london in 1731-第19节

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rned　with　stone　columns　of　the　several　orders；　while　others　have　only　plain　fronts；　but　they　are　so　far　uniform　as　to　be　all　sashed；　and　of　pretty　near　an　equal　height。　To　the　kitchens　and　offices；　which　have　little　paved　yards　with　vaults　before　them；　they　descend　by　twelve　or　fifteen　steps；　and　these　yards　are　defended　by　a　high　palisade　of　iron。　　Every　house　has　a　garden　behind　it；　and　many　of　them　coach…houses　and　stables　adjoining；　and　others　have　stables　near　the　square；　in　a　place　that　has　obtained　the　name　of　Grosvenor　Mews。　　The　finishing　of　the　houses　within　is　equal　to　the　figure　they　make　without；　the　staircases　of　some　of　them　I　saw　were　inlaid；　and　perfect　cabinet…　work；　and　the　paintings　on　the　roof　and　sides　by　the　best　hands。　The　apartments　usually　consist　of　a　long　range　of　fine　rooms；　equally　commodious　and　beautiful；　none　of　the　houses　are　without　two　or　three　staircases　for　the　convenience　of　the　family。　　The　grand　staircase　is　generally　in　the　hall　or　saloon　at　the　entrance。　　In　short；　this　square　may　well　be　looked　upon　as　the　beauty　of　the　town；　and　those　who　have　not　seen　it　cannot　have　an　adequate　idea　of　the　place。

The　city　of　Westminster　at　this　day　consists　of　the　parishes　of　St。　Margaret　and　St。　John　the　Evangelist；　and　the　liberties　of　Westminster；　viz。；　St。　Martin's…in…the…Fields；　St。　Mary　le　Savoy；　St。　Mary　le　Strand；　St。　Clement's　Danes；　St。　Paul's；　Covent　Garden；　St。　James's；　Westminster；　St。　George's；　Hanover　Square；　and　St。　Anne's；　Westminster；　all　under　the　government　of　the　dean　and　chapter　of　Westminster；　and　their　subordinate　officers；　or　rather；　of　a　high　steward；　and　such　other　officers　as　are　appointed　by　them；　for　since　the　Reformation；　the　dean　and　chapter　seem　to　have　delegated　their　civil　power　to　such　officers　as　they　elect　for　life；　who　are　not　accountable　to；　or　liable　to　be　displaced　by　them；　nor　are　they　liable　to　forfeit　their　offices；　but　for　such　offences　as　a　private　man　may　lose　his　estate；　namely；　for　high　treason；　felony；　&c。；　as　happened　in　the　case　of　their　high　steward；　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　upon　whose　attainder　the　dean　and　chapter　proceeded　to　a　new　election。

The　next　officer　to　the　high　steward　is　the　deputy　steward；　appointed　by　the　high　steward；　and　confirmed　by　the　dean　and　chapter；　who　is　usually　a　gentleman　learned　in　the　law；　being　judge　of　their　court　for　trial　of　civil　actions　between　party　and　party；　which　is　held　usually　on　Wednesday　every　week。　　They　have　also　a　court…leet；　held　annually　on　St。　Thomas's　Day；　for　the　choice　of　officers；　and　removal　of　nuisances。　　The　deputy…steward　supplies　the　place　of　sheriff　of　Westminster；　except　in　the　return　of　members　of　Parliament；　which　is　done　by　the　high　bailiff；　an　officer　nominated　by　the　dean　and　chapter；　and　confirmed　by　the　high　steward。　　The　high…bailiff　also　is　entitled　to　all　fines；　forfeitures；　waifs　and　strays　in　Westminster；　which　makes　it　a　very　profitable　post。

The　high　constable；　chosen　by　the　burgesses　at　their　court…leet；　and　approved　by　the　steward　or　his　deputy；　is　an　officer　of　some　consideration　in　this　city　also；　to　whom　all　the　rest　of　the　constables　are　subject。

The　burgesses　are　sixteen　in　number；　seven　for　the　city　and　nine　for　the　liberties　of　Westminster；　appointed　by　the　high　steward　or　his　deputy；　every　one　of　whom　has　his　assistant；　and　has　particular　wards　or　districts：　　out　of　these　burgesses　are　chosen　two　chief　burgesses；　one　for　the　city；　the　other　for　the　liberties。　　The　dean；　high　steward；　or　his　deputy；　the　bailiffs　and　burgesses；　or　a　quorum　of　them；　are　empowered　to　make　bye…laws；　and　take　cognisance　of　small　offences；　within　the　city　and　liberties　of　Westminster。　　But　I　look　upon　it　that　the　justices　of　peace　for　Westminster　have　in　a　great　measure　superseded　the　authority　of　the　burgesses　（except　as　to　weights；　measures；　and　nuisances）；　by　virtue　of　whose　warrants　all　petty　offenders　almost　are　apprehended　and　sent　to　Tothill　Fields　Bridewell；　and　for　higher　offences；　the　same　justices　commit　criminals　to　Newgate；　or　the　Gatehouse；　who　receive　their　trials　before　commissioners　of　oyer　and　terminer　at　the　Old　Bailey；　as　notorious　criminals　in　the　City　of　London　do；　and　so　far　the　two　united　cities　may　be　said　to　be　under　the　same　government。

The　precinct　of　St。　Martin's…le…Grand；　in　London；　is　deemed　a　part　of　the　city　of　Westminster；　and　the　inhabitants　vote　in　the　elections　of　members　of　Parliament　for　Westminster。

The　ecclesiastical　government　of　the　city　of　Westminster　is　in　the　dean；　and　chapter；　whose　commissary　has　the　jurisdiction　in　all　ecclesiastical　causes；　and　the　probate　of　wills；　from　whom　there　lies　no　appeal　to　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　or　other　spiritual　judge；　but　to　the　King　in　Chancery　alone；　who　upon　such　appeal　issues　a　commission　under　the　Great　Seal　of　England；　constituting　a　court　of　delegates　to　determine　the　cause　finally。

I　next　proceed　to　survey　the　out…parishes　in　the　Counties　of　Middlesex　and　Surrey　which　are　comprehended　within　the　bills　of　mortality；　and　esteemed　part　of　this　great　town。　　And　first；　St。　Giles's　in　the　Fields　contains　these　chief　streets　and　places：　Great　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields；　part　of　Lincoln's　Inn　Garden；　Turnstile；　Whetstone　Park；　part　of　High　Holborn；　part　of　Duke　Street；　Old　and　New　Wild　Street；　Princes　Street；　Queen　Street；　part　of　Drury　Lane；　Brownlow　Street；　Bolton　Street；　Castle　Street；　King　Street；　the　Seven　Dials；　or　seven　streets　comprehending　Earl　Street；　Queen　Street；　White　Lion　Street；　and　St。　Andrew's　Street；　Monmouth　Street；　the　east　side　of　Hog　Lane；　Stedwell　Street；　and　Staig　Street。

Great　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields　or　Square　contains　about　ten　acres　of　ground；　and　is　something　longer　than　it　is　broad；　the　longest　sides　extending　from　east　to　west。　　The　buildings　on　the　west　and　south　generally　make　a　grand　figure。

In　the　parish　of　St。　Sepulchre；　which　is　without　the　liberties　of　the　City　of　London；　we　meet　with　Hicks's　Hall　and　the　Charter　House。

Hicks's　Hall　is　situated　in　the　middle　of　St。　John's　Street；　towards　the　south　end；　and　is　the　sessions　house　for　the　justices　of　peace　of　the　County　of　Middlesex；　having　been　erected　for　this　end；　anno　1612；　by　Sir　Baptist　Hicks；　a　mercer　in　Cheapside；　then　a　justice　of　the　peace。　　The　justices　before　holding　their　sessions　at　the　Castle　Inn；　near　Smithfield　Bars。

To　the　eastward　of　Hicks's　Hall　stood　the　late　dissolved　monastery　of　the　Charter　House；　founded　by　Sir　Walter　Manny；　a　native　of　the　Low　Countries；　knighted　by　King　Edward　III。　for　services　done　to　this　crown；　probably　in　the　wars　against　France。

Sir　Walter　Manny　at　first　erected　only　a　chapel；　and　assigned　it　to　be　the　burial…place　of　all　strangers；　but　in　the　year　1371　Sir　Walter　founded　a　monastery　of　Carthusian　monks　here；　transferring　to　these　fathers　thirteen　acres　and　a　rood　of　land　with　the　said　chapel：　　the　revenues　of　which　convent；　on　the　dissolution　of　monasteries；　30　Henry　VIII。；　amounted　to　642　pounds　4d。　1ob。　per　annum。

Sir　Thomas　Audley　soon　after　obtained　a　grant　of　this　Carthusian　monastery；　together　with　Duke's　Place；　and　gave　the　former　in　marriage　with　his　daughter　Margaret　to　Thomas；　Duke　of　Norfolk；　from　whom　it　descended　to　the　Earl　of　Suffolk；　and　was　called　Howard　House；　the　surname　of　that　noble　family。　　By　which　name　Thomas　Sutton；　Esq。；　purchased　it　of　the　Earl　of　Suffolk　for　13；000　pounds；　anno　1611；　and　converted　it　into　a　hospital　by　virtue　of　letters　patent　obtained　from　King　James　I。；　which　were　afterwards　confirmed　by　Act　of　Parliament；　3　Charles　I。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pounds　s。　　d。　The　manors；　lands；　tenements；　and　hereditaments　which　the　founder　settled　upon　this　hospital　amounted　to；　per　annum　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4493　　19　　10　The　revenues　purchased　by　his　executors；　&c。；　after　his　death；　to　per　annum　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　897　　13　　　9　Total　of　the　charity　per　annum　　　　　　　　5391　　13　　　7


But　the　revenues　now　amount　to　upwards　of　6；000　pounds　per　annum　by　the　improvement　of　the　rents。　　This　charity　was　given　for　the　maintenance　of　fourscore　old　men；　who　were　to　be　either　gentlemen　by　descent　reduced　to　poverty；　soldiers　by　sea　or　land；　merchants　who　had　suffered　by　piracy　or　shipwreck；　or　servants　of　the　King's　household；　and　were　to　be　fifty　years　of　age　and　upwards　at　their　admission；　except　maimed　soldiers；　who　are　capable　of　being　admitted　at　forty　years　of　age。　　Nor　are　any　to　be　admitted　who　are　afflicted　with　leprosy；　or　any　unclean　or　infectious　disease；　or　who　shall　be　possessed　of　the　value　of　200　pounds；　or　14　pounds　per　annum　for　life；　or　who　are　married　men。　　No　poor　brother　to　go　beyond　sea　without　the　licence　of　six　of　the　governors；　nor　to　go　into　the　country　for　above　two　months　without　the　master's　leave；　and　during　such　absence　shall　be　allowed　but　two…thirds　of　his　commons　in　money　besides　his　salary；　and　if　a　brother　go　out　and　is　arrested　he　shall　have　no　allowance　during　his　absence；　but　his　place　to　be　reserved　till　the　governors'　pleasure　be　known。

No　brother　to　pass　the　gates　of　the　hospital　in　his　livery　gown；　or　to　lie　out　of　the　house；　or　solicit　causes；　or　molest　any　of　the　King's　subjects；　under　a　certain　pecuniary　pain；　and　all　other　duties；　such　as　frequenting　chapel；　decent　clothing