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Packer’s court, Coleman street.

Packington’s Almshouse, in White Friars, Fleet street, commonly called Clothworkers almshouses, was founded by the Lady Anne Packington, relict of Sir John Packington, Chirographer of the court of Common Pleas, about the year 1560, for the accommodation of eight poor women, each of whom receives annually of the Clothworkers company, who have the trust of this charity, the sum of 4l. nine bushels of coals, and new apparel every third year. Maitland.

Packson’s rents, Jamaica street.

Packthread ground, 1. Bandy Leg walk. 2. End of Barnaby street. 3. Coleman street. 4. Gravel lane. 5. Near Maiden lane.

Paddington, a village in Middlesex, situated on the north side of Hyde Park.

Page (Sir Gregory) for an account of his house and pictures. See Blackheath.

Pageant’s stairs, Rotherhith.

Page’s walk, King’s Road.†

Page’s yard, Brewhouse lane, Wapping.†

Pain’s alley, Wapping Wall.†

Pain’s yard, Swan alley, East Smithfield.†

A Scene in the Gardens of Pain’s Hill.
S. Wale delin. F. Vivares sculp.

Pain’s hill, near Cobham, in Surry, is the seat of the Honourable Charles Hamilton, who has made great improvements, by inclosing a large tract of barren land, which though so poor as to produce nothing but heath and broom, he has so well cultivated and adorned, that few places are equal to it. The whole place is about five miles round; it is laid out in the modern taste, and planted with a beautiful variety of trees, plants, and flowers. The fine inequalities of the ground give a perpetual variety to the prospects, especially on that side next the river Mole, which river, though it lies lower than the level of the gardens by twenty feet, is brought into them by means of a wheel curiously contrived, which is turned by the river. Every time it turns round it takes up the water and conveys it through a spiral pipe from the circumference of the wheel to the center of it, from whence it is discharged into a trough, and from thence through pipes into the gardens, where by the joint assistance of nature and art, it is formed into a fine winding lake or piece of water, with an island in it, planted and laid out in walks, with bridges over to it of the most simple contrivance, and the whole surrounded with rising grounds, clumps of trees, and hanging woods, in as romantic and picturesque a manner as imagination can conceive. These gardens are but lately laid out, and consequently some of the plantations will appear to more advantage as they advance in growth. But the place upon the whole is very beautiful, and extremely well worth seeing.

Painter’s court, Berry street.

Painter’s rents, Ratcliff highway.

Painter Stainers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Queen Elizabeth in the year 1582; by the name of The Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the freemen of the art and mystery of painting, called Painter Stainers, within the city of London.

This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and nine Assistants, to which belongs a livery of 124 members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 14l.

Painter Stainers Hall, in Little Trinity lane, is adorned with a handsome screen, arches, and pilasters of the Corinthian order, painted in imitation of porphyry, with gilt capitals. The pannels are of wainscot, and on the ceiling is finely painted by Fuller, Pallas triumphant, while Art and Fame, attended by Mercury, suppress their enemies, Sloth, Envy, Pride, &c. the other paintings are Endymion and Luna, by Palmatier; Orpheus slaying Pan, by Brull; Art and Envy, by Hungis; the portraits of King Charles II. and his Queen Catharine, by Houseman; a portrait of Camden; the fire of London; a piece of architecture of the Corinthian order, by Trevit; another of the Ionic order, given by Mr. Thompson, the city painter; Heraclitus and Democritus, by Penn; a landscape, by Aggas; fish and fowl, by Robinson; a piece of birds, by Barlow; a piece of fruit and flowers, by Everbrook; a ruin, by Griffier; and a fine piece of shipping, by Peter Monumea. There are several other pieces in the parlour.

In the court room are some fine pictures, most of which are portraits of the members of the company; and in the front of the room is a fine bust of Mr. Thomas Evans, who left five houses in Basinghall street to the company.

Mr. Camden, the famous antiquarian, whose father was a painter in the Old Bailey, gave the Painter Stainers company a silver cup and cover, which they use every St. Luke’s day at their election; the old Master drinking to the one then elected, out of it. Upon this cup is the following inscription:

Gul. Camdenus Clarenceux filius Sampsonis pictoris Londinensis dono dedit. Maitland.

Pallmall, a very handsome street, inhabited by several persons of the first quality, extending from the end of the Haymarket to St. James’s palace.

Pallmall court, Pallmall.

Palmer’s Almshouse, at Tothill-side, Westminster, was founded by James Palmer, B. D. in the year 1654, for the reception of twelve poor men and women, to each of whom he gave a perpetual annuity of 6l. and a chaldron of coals.

To this building also belongs a school, in which twenty boys are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic; for which the master has an annual salary of 12l. and a chaldron of coals, with a convenient house, and a gown every other year.

Here also is a chapel for the use of the pensioners and scholars, in which the founder himself for some time preached and prayed twice a day to them. Maitland.

Palsgrave’s Head court, in the Strand.*

Palyn’s Almshouse, in Pesthouse row, near Old street, was founded by George Palyn, citizen and girdler, for six poor members of his company; he also endowed it with an estate of 40l. a year, and committed it to the trust of that company. Maitland.

Pancras, a small hamlet in Middlesex, on the north west side of London, in the road to Kentish town. It has a church dedicated to St. Pancras, and called St. Pancras in the Fields, an old plain Gothic structure, with a square tower without a spire. It is a vulgar tradition that this church is of greater antiquity than that of St. Paul’s cathedral, of which it is only a prebend; but this arises from a mistake; for the church of St. Pancras, termed the mother of St. Paul’s, was situated in the city of Canterbury, and was changed from a Pagan temple to a Christian church by St. Austin the monk, in the year 598, when he dedicated it to St. Pancras.

The church yard, is a general burying place for persons of the Romish religion. At a public house on the south side of the church is a medicinal spring.

St. Pancras, a church which stood on the north side of St. Pancras lane, near Queen street, in Cheap ward, owed its name, as did the church mentioned in the above article, to St. Pancras a young Phrygian nobleman, who suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Dioclesian, for his strict adherence to the Christian religion. This church, which was a rectory, and one of the peculiars in this city belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury, was destroyed by the fire of London, and not being rebuilt, the parish was, by act of parliament, annexed to the church of St. Mary le Bow in Cheapside.

Pancras lane, Queen street, Bucklersbury.

Pankethman’s buildings, Golden lane.

Pannier alley, near Cheapside, leads from Blowbladder street into Pater noster row, and is said to be the highest ground within the city walls. About the middle of the alley, a stone is fixed in the wall in the form of a pedestal, on the side of which is cut in relief a boy riding astride upon a pannier, and this inscription.

When you have sought the city round,
Yet still this is the highest ground.

Panton square, 1. Coventry street. 2. Oxendon street.

Panton street, Haymarket.

Panton’s rents, Chiswell street.†

Paper buildings, a range of buildings in the Temple, originally built in the year 1607; but being consumed by fire, were rebuilt; in a very handsome manner in 1685. At the north end are painted the figures of the four cardinal virtues.

Paper office, Whitehall. An ancient office under the Secretaries of state, the keeper of which has under his charge all the public papers, writings, matters of state and council; all letters, intelligences, negotiations of the King’s public ministers abroad, and in general all the papers and dispatches that pass through the offices of the two Secretaries of state, which are, or ought to be, from time to time transmitted to this office, and remain here, disposed by way of library. Chamberlain’s Present State.

Papey, an hospital which stood at the north end of St. Mary Ax, and was founded by three priests in the year 1430, for a Master, two Wardens, and several Chaplains, Chauntry Priests, &c. It belonged to the brotherhood of St. John the Evangelist and St. Charity. Such priests as were become lame, or in great poverty, were here relieved, and had chambers with a certain allowance of bread, drink, and coals; and one old man, with his wife, was to see them constantly served, and to keep the house clean. This hospital was suppressed in the reign of Edward VI.

Paradise court, 1. Lady Clark’s yard, Gravel lane. 2. Peter street.

Paradise row, 1. Brook’s street, Bond street. 2. Near St. George’s fields. 3. Lambeth. 4. Tottenham Court Road.

Pardon church, a chapel formerly situated to the east of the Bishop of London’s palace, in St. Paul’s church yard, in a place at that time known by the name of Pardon Church Haugh. This chapel was erected by Gilbert Becket, sheriff of London, in the reign of King Stephen, and rebuilt in the reign of Henry V. by Thomas More, Dean of St. Paul’s, who also encompassed it with a cloister. On the east side was a handsome library founded by Walter Shiryngton, Chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. In this chapel were interred several persons, whose monuments, according to Mr. Stow, excelled in curious workmanship those in the neighbouring cathedral, and on the walls were painted the Dance of Death, in imitation of a painting in the cloister of St. Innocent’s church at Paris, with English verses translated out of French by John Lydgate, a famous old poet, by way of explanation.

Parish Clerks. See Clerks.

Parish Garden lane, Upper Ground, Southwark.

Parish Garden stairs, Upper Ground.

Parish street, Horselydown.

Park, in Southwark; several streets built upon the spot where the Bishop of Winchester had formerly a park, which joined to his palace.

Park Gate, Redcross street, Southwark.

Park Place, St. James’s street, St. James’s.

Park Prospect, Knightsbridge.

Park Prospect court, Manchester street.

Park street, 1. Little Grosvenor street. 2. Tothill street, Westminster.?

Parker’s alley. 1. Near Cherry Garden stairs.† 2. Turnmill street.†

Parker’s court, Coleman street.†

Parker’s gardens, Heydon yard, in the Minories.†

Parker’s lane, Drury lane.†

Parker’s rents, Whitecross street, Cripplegate.†

Parker’s Lane School, situated in Parker’s lane, Drury lane, was founded about the year 1663, by Mr. William Skelton of St. Giles’s in the Fields, for the education of fifty poor boys, thirty-five of whom to be of the parish of St. Giles in the Fields, ten of that of St. Martin in the Fields, and five of St. Paul’s Covent Garden. The Master has a salary of 20l. two chaldrons of coals, and a gown every year, for teaching the children reading, writing, and arithmetic, each of whom has a coat of 6s. price every year; and the surplus arising from the estate is employed in putting them out apprentices. Maitland.

Parliament. This great council, which is the highest and most ancient court of the kingdom, was indifferently denominated by the Saxons, Michel Gemote, and Witen Gemote, that is, the great court and council of wise men. Coke’s Institutes.

The first mention we find of this court, is on its being held in this city by Egbert and Withlaf, Kings of Wessex, and Mercia, in the year 833, for deliberating on ways and means to oppose the piratical invasions, and destructive depredations of the Danes. Spelman’s Concilia.

This great council, which was held twice a year before the conquest, consists of the King, the Lords spiritual and temporal, and the Commons: the Lords spiritual, consisting of the two Archbishops, and twenty-four Bishops, sit by virtue of their respective baronies, which they hold in a political capacity: the Lords temporal, who are created by the King’s patent, and therefore cannot be reduced to any certain number, sit by descent, or creation: and the Commons, who amount to 558, consist of Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, the representatives of the commonalty of Great Britain; who, by virtue of the King’s writs, are elected by the several counties, cities, and boroughs.

The power of parliament is so great and extensive, that it makes, amends, reduces, revives, and abrogates laws, statutes, and ordinances, concerning matters ecclesiastical, civil, and military. None can begin, continue, or dissolve this council, but by the King’s authority.

All the members of parliament sat together till the fiftieth of Edward III. in the year 1377, when the Commons removed to the Chapter-house of Westminster, in the cloister of the Abbey.

For the distinct privileges, and the manner of proceeding in the houses of Lords and Commons, see the articles Lords, and Commons.

Parliament alley, Artillery lane.

Parliament stairs, Old Palace yard.?

Parliament stairs alley, Old Palace yard.

Parliament street, a very handsome and spacious new built street, adorned with very handsome buildings. It extends from New Palace yard to the Cockpit.

Parmer’s yard, Stony lane.†

Parrey’s rents, Portpool lane, Leather lane.†

Parrot alley, 1. East Smithfield.* 2. Whitecross street, Old street.*

Parrot’s rents, Chequer alley, Whitecross street, Old street.†

Parrot yard, Parrot alley, East Smithfield.*

Parson’s court, 1. Bride lane, Fleet street.† 2. White street.†

Parson’s rents, Cow lane, Smithfield.†

Parson’s yard, 1. Fore street, Lambeth.† 2. Shoreditch.

Passage, Lambeth.

Patent Office, Palsgrave Head court, near Temple Bar.

Pater noster alley, Pater noster row.

Pater noster row, extends from Cheapside to Amen corner. This street was anciently so called on account of the number of stationers, or writers who lived there before the invention of the noble art of printing; who wrote and sold the little books most in use in those times of ignorance, as alphabets with the Pater noster, the Ave Maria, the Creed and Graces. In the same place also dwelt the turners of beads for rosaries, who were also called Pater noster makers. At the end of Pater noster row near Amen corner is Ave Mary lane, which was also so called from the writers and beadmakers, who resided there. Pater noster row is still inhabited by many eminent wholesale booksellers and publishers. Maitland. 2. Dorset street, Spitalfields.

Patience street, Anchor street.

Patrick’s court, Houndsditch.†

Pattenmakers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles II. in the year 1670; consisting of a Master, two Wardens, twenty-four Assistants, and forty-six Liverymen, who at their admission pay a fine of 6l. but have no hall.

Patten Ring alley, Maze Pond, near Snow fields.

Pav’d alley, 1. Charles’s street, St. James’s. 2. Lime street, by Leadenhall street. 3. London House yard. 4. Water lane, Black Friars. 5. White Friars.

Pav’d court, 1. Bell Inn yard. 2. Five Feet lane. 3. Fleetwood’s rents. 4. George yard. 5. Green Bank.

Pav’d entry, London Wall.

Pavement row, Moorfields.

Paviours, a fellowship by prescription, and not by charter.

This company is governed by three Wardens and twenty-five Assistants; but though they have a coat of arms, they have neither hall nor livery.

Paviours alley, Drury lane.

Paviours court, Grub street, by Fore street, Moorgate.

Paulin’s street, Hanover street.†

Paulin’s wharf, Durham yard, in the Strand.

Paul’s alley, 1. Fenchurch street. 2. St Paul’s Church yard. 3. Redcross street. 4. Wood street, Cheapside.

St. Paul’s Cathedral, the most magnificent Protestant church in the world. This edifice has been generally supposed to have been founded in the place where anciently stood a temple dedicated by the Romans to the goddess Diana; an opinion derived from the tradition, of the heads of oxen, the horns of deer, and the tusks of boars having been commonly dug up there; but as Sir Christopher Wren in clearing the foundations of this ancient structure, found none of these, he justly discredited the opinion, and his son, in his Parentalia, has given a different account of the origin of the ancient edifice.

St. Paul’s
S. Wale delin. E. Rooker sculp.

This gentleman observes, that the first cathedral of the episcopal see of London was built in the area, where had been the Roman PrÆtorian camp, and in the situation on which all the succeeding fabrics stood: but that this structure was demolished during the great and general persecution under the Emperor Dioclesian. This persecution was however short, the church is supposed to have been re-edified under Constantine; but it was afterwards destroyed by the Pagan Saxons, and restored again upon the old foundations, when they embraced Christianity in the seventh century, when Sebert, King of Essex, advanced Mellitus to the bishopric of London.

In 675, we find Erkenwald the fourth Bishop of London from Mellitus, expending great sums of money in repairing and beautifying the ancient edifice, augmenting its revenues, and procuring for it the most considerable privileges from the Pope and the Saxon princes then reigning: for these works the Bishop was canonized at his death, and his body placed in a glorious shrine above the high altar in the east part of the church, where this shrine remained the admiration of succeeding ages, till the fatal destruction of the whole fabric by fire.

This catastrophe happened in the year 961; and as it was rebuilt the same year, it is highly probable, that these early structures, how magnificent soever they might then be thought, were only small wooden buildings.

During the Saxon heptarchy, this church flourished extremely; Kenrad King of Mercia declared it as free in all its rights, as he himself desired to be at the day of judgment; Athelstan endowed it with fifteen lordships; Edgar, with two; and Egleflede his wife with two more; all which were confirmed by the charters of Ethelred and Canute, which solemnly imprecate curses on all who dare to violate it.

The next benefactor to this church was Edward the Confessor; but at the Norman invasion, which soon followed, some of its revenues were seized by the Conqueror; but he was no sooner seated on the throne, than he caused full restitution to be made; and even confirmed all its rights, privileges and immunities, in the amplest manner; with benedictions upon those who should augment its possessions, and solemn imprecations upon all who should violate any of the charters made in its favour.

In that reign, however, a dreadful fire consumed it a second time, and by this conflagration, which happened in 1086, the greatest part of this city was also laid in ashes: but this destruction served to make way for a more magnificent building, than had ever yet been applied to the purposes of devotion in this kingdom. Maurice, then Bishop of London, having undertaken this great work, obtained of the King the old stones of a spacious castle in the neighbourhood called the Palatine Tower, situated near the river Fleet; but though he lived twenty years, and prosecuted the work with uncommon earnestness, yet he left the completion of what he had begun to succeeding generations.

The successor of this Bishop followed his example, and even applied the whole revenue of his see towards the advancement of this great work; but like the former left it unfinished; after which it is supposed to have been compleated by lay persons; but at what time, or in what manner, is no where mentioned. Indeed William Rufus, who succeeded the Conqueror, is said to have exempted all ships entering the river Fleet with stone or other materials for the new cathedral, from toll and custom; and it is not improbable that he might take this structure under his own particular direction.

But notwithstanding the length of time, and the great expence bestowed upon this church, it had not long been compleated, when it was thought not sufficiently magnificent; the steeple was therefore rebuilt and finished about the year 1221; and then Roger Niger being promoted to the see of London in 1229, proceeding with the choir compleated it in 1240, and solemnly consecrated it afresh the same year, in the presence of the King, the Pope’s Legate, and many Lords both spiritual and temporal.

The spacious and magnificent edifice of St. Paul’s cathedral, being thus finished, a survey was taken of it, by which its dimensions appear to have been as follows. The length of the body of the church was 690 feet; the breadth 130; the height of the roof of the west part within 102 feet; that of the east 88; and that of the body 150; the height of the tower from the ground was 260 feet; from whence rose a wooden spire covered with lead 274 feet in length; on the top of which was a ball nine feet one inch in circumference. This was crowned with a cross that was fifteen feet in length, and the traverse six feet.

The ornaments of this cathedral exceeded those of every other church in the kingdom. The high altar stood between two columns, adorned with precious stones, and surrounded with images most beautifully wrought, and covered with a canopy of wood curiously painted with the representation of Saints and Angels.

The new shrine of St. Erkenwald stood on the east side of the wall above the high altar, and was adorned with gold, silver, and precious stones; but not being thought sufficiently rich, in 1339 three goldsmiths of London were retained by the Dean and Chapter to work upon it a whole year, at the end of which its lustre was so great, that Princes, Nobles, Ambassadors, and other foreigners of rank flocked from all parts to visit it, and to offer their oblations before it: among these we find all the rings and jewels of Walter de Thorp, and the best saphire stone of Richard de Preston; which last was applied to the curing of infirmities of the eyes, and proclamation of its virtues was made by the express will of the donor.

The picture of St. Paul finely painted, was placed in a wooden tabernacle on the right side of the high altar, and was esteemed a masterly performance.

Against a pillar in the body of the church, stood a beautiful image of the Virgin Mary; and that a lamp might be continually kept burning before it, and an anthem sung every day, John Burnet, Bishop of Bath and Wells, bequeathed a handsome estate.

In the center stood a large cross, and towards the north door a crucifix at which offerings were made, that greatly increased the revenue of the Dean and Canons.

The last piece of ornament we shall mention, was the fine dial belonging to the great clock, which being visible to all who passed by, care was taken that it should appear with the utmost splendor, and in particular an angel pointed to the hour.

Under this cathedral was a parish church called St. Faith’s, in which several persons of distinction were formerly interred: but no records remain that mention the time when divine worship was performed in it.

St. Paul’s cathedral was encompassed with a wall about the year 1109, which extended from the north east corner of Ave Mary lane, eastward along Pater noster row, to the north end of the Old Change in Cheapside; whence it ran southward to Carter lane, and passing on the north side of it to Creed lane, turned up to Ludgate street. To this wall there were six gates, the principal of which was situated near the end of Creed lane in Ludgate street. The second was at St. Paul’s alley in Pater noster row, the third at Canon alley; the fourth, called the Little gate, was situated at the entrance into Cheapside; the fifth, called St. Austin’s, led to Watling street; and the sixth fronted the south gate of the church near St. Paul’s chain.

Within the north side of this enclosure was situated in the middle of the church yard, a pulpit cross, at which sermons were preached weekly; and here was held the folkmote, or general convention of the citizens.

Facing this cross stood the charnel, in which the bones of the dead were decently piled up together, a thousand loads whereof were removed to Finsbury fields in the reign of Edward VI. and there laid in a moorish place, with so much earth to cover them, as raised a considerable mount, on which was erected three windmills to stand upon.

On the north west corner of the church yard, was the episcopal palace, contiguous to which on the east was a cemetery denominated Pardon Church Haw, where Gilbert Becket erected a chapel in the reign of King Stephen. See Pardon Church.

On the east of the church yard was a clochier or bell tower by St. Paul’s school; wherein were four great bells, called Jesus bells, from their belonging to Jesus chapel in St. Faith’s church; but these, together with a fine image of St. Paul on the top of the spire, being won by Sir Miles Partridge, Knt. of Henry VIII. at one cast of the dice, were by that gentleman taken down and sold.

It may not be improper here to take notice of the celebration of divine service, the obsequies, anniversaries and chauntries particularly belonging to this cathedral: as to the first, Richard Clifford, Bishop of London, in 1414, with the consent of the Dean and Chapter, ordained that from thence forward it should be altered from the old form, and made conformable to the church of Salisbury, and other cathedrals within this kingdom.

The performance of obsequies for great persons deceased, was however retained as a peculiar privilege of this cathedral, from whence great profits arose. Indeed “the state and order observed on these occasions,” says Sir William Dugdale, “was little inferior to that used at the funerals of those great personages; the church and choir being hung with black, and escutcheons of their arms; their herses set up in wonderful magnificence, adorned with rich banner rolls, &c. and environed with barriers; having chief mourners and assistants, accompanied by several Bishops and Abbots in their proper habits; the Ambassadors of foreign Princes, many of our Nobility, the Knights of the Garter, the Lord Mayor, and the several Companies of London, who all attended with great devotion at these ceremonies.” This author adds a list of Emperors, Empresses, and Kings performed in this cathedral.

As to anniversaries, those of the conversion and commemoration of St. Paul, the consecration of the church, and the canonization of St. Erkenwald, were the principal. It is very remarkable, with respect to the first of these anniversaries, that Sir William le Baud, Knt. in the third year of Edward I. granted a good fat doe annually on the day of the conversion of St. Paul, and a good fat buck upon the day of commemoration, which till the reign of Queen Elizabeth were received with great formality at the steps of the choir, by the Canons cloathed in their sacred vestments, with garlands of flowers on their heads. Camden, who was an eye witness of this solemnity, says, that the horns of the buck were carried on a spear in procession round the inside of the church, the men blowing horns, &c. and then the buck being offered at the high altar, a shilling was ordered by the Dean and Chapter for the entertainment of the servants who brought it, and this concluded the ceremony.

The anniversaries of the consecration and canonization, were celebrated at the public expence: but there were other anniversaries of a private nature, provided for by particular endowments, as that of Sir John Poultney, Knt. who had been four times Lord Mayor of London, and assigned annual salaries to all who bore office about the church, together with an allowance of 6s. 8d. to the Lord Mayor, 5s. to the Recorder; 6s. 8d. to the two Sheriffs; 3s. 4d. to the Common Crier; 6s. 8d. to the Lord Mayor’s serjeants, and 6s. 8d. to the Master of the college of St. Laurence Poultney, provided they were present at his anniversary; but if any were absent, their share were to be distributed to the poor. There were many other anniversaries of the same kind.

The chauntries founded by men of condition for the maintenance of one or two priests, to celebrate divine service daily, for the release from purgatory of their souls, the souls of their dearest friends and relations, and of all the faithful deceased; but these were in a short time increased to such a degree, and the endowments were so slender, that so early as the reign of Richard II. Bishop Baybroke caused forty-four of them to be united into one solemn service.

Having thus taken a transient survey of this magnificent edifice, in its flourishing state, with all its appendages, we shall now view its decline, and trace this venerable Gothic structure to its final destruction.

The first remarkable misfortune that befel it was in 1444, when about two o’clock in the afternoon, its lofty wooden spire was fired by lightning; but by the assiduity of the citizens, it was soon seemingly extinguished: however to their great surprise and terror it broke out again with redoubled fury at about nine o’clock at night; but by the indefatigable pains of the Lord Mayor and citizens, it was at last effectually extinguished. The damage was not however fully repaired till the year 1462, when the spire was compleated, and a beautiful fane of gilt copper in the form of an eagle was placed upon it.

About an hundred years after this accident, another of the same kind happened to it, generally attributed to the same cause, but much more fatal in its consequences; the fire consuming not only the fine spire, but the upper roof of the church, and that of the aisles for in the space of four hours it burnt all the rafters, and every thing else that was combustible: but though it was universally believed that this fire was occasioned by lightning, yet, Dr. Heylin says, that an ancient plumber confessed at his death, that it was occasioned through his negligence in carelessly leaving a pan of coals in the steeple, while he went to dinner, which taking hold of the dry timber in the spire, was got to such a height at his return, that he judged it impossible to quench it, and therefore concluded it would be more consistent with his safety, not to contradict the common report.

This calamity was followed by a general contribution among the clergy, nobility, great officers of state, the city of London, and the Queen herself, who gave a thousand marks in gold towards its speedy repair, with a warrant for a thousand loads of timber to be cut in any of her woods, wherever it should be found most convenient; so that in five years time, the timber roofs were entirely finished, and covered with lead, the two largest being framed in Yorkshire, and brought by sea; but some difference in opinion arising about the model of the steeple, that part of the work was left unattempted; and it was never after rebuilt; for upon raising the roofs the walls were found to be so much damaged by the fire, that it was judged necessary to make a general repair of the whole building; but this was deferred for a long time.

At length Mr. Henry Farley, after above eight years earnest solicitation of King James I. prevailed on his Majesty to interpose in order to prevent the ruin of this venerable fabric, when that Prince, considering of what importance appearances are in the promotion of public zeal, caused it to be rumoured abroad, that on Sunday the 26th of March 1620, he would be present at divine service in St. Paul’s cathedral.

Accordingly at the day appointed, his Majesty came thither on horseback in all the pomp of royalty, attended by the principal nobility and great officers of his court, and was met by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Livery in their formalities, who, upon the King’s alighting at the great west door, joined in the procession. When his Majesty entered the church, he kneeled near the brazen pillar, where he prayed for success; and then was received under a canopy, supported by the Dean and Residentiaries, the rest of the Prebends and Dignitaries, with the whole company of singing men advancing before him to the choir, which, on this occasion, was richly adorned with hangings. Here he heard an anthem, and then proceeded to the cross, where Dr. King, Bishop of London, preached a sermon suitable to the occasion, from a text given him by his Majesty, in Psalm cii. 13, 14. and this sermon was afterwards circulated with considerable effect through the whole kingdom. After divine service was ended, his Majesty and the whole court were splendidly entertained at the Bishop’s palace, where a consultation was held, in which it was agreed to issue a commission under the great seal, directed to the principal personages in the kingdom, empowering them to consider of the necessary repairs, and to raise money for carrying them into execution. But tho’ the commissioners afterwards met to prosecute this enquiry, yet, as it was found that the ruin of the Bishop and principal Dignitaries of the cathedral was chiefly aimed at, the whole affair came to nothing.

However, in the succeeding reign another commission was obtained for the same purpose, by the assiduity of Archbishop Laud, which was attended with better success; so that in 1632, Inigo Jones, his Majesty’s Surveyor-general, was ordered to begin there pairs at the south east end, and to bring them along by the south to the west end.

That celebrated architect prosecuted the work with such diligence, that in nine years time, the whole was finished both within and without, except the steeple, which was intended to be entirely taken down, and a magnificent portico of the Corinthian order, was also erected at the west end, at the sole expence of King Charles I. ornamented with the statues of his royal father and himself.

Every thing being now in readiness for erecting the steeple and spire, which were to be of stone, an estimate was made of the money contributed, and that already expended in repairs; whereby it appeared that 101,330l. 4s. 8d. had been received into the chamber of London on this account, and but 35,551l. 2s. 4d. paid out, so that there appeared to be a fund in hand sufficient to erect it in the most magnificent manner: but the flames of civil war soon after breaking out, a period was put to this great design.

The revenues were now seized, the famous Pulpit Cross in the church yard was pulled down; the scaffolding of the steeple was assigned by parliament for the payment of arrears due to the army; the body of the church was converted into saw pits; part of the south cross was suffered to tumble down; the west part of the church was converted into a stable; and the stately new portico into shops for milliners and others, with lodging rooms over them, at the erecting of which, Dr. Heylin observes, the magnificent columns were piteously mangled, being obliged to make way for the ends of beams, which penetrated their centers.

However, at the restoration, a new commission was procured for its immediate reparation, and great sums of money raised by a voluntary contribution; but before any thing material could be accomplished, the dreadful fire of London reduced the whole edifice to little better than a heap of ruins.

After two years fruitless labour in endeavouring to fit up some part of the old fabric for divine worship, it was found to be incapable of any substantial repair. It was therefore resolved to raze the foundations of the old building, and to erect on the same spot a new cathedral that should equal, if not exceed the splendor of the old; for this end letters patent were granted to several Lords spiritual and temporal, authorising them to proceed in the work, and appointing Dr. Christopher Wren, Surveyor-general of all his Majesty’s works, to prepare a model. Contributions came in so extremely fast, that in the first ten years above 126,000l. was paid into the chamber of London; a new duty for the carrying on of this work was laid on coals, which at a medium produced 5000l. per annum, and his Majesty generously contributed 1000l. a year, towards carrying on the work.

Dr. Wren, afterwards Sir Christopher, was now called upon to produce his designs; he had before drawn several, in order to discover what would be most acceptable to the general taste; and finding that persons of all degrees declared for magnificence and grandeur, he formed a very noble one, conformable to the best style of the Greek and Roman architecture, and having caused a large model to be made of it in wood, with all its ornaments, he presented it to his Majesty; but the Bishops not approving of it, as not enough of a cathedral fashion, the Surveyor was ordered to amend it, upon which he produced the scheme of the present structure, which was honoured with his Majesty’s approbation. The first design, however, which was only of the Corinthian order, like St. Peter’s at Rome, the Surveyor set a higher value upon than on any other he ever drew, and as the author of his life observes, would have put it in execution with more cheerfulness, than that which we now see erected. This curious model is still preserved in the cathedral, and may be seen at a small expence.

In the year 1675, Dr. Wren began to prosecute the work; the pulling down the old walls, which were eighty feet high, and clearing the rubbish, had cost many of the labourers their lives; and this put him upon contriving to facilitate its execution by art. The first project he tried was with gunpowder; for on their coming to the tower of the steeple, the men absolutely refused to work upon it; for its height struck the most hardy of them with terror. He therefore caused a hole of about four feet wide to be dug in the foundation of the north west pillar, it being supported by four pillars each fourteen feet diameter, and then with tools made on purpose, wrought a hole two feet square into the center of the pillar, in which he placed a little deal box, containing only eighteen pounds of powder. A cane was fixed to the box with a match, and the hole closed up again with as much strength as possible.

Nothing now remained but to set fire to the train, and the Surveyor was exceeding curious to observe the effect of the explosion, which indeed was wonderful; for this small quantity of powder not only lifted up the whole angle of the tower, with two arches that rested upon it; but also the two adjoining arches of the isles, and all above them; and this it seemed to do somewhat leisurely, cracking the walls to the top, and lifting up visibly the whole weight about nine inches, which suddenly tumbling to its center, again caused an enormous heap of ruin, without scattering, and it was half a minute before this huge mountain opened in two or three places and emitted smoke. The shock of so great a weight from a height of two hundred feet, alarmed the inhabitants round about with the terrible apprehensions of an earthquake.

A second trial of the same kind, was made by a person appointed by Dr. Wren, who being too wise in his own conceit, disobeyed the orders he had received, put in a greater quantity of powder, and omitted to take the same care in closing up the hole, or digging to the foundation; but though this second trial had the desired effect, yet one stone was shot as from the mouth of a cannon to the opposite side of the church yard, and entered a private room where some women were at work; but no other damage was done, besides spreading a panic among the neighbours, who instantly made application above against the farther use of gunpowder, and orders were issued from the council board accordingly.

The Surveyor being now reduced to the necessity of making new experiments, resolved to try the battering ram of the ancients, and therefore caused a strong mast forty feet long to be shod with iron at the biggest end, and fortified every way with bars and ferrels, and having caused it to be suspended set it to work. Thirty men were employed in vibrating this machine, who beat in one place against the wall a whole day without any visible effect. He however bid them not despair, but try what another day would produce; and on the second day the wall was perceived to tremble at the top, and in a few hours it fell to the ground.

In clearing the foundation, he found that the north side had been anciently a great burying place; for under the graves of these latter ages, he found in a row the graves of the Saxons, who cased their dead in chalk stones; tho’ persons of great eminence were buried in stone coffins: below these were the graves of the ancient Britons, as was manifest from the great number of ivory and wooden pins found among the mouldered dust; for it was their method only to pin the corpse in woollen shrouds, and lay them in the ground, and this covering being consumed, the ivory and wooden pins remained entire.

At a still greater depth he discovered a great number of Roman potsheards, urns, and dishes, sound, and of a beautiful red like our sealing wax; on the bottoms of some of them were inscriptions, which denoted their having been drinking vessels; and on others, which resembled our modern sallad dishes, beautifully made and curiously wrought, was the inscription DZ. PRIMANI. and on others, those of PATRICI. QUINTIMANI. VICTOR. IANUS. RECINIO, &c. The pots and several glass vessels were of a murrey colour; and others resembling urns, were beautifully embellished on the outsides with raised work, representing grey hounds, stags, hares, and rose trees. Others were of a cinnamon colour, in the form of an urn, and tho’ a little faded, appeared as if they had been gilt. Some resembling juggs formed an hexagon, and were curiously indented and adorned with a variety of figures in basso relievo.

The red vessels appeared to have been the most honourable; for on them were inscribed the names of their deities, heroes, and judges; and the matter of which these vessels were made, was of such an excellent composition, as to vie with polished metal in beauty.

There were also discovered several brass coins, which by their long continuance in the earth were become a prey to time; but some of them that were in a more favourable soil, were so well preserved as to discover in whose reign they were coined: on one of them was Adrian’s head, with a galley under oars on the reverse; and on others, the heads of Romulus and Remus, Claudius and Constantine.

At a somewhat smaller depth were discovered a number of lapilli or tesselÆ, of various sorts of marble, viz. Egyptian, Porphyry, Jasper, &c. in the form of dice, which were used by the Romans in paving the prÆtorium, or General’s tent. Conyers M. S. in the Sloanian library, in the Museum.

On searching for the natural ground, Dr. Wren perceived that the foundation of the old church stood upon a layer of very close and hard pot earth, on the north side about six feet deep, but gradually thinning towards the south, till on the declivity of the hill, it was scarce four feet; yet he concluded that the same ground which had borne so weighty a building before, might reasonably be trusted again. However, boring beneath this, he found a stratum of loose sand; and lower still, at low water mark, water and sand mixed with periwinkles and other sea shells; under this, a hard beach; and below all the natural bed of clay that extends far and wide, under the city, country, and river.

The foundations appeared to be those originally laid, consisting of Kentish rubble stone, artfully worked and consolidated with exceeding hard mortar, after the Roman manner, much excelling what he found in the superstructure. What induced him to change the scite of the church, and eraze the old foundations which were so firm, was the desire of giving the new structure a more free and graceful aspect; yet after all, he found himself too much confined; and unable to bring his front to lie exactly from Ludgate. However, in his progress he met with one misfortune that made him almost repent of the alteration he had made; he began the foundation from the west to the east, and then extending his line to the north east, where he expected no interruption, he fell upon a pit, where the hard crust of pot earth, already mentioned, had been taken away, and to his unspeakable mortification, filled up with rubbish: he wanted but six or seven feet to complete his design, yet there was no other remedy but digging thro’ the sand, and building from the solid earth, that was at least forty feet deep. He therefore sunk a pit eighteen feet wide, tho’ he wanted at most but seven, thro’ all the strata, that has been already mentioned, and laid the foundations of a square pier of solid good masonry, which he carried up till he came within fifteen feet of the present surface; and then turned a short arch under ground to the level of the stratum of hard pot-earth, upon which arch the north east coin of the choir now stands.

This difficulty being surmounted, and the foundations laid, he for several reasons made choice of Portland stone for the superstructure; but chiefly as the largest scantlings were to be procured from thence: however, as these could not be depended upon for columns exceeding four feet in diameter, this determined this great architect to make choice of two orders instead of one, and an Attic story, as at St. Peter’s at Rome, in order to preserve the just proportions of his cornice, otherwise the edifice must have fallen short of its intended height. Bramante in building St. Peter’s, though he had the quarries of Tivoli at hand, where he could have blocks large enough for his columns of nine feet diameter, yet for want of stones of suitable dimensions, was obliged to diminish the proportions of the proper members of his cornice; a fault against which Dr. Wren resolved to guard. On these principles he therefore proceeded, in raising the present magnificent edifice.

The general form of St. Paul’s cathedral is a long cross: the walls are wrought in rustic, and strengthened as well as adorned by two rows of coupled pilasters, one over the other; the lower Corinthian, and the upper Composite. The spaces between the arches of the windows, and the architrave of the lower order, are filled with a great variety of curious enrichments, as are those above.

The west front is graced with a most magnificent portico, a noble pediment, and two stately turrets, and when one advances towards the church from Ludgate, the elegant construction of this front, the fine turrets over each corner, and the vast dome behind, fill the mind with a pleasing astonishment.

At this end, there is a noble flight of steps of black marble, that extend the whole length of the portico, which consists of twelve lofty Corinthian columns below, and eight of the Composite order above; these are all coupled and fluted. The upper series supports a noble pediment crowned with its acroteria. In this pediment is a very elegant representation in bas relief, of the conversion of St. Paul, which was executed by Mr. Bird, an artist, who, by this piece, has deserved to have his name transmitted to posterity. Nothing could have been conceived more difficult to represent in bas relief than this conversion; the most striking object being naturally the irradiation of light, but even this is well expressed, and the figures are excellently performed. The magnificent figure of St. Paul, also on the apex of the pediment, with St. Peter on his right and St. James on his left, have a fine effect. The four Evangelists with their proper emblems on the front of the towers, are also very judiciously disposed, and well executed: St. Matthew is distinguished by an angel: St. Mark, by a lion; St. Luke, by an ox; and St. John, by an eagle.

To the north portico, there is an ascent by twelve circular steps of black marble; and its dome is supported by six large Corinthian columns, forty-eight inches in diameter. Upon the dome is a large and well proportioned urn, finely ornamented with festoons; and over this is a pediment supported by pilasters in the wall, in the face of which is the royal arms, with the regalia, supported by angels. And lest this view of the cathedral should appear void of sufficient ornament, the statues of five of the Apostles are placed on the top at proper distances.

The south portico answers to the north, and is placed directly opposite to it. This, like the other, is a dome supported by six noble Corinthian columns: but, as the ground is considerably lower on this, than on the other side of the church, the ascent is by a flight of twenty-five steps. This portico has also a pediment above, in which is a phoenix rising out of the flames with the motto RESURGAM underneath it, as an emblem of the rebuilding the church after the fire. This device had perhaps its origin from an incident, which happened at the beginning of the work, and was particularly remarked by the architect as a favourable omen. When Dr. Wren himself had set out upon the place the dimensions of the building, and fixed upon the center of the great dome, a common labourer was ordered to bring him a flat stone, the first he found among the rubbish, to leave as a mark of direction to the masons; the stone which the fellow brought for this purpose, happened to be a piece of a grave stone with nothing remaining of the inscription but this single word in large capitals, RESURGAM; a circumstance which Dr. Wren never forgot. On this side of the building are likewise five statues, which take their situation from that of St. Andrew on the apex of the last mentioned pediment.

At the cast end of the church is a sweep or circular projection for the altar, finely ornamented with the orders, and with sculpture, particularly a noble piece in honour of his Majesty King William III.

The dome which rises in the center of the whole, appears extremely grand. Twenty feet above the roof of the church is a circular range of thirty-two columns, with niches placed exactly against others within. These are terminated by their entablature, which supports a handsome gallery adorned with a balustrade. Above these columns is a range of pilasters, with windows between; and from the entablature of these the diameter decreases very considerably; and two feet above that it is again contracted. From this part the external sweep of the dome begins, and the arches meet at fifty-two feet above. On the summit of the dome is an elegant balcony; and from its center rises the lanthorn adorned with Corinthian columns; and the whole is terminated by a ball, from which rises a cross, both elegantly gilt. These parts, which appear from below of a very moderate size, are extremely large.

This vast and noble fabric, which is 2292 feet in circumference, and 340 feet in height to the top of the cross, is surrounded at a proper distance by a dwarf stone wall, on which is placed the most magnificent balustrade of cast iron perhaps in the universe, of about five feet six inches in height, exclusive of the wall. In this stately enclosure are seven beautiful iron gates, which, together with the banisters, in number about 2500, weigh two hundred tons and eighty-one pounds, which having cost 6d. per pound, the whole, with other charges, amounted to 11,202l. and 6d.

In the area of the grand west front, on a pedestal of excellent workmanship, stands a statue of Queen Anne, formed of white marble with proper decorations. The figures on the base represent Britannia with her spear; Gallia, with a crown in her lap; Hibernia, with her harp; and America with her bow. These, and the colossal statues with which the church is adorned, were all done by the ingenious Mr. Hill, who was chiefly employed in the decorations.

The north east part of the church yard is conferred by the Dean and Chapter upon the inhabitants of St. Faith’s parish, which is united to St. Austin’s, for the interment of their dead; as is also the south east part of the cemetery, with a vault therein, granted to St. Gregory’s parish for the same use.

On ascending the steps at the west end, we find three doors ornamented on the top with bas relief; the middle door, which is by far the largest, is cased with white marble, and over it is a fine piece of basso relievo, in which St. Paul is represented preaching to the Bereans. On entering this door, on the inside of which hang the colours taken from the French at Louisbourg in 1758, the mind is struck by the nobleness of the vista; an arcade supported by lofty and massy pillars on each hand, divide the church into the body and two isles, and the view is terminated by the altar at the extremity of the choir. The above pillars are adorned with columns and pilasters of the Corinthian and Composite orders, and the arches of the roof enriched with shields, festoons, chaplets and other ornaments.

In the isle on one hand is the consistory, and opposite to it on the other is the morning prayer chapel, where divine service is performed every morning early, Sunday excepted: each of these have a very beautiful screen of carved wainscot, that is admired by the best judges, and each are adorned with twelve columns, arched pediments and the royal arms, finely decorated.

On proceeding forward, you come to the large cross isle between the north and south porticos; over which is the cupola. Here you have a view of the whispering gallery, of the paintings above it, and the concave, which fills the mind with surprise and pleasure. Under its center is fixed in the floor a brass plate, round which the pavement is beautifully variegated; but the figures into which it is formed can no where be so well seen as from the whispering gallery.

You have now a full view of the organ, richly ornamented with carved work, with the entrance to the choir directly under it. The two isles on the sides of the choir, as well as the choir itself, are here enclosed with very fine iron rails and gates.

The organ gallery is supported by eight Corinthian columns of blue and white marble, and the choir has on each side thirty stalls, besides the Bishop’s throne on the south side, and the Lord Mayor’s on the north. The carving of the beautiful range of stalls as well as that of the organ, is much admired.

Here the reader’s desk, which is at some distance from the pulpit, is an enclosure of very fine brass rails gilt, in which is a gilt brass pillar supporting an eagle of brass gilt, which holds the book on his back and expanded wings.

The altar piece is adorned with four noble fluted pilasters painted and veined with gold in imitation of lapis lazuli, and their capitals are double gilt. In the intercolumniations are twenty-one pannels of figured crimson velvet, and above them six windows, in two series.

The floor of the choir, and indeed of the whole church, is paved with marble: but within the rails of the altar with porphyry, polished and laid in several geometrical figures.

But to be more particular: as the disposition of the vaultings within is an essential beauty, without which many other ornaments would lose their effect, so the architect was particularly careful in this respect. “The Romans,” says the author of the Parentalia, “used hemispherical vaultings, and Sir Christopher chose those as being demonstrably lighter than the diagonal cross vaults: so the whole vault of St. Paul’s consists of twenty-four cupolas cut off semicircular, with segments to join to the great arches one way, and which are cut across the other, with eliptical cylinders to let in the upper lights of the nave; but in the isles the lesser cupolas are both ways cut in semicircular sections, and altogether make a graceful geometrical form, distinguished with circular wreaths which is the horizontal section of the cupola; for the hemisphere may be cut all manner of ways into circular sections; and the arches and wreaths being of stone carved, the spandrels between are of sound brick, invested with stucco of cockle-shell lime, which becomes as hard as Portland stone; and which having large planes between the stone ribs, are capable of the farther ornaments of painting, if required.

“Besides these twenty-four cupolas, there is a half cupola at the east, and the great cupola of 108 feet in diameter at the middle of the crossing of the great isles. In this the architect imitated the Pantheon at Rome, excepting that the upper order is there only umbratile, and distinguished by different coloured marbles; in St. Paul’s it is extant out of the wall. The Pantheon is no higher within than its diameter; St. Peter’s is two diameters; this shews too high, the other too low; St. Paul’s is a mean proportion between both, which shews its concave every way, and is very lightsome by the windows of the upper order, which strike down the light thro’ the great colonade that encircles the dome without, and serves for the abutment of the dome, which is brick of two bricks thick; but as it rises every way five feet high, has a course of excellent brick of eighteen inches long banding thro’ the whole thickness; and moreover, to make it still more secure, it is surrounded with a vast chain of iron strongly linked together at every ten feet. This chain is let into a channel cut into the bandage of Portland stone, and defended from the weather by filling the groove with lead.

“The concave was turned upon a center; which was judged necessary to keep the work even and true, though a cupola might be built without a center; but it is observable that the center was laid without any standards from below to support; and as it was both centering and scaffolding, it remained for the use of the painter. Every story of this scaffolding being circular, and the ends of all the ledgers meeting as so many rings, and truly wrought, it supported itself. This machine was an original of the kind, and will be an useful project for the like work, to an architect hereafter.

“It was necessary to give a greater height than the cupola would gracefully allow within, tho’ it is considerably above the roof of the church; yet the old church having before had a very lofty spire of timber and lead, the world expected that the new work should not, in this respect, fall short of the old; the architect was therefore obliged to comply with the humour of the age, and to raise another structure over the first cupola; and this was a cone of brick, so built as to support a stone lanthorn of an elegant figure, and ending in ornaments of copper gilt.

“As the whole church above the vaulting is covered with a substantial oaken roof, and lead, the most durable covering in our climate, so he covered and hid out of sight the brick cone, with another cupola of timber and lead; and between this and the cone, are easy stairs that ascend to the lanthorn. Here the spectator may have a view of such amazing contrivances as are indeed astonishing. He forbore to make little luthern windows in the leaden cupola, as are done out of St. Peter’s, because he had otherwise provided for light enough to the stairs from the lanthorn above, and round the pedestal of the same, which are now seen below; so that he only ribbed the outward cupola, which he thought less Gothic than to stick it full of such little lights in three stories one above another, as is the cupola of St. Peter’s, which could not without difficulty be mended, and, if neglected, would soon damage the timbers.”

As Sir Christopher was sensible, that paintings, tho’ ever so excellent, are liable to decay, he intended to have beautified the inside of the cupola with mosaic work, which strikes the eye of the beholder with amazing lustre, and without the least decay of colours, is as durable as the building itself; but in this he was unhappily over-ruled, tho’ he had undertaken to procure four of the most eminent artists in that profession from Italy; this part is however richly decorated and painted by Sir James Thornhill, who has represented the principal passages of St. Paul’s life in eight compartments, viz. his conversion; his punishing Elymas, the sorcerer, with blindness; his preaching at Athens; his curing the poor cripple at Lystra, and the reverence paid him there by the priests of Jupiter as a God; his conversion of the jailer; his preaching at Ephesus, and the burning of the magic books in consequence of the miracles he wrought there; his trial before Agrippa; his shipwreck on the island of Melita, or Malta, with the miracle of the viper. These paintings are all seen to advantage by means of a circular opening, through which the light is transmitted with admirable effect from the lanthorn above.

The highest or last stone on the top of the lanthorn, was laid by Mr. Christopher Wren, the son of this great architect, in the year 1710; and thus was this noble fabric, lofty enough to be discerned at sea eastward, and at Windsor to the west, begun and compleated in the space of thirty-five years, by one architect, the great Sir Christopher Wren; one principal mason, Mr. Strong; and under one Bishop of London, Dr. Henry Compton: whereas St. Peter’s at Rome, the only structure that can come in competition with it, continued an hundred and fifty five years in building, under twelve successive architects; assisted by the police and interests of the Roman see; attended by the best artists of the world in sculpture, statuary, painting and mosaic work; and facilitated by the ready acquisition of marble from the neighbouring quarries of Tivoli.

The curiosities in this cathedral which strangers pay for seeing. On entering the south door, there is a pair of stairs within a small door on the right, leading to the cupola, and the stranger by paying two pence may gratify his curiosity with a prospect from the iron gallery at the foot of the lanthorn, which in a clear day affords a fine view of the river, of this whole metropolis and all the adjacent country, interspersed with pleasant villages.

The ascent to this gallery is by 534 steps, 260 of which are so easy that a child may without difficulty ascend them; but those above are unpleasant, and in some places very dark; but the little light that is afforded is sufficient to shew amazing proofs of the wonderful contrivances of the architect. But as the first gallery, surrounded by a stone balustrade, affords a very fine prospect, many are satisfied, and unwilling to undergo the fatigue of mounting higher.

On the stranger’s descent he is invited to see the whispering gallery, which will likewise cost two pence; he here beholds to advantage the beautiful pavement of the church, and from hence he has the most advantageous view of the fine paintings in the cupola. Here sounds are magnified to an astonishing degree; the least whisper is heard round the whole circumference; the voice of one person softly speaking against the wall on the other side, seems as if he stood at our ear on this, though the distance between them is no less than an hundred and forty feet: and the shutting of the door resounds through the place like thunder, or as if the whole fabric was falling asunder. To this gallery there is an easy ascent for persons of distinction, by a most beautiful flight of stairs.

The stranger is next invited to see the library, the books of which are neither numerous nor valuable; but the floor is artfully inlaid without either nails or pegs, and the wainscoting and book cases are not inelegant.

The next curiosity is the fine model Sir Christopher first caused to be made for building the new cathedral. It was not taken from St. Peter’s at Rome, as is pretended; but was Sir Christopher’s own invention, and the model on which he set the highest value; and it is a great pity, that what was performed as the utmost exertion of the abilities of this great architect, should be suffered to run to decay.

He is next shewn the great bell in the south tower, which weighs 84 c. weight. On this bell the hammer of the great clock strikes the hour, and on a smaller bell are struck the quarters.

The last thing shewn, are what are vulgarly called the geometry stairs, which are so artfully contrived as to hang together without visible support; but this kind of stairs, however curious in themselves, are neither new nor uncommon. Parentalia. Historical account of the curiosities of London, &c.

The cathedral church of St. Paul’s is deservedly esteemed the second in Europe, not for magnitude only but for beauty and grandeur. St. Peter’s at Rome is undoubtedly the first, but at the same time it is generally acknowledged by all travellers of taste, that the outside, and particularly the front of St. Paul’s, is much superior to St. Peter’s. The two towers at the west end, though faulty in some respects, are yet elegant, and the portico finely marks the principal entrance. The loggia, crowned with a pediment, with its alto relievo and statues, make in the whole a fine shape, whereas St. Peter’s is a straight line without any break. The dome is extremely magnificent, and by rising higher than that at Rome, is seen to more advantage on a near approach. The inside, though noble, falls short of St. Peter’s. The discontinuing the architrave of the great entablature over the arches in the middle of the isle, is a fault the architects can never forgive. Notwithstanding, without a critical examination, it appears very striking, especially on entering the north or south door. The side isles though small are very elegant, and if it does not equal St. Peter’s, there is much to be said in defence both of it and the architect, who was not permitted to decorate it as he intended, through a want of taste in the managers, who seemed to have forgot that it was intended a national ornament. St. Peter’s has all the advantages of painting and sculpture of the greatest masters, and is encrusted with a variety of the finest marbles, no cost being spared to make it exceed every thing of its kind. The great geometrical knowledge of the architect can never be sufficiently admired, but this can be come at only by a thorough inspection of the several parts.

For the farther satisfaction of the curious reader, we shall conclude this article with an account of the dimensions of St. Paul’s cathedral compared with those of St. Peter’s at Rome, from an account published some years ago: the measures of the latter being taken from the authentic dimensions of the best architects of Rome, reduced to English measure.

Feet. Feet.
The Plan, or Length and Breadth. St. Peter. St. Paul.
The whole length of the church and porch 729 500
The breadth within the doors of the porticos 510 250
The breadth of the front with the turrets 364 180
The breadth of the front without the turrets 318 110
The breadth of the church and three naves 255 130
The breadth of the church and widest chapels 364 180
The length of the porch within 218 50
The breadth of the porch within 40 20
The length of the platea at the upper steps 291 100
The breadth of the nave at the door 67 40
The breadth of the nave at the third pillar and tribuna 73 40
The breadth of the side isles 29 17
The distance between the pillars of the nave 44 25
The breadth of the same double pillars at St. Peter’s 29
The breadth of the same single pillars at St. Paul’s 10
The two right sides of the great pilasters of the cupola 65:7½ 25:35
The distance between the same pilasters 72 40
The outward diameter of the cupola 189 145
The inward diameter of the same 138 100
The breadth of the square by the cupola 43
The length of the same 328
From the door within the cupola 313 190
From the cupola to the end of the tribuna 167 170
The breadth of each of the turrets 77 35
The outward diameter of the lantern 36 18
The whole space, upon which one pillar stands 5906 875
The whole space, upon which all the pillars stand 23625 7000
Feet. Feet.
The HEIGHT. St. Peter. St. Paul.
From the ground without to the top of the cross 437½ 340
The turrets as they were at St. Peter’s and are at St. Paul’s 289½ 222
To the top of the highest statues on the front 175 135
The first pillars of the Corinthian order 74 33
The breadth of the same 9 4
Their basis and pedestals 19 13
Their capital 10 5
The architrave, frize, and cornice 19 10
The Composite pillars at St. Paul’s and Tuscan at St. Peter’s 25½ 25
The ornaments of the same pillars above, and below 14½ 16
The triangle of the mezzo relievo, with its cornice 22½ 18
Wide 92 74
The basis of the cupola to the pedestals of the pillars 36½ 38
The pillars of the cupola 32 28
Their basis and pedestals 4 5
Their capitals, architrave, frize, and cornice 12 12
From the cornice to the outward slope of the cupola 25½ 40
The lantern from the cupola to the ball 63 50
The ball in diameter 9 6
The cross with its ornaments below 14 6
The statues upon the front with their pedestals 25½ 15
The outward slope of the cupola 89 50
Cupola and lantern from the cornice of the front to the top of the cross 280 240
The height of the niches in the front 20 14
Wide 9 5
The first windows in the front 20 13
Wide 10 7

The whole expence of erecting this edifice, on deducting the sums expended in fruitless attempts to repair the old cathedral, amounted to 736,752l. 2s. 3d.

St. Paul’s Bakehouse court, Godliman’s street.

St. Paul’s chain, a lane on the south of St. Paul’s Church yard.

St. Paul’s Church yard, 1. The area round St. Paul’s cathedral, surrounded on the north and west chiefly by booksellers and toy-shops, and on the south side by the makers of chairs, screens and cabinets. 2. Behind Covent Garden church.

St. Paul’s College court, St. Paul’s Church yard.

St. Paul’s Covent Garden, a very noble edifice built by Inigo Jones for a chapel, but now a parish church. See Covent Garden.

Paul’s court, 1. Huggen lane, Thames street. 2. Wood street, Cheapside.

Paul’s Head court, Fenchurch street.

St. Paul’s School, at the east end of St. Paul’s Church yard, was founded by Dr. John Collet Dean of St. Paul’s in the year 1509, for a Master, an Usher and Chaplain, and an hundred and fifty-three scholars; for the teaching of whom the founder appointed a salary of 34l. 13s. 4d. for the upper Master; for the under Master 17l. 6s. 8d. and for the Chaplain or third Master, 8l. per annum. He appointed the company of Mercers trustees of this school, and by the improvement of the estate since that time, the good management of the company, and some additional sums left to this foundation, the salaries of the Masters are become considerable; the upper Master having 300l. a year, besides the advantage of additional scholars and boarders, by which he generally makes about 200l. a year more; the second Master has 250l. a year, and the third 90l. a year.

The original building was consumed by the fire of London, and soon after the present structure was raised in its place. It is a very singular, and at the same time a very handsome edifice. The central building in which is the school, is of stone; it is much lower than the ends, and has only one series of windows, which are large, and raised a considerable height from the ground. The center is adorned with rustic, and on the top is a handsome pediment, in which are the founder’s arms placed in a shield; upon the apex stands a figure representing Learning. Under this pediment are two windows which are square, and on each side are two circular windows crowned with busts, and the spaces between them are handsomely ornamented by work in relievo. Upon a level with the foot of the pediment runs on either side a handsome balustrade, on which is placed on each side a large bust with a radiant crown, between two flaming vases.

The buildings at the ends of this elegant structure are narrow, and rise to a great height. They are of brick ornamented with stone, and have each a small door, and are crowned at the top with a small balustrade.

St. Paul’s Shadwell, owes its existence to the increase of buildings. Shadwell, though now joined to London, was anciently a hamlet belonging to Stepney; but being greatly increased in the number of its inhabitants, Thomas Neale, Esq; erected the present church in the year 1656 for their accommodation; and in 1669, this district was by act of parliament constituted a distinct parish from that of Stepney, and 120l. per annum was granted for the maintenance of the Rector in lieu of tithes, besides a considerable glebe, oblations and church dues, so that the living is worth about 324l. a year. Maitland.

This church, which is but a mean edifice built with brick, is eighty-seven feet long, and sixty-three broad; the height to the roof is twenty-eight feet, and that of the steeple sixty. The body has a few windows with rustic arches, and some very mean ones in the roof. At the corners of the building are balls placed on a kind of small pedestals. The tower is carried up without ornament, and is terminated with balls at the corners in the same manner as the body of the church, and is crowned with a plain low turret.

Paul’s wharf, near Bennet’s Hill.?

Paul’s wharf stairs, Paul’s wharf.?

Pay Office of the Navy, a plain building in Broad street near London wall, under the direction of the Treasurer and Paymaster, who pay for all the stores for the use of the royal navy, and the wages of the sailors in his Majesty’s service.

The Treasurer, who is the principal officer, has a salary of 2000l. per annum, and the Paymaster, who is also accomptant, has 500l. a year; under this last are eight clerks who attend the payment of wages; three, who have 80l. a year; and five who have 40l. a year each: besides two extra-clerks, who have each 50l. a year. There are also five clerks for paying bills in course, and writing ledgers, viz. three who have 80l. a year; and two who have only 40l. a year each; besides an extra-clerk who has 50l. a year.

In this office there is likewise a Cashier of the victualling, who has a salary of 150l. per annum, and has three clerks under him, one of 70l. one of 50l. and one of 40l. a year.

Peachtree court, Butcher row, without Temple Bar.‡

Peachy court, Sheer lane, within Temple bar.

Peacock alley, Milford lane, in the Strand.*

Peacock court, 1. Fleet market.* 2. Giltspur street, without Newgate.* 3. Whitechapel.*

Peacock lane, Newington butts.*

Peacock yard, 1. Islington.* 2. Porter’s street.* 3. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.* 4. Whitehorse alley, Cowcross, Smithfield.*

Pead’s yard, Bankside, Southwark.†

Peak street, Swallow street.†

Peal alley, Upper Shadwell.†

Peal yard, Mint street.†

Pearl court, Little Pearl street, Spitalfields.* 2. White Friars.*

Pearl street, 1. Grey Eagle street, Spitalfields.* 2. Silver street, Bloomsbury.*

Peartree alley, 1. Cinnamon street.‡ 2. Shoreditch.‡ 3. Wapping.‡

Peartree court, 1. Aldersgate street.‡ 2. Clerkenwell close.‡ 3. Hockley in the Hole.‡

Peartree street, Brick lane, Old street.‡

Peascod court, St. John’s street, Smithfield.

Peas Porrige alley, Gravel lane.?

Peas yard, Nightingale lane.

Peckham, a pleasant village in Surry, in the parish of Camberwell. Here is the seat of the late Lord Trevor, built in the reign of King James II. by Sir Thomas Bond, who being deeply engaged in the pernicious schemes of that imprudent Prince, was obliged to leave the kingdom with him, when the house was plundered by the populace, and became forfeited to the crown. The front of the house stands to the north, with a spacious garden before it, from which extends two rows of large elms, of considerable length, through which the Tower of London terminates the prospect. But on each side of this avenue you have a view of London; and the masts of vessels appearing at high water over the trees and houses up to Greenwich, greatly improve the prospect. Peckham, which lies on the back side of the gardens, is shut out from the view by plantations. The kitchen garden and the walls were planted with the choicest fruit trees from France, and an experienced gardener was sent for from Paris to have the management of them; so that the collection of fruit trees in this garden has been accounted one of the best in England.

After the death of the late Lord Trevor, this seat was purchased by a private gentleman, who began to make very considerable improvements, and had he lived a few years longer, would have rendered it a very delightful retreat.

There are also at Peckham several other villas, and neat houses of retirement, inhabited by the tradesmen of London, and those who have retired from business.

Peckham Rye, a village in Surry, on the south side of Peckham.

Pedlars street, New Bond street.

Peel court, Glasshouse yard, Goswell street.

Peel yard, near Peel court, Glasshouse yard.

Peerless Pool, near Old street road, was formerly a spring that overflowing its banks, caused a very dangerous pond, which from the number of persons who lost their lives there, obtained the name of Perilous Pool. To prevent these accidents it was in a manner filled up, till in the year 1743, Mr. Kemp converted it into what may perhaps be esteemed one of the compleatest swimming baths in the world; and as it is the only one of the kind in Christendom, it may deserve a particular notice.

You enter from a bowling-green on the south side, by a neat arcade thirty-feet long, furnished with a small collection of modern books for the entertainment of those subscribers who delight in reading. Contiguous are many dressing apartments; some of which are open, and others rendered private, all paved with purbeck stone; and on each side of the bath is a bower divided into apartments for dressing. At the other end is placed a circular bench, capable of accommodating forty gentlemen at a sitting, under the shelter of a wall. One side is inclosed by a mount 150 feet long, planted with a great variety of shrubs, and on the top is an agreeable terrace walk planted with limes. The pleasure bath is 170 feet long, and above 100 broad; it is five feet deep at the bottom in the middle, and under four feet at the sides, and the descent into it is by four pair of marble steps to a fine gravel bottom. Here is also a cold bath, generally allowed to be the largest in England, it being forty feet long, and twenty feet broad, with two flights of marble steps, and a dressing room at each end; at four feet deep is a bottom of lettice work, under which the water is five feet deep. To these the ingenious projector has added a well stocked fish pond 320 feet long, for the diversion of those subscribers who are fond of angling, and adorned on each side with arbours, and with a terrace, the slopes of which are planted with many thousand shrubs, and the walks one of gravel, and the other of grass, are bordered with stately limes. The east end the garden extends to a genteel public house, and the westward is terminated by another garden, and a well-built private house inhabited by Mr. Kemp, the son of the ingenious projector, who after having made these improvements, changed the name from Perilous to Peerless Pool.

Peght’s yard, Castle lane.†

Pelham street, Brick lane, Spitalfields.†

Pelican court, Little Britain.*

Pelican stairs, Wapping.*

Pelican yard, Butcher row, East Smithfield.*

Pemberton’s rents, 1. Hand alley.† 2. New street.†

Pemberton row, Fetter lane.†

Pemell’s Almshouse, at Mile-end, was founded by Mr. John Pemell, citizen and draper, in the year 1698, for four poor drapers widows, and the same number of seamen’s widows, to be presented by the Churchwardens of Old Stepney parish. Each of these almswomen have an allowance of 1s. 8d. per week, half a chaldron of coals every year, and a gown every other year. Maitland.

Pemlico, near Buckingham House, St. James’s Park.

Pennington street, Old Gravel lane.†

Pennybarber’s alley, Stony lane.?

Pennyfield street, Poplar.

Penny Post Office, an office unknown in other countries, was projected by Mr. David Murray, an upholder in Pater noster row in the year 1683, who by this admirable and useful project, deserves to be considered as a benefactor to the city, and to have his name transmitted down to posterity. He communicated the scheme to Mr. William Dockwra, who carried it on for some time with great success, till the government laid claim to it as a royal prerogative; Dockwra was obliged to submit, and in return had a pension of 200l. per annum allowed him by the King during life.

It was erected for carrying letters not only of one sheet but of several, to any part of this great metropolis, or the adjacent villages, on paying only one penny on delivering the letter to be thus carried: but at some of the more distant villages, an additional penny is demanded of the person to whom the letter is delivered.

This office is under the direction of the Postmaster-general; who appoints, as managers, a Comptroller, an Accomptant, a Receiver and Comptroller’s clerk; who have under their management six sorters, and eight subsorters of letters, seventy-four messengers, or letter-carriers, and 334 houses within the bills of mortality, for receiving or taking in letters, which are divided among the six offices following; the general office in St. Christopher’s Church yard, and the five offices called the sorting houses, one at Westminster, one at Lincoln’s Inn, St. Paul’s office, in Pater noster row, St. Mary Overy’s in Southwark, and the Tower hill office: besides these there are 500 shops and coffee-houses, from whence the messengers collect and carry the letters to their proper offices every hour, where being sorted, they are sent out again to be delivered. But as each of the six offices has a number of villages under its peculiar direction, those letters that require great speed should be sent to that office, whose peculiar province it is to forward them to the village to which you would have them sent. This renders it necessary to give a list of these villages and places, peculiarly under the care of each office: but we shall not attempt to follow the other writers, who have prefixed to the names of these villages the number of times to which letters are carried to, and returned from each; because that is entirely uncertain, and it is sufficient that letters are carried and returned from each at least once a day; since this is all that can be depended upon.

In the map we have given of the environs round London, the extent and limits of the Penny Post are shewn by a circular coloured line drawn round the city.

The chief office in St. Christopher’s alley, Threadneedle street, to which belong, one sorter, two subsorters, twenty messengers, and seventy-three receiving houses. This office collects, receives, conveys, and delivers letters to and from the following places, besides what it delivers in its own proper district in London.

Aldersbrook
Avery-hatch
Barking
Bednal green
Bishops-hall
Bow
Bromley in Middlesex
Bush-hall
Cambridge heath
Chigwel
Chigwel row
Dalston
Edmonton
Green-man
Green-street
Hackney
Hagerstone
Ham East and West
Hoxton
Jenkins
Ilford
Kingsland
Layton-stone
Loughton-hall
Low-layton
Locksford
Mile-end
Newington green
Newington stoke
Oldford
Palmer’s green
Plaistow in Essex
Rippleside
Ruckfolds
Southgate
Stepney
Stratford
Tottenham
Tottenham High cross
Valentines
Upton
Walthamstow
Wansted
Winchmore hill
Woodford
Woodford row, and bridge

St. Paul’s office is kept in Queen’s head alley, in Pater noster row, which collects, receives, conveys and delivers letters to and from the following and adjacent places, besides what it delivers within its proper district in London.

Black-mary’s hole
Boarded river
Cambray house
Cold bath
Copenhagen
Frog lane
Holloway, Upper and Lower
Islington
Mountmill
Sir John Oldcastle’s
Torrington lane
Wood’s close

The Temple office is kept in Chichester’s rents in Chancery lane, which collects, receives, conveys and delivers letters and parcels to and from the following and adjacent places, besides what it delivers within its own proper district in town.

Battle bridge
Bone gate
Brill
Cole harbour
Coney hatch
East Barnet
Finchley
Frog lane
Hampstead
Highgate
Hornsey
Kentish town
Mussel hill
Pancras
Pinder of Wakefield
South green
Totteridge
Whetstone
Wood green

Westminster office is kept in Pump court near Charing cross, which collects, receives, conveys and delivers letters and parcels to and from the following and adjacent places, besides what it delivers within its own proper district in town.

Abery farm
Acton, East and West
Acton wells
Barry’s walk
Base watering
Black lands
Bloody bridge
Bluncoat lane
Bollow lane
Boston house
Brentford Old & New
Brentford end
Brent’s cow house
Bride lane house
Brook green
Broom houses
Brompton park
Burrows
Castle-bear
Chelsea, Great and Little
Chelsea college
—— common
—— fields
Child’s hill
Chiswick
Corney house
Counters bridge
Cow house farm
Crab tree house
Dowel street
Daws lane
Dollars hill
Ealing, Great & Little
Ealing lane
Earl’s court
Foordhook
Frog lane
Fryars place
Fulham
Fulham fields
Gaggle goose green
Great and Little Holland house
Gibb’s green
Grain house
Green man, in Uxbridge road
Gunnersbury
Gutters hedge
Hammersmith
Hanger end
Hanger lane
Haven
Hendon
Hide
Hog lane
Holsdon green
Hoywood hill
Hudicon fields
Kensington
Kensington gravel pits
Kilborn
Knightsbridge
Laurence street
Leasing green
Lime kilns
London stile
Lord Mayor’s Banqueting house
Maddox lane
Mary bone, and Park
Masha Mapes, and Masha Brands
Mill hill
Neathouses
Neesdon
Noman’s lands
North end
North highway
Notting hills
Paddington
Paddington green
Paddingwick green
Page’s street
Parson’s green
Pimlico
Purser’s cross
Sandy end
Shepherd’s bush
Shevrick green
Shoot-up hill
Sion hill
Sion house
Sion lane
St. John’s wood
Stanford brook
Starch green
Strand on the green
Sutton court, and Little Sutton
Tottenham court
Turnham green
Tyburn road, and house
Waltham green
Wemley
Wemley green
Westburn green
Westfield
West end
Wilsdon green
Windmill lane

Southwark office is kept in Green dragon court, near St. Mary Overy’s church, which collects, receives, conveys and delivers letters and parcels to and from the following and adjacent places, besides what it delivers within its own proper district in Southwark and London.

Balam
Barn-elms
Barnstown
Battersea
Battersea reys
Blackheath
Bristow causeway
Brockly, Upper and Lower
Burntash
Camberwell
Charlton
Clapham, and Common
Coleharbour
Deptford, Upper and Lower
Dulwich, and common
East and West Sheen
Eltham
Gammon hill
Garret’s green
Greenwich
Grove street
Ireland green
Kennington
Kew
Kew green
Knights hill
Lambeth
Lambeth marsh
Lee
Lewisham
Limekilns
Longbarn
Longhedge
Loughberry house
Martin abbey and mills
March gate
Mitcham
Mortlack
Morder
Mottingham
New cross
Newington butts
Nine elms
Norwood
Peckham town, and Rye
Pigs march
Plumstead
Putney green
Putney heath
Red-house
Rickle-marsh
Roehampton
Rotherhithe
Sidnam
South Lambeth
Stockwell
Stretham
Tooting, Upper and Lower
Vauxhall
Walworth
Wandsworth, and Common
Wimbleton
Woolwich

Hermitage office is kept in Queen street on Little Tower hill, which collects, receives, conveys and delivers letters and parcels to and from the following and adjacent places, besides what it delivers within its own proper district in town.

Blackwall
Isle of Dogs
King David’s fort
Lime hole
Limehouse
Poplar
Ratcliff
Stepney causeway

Several of the country messengers, and others for remote places, going on their walks by six o’clock in the morning, letters and parcels ought to be put in at the receiving houses before six o’clock over-night; otherwise a whole day may be lost in the delivery: but letters for places that are nearer, are generally collected and delivered two or three times a day.

All general post letters, both foreign and domestic, directed to the places above mentioned, not being post towns, are conveyed from the aforesaid offices every day at twelve o’clock; and answers being put into the receiving houses in the country towns, will next night be safely carried to the General Post office, by the officers appointed for that purpose.

Pensioners alley, King street, Westminster.

Pepper alley, 1. by the Bridge Foot, in the Borough. 2. Down’s street, Hyde Park road. 3. Goswell street.

Pepper alley stairs, the next stairs above the bridge, in Southwark.

Pepper street, Duke street, in the Mint.

Perkin’s rents, Peter street, Soho.†

Perkin’s yard, Blackman street.†

Perriwinkle street, Ratcliff cross.

Perston’s yard, in the Minories.†

Pesthouse fields, by Pesthouse row, Old street.

Pesthouse row, adjoining to the French hospital in Old street. Here stood, till the year 1737, the city Pesthouse, which consisted of several tenements, and was erected as a Lazaretto for the reception of distressed and miserable objects, infected by the dreadful plague in the year 1665. Maitland.

Peter and Keys court, Peter lane, Cow cross, Smithfield.*

Peterborough court, Fleet street.

St. Peter ad Vincula, situated to the north west corner of Northumberland walk, at the end of the new armoury, in the Tower; was founded by King Edward III. and dedicated by the name of St. Peter in Chains, or St. Peter ad Vincula. This is a plain Gothic building void of all ornament, sixty-six feet in length, fifty-four in breadth, and twenty-four feet high from the floor to the roof. The walls, which have Gothic windows, are strengthened at the corners with rustic, and crowned with a plain blocking course. The tower is plain, and is crowned with a turret.

The living is a rectory in the gift of the King, valued at about 60l. a year. The Rector, as Minister of the Tower garrison, is paid by his Majesty; and the living is exempt from archiepiscopal jurisdiction.

Among the several monuments in this church is a grave stone, under which lies buried Mr. James Whittaker, his wife and children; and upon that stone are the following lines.

See how the just, the virtuous, and the strong,
The beautiful, the innocent, the young,
Here in promiscuous dust, together lie.
Reflect on this, depart, and learn to die.

In this church lie the ashes of many noble, and some royal personages, executed either in the Tower, or on the hill, and deposited here in obscurity; particularly,

George Bullen, Lord Rochford, who was beheaded on Tower hill on the 17th of May, 1536.

Anne Bullen, wife to King Henry VIII. beheaded two days after, on a scaffold erected on the green, within the Tower.

Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, who from a blacksmith’s son at Putney, became the favourite of Henry VIII. and one of the most zealous promoters of the reformation from popery; but was beheaded on Tower hill in the year 1540.

Catharine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. beheaded on Tower hill on the 13th of February, 1541.

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, beheaded on Tower hill, on the 24th of June, 1552.

John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who lost his head at the same place, on the 22d of Aug. 1553.

Under the communion table, lies the body of James Duke of Monmouth, the natural son of King Charles II. beheaded for asserting his right to the crown, in opposition to James II. on the 15th of July, 1683.

St. Peter’s alley, by St. Peter’s church, Cornhill.

St. Peter’s Cheap, a church, which stood at the corner of Wood street Cheapside, in Faringdon ward within, but being destroyed by the fire of London in 1666, the parish was united to St. Matthew, Friday street.

St. Peter’s Cornhill, a plain neat church, near the south east corner of Cornhill, in the ward of that name. There has been many ages a church in the same place, under the patronage of the same apostle: but the last edifice was destroyed by the fire of London, and this substantial structure rose in its place. The body is eighty feet long, and forty-seven broad; it is forty feet high to the roof, and the height of the steeple is an hundred and forty feet. The body is plain, and enlightened by a single series of windows. The tower, which is also plain, has a small window in each stage, and the dome which supports the spire is of the lantern kind; this spire, which is well proportioned, is crowned by a ball, whence rises the fane, in the form of a key.

The patronage of this rectory is in the Lord Mayor and Commonalty of this city. The Rector receives, besides other profits, 120l. a year by glebe, and 110l. a year in lieu of tithes.

St. Peter le Poor, on the west side of Broad street, in the ward of that name, is supposed by Maitland, to have received its additional epithet le Poor, from the mean condition of the parish in ancient times: tho’ it is now extremely wealthy, it being inhabited by a great number of merchants, and other persons of distinction.

Others imagine that it was called le Poor, from the neighbouring friary of St. Austin, where reigned an affected poverty. A church stood upon the same spot before the year 1181, and the present edifice which escaped the fire in 1666, is supposed to have been built about the year 1540.

This Gothic structure, instead of being an ornament to the street in which it is placed, as all public buildings ought to be, is a very great deformity; the building itself is mean, one of its corners being thrust as it were into the street, renders it narrow, obstructs the passage, and destroys the vista. This structure is of very considerable breadth in proportion to its length; it being fifty-four feet long, and fifty-one broad: the height to the roof is twenty-three feet, and that of the tower and turret seventy-five. The body is plain and unornamented; the windows are very large; and the dial is fixed to a beam that is joined on one end to a kind of turret, and extends like a country sign post, across the street; a very rude and aukward contrivance. The tower, which rises square, without diminution, is strengthened at the corners with rustic; upon this is placed a turret, which consists of strong piers at the corners arched over, and covered with an open dome, whence rises a ball and fane.

The advowson of this church appears to have been all along in the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s. The tithes at present amount to 130l. a year; and the other profits by annual donations settled upon the Rector, amount to about as much more.

Peter’s court, 1. Ironmonger row. 2. St. Martin’s lane, Charing cross. 3. Peter lane. 4. Rosemary lane.

Peter’s hill, 1. Knightrider street. 2. Saffron hill.

St. Peter’s hill, Thames street, so called from the following church.

Peter’s Key alley, Cow cross, Smithfield.

Peter’s lane, St. John street, Smithfield.

St. Peter’s Paul’s wharf, stood at the south east corner of St. Peter’s hill, in Thames street, in Queenhithe ward, and was anciently denominated St. Peter’s Parva, or the Little, from its small dimensions. This church being destroyed with most of the others, by the fire of London, and not rebuilt, its parish is annexed to the church of St. Bennet Paul’s wharf.

Peter’s street, 1. Bandy leg walk, Deadman’s place. 2. Bloomsbury. 3. Halfmoon alley, Bishopsgate street. 4. In the Mint. 5. Stratton’s ground, Westminster. 6. Turnmill street, Cow cross. 7. Vere street, Claremarket. 8. Soho. 9. Westminster.

St. Peter’s Westminster. See the article Abbey Church of Westminster.

St. Peter’s yard, 1. Deadman’s place, Southwark. 2. In the Minories.

Petersham, a small village in Surry, near the New Park, and a little to the south of Richmond hill. Here stood a delightful seat built by the late Earl of Rochester, Lord High Treasurer in the reign of King James II. This fine house was burnt down in the year 1720, so suddenly that the family, who were all at home, had scarcely time to save their lives. Nor was the house, tho’ exquisitely finished both within and without, the greatest loss sustained; the noble furniture, the curious collection of paintings, and the inestimable library of the first Earl of Clarendon, Lord High Chancellor of England, and author of the History of the Rebellion, were wholly consumed; and among other valuable pieces, several manuscripts relating to those times, and to the transactions in which the King his Master, and himself were engaged both at home and abroad; besides other curious collections made by that noble Author in foreign countries.

On the ground where his house stood, the Earl of Harrington erected another, after one of the Earl of Burlington’s designs. The front next the court is very plain, and the entrance to the house not very extraordinary: but the south front next the garden, is bold and regular, and the apartments on that side, chiefly designed for state, are extremely elegant.

The gardens were before crowded with plantations near the house; but they are now laid open in lawns of grass: the kitchen garden, before situated on the east side of the house, is removed out of sight, and the ground converted to an open slope of grass, leading up to a terrace of great length; from which is a prospect of the river Thames, the town of Twickenham, and of all the fine seats round that part of the country. On the other side of the terrace, is a plantation on a rising ground; and on the summit of the hill is a fine pleasure house, which on every side commands a prospect of the country for many miles.

Petticoat lane, extends from Whitechapel into Spitalfields. On both sides of this lane were anciently hedges, and rows of elm trees, and the pleasantness of the neighbouring fields induced several gentlemen to build their houses here, among whom was the Spanish ambassador, whom Strype supposes to be Gondomar: but at length many French refugees settling in that part of the lane near Spitalfields in order to follow their trades, which in general was weaving of silk, it soon became a row of contiguous buildings. This lane is very long and very disagreeable, both on account of its nastiness and offensive smells, it being the chief residence of the horners, who prepare horns for other petty manufacturers.

Petticoat square, Petticoat lane.

Petty Bag Office, next the Rolls chapel, Chancery lane. The clerks in this office, who are three in number, are under the Master of the Rolls, and make all patents for customers, comptrollers, and congÉ d’elires: they also summon the Nobility, Clergy, Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses to parliament, &c. This office takes its name from each record being there put into a little bag.

Petty Canons of St. Paul’s. See the article Canons.

Petty Canons alley, St. Paul’s Church yard.

Petty France, Tothill street, Westminster; thus named from its being at first inhabited by the people of that nation.

Petty France alley, Old Bethlem; so called from Petty France there, now called New Broad street, which was originally inhabited chiefly by the French.

Petty Wales yard, Halfmoon alley.

Petty’s court, Hanoway street, Tottenham court road.†

Pewterers, a company incorporated by letters patent, granted by King Edward IV. in 1474.

In the year 1534, the Wardens of the Pewterers company, or their deputies, were impowered by act of parliament to have the inspection of pewter in all parts of the kingdom, in order to prevent the sale of the base pewter, and the importation of pewter vessels from abroad. As a farther encouragement, all Englishmen are by that act strictly enjoined, not to repair to any foreign country to teach the art or mystery of pewterers, on pain of disfranchisement: and for the more effectually preventing the art being carried abroad, no Pewterer is to take the son of an alien as an apprentice.

This corporation has a Master, two Wardens, twenty-eight Assistants, and seventy-eight Liverymen, who on their admission pay 20l.

Their hall is in Lime street, almost facing the west end of Cullum street.

Pewter Platter alley, Grace church street.*

Pheasant court, Cow lane, Snow hill.*

Pheasant Cock court, Angel alley, Houndsditch.*

Phenix alley, Long Acre.*

Phenix court, 1. Butcher row.* 2. High Holborn.* 3. Newgate street.* 4. Old Change, Cheapside.*

Phenix street, 1. Dyot street, St. Giles’s.* 2. Hog lane, St. Giles’s.* 3. Monmouth street, Spitalfields.*

Phenix yard, Oxford street.*

Philip lane, London wall.*

Philip’s court, Grub street.†

Philip’s rents, 1. Lincoln’s Inn Fields.† 2. Maze pond street, Southwark.†

Philip’s yard, Still alley, Houndsditch.†

Philpot lane, Fenchurch street.†

Phips’s alley, Shoreditch.†

Physicians. There was no legal restraint on the practice of physic, till the third year of King Henry VIII. when it was enacted that none should practise physic or surgery within the city of London, of seven miles round, unless he were first examined, and approved by the Bishop of London, or the Dean of St. Paul’s, (who should call to his assistance four Doctors of physic, and for surgery, other expert persons in that faculty) upon pain of forfeiting 5l. for every month such persons should practise physic or surgery, without being thus admitted.

Seven years after this law, the Physicians were incorporated into a college or society; allowed a common seal, and the power of annually chusing a President, to govern all of that faculty: they were permitted to purchase lands and tenements, and to make statutes and ordinances for the government and correction of the college, and of all persons practising physic within seven miles of the city: it was also enacted that none, either within the city, or that compass, should practise, unless first allowed by the President and the Fellows, upon pain of forfeiting 5l. for every month: that four persons be chosen annually for the examination and government of all the Physicians of the city, and suburbs within seven miles round, and to punish them for their offences in not performing, making, and neglecting their medicines and receipts, by fines and imprisonments: and that neither the President, nor any of the members of the college, should be summoned upon juries, &c.

At their first institution there were but thirty Fellows belonging to the college; but at their request, King Charles II. augmented their number to forty; and King James II. considering the great increase of this city in its buildings and inhabitants, was pleased to increase the number to eighty, which they were not to exceed. Before this last charter, none could be admitted a Fellow of the college, if he had not taken his degree of Doctor in one of the universities; but now all who have taken their degree in any foreign university, are qualified to become Fellows.

The college has still great power in obstructing the practise of those who are not of their body; yet by connivance or favour, others practise physic; tho’ by law, if any one not so qualified, undertakes a cure, and his patient dies under his hand, he is deemed guilty of felony.

To this college belong a President, four Censors, and twelve Electors. The President is the principal member, and is annually chosen out of the society.

The four Censors have, by charter, authority to survey, correct and govern all Physicians, or others, that shall practise within their jurisdiction, and to fine and imprison for offences as they shall see cause. They may convene any Physician or practitioner before them, and examine him concerning his skill in physic, and if he does not appear to their summons, or upon his appearance refuses to answer, he may be fined for every default, any sum not exceeding forty shillings; or if any administer unwholsome and noxious medicines, he may be fined according to discretion, net exceeding 10l. or imprisoned, not exceeding fourteen days, unless for nonpayment of the fine, when it shall be lawful to detain him in prison until it be paid.

College of Physicians. This society had their first college in Knightrider street, which was the gift of Dr. Linacre, Physician to King Henry VIII. from whence they afterwards removed to Amen Corner, where they had purchased an house. Here the great Dr. Harvey, who immortalized his name by discovering the circulation of the blood, built them a library and public hall in the year 1652, which he granted for ever to the college, with his library, and endowed it with his estate, which he resigned to them while living, assigning a part of it for an anniversary oration, in commemoration of their benefactors, and to promote a spirit of emulation in succeeding generations. However, this edifice being consumed by the fire of London, and the ground being only upon lease, the Fellows erected the present structure.

College of Physicians.
S. Wale delin. J. Taylor sc.

The College of Physicians is a very noble edifice, situated near the north west corner of Warwick lane. It is built with brick and stone.

The entrance, which is grand, is under an octangular theatre, finishing in a dome, with a cone on the top, making a lantern to it. The inside is elegant, finely enlightened and very capacious. This was built by Sir Christopher Wren. The arches represented in the print are under the theatre thro’ which you enter the area. The central building, which is well worthy of observation, is the design of Inigo Jones, and contains the library and other rooms of state and convenience. The ascent to the door is by a flight of steps, and in the under part is a basement story. The whole front is decorated with pilasters of the Ionic and Corinthian orders; and on one side over the door case, is the statue of King Charles II. placed in a niche, and in the other side that of Sir John Cutler. The buildings at the two sides of the court are uniform, and have the window cases handsomely ornamented. The orders are well executed, and the whole edifice both beautiful and commodious.

The College of Physicians is a building of great delicacy, and eminently deserves to be considered among the noblest ornaments of this city, is yet so unlucky in its situation, in a narrow and dirty part of the lane, that it can never be seen to advantage.

There is here a hall, in which the Physicians sit to give advice to the poor gratis; a committee room; a library, furnished with books by Sir Theodore Mayerne and the Marquis of Dorchester, who was one of the Fellows; a great hall for the quarterly meetings of the Doctors, adorned with pictures and sculpture; a theatre for anatomical dissection; a preparing room, where there are thirteen tables, containing all the muscles in the human body; and over all garrets to dry the herbs for the use of the dispensatory.

Piccadilly, Haymarket. There were formerly no houses in this street, and only one shop for Spanish ruffs, which was called the Piccadilly or Ruff shop. At present there are several noble houses in it. See Devonshire House, Burlington House. The last house built in Piccadilly is the Earl of Egremont’s. It is of stone, and tho’ not much adorned, is elegant and well situated for a town house, having a fine view over the Green Park, which would be still more extended if the houses on each side were set farther back.

Pickax street, Aldersgate street.

Pickering’s court, St. James’s street.†

Pickleherring stairs, Pickleherring street, Southwark.

Pickleherring street, near Horselydown, Southwark.

Picture yard, Back lane, near Rag Fair.

Pie-corner, Giltspur street, Smithfield.

Piepowder court, a court of record incident to a fair, as a court baron is to a manor; it is derived from the French piÉ poudre, and is said to be so called from its expeditious proceedings in the decision of all controversies that happen in fairs; since for the encouragement of all traders, justice is supposed to be as quickly administered as dust can fall from the feet. Coke’s Institutes.

During the time of Bartholomew fair, this court is held in Cloth fair by the city of London and Mr. Edwards, for hearing and determining all differences committed against the tenor of the proclamation made by the Lord Mayor, on the eve of old St. Bartholomew, for the better regulation of that fair.

Pierpoint’s rents, Islington.†

Pierpoint’s row, Islington.†

Pig court, St. Catharine’s lane.*

Pig street, extends from Threadneedle street to Broad street.

Pillory lane, 1. Butcher row. 2. Fenchurch street.

Pin alley, near Rosemary lane.

Pinder’s alley, Shoreditch.†

Pinder’s court, Gray’s Inn lane.†

Pineapple court, Woolpack alley, Houndsditch.*

Pinners, or Pinmakers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles I. in the year 1636.

They consist of a Master, two Wardens, and eighteen Assistants; but have no livery.

Their hall is situated near the southeast corner of Great Winchester street, Broad street: and is most noted for being let out for a meeting of Independents, who meet there every Sunday morning. This is the only Independent meeting in London, where the audience are not Calvinists. In the afternoon it is a meeting for a congregation of general Baptists.

Pinner’s alley, Shoreditch.

Pinners court, Broad street, leading to Pinners hall.

Pipe alley, Broad way, Westminster.

Pipemakers alley, 1. Great St. Anne’s lane. 2. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.

Pipe Office, in Gray’s Inn lane, an office of the Treasury, in which all accounts and debts due to the King are drawn out of the Remembrancer’s office, and charged in a great roll made up like a pipe.

The chief officers are, the Clerk of the Pipe, and the Comptroller of the Pipe. The former makes leases of the King’s lands, on his being warranted so to do by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, or the Chancellor of the Exchequer: and these leases are sometimes directed to be made under the Great Seal, but for the most part pass the Exchequer: he has under him a Deputy, and eight Attornies, the two first of whom are Secondaries.

All accounts that pass the Remembrancer’s office, are brought to the office of the Clerk of the Pipe, and remain there, to the end if there be any determined debt due by any accomptant or other person, in any such account, it may be inserted in the great roll or the pipes thereof, and taken verbatim by the Comptroller of the Pipe into his roll, and process may be made by him for the recovery thereof by a writ called the Summons of the Pipe, which is in the nature of a levari facias.

All tallies that vouch the payments contained in such accounts, are examined and allowed by the Chief Secondary in the Pipe, and remain for ever after in this office.

The Comptroller of the Pipe writes in his roll all that is in the great roll; and nothing entered in the great roll can be discharged without his privity. He also writes out the summons twice every year to the sheriffs, to levy the debts charged in the great roll of the pipe. Chamberlain’s Present State. He has under him a Deputy Comptroller, and a Clerk.

Pipe yard, Bristol street, Puddle dock.

Piper’s ground, College street.

Pissing alley, St. John’s street, Smithfield.?

Pitcher’s court, White’s alley, Coleman street.†

Pitfield street, Hoxton.†

Pitman’s alley, Gardener’s lane, Westminster.†

Plaisterers, a company incorporated by letters patent, granted by King Henry VIII. in the year 1501, and confirmed by a charter granted by Charles II. in 1667, by the name of The Master, and Wardens of the guild or fraternity of the blessed Mary, of Plaisterers, London.

This company is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and thirty-two Assistants, and has seventy-seven Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 8l. They have a neat hall on the north west side of Addle street.

Plaistow, a village in Essex, in the parish of West Ham.

Plaistow, a village near Bromley in Kent.

Plantation Office in the treasury. See the article Trade and Plantation Office.

Playhouse passage, 1. Bow street; leading to Covent Garden playhouse. 2. Drury lane, leading to the playhouse there.

Playhouse yard, 1. Black Friars, where a playhouse was formerly situated. 2. Whitecross street, Old street, where, according to Maitland, the first playhouse in London was erected; on the east side of that yard are still to be seen the ruins of the theatre.

Clerk of the Pleas Office, in Lincoln’s Inn. In this office all the officers of the Exchequer, and other privileged persons, as debtors to the King, &c. are to have their privilege to plead, and be impleaded as to all matters at the common law: and the proceedings are accordingly by declarations, pleas, and trials as at the common law; because they should not be drawn out of their own court, where their attendance is required. In this office are four sworn Attornies. Chamberlain’s Present State.

Common Pleas. See Court of Common Pleas.

Plough alley, 1. Bankside, Southwark.* 2. Barbican.* 3. Carey street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields.* 4. Wapping.

Plough court, 1. Fetter lane. 2. Gray’s Inn lane.* 3. Lombard street.*

Plough and Harrow walk, Nag’s Head Buildings, Hackney road.*

Ploughman’s rents, 1. Cow cross, near Smithfield.† 2. Turnmill street.†

Plough street, Whitechapel.*

Plough yard, 1. Barnaby street, Southwark.* 2. Brown’s gardens, St. Giles’s.* 3. Holborn hill.* 4. Harrow yard, Green bank.* 5. Seething lane, Tower street.* 6. Tower ditch.*

Plough yard School, in Plough yard, Seething lane, was founded by James Hickson, Esq; about the year 1689, for the education of twenty boys; for the instruction of whom he allowed the head Master 20l. per annum, a dwelling house, and two chaldrons of coals yearly; and to a Writing Master 8l. a year. Fourteen of the children are to be of the parish of Allhallows, Barking, and six of the hamlet of Wapping. Maitland.

Plumbers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1611. This corporation is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and twenty-four Assistants; with a livery of fifty-seven members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 10l. They have a small hall in Chequer yard, Dowgate hill. Maitland.

Plumber’s court, High Holborn.†

Plumtree court, Plumtree street, Shoe lane.†

Plumtree square, Plumtree street, St. Giles’s.

Plumtree street, 1. St. Giles’s. 2. Shoe lane.†

Poland court, Poland street.

Poland street, Oxford street.

Poland yard, Oxford street.

Pollin’s street, Hanover street.

The Pond yard, Bankside, Southwark.

Poor Jewry lane, Aldgate; so called from its being inhabited by the Jews, on their return to England, after being expelled the kingdom by Edward I. See Old Jewry.

Pope’s Head alley, 1. Broad street.* 2. A neat passage from Cornhill into Lombard street, next to ‘Change alley.*

Pope’s Head court, in the Minories.*

Popish Chapels, of these there are but few in the city of London; for as Popery is esteemed inconsistent with the liberties of a free people, they are therefore in a manner confined to the ambassadors, who keep them open for those of their own religion. These are,

1. In Butler’s alley meeting house, Grub street.
2. Imperial ambassador’s, Hanover square.
3. Portuguese ambassador’s chapel.
4. Sardinian ambassador’s chapel, by Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
5. Venetian ambassador’s chapel, Suffolk street.

Poplar, a hamlet of Stepney, is situated on the Thames to the east of Limehouse, and obtained its name from the great number of poplar trees that anciently grew there. The chapel of Poplar was erected in the year 1654, when the ground upon which it was built, together with the church yard, were given by the East India company, and the edifice erected by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants and others; since which time that Company has not only allowed the Minister a convenient dwelling house, with a garden and field containing about three acres, but has allowed him 20l. per annum during pleasure; wherefore this chapel for want of an endowment continues unconsecrated.

Poplar Marsh, called the Isle of Dogs, from the great noise made by the King’s hounds that were kept there during the residence of the royal family at Greenwich, is rather an isthmus than an island, and is reckoned one of the richest spots of ground in England; for it not only raises the largest cattle, but the grass it bears is esteemed a great restorative of all distempered cattle.

Here are two almshouses besides an hospital belonging to the East India company.

Popler’s alley, Greenbank.†

Poppet court, Shoe lane, Fleet street.

Popping’s alley, Fleet street.†

Popping’s court, Popping’s alley, Fleet street.†

Porridge pot alley, Aldersgate street.*

Porters. The London porters are divided into brotherhoods, and consist of four sorts, viz. Companies porters, Fellowship porters, Ticket porters, and Tackle porters.

I. The companies porters land and ship off all goods and merchandizes exported and imported to and from all parts near the west side of the Sound, in the Baltic sea, Germany, Holland, France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and towards or beyond the Cape of Good Hope.

II. Fellowship porters, whose business is to land, ship off, carry or house, all merchandize, as corn, salt, coals, and other commodities, measurable by dry measure. They are upward of 700 in number, and their chief governor is the Alderman of Billingsgate ward. Their quarterage is 12d. whereas the Ticket porters pay but 4d. each.

There is a very remarkable custom among the Fellowship porters, which is as follows, viz.

By an act of Common Council, a sermon is preached to them, in the parish church of St. Mary at Hill, the next Sunday after every Midsummer day; when overnight they furnish the merchants and families about Billingsgate with nosegays, and in the morning they proceed from their place of meeting in good order, each having a nosegay in his hand: walking through the middle isle to the communion table, every one offers something into the two basons, for the relief of the poor, and towards the charges of the day; and after they have passed, the deputy, the merchants, their wives, children, and servants walk in order from their seats, and bestow their offerings also; which is a ceremony of much variety. The charges of their nosegays have amounted sometimes to near 20l. in one year.

III. The Ticket porters land and ship off goods imported or exported to all parts of America, &c. and house all merchants goods, metals, &c. They give ample security for their fidelity and honesty, and such as employ them need only take notice of their names stamped on a ticket that hangs at their girdles; that upon complaint being made to their Governor, satisfaction may be given to such as have been injured by them.

IV. Tackle porters are such of the Ticket porters as are furnished with weights, scales, &c. and their business is to weigh goods.

Rates taken by Porters for shipping, landing, houseing and weighing.

Sugar the hogshead, 3d.—For weighing 4d.

Sugar the tierce or barrel, 2d.—For weighing 3d.

Sugar the butt, 6d.—For weighing 8d.

Cotton, wool, the bag, 3d.—The same for weighing.

Ginger, the bag, 1d.—The same for weighing.

Melasses, the hogshead, 3d.—For weighing 4d.

Logwood, the ton, 1s.—The same for weighing.

Fustick, the ton, 1s.—The same for weighing.

Young fustick, the ton, 1s. 6d.—The same for weighing.

Lignum rhodium, the ton, 1s. 6d.—The same for weighing.

Lignum vitÆ, the ton, 1s.—The same for weighing.

Tobacco, the hogshead, 2d.—The same for weighing.

Tobacco, the bundle, 1d.—The same for weighing.

Danish, or Swedish iron, the ton, 1s.—The same for weighing.

Narva and Riga hemp, the bundle, 6d.—The same for weighing.

Any porter has the liberty of bringing goods into London; but may not carry any out of the city, or from one part of it to another, unless he be a freeman; otherwise he is liable to be arrested.

Porters alley, Basinghall street.

Porters block, Smithfield bars.

Porter’s court, Basinghall street.†

Porter’s field, Porter’s street.†

Porters key, Thames street.

Porter’s street, 1. Blossom’s street.† 2. Newport market.†

Porter’s yard, 1. Holiwell lane, Shoreditch.† 2. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.†

Portland street, Oxford street.

Portpool lane, extends from Gray’s Inn lane to Leather lane.

Portsmouth corner, Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Portsoken Ward. The word Portsoken, according to Maitland, signifies a franchise at the gate: this ward is therefore situated entirely without Aldgate, and contains all Whitechapel as far as the bars; Petticoat lane, Houndsditch and the Minories. It is bounded on the east, by the parishes of Spitalfields, Stepney, and St. George’s in the east; on the south by Tower hill; on the west by Aldgate ward, from which it is separated by the city wall; and on the north by Bishopsgate ward.

Its principal streets are, Whitechapel up to the bars, the Minories, and Houndsditch; and its most remarkable buildings, the parish churches of St. Botolph’s Aldgate, and Trinity Minories,

This ward is governed by an Alderman and five Common Council men, including the Alderman’s Deputy; twenty-two inquest men, five scavengers, five constables, and a beadle. The jurors returned by the wardmote inquest serve in the several courts of Guildhall in the month of January. Maitland.

Portugal row, 1. St James’s street. 2. Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Portugal street, 1. Piccadilly. 2. Searle’s street, Carey street.

General Post Office, a handsome and commodious building near the south west extremity of Lombard street, facing Pope’s Head alley.

Of what antiquity the post is in this kingdom, is not easy to determine. Anciently the management of the foreign mails was under the direction of a stranger, who by the permission of the government was chosen by the foreigners dwelling in this city, who even pretended to have a right by prescription of chusing their own post master. However, in the year 1568 a difference arising between the Spaniards and Flemings in London, each chose their separate post master; and this contest occasioned a representation from the citizens to the Privy Council, to beseech her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, to fill that important post with one of her English subjects.

By the first accounts we find of the posts established for the convenience of this kingdom, it appears to have been managed by several private officers, who had their respective districts. But great inconveniences arising from their different methods of proceeding, they were suppressed, and a certain number of public officers erected in their room: but these also not answering the end proposed, a General Post Office was erected by act of parliament in the 12th of King Charles II. in the year 1660, to be kept within the city of London, under the direction of a Post Master appointed by the King.

By this act the General Post Master was impowered to appoint post houses in the several parts of the country hitherto unprovided, both in post and by-roads: the postage of letters to and from all places therein mentioned was not only ascertained, but likewise the rates of post horses to be paid by all such as should ride post.

At length, upon the union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, a General Post Office was established by act of parliament in the year 1710, not only for the united kingdom of Great Britain, but likewise for that of Ireland, and her Majesty’s plantations in North America and the West Indies.

The office of Post Master is at present under the direction of two Commissioners who have 2000l. per annum, and are assisted by a Secretary of 200l. a year, who has four Clerks, two of 60l. a year, one of 50l. and one of 30l.

The other officers under the direction of the Post Master General are, a Receiver General, who has 300l. per annum, under whom are two clerks, who have 50l. a year each.

An Accomptant General who has 300l. per annum, and has a Deputy of 90l. a year, and three Clerks who have 50l. a year each.

A Comptroller of the inland office who has 200l. a year, and has a Deputy of 90l. a year. A Solicitor to the post office who has 200l. a year; a Resident Surveyor, who has 300l. a year; and two Inspectors of the mis-sent letters who have 100l. a year each.

Six Clerks of the roads, viz. Chester, 100l. per annum; Assistant, 60l. West, 60l. and Assistant, 60l. North, 60l. a year, and Assistant, 60l. Bristol, 60l. a year, and Assistant 60l. Yarmouth, 60l. a year, and Assistant, 60l. Kent, 60l. a year, and Assistant, 50l. Notwithstanding the smallness of these salaries; the perquisite of franking news papers, &c. into the country renders the profits of the Clerks of the roads very considerable.

A Court Post who has 2l. a day; and a deliverer of the letters to the House of Commons, who has 6s. 8d. a day.

There is also a Clerk of the by-nights, who has 60l. a year, and his Assistant, 60l. Ten sorters, seven of whom have 50l. a year, and three 40l. a year each, seven, supernumerary sorters, three at 30l. and four at 25l. each. A window man and alphabet keeper, who has 60l. a year; and several other officers and servants, among whom are sixty-seven letter carriers at 11s. a week.

In the foreign office is a Comptroller, who has 150l. a year; an alphabet keeper, who has 100l. per annum, a Secretary who has 50l. a year; and six Clerks, five of whom have 50l. a year each, and one 40l. a year.

Rates for carrying Letters by the Post, to any part of Great Britain and Ireland.

Double letters to be paid twice as much as single, treble letters three times as much, and the ounce four times as much as single letters.

Every single letter not exceeding one sheet, to or from any place not exceeding eighty miles, 3d.

Every single letter above eighty miles, 4d.

Every single letter from London to Berwick, or from Berwick to London, 4d.

Every single letter from Berwick to any place within forty miles distance, 3d.

Carriage of every single letter a greater distance than one hundred and forty miles 6d.

The port of every single letter to or from Edinburgh, and to and from Dumfries or Cockburnsperth, and between either of those places and Edinburgh, not coming from on ship-board, 6d.

The port of every single letter from Edinburgh to or from any place within fifty miles distance in Scotland, 2d.

The port of every single letter a farther distance, and not exceeding eighty miles within Scotland, 3d.

The port of every single letter above eighty miles within Scotland, 4d.

Between Donachaddee in Ireland and Port-Patrick in Scotland for port of letters and packets (over and above the inland rates) to be paid at the place where delivered; single letter, 2d.

The carriage of every single letter from England to Dublin, in Ireland, or from Dublin into England, 6d.

The carriage of every single letter from Dublin to any place within forty miles distance, or from any place within the like distance to Dublin, 2d.

The carriage of every letter a farther distance than forty miles, 4d.

And for the port of all and every the letters and packets directed or brought from on ship-board, over and above the said rates, 1d.

The several rates for the carriage of Letters, Packets, and Parcels; to or from any parts or places beyond the seas, are as follow; viz.

Double letters to be paid for twice as much as single, treble letters three times as much, the ounce four times as much as the single letters.

All letters and packets coming from any part of France to London. Single 10d.

All letters or packets passing from London through France, to any part of Spain or Portugal (port paid to Bayonne) and from Spain and Portugal through France to London, 1s. 6d. single, double 3s.

All letters and packets passing from London through France, to any part of Italy or Sicily by the way of Lyons, or to any part of Turky, by the way of Marseilles, and from any of those parts thro’ France to London. Single 1s. 3d.

All letters and packets coming from any part of the Spanish Netherlands to London. Single 10d.

All letters and packets passing from London through the Spanish Netherlands to any part of Italy or Sicily (port paid to Antwerp), and from any port of Italy or Sicily, through the Spanish Netherlands unto London. Single 1s.

All letters and packets passing from London through the Spanish Netherlands to any part of Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and all parts of the North, and from any of those parts through the Spanish Netherlands unto London. Single 1s.

All letters and packets passing from London through the Spanish Netherlands to any part of Spain or Portugal; and from any part of Spain or Portugal, through the Spanish Netherlands to London. Single 1s. 6d.

All letters and packets passing from any part of the United Provinces to London. Single 10d.

All letters and packets passing from London through the United Provinces, for any part of Italy or Sicily, and from any part of Italy or Sicily, through the United Provinces, to London. Single 1s.

All letters and packets passing from London through the United Provinces, to any part of Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and all parts of the North; and from any of those parts and places, through the United Provinces, to London. Single 1s.

All letters and packets passing from London through the United Provinces, to any part of Spain or Portugal; and from any part of Spain or Portugal, through the United Provinces, to London. Single 1s. 6d.

All letters and packets passing from London through the Spanish Netherlands or the United Provinces, to Hamburgh (port paid to Antwerp or Amsterdam) and from Hamburgh through the Spanish Netherlands, or the United Provinces, to London. Single 10d.

All letters and packets passing between London, Spain, or Portugal, by packet boats. Single 1s. 6d.

All letters and packets passing from London to Jamaica, Barbadoes, Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Christopher’s, in America, and from any of those parts to London. Single 1s. 6d.

All letters and packets from London to New York, in North America, and from thence to London. Single 1s.

All letters and packets from any part of the West Indies, to New York aforesaid. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from New York to any place within sixty English miles thereof, and thence back to New York. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from New York to Perth Amboy, the chief town in East New Jersey, and to Bridlington, the chief town in West New Jersey, and from each of those places back to New York, and from New York to any place not exceeding one hundred English miles, and from each of those places to New York. Single 6d.

All letters and packets from Perth Amboy and Bridlington, to any place not exceeding sixty English miles, and thence back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from Perth Amboy and Bridlington, to any place not exceeding one hundred English miles, and thence back again. Single 6d.

All letters and packets from New York to New London, the chief town in Connecticut in New England, and to Philadelphia, the chief town in Pensilvania, and from those places back to New York. Single 9d.

All letters and packets from New London and Philadelphia, to any place not exceeding sixty English miles, and thence back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from New York and Philadelphia, to any place not exceeding one hundred English miles, and so back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from New York aforesaid, to Newport the chief town in Rhode Island, and Providence Plantation in New England, and to Boston, the chief town in Massachusett’s bay, in New England aforesaid; and to Portsmouth, the chief town in New Hampshire, in New England aforesaid; and to Annapolis, the chief town in Maryland, and from every of those places to New York. Single 1s.

All letters and packets from Newport, Boston, Portsmouth, and Annapolis aforesaid, to any place not exceeding sixty English miles, and thence back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from Newport, Boston, Portsmouth, and Annapolis aforesaid, to any place not exceeding one hundred English miles, and thence back again. Single 6d.

All letters and packets from New York aforesaid, to the chief offices in Salem and Ipswich, and to the chief office in Piscataway, and to Williamsburgh, the chief office in Virginia, and from every of those places to New York. Single 1s. 3d.

All letters and packets from the chief offices in Salem, Ipswich, and Piscataway, and Williamsburgh aforesaid, to any place not exceeding sixty English miles, and thence back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from the chief offices in Salem, Ipswich, Piscataway, and Williamsburgh aforesaid, not exceeding one hundred English miles, and thence back again. Single 6d.

All letters and packets from New York aforesaid, to Charles Town, the chief town in North and South Carolina, and from Charles Town aforesaid to New York. Single 1s. 6d.

All letters and packets from Charles Town aforesaid, to any place not exceeding sixty English miles, and thence back again. Single 4d.

All letters and packets from Charles Town aforesaid, to any place not exceeding one hundred English miles, and thence back again. Single 6d.

Post letters may be sent from London every night to
Abingdon
Ampthill
Ashburton
Attleborough
Bath
Beccles
Beconsfield
Birmingham
Bridgewater
Bristol
Bromsgrove
Burntwood
Bury St. Edmunds
Cambridge
Campden
Canterbury
Chatham
Chelmsford
Chertsey
Chester
Chipping Norton
Cirencester
Claremont
Cobham
Colchester
Croydon
Darking
Dartford
Deal
Derby
Dover
Enfield
Epsom
Esher in Surry
Evesham
Exeter
Faringdon
Feversham
Gerard’s Cross
Gloucester
Gravesend
Grays
Guildford
Ham in Surry
Hampton Court
Hampton Town
Hamwick in Surry
Hanworth
Harborough
Hertford
High Wickham
Ingateston
Ipswich
Isleworth
Kelvedon
Kingston
Kingston Wick
Lalam
Leatherhead
Leicester
Littleton
Liverpool
Loughborough
Lowstoff
Lynn
Maidstone
Manchester
Middlewich
Moulsey in Surry
Namptwich
Newmarket
Newport Pagnell
Northampton
Northwich
Norwich
Nottingham
Oxford
Petersham
Plymouth
Portsmouth
Prescot
Queenborough
Richmond
Ripley
Rochester
Royston
Rumford
Sandwich
Saxmundham
Shepperton
Shiffnal
Shrewsbury
Sittingbourn
Southall
Stafford
Stoke in Norfolk
Stone
Sunbury
Taunton
Teddington
Thame
Thames Ditton
Thanet
Thetford
Tiverton
Twickenham
Uxbridge
Walsall
Walton
Warrington
Wellington
Wells
Weybridge
Windham in Norfolk
Windsor
Wingham in Kent
Witham
Witton
Wolverhampton
Woodburn
Worcester
Yarmouth
Tunbridge bag every night from Midsummer to Michaelmas only

Bags for the following towns are dispatched Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and the returns are delivered Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; Arundel, Brighthelmston, Chichester, East Grinstead, Godalmin, Haslemere, Lewes, Midhurst, Petworth, Ryegate, Steyning, Shoreham.

On Mondays.] To France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Flanders, Sweden, Denmark.

On Tuesdays.] To Holland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, and all parts of England and Wales.

N.B. One Tuesday the packet goes to Lisbon, and the next Tuesday to the Groyn, and so on.

On Thursdays.] To France, Spain, Italy, and all parts of England and Scotland.

On Fridays.] To Flanders, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Holland.

On Saturdays.] To all parts of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

Letters are returned from all parts of England and Scotland certainly, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and from Wales every Monday and Friday. But their coming from foreign parts is more uncertain on account of the seas.

Post Office court, a small but neat court in Lombard street, in which is the post office.

Postern passage, Shoemaker row.

Postern, Bakers row.

Postern Gate, an ancient gate which stood at the east end of Postern row on Tower hill. It was erected soon after the Conquest in a beautiful manner with stones brought from Kent and Normandy, for the convenience of the neighbouring inhabitants, both within and without the walls; but in the second year of the reign of Richard I. William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, and Chancellor of England, having resolved to enlarge and strengthen the Tower of London with an additional fortification, he caused a part of the city wall, which extended about 300 feet from the Tower to this gate, to be taken down, in order to make way for a strong wall and a spacious ditch: by which means the postern being deprived of its support on that side, fell down in the year 1440. It was afterwards replaced by a mean building of timber, laths and loam, with a narrow passage; but this also decayed, and has been many years removed quite away; nothing remaining at present to preserve the name, but a few posts to guard a narrow foot way from the encroachments of horses and carriages.

A little to the south of the place where the gate stood, is a descent by several stone steps to an excellent spring, much admired, which is still called the Postern Spring.

Postern row, a row of houses on Tower hill, leading from the place where the postern gate formerly stood.

Potters fields, 1. Back lane, Southwark. 2. Pickleherring lane.

Pottlepot alley, St. Catharine’s by the Tower.*

Poverty lane, Brook street.?

Poultney court, Cambridge street.

Poulton’s court, near Broad street.†

Poulterers, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Henry VII. in the year 1504.

They have a Master, two Wardens, twenty-three Assistants, and a livery of an hundred and six members, who on their admission pay a fine of 20l. but they have no hall.

Poultry, a street which extends from the Mansion house to Cheapside, and was so denominated from the Poulterers stalls which anciently extended along that street from Stocks market. Maitland. See Scalding alley.

Poultry Compter, one of the city prisons, so denominated from its use and situation: for this prison belonging to one of the Sheriffs, Maitland supposes, might possibly be named the Compter, from the prisoners being obliged to account for the cause of their commitment before their discharge: and the addition of Poultry is added from its situation in that street, to distinguish it from the Compter in Wood street.

For an account of the several officers belonging to the two Compters, see the article Compter.

Powdered Beef court, Cabbage lane.

Powell’s alley, Chiswell street, Moorfields.†

Powell’s court, Queen street.†

Powell’s yard, Upper Ground street, Southwark.†

Prat’s wharf, Millbank, Westminster Horseferry.†

Prebends of St. Paul’s. See the article Canons.

Precentor or Chanter of St. Paul’s, an officer who superintends the church music, and has a sub-chanter to officiate in his absence. To him belongs the second stall on the north side of the choir: he is perpetual Rector of the church of Stortford, proprietor of the same, and patron of the vicarage. Newc. Repert.

Prerogative Court in Doctors Commons; this court is thus denominated from the prerogative of the Archbishop of Canterbury; who by a special privilege beyond those of his suffragans, can here try all disputes that happen to arise concerning the last wills of persons within his province, who have left goods to the value of 5l. and upwards, unless such things are settled by composition between the metropolitan and his suffragans; as in the diocese of London, where it is 10l.

This court, which was formerly held in the consistory of St. Paul’s, is kept in Doctors Commons in the afternoon, the next day after the court of Arches. The Judge is attended by the Register and his Deputy, who sets down the decrees and acts of the court, and keeps the records.

Prerogative Office in Doctors Commons, an office belonging to the above court, in which copies of all wills deposited in the office are wrote in large folio volumes, and any person may have the privilege of searching a particular will for a shilling, and of having a copy of the whole, or of any part of it, for a moderate fee.

The places belonging to this court are in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Presbyterians, a considerable body of Protestant dissenters; their religious sentiments are in general pretty far from Calvinism, they have now scarcely any resemblance to the church of Scotland; and every congregation in this city, is in a manner as independent of each other as the independents themselves. The meeting houses within the bills of mortality are as follows:

1. Bethnal green. 2. Broad street, Wapping. 3. Brook house, Clapton. 4. Church street, Hoxton. 5. Crosby square, Bishopsgate street. 6. Crown court, Russel street. 7. Founders hall, Lothbury. 8. Grafton street, Seven dials. 9. Gravel lane, Houndsditch. 10. Great St. Thomas Apostle’s. 11. Hanover street, Long Acre. 12. King John’s court, Bermondsey. 13. King’s Weigh-house, Little Eastcheap. 14. Leather lane, Holborn. 15. Little Carter lane. 16. Little Eastcheap, near Tower street. 17. Little St. Helen’s Bishopsgate street. 18. Long ditch, Westminster. 19. Maiden lane, Deadman’s place. 20. Middlesex court, Bartholomew close. 21. Mourning lane, Hackney. 22. New Broad street, London wall. 23. Near Nightingale lane. 24. Old Jewry, Poultry. 25. Parish street, Horselydown. 26. Poor Jewry lane, near Aldgate. 27. Queen street, near Cuckolds point. 28. Rampant lion yard, Nightingale lane. 29. Ryder’s court, near Leicester fields. 30. Salisbury street, Rotherhithe. 31. St. Thomas, Southwark. 32. Salters hall, Swithin’s lane. 33. Shakespear’s walk, Upper Shadwell. 34. Silver street, Wood street. 35. Spitalfields. 36. Swallow street, Piccadilly. 37. Windsor court, Monkwell street.

Prescot court, St. John’s street, Smithfield.†

Prescot street, Goodman’s fields.†

Preston’s yard, in the Minories.†

Price’s alley, 1. Brewer’s street. 2. Knave’s Acre, Wardour street.† 3. Queen street, in the Park, Southwark.†

Price’s buildings, Gravel lane.†

Price’s court, Gravel lane.†

Price’s yard, Long lane.†

Priest’s alley, 1. Foster lane, Cheapside.† 2. Tower hill.†

Priest’s yard, Dancing lane, Southwark.†

Primrose alley, 1. Bishopsgate street. 2. Long alley, Moorfields. 3. St. Mary Overies dock, Southwark.

Primrose Hill, a very pleasant hill between Kilburn and Hampstead; also called Green Berry Hill, from the names of the three assassins of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, who brought him hither after they had murdered him at Somerset house.

Primrose row, Primrose alley.

Primrose street, Bishopsgate street.

Prince’s court. Several of these courts and streets received their name, as well as those of King street and Queen street, after the restoration, in honour of the return of the royal family. 1. Duke street, St. James’s. 2. Drury lane. 3. Gravel lane, Southwark. 4. Hedge lane, Charing Cross. 5. Long Ditch, Westminster. 6. Lothbury. 7. Newport market. 8. Old Gravel lane, Ratcliff highway. 9. Tower hill. 10. Wentworth street.

Prince’s square, Ratcliff highway, is a neat square, principally inhabited by the families of gentlemen who belong to the sea. Its chief ornament is the church and church yard belonging to the Swedes, surrounded with iron rails and well planted with trees. The front of the church is carried up flat with niches and ornaments, and on the summit is a pediment. The body is divided into a central part projecting forwarder than the rest, and two sides. The central part has two tall windows, terminated by a pediment, and in the midst of that is an oval window; but in the sides there is only a compartment below with a circular window above. The corners of the building are wrought in a bold, plain rustic. The tower rises square from the roof, and at the corners are placed urns with flames: from thence rises a turret in the lanthorn form with flaming urns at the corners: this turret is covered with a dome, from which rises a ball, supporting the fane, in the form of a rampant lion.

Prince’s stairs, Rotherhith.

Prince’s street, 1. St. Anne’s street, Soho. 2. Barbican. 3. Brick lane, Spitalfields. 4. Charles street, Old Gravel lane, Ratcliff. 5. Drury lane. 6. Duke street, St. James’s. 7. Duke street, Southwark. 8. Hanover square. 9. Little Queen street. 10. Oxford street. 11. Queen street. 12. Ratcliff Highway. 13. Red Lion square, Holborn. 14. Rotherhith Wall. 15. Sun Tavern fields, Shadwell. 16. The west end of Threadneedle street; first built by act of Parliament after the fire of London, in which it was called by this name before it was erected. 17. Upper Moorfields. 18. Whitcomb street, Hedge lane. 19. Wood street, Spitalfields.

Printing House lane, leading to the King’s printing house in Black friars.

Printing House street, Water lane.

Printing House yard, 1. Water lane. 2. By White’s alley, Coleman street; thus named from a large printing house there for woollens.

Pritchard’s alley, Fair street, Horselydown.†

Privy Council, held at the Cockpit. This great and honourable assembly meet in order to consult upon those measures that are most likely to contribute to the honour, defence, safety and benefit of his Majesty’s dominions.

The members of this body are chosen by the King, and are, or ought to be distinguished by their wisdom, courage, integrity, and political knowledge. A Privy Counsellor, though but a Gentleman, has precedence of all Knights, Baronets, and the younger sons of all Barons and Viscounts. They sit at the council board bareheaded, when his Majesty presides; at all debates the lowest delivers his opinion first; and the King last of all declares his judgment, and thereby determines the matter in debate.

Privy Garden, Whitehall, was formerly used as a private garden, though it extended almost to the Cockpit. The wall joined the arch still standing by the Cockpit, and ran on in a line to King street. Plan of London drawn in Queen Elizabeth’s time.

Privy Garden stairs, Privy Garden.

Privy Seal Office, Whitehall. An office under the government of the Lord Privy Seal, a great officer, next in dignity to the Lord President of the Council, who keeps the King’s privy seal, which is set to such grants as pass the great seal of England. The Lord Privy Seal has a salary of 3000l. per annum. Under him are three Deputies, a Secretary, and three Clerks; but these Clerks have no salaries; they have however considerable fees, and 30l. a year board wages.

Probin’s yard, Blackman street, Southwark.†

Protonotaries, or Prothonotaries, in the court of Common Pleas. The word is derived from Protonotarius, a chief Notary or Clerk; and they are accordingly the chief Clerks of this court. They enter and enrol all declarations, pleadings, assizes, judgments, and actions; and make out judicial writs, &c. for all English counties, except Monmouth. They are three in number, and have each separate offices, one in the Middle Temple, another in King’s Bench Walks, and the other in Searle’s court, Lincoln’s Inn. In these offices all the Attorneys of the court of Common Pleas enter their causes.

Each of these Protonotaries has a Secondary, whose office is, to draw up the rules of court, and these were formerly the ancientest and ablest Clerks or Attorneys of the court.

Protonotary’s, or Prothonotary’s Office in Chancery, is kept in Middle Temple lane, and is chiefly to expedite commissions for embassies.

Providence court, North Audley street.

Providence yard, Peter street, Westminster.

Prujean’s court, in the Old Bailey.†

Pruson’s island, Near New Gravel lane.†

Pudding lane, Thames street. In this lane the fire of London broke out, at a house situated exactly at the same distance from the Monument as that is high. Upon this house, which is rebuilt in a very handsome manner, was set up by authority the following inscription:

‘Here by the permission of Heaven, Hell broke loose upon this protestant city, from the malicious hearts of barbarous papists, by the hand of their agent Hubert: who confessed, and on the ruins of this place declared his fact, for which he was hanged, viz. That here began the dreadful fire, which is described and perpetuated, on and by the neighbouring pillar, erected 1681—in the mayoralty of Sir Patience Ward, Knt.’

But the inhabitants being incommoded by the many people who came to look at the house, and read this board, it was taken down a few years ago.

Puddle dock, Thames street. There was anciently a descent into the Thames in this place, where horses used to be watered; who raising the mud with their feet, made the place like a puddle; from this circumstance, and from a person named Puddle dwelling there, this dock, according to Maitland, obtained its present name.

Puddle Dock hill, Great Carter lane.

Puddle Dock stairs, Puddle dock.

Pultney court, Little Windmill street.

Pultney street, 1. Brewer’s street.† 2. Knave’s Acre.†

Pump alley, 1. Brown’s street.? 2. Gardener’s lane, Petty France, Westminster.? 3. Green bank, Wapping.? 4. Perkins’s rents, Peter street, Soho.? 5. Quaker street, Spitalfields.? 6. Queen street in the Park, Southwark.? 7. Red lion street, Wapping dock.? 8. Near Whitecross street, Cripplegate.?

Pump court, 1. Bridgewater gardens.? 2. Charing Cross.? 3. Crutched Friars.? 4. Glasshouse yard.? 5. Holland street.† 6. Jacob’s street, Mill street.? 7. Inner Temple.? 8. Long alley, Shoreditch.? 9. The Minories.? 10. Noble street, Foster lane.? 11. Rose and Crown court.? 12. Portpool lane.? 13. Queenhithe.? 14. Three Foxes court, Longlane, Smithfield.? 15. White Hart yard, Drury lane.? 16. White’s alley.?

Pump yard, 1. Near Aldersgate Bars.? 2. Church lane.? 3. Golden lane.? 4. Gravel lane.? 5. King John’s court, Southwark.? 6. Newington Butts.? 7. In the Orchard, Ratcliff.? 8. Pump alley, Chequer alley.? 9. Three Colts street.† 10. Whitehorse alley, Cow Cross.?

Punch Bowl alley, Moorfields Quarters.*

Punch court, Thrall street, Spitalfields.

Purford. See Pyrford.

Purse court, 1. Fore street, Cripplegate.* 2. Old Change, Cheapside.*

Putney, a village in Surry, situated on the Thames, five miles south west of London, famous for being the birth place of Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex, whose father was a blacksmith here. About this village the citizens of London have many pretty seats; and on Putney Heath is a public house, noted for polite assemblies, and in the summer season for breakfasting and dancing, and for one of the pleasantest bowling greens in England. Here is an old church erected after the same model with that of Fulham, on the opposite shore, and they are both said to have been built by two sisters.

That part of Putney which joins to the Heath, commands a fine view both up and down the river Thames.

Pye corner, Smithfield.

Pye garden, near Willow street, Bank side, Southwark.

Pye street, Westminster.

Pyrford, or Purford, in Surry, the fine seat of the late Denzil Onslow, Esq; situated two miles from Guilford, on the banks of the Wey. It is rendered extremely pleasant, by the beautiful intermixture of wood and water, in the park, gardens, and grounds adjoining. By the park is a decoy, the first of the kind in this part of England.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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