Books: London in 1731

D >> Don Manoel Gonzales >> London in 1731

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Collegium Sionis a Thoma White, S. T. P. Fundatum Anno Christi 1631,
in Usum Clerici Lond. Bibliotheca a Johanne Simpson, S. T. B.
Extracta, a diversis Benefactor, Libris locupletata, & in posterum
locupletanda. Vade & fac similiter.

The college consists of a handsome hall, the president's lodgings,
chambers for students, and a well-disposed library, one hundred and
twenty feet in length, and thirty in breadth, which is at this day
very well replenished with books, notwithstanding both library and
college were burnt down anno 1666. It was rebuilt and furnished by
contributions from the London clergy and their friends. The library
is kept in exact order, and there are all imaginable conveniences
for those who desire to consult their books.

20. Aldersgate Ward. The principal streets and places in this ward
are, Foster Lane, Maiden Lane, Noble Street, St. Martin's-le-Grand,
Dean's Court, Round Court, Angel Street, Bull-and-Mouth Street, St.
Anne's Lane, Aldersgate Street, Goswell Street, Barbican, Long Lane,
and Little Britain.

St. Martin's-le-Grand was anciently a magnificent college, founded
by Jugelricus and Edwardus his brother, anno 1056, and confirmed by
William the Conqueror, by his charter, dated anno 1068, in the
second year of his reign, who also gave all the moorlands without
Cripplegate to this college, exempting the dean and canons from the
jurisdiction of the bishop, and from all legal services, granting
them soc and sac, toll and theam, with all liberties and franchises
that any church in the kingdom enjoyed.

This college was surrendered to King Edward VI. in the second year
of his reign, anno 1548, and the same year the church pulled down,
and the ground leased out to persons to build upon, being highly
valued on account of the privileges annexed to it, for it still
remains a separate jurisdiction. The sheriffs and magistrates of
London have no authority in this liberty, but it is esteemed part of
Westminster, and subject only to the dean and chapter of that abbey.

The public buildings in this ward are, Goldsmiths' Hall,
Coachmakers' Hall, London House, Thanet House, Cooks' Hall, the
church of St. Anne within Aldersgate, St. Leonard, Foster Lane, and
St. Botolph, Aldersgate.

21. Farringdon Ward within the walls, so called to distinguish it
from Farringdon Ward without, was anciently but one ward, and
governed by one alderman, receiving its name of William Farendon,
goldsmith, alderman thereof, and one of the sheriffs of London who
purchased the aldermanry of John le Feure, 7 Edward I., anno 1279.
It afterwards descended to Nicholas Farendon, son of the said
William, who was four times mayor (and his heirs), from whence some
infer that the aldermanries of London were formerly hereditary.

Farringdon Ward Within contains St. Paul's Churchyard, Ludgate
Street, Blackfriars, the east side of Fleet Ditch, from Ludgate
Street to the Thames, Creed Lane, Ave Mary Lane, Amen Corner,
Paternoster Row, Newgate Street and Market, Greyfriars, part of
Warwick Lane, Ivy Lane, part of Cheapside, part of Foster Lane, part
of Wood Street, part of Friday Street, and part of the Old Change,
with several courts and alleys falling into them.

The public buildings in this ward are, the Cathedral of St. Paul,
St. Paul's School, the King's Printing House, the Scotch Hall,
Apothecaries' Hall, Stationers' Hall, the College of Physicians,
Butchers' Hall, Saddlers' Hall, Embroiderers' Hall, the church of
St. Martin Ludgate, Christ's Church and Hospital, the church of St.
Matthew, Friday Street, St. Austin's Church, the church of St
Vedast, and the Chapter House.

Austin the monk was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great, to
endeavour the conversion of the Saxons, about the year 596, and
being favourably received by Ethelbert, then King of Kent, who soon
after became his proselyte, was by the authority of the Roman see
constituted Archbishop of Canterbury, the capital of King
Ethelbert's dominions. The archbishop being thus established in
Kent, sent his missionaries into other parts of England, making
Melitus, one of his assistants, Bishop of London; and King
Ethelbert, to encourage that city to embrace Christianity, it is
said, founded the Cathedral of St. Paul about the year 604.

This Cathedral stands upon an eminence in the middle of the town,
disengaged from all other buildings, so that its beauties may be
viewed on every side; whereas we see only one front of St. Peter's
at Rome, the palace of the Vatican, and other buildings contiguous
to it, rendering the rest invisible; and though the riches and
furniture of the several chapels in St. Peter's are the admiration
of all that view them, yet they spoil the prospect of the fabric.
If we regard only the building, divested of the rich materials and
furniture which hide the beauties of the structure, St. Paul's, in
the opinion of many travellers, makes a better appearance than St.
Peter's: nor does the white Portland stone, of which St. Paul's is
built, at all give place to the marble St. Peter's is lined or
incrusted with; for the numerous lamps and candles that are burnt
before the altars at St. Peter's so blacken and tarnish the marble,
that it is not easy to distinguish it from common stone.

As to the outside of St. Paul's, it is adorned by two ranges of
pilasters, one above the other; the lower consist of 120 pilasters
at least, with their entablature of the Corinthian order, and the
upper of as many with entablament of the Composite order, besides
twenty columns at the west and four at the east end, and those of
the porticoes and spaces between the arches of the windows; and the
architrave of the lower order, &c., are filled with great variety of
curious enrichments, consisting of cherubims, festoons, volutas,
fruit, leaves, car-touches, ensigns of fame, as swords and trumpets
in saltier crosses, with chaplets of laurel, also books displayed,
bishops' caps, the dean's arms, and, at the east end, the cypher of
W.R. within a garter, on which are the words Honi soit qui mal y
pense, and this within a fine compartment of palm-branches, and
placed under an imperial crown, &c., all finely carved in stone.

The intercolumns of the lower range of pilasters are thirty-three
ornamental windows and six niches, and of the upper range thirty-
seven windows and about thirty niches, many whereof are adorned with
columns, entablature, and pediments; and at the east end is a sweep,
or circular space, adorned with columns and pilasters, and enriched
with festoons, fruit, incense-pots, &c., and at the upper part is a
window between four pieddroits and a single cornice, and those
between two large cartouches.

The ascent to the north portico is by twelve steps of black marble;
the dome of the portico is supported and adorned with six very
spacious columns (forty-eight inches diameter) of the Corinthian
order. Above the doorcase is a large urn, with festoons, &c. Over
this (belonging to the upper range of pilasters) is a spacious
pediment, where are the king's arms with the regalia, supported by
two angels, with each a palm-branch in their hands, under whose feet
appear the figures of the lion and unicorn.

You ascend to the fourth portico (the ground here being low) by
twenty-five steps. It is in all other respects like the north, and
above this a pediment, as the other, belonging to the upper order,
where is a proper emblem of this incomparable structure, raised, as
it were, out of the ruins of the old church, viz., a phoenix, with
her wings expanded, in flames, under which is the word RESURGAM
insculped in capital characters.

The west portico is adorned and supported with twelve columns below
and eight above, fluted, of the respective orders as the two ranges,
the twelve lower adorned with architrave, marble frieze, and a
cornice, and the eight upper with an entablature and a spacious
triangular pediment, where the history of St. Paul's conversion is
represented, with the rays of a glory and the figures of several men
and horses boldly carved in relievo by Mr. Bird. The doorcase is
white marble, and over the entrance is cut in relieve the history of
St. Paul's preaching to the Bereans (as in Acts xvii. 2). It
consists of a group of nine figures, besides that of St. Paul, with
books, &c., lively represented by the same hand as "The Conversion."

On the south side of the church, near the west end, is a forum or
portal, the doorcase being enriched with cartouches, volutas, and
fruit, very excellently carved under a pediment, and opposite to
this on the north side is the like doorcase. And, in brief, all the
apertures are not only judiciously disposed for commodiousness,
illumination of the fabric, &c., but are very ornamental.

At the west end is an acroteria of the figures of the twelve
apostles, each about eleven feet high, with that of St. Paul on the
angle of the pediment, and those of the four evangelists, two of
each cumbent between as many angles on a circular pediment. Over
the dials of the clock on the fronts of the two towers, also an
entablature and circles of enrichment, where twelve stones compose
the aperture, answering to the twelve hours.

The said towers are adorned with circular ranges of columns of the
Corinthian order, with domes upon the upper part, and at the vertex
of each a curious pineapple.

The choir has its roof supported with six spacious pillars, and the
church with six more, besides which there are eight that support the
cupola and two very spacious ones at the west end. All which
pillars are adorned with pilasters of the Corinthian and Composite
orders, and also with columns fronting the cross-aisle, or
ambulatory, between the consistory and morning prayer chapel, which
have each a very beautiful screen of curious wainscot, and adorned
each with twelve columns, their entablatures arched pediments, and
the king's arms, enriched with cherubims, and each pediment between
four vases, all curiously carved. These screens are fenced with
ironwork, as is also the cornice at the west end of the church, and
so eastward beyond the first arch.

The pillars of the church that support the roof are two ranges, with
their entablature and beautiful arches, whereby the body of the
church and choir are divided into three parts or aisles. The roof
of each is adorned with arches and spacious peripheries of
enrichments, as shields, leaves, chaplets, &c. (the spaces included
being somewhat concave), admirably carved in stone; and there is a
large cross aisle between the north and south porticoes, and two
ambulatories, the one a little eastward, the other westward from the
said cross-aisle, and running parallel therewith. The floor of the
whole is paved with marble, but under the cupola and within the rail
of the altar with fine porphyry, polished and laid in several
geometrical figures.

The altar-piece is adorned with four noble fluted pilasters, finely
painted and veined with gold, in imitation of lapis lazuli, with
their entablature, where the enrichments, and also the capitals of
the pilasters, are double gilt with gold. These intercolumns are
twenty-one panels of figured crimson velvet, and above them six
windows, viz., in each intercolumniation seven panels and two
windows, one above the other; at the greatest altitude above all
which is a glory finely done. The aperture north and south into the
choir are (ascending up three steps of black marble) by two iron
folding-doors, being, as that under the organ-gallery, &c.,
exquisitely wrought into divers figures, spiral branches, and other
flourishes. There are two others at the west end of the choir, the
one opening into the south aisle, the other in the north, done by
the celebrated artist in this way, M. Tijan.

And what contributes to the beauty of this choir are the galleries,
the bishop's throne, Lord Mayor's seat, with the stalls, all which
being contiguous, compose one vast body of carved work of the finest
wainscot, constituting three sides of a quadrangle.

The cupola (within the church) appears erected and elevated on eight
pillars of a large magnitude, adorned with pilasters, entablature,
circular pediments, and arches of the Corinthian order, and each
pillar enriched with a spacious festoon. Here are also as many
alcoves fronted with curious ironwork, and over the arches, at a
great height from the ground, is an entablature, and on the cornice
an ambulatory, fronted or fenced in with handsome ironwork,
extending round the inside of the cupola, above which is a range of
thirty-two pilasters of the Corinthian order, where every fourth
intercolumn is adorned with a niche and some enrichments; and it
said that in every foot of altitude the diameter of this decreaseth
one inch.

On the outside of the dome, about twenty feet above the outer roof
of the church, is a range of thirty-two columns, with niches of the
same altitude, and directly counter to those aforesaid within the
cupola. To these columns there is entablament, and above that a
gallery with acroteria, where are placed very spacious and
ornamental vases all round the cupola. At twelve feet above the
tops of these vases (which space is adorned with pilasters and
entablament, and the intercolumns are windows) the diameter is taken
in (as appears outwardly) five feet, and two feet higher it
decreases five feet, and a foot above that it is still five feet
less, where the dome outwardly begins to arch, which arches meet
about fifty-two feet higher in perpendicular altitude, on the vertex
of which dome is a neat balcony, and above this a large and
beautiful lantern, adorned with columns of the Corinthian order,
with a ball and cross at the top.

Christ's Hospital is situated between Newgate Street and St.
Bartholomew's Hospital in Smithfield. Here, as has been observed
already, was anciently a monastery of grey friars, founded about the
year 1325, which, upon the dissolution of monasteries, was
surrendered to King Henry VIII., anno 1538, who, in the last year of
his reign, transferred it to the City of London for the use of the
poor. King Edward VI. endowed this hospital--together with those of
Bridewell and St. Thomas's Hospital in Southwark--with large
revenues, of which the City were made trustees, and incorporated by
the name of the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of the City of
London, governors of the possessions, revenues, and goods of the
hospitals of Christ, Bridewell, and St. Thomas the Apostle, to whom
the king granted 3,266 pounds 13s. 4d. per annum.

It was opened in the year 1552, in the month of November, and a good
writing-school was added to this foundation in the year 1694 by Sir
John More, Kt., and alderman.

The children admitted into this hospital are presented every year by
the Lord Mayor and aldermen and the other governors in their turns,
a list of whom is printed yearly and set up at the counting-house,
and a letter is sent to each of the said governors, some days before
the admission, reminding him of the day of choosing, and how those
he presents should be qualified, wherein is enclosed a blank
certificate from the minister and churchwardens, a blank petition to
the president and governors, and a paper of the rules and
qualifications of the child to be presented. Upon this the
governor, having made choice of a child to present, the friends of
the said child come to the counting-house on the admission-day,
bringing the said petition and certificates, rules, and letter along
with him, and on the back side of the said petition the governor who
presents endorseth words to this effect.

"I present the child mentioned in the certificate on the other side,
and believe the same to be a true certificate.

"Witness my hand . . . the day . . . of 17." Which the said
governor signeth, and the child is admitted.

The said rules and qualifications are as follows:

1. That no child be taken in but such as are the children of
freemen of London.

2. That none be taken in under seven years old.

3. That none be taken in but orphans, wanting either father or
mother, or both.

4. That no foundlings, or that are maintained at the parish charge,
be taken in.

5. That none who are lame, crooked, or deformed, or that have the
evil, rupture, or any infectious disease, be taken in.

6. That none be admitted but such as are without any probable means
of being provided for otherways; nor without a due certificate from
the minister, churchwardens, and three or four of the principal
inhabitants of the parish whence any children come, certifying the
poverty and inability of the parent to maintain such children, and
the true age of the said child, and engaging to discharge the
hospital of them before or after the age of fifteen years if a boy,
or fourteen years if a girl, which shall be left to the governor's
pleasure to do; so that it shall be wholly in the power of the
hospital to dispose of such child, or return them to the parent or
parish, as to the hospital shall seem good.

7. That no child be admitted that hath a brother or sister in the
hospital already.

8. To the end that no children be admitted contrary to the rules
abovesaid, when the general court shall direct the taking in of any
children, they shall (before taken in) be presented to a committee,
consisting of the president, treasurer, or the almoners, renters,
scrutineers, and auditors, and all other governors to be summoned at
the first time, and so to adjourn from time to time: and that they,
or any thirteen or more of them, whereof the president or treasurer
for the time being to be one, shall strictly examine touching the
age, birth, and quality of such children, and of the truth of the
said certificates; and when such committee shall find cause, they
shall forbid or suspend the taking in of any child, until they
receive full satisfaction that such child or children are duly
qualified according to the rules abovesaid.

And that such children as may be presented to be admitted in
pursuance of the will of any benefactor, shall be examined by the
said committee, who are to take care that such children be qualified
according to the wills of the donors or benefactors (as near as may
consist with such wills) agreeing to the qualifications above.

The Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen present each their child
yearly, but the rest of the governors only in their turns, which may
happen once in three or four years.

No child is continued in after fifteen years of age, except the
mathematical scholars, who are sometimes in till they are eighteen,
and who, at the beginning of the seventh year of their service as
mariners are at His Majesty's disposal; and of these children there
is an account printed yearly, and presented to the king the 1st of
January, setting forth, (1) each boy's name; (2) the month and year
when they were bound out; (3) their age; (4) the names of their
masters; (5) the names of the ships whereof they are commanders; (6)
what country trade they are in; (7) the month and year when they
will be at His Majesty's disposal. Also an account of the forty
children annually enjoying the benefit of this mathematical
foundation, &c., setting forth their names and age.

The governors, besides the Lord Mayor and aldermen, are many, and
commonly persons that have been masters or wardens of their
companies, or men of estates, from whom there is some expectation of
additional charities. Out of these one is made president, who is
usually some ancient alderman that hath passed the chair; another is
appointed treasurer, to whom the care of the house and of the
revenues are committed, who is therefore usually resident, and has a
good house within the limits of the hospital. There are two
governors also, who are called almoners, whose business it is to buy
provisions for the house and send them in, who are attended by the
steward.

The children are dieted in the following manner: They have every
morning for their breakfast bread and beer, at half an hour past six
in the morning in the summer time, and at half an hour past seven in
the winter. On Sundays they have boiled beef and broth for their
dinners, and for their suppers legs and shoulders of mutton. On
Tuesdays and Thursdays they have the same dinners as on Sundays,
that is, boiled beef and broth; on the other days no flesh meat, but
on Mondays milk-porridge, on Wednesdays furmity, on Fridays old
pease and pottage, on Saturdays water-gruel. They have roast beef
about twelve days in the year by the kindness of several
benefactors, who have left, some 3 pounds, some 50s. per annum, for
that end. Their supper is bread and cheese, or butter for those who
cannot eat cheese; only Wednesdays and Fridays they heave pudding-
pies for supper.

The diet of these children seems to be exceeding mean and sparing;
and I have heard some of their friends say that it would not be easy
for them to subsist upon it without their assistance. However, it
is observed they are very healthful; that out of eleven or twelve
hundred there are scarce ever found twelve in the sick ward; and
that in one year, when there were upwards of eleven hundred in this
hospital, there were not more than fifteen of them died. Besides,
their living in this thrifty parsimonious manner, makes them better
capable of shifting for themselves when they come out into the
world.

As to the education of these orphans, here is a grammar-school, a
writing-school, a mathematical-school, and a drawing-school.

As to grammar and writing, they have all of them the benefit of
these schools without distinction; but the others are for such lads
as are intended for the sea-service.

The first mathematical school was founded by King Charles II., anno
domini 1673. His Majesty gave 7,000 pounds towards building and
furnishing this school, and settled a revenue of 370 pounds per
annum upon it for ever; and there has been since another
mathematical school erected here, which is maintained out of the
revenues of the hospital, as is likewise the drawing-school.

This hospital is built about a large quadrangle, with a cloister or
piazza on the inside of it, which is said to be part of the
monastery of the Grey Friars; but most part of the house has been
rebuilt since the Fire, and consists of a large hall, and the
several schools and dormitories for the children; besides which
there is a fine house at Hertford, and another at Ware, twenty miles
from London, whither the youngest orphans are usually sent, and
taught to read, before they are fixed at London.

The College of Physicians is situated on the west side of Warwick
Lane. It is a beautiful and magnificent edifice, built by the
society anno 1682, their former college in Amen Corner having been
destroyed by the Fire. It is built of brick and stone, having a
fine frontispiece, with a handsome doorcase, within which is a lofty
cupola erected on strong pillars, on the top whereof is a large
pyramid, and on its vertex a crown and gilded ball. Passing under
the cupola we come into a quadrangular court, the opposite side
whereof is adorned with eight pilasters below and eight above, with
their entablature and a triangular pediment; over the doorcase is
the figure of King Charles II. placed in a niche and between the
door and the lower architrave the following inscription, viz.:-

VTRIVSQVE FORTVNAE EXEMPLAR INGENS ADVERSIS REBVS DEVM PROBAVIT
PROSPERIS SEIPSVM COLLEGIJ HVJUSCE, 1682.

The apartments within consist of a hall, where advice is given to
the poor gratis; a committee-room, a library, another great hall,
where the doctors meet once a quarter, which is beautifully
wainscoted, carved, and adorned with fretwork. Here are the
pictures of Dr. Harvey, who first discovered the circulation of the
blood, and other benefactors, and northward from this, over the
library, is the censor's room.

The theatre under the cupola at the entrance is furnished with six
degrees of circular wainscot seats, one above the other, and in the
pit is a table and three seats, one for the president, a second for
the operator, and a third for the lecturer; and here the anatomy
lectures are performed. In the preparing room are thirteen tables
of the muscles in a human body, each muscle in its proper position.

This society is a body-corporate for the practice of physic within
London, and several miles about it. The president and censors are
chosen annually at Michaelmas. None can practise physic, though
they have taken their degrees, without their license, within the
limits aforesaid; and they have a power to search all apothecaries'
shops, and to destroy unwholesome medicines.

By the charter of King Charles II. this college was to consist of a
president, four censors, ten elects, and twenty-six fellows; the
censors to be chosen out of the fellows, and the president out of
the elects.

By the charter granted by King James II., the number of fellows was
enlarged, but not to exceed eighty, and none but those who had taken
the degree of doctors in the British or foreign universities were
qualified to be admitted members of this college.

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