Lord Coke, in his 3d Inst. (cap. 51.) speaking of the City of Westminster, says, "It hath its name of 'the Monastery,' which Minster signifieth, and it is called Westminster, in respect of Eastminster, not far from the Tower of London. This Westminster, Sebert, the first King of the East Saxons that was christened, founded." It is added in a note in the margin, Segbert began his Reign A. D. 603.

Lord Coke, however excellent a Lawyer, I fear was but a bad Antiquary; for the reverse rather seems to be the case, as it will appear that Eastminster was so called in respect of Westminster. For in Stowe's Survey of London (edit. 1633), p. 497, he gives the following account of the Foundation of the Church of Westminster:—"This Monasterie was founded and builded in the year 605, by Sebert, King of the East Saxons, upon the perswasion of Ethelbert, King of Kent, who, having embraced Christianity, and being baptized by Melitus, Bishop of London, immediately (to shew himself a Christian indede) built a Church to the honor of God and St. Peter, on the West side of the City of London, in a place, which (because it was overgrown with thornes, and environed with water) the Saxons called 'Thornez,' or 'Thorney;' ... whereupon, partly from the situation to the West, and partly from the Monasterie or Minster, it began to take the name of Westminster:" and then he goes on with the history of that Church.

So far of Westminster. Of Eastminster Stowe gives the following account, by which it will appear that the foundation of Eastminster was subsequent to that of Westminster, by at least 700 years. "In the year 1348," says he, "the 23d of Edward the Third, the first great Pestilence in his time began, and increased so sore, that for want of roome in Church-yards to bury the dead of the City and of the Suburbs, one John Corey, Clerke, procured of Nicholas, Prior of the Holy Trinity within Ealdgate, one toft of ground neere unto East Smithfield, for the buriall of them that dyed; with condition, that it might be called the Church-yard of the Holy Trinity: which ground he caused, by the ayd of divers devout Citizens, to be inclosed with a wall of stone; ... and the same was dedicated by Ralfe Stratford, Bishop of London, where innumerable bodies of the dead, were afterwards buried, and a Chapel built in the same place to the honour of God; to the which King Edward setting his eye (having before, in a tempest on the sea, and peril of drowning, made a vow to build a Monastery to the honour of God, and our Lady of Grace, if God would give him grace to come safe to land), builded there a Monasterie, causing it to be named Eastminster, placing an Abbot and Monks of the Cistercian or White order." P. 117.

In Stowe, p. 751, is a list of all the "Patrones of all the Benefices in London," in which this Foundation seems to be twice mentioned, first as the "Abbey of White Monks," and then as "Mary de Grace, an Abbey of Monkes, by the Towre of London."