Court of Faculties and Dispensations, in Doctors Commons, under the Archbishop of Canterbury. When the papal power was abolished in England by King Henry VIII. this court was established by act of parliament, that the Archbishop in the Pope’s stead, might grant dispensations and indulgences for eating flesh upon prohibited days; for marrying without banns or on holydays; for a son to succeed his father in his benefice; for a plurality of livings, non-residence, and other cases of the like nature. To this court belongs an officer called Magister ad Facultates, and a register.

Fager’s alley, Turnmill street†

Fair street, Horselydown.

St. Faith’s, a parish church once under the east end or choir of St. Paul’s cathedral. It owes its name to its being dedicated to St. Faith, or Sancta Fides, a French virgin of the city of Agen, in the province of Aquitain, who is said to have suffered martyrdom in the reign of the Emperor Dioclesian, for refusing to sacrifice to idols. No records however remain of the antiquity of this church, in which several persons of note were formerly interred, nor is it known at what time divine service was performed in it, other than by chauntry priests for the souls of their departed benefactors. This church however having suffered with St. Paul’s cathedral, it was thought proper entirely to demolish it, and to unite the parish to that of St. Austin’s.

Falcon alley, 1. Barnaby street.* 2. King street, Westminster.* 3. Redcross street.*

Falcon court, 1. In the Borough.* 2. Fleet street.* 3. Lothbury.* 4. Near Rag street, Clerkenwell.* 5. Shoe lane.* 6. Shoemaker row, Aldgate.*

Falcon Inn yard, St. Margaret’s hill.*

Falcon lane, 1. Falcon stairs.* 2. Maiden lane, Southwark.*

Falcon row, 1. Codpiece row.* 2. Fleet street.* 3. Long lane, Southwark.* 4. Lothbury.* 5. St. Margaret’s hill.* 6. Shoe lane.* 7. White street.*

Falcon stairs, Gravel lane.*

Falcon yard, 1. Kent street.* 2. Shoemaker row, Aldgate.* 3. Tooley street.*

Falconbridge court, Hog lane, St. Giles’s.†

Falconer’s alley, 1. Cow Cross, West Smithfield.† 2. Cross street, by Lukener’s lane.† 3. Turnmill street.†

Fan court, St. Michael’s lane.

Fanmakers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Queen Anne, in the year 1709. This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and twenty Assistants; but they have neither hall nor livery. Maitland.

Fann’s alley, 1. Goswell street.† 2. Webb’s square.†

Faringdon Ward Within, received its name from William Farendon and Nicolas his son, who had the government of all this ward for the space of eighty-two years; and it received the addition of within, on account of this part of Faringdon ward lying within the walls. It is bounded on the north by Aldersgate ward, Cripplegate ward, and the liberty of St. Martin’s le Grand; on the west by Faringdon without, on the south by Castle Baynard ward, and the river Thames; and on the east by Castle Baynard ward, and Cheap ward.

The principal streets and lanes in this ward are, Newgate street, the west side of Warwick lane, Ave Mary lane, Paternoster row, Ivy lane, St. Paul’s church yard, Ludgate street, and Black Friars.

The most remarkable buildings are, St. Paul’s cathedral, St. Vedast in Foster lane, Christ Church in Newgate street, St. Martin’s Ludgate, and St. Matthew’s Friday street; the college of Physicians, Stationers hall, Apothecaries hall, Sadlers hall, Embroiderers hall, and Scots hall; St. Paul’s school, Christ Church hospital, and Ludgate.

This ward is governed by an Alderman, his Deputy, twelve Common Council men, eighteen wardmote inquest men, eighteen scavengers, seventeen constables and a beadle; and the jury returned by the inquest for this ward serve in the courts of Guildhall in the month of September.

Faringdon Ward Without, is the farthest ward to the west of the city, and is bounded on the north by the Charterhouse, the parish of St. James Clerkenwell, and part of St. Andrew’s parish without the freedom; on the west, by High Holborn and St. Clement’s parish in the Strand; on the south, by the Thames; and on the east, by the ward of Faringdon within, the precinct of St. Bartholomew near Smithfield, and the ward of Aldersgate.

The principal places in this ward are, Smithfield, Cloth Fair, Bartholomew Close, Snow hill, and all Holborn up to the Bars, Hatton Garden, Leather lane, and Brook street; the Old Bailey, Ludgate hill, Fleet ditch and market, Shoe lane, Fetter lane, Fleet street, White Friars, and Salisbury court.

The most remarkable buildings are, the Temple, Serjeants Inn, Clifford’s, Barnard’s and Thavie’s Inns, Temple Bar, Bridewell hospital, St. Bartholomew’s hospital, Fleet prison, Surgeon’s hall; and the parish churches of St. Bartholomew the Great, St. Bartholomew the Less, St. Sepulchre’s, St. Andrew’s Holborn, St. Dunstan’s in the west, and St. Bride’s.

This ward being so very extensive is parted into three divisions, and is governed by an Alderman, and three Deputies, sixteen Common Council men, forty-four inquest men, fifteen scavengers, and fifteen constables. The jury returned by the inquest in this ward serve in the several courts of Guildhall in the month of June.

Farmer’s alley, 1. Gardiner’s lane.† 2. Hog lane, St. Giles’s.†

Farmer’s court, Ivy street.†

Farmer’s street, Shadwell.†

Farr’s alley, St. Giles’s.†

Farr’s rents, Rotherhith wall.†

Farr’s yard, Whitecross street.†

Farrant’s yard, Rotherhith wall.†

Farriers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles II. in the year 1673, and governed by a Master, three Wardens, twenty-four Assistants, and seventy-six Liverymen, each of whom, upon their admission, pay a fine of 5l. but they have no hall. Maitland.

Farrier’s yard, 1. In the Minories. 2. Stoney lane.

Farthing alley, 1. East Smithfield. 2. Jacob street, Rotherhith. 3. In the Maze.

Farthing fields, 1. New Gravel lane. 2. Old Gravel lane.

Farthing street, Phenix street, Spitalfields.

Fashion street, Artillery lane, Spitalfields.

Faustin’s court, Bowl alley, St. Giles’s.† 2. Vinegar lane, Drury lane.†

Feathers alley, 1. Bedfordbury.* 2. Holborn.* 3. Long Acre.* 4. St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.* 5. In the Strand.*

Feathers court, 1. Bury court, Piccadilly.* 2. Drury lane.* 3. Fox court, Gray’s Inn lane.* 4. High Holborn.* 5. Milk street, Cheapside.*

Featherstone’s buildings, High Holborn.†

Featherstone’s court, Featherstone street.†

Featherstone street, Bunhill row.†

Fell court, Fell street.†

Fell street, Little Wood street.†

Fell’s Almshouse, at Blackwall, was erected by Capt. Fell for the accommodation of four poor families, but without any allowance for their support.

Fellowship Porters. See Porters.

Feltmakers. The Felt hat-makers being anciently a branch of the company of Haberdashers of hats, they applied in the year 1576 for an exclusive charter; but being opposed by the Haberdashers, their endeavours proved abortive; but at last all disputes being adjusted, they were separately incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1604. They are governed by a Master, four Wardens, and twenty-five Assistants, with a livery of sixty members, who at their admission pay a fine of 5l. each, but they have no hall. Maitland.

Fen court, 1. Fenchurch street. 2. St Michael’s lane.†

Fenchurch buildings, Fenchurch street.

Fenchurch street, Gracechurch street. It took its name from the Lang-bourn, a rivulet or bourn, that arose near the place which is now Magpye alley, and spreading near the spring head, rendered the contiguous street so moorish or fenny, especially about the church, which stood in the broad way between Mincing lane and Rood lane, that it from thence obtained the name of Fenchurch street. Maitland.

Fenwick’s court, High Holborn.

Fetcham, a village near Leatherhead, where is the seat of Thomas Revel, Esq; on which no cost has been spared to render a most beautiful situation by nature, more delightful by art.

Fetter lane, Fleet street, in old writings called Feuter lane; it was then what Drury lane is now.

Fetter Lane court, Bernard’s Inn.

Field court, Gray’s Inn.

Field lane, Holborn hill.

Figtree court, 1. Barbican.‡ 2. Inner Temple.‡

Figtree yard, Maudlin’s rents.‡

Finch lane, Cornhill.†

Finchley, a village in Middlesex between Hendon and Coneyhatch, is seven miles north of London.

Finsbury, Moorfields, formerly called Fensbury, from a neighbouring fen or moor. Maitland.

Finsbury Courts, in this place the steward of the manor holds a court leet and court baron, in which are transacted the business peculiar to each court.

Finsbury yard, Chiswell street.

Fire Office. See the particular names by which they are distinguished, as Hand in Hand, Sun Fire Office, Union, &c.

Fireball alley, Houndsditch.

Fireball court, 1. Houndsditch. 2. First Postern, London Wall.

First Fruits Office, in the Middle Temple, is under the Remembrancer of the first fruits, under whom is a Deputy and senior clerk, a Receiver, and a Deputy Receiver of the first fruits; a Receiver of the tenths, and his clerk, and a Comptroller of the first fruits and tenths.

Fish Market court, Bloomsbury.

Fish Street hill, Gracechurch street.

Fish yard, 1. St. Margaret’s lane. 2. Pudding lane.

Fishermen, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King James II. in the year 1687, by the name of The free Fishermen of London; but it does not appear that they have either livery or arms: They have however a hall in Thames street.

Fisher’s alley, 1. Hide street, Bloomsbury.† 2. Rosemary lane.† 3. Water lane, Fleet street.†

Fisher’s Almshouse, in the Dog row, near Mile end, was erected by Capt. Fisher, in the year 1711, for the widows of six masters of ships, for whose support he settled upon it an estate of 40l. a year; and committed the trust of it to the fraternity of the Trinity House.

To this edifice are since added two additional rooms, the ground for which was purchased by Sir Charles Wager, and these rooms built by Sir William Ogborne in the year 1728. The two widows who live in these, have each an allowance of 16s. a month, and 20s. per annum for coals.

Fisher’s court, Eagle street, Holborn.†

Fisher’s rents, Broad street, Old Gravel lane.†

Fisher’s street, Red Lion square.†

Fishmongers. These as well as the other persons concerned in furnishing the city with provisions, were anciently under the immediate direction of the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and these magistrates had this power confirmed by an act of parliament in the seventh of Richard II. in the year 1384. At that time the dealers in fish consisted of two communities, viz. the salt-fish, and stock-fishmongers, though they were not incorporated till afterwards, the former in 1433, and the latter in 1509. But this division proving prejudicial to the profession in general, they united, and were incorporated by letters patent, granted by Henry VIII. in the year 1536.

This is one of the twelve principal companies, and is governed by a Prime and five other Wardens, twenty-eight Assistants, and 140 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 13l. 6s. 8d. This corporation pays to charitable uses about 800l. per annum.

Fishmongers Hall, situated in Thames street, a little above the Bridge, and has a view of the river. The entrance from Thames street is by a handsome passage which leads into a large square court, paved with flat stones, and encompassed by the great hall, the court room for the Assistants, and other grand apartments, with galleries; these are of an handsome construction, and are supported by Ionic columns, with an arcade. The front next the Thames has been lately repaired and ornamented at a very great expence. The ascent to the first apartments is by a double flight of steps from the wharf; the door is adorned with Ionic columns, and these support an open pediment, in which is a shield with the arms of the company; the windows are ornamented with stone cases, and the quoins of the building are wrought with a handsome rustic, and in the whole of this front there is a great deal of solid beauty.

Fishmongers alley, 1. St. Margaret’s hill. 2. Fenchurch street.

Fishmongers Almshouses, handsome buildings at Newington Butts, founded and erected at different times. The most ancient is St. Peter’s hospital, a Gothic structure, built with brick and stone, with a brick wall before it, within which are two rows of tall trees, and behind the buildings a garden.

The entrance is by a pair of iron gates opening to the center of the building, which is lofty but very irregular. On the inside are two courts behind each other, in which is a hall with painted windows and a chapel. Inscriptions on the sides of these courts shew that they were built at different times.

To the south of this hospital is another founded by Mr. James Hulbert, a liveryman of the Fishmonger’s company, in the year 1719, whose statue is erected upon a pedestal; and in the wall which extends before both, are iron rails, to afford a view of this statue, the more modern hospital, erected by that gentleman, and the pleasant walks before it.

The Fishmongers company erected St. Peter’s hospital by virtue of letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1618, for the reception of several of their poor members who had pensions bequeathed them by the wills of several members of the company: thirteen of whom were beadsmen and women of the company’s great benefactor Sir Thomas Knesworth, who in 1513 left them 8d. per week each. Sir Thomas Hunt also in 1615 left 20l. 10s. per annum towards the support of six ancient poor men and women. Richard Edmunds in 1620 bequeathed an annual sum of 6l. towards the maintenance of two poor persons; which number of twenty-one pensioners, with one added by the company, were put into this hospital; and soon after Sir John Leman, Sir John Gayer, Mr. Harper, Arthur Mouse and Mrs. Anne Bromsgrove, by their respective wills demised several sums to the amount of 28l. per annum.

Each of the twenty-two almspeople have two rooms, and an allowance of 3s. per week, 15s. at Christmas, a chaldron of coals and a gown yearly. And one of the pensioners, who reads prayers twice a day in the chapel has an additional allowance of 2l. per annum.

The more modern structure was, as we have already said, founded by Mr. James Hulbert, citizen and fishmonger, for the accommodation of twenty poor men and women; who besides two neat rooms to live in, have each an allowance of 3s. a week, one chaldron of coals, a gown every year, and 10s. at Christmas.

Fitche’s court, Noble street, Foster lane.†

Fitzer’s wharf, Shadwell.†

Five Bell alley, Little Moorfields.*

Five Bell court, Leadenhall street.*

Five Feet lane, 1. Barnaby street. 2. Broad street. 3. Thames street; so called because the west end was but five feet broad. Stow.

Five Fields, Chelsea.

Five Fields row, Chelsea.

Five Foot alley, 1. Old Gravel lane. 2. Petty France, Westminster.

Five Foot court, Old Fish street hill.

Five Inkhorn alley, Whitechapel.*

Five Inkhorn court, 1. Petticoat lane.* 2. Whitechapel.*

Five Pipe alley, Pickleherring street.*

Flampton court, Fore street.†

Fleece court, Rose and Crown court, Moorfields.*

Fleece yard, 1. Cornhill.* 2. Tothill street.*

Fleet Bridge, at the end of Fleet Ditch next the market. Since the filling up of Fleet Ditch, this can scarcely be termed a bridge; but as one of the walls of the bridge is still left, for the security of passengers, by preventing their falling into the ditch on that side, it still retains its ancient name.

Fleet Ditch, a part of the town ditch by which Turnmill brook, and the little river Fleet, fell into the Thames. In this ditch flood gates were erected in the year 1606; and after the fire of London, it was by order of the Mayor and court of Aldermen, cleansed, enlarged, and made navigable, for barges to come up by the benefit of the tides, as far as Holborn Bridge, where Turnmill brook fell into this channel. The sides were built of stone and brick, with warehouses on each side, which ran under the street, and were designed to be used for laying in of coals, and other commodities. It had five feet water at the lowest tide at Holborn Bridge: the wharfs on each side of the channel were thirty-five feet broad; and were rendered secure from danger in the night by rails of oak being placed along the sides of the ditch. Over this canal were four bridges of Portland stone, viz. at Bridewell, Fleet street, Fleet lane, and Holborn. The whole expence of sinking, clearing, wharfing, planking and piling, with that of paving, posting and railing, amounted in the whole to 27,777l. besides what was paid to the several proprietors, whose grounds were taken for the enlargement of the wharfs and keys, on either side of the channel. Camden. Stow.

In digging this canal between Fleet prison and Holborn Bridge, several Roman utensils were discovered at the depth of fifteen feet; and, a little deeper, a great quantity of Roman coins in silver, copper, brass, and all other metals except gold. Those of silver were ring-money of several sizes, the largest about the bigness of a crown, but gradually decreasing; the smallest were about the size of a silver two-pence, each having a snip in the edge: and at Holborn Bridge were dug up two brazen Lares, or Houshold gods, about four inches in length, which were almost incrusted with a petrific matter: one of these was Bacchus, and the other Ceres: but the coins lying at the bottom of the current, their lustre was in a great measure preserved by the water incessantly washing off the corroding salt.

Probably the great quantity of coin found in this ditch, was thrown in by the Roman inhabitants of this city, for its preservation, at the approach of Boadicea, at the head of her army; but all the Roman citizens, without distinction of age or sex, being barbarously massacred by the justly enraged Britons, it was not discovered till this time. Besides the above mentioned antiquities, several things of a more modern date were discovered, as arrow heads, scales, seals, with the proprietors names upon them in Saxon characters; spur-rowels of an hand’s breadth, keys and daggers coated over with a livid petrific rust; together with a considerable number of medals, with crosses, crucifixes, and Ave Maries engraven thereupon. Conyer’s MSS. in Sir Hans Sloane’s library in the Museum.

Fleet Ditch now extends no higher than Fleet Bridge, all above being arched, covered over, and converted into a market; and the building the fine bridge at Black Friars, will soon occasion all that is left of this ditch to be filled up.

Fleet lane, Old Bailey, extends to Fleet market.

Fleet Market, situated upon the canal called Fleet Ditch, was opened on the 30th of September 1737. Instead of stalls there are two rows of shops of a great length from north to south, with a handsome walk between, into which light is thrown by windows placed along the top; and in the center is a neat lanthorn with a clock; the whole of this part is paved with rag stones. On the south end, the fruiterers stands are made in the form of piazzas erected on each side, and these have proper conveniences to deposit their remaining stock.

Fleet Prison, is situated on the east side of Fleet market, and a little to the south of Fleet lane, and was originally so called from the river Fleet running by it. It is very large, and reckoned the best prison in the city for good rooms, and other conveniences. It has the benefit of an open yard, which is enclosed with a very high wall.

The keeper is called the Warden of the Fleet; and besides his fees from the prisoners for turning the key, for chamber rent, &c. which amount to a considerable sum, he has the rents of the shops in Westminster Hall.

This prison belongs to the court of Common Pleas, and hither persons are committed for contempt of orders, &c. in the high court of Chancery; or upon debt, when by a writ of Habeas Corpus they remove themselves thither from any other prison.

The rules or liberties of the Fleet, are all the north side of Ludgate hill, and the Old Bailey up to Fleet lane; down that lane into the market, and then turning the corner on the left, all the east side along by the Fleet prison to the bottom of Ludgate hill.

Fleet street, 1. From Fleet ditch to Temple Bar.? 2. Little George street, Spitalfields.

Fleet Street court, 1. Fleet street.? 2. Little George street, Spitalfields.

Flemish court yard, Tower ditch.

Flemish grounds, Tooley street.

Flemish hop gardens, Bedfordbury.

Fletchers, or Arrowmakers, from the French word flÈche, an arrow; though arrows have been near three centuries out of use in England, and though this is a company only by prescription and not by charter, they have nevertheless obtained a coat of arms and a livery; are become the thirty-ninth company in the city, and seem in all respects as firmly established, as those incorporated by letters patent.

This fraternity, which entirely consists of people of other trades, consists of two Wardens, ten Assistants, and twenty-five Liverymen, who, upon their admission, pay a fine of 10l. each. They have a small but convenient hall in St. Mary Ax.

Fletcher’s court, Bembridge street.†

Flower and Dean street, Spitalfields.††

Flower de Luce alley, 1. Black Friars.* 2. Wheeler street.*

Flower de Luce court, 1. Black Friars.* 2. Cow Cross.* 3. Fleet street.* 4. Gray’s Inn lane.* 5. Grub street.* 6. Houndsditch.* 7. Ludgate hill.* 8. St. Michael’s lane.* 9. Parish Garden lane.* 10. Tooley street.* 11. Turnmill street.*

Flower de Luce street, 1. Elder street.* 2. Wheeler street.*

Flower de Luce yard, 1. Gray’s Inn lane.* 2. Parish Garden lane.* 3. Tooley street.* 4. Turnmill street.*

Flying Horse court, 1. Fleet street.* 2. Grub street.* 3. Long alley.* 4. Maiden lane, Wood street.*

Flying Horse yard, 1. Bartholomew Close.* 2. Bishopsgate street. 3. Blackman street.* 4. Broad street.* 5. Dolphin alley.* 6. Fleet street.* 7. Half-moon alley, Moorfields.* 8. Houndsditch.* 9. Mare street, Hackney.

Fogwell court, Charterhouse lane.†

Fole alley, Swan alley, East Smithfield.*

Folly, near St. Saviour’s Dock.

Folly lane, Neckinger lane, Rotherhith.

Foot alley, King street, Spitalfields.

Foots Cray Place, in Kent, about twelve miles from London, is the seat of Bouchier Cleeve, Esq; and was built by himself, after a design of Palladio, of the Ionic order, and is very elegant. The original design had four porticoes, three of which are filled up to get more room. The hall is octagonal, and has a gallery round which conveys you to the bed chambers. It is enlightened from the top, and is very beautiful. The edifice is built of stone, but the offices, which are on each side at some distance, are brick. The house stands on a rising ground, with a gradual descent from it till you come to the water, which from the house appears to be a small river gliding along through the whole length of the ground: and in that part of the water which is opposite to the house, there is a fine cascade constantly flowing out of it. But this water which appears to be such a pretty natural stream, is in reality artificial, and is brought from the river Cray which runs just by. When the canal or cut which is made through the ground to receive the water from the river is full, it forms the cascade before the house, by flowing over in that place, and the surplus water being instantly buried in the ground, is again conveyed away under this cut or canal to the main stream. The chief beauty of the ground about the house consists in its simplicity, it being entirely without ornament, and the whole of it a kind of lawn, having little besides the plain turf. The situation is pleasant, and the prospect from the house very good. The disposition of the rooms within the house appear to be very convenient, and the several apartments are elegantly finished and suitably furnished. The Chinese bed and other furniture of this kind in the principal bed chamber, is perfectly beautiful. The gallery, which extends the whole length of the north front of the house, is a very grand room, and is filled with pictures by the most eminent masters; and there are several other good pieces of this kind in the dining room and parlour, of all which the following is an exact list.

Seven sea pieces, Vandeveldt.

A small Dutch kitchen, Calf.

Landscape, Wynantz.

Mocking Christ, Bassano.

View of the Rialto, Marieschi.

View of St. Mark’s place and Bull feast at Venice, Canaletti and Chimeroli.

Moon light, Vandeneer.

Emblematical picture, Gulio Carpioni.

Landscape under it, by Glauber; figures by Laress.

Doge’s palace, Carlovarin.

A sea port and market in Holland, Wenix.

Landscape by Glauber; figures by Laress. A smith’s shop, Old Wyke.

Oval landscape, Lambert.

Landscape morning, Claude Lorrain.

Ditto evening, ditto.

Venus and Cupid, Vandyke.

Landscape, Both.

Adoration of the shepherds, Old Coloni.

Temple of the Muses, Romanelli.

Susanna and the Elders, Guercino.

Wolf and dogs, by Snyders; the landscape by Rubens.

Flower piece, Van Hysum.

Landscape, Wynantz.

Ditto, Swanevelt.

Flower piece, Van Hysum.

Abraham and Hagar, Rembrant.

Landscape, Paul Potter.

Jacob with his flocks, Rosa Tivoli.

Landscape, Gaspar Pousin.

Fruit piece, De Heem.

French King on horseback, by Vandermeulen.

Three horses mounted, Van Dyke.

Judgment of Paris, Giuseppe Chiari.

Landscape, Hobima.

Paradise, Tempesta.

Landscape, by Paul Brill; figures Annibale Carracci.

LapithÆ and Centaurs, L. Giordano.

Landscape, Wouwerman.

Country wake, Teniers.

Landscape, Wouwerman.

View of Venice, Canaletti.

Holy family, Rubens.

Madona, Carlo Dolci.

Christ blessing St. Francis, Annibale Carracci.

Dead Christ, ditto.

Smith’s forge, Brouwer.

Cat and boys, Old Meris.

Dead game and figures, Snyders and Rubens.

Heraclitus and Democritus, Rembrant.

Sea piece, Vandeveldt.

Boy and goat, Vanderborch.

A view of the Rhone, Teniers.

Cattle, Adrian Vandeveldt.

Circumcision, Paul Veronese.

View in Venice, Canaletti.

Venus and Adonis, Rubens.

A Dutch lover, Jan Stein.

A view near Harlem, Ruysdale.

Presentation of Christ, Rembrant.

Miraculous draught of fishes, Teniers.

John Steen playing on a violin, himself.

Head, Hans Holbein.

Toilette, Metzu.

Temple of Delphos, Pietro de Cortona.

A retreat, Bourgognone.

Woman taken in adultery, Pordenoni.

Dead game, Fyt.

Field of battle, Bourgognone.

Diogenes, Salvator Rosa.

Landscape, Gaspar Pousin.

Dutchmen, Le Duck.

Boors drinking, Ostade.

Landscape, Gaspar Pousin.

Boys at cards, Morellio.

Faith, Hope, and Charity, by Lorhetto di Verona.

Inside of a church at Antwerp, by Denies; figures Old Franks.

Portrait, Rembrant.

Magdalen, Francisco Mola.

Democritus in the posture Hipocritus found him in near Abdera, by Salvator Rosa.

Admittance to see the house is by tickets from Mr. Cleeve, and the days are every Thursday during the summer season.

Fore Cloyster yard, Westminster Abbey.

Fore court, 1. Bridewell, Fleet ditch.§ 2. Clement’s Inn.§ 3. Doctors Commons.§

Fore street, 1. Lambeth. 2. Limehouse. 3. Moorgate.

Foreign Apposer’s Office, in the Inner Temple, an office belonging to the Exchequer, where the Foreign Apposer apposes all Sheriffs, upon the schedules of the green wax. Chamberlain’s Present State.

Forister’s buildings, Golden lane.†

Forman’s alley, Old street.†

Forsan’s rents, 1. Marigold lane.† 2. Vinegar yard, Drury lane.†

Fort street, by Gun street, Spitalfields.

Fortune court, Duke’s place.

Foster’s lane, Cheapside; so called from St. Vedast’s or St. Foster’s church there. Maitland.

Foster’s buildings, 1. Whitechapel.† 2. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.†

Foster’s rents, 1. King John’s court.† 2. Liquorpond street.†

Foubert’s passage, Great Swallow street.†

Foul lane, in the Borough.

Founders, a company incorporated by letters patent of King James I. in the year 1614. They consist of a Master, two Wardens, 24 Assistants, and 132 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 8l. 7s. 6d. They have a convenient hall at the upper end of Founders court in Lothbury.

’Tis worthy of notice, that all makers of brass weights, within the city of London, and three miles round, are obliged to have their several weights sized by the company’s standard, and marked with their common mark; such of these as are Avoirdupois weights, are to be sealed at Guildhall, and those of Troy at Goldsmiths hall. The Founders company are also impowered by their charter to search for, and view all brass weights within the above district.

Founders court, 1. Fore street. 2. Lothbury; so called from having Founders hall in it.

Foundling Hospital, or more properly The Hospital for exposed and deserted Children, in Lamb’s Conduit fields. This is one of the most useful among the numerous charities that are an honour to this age and nation. In the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, several eminent merchants, filled with compassion for the many innocent children who were daily exposed to misery and destruction, proposed to erect an hospital for the reception of such infants, as either the misfortunes or inhumanity of their parents should leave destitute of other support; and to employ them in such a manner as to render them fit for the most laborious offices, and the lowest stations. With these laudable views they proposed a subscription, and sollicited a charter; but they sollicited in vain, from the ill-grounded prejudices of weak people, who conceived the opinion that such an undertaking would encourage persons in vice, by making too easy a provision for their illegitimate children.

However, though this suspended, it did not totally defeat this laudable design; some of these worthy persons left large benefactions for the use of such an hospital as soon as it should be erected; which coming to the ears of the humane and generous Mr. Thomas Coram, a commander of a ship in the merchants service, he left the sea to sollicit a charter for the establishment of this charity, and with unwearied assiduity spent all the remainder of his life in promoting this great design; from no other motive than his zeal for the public, and his compassion for the helpless innocents who were frequently dropped in the streets, or murdered to conceal the shame of their parents.

Before he presented any petition to his Majesty, he was advised to procure a recommendation of his design from some persons of quality and distinction. This he sollicited with unwearied diligence, by which means he procured the following memorial to be signed by the Ladies whose names are under-written.

“Whereas among the many excellent designs and institutions of charity which this nation, and especially the city of London, has hitherto encouraged and established, no expedient has yet been found out for preventing the frequent murders of poor miserable infants at their birth; or for suppressing the inhuman custom of exposing new-born infants to perish in the streets; or the putting out such unhappy foundlings to wicked and barbarous nurses, who, undertaking to bring them up for a small and trifling sum of money, do often suffer them to starve for want of due sustenance or care; or, if permitted to live, either turn them into the streets to beg or steal, or hire them out to loose persons by whom they are trained up in that infamous way of living, and sometimes are blinded, or maimed and distorted in their limbs, in order to move pity and compassion, and thereby become fitter instruments of gain to those vile merciless wretches.

“For a beginning to redress so deplorable a grievance, and to prevent as well the effusion of so much innocent blood, as the fatal consequences of that idleness, beggary, or stealing, in which such poor foundlings are generally bred up; and to enable them, by an early and effectual care of their education, to become useful members of the commonwealth: We, whose names are underwritten, being deeply touched with compassion for the sufferings and lamentable condition of such poor abandoned helpless infants, as well as the enormous abuses and mischiefs to which they are exposed; and in order to supply the government plentifully with useful hands on many occasions; and for the better producing good and faithful servants from amongst the poor and miserable cast-off children, or foundlings, now a pest to the public, and a chargeable nuisance within the bills of mortality; and for settling a yearly income for their maintenance and proper education, till they come to a fit age for service; are desirous to encourage, and willing to contribute towards erecting an hospital for infants whom their parents are not able to maintain, and have no right to any parish; which we conceive will not only prevent many horrid murders, cruelties, and other mischiefs, and be greatly beneficial to the public; but will also be acceptable to God Almighty, as being the only remedy of such great evils, which have been so long neglected, though always complained of; provided due and proper care be taken for setting on foot so necessary an establishment, and a royal charter be granted by the King to such persons as his Majesty shall approve of, who shall be willing to become benefactors for the erecting and endowing such an hospital; and for the receiving the voluntary contributions of charitable and well-disposed persons; and for directing and managing the affairs thereof gratis, to the best advantage, under such regulations as his Majesty, in his great wisdom, shall judge most proper for attaining the desired effect of our good intentions.”

Mr. Coram having, to the everlasting honour of the above Ladies, obtained so many names to this recommendation, procured another to the same purpose, signed by a great number of noblemen and gentlemen, and annexed both these to his petition to the King. Upon this his Majesty was graciously pleased to grant his royal charter for establishing this hospital, which was dated the 17th of October, 1739.

In pursuance of this patent, the Duke of Bedford, who was appointed the first President, summoned the several members of the society to meet him at Somerset House on the 20th of Nov. when most of the noblemen and gentlemen mentioned in the charter being assembled, Thomas Coram, Esq; thanked his Grace, and the rest of the noblemen and gentlemen, for their protection and assistance in promoting the patent. A committee of fifteen noblemen and gentlemen were chosen to manage the estate and effects of the hospital; and it was ordered, that accounts of several hospitals of this nature in other countries should be obtained as soon as possible; for which purpose application was made to his Majesty’s Ambassadors and Ministers abroad, and the Governors soon after received authentic accounts of the institutions and regulations of the hospitals of Amsterdam, Paris, and Lisbon, for the reception of infants; and have since also been favoured with that of Venice; and, tho’ these institutions were all accommodated to the laws and governments of their respective countries, and were therefore unfit or impracticable to be wholly executed in this kingdom, yet they afforded useful instructions towards forming a plan for the government of this hospital. Books were now opened, and the Governors obtained large subscriptions; the work went on with great spirit; an act of parliament was obtained to confirm and enlarge the powers granted by his Majesty to the Governors and Guardians of the hospital. A piece of ground was purchased in Lamb’s Conduit fields, of the Earl of Salisbury, which his Lordship not only sold at a very reasonable price, but promoted the charity by a noble benefaction.

As the building an hospital would necessarily take up much time, and the Governors were extremely desirous of beginning to take in children, they hired a large house in Hatton Garden, nurses were provided, and it was resolved that sixty children should be admitted. As the funds increased, more and more were received; and it was soon thought impracticable to provide a sufficient number of healthy wet nurses, therefore the children were intrusted to the care of dry nurses: but the ill consequences of this regulation soon appeared; much fewer dying in proportion to their number, among those that sucked, than among those that were weaned; and it was also found by experience, that of the young children sent into the country, fewer dyed in proportion to their numbers, than those who remained in the hospital. These observations determined the committee to come to a resolution to send all the children that should be taken in, as soon as possible into the country, and to allow them to remain there till three years old; and that all such as would suck, should have wet nurses only. Some time after the children were ordered to be inoculated, which was attended with great success.

In 1745, one wing of the hospital being finished, the committee ordered the children to be removed thither, and quitted the house in Hatton Garden. A chapel being now much wanted, and several Ladies of quality being desirous of contributing to it, a subscription was opened for that purpose, the first stone was laid on the first of May 1747, and a neat and elegant edifice was soon erected.

On the 29th of March 1749, the Governors at a general court being informed of the increase of benefactions to this charity, of the number of the children, and the expediency of keeping the boys separate from the girls, gave directions for building the other wing of the hospital, and the whole design has been since compleated. These wings are directly opposite to each other, and are built in a plain but regular, substantial, and convenient manner, of brick, with handsome piazzas. It is well suited to the purpose, and as fine as hospitals should be. On the farthest end is placed the chapel, which is joined to the wings by an arch on each side, and is very elegant within. Before the hospital is a large piece of ground, on each side whereof is a colonade of great length, which also extends towards the gates, that are double, with a massy pier between, so that coaches may pass and repass at the same time; and on each side is a door to admit those on foot. The large area between this outer gate and the hospital is adorned with grass plats, gravel walks, and lamps erected upon handsome posts: besides which there are two handsome gardens. The print shews the hospital in two different views.

In erecting these buildings particular care was taken to render them neat and substantial, without any costly decorations; but the first wing of the hospital was scarcely inhabited, when several eminent masters in painting, carving, and other of the polite arts, were pleased to contribute many elegant ornaments, which are placed in the hospital as monuments of the charity and abilities of these great masters.

In the court room are placed four capital pictures, taken from sacred history, the subjects of which are suitable to the place for which they were designed.

The first, which is painted by Mr. Hayman, is taken from Exodus ii. 8, 9. “The maid went and called the child’s mother, and Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give you wages.”

The following verse is the subject of the next picture, done by Mr. Hogarth, viz. “And the child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son, and she called his name Moses.”

The third picture is the history of Ishmael, painted by Mr. Highmore, the subject of which is taken from Gen. xxi. 17. “And the angel of the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.”

The fourth picture is painted by Mr. Wills, and is taken from Luke xviii. 16. “Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

On each side of these pictures are placed small drawings in circular frames of the most considerable hospitals in and about London, done by Mr. Haytley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Whale, and Mr. Gainsborough.

Over the chimney is placed a very curious bas relief, done by Mr. Rysbrack, and presented by him, representing children employed in husbandry and navigation; to which employments those in the hospital are destined.

The other ornaments of the room were given by several ingenious workmen, who had been employed in building the hospital, and were willing to contribute to adorn it. The stucco work was given by Mr. William Wilton; the marble chimney piece, by Mr. Deval; the table with its frame curiously carved, by Mr. John Saunderson; and the glass by Mr. Hallet.

In the other rooms of the hospital are the pictures of several of the governors and benefactors, viz. Mr. Thomas Coram, by Mr. Hogarth; Mr. Milner and Mr. Jacobson, by Mr. Hudson; Dr. Mead, by Mr. Ramsey; and Mr. Emerson, by Mr. Highmore. In the dining room is a large and beautiful sea piece of the English fleet in the Downs by Mr. Monamy; and over the chimney in another room is Mr. Hogarth’s original painting of the march to Finchley.

In the chapel the altar piece is finely painted by a fine Italian painter, representing the wisemen making their offerings to the infant Jesus, who is held in his mother’s arms. And here we ought not to forget the fine organ presented by Mr. Handel, who has even made this of great benefit to the hospital, and from the most benevolent views, has enriched the foundation by a new revenue raised from the powers of harmony, and has had a sacred oratorio performed several times in the year, to crowded audiences, in which he himself played upon the organ gratis.

Several very handsome shields done in lead, were given by Mr. Ives, and placed over the charity boxes, with proper inscriptions; and other artists have contributed their labours to the ornamenting of the hospital and chapel; for which they received the thanks of the corporation: and an inscription is put up, to inform the public, that these ornaments were the benefactions of the several artists whose names are wrote thereon; it being a fixed resolution of the Governors, that no part of the money given to this hospital be expended in any thing that is not proper to answer the good intentions of the benefactors.

After mentioning the above benefactions, it ought not to be omitted, that the Earl Marshal of England has been pleased to honour the corporation with the grant of a coat of arms; the kings at arms, and officers of the Heralds office, being so charitable as to remit all the fees due to them on that occasion: and that Dr. Cadogan, a Physician of Bristol, has been at the pains of writing an excellent pamphlet for the use of the hospital, containing instructions for the nursing and management of children from their birth to three years of age, which is published for the benefit of the hospital.

In the infancy of this hospital, those children not exceeding two months old, who were brought first were received, till the number the Governors had agreed to admit was completed; but this only continued for a short time, the number that came for admittance occasioned great disturbance among the persons who brought them, every one striving to deliver her child first, for fear of being excluded by delivering it too late. This necessarily occasioned a new regulation.

The persons who brought children, were conduced into a large room; and those who brought boys were seated on benches at one end, and those who brought girls, at the other. When the hour of admittance was expired, a bell was rung and the doors shut. Two of the Governors then counted how many had boys, and how many girls; after which they put into one bag as many white balls as there were boys, and into another bag as many white balls as there were girls to be admitted; and to every twenty white balls they added four red ones, and so in proportion for any greater or lesser number; after which they added so many black balls, as together with the white and red ones made the number of the balls in each bag equal to the number of persons who brought boys or girls.

The balls being mixed together, one of the Governors held the bag, and calling the persons one by one from their seats, each held up her hand open in view of the Governors, and then putting it into the bag drew out a ball; and if it was a black one, she was immediately led with her child out of the hospital; while the persons who drew white and red balls, were ordered into separate rooms to prevent their changing them.

When all the balls were drawn, and the persons who had drawn black balls were discharged, those who had drawn white ones were brought in again, and seated as before. Then one who had a white ball was taken into a room, and left alone, while her child was undressed and examined in the presence of the matron, and if the Physician, Surgeon, or Apothecary attending, had any reason to believe that it had any infectious disease, or if it appeared to be above the age of two months, it was dressed again in its own cloaths, returned to the person who brought it, and taken immediately out of the hospital; but if there were no such objections, it was received, and the person who brought it dismissed.

Every child thus received, had a different letter of the alphabet tied to its wrist; and both the clerk and steward marked a billet with the letter fixed to the wrist of the child, and in this paper wrote its sex and supposed age; the day and year when inspected; the marks, if any, on its body; the particulars of its dress; and if any writing or remarkable thing was brought with it, it was mentioned in the billet, and then sealed up, marked with the letter of the child on the outside. A female servant then took the child, with the cloathing of the hospital, into the ward appointed for the taking in of children, and there delivered it to the country nurse, who had the same letter of the alphabet with that of the child.

In this manner they proceeded with respect to all who had drawn white balls, and then if any had been rejected, they took as many white balls as there were children so dismissed, put them into a bag, and added as many black balls to them, as together with the white, made up the number of persons who had drawn red balls. These were drawn in the same manner as the first; but the persons who now drew the black, might, if they desired it, stay in the house till they saw whether all the children of those who in the second drawing had got white balls, were received or rejected, till the whole number of the children appointed to be taken in were received.

This method of drawing balls, was doubtless as unexceptionable as any other that could possibly have been invented, since it left not the least room for partiality in the choice: yet all who wished well to this excellent charity, could not avoid being concerned for those who were disappointed in the hopes of gaining admission for a child, whom they had perhaps brought many miles out of the country for that purpose, and at an expence, which they were perhaps but little able to support. This is, however, now remedied, and the parliament has granted very considerable sums, on condition of all the children being taken in that are brought of the proper age, and free from infectious diseases.

The children who are sent into the country, are under the inspection of some person of character in the neighbourhood, and are cloathed and fed according to the directions given in Dr. Cadogan’s Essay upon nursing, during the three years they remain there.

Such children as have not had the small pox, are inoculated at three years of age, in a proper place out of the hospital.

From three years old to six, they are taught to read, and to learn the catechism; and at proper intervals employed in such a manner as may contribute to their health, and induce a habit of activity, hardiness and labour; and from that time, their work is to be such bodily labour as is most suitable to their age and strength, and is most likely to fit them for agriculture, or the sea service; such as digging, hoeing, ploughing, hedging, cleaving wood, and carrying burdens; many of them are employed in the gardens belonging to the hospital, where by their labour they supply the house with vegetables, and being instructed in gardening, are kept in readiness for such persons as may be inclined to take them into their service.

From six years of age, the girls are employed in common needle-work, knitting and spinning, and in the kitchen, laundry, and household work, in order to make them useful servants for such proper persons as may apply for them, except so many as may be necessary to be employed in the hospital; it being intended to have no other female servants in the house, but persons brought up in it when they are of proper age.

The diet of the children is plain and good of the sort; their ordinary drink is water; tea, coffee, tobacco, butter, and strong drink, are never permitted to be used by any children in the hospital. Their diversions are ordered to be such as are innocent, and require activity; and all games of chance, swearing, indecent language or behaviour, are strictly prohibited. They are constantly to attend divine service in the chapel on Sundays; and the officers of the hospital are often to remind them of the lowness of their condition, that they may early imbibe the principles of humility and gratitude to their benefactors; and learn contentedly to undergo the most servile and laborious offices; for it is considered, that notwithstanding the innocence of the children, yet, as they are exposed and abandoned by their parents, they ought to submit to the lowest stations, and should not be educated in such a manner, as to put them upon a level with the children of parents who have the humanity and virtue to preserve, and the industry to support them.

When any person shall claim a child, they are to leave a petition with the Secretary, directed to the Governors: this, the Secretary is to deliver to the general committee, who are to transmit it to the house committee, and to give orders, that the person petitioning attend them at a day appointed; when the house committee shall enquire, what right they have to the child; what are their circumstances; whether they are able and willing to provide for the child; what security they can give for that purpose, and what satisfaction they can make to the hospital for the expence to which it has been put, by the maintenance of the child; which committee shall report the same to the next general committee, with their opinion thereupon. If the proposal made by the parent, and the report, is satisfactory to the general committee, they are then, and not before, to order the billets to be opened, and the register searched; and if they find the child is living, may make an order to deliver such child to its parent or relation, which order is not to be delivered till they have complied with the terms required by the committee. Every person to whom a child is so delivered, is to provide cloathing for that child, in which it is to be dressed, and the cloathing of the hospital to be left with the steward.

When any are discharged on having attained the age appointed for that purpose, by act of parliament, that is, twenty-four for the males, or twenty-one for the females; or when any of the girls shall be married, with the consent of the committee; the general committee may, at their discretion, give them cloaths, money, or necessaries, not exceeding the value of 10l. but as it is hoped, that the males and females will be able at those years to get an honest livelihood by their industry, this charity is to be cautiously and seldom practised, except on the marriage of the girls.

Fountain alley, 1. Maiden lane, Southwark.* 2. Silver street, Bloomsbury market.*

Fountain court, 1. Aldermanbury.* 2. Bread street, Cheapside.* 3. Chandos street.* 4. Cheapside. 5. Lothbury.* 6. St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.* 7. Middle Temple.* 8. In the Minories.* 9. Shoe lane.* 10. In the Strand.*

Fountain stairs, Rotherhith.*

Four Crown court, Rosemary lane.*

Four Dove court, 1. St. Martin’s le Grand.* 2. Noble street, Foster lane.*

Four Swan yard, Mile end green.*

Fox court, 1. Fox lane, Wapping.* 2. Gray’s Inn lane.* 3. St. James’s street.* 4. Newgate street.* 5. Queen square.* 6. Snow hill.*

Fox and Crown court, Barbican.*

Fox and Goose alley, Peter’s lane.*

Fox and Goose yard, London wall.*

Fox and Hounds yard, Bishopsgate street.*

Fox and Knot court, Cow lane, West Smithfield.*

Fox lane, Upper Shadwell.*

Fox Ordinary court, a handsome well-built court in St. Nicholas lane, Lombard street; so called from a public eating house formerly there. Stow.

Fox yard, Duke street, Great Russel street.*

Fogwell court, Charterhouse lane.†

Framework-knitters, or Stocking-weavers, are a society incorporated by letters patent granted by Charles II. in the year 1663, by the extraordinary title of The Master, Wardens, Assistants and Society of the art and mystery of Framework-knitters in the cities of London and Westminster, the kingdom of England and dominion of Wales.

This company consists of a Master, two Wardens, eighteen Assistants, and fifty-eight Liverymen, whose fine for the livery is 10l. They have a small hall in Redcross street.

Francis’s court, Bartlet’s street.†

Francis street, Golden square.†

Francis yard, Brook street.†

Franklin’s row, Chelsea.†

Franshaw’s court, Leadenhall street.†

Freedom of the city of London, a space of ground without the gates, and within the liberty of the city, bounded by an irregular line, which separates the freedom from the county of Middlesex. This line begins at Temple Bar, which is the only gate fixed at the extremity of the city liberties, and extending by many turnings and windings, through part of Shear lane, Bell yard, Chancery lane, by the Rolls liberty, &c. extends into Holborn, almost opposite to Gray’s Inn, where there are bars to shew its utmost limits on that side.

From Holborn Bars it passes with many turnings, by Brook street, Furnival’s Inn, Leather lane, Hatton Garden, Ely House, Field lane and Chick lane, to the common sewer, where it returns westward to Cow Cross, and so to Smithfield Bars.

From Smithfield Bars it runs with several windings between Long lane and Charter house lane to Goswell street, and up that street northward to the bars.

From Goswell street Bars, where the manor of Finsbury begins, it winds across Golden lane at the posts and chain set up there, to the posts and chain in Whitecross street, and from thence to the posts and chain in Grub street; and then thro’ Ropemakers alley to the posts and chain in the highway from Moorgate; and from thence by the north side of the four quarters of Moorfields, all abutting upon Finsbury manor, where it returns northward up to the bars in Bishopsgate street; and from thence eastward into Spitalfields, abutting upon Norton Falgate.

From Norton Falgate it returns southward by Spitalfields, and then southeast by Wentworth street to Whitechapel Bars.

From Whitechapel Bars it winds more southerly, leaving out the Little Minories and Goodman’s fields, from which it returns westward to the posts and chain in the Minories, and thence more westerly till it comes to London Wall, where it abuts upon the Tower liberty, and there ends.

Though this line in its several turnings is of great length, yet the ground between it and the wall is but narrow, so that the extent in acres is not answerable to its circumambulation. It is in length 21,370 feet, which is about four miles, and yet the ground comprehended between the line of the city wall, and this line of separation, is but 300 acres. Stow.

Freeman’s court, Cornhill.†

Freeman’s lane, Horselydown.†

Freeman’s yard, Cornhill.†

Free School-house street, Horselydown.?

Freestone alley, Eagle court, St. John’s lane.

Freestone court, Artillery lane.

French alley, 1. Goswell street. 2. Quaker street, Spitalfields.

French Almshouse, in Black Eagle street, Spitalfields, contains convenient apartments for forty-five poor men and women, who are every week allowed 2s. 3d. a bushel of coals each, and apparel every other year.

This house belongs to the French church in Threadneedle street, near the Royal Exchange, and to that in Black Eagle street. The society by which it is supported, Mr. Maitland observes, appears to be the most charitable and generous, from an inscription round a large pewter dish in the possession of Mr. Henry Guinand, an eminent French merchant in Little St. Helen’s, (when deacon of the church) who collected the under-mentioned sum in gold, bank notes, &c. The inscription is as follows: La collecte qui s’est faite a l’eglise FranÇoise de Londres, & À celle de l’hopital dans Black Eagle street, pour les pouvre de la dite eglise, le 10 Mars, 1727–28. a produit £1248 7 6. That is: The collection made in the French church of London, and that of the hospital in Black Eagle street, for the poor of the said churches, amounted to 1248l. 7s. 6d.

French Hospital, contiguous to the Pesthouse on the south side of St. Luke’s parish, was erected in the year 1717, and the Governors by letters patent of the 4th of King George I. in 1718, were constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of The Governor and Directors of the hospital for the poor French Protestants, and their defendants, residing in Great Britain.

This hospital at present contains 220 poor helpless men and women, 146 of whom are upon the foundation, and are plentifully supplied with all the necessaries of life, at the expence of the hospital; but the other seventy-four are paid for by their friends, at the rate of 9l. a year each. This charity also extends to lunatics, for whose accommodation a large infirmary is provided.

To this foundation belong a Chaplain, Physician, Surgeon, and other proper officers, who carefully attend the pensioners, and administer to their several necessities. Stow, last edit.

French House of Charity, in Spitalfields, commonly called the Soup, was erected about sixty years ago, for the relief of necessitous families, whose number in the year 1733 amounted to two hundred and ninety-six. This house, which is supported by the charitable benefactions and contributions of well-disposed persons, is under the direction of a certain number of Governors and Governesses, who at first supplied the poor under their care with money; but many of them, without the least regard to their distressed families, wickedly disposing of the money in spirituous liquors, tobacco, &c. the managers agreed for the future to allow these poor families provisions instead of money, according to their several necessities; some therefore are allowed two portions a week, others three or four, and the most necessitous, six: each portion consisting of a pan of good soup, mixed with six ounces of bread, half a pound of meat, and the same weight of dry bread. The expence of this charity amounts to 500l. per annum. Maitland.

French Episcopal Church, in Threadneedle street, near the Royal Exchange. In this place was formerly a synagogue built by the Jews about the year 1231, but in the reign of King Henry III. the Christians obtained it of that Prince, who granted it to the brotherhood of St. Anthony of Vienna, and it was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Afterwards an hospital was added, called St. Anthony’s of London, with a large free-school; and this hospital which was allowed by Edward IV. to have priests, clerks, scholars, poor men and brethren, with choristers, proctors, messengers, servitors, &c. like the convent of St. Anthony of Vienna, was about the year 1485, appropriated to the collegiate church of St. George at Windsor. This school in the reign of Henry VI. was one of the most celebrated in England, and the scholars used at a certain time in the year to go in procession; particularly on the 15th of September 1562, there set out from Mile end two hundred children of St. Anthony’s school, who marched through Aldgate down Cornhill, to the Augustine Friars, with flags and streamers flying, and drums beating. But at length Johnson, one of the schoolmasters, becoming a Prebendary of Windsor, ruined the hospital; spoilt the choir of the church; conveyed away the plate and ornaments; then the bells; and lastly turned the almsmen out of their houses, allowing only 12d. a week to each. These houses were afterwards let out for the sake of the rent, and the church at length became a place of worship for the use of the French, who hold it of the church of Windsor.

This church being destroyed by the fire of London, was rebuilt, and is still possessed by the French and Walloons, who here perform divine service, after the manner of the church of England, in the French tongue; but though it is a pretty large and commodious edifice, it is not sufficient to accommodate all the communicants; they therefore make an exchange with the Dutch church in Austin Friars every first Sunday in the month, where the Lord’s supper is constantly administered in French, the Dutch preaching on that day in the French church in Threadneedle street.

French Episcopal Church, on the east side of St. Martin’s lane. Here originally stood the parish church of St. Martin’s Ongar; that edifice was almost destroyed by the fire of London, but part of the steeple of the old church remains; this has a dial which hangs over into the street, and the parish is united to St. Clement’s East Cheap. However, as part of the tower and nave remained, and was found capable of repairs, after the above dreadful conflagration, a body of the French protestants of the church of England, obtained a lease of them of the Minister and Churchwardens, which was confirmed by an act of parliament; and a church was erected for their use, in which divine service is still performed after the manner of the church of England. Maitland.

French court, 1. Artillery lane, Spitalfields. 2. Cock lane. 3. Harrow alley. 4. Little Broad street. 5. Pig street. 6. Wentworth street.

French Ordinary court, Crutched Friars.

French yard, 1. Artichoke lane. 2. Spital square.

French wharf, Millbank.†

Fresh wharf, Thames street.

Friday street, Cheapside.

Frier’s alley, Wood street, Cheapside.†

Frier’s court, 1. Old street.† 2. Red Mead lane, near the Hermitage.†

Frier’s lane, Thames street.†

Frier’s rents, 1. Blackman’s street.† 2. Fishmongers alley.†

Frier’s street, Black Friars.†

Friery, in Pall Mall.

Frith street, by Soho.

Frogget’s court, Thieving lane.†

Frog island, Nightingale lane, Limehouse.

Frog lane, Islington.*

Frogmore, near Windsor, the seat of the late Duchess Dowager of Northumberland, lately purchased by the Hon. Edward Walpole, Esq.

Fruiterers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1605. They are governed by a Master, two Wardens, and thirty Assistants, and have a livery of sixty-three members, whose fine on their admission is 5l. They have no hall, and therefore usually meet in that of the parish clerks.

Frying Pan alley, 1. Berwick street.* 2. In the Borough.* 3. Brown’s gardens.* 4. Deadman’s Place.* 5, Fore street, Lambeth.* 6. Golden lane.* 7. Great Swan alley.* 8. St. John street, West Smithfield.* 9. Kent street, Southwark. 10. Maze, Southwark.* 11. Oxford street.* 12. Petticoat lane.* 13. Redcross street, Cripplegate.* 14. Tothill street.* 15. Turnmill street.* 16. Wheeler street.* 17. Wood street, Cheapside.*

Frying Pan stairs, Wapping Dock.*

Frying Pan yard, Back street, Lambeth.*

Fry’s alley, Spring street.†

Fry’s court, Tower hill.†

Fulham, a village four miles from London, on the side of the Thames, over which it has a wooden bridge to Putney; for the passing of it not only horses, coaches, and all other carriages, but also foot passengers pay toll.

Fuller’s Almshouse, at Mile end, was founded in the year 1592, pursuant to the will of Judge Fuller, for twelve ancient poor men of Stepney parish, for whose relief he endowed it with lands in Lincolnshire to the value of 50l. per annum.

In the same year was also founded, in conformity to the will of the same judge, an almshouse in Old street, Hoxton, for twelve poor women, each of whom has an allowance of 4l. a year, and three bushels of coals. Maitland.

Fuller’s court, East Smithfield.†

Fuller’s rents, near Golden lane, High Holborn.†

Fuller’s street, Hare street, Shoreditch.

Fuller’s school. See Ironmonger Row School.

Fumbler’s yard, Priests alley, Tower street.

Fulwood’s rents, High Holborn.

Furnival’s Inn, on the north side of Holborn, almost opposite Staples Inn, is one the Inns of Chancery. It took its name, according to Mr. Stow, from its formerly belonging to Sir William Furnival, Knt. It is a handsome old building of great extent. The entrance is in the middle by a large gate, which leads into a spacious court, behind which is a pleasant garden.

Furnival’s Inn court, Holborn.?

Furriers alley, Shoe lane.