their Cloaks either furred or lined according as the time of the year requireth when they are to be chosen and they sit in the Hastings-Court untill the Commons do make Choice of them The last Honourable Members that served for this Renowned City were Sir Robert Clayton Knight that was Lord Mayor the last year Thomas Pilkinton Alderman Sir Thomas Player Knight and William 〈◊〉 Esq of whose real worth courage fidelity and wisdom in the management of that great Trust the City is very sensible as appears by the publick demonstrations deservedly given of it and no less sensible was the last Parliament but one of the Cities Loyalty Fidelity and great care to preserve his Majesties Royal person and the Protestant Religion that the thanks of the House was order'd to be given them which was accordingly done by the Worthy Members aforesaid What the Office of the Constables in the City of London is you may gather from their Oath which is thus Ye shall Swear that ye keep the Peace of our Soveraign Lord the King well and lawfully after your power And ye shall Arrest all them that make Contest Riot Debate or Affray in breaking of the said Peace and lead them to the House or Compter of one of the Sheriffs And if ye be withstood by strength of Misdoers ye shall rear on them an Out-cry and pursue them from Street to Street and from Ward to Ward till they be Arrested And ye shall search at all times when ye be required by the Seavengers or Beadles the Common Noysance of your Ward And the Beadle and Raker ye shall help to Rear and gather their Sallary and Quarterage if ye be thereunto by them required And if any thing be done within your Ward against the Ordinance of this City such defaults as ye shall find there done ye shall them present to the Mayor and
to whom they will and of what Estate they will And may also Devise a New Rent to rise from their Tenements in manner as they like best And those which are Free-men of the said City may Devise their Tenements in Mortmain Infants within Age may not make a Devise nor can Women-Covert Devise their Tenements by License of their Husbands nor in other manner during the Coverture The Husband may not Devise his Tenements to his Wife for a higher Estate upon pain to lose the whole Neither may the Husband Devise the Tenements descended to his Wife nor the Tenements which the Husband and Wife have jointly purchased but if the Husband and the Wife have Tenements Joyntly to them and to the Heirs of the Husband the Husband may Devise the Reversion All Testaments by which any Tenements be Devised may be inrolled in the Hustings Court of Record at the suit of any which may take advantage by the same Testaments And the Testament which ought to be inrolled shall be brought before the Mayor and Aldermen in full Husting And there shall the said Testaments be Proclaimed by the Sergeant and the same also to be proved by two Discreet men well known the which shall be sworn and examined of all the Circumstances of the said Testaments and of his Seal and if the proof be found good and loyal and agreeable then shall the said Testament be inrolled in the same Hustings of Record and the Fee shall be paid for the Inrollment and no Testament Noncupative nor other Testaments may be inrolled of Record except that the Seal of the Testor be put to the same Testament But the Testaments that may be found good and loyal are effectual although they be not inrolled nor of Record The Testament within the said City ought by Custome of the same City to be adjudged effectual and Executory having Regard to the Testators Wills although that the Words of such Testaments be defective and not according to the Common-Law c. The Mayor and Aldermen that are for the time by Custom of the City shall have the Wardship and Marriages of all the Orphans of the said City after the Death of their Ancestors although the same Ancestors do hold to them and the City of any other Lord by what service soever The Mayor and Aldermen ought to inquire of all the Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels within the said City appertaining to such Orphans and safely keep them to the use and profit of such Orphans or otherwise commit the same Orphans together with their Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels to other their Friends by sufficient Surety found of Record in the Chamber of Guild-hall to maintain conveniently the said Orphans during their Non-age and their Lands and Tenements to repair and the said Goods and Chattels safely to keep and thereof to render a good and Loyal Accompt before the said Mayor and Aldermen to the profit of the same Infants when they shall come to their Age or when they shall be put to a Mystery or shall Marry by the Advice of the said Mayor and Aldermen And that in all Cases except that it be otherwise ordained and disposed for the same Orphans or for their Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels by express words contained in the Testaments of their Ancestors No such Orphans ought to be Marryed without the Consent of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Where Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels within the said City are Devised to an Infant within age of one City or of the same City his Father living that such an Infant is no Orphan yet by usage of the said City the said Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels shall be in the Custody of the Mayor and Aldermen as well as of the Orphans to maintain and keep them to the use and profit of the same Infant Except that the Father of the Infant or some other of his Friends will find sufficient Surety of Record to maintain and keep the said Lands c. to the use and profit of the said Infant and thereof to render a good and loyal accompt c. The Magistrates and Officers of the said City ought to obey no Commandment nor no Seal but only the Commands and Immediate Seal of the King Nor ought any Officer of the King to make Seizure or any Execution within the said City nor the Liberties thereof by Land or by Water but only the Officers of the said City The Sheriffs of London may make Arrests and serve Executions in the River of Thames from the East-part of London-Bridge untill the Return and from the West-part of the said Bridge unto Stanes-Bridge The said Sheriffs ought to have Forfeitures of the Chattels of all kind of Fugitives and Fellons and of Deodands that is in Latine a thing forfeited to God as if a Horse kills his Keeper or a Cart run over a Man such are forfeited to the King to be distributed to the poor within the said City and the River of Thames in aid of their Farm viz. 300 l. per Annum which they pay yearly to the King If the Goods of a Free-man be Arrested or wrongfully detained to pay Toll c. elsewhere and witnessed by men of credit the Goods or Merchandize of the party detaining or of others of the same Village where the wrong was done if found within the City of London are to be Arrested by the City Officers to be detained in the Name of Withernam which word in the Common-Law is the taking or driving a Distress to a hold or out of the County where the Sheriff cannot come upon a Replevin to make Deliverance thereof to the party Distreined untill agreement be made with the said Freeman for damages sustained c. The Lord Mayor as was said before being chief Buttler on Coronation Days is to have a Golden Cup at the Coronation of every King as was given when his present Majesty was Crowned Baker's Chron. p. 748. Edit 1679. If a Woman that hath a Husband as a Woman Sole hire any House or Shop within the City she shall be charged to pay the Rent of the said House and Shop and shall be impleaded and pursued as a Sole Woman by way of Debt if need be notwithstanding that she was Marryed at the time of the Lease the Lessor not knowing thereof If a plaint of Trespass be made against a Man and his Wife for a Tresspass done by the Wife solely then the Wife shall answer sole without her Husband if the Husband come not and shall have Plea as a sole Woman and if she be attainted of Trespass she shall be condemned and Committed to Prison untill she hath made agreement If Plaint be made against a Freeman resident within the City or by the Law of the City hath a Summons because of the Franchise if the Plaintiff come to the Sheriff and bring with him six or four Freemen credible persons that will testifie that the Defendant is going
to run away withdraw or absent himself the Sheriff may arrest the Defendant by his Body or Goods as a Foreigner c. When a Debtor in the said City is bound by Obligation in a certain sum to be paid at a certain time to come the which Debtor was held sufficient at the time when he was bound and after is become Fugitive or not sufficient then if the Creditor come before the Mayor and Sheriffs of the said City making such a suggestion and hath with him six or four credible Freemen of the same City that will truly testifie that the Debtor will withdraw and Convey his Goods out of the City or that he is not sufficient to make Payment then the Mayor or one of the Sheriffs before whom the Suggestion is made useth to Arrest the Debtor although the Day contained within the Obligation be not yet come and to keep the same Debtor in Prison untill the Day of Payment be come or otherwise that he shall find Pledges to attend at the same Day and so to Arrest for House-hire before the Day if the Tenant be Fugitive If a Free-man of the City find his Debtor suddenly within the same City which Debter hath absented himself before or that he be Fugitive City-Law pag. 105. and the which Debtor will Escape away before that the Creditor can have an Officer the usage is in such Case that the Free-man himself with aid of his Neighbours without other Officer may Arrest his Debtor and carry him to the Office of one of the Sheriffs and there make his Suit as the Law requires A Brief Account of the Courts held in this Honourable City THe highest and most ancient Court in this famous City is that called the Hustings a Saxon Word Hus signifying a House and Sthing or Thing a Cause or Plea so that it is Domus Causarum a House of Causes or Pleas or Pleadings This Court preserves the Laws Rights Franchises and Customs of the City There be handled the the Intricatest Accounts and Pleas of the Crown and of the whole Kingdom It is of great Antiquity the Laws of Edward the Confessour much referring to it where may be read these words Debet enim in London quae caput est Regni Legum semper Curia Domini Regis singulis septimâ—nis die Lunae Hustingis sedere teneri c. That is The Court of our Lord the King ought to sit and be held every Week on Monday at the Hustings in London which City is the head of the Kingdom and Laws c. But now it is held on Tuesdays in the Guild-Hall of London before the Lord Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen every Week All the Lands and Tenements Rents and Services within the City and Liberties are pleaded there in two Hustings one is called Husting de placito terrae Husting of Plea of Land the other de Communibus placitis of Common-Pleas It is held on Monday to Demand the Demandants and to award Non-suites to allow Essoynes and on Tuesday to award the Default and Plead For certain times no Hustings may be held by Custom of the City viz. Husting of Plea of Land ought to be held a Week by it self at the aforesaid days but the Inrollments and Titles of the said Hustings make mention of Monday only In Husting of Plea of Land are Pleaded Writs of Right Patents Directed to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London which Writs have this process by Custom of the City viz. The Tenant or Tenants shall first have three Summons at the Tenements Demanded at three Hustings of Plea of Land next ensuing after the Livery of the Writ and of the Hustings without Demanding the Tenements at any aforesaid And after the three Summons ended three Essoynes at three other Hustings of Plea of Land then next ensuing and at the next ensuing after the third Essoyne and the Tenants making Default Process shall be made against them by a Grand cape or petit cape after the appearance and other Process at the Common-Law And if the Tenants shall appear the Demandants shall Count against the Tenants in the Nature of what Writ they will except certain Writs which are Pleadable in Husting of Common-Pleas c. without making Protestation to see in the Nature of any Writ And the Tenants shall have the view and shall be Essoyned after the view as at the Common-law And the Tenant shall have an Essoyn after every appearance by Custom of the City And although that such a Writ be abated after the view by exception of Joynt-Tenancy or other exception Dilatory or other such Writ be â—evived the Tenants by the Custom of the City shall have the view in the second Writ Notwithstanding the view before had And if the parties plead to Judgment the Judgment shall be pronounced by the Recorder and six Aldermen at least were wont to be present at the giving of every such Judgment Every Beadle of the City by the advice of the Alderman of his Ward against every Hustings or Plea of Land shall Summon Twelve Men Freeholders being the best and most sufficient of his Ward to come to Guild-Hall for to pass in an Inquest if there be need for the rest of the Free-holders of the said Ward And if the parties plead and descend to an Inquest then shall the Inquest be taken of the People Inheritors having at the least Frank-Tenement of the same Ward where the Tenements are and other three Wards next to the place where the Tenements are so that four sufficient men of the same Ward where the Tenements are shall be sworn in the same Inquest if there be so many No Damages by Custom of the City are recoverable in any such Writ of Right Patent and the Inquest may pass the same day by such common Summons of the Beadle if the parties be at Issue and the Jurors come Otherwise Process shall be made to cause the Inquest to come at another Husting of Plea of Land ensuing by Precept of the Mayor directed to the Sheriffs who shall be Ministers by the Commandment of the Mayor to serve the Writs and to make Execution thereof notwithstanding that the Original Writ be directed to the Mayor and Sheriffs Joyntly And it is to be understood that as well the Tenants as the Demandants may make their Attorneys in such Pleas c. See City-Law p. 46. c. In the Hustings of Common-Pleas are Pleadable Writs called ex gravi querela for to have Execution of the Tenements out of the Testaments which are Inrolled in the Hastings Writs of Dower unde nihil habet Writs of Gavelkind and Custom and of Service Instead of a Cessavit Writs of Error of Judgments given before the Sheriffs Writs of Waste Writ de Partitione facienda between Co-partners Writs of quid Juris clamat and per quae â—ervitiâ— and others which Writs are close and directed to the Mayor and Sheriffs and also Replegiaries of things taken and of Distresses wrongfully taken are
Pleadable before the Mayor and Sheriffs in the same Husting of Cowmon-Pleas by Plaint without Writ c. The Aldermen of London are summoned to the Husting and they ought by usage of the said City to be summoned by an Officer of the Sheriffs sitting upon an Horse of 100 s. price at least Of the Court of Requests or Conscience THis Court was first Erected by an Act of Common-Councel 9 H. 8. viz. That the Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the time being should Monthly assign two Aldermen and four Discreet Commoners to sit twice a week to hear and Determine all matters brought before them betwixt Freemen where the Due Debt or Damage did not exceed 40 s. Afterwards the said Number of Commissioners were enlarged to the Number of Twelve which continued till the end of Queen Elizabeths Reign and 3 Jacobi cap. 15. confirm'd by Act of Parliament where it was Enacted That every poor Citizen and Free-man inhabiting in London being sued for Debt under 40 s. may exhibit his suit in the Court of London called the Court of Requests where shall be nominated Twelve Commissioners three of which may send for any Creditor who is complained of in suing such a Debt under 40 s. and if he refuse to come or perform not their Orders they may cause him to be Arrested by any Sergeant of London and Commit him to Prison there to remain untill he perform the said Order c. This Court was to continue by the first Act of Common-Councel but for two years but being found Charitable and Profitable for the relief of poor Debtors unable to make present payment and to restrain malicious persons from proceeding in wilful Suits and to help poor persons as had small Debts owing to them and unable to prosecute Suits in Law elsewhere it was continued by divers Acts of Common-Councel as aforesaid Of the Court of the Lord MAYOR and ALDERMEN IN this Court the Lord Mayor and Aldermen as also the Recorder and Sheriffs who are usually Aldermen or else constantly Chosen upon the next vacancy sit this is a Court of Record principally instituted among other causes for the redressing and correcting the Errors Defaults and misprisions which happen in the Government of the City It is kept on Tuesdays and Thursdays In this Court are comprehended several other Courts as I. The Court of Orphans for the Mayor and Alderman as was said at large before by Custom have the Custody of the Orphans within the City c. The Chamberlain is a sole Corporation to himself and his Successors for Orphans and a Recognizance made to him and his Successours touching Orphans shall by Custom go to his Successor The Government of Orphans is so invested in the Mayor that if any Orphans sue in the Ecclesiastical Court or elsewhere for a Legacy or Duty due to them by the Custom a Prohibition doth lie 2. The Court of Wardmote or of the Wardmote Inquest for the whole City being divided into twenty-six Wards every Ward hath such an Inquest consisting of twelve or more who inquire after Abuses and Disorders and present them to be redressed inquiry is also made into all things that can conduce to the Regulating and well governing the City 3. The Court of Hall-mote or Hall-Court or Assembly of every Guild or Fraternity for Redressing what belongs to the said Companies in particular 4. The Court of the Conservation of the Water and River of Thames which belongs to the Lord Mayor from Stanes-Bridge unto the Water of Yendal and Medway of which we have spoke largly before when we Treated of the River of Thames 5. The Courts of the Coroner and Escheater which both belong to the Lord Mayor he being Coroner and Escheator by vertue of his Authority and Office 6. The Court of Policies and Assurances to Merchants that venture and Traffique on the Seas where Ships and Goods are Insured at so much per Cent. where there is an Officer of good Quality who Registers those Assurances 7. The Court of the Tower of London which is held within the Verge of the City before the Steward by prescription of Debt Trespass and other Actions Now part of the Tower is within the City and part in Middlesex viz the East part but the West in London whereof as was formerly said when we spoke of the Tower p. 14. there was a notable Example in the Person of Sir Thomas Overbury who being poysoned in a Chamber on the West part the principal Murderers were Tryed before Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer in London and so was Sir Gervase Elways the Lieutenant of the Tower at that time 8. The Court of Common-Councel consisting as the Parliament of England of two Houses one for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the other for the Commoners In which Court are made all By-Laws which bind all the Citizens of London for every Man either by himself or by his Representative gives his assent thereunto wherein consists the great happiness of the English Subject above all the Subjects of any other Prince in the World that neither in Laws nor By-Laws neither in Taxes or Imposts any man is obliged but by his own Consent The Oath of a Common-Councel-Man YE shall Swear that ye shall be true to our Soveraign Lord the King that now is and to his Heirs and Successors Kings of England and readily ye shall come when ye be summoned to the Common-Council of this City but if ye be reasonably excused and good and true Councel ye shall give in all things touching the Commonwealth of this City after your Wit and Cunning and that for favour of any person ye shall maintain no singular profit against the Common profit of this City and after that ye be come to the Common-Councel you shall not thence depart untill the Common-Councel be ended without reasonable cause or else by the Lord Mayors License And also any secret things that be spoken or said in the Common-Councel which ought to be kept secret in no wise you shall disclose as God you help The Common-Councel-Men are chosen at the Wardmote-Inquest for the respective Wards and are to be of the most sufficient honest and discreet Men of the Ward to serve for the ensuing year on St. Thomas the Apostles day 9. The Court of the Chamberlain of the City to whom belongs the Receipts of the Rents and Revenues of the City And to his Court belongs the business of Apprentices over whom he hath great Authority as was said before This Officer is chosen by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons He over-sees and keeps all the Books Rolls Records and other Monuments and Remembrances that ought to remain of Record and the City Treasure to keep and maintain all the Rents and Tenements pertaining to the Chamber of London His Office about Orphans we have shewed before as also about Apprentices to which we shall add that he is to cause their Indentures to be Inrolled and make those Apprentices to serve out
shall therefore only add that England abounding with many rich and useful native Commodities as Woollen-Cloaths of all sorts Broad and Narrow called by several Names in several Shires also Perpetuances Bays Says Serges Cottons Kersies Buffins Mocadoes Grogams Sattins Tabbys Calimancaes Camlets Velvets Plushes Worsteds Fustians Durances Tukes Crapes Flannels and infinite others Furrs and Skins as Coney-skins Squirrel-skins Fitches Calf-skins Hides c. Mines as Tin Lead Allom Copper Iron of all sorts Sea-Cole Salt c. All manner of Grain as Oats Pease Barâ—â—y Rye and Wheat in great plenty c. Also Linnen-Cloath Flâ—x Hemp c. All Iron Wares Tallouâ— Leather Glasses of all sorts and Glass Venice Gold and Silver Train-Oyl Salmons Pilchards Herrings Hâ—ke Conger Haberdine Cod Ling Hops Wood Butter Cheese Beer Cyder Salt-Peter Gunpowder Honey Wax Alabaster and other Stones Woolls Woolfells Yarn Fullers-Earth Saffron Liquoris c. and many other good and rich Commodities too tedious to be enumerated the Merchants of London do yearly export great Quanties of such of these Goods as are not prohibited to Foreign Markets and make good Returns and bring to supply the Kingdom a great deal of Treasure and rich Commodities from all parts of the World to the enriching of themselves unspeakable benefit of the Nation and credit of the English in general who are generally as fair Dealers as any in the World and of as active and undertaking Souls and the Principal Seat or Emporium of this great Trade is the great and famous City of London Of the Corporations of London 5. THe other Traders in London are divided into Companies or Corporations who are as so many Bodies Politique Of these there are Twelve called the Chief Companies and he that is chosen Lord Mayor must be free of one of these Companies which are 1. Mercers 2. Grocers 3. Drapers 4. Fishmengers 5. Goldsmiths 6. Skinners 7. Merchant-Taylors 8. Haberdashers 9. Salters 10. Ironmongers 11. Vintners 12 Clothworkers And if it happen that the Lord Mayor Elect is of any other Company he presently removes to one of the Twelve All these Companies have Assembly-places called Halls which are so many Basilikes or stately and sumptuous Palaces worthy to be view'd by all Strangers It hath been the Custom of our Kings to honour some of these Companies by taking their Freedom thereof and the present King was pleased to be made Free of the Company of Grocers and the present Prince of Orange was not long ago made free of the Company of Drapers Each Company or Mystery hath a Master annually chosen from among themselves and other subordinate Governours called Wardens or Assistants These do exactly correspond with the general Government of the City by a Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Councel who are selected out of these several Companies so excellent a harmony there is in this Government Of the Twelve Chief Companies out of which the Lord Mayor is to be annually Chosen 1. MERCERS The Mercers have been always allowed the first place who were Incorporated into a Society 17 R. 2. Anno 1393. For their Arms they bear Gules a Maiden-head proper crown'd Or Wascot purple issuing out of Clouds proper within a Bordure Nebulee Or. 2. GROCERS The Grocers were at first call'd Pepperers and Incorporated by the name of Grocers Anno 1345. 20 E. 3. They bear a Chevron nine Cloves Sable with this Motto God grant Grace Supporters Helm and Crest granted by Clarencieux in the Reign of H. 8. Anno 1562. 3. DRAPERS The Drapers were Incorporated 17 H. 6. An. 1430. The Arms first granted by Garter Crest and Supporters by Clarencieux The Coat Gules three Triple Crowns Or Capt Gules issuing out of Clouds resting upon Sun-beams their Motto Vnto God only be Honour and Glory 4. FISH MONGERS The Fishmongers were at first two Companies to wit Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers but 28 H. 8. They were imbodied into one Company Their Arms Azure three Dolphins in pale paper crown'd Or betwixt four lives Salterways Argent all crown'd Or on a Chief Gules three Cross-keys Salterways Argent the Motto All Worship be to God only 5. GOLDSMITHS The Goldsmiths were Incorporated 16 R. 2. Their Arms quarterly Gules and Azure two Leopards heads Or two Golden Cups covered 'twixt two Buckles Or the Motto To God only be all Glory 6. SKINNERS The Skinners were Incorporated 1 E. 3. Anno 1327. and made a perfect Fraternity 18 R. 2. Their Arms Ermin on a Chief Gules three Ducal Crowns Or sin'd of the first their Motto the the same with the Goldsmiths To God only be all Glory 7. MERCHANT-TAYLORS The first Patent of these Arms were granted by Clarencieux to the Company of Taylors and Linnen Armourers 21 E. 4. 1480. And Incorporated 17 H. 7. 1501. by the name of Merchant-Taylors Their Arms Argent a Tent two Robes Gules on a Chief Azure a Lyon passant regardant Or the Motto Concordia parvae res crescunt 8. HABERDASHERS The Haberdashers called of old Hurrers were Incorporated a Society of St. Katharines 26 H. 6. Anno 1447. Confirmed 17 H. 7. by the name of Merchant-Haberdashers Their Coat Nebulee Argent and Azure on a Bend Gules a Lyon passant regardant Or the Crest and Supporters granted by Clarencieux Anno 1571. The Motto Serve and Obey 9. SALTERS The Salters had the Arms of â— Society given them 22 H. 8. Anno 1530. the Crest and Supporters by â— Clarencieux 29 Eliz. Anno 1587. The Coat party per Chevron Azure and Gules three Salts covered over-flowing Argent with this Motto Sal sapit omnia 10. IRONMONGERS The Iron-mongers were Incorporated 3 E. 4. 1462. Their Arms Granted by Lancaster King at Arms Marshal to Clarencieux An. 1455. 34 H. 6. Their Coat Argent on a Chevron Gules three Lockets capted Or between three Steel Gads Azure 11. VINTERS The Vintners were Incorporated by E. 3. by the name of Wine-Tonners confirmed 15. H. 6. Anno. 1436. Their Arms first Granted by Clarencieux 6 H. 6. 1427. They bear Sable a Chevron between three Tunns Argent 12. CLOATH-WORKERS The Cloath-Workers grew to be a Company 22 H. 8. Anno 1530. Their Arms then Granted by Clarencieux Sable a Chevron Ermin in Chief two Crabbets Argent in base a Beazel Or Supporters and Crest granted by Clareucieux Anno 1587. The other Corporations besides these Twelve enjoy large Privileges by the King's Charter and they have fair Halls to meet in most of which were consumed in the great Fire Anno 1666. but they are since rebuilt for the most part in a very stately and magnificent manner The Hall belonging to the Company of Dyers was a few weeks ago consumed by an unhappy Fire that happen'd near as were also some Houses in Thames-street Of the other Corporations in London 1. DYERS The Dyers were first Incorporated by a special Charter of H. 6. 16 Feb. in the 49 th of his Reign Their Coat a Chevron Engrail'd between three Woolsacks 2. BREWERS The Brewers were Incorporated 22 d February 6
Chief 37. MARBLERS The Company call'd the Marblers or Sculpters are in one Fraternity with the Masons yet they have a different Coat viz. a Chevron between two and a Mallet Argent 38. WOOL-PACKERS There was a Company of Wool-packers in the time of the Hans when the Staple of Wool flourished their Coat Azure a Wool-sack Argent 39. FARRIERS Had their rise from Henry de Ferraris a Norman who was Master of the Horse to the Conqueror who gave him the honour of Tutbury the first preferment of the Ferrars Their Arms three Horse-shoos Azure 40. PAVIOVRS This is an ancient Company their Coat Argent a Chevron between three Rummers Sable 41. LORINORS Their Arms are Gules on a Chevron Argent three Horse-Combs 'twixt three Roses Argent 42. BROWN-BAKERS Incorporated 19 Jacobi their Arms Gules a hand issuing out of the Clouds a chief Barry wavie Or and Azure on a Chevron Gules 43. WOOD-MONGERS Incorporated 3 Jacobi Their Coat Argent a Chevron 'twixt three Faggots Sable 44. VPHOLSTERS or VPHOLDERS Their Arms Sable three Tents Gules on a Chevron Or three Tents of the second 45. TVRNERS Incorporated 2 Jacobi Their Coat Azure a Katharine-wheel Argent 46. GLAZIERS Their Arms two Crosiers Salterways Sable four Sprigs on a Chief Gules a Lyon passant Gardant Or. 47. CLARKS The Company of Clarks called Parish-Clarks is ancient and stand Register'd in the Books of Guild-Hall They were incorporated 17 H. 3. Their Arms Azure a Flower-de-luce Or on a Chief Gules a Leopards head 'twixt two Books Or. 48. WATER-MEN Have for their Arms barry waive of six Azure and Argent a Lighter proper on a chief Gules a pair of Oars Salterways 'twixt two Cushions Or. 49. APOTHECARYES This Company having separated themselves from the ancient Society of the Grocers grew so much in favour with King James that he used to call them his Company and therefore gave them a Charter of Incorporation the 15 th of his Reign Amongst many worthy Members of this Company I may not forget Dr. Gideon De Laune Apothecary to King James a man noted for many singularities in his time a great Benefactor to to the Publick and particularly to the Foundation of the Apothecaries-Hall in Black-Fryars where his Statue in white Marble is to be seen to this day And to whom I have the honour to be nearly related which is not the Reason that I mention him but to perpetuate his Memory as well as others as his due desert he liv'd piously to the age of 97 years and worth notwithstanding his many acts of publick and private piety near as many thousand pounds as he was years having 37 Children by one Wife and about 60 Grand-children at his Funeral His famous Pill is in great request to this day notwithstanding the Swarms of pretenders to Universal Pill-making This little digression I hope will not be offensive 50. SILK-THROWERS This Company was made a Fellowship of this City 19 Jacobi and Incorporated by the name of the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of the Trade or Mystery of Silk-throwers of the City of London 13 April 5 Car. 1. Besides these there are several other Societies of which more hereafter These Corporations or Bodies-Politick have all their stately spacious Halls as was said with Clerks and other Ministerial Officers to attend them when they meet to consult about the regulation of their respective Societies and for promoting publick Good and advancement of Trade and Wealth as also when they meet at their sumptuous and splendid Feasts And in this London surpasseth all other Cities The Arms of LONDON To conclude our Heraldry the Arms of this Illustrious City shall bring up the Rear as well as it has been placed in the Front It is Argent Cross Gules with the Sword of St. Paul not Sir William Wallworth's Dagger as some have conceited for this Coat did belong to the City before the said Sir William Walworth Lord Mayor slew the Rebel Wat Tyler as learned Antiquaries Affirm The Oath of a Freeman YE shall Swear that ye shall be good and true to our Soveraign Lord King Charles the Second and to the Heirs of our said Soveraign Lord the King Obeysant and Obedient ye shall be to the Mayor and Ministers of this City the Franchises and Customs thereof ye shall maintain and this City keep harmless in that which in you is Ye shall be contributary to all manner of charges within this City as Summons Watches Contributions Taxes Tallages Lot and Scot and to all charges bearing your part as a Freeman ought to do Ye shall colour no Forreigners Goods under or in your Name whereby the King or this City might or may lose their customs or advantages Ye shall know no Foreigner to buy or sell any Merchandize with any Foreigner within this City or Franchise thereof but ye shall warn the Chamberlain thereof or some Minister of the Chamber Ye shall implead or sue no Freeman out of this City whiles ye may have Right and Law within the same City Ye shall take none Apprentice but if he be Free-born that is to say no Bondmands Son nor the Son of any Alien and for no less term than for seven Years without fraud or deceit and within the first Year ye shall cause him to be inrolled or else pay such Fine as shall be reasonably imposed upon you for omitting the same And after his terms end within convenient time being required ye shall make him Free of this City if he have well and truly served you Ye shall also keep the King's Peace in your own person Ye shall know no Gatherings Conventicles or Conspiracies made against the Kings Peace but ye shall warn the Mayor thereof or let it to your power All these points and Articles ye shall well and truly keep according to the Laws and Customs of this City to your power so God you help c. Of the Guild-Hall PAge 160. The Reader was referred to what should be spoken about the great Guild-Hall to the Chapter of Government where an account has been given of the several Courts there therefore there is no need of further addition here as to that only we shall briefly remark its Antiquity Fabian says that this Hall was begun to be built New Anno 1411. 12 H. 4. By Sir Thomas Knolles then Lord Mayor and his Brethren the Aldermen and made a large and great House 1 H. 6. The Executors of Sir Richard Whittington gave towards the paving of this great Hall 20 l. and next year 15 l. more to the said pavement with hard stone of Purbeck they also Glazed the Windows thereof and of the Lord Mayors Court on every of which the Arms of Sir Richard Whittington were placed The Foundation of the Mayors Court was laid 3. H. 6. and of the Porch on the South-side of the Court Then were built the Lord Mayors Chamber the Councel-Chamber and other Rooms above stairs The New Councel-Chamber a very good and honourable Deed with
a fair Room over it appointed for a Treasury for the Books and Records of the City and another Room underneath for necessary use and Employment was begun Anno 1614. and finished Michaelmas 1615. at the charge of 1740 l. which was well well bestowed The Kitchins c. were built about Anno 1501. for accommodation of the Lord Mayors Feast by means of Sir John Shaa Goldsmith Lord Mayor who kept the first Lord Mayors Feast there which were wont to be kept before in Merchant-Taylors or Grocers-Hall c. The adjoyning Chappel or College of Mary Magdalen and All-Saints was called London-College built Anno 1299. which had a Custos seven Chaplains three Clerks and four Quiristers Adjoying to this Chappel was a fair and large Library pertaining to the Guild-Hall and College but the Books to the quantity of three-score Cart-loads * Howel p. 118. in Edw. 6. time were sent for by Edw. Duke of Somerset with promise to restore them but they were never return'd The Library was built by the Executors of Sir Richard Whittington aforesaid and by W. Bury This great Guild-Hall was destroyed by the great Fire 1666 but very Magnificently rebuilt In the great Hall on the East-end it is very Richly hung with the lively Effigies of His Majesty and the Duke of York and round about on all sides it is adorn'd with the costly and lively Pictures of the great Ministers of State and Judges of the Land There are many large and spacious Courts and Offices where the Respective Affairs of the City are managed as before in the Section of the Civil-Government of London Of Blackwell-Hall THis place was purchased by the Lord Mayor and Commonalty for 50 l. 20. R. 2. and employed as a Weekly Market-place for all sorts of Woollen-Cloaths broad and narrow brought from all parts of the Kingdom there to be sold 21 R. 2. It was Decreed that no Foreigner or Stranger should sell any Woollen-Cloath but in Blackwell-Hall upon pain of forfeiture thereof It was Rebuilt being decayed Anno 1558. at the charge of 2500 l. to which Richard May Merchant-Taylor gave 300 l. at his Decease It was destroyed by the great Fire 1666 but rebuilt in a very capacious manner and is the greatest Market and Store-house for all sorts of Woollen-Cloath c. Of Leaden-Hall ANno 1411. This Hall was confirm'd unto the City by Sir Richard Whittington and others who purchased it Anno 1443. 21 H. 6. Sir John Hatherly Lord Mayor purchased License of the King to take up 200 fodder of Lead for the building of Water-Conduits a Common Granary and the Cross in Cheap-side more beautifully for the honour of the City This Granary was built by the honourable and famous Merchant Simon Eyre the words of the Grant be Cum Nobilis potens vir c. Whereas the Noble and powerful man c. sometime an Vpholsterer and then a Draper Anno 1419. He built it of square Stone as it now sheweth having escaped the fury of the great Fire with a fair and large Chappel on the East-side of the Quadrant over the Porch he caused to be Written Dextra Domini exaltavit me The Lords Right hand exalted me Within the Chappel was written Honorandus famosus Mercator Simon Eyre hujus operis c. In English thus The honourable and famous Merchant Simon Eyre Founder of this Work once Mayor of this City Citizen and Draper of the same Departed out of this Life 18 Sept. 1459. 38 H. 6. He was buried in the Church of St. Mary Wolnoth in Lumbard-street He gave very many large and bountiful Legacies to be read in Stow page 163. This Hall was Burnt Anno 1484. but Rebuilt again in a very stately and capacious manner There were kept the Artillery Guns and other Armour of the City The Store of Timber for the necessary reparations of the Tenements belonging to the Chamber of London It was a Free Market for Victuallers There were the Common Beams for weighing of Wools and other Wares the Scales to weigh Meal there were made the Pageants for the Midsummer-Watches In other parts Woolsacks were stowed Abovestairs the Painters workt upon the Pageants the Residue were let to Merchants c. Now there is kept the greatest Flesh-Market about the City And a great Magazine of Corn. In speaking of Halls it may not be impertinent to remember the Right honourable Baptist Lord Hicks Viscount Cambden who besides many noble and charitable acts of Piety in King James his time recorded by Stow p. 760 761. built the Sessions-House for the Justices of Middlesex in St. Johns-street at the charge of 600 l. called after his Name Hicks's-Hall which was a great convenience they sitting before in a common Inn called the Castle As for the particular Halls of Companies we have spoke of them Generally before which is all that appears at present necessary SECT 7. Of the Custom-House THe House where this great Office was kept a little below Billingsgate was destroyed by the great Fire but is Rebuilt in a much more magnificent uniform and commodious manner by the King which hath cost His Majesty 10000 l. Here is received and managed all the Impositions laid on Merchandize Imported or Exported from this City which are so considerable that of all the Customs of England which amount to about 600000 l. a year divided into three parts the Port of London pays two thirds that is about 400000 l. per annum A great Number of Officers are here Employ'd whereof divers are of considerable quality and ability There are at present Five Commissioners who have the charge and oversight of all His Majestics Customs in all Ports of England Viz. Sir Richard Temple Bar. Sir George Downing Kt. Charles Cheney Esq Francis Millington Esq John Vpton Esq The Sallaries to each of these is 1200 l. a Year they have many Deputies or Waiters in the Port of London and also in all the Out-Ports Then there are Customers Collectors Comptrollers Surveyors Searchers Waiters c. Sir John Shaw Collector Inwards and for the Act of Navigation Fee 966. l. 13. s. 4. d. Sir Nicholas Crisp Collector Outwards Sallary 276 l. Alderman Edward Backwell Comptroller Sallary 255 l. George Nicholas Esq Surveyor-General Sallary 500 l. The Searchers Office is managed by a Chief and five Under-Searchers Clerks c. Since the happy Restoration of His Majesty there has been in all Eleven Persons Under-Searchers in that Office viz. Six who have all except one disposed of their place by His Majesties grace and favours Mr. Daniel Colwall Rob. Forster Leonard Scot. Will. Dockwra Tho. Hampson John Seymour Esq The Five Undersearchers now in Possession are Mr. Tho. Burton John Evans Richard Goodlad Charles Beauvoir Richard Pierce The Chief Searcher has 120 l. per annum The Undersearchers have each 12 l. And sundry Fees settled upon them by Authority of Parliament which are paid them by Masters of Ships and Merchants c. Having always been Officers
uneasie and much more troublesom than in such great Cities as Paris which is almost of an orbicular Form Now to keep up a necessary Correspondence the way formerly used was to hire Porters at Excessive Rates to go on Errands and to send Servants or Apprentices who in the mean while lost that time that should be spent to learn their Trades and benefit their Masters and would often loyter and get vicious habits and evil company c. when they need not to their own and Masters hurt or else such as could not spare the Porter so much money nor kept Servants as some poor Artificers and Labourers have been forced to sweat and toil and leave their work for it may be half the day to do that which now they may perform at the easie rate of a Penny But now all these Inconveniences are remedied by the Penny-Post with great Safety and Celerity for which the Contrivers really deserve the Thanks of all who reap benefit by it and I may be bold to say that all the Inhabitants in general and their Fellow-Citizens in particular are already very sensible of the great Convenience thereof For among the innumerable Benefits of this Penny-Post which for brevity we omit Friends may converse with Friends at any distance Merchants Shop-keepers and Tradesmen with their Customers or such as deal with them Clients may consult with Lawyers Patients with Doctors Poor Prisoners with Creditors or Benefactors and all Bills dispersed for Publication of any Concern all Summons or Tickets conveyed all Entries of Brewers to the Excise-Office and many more for One Penny 3. The Objections I have heard of are 1. From some sort of Porters viz. that it hinders their Livelihood Answ 1. 'T is certain that this is a mistake for their Livelihood never depended upon going on Errands their Business being other laborious Work and carrying of Burdens c. But some of the Free-Porters are now in the service of the Undertaking 2. Most Business dispatcht by this Undertaking was formerly either not done at all or performed by other hands to save Charges Porters Rates being so dear and Persons themselves or their Servants went on their own Errands 3. If the Porters who are an inconsiderable Number in respect of the whole Inhabitants of this great City should suffer some small loss of Petty Employ by it yet vast Numbers of poor People and others are exceedingly eased and beenfited thereby which deserve as much or more pity than Porters And a general and useful Undertaking should not in Equity or Prudence be discountenanced for the peculiar advantage of some few any more than all the Pipes or Water-Conduits of the City should be destroyed meerly for the Accommodation of Tankard-Bearers Printing suppressed to accommodate Writing Clerks Guns for Fletchers Navigable Rivers for Carriers and 〈◊〉 Trade of Jack-smiths for Turn-spits c. Nor have Porters any Authority to monopolize to themselves the Delivery of Letters it being by Law free for any Person to use what Conveyance they think good for their Letters within or without the Freedom And Coach-men Car-men Watermen c. may as well be put out of their Callings as the Undertakers disturb'd in this Concern because then the Porters may have more Burdens to carry Neither is any prohibited or restrained by this Undertaking but they may still employ a Porter if they please so that this Objection is causless and is level'd against the whole Body of Inhabitants as well as the Undertakers in particular 2. Others alledge That their Letters are not speedily answered and therefore say they miscarry Answ That may be because the Party is not at home and his Servants do not produce his Letter as he ought though punctually left by the Penny-Post-Messenger this I have very often known to be my own Case and some of my Friends Or the Party may not be at leisure or not willing to write or removed or would pretend he received it not when Dun'd for money which he cannot or will not pay And indeed I am also inform'd that abundance of Letters are so ill superscribed or uncertainly directed when frequently the particular Trade of the Party the Sign or what Noted Place is near are omitted that it is impossible to deliver such which is the fault of the Senders and not of the Office To conclude this Subject The Reader may expect hereafter a small Tract by it self Printed for the Undertakers of the Penny-Post What I have here inseâ—ted being briefly Remarkt as my own Notions concerning so laudable a Design by way of Specimen and as a thing suitable to my present Work The Rates and Orders of Coachmen BY an Act of Parliament made in the Fourteenth Year of Our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES â—he Second it is appointed That no person or persons after May 1. 1662. shall presume to drive except Stage-Coaches or let the Hire by the hour or day or otherwise any Hackney-Coach or Coach-Horses within the Parishes comprised within the Bills of Mortality without an especial License from the Commissioners appointed by His Majesty for Licensing and regulating Hackney-Coaches That no Horse Gelding or Mare to be used with such Coaches be under 14 hands high according to the Standard That the Number of Coaches so Licensed shall not exceed 400. That every Coach so Licensed shall have a Mark of distinction by Figure or otherwise as the Commissioners shall think fit to the end they may be known if any complaint shall be made of them That no person shall be Licensed to keep more than two Coaches which Coaches shall have several Figures or Marks of distinction as if belonging to several persons That no person shall put that Figure or Mark upon his Coach which is appointed for any other under the forfeiture of five pounds That no person shall be Licensed to drive or keep a Hackney-Coach or Coach-Horses that uses any other Trade or Occupation That first such as have been ancient Coach-men or such Coach-men as have suffered for their Service to His Majesty or his Father or the Widows of such that have Coaches of their own be Licensed That the Commissioners forfeit one hundred pounds for every Coach they License above the Number of 400. That no Hackney-Coach-man so Licensed shall presume to take for his Hire in or about the Cities of London and Westminster above Ten shillings for a day reckoning 12 hours to the day and by the hour not above 18 pence for the first hour and 12 pence for every hour after nor for his Hire from any of the Inns of Courts or thereabouts to any part of St. James's or Westminster except beyond Tuttle-Street above 12 pence and the like from the same places to the Inns of Court or thereabouts nor from the Inns of Court or thereabouts to the Royal Exchange more than 12 pence but if to the Tower Bishopsgate-Street Aldgate or places thereabouts 18 pence and so from the same places to the said Inns of Court
The Privy Council sollicit the King to suppress this Rebellion by force of Arms who thereupon draws his Army to Greenwich and appointed divers Lords to assail the Rebels but the Lords could get no Followers to fight against them who sought only for reformation of Abuses and for punishment of such Traytors as the Lord Say the King's Chamberlain was Whereupon the Lord Say was committed to the Tower the King and Queen retire to London from thence within two days the King being now 15000 strong marches in person towards Captain Mend-all who politickly withdraws his Forces to Sevenoke-wood Upon notice whereof the King retireth again to London but the Queen longing for dispatch sends the two Staffords Sir Humphrey and William with many Hot-spurs in the Court to follow the Rebels who were soon cooled for they found Captain Mend-all in good order ready to receive them and in the first Encounter slew Sir Humphrey and afterwards his Brother with many others and put all the rest to flight The King's Forces being at Black-Heath could neither by Threats not Intreaties be gotten to rescue them but rather wished the Queen and her Favourites in the Staffords Case or that the Duke of York were in England to aid his Cousin Mortimer now first acknowledged to be of his Kindred and many of them stole away to the Rebels whose Number from â—â—ssex and Surrey daily increased whom yet theiâ— Captain restrained from all outrageous actions 〈…〉 with them to Black-Heath where the King's Army lay the Night before but now was fallen down to Greenwich Then was the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dake of Buckingham sent to expostulate with the Rebels about their Demands to whom Jack Cade gave very good language but said directly That he would yield to no Cessation of Arms unless the King in person would hear the Grievances of his Subjects and pass his Princely Word for the Reformation of their Wrongs This Resolution of his being made known to the King who had no assurance of his own Soldiers made him march presently to Killingworth Castle in Warwickshire which he fortified Cade marches to Southwark commanding his men to commit no Outrage and not to wrong any person which they obey'd The next morning he marches to London-bridge and so into the City by London-stone where he struck his Sword saying Now is Mortimer Lord of London He then commands all Lombards Merchant-Strangers Genoeses Venetians Florentines and others to send him 12 Harnesses complete 24 Brigandines 12 Battle-Axes 12 Glaves six Horses completely furnished with Saddles and Bridles c. and 1000 Marks ready money or he would cut off the Heads of as many of them as he could catch All which was immediately sent him The next day he causes the Lord Say's Head to be cut off in Cheapside as also his Son-in-laws Sir James Cromer High-Sheriff of Kent uext day he causes some of his Fellows to be Executed for some Disorders against his Proclamation fined Persons at pleasure and beheaded others But the Citizens finding his Insolency to increase intolerably with a select Party encounter them on the Bridge through whom Cade sorced his passage and fired several Houses In this Bickering several persons were slain and in a little time the Citizens by the aid of fresh Supplies recover'd the Bridge again and drove the Rebels beyond a place then called the Stoop in Southwark Cade set all Prisoners in the Prisons there at Liberty as well Felons as Debtors But the generality of the Rebels grew weary so that upon notice of the King's Proclamation and assurance of Pardon they dropt away to their several Habitations Cade afterwards attempting to raise New Troubles was because he resisted when he was to be apprehended kill'd by one Mr. Alexander Eden a Kentish Gentleman his Body was brought to London where he was quartered and his Head set upon London-bridge Of 800 of these Rebels that were found Guilty eight only were Executed The Story of Evil-May-Day Anno 1517 9 H. 8. is so remarkable that old men formerly were wont to reckon their Age from that day The occasion was briefly thus Several Artificers of Foreign Parts repaired to London which disgusted the multitude who complaiued That their Selling of Wares and Exercising of Handicrafts impoverished the Kings own Subjects and were born out of England and that they had offered many great Insolencies and Wrongs to the English particularly one Williamson a Carpenter of London bought two Pidgeons in Cheapside and as he was about to pay for them a Frenchman snatcht them out of his hand saying They were no meat for a Carpenter This begat a Contest and by the French Ambassador's means who aggravated the matter the Carpenter was imprison'd c. These and such like Insolencies provoked one John Lincoln to draw them up in Form of a Bill and persuaded Dr. Beale on Easter Tuesday at the Spittle to read it openly in the Pulpit which occasion'd these Foreigners to be very severely handled and oftentimes knockt down in the streets At last one Evening many Prentices and others assembling rifled some Strangers houses and much mischief was like to be done but by the care of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen c many of ehe Rioters were committed to Prison whereof Lincoln and twelve others were hanged 400 more in their Shirts bound with Ropes and Halters about their Necks were carried to VVestminster but crying Mercy Mercy were all pardoned by the King which Clemency got him much Love To describe all the particular tumultuous Disorders of Apprentices and others would swell this Manual too much and I would rather they should be forgotten than any more be brought into Example and therefore at present they are omitted In the Year 1629. 5 Car. 1. about the month of July there hapned a great Fray in Fleet-street upon the Rescue of one Captain Bellingham an Officer in the Expedition to the Isle of Rhee which was attempted by some Students in the Temple wherein some were hurt and some carried to Prison but this drew together many of the Gentlemen to rescue the Prisoner who made a Barricade against St. Dunstans Church and beat back the Sheriffs Officers and released their Friends of which the Lord Mayor being inform'd he and the Sheriffs with some of the Trained-Bâ—nds came thither to keep the Peace and disperse the Causers of the Tumult who were increased by that time to the Number of 500 and armed with Swords and Pistols The Lord Mayor made Proclamation That on pain of Rebeâ—lion they should dissolve themselves but prevail'd not He then try'd other means and the Soldiers fired their Muâ—que◠〈◊〉 them Charged witâ— Powder onely but the Gentlemen provoked at this shot Bullets and very furiously attaqued the Trained-Bands killed five outright and wounded near One hundred yet the City Soldiers were so reinforced that in the end the Gentlemen were subdued and one Ashhurst and Stamford two Captains with some others were taken and committed The King was
given by Polidor Virgil p. 561. Thus Quibus Rebus ita usu venit c. by which means it grew to a Custom that after a vast destruction of men by this Distemper this kind of help was found effectual If any person was taken with this Sweat by day he must go to Bed with his Cloaths on If by night and the party be in bed then he must rest and not stir for 24 hours compleat in the mean time he must be so covered as not to provoke Sweat but let it proceed of its own accord he must neither eat nor drink any thing but what will just serve to keep him alive he must not so much as put forth hand or foot to be cooled for that 's death unavoidable If the Patient observes this he is certainly cured else lost and this Disease saith he invaded only England or English-men which men at that time made portentous constructions of This Mortal Distemper was succeeded by a rageing Plague which swept away many so that the King was forced to remove his Court from one place to another By that Sweating-sickness in H. 8's time infinite multitudes of People dyed in several places of England especially in London sparing neither rich nor poor for even in the King's Court the Lord Gray of Wilton and the Lord Clinton and many Knights Gentlemen and Officers died of it The like Sweating-sickness hapned in the 20 th year of his Reign which began in London and afterwards spread it self into all parts of the Kingdom so that the Term and the Assizes were adjourned In the 20 E. 3. as Baker says p. 131. there died in London of a Plague 57374 persons In the 4 th of Queen Mary hot burning Agues and other strange Diseases took away much People So as between the 20 th of October and the last of December there died 7 Aldermen of London namely Henry Heardson Sir Richard Dobs Sir Will. Laxton Sir Henry Hobblethorn Sir John Champney Sir John Ayleph and Sir John Gresham of which some were Lord Mayors c. I find that in the 8 th of Qu. Eliz. there died in ten Months seven Aldermen of London viz. Edward Banks Richard Chamberlain Sir Martin Bowes Sir Richard Mallory Sir William Hewet Sir Thomas White and Richard Lambert one of the Sheriffs for that year In the 36 th of Qu. Eliz. there dyed of the Plague in London and the Suburbs 17890. besides the Lord Mayor and three Aldermen and Michaelmas-Term was holden at St. Albans The first of King James viz. 1602 there died in London and Liberties 38244 whereof of the Plague 30578 yet the next year though the City was increased with a great number of Strangers there died of all Diseases but 4263. There broke out likewise a great Plague in the First of King Charles the First whereof more died than in the beginning of his Fathers Reign Many other Plagues have been in the City but I shall conclude this subject with a brief account of the great Plague in 1665. In the beginning of May the Bill of Mortality mentions nine that died of the Plague and decreased the next Week to three then increased to fourteen next to seventeen next forty three and then great Persons began to retire into the Country In June the Bill increases to 112 next 168 next 267 next 470 then do many Tradesmen go into the Country and many Ministers take occasion to absent themselves from their Charge In July the Bill rises to 725 then to 1089 next 1843 next to 2010 Now most Parishes are infected a vast number of Houses shut up no Trade at all and the number of dying persons still encreasing although so many thousands left the City In Aug. the Bill rises to 2817 next 3880 next 4237 and then 6102 all which died of the Plague besides other Diseases Now there is a dismal solitude in London-streets every day looks with the face of a Sabbath observed with greater solemnity than it used to be in the City Shops are shut up very few walk about so that grass begins to spring in some places A deep silence every where no ratling of Coaches c. no calling in Customers no London Crys no noise but dying Croans and Funeral Knells c. In September the Bill rises to 6988 the next falls to 6544 but then rises again to 7165 which was the greatest Bill There were but four Parishes that were not infected and in them few tarried The next Bill falls to 5538 then to 4929 then to 4327 then to 2665 then to 1421 then to 1031. First Week in November it rises to 1414 but falls to 1050 then to 652 then to 333 and so lessened more and more to the end of the year when we had a Bill of 97306 which died of all Diseases which was 79000 more than the year before and the number of them which died of the Plague was reckoned to be 68596 that year but others say that there died of that fatal Disease in little more than a years space near 100000 persons in London and some adjacent places I shall proceed to remark briefly some few things more which are Miscellaneous Collections of my own from Divers Authors In the time of Edward the Second when the workmen were digging the Foundation of a Work about Pauls there were found more than 100 heads of Oxen which confirm'd that opinion that of old time it had been the Temple of Diana and that there was the Sacrifice of Beasts In the 3 H. 5. It is said that seven Dolphins came up the River of Thames whereof four were taken In the Fourth of Q. Mary before Harvest Wheat was sold for four Marks the Quarter Malt at 44 s. the Quarter Pease at 46 s. 8 d. Yet after Harvest Wheat was sold for 5 s. the Quarter Malt for 6 s. 8 d. Rye at 3 s. 4 d. In the Country Wheat was sold for 4 s. the Quarter Malt at 4 s. 8 d. and in some places a Bushel of Rye for a pound of Candles which was 4 d. I have read that in the Third of King James a Whale came up within eight miles of London whose body was seen divers times above water and judged to exceed the length of the largest Ship in the River but when she tasted the fresh-water and sented the Land she returned into the Sea I find recorded by divers Writers that the 17 th of July 1619 one Bernard Calvart of Andover rode from St. George's Church in Southwark to Dover and from thence passed by Barge to Callice in France and from thence returned back to St. George's Church the same day setting out about three in the Morning and returned about eight in the Evening fresh and lusty being 184 miles which was very strange In the 14 th R. 2. on Christmas-day a Dolphin was taken at London-bridge being ten Foot long and a monstrous grown Fish In the 37 H. 8. On Tuesday in Easter week William Foxely Pot-maker for the Mint