youthful assembly, accompanied by the organ, concludes this part of the solemnity. At the supper, the treasurers, governors, and those of the public who procure admission with tickets, are seated at the south end of the hall; the master, steward, matron, &c., at the north end; and the several nurses at the tables, to preserve good order. At the conclusion of the whole, the doors of the wards are thrown open, and the boys pass by the company in procession; first the nurse, then a boy carrying two lighted candles; others with bread-baskets and trays, and the remainder, two by two, who all make their obedience as they pass."

The hospital is not exactly the school which its founder intended; instead of being a refuge for the poor, it has become a nursery for the rich. The education being superior, great interest is exerted to procure the admission of a child; and wealthy people have been known to use every species of influence to get their children into it. In the year 1809, when a committee was appointed to inquire into this abuse, it was publicly stated, that a clergyman in the enjoyment of an annual income of £1200 had procured admission for two of his sons; and his case was far from being a singular one. The peculiar dress of the boys affords a good idea of the general dress of the citizens in the time of Edward VI.

Christ Church, adjoining, is a remnant of the ancient monastery of the Grey Friars. It derived its origin from a society founded by St. Francis of Assisi, canonized in 1228; but was founded by John Ewin, mercer. Under the reign of Edward I. it was much augmented by the benevolence of Queen Margaret. Sir Richard Whittington also founded a library of books here, 129 feet long, and 30 broad. The church belonging to this convent of Grey Friars, after growing into great repute, became a parish church in the reign of Henry VIII., and was then ordered to be called by the name of Christ's Church. This ancient church was 300 feet long, 89 broad, and upwards of 64 feet high. It was burnt down in the great fire; since which, the choir, or east end, has been rebuilt, with a tower added to it. In the beautiful modern edifice, now called Christ's Church, there are very large galleries for the use of the scholars of Christ's Hospital. Here have been preached the Spital Sermons in Easter week, since they were discontinued at St. Bride's; and an annual sermon on St. Matthew's day, before the lord mayor, aldermen, and governors, after which the senior scholars

make Latin and English orations in the great hall, previously to being sent to the university.

The old conventual church of the Grey Friars was distinguished for the magnificence of its monuments, containing four queens. Here was that of Queen Margaret, consort of Edward I.; Isabel, queen to Edward II.; her daughter Joan of the Tower, wife of Edward Bruce, King of Scotland; Isabel, Countess of Bedford, daughter of Edward III.; Beatrice, Duchess of Bretagne, daughter of Henry III.; Baron Sir William Fitzwarren, and his wife Isabel, Queen of the Isle of Man; John, Duke of Bourbon, a prisoner at the battle of Agincourt, who died in 1443; and others recorded by Stow. But the materials of the monuments of these eminent personages, consisting of marble, alabaster, stone, and iron, were sold in 1545 to Sir Martin Bowers, lord mayor of London, at the time of the dissolution of religious houses, in proportion of ten tombs and one hundred and forty grave stones, for £50.

About December, 1691, the celebrated Richard Baxter, author of the "Saint's Everlasting Rest," &c., was buried in Christ Church.

Here also, says Pennant, were interred the mangled remains of Sir John Mortimer, knight, a victim to the jealousy of the house of Lancaster. He was put to death on a fictitious charge, by an ex post facto law made on purpose to destroy him. This was in the infancy of the reign of Henry VI.

In Christ Church Passage, leading from Newgate Street to Christ Church, nearest to Bagnio Court, stood the ordinary of the once famous Pontack, probably the first house for genteel accommodation in eating known in this metropolis. It was opened by a person of this name, soon after the great revolution in 1688, and remained, if not a fashionable, a genteel eatinghouse, till about the year 1780; since which the site has been occupied by the new vestry. This house was called Pontack's, from its being the sign of Mr. Pontack, who was a president of the parliament of Bordeaux, and from whom also the best French clarets derived their name. This was the first public place where persons could bespeak a dinner, from four or five shillings a-head to a guinea. This house was soon after followed by another upon the same plan, and at no great distance, which was called Caveack's.

The Queen's Arms Tavern, in Newgate Street, was also, within the same period, one of the schools of oratory, upon much the same plan as that more celebrated one of the Robin Hood,

near Temple Bar. Both of these, we believe, have been frequented by many public characters, who have since figured before some of the first audiences at the bar, &c,

In the same ground lies another guiltless sacrifice, Thomas Burdett, Esq., ancestor of the late Sir Francis Burdett. He had a white buck, which he was particularly fond of; this the king, Edward IV., happened to kill. Burdett, in anger, wished the horns in the person's body who had advised the king to it. For this he was tried, as wishing evil to his sovereign, and for

this lost his head.

To close the list, in 1523, a murderess, a Lady Alice Hungerford, obtained the favour of lying here. She had killed her husband; for which she was led from the Tower to Holborn, there put into a cart with one of her servants, and thence carried to Tyburn and executed.

On the dissolution, this church, after being spoiled of its ornaments for the king's use, was made a storehouse for French prizes, and the monuments either sold or mutilated. Henry, just before his death, granted the convent and church to the city, and caused the church to be opened for divine service. It was burnt in 1666, and rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, at a small distance from its former site.

On the right-hand side of Newgate-street are various streets and courts leading into Paternoster Row. Of these, Warwick and Ivy Lanes, Panyer Alley, and Lovell's Court, merit the attention of the lover of literary and historical antiquities. Warwick Lane, now the abode of butchers and tallow-chandlers, took its name from the inn or house of the celebrated Warwick, the king-maker.

Stow mentions his coming to London in the famous convention of 1458, with 600 men, all in red jackets, embroidered, with ragged staves, before and behind, and was lodged in Warwick Lane, "in whose house there was often six oxen eaten at a breakfast, and every taverne was full of his meate, for hee that had any acquaintance in that house, might have there so much of sodden and rost meate, as he could pricke and carry upon a long dagger."

The memory of the earl was long preserved by a small stone statue, placed in the side front of a tobacconist's, at the corner of this lane; and there is a public-house which has the earl's head for its sign.

CHAPTER XXI.

The Old College of Physicians-Ivy Lane-Lovell's Court; Richardson wrote some of his works there-Panyer Alley, the highest spot in the City -Newgate Market - St. Nicholas; Shambles -Bladder Street- Mount Goddard Street-The Sanctuary in St. Martin's-le-Grand-The Curfew Bell-Rescue of a prisoner, and flight to the Sanctuary-The Sanctuary broken by the Sheriff of London, and important consequences detailedManufacture here of counterfeit plate-New Post Office-Origin and progress of the General Post Office-Paternoster Row, the great mart of the Booksellers, anciently for Mercers-Little Britain, formerly the headquarters of literature-John Dunton-Ave-Maria Lane-Stationers' Hall, on the site of the palace of the Duke of Bretagne-Stationers' Company incorporated-Grant of James I. to the Stationers' Company-Concerts and other entertainments given in their Hall.

THE large building in this lane, now converted into a market, and partly inhabited by Mr. Tylor, was long used by the College of Physicians, before their removal to their new abode, of which we have spoken.

The college was first in Knight Rider Street; afterwards it was removed to Amen Corner; and finally fixed here. The present building was the work of Sir Christopher Wren.

Ivy Lane was so called on account of ivy which grew on the walls of the prebendal houses belonging to St. Paul's. These were afterwards converted into various public offices, which were destroyed by the great fire. Ivy Lane is now, with Paternoster Row, part of the great hive of the booksellers. Here Dr. Johnson held one of his favourite literary clubs.

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Lovell's Court is built on the site of a mansion first belonging to the Dukes of Bretagne, after they left Little Britain, and then to the family of Lovell, from whence it got the name of Lovell's Inn. Matilda, the wife of John Lovell, held it in the first of Henry VI. John, Lord Lovell, was ruined through his taking part with the house of Lancaster against that of York. While the celebrated Richardson, the author of "Grandison,' Clarissa, &c., was living, a Mr. Alderman Brigden had a dwelling-house and a handsome garden in this court, which having the conveniency of an alcove, Richardson, as a friend to the alderman, is said to have written several of his works in this retired spot. The garden has been built upon, and considerably retrenched during some years past.

Panyer Alley, Stow says, was so called from such a sign. There is a small stone monument placed about the centre, having the figure of a pannier, with a naked boy sitting upon it, erected in 1688, with a bunch of grapes held between his hand and foot, and underneath the following couplet

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

Newgate Market is one of the best in London for meat and poultry, and once stretched to both sides of the street, but is now confined to one. The church here was called St. Nicholas, Shambles.

The site of Bull Head Court formerly contained the church of St. Nicholas, Shambles, from whence there was a lane to St. Martin's-le-Grand. Shambles, it seems, stood in the middle of Newgate Street, beyond which there was a lane, called Pentecost Lane, filled with slaughter-houses. This church and its tenements, Henry VIII. gave to the city. In Butcher-hall Lane, then called Stinking Lane, the hall of the butchers was afterwards erected.

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Newgate Market then stretched almost as far as Eldenese, now Warwick Lane; it was then appointed for vending corn and meal; hence, in the first of Edward VI., a fair new and strong frame of timber was set up at the city, near the west corner of St. Nicholas, Shambles, for the meal to be weighed."

Bladder Street, by some called Blowbladder Street, is the name which anciently distinguished the east end of Newgate Street, opposite St. Martin's-le-Grand, and was so called on account of the sale of bladders within it, from the adjoining shambles. The continuation of the street to Ivy Lane was called Mount Goddard Street.

At the end of Newgate Street, to the left, is the General Post Office, standing on the site of the ancient church and sanctuary of St. Martin's-le-Grand. Pennant, who is, however, rather too profuse in his denunciations of the privilege of sanctuary-good in itself, but, like many other good things, too frequently abused -gives an account of St. Martin's, which we shall transcribe, and add some particulars which he has omitted. "This imperium in imperio," says he, "was surrounded by the city, yet subject near three centuries to the governing powers of Westminster Abbey. This was a college in 700, founded by Wythred, King of Kent, and rebuilt and chiefly endowed by two noble Saxon brothers, Ingelric and Edward, about the year 1056. William the Conqueror confirmed it in 1068, and even made it independent