london in 1731-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ly　disposed。　　In　the　place　where　the　armoury　now　stands　was　formerly　a　bowling…green；　a　garden；　and　some　buildings；　which　were　demolished　to　make　room　for　the　grand　arsenal　I　have　been　describing。

In　the　horse…armoury　the　most　remarkable　things　are　some　of　the　English　kings　on　horseback　in　complete　armour；　among　which　the　chief　are　Edward　III。；　Henrys　V。　and　VII。；　King　Charles　I。　and　II。；　and　King　William；　and　a　suit　of　silver　armour；　said　to　belong　to　John　of　Gaunt；　seven　feet　and　a　half　high。　　Here　also　they　show　us　the　armour　of　the　Lord　Kingsale；　with　the　sword　he　took　from　the　French　general；　which　gained　him　the　privilege　of　being　covered　in　the　king's　presence；　which　his　posterity　enjoy　to　this　day。

The　office　of　ordnance　is　in　the　Tower；　with　the　several　apartments　of　the　officers　that　belong　to　it；　who　have　the　direction　of　all　the　arms；　ammunition；　artillery；　magazines；　and　stores　of　war　in　the　kingdom。

The　White　Tower　is　a　lofty；　square　stone　building；　with　a　turret　at　each　angle；　standing　on　the　declivity　of　the　hill；　a　little　below　the　armoury；　and　disengaged　from　the　other　buildings；　where　some　thousand　barrels　of　powder　were　formerly　kept；　but　great　part　of　the　public　magazine　of　powder　is　now　distributed　in　the　several　yards　and　storehouses　belonging　to　the　government；　as　at　Woolwich；　Chatham；　Portsmouth；　Plymouth；　&c。；　to　prevent　accidents；　I　presume；　for　should　such　a　prodigious　quantity　of　powder　take　fire；　it　must　be　of　fatal　consequence　to　the　city；　as　well　as　the　Tower。　　The　main　guard　of　the　Tower；　with　the　lodgings　of　the　officers；　are　on　the　east　side　of　this　building。

In　the　chapel　of　the　White　Tower；　usually　called　Caesar's　Chapel；　and　in　a　large　room　adjoining　on　the　east　side　thereof；　sixty…four　feet　long；　and　thirty…one　broad；　are　kept　many　ancient　records；　such　as　privy…seals　in　several　reigns；　bills；　answers；　and　depositions　in　chancery；　in　the　reigns　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　King　James　I。；　and　King　Charles　I。；　writs　of　distringas；　supersedeas；　de　excommunicato　capiendo；　and　other　writs　relating　to　the　courts　of　law；　but　the　records　of　the　greatest　importance　are　lodged　in　the　Tower　called　Wakefield　Tower；　consisting　of　statute　rolls　from　the　6th　of　Edward　I。　to　the　8th　of　Edward　III。

Parliament　rolls　beginning　anno　5　of　Edward　II。　and　ending　with　the　reign　of　Edward　IV。

Patent　rolls　beginning　anno　3　of　John；　and　ending　with　the　reign　of　Edward　IV。　　In　these　are　contained　grants　of　offices；　hands；　tenements；　temporalities；　&c。；　passing　under　the　great　seal。

Charter　rolls；　from　the　1st　of　King　John　to　the　end　of　Edward　IV。　in　which　are　enrolments　of　grants；　and　confirmations　of　liberties　and　privileges　to　cities　and　towns　corporate；　and　to　private　persons；　as　markets；　fairs；　free　warren；　common　of　pasture；　waifs；　strays；　felons'　goods；　&c。

The　foundations　of　abbeys　and　priories；　of　colleges　and　schools；　together　with　lands　and　privileges　granted　to　them。

The　patents　of　creation　of　noblemen。

Close　rolls；　from　the　6th　of　King　John；　to　the　end　of　Edward　IV。；　in　which　are　writs　of　various　kinds；　but　more　especially　on　the　back　of　the　roll　are　entered　the　writs　of　summons　to　parliament；　both　to　the　lords　and　commons；　and　of　the　bishops　and　inferior　clergy　to　convocations。　　There　are　also　proclamations；　and　enrolments　of　deeds　between　party　and　party。

French　rolls；　beginning　anno　1　of　Edward　II。　and　ending　with　Edward　IV。；　in　which　are　leagues　and　treaties　with　the　kings　of　France；　and　other　matters　relating　to　that　kingdom。

Scotch　rolls；　containing　transactions　with　that　kingdom。

Rome；　touching　the　affairs　of　that　see。

Vascon　rolls；　relating　to　Gascoign。

There　are　also　other　rolls　and　records　of　different　natures。

In　this　tower　are　also　kept　the　inquisitions　post　mortem；　from　the　first　year　of　King　Henry　III。；　to　the　third　year　of　Richard　III。

The　inquisitions　ad　quod　damnum；　from　the　first　of　Edward　II。　to　the　end　of　Henry　V。

Writs　of　summons；　and　returns　to　Parliament；　from　the　reign　of　Edward　I。　to　the　17th　of　Edward　IV。

Popes'　bulls；　and　original　letters　from　foreign　princes。

All　which　were　put　into　order；　and　secured　in　excellent　wainscot　presses；　by　order　of　the　house　of　peers；　in　the　year　1719　and　1720。　Attendance　is　given　at　this　office；　and　searches　may　be　made　from　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning　to　eleven；　and　from　one　to　five　in　the　afternoon；　unless　in　December；　January；　and　February；　when　the　office　is　open　only　from　eight　to　eleven　in　the　morning；　and　from　one　to　four；　except　holidays。

The　next　office　I　shall　mention　is　the　Mint；　where；　at　present；　all　the　money　in　the　kingdom　is　coined。　　This　makes　a　considerable　street　in　the　Tower；　wherein　are　apartments　for　the　officers　belonging　to　it。　　The　principal　officers　are：…　l。　The　warden；　who　receives　the　gold　and　silver　bullion；　and　pays　the　full　value　for　it；　the　charge　being　defrayed　by　a　small　duty　on　wines。　　2。　The　master　and　worker；　who　takes　the　bullion　from　the　warden；　causes　it　to　be　melted；　delivers　it　to　the　moneyers；　and　when　it　is　minted　receives　it　from　them　again。　　3。　The　comptroller；　who　sees　that　the　money　be　made　according　to　the　just　assize；　overlooks　the　officers　and　controls　them。　　4。　The　assay…master；　who　sees　that　the　money　be　according　to　the　standard　of　fineness。　　5。　The　auditor；　who　takes　the　accounts；　and　makes　them　up。　　6。　　The　surveyor…general；　who　takes　care　that　the　fineness　be　not　altered　in　the　melting。　　And；　7；　the　weigher　and　teller。

The　Jewel…office；　where　the　regalia　are　reposited；　stands　near　the　east　end　of　the　Armoury。　　A　list　is　usually　given　to　those　who　come　daily　to　see　these　curiosities　in　the　Jewel…house；　a　copy　whereof　follows；　viz。：


A　list　of　his　Majesty's　regalia；　besides　plate；　and　other　rich　things；　at　the　Jewel…house　in　the　Tower　of　London。

1。　　The　imperial　crown；　which　all　the　kings　of　England　have　been　crowned　with；　ever　since　Edward　the　Confessor's　time。

2。　　The　orb；　or　globe；　held　in　the　king's　left　hand　at　the　coronation；　on　the　top　of　which　is　a　jewel　near　an　inch　and　half　in　height。

3。　　The　royal　sceptre　with　the　cross；　which　has　another　jewel　of　great　value　under　it。

4。　　The　sceptre　with　the　dove；　being　the　emblem　of　peace。

5。　　St。　Edward's　staff；　all　beaten　gold；　carried　before　the　king　at　the　coronation。

6。　　A　rich　salt…cellar　of　state；　the　figure　of　the　Tower；　used　on　the　king's　table　at　the　coronation。

7。　　Curtana；　or　the　sword　of　mercy；　borne　between　the　two　swords　of　justice；　the　spiritual　and　temporal；　at　the　coronation。

8。　　A　noble　silver　font；　double　gilt；　that　the　kings　and　royal　family　were　christened　in。

9。　　A　large　silver　fountain；　presented　to　King　Charles　II。　by　the　town　of　Plymouth。

10。　　Queen　Anne's　diadem；　or　circlet　which　her　majesty　wore　in　proceeding　to　her　coronation。

11。　　The　coronation　crown　made　for　the　late　Queen　Mary。

12。　　The　rich　crown　of　state　that　his　majesty　wears　on　his　throne　in　parliament；　in　which　is　a　large　emerald　seven　inches　round；　a　pearl　the　finest　in　the　world；　and　a　ruby　of　inestimable　value。

13。　　A　globe　and　sceptre　made　for　the　late　Queen　Mary。

14。　　An　ivory　sceptre　with　a　dove；　made　for　the　late　King　James's　queen。

15。　　The　golden　spurs　and　the　armillas　that　are　worn　at　the　coronation。


There　is　also　an　apartment　in　the　Tower　where　noble　prisoners　used　to　be　confined；　but　of　late　years　some　of　less　quality　have　been　sent　thither。

The　Tower　where　the　lions　and　other　savage　animals　are　kept　is　on　the　right　hand；　on　the　outside　the　ditch；　as　we　enter　the　fortress。　These　consist　of　lions；　leopards；　tigers；　eagles；　vultures；　and　such　other　wild　creatures　as　foreign　princes　or　sea…officers　have　presented　to　the　British　kings　and　queens。

Not　far　from　the　Tower　stands　London　Bridge。　　This　bridge　has　nineteen　arches　besides　the　drawbridge；　and　is　built　with　hewn　stone；　being　one　thousand　two　hundred　feet　in　length；　and　seventy…　four　in　breadth；　whereof　the　houses　built　on　each　side　take　up　twenty…seven　feet；　and　the　street　between　the　houses　twenty　feet；　there　being　only　three　vacancies　about　the　middle　of　the　bridge　where　there　are　no　houses；　but　a　low　stone　wall；　with　an　iron　palisade；　through　which　is　a　fine　view　of　the　shipping　and　vessels　in　the　river。　　This　street　over　the　bridge　is　as　much　thronged；　and　has　as　brisk　a　trade　as　any　street　in　the　city；　and　the　perpetual　passage　of　coaches　and　carriages　makes　it　troublesome　walking　on　it；　there　being　no　posts　to　keep　off　carriages　as　in　other　streets。　　The　middle　vacancy　was　left　for　a　drawbridge；　which　used　formerly　to　be　drawn　up　when　shipping　passed　that　way；　but　no　vessels　come　above　the　bridge　at　this　day　but　such　as　can　strike　their　masts；　and　pass　under　the　arches。　　Four　of　the　arches　on　the　north　side　of　the　bridge　are　now　taken　up　with　mills　and　engines；　that　raise　the　water　to　a　great　height；　for　the　supply　of　the　city；　this　brings　in　a　large　revenue　which；　with　the　rents　of　the　houses　on　the　bridge；　and　other　houses　and　lands　that　belong　to　it；　are　applied　as　far　as　is　necessary　to　the　repair　of　it　by　the　officers　appointed　for　that　service；　who　are；　a　comptroller　and　two　bridge…masters；　with　their　subordinate　officers；　and　in　some　years；　it　is　said；　not　less　than　three　thousand　pounds　are　laid　out　in　repairing　and　supporting　this　mighty　fabric；　though　it　be　never　suffered　to　run　much　to　decay。

I　come　next　to　describe　that　circuit　of　ground　which　lies　without　the　walls；　but　within　the　freedom　and　jurisdiction　of　the　City　of　London。　　And　this　is　bounded　by　a　line　which　begins　at　Temple　Bar；　and　extends　itself　by　many　turnings　and　windings　through　part　of　Shear　Lane；　Bell　Yard；　Chancery　Lane；　by　the　Rolls　Liberty；　&c。；　into　Holborn；　almost　against　Gray's…Inn　Lane；　where　there　is　a　bar　（consisting　of　posts；　rails；　and　a　chain）　usually　called　Holborn　Bars；　from　whence　it　passes　with　many　turnings　and　windings　by　the　south　end　of　Brook　Street；　Furnival's　Inn；　Leather　Lane；　the　south　end　of　Hatton　Garden；　Ely　House；　Field　Lane；　and　Chick　Lane；　to　the　common　sewer；　then　to　Cow　Cross；　and　so　to　Smithfield　Bars；　from　whence　it　runs　with　several　windings　between　Long　Lane　and　Charterhouse　Lane　to　Goswell　Street；　and　so　up　that　street　northward　to　the　Bars。

From　these　Bars　in　Goswell