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 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
The Lord Mayor Court Of Aldermen THE PRESENT STATE OF London OR Memorials COMPREHENDING A Full and Succinct Account Of the Ancient and Modern State thereof By THO. DE-LAVNE Gent. Civitates ab initio Vtilitatis causa constitutae sunt Aristot 1. Polit. LONDON Printed by George Larkin for Enoch Prosser and John How at the Rose and Crown and Seven Stars in Sweethings-Alley near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1681. To the Right Honourable Sir Patience Ward Knight LORD MAYOR OF THE City of LONDON My Lord THese Memorials respecting the Ancient and Modern State of this great and Renowned City of which under His Majesty Your Lordship enjoys the Supreme Magistracy cannot find a more Proper or more Honourable Patron than Your Lordship considering the High Place You hold in that Meridian for which This Discourse is Calculated The General Grief expressed by all Loyal English Protestants for Your Lordships late Indisposition and the General Rejoycing amongst them for Your Happy Recovery as a Mercy to this City of both which the Presenter of this Address was in part a Witness and Partaker are Evidences both of Your Lordships Good Administration in so Eminent a Dignity aud the Universal Satisfaction of this Famous Metropolis in Your Government Your Prudent Zealous and Couragious Conduct in these Perillous and Menacing Times suitable to those Never-to-be-forgotten Speeches delivered by Your Lordship and Your Eminent and Worthy Predecessor Sir Robert Clayton at the Time of Your Election to this August Magistracy has engaged all True Patriots and Abhorrers of Foreign and Domestick Vassalage a thing attempted to be Introduced by those Execrable Mediums of Assassinating the Sacred Person of His Royal Majesty and Everting His Government to give Your Lordship an Eminent Place in their Esteem and Justly Obliges this Great City to Honour Your Lordship in a Degree suitable to so High a Merit My Lord I hope You will vouchsafe me Your Pardon for my Presumption in Publishing this small Product of my Recess and Solitude under the Patronage of Your Honourable Name for which and the Famous City You Govern I have so High a Veneration that it Obliges me to be Your Lordships most humble Servant Thomas De-Laune London June 24. 1681. To the Reader THis Abstract is partly collected from the best Authors I could meet with as the Chronicles and Statutes of England Antiquaries Modern Writers c. I have endeavoured to avoid Prolixity and to omit no Remarkables as far as my designed Brevity would admit intending rather a Compendium than a Voluminous History What lay scatered in divers Volumes are reduced in a method wholly new under their proper Heads briefly yet I hope not obscurely I have intermixt many new things which fell within my own observation or my Friends respecting the Present State of this City never to my knowledge I am sure never in this Method Published It is said That Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile Dulci If that be not done here yet it is an Essay of that kind being a mixture wherein with great variety things highly useful are interwoven with delightsom And if there be any mistakes or imperfections which all men are liable to upon any Information which shall be thankfully resented it may be capable of Rectifying hereafter I do not pretend to give a full account of all things worthy to be known in this great City or of its famous Citizens for that would make an huge Volume but onely of the most Eminent which have occurr'd to my Reading or Observation As to the Method and particulars treated of you are referred to the Synopsis or Table of Contents following by which you may easily find out any thing in the Book If the City thinks this worth entertainment it will engage me to proceed in perfecting other Materials I have by me and offer it in another work which I trust will be useful to all I have an high Honor for this Illustrious City and the worthy Inhabitants thereof as an Instance of which this Essay is offered to the perusal of the Candid Reader by Thomas Dâ—-lauâ—â— To his Friend Mr. Thomas De-Laune An Acrostick on The Present State of LONDON This is that City which the Papal Crew Have by their Damn'd Devices overthrew Erected on her old Foundations New Pourtrayed once by Stow and now again Rebuilt and Re-reviv'd by thee De-laune Extracted Phoenix-like whose splendor shows She triumphs o're the Ruine of her Foes Excellent Architect that in few Sheets New builds a City of Five hundred Streets Temples Courts Churches Monuments and Halls Shores Towers Gates Inns Citadels and Walls The Grandeur of this fam'd Metropolis Arts Laws and Customs thou hast shewn in this This Little Volume comprehends the Great European-Empory the Royal Seat Of English Monarchs whose Succession runs From Royal Fathers Lineally to Sons London the Author fully lets Thee see Orders and Customs of Antiquity Names Honours Titles Companies drawn forth Display'd in Banners Badges of thy Worth Of all the Cities on the Continent No better Governours nor Government R. S. To his Friend the Author UPON THE Present State of LONDON REader Survey DE-LAVNE and his Survey Who LONDON's Glories lively doth display In Her immediate State whose Stately Pile Exceeds all Structures on the British Isle Look through this Little Book as through a Glass You may behold what now She Is and Was. View between Sixty Six and Eighty One Can you not see Great Alteration In Sky-Invading-Flames three days She burns Which all her Glories into Ashes turns But stop not there Look nearer yet by Ten Doth She not mount to greater Glory then Before Look nigher yet by Five for this Her Present State a Pleasant Prospect is This Glass Brave City he presents to Thee That Thou Thy Self Thy Self may'st better see This Thy Remote and Distant Friends will move To Admiration and Vniting Love When they peruse those Gallant Laws whereby Thou' rt Rul'd and Rulest by Just Policy Thy Piety Thy Splendid Trade by which Thou art become so Great so Good so Rich. Those worthy Characters which he hath writ Exalts Thy Greatness Justifies his Wit 'T is not my Task Thy Splendor to Commend It is Exalted by DE-LAVNE Thy Friend My Muse would fain Attempt his Commendation But is constrain'd to rest in Admiration D. E. Philopolis The CONTENTS CHap. 1 Of the Antiquity Original and Name of London Page 1. Chap. 2. Of the Situation of London P. 3. Chap. 3. Of its Increase Magnitude Publick Structures and number of Inhabitants p. 5 292. Sect. 1. Of its Walls Towers Gates c. p. 9. Of the Tower and Ancient Castles p. 13 17. Sect. 2. Of its Churches and Monuments p. 19 Of Pauls Church and Westminster-Abby p. 20 The Ancient State of all the Churches in London Alphabetically with their monuments c. p 27. The Monument of Mr. Fox Martyrologist p. 69. Of Mr. Speed the Famous Historian p. 73. Sect. 3. Of Hospitals viz. Christs Hospital and
St. Thomas his Hospital c. p. 81. Of the Charter-House or Sutton's Hospital p. 90 Of Old and New Bedlam p. 97. Sect. 4. Of its Palaces viz. Whitehall or the Kings Court c. p. 99. Of St. James's Palace and the Park p. 122 Of Westminster-hall and the Courts there viz. Common-Pleas Kings-Bench Chancery and Exchequer p. 126. Of Dooms-day-Book p 135. A full Account of the High-Court of Parliament c. p. 193. Of Somerset-house p. 156. Sect. 5. Of the Royal Exchange c. p. 159. Sect. 6. Of Colledges and Inns of Court viz. Gresham-Colledge Sion-Colledge Physitians-Colledge Doctors Commons Colledge of Heralds c. and Inns of Court and Chancery p. 162 179. Sect. 7. Of London-Bridge p. 191. Of the River of Thames and Lord Mayors Jurisdiction there p. 195. Of the New River p. 209. Chap. 4. Of the Government of London Ecclesiastical Temporal and Military c. p. 213. to 288. Of the Charters By-Laws and Courts in London p. 263. to 277. Chap. 5. Of the Trade of London its Merchants the Original of Money an Account of the several Corporations and their Coats of Arms blazon'd p. 269. The Oath of a Freeman p. 331. Of Guild-hall Leaden-hall Blackwel-hall and the Custom-house p. 333 to 336. Of Docks Porters c. p. 340. Of the Markets for Coals Corn and Fish p. 342. Of the Navy-Office and Post-Office p. 343 345. Of the Penny-Post p. 350. The Rates of Coachmen p. 359. An Alphabetical Account of the Carriers Waggoners and Stage-Coaches that come to the respective Inns in London from all parts of England and Wales with the days of their Coming in and Going out p. 383. The Rates of Carmen and Watermen p. 436 442. An Historical Account of the Wars Tumults Fires Epidemical Diseases Rarities and Accidents that have happened in the City of London Briefly abstracted from Ancient and Modern Writers p. 443. An Appendix containing the Names of the present Aldermen and the respective Wards they Govern With a List of the present Officers of the Lord Mayors House and the Officers belonging to the Two Counters THE PRESENT STATE OF LONDON CHAP. I. Of its Antiquity and Original OUr Famous Antiquaries generally agree that the Britains whose Posterity now inhabit the Dominion of Wales and are called Welsh â—eâ—e the Founders of the Renowned City of LONDON They were in old times known by the Name of Aborigines because they first inhabited the Countrey Some derive the name London which is the greatest probablity from the British word Llhong which signifies a Ship and Dinan a Town that is a Town of Ships this City being in all Ages since its foundation very renowned for Shipping and Navigation 2. Others from Llhwindian because as Caesar in his Commentaries and Strabo mention the Ancient Britains called their fortified Woods Llhwn which is equivalent to a fenced Town and that where S. Pauls Church now stands there was in old times a Wood where a Temple was built for Diana it being the custom of those Pagan Times to build their Fanes or Temples to Diana in Woods or Groves and so it signifies Dianas Town 3. Some derive it from Llhandian the Britains still calling Llan a Church and so may signifie Dianas-Church or Temple for there have been frequently digged up Oxens Heads and Bones which have been offered as Victims or Sacrifices there viz. in Camera Dianae So that this word came in tract of time to be pronounced London Caesar Comment lib. 5. calls it Civitas Trinobantum viz. The City of the Trinobants some would have it translated the state of Trinobants for Trosa Nova or Troy Novant New Troy Which appellation was in old times by many ascribed to London as Geoffery of Monmouth the Welsh Historian affirms It is said by the same Author that King Lud repaired this City and much augmented it with fair buildings calling it Caire Lud that is Lud's Town and from him Ludgate takes its Name This City was built 2789 years ago that is 1108 years before the birth of Christ and by the exactest computation in the time of Samuel the Prophet and 350 years before the building of Rome Of all Historians Cornelius Tacitus who first called it Londinum says that it was in his time which is about 1655 years ago Copia Negotiatorum Commeatu valde celebre that is very famous for multitude of Merchants and Traffick or Commerce Herodian in the Life of the Emperour Severus says it was Vrbs magna opulenta that is a Great and Rich City Marcelinus says That in his time which is 1200 and odd years ago it was Vetustum oppidum an ancient Town Fitz-Stephens tells us That haec Civitas Vrbe Roma secundum Chronicorum fidem satis Antiquior est c. Viz. This City according to the credit of Chronologers is far more ancient then Rome In the flourishing Estate of London it was called Augusta a Name denoting Dignity and Majesty for the Great Octavian Successor to Julius Caesar took to himself the Name of Augustus as a Title most Sacred and Honourable This Marcellinus witnesses in his 27 and 28 Books calling it Augusta and that in old times it was called London It was very famous by that Appellation under the Emperour Valentinian And in Constantine's time there was a Mint appointed there and Money stamp'd with this Impression P. Lon. S. that is Pecunia Londino Signata Money stamp'd in London And the Overseer or Master of the Mint was called Praepositus Thesaurorum Augustensium that is Provost of the Treasures of Augusta in Britain CHAP. II. Of the Situation of London THe Wisdom of our Ancestors is very Eminent and Remarkable in the Excellent Situation of this famous City which we shall shew 1. With respect to Air 2. Its conveniencies of being supplied with all sorts of Provisions by Sea and Land 1. With respect to Air This City being situate on the North side of the River in the Latitude of 51 Degrees 30 Minutes and so far distant from the Sea that it is not annoyed with the boistrous Winds or unwholsom Vapours of it and yet so near that it enjoys the mild salubrious Breezes of the Eastern Southern and Western Seas with the wholsom gusts and fresh Air of the Country round about it must needs therefore have an Excellent Air. And it is by Experience found to be as healthy a City considering its greatness and Number of Inhabitants with the prodigions quantity of Coals burnt yearly in it as any in the known World 2. The Soil is rich and fertile abounding with plenty of all things useful for the life of Man The Country round about it being very well Inhabited supplying it with plenty of all Sorts of Provision and the Respective Manufactories of England to furnish not only the Inhabitants but for Transportation to the several parts of the World where its Merchants Trade For which it has the advantage of large strait and fair High-ways for Carriages and Passengers by Land
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
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
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
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
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
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