london in 1731-第16节

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in　breadth　would　contain　all　the　buildings　within　the　liberty　of　Westminster。　　That　part　of　the　town　which　is　properly　called　the　city　of　Westminster　contains　no　more　than　St。　Margaret's　and　St。　John's　parishes；　which　form　a　triangle；　one　side　whereof　extends　from　Whitehall　to　Peterborough　House　on　Millbank；　another　side　reaches　from　Peterborough　House　to　Stafford　House；　or　Tart　Hall；　at　the　west　end　of　the　park；　and　the　third　side　extends　from　Stafford　house　to　Whitehall；　the　circumference　of　the　whole　being　about　two　miles。　　This　spot　of　ground；　it　is　said；　was　anciently　an　island；　a　branch　of　the　Thames　running　through　the　park　from　west　to　east；　and　falling　into　the　main　river　again　about　Whitehall；　which　island　was　originally　called　Thorney　Island；　from　the　woods　and　bushes　that　covered　it；　the　abbey　or　minster　also　was　at　first　called　Thorney　Abbey　or　minster；　from　the　island　on　which　it　stood。

St。　James's　Park　is　something　more　than　a　mile　in　circumference；　and　the　form　pretty　near　oval；　about　the　middle　of　it　runs　a　canal　2；800　feet　in　length　and　100　in　breadth；　and　near　it　are　several　other　waters；　which　form　an　island　that　has　good　cover　for　the　breeding　and　harbouring　wild　ducks　and　other　water…fowl；　on　the　island　also　is　a　pretty　house　and　garden；　scarce　visible　to　the　company　in　the　park。　　On　the　north　side　are　several　fine　walks　of　elms　and　limes　half　a　mile　in　length；　of　which　the　Mall　is　one。　　The　palace　of　St。　James's；　Marlborough　House；　and　the　fine　buildings　in　the　street　called　Pall　Mall；　adorn　this　side　of　the　park。　　At　the　east　end　is　a　view　of　the　Admiralty；　a　magnificent　edifice；　lately　built　with　brick　and　stone；　the　Horse　Guards；　the　Banqueting　House；　the　most　elegant　fabric　in　the　kingdom；　with　the　Treasury　and　the　fine　buildings　about　the　Cockpit；　and　between　these　and　the　end　of　the　grand　canal　is　a　spacious　parade；　where　the　horse　and　foot　guards　rendezvous　every　morning　before　they　mount　their　respective　guards。

On　the　south　side　of　the　park　run　shady　walks　of　trees　from　east　to　west；　parallel　almost　to　the　canal；　and　walks　on　the　north；　adjoining　to　which　are　the　sumptuous　houses　in　Queen　Street；　Queen　Square；　&c。；　inhabited　by　people　of　quality：　　and　the　west　end　of　the　park　is　adorned　with　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　beautiful　seat。　But　what　renders　St。　James's　Park　one　of　the　most　delightful　scenes　in　Nature　is　the　variety　of　living　objects　which　is　met　with　here；　for　besides　the　deer　and　wild　fowl；　common　to　other　parks；　besides　the　water；　fine　walks；　and　the　elegant　buildings　that　surround　it；　hither　the　politest　part　of　the　British　nation　of　both　sexes　frequently　resort　in　the　spring　to　take　the　benefit　of　the　evening　air；　and　enjoy　the　most　agreeable　conversation　imaginable；　and　those　who　have　a　taste　for　martial　music；　and　the　shining　equipage　of　the　soldiery；　will　find　their　eyes　and　ears　agreeably　entertained　by　the　horse　and　foot　guards　every　morning。

The　Sanctuary；　or　the　abbey…yard；　is　a　large　open　square；　between　King　Street　and　the　Gate…house；　north…west　of　the　abbey；　and　was　called　the　Sanctuary；　because　any　person　who　came　within　these　limits　was　entitled　to　the　privilege　of　sanctuarythat　is；　he　was　not　liable　to　be　apprehended　by　any　officers　of　justice。

This　privilege；　it　is　said；　was　first　granted　to　the　abbey　by　Sebert；　king　of　the　East　Saxons；　increased　by　King　Edgar；　and　confirmed　by　Edward　the　Confessor；　by　the　following　charter：…

〃Edward；　by　the　grace　of　God；　king　of　Englishmen；　I　make　it　to　be　known　to　all　generations　of　the　world　after　me；　that；　by　special　commandment　of　our　holy　father　Pope　Leo；　I　have　renewed　and　honoured　the　holy　church　of　the　blessed　apostle　St。　Peter　of　Westminster；　and　I　order　and　establish　for　ever；　that　what　person；　of　what　condition　or　estate　soever　he　be；　from　whencesoever　he　come；　or　for　what　offence　or　cause　it　be；　either　for　his　refuge　in　the　said　holy　place；　he　is　assured　of　his　life；　liberty；　and　limbs：　　and　over　this；　I　forbid；　under　pain　of　everlasting　damnation；　that　no　minister　of　mine；　or　any　of　my　successors；　intermeddle　with　any　of　the　goods；　lands；　and　possessions　of　the　said　persons　taking　the　said　sanctuary：　　for　I　have　taken　their　goods　and　livelode　into　my　special　protection。　　And　therefore　I　grant　to　every；　each　of　them；　in　as　much　as　my　terrestrial　power　may　suffice；　all　manner　of　freedom　of　joyous　liberty。　　And　whosoever　presumes；　or　doth　contrary　to　this　my　grant；　I　will　he　lose　his　name；　worship；　dignity；　and　power；　and　that　with　the　great　traitor　Judas　that　betrayed　our　Saviour；　he　be　in　the　everlasting　fire　of　hell。　　And　I　will　and　ordain；　that　this　my　grant　endure　as　long　as　there　remaineth　in　England　either　love　or　dread　of　Christian　name。〃

This　privilege　of　sanctuary；　as　far　as　it　related　to　traitors；　murderers；　and　felons；　was　in　a　great　measure　abolished　by　a　statute　of　the　32nd　Henry　VIII。：　　and　in　the　beginning　of　the　reign　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　every　debtor　who　fled　to　sanctuary；　to　shelter　himself　from　his　creditors；　was　obliged　to　take　an　oath　of　the　following　tenor；　viz。：…　That　he　did　not　claim　the　privilege　of　sanctuary　to　defraud　any　one　of　his　goods；　debts；　or　money；　but　only　for　the　security　of　his　person　until　he　should　be　able　to　pay　his　creditors。

That　he　would　give　in　a　true　particular　of　his　debts　and　credits。

That　he　would　endeavour　to　pay　his　debts　as　soon　as　possible。

That　he　would　be　present　at　the　abbey　at　morning　and　evening　prayer。

That　he　would　demean　himself　honestly　and　quietly；　avoid　suspected　houses；　unlawful　games；　banqueting；　and　riotous　company。

That　he　would　wear　no　weapon；　or　be　out　of　his　lodging　before　sunrise　or　after　sunset；　nor　depart　out　of　the　precinct　of　the　sanctuary　without　the　leave　of　the　dean；　or　archdeacon　in　his　absence。

That　he　would　be　obedient　to　the　dean　and　the　officers　of　the　house。

And　lastly；　that　if　he　should　break　his　oath　in　any　particular；　he　should　not　claim　the　privilege　of　sanctuary。

And　if　any　creditor　could　make　it　appear　that　he　had　any　money；　goods；　or　chattels　that　were　not　contained　in　the　particular　given　in　to　the　dean　and　the　church；　the　sanctuary　man　was　to　be　imprisoned　till　he　came　to　an　agreement　with　his　creditors。

The　Abbey…Church　of　St。　Peter　at　Westminster　appears　to　be　very　ancient；　though　far　from　being　so　ancient　as　is　vulgarly　reported。

Some　relate；　without　any　authority　to　support　the　conjecture；　that　it　was　founded　in　the　days　of　the　Apostles　by　St。　Peter　himself；　others　that　it　was　erected　by　King　Lucius　about　the　year　170。　　And　by　some　it　is　said　to　have　been　built　by　King　Sebert；　the　first　Christian　king　of　the　East…Saxons　（Essex　and　Middlesex）；　anno　611。　But　I　take　it　for　granted　the　church　was　not　built　before　the　convent　or　abbey　it　belonged　to。　　People　did　not　use　to　build　churches　at　a　distance　from　town；　unless　for　the　service　of　convents　or　religious　houses。　　But　neither　in　the　times　of　the　Apostles；　nor　in　the　supposed　reign　of　King　Lucius；　in　the　second　century；　was　there　any　such　thing　as　a　convent　in　England；　or　perhaps　in　any　part　of　Christendom。　　During　the　dominion　of　the　Saxons　in　this　island；　monasteries　indeed　were　erected　here；　and　in　many　other　kingdoms；　in　great　abundance；　and　as　the　monks　generally　chose　thick　woods　or　other　solitary　places　for　their　residence；　where　could　they　meet　with　a　spot　of　ground　fitter　for　their　purpose　than　this　woody　island　called　Thorney；　then　destitute　of　inhabitants？　　But　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　neither　this　or　any　other　monastery　was　erected　in　South　Britain　till　the　seventh　century；　after　Austin　the　monk　came　into　England。　　As　to　the　tradition　of　its　having　been　built　upon　the　ruins　of　the　temple　of　Apollo；　destroyed　by　an　earthquake；　I　do　not　doubt　but　the　monks　were　very　ready　to　propagate　a　fable　of　this　kind；　who　formed　so　many　others　to　show　the　triumphs　of　Christianity　over　paganism；　and　to　induce　their　proselytes　to　believe　that　heaven　miraculously　interposed　in　their　favour　by　earthquakes；　storms；　and　other　prodigies。　　But　to　proceed。　When　the　convent　was　erected；　I　make　no　doubt　that　there　was　a　church　or　chapel　built　as　usual　for　the　service　of　the　monks；　but　it　is　evident　from　history　that　the　dimensions　of　the　first　or　second　church　that　stood　here　were　not　comparable　to　those　of　the　present　church。

We　may　rely　upon　it　that　about　the　year　850　there　was　a　church　and　convent　in　the　island　of　Thorney；　because　about　that　time；　London　being　in　the　possession　of　the　Danes；　the　convent　was　destroyed　by　them　（not　in　the　year　659；　as　some　writers　have　affirmed；　because　the　Danes　did　not　invade　England　till　nearly　200　years　afterwards）。　The　abbey　lay　in　ruins　about　a　hundred　years；　when　King　Edgar；　at　the　instance　of　Dunstan；　Abbot　of　Glastonbury　（and　afterwards　Archbishop　of　Canterbury）；　rebuilt　this　and　several　other　monasteries；　about　the　year　960。　　Edward　the　Confessor；　a　devout　prince；　enlarged　this　church　and　monastery；　in　which　he　placed　the　Benedictine　monks；　ordered　the　regalia　to　be　kept　by　the　fathers　of　the　convent；　and　succeeding　kings　to　be　crowned　here；　as　William　the　Conqueror　and　several　other　English　monarchs　afterwards　were；　most　of　them　enriching　this　abbey　with　large　revenues；　but　King　Henry　III。　ordered　the　church