letters patent, December 4, in her second year, again incorporated it as before, and granted some other additional privileges, among which was a confirmation of their antient prescriptive right of sending two burgesses to parliament, the granting to the mayor the authority of a justice of the peace, and the exempting of the townsmen from foreign sessions. Some years after, several doubts arising concerning the validity and meaning of the different parts of the last-mentioned letters patent, a third charter of incorporation was granted by king James I. by letters patent dated December 31, in his second year, anno 1604, by the name and stile of "the Mayor, Jurats, and Commo. nalty, of the king's town and parish of Maidstone," wherein all the privileges of the former were confirmed, and new ones granted. After which a fourth charter was likewise granted by the same king, in his seventeenth year, anno 1619. King Charles II. by letters patent in his thirtyfourth year, anno 1682, incorporated the town anew, by the same stile and title; which charter was made use of in the government in this place till the Revolution in 1688, after which it was entirely laid aside. In the reign of king George II. the corporation being dissolved by judgment of ouster against its principal members, upon informations of quo warranto, a new charter was granted by that king, by letters patent dated at Westminster June 17, in his twentyfirst year, anno 1748. By this charter the corporation act at present; their exclusive jurisdiction as such extending over the town and parish of Maidstone, and on the river Medway, from East Farleigh Bridge to a piece of land called Hawkwood in Burham, in all matters whatsoever as within the same; and for the cognizance and determination of actions and replevins to the further extent of the towns and parishes of East Farleigh, Barming, Lozo, Boxley, Allington, Linton, and Otham, and the hamlets of Mithale in Aylesford, and Newhythe in the parish of East Malling.

The manor, which extends over the whole hundred of Maidstone, belongs to lord Romney, who has a seat called

THE

THE MOTE*, near this borough. The right of election is in the freemen not receiving alms or charity. Returning officer, the mayor.

The chief trade of Maidstone, besides linen thread, which it makes to great perfection, is in hops; of which there are great plenty of plantations about the town, as well as orchards of cherries. The tide flows quite up to the town, and brings up barges, &c. of fifty or sixty tons. A little river falls here into it from Lenham. One of the

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* At this place one of the grandest scenes of national loyalty and generosity was exhibited on the first of August, 1799, when the general muster of the Kentish volunteers took place, in presence of the king, queen, and royal family.

During the greatest part of the preceding day the different volunteer associations of the county of Kent were collecting in the town and neighbourhood of Maidstone. To give peculiar pomp to the volunteers, they marched into the town with drums beating and colours flying, accompanied by the bands in full tune. All the volunteers wore oak boughs in their hats, rendering the whole a very interesting scene. The royal standard was raised on the Town Hall and the church, and the Union flag displayed from many windows in the streets of the town. A pavilion was erected on a rising part of the lawn, at the back of his lordship's house, for the royal family to dine; and another, nearly adjoining, for the nobility attending. Temporary tables and benches were erected near to the spot, in two divisions (but so as to be all within sight of the royal tent), for the volunteers to dine; upon which cloths were laid, and knives and forks placed for near six thousand persons, over each of which a plate was turned, in case it should rain in the night. The tables were ninety-one in number, arranged in order, close to each other, in two divisions; the whole length of the different tables, amounted to thirteen thousand three hundred and thirty-three yards, and the value of the wood work exceeded 15001. On the other side, or front of the house, was a small train of artillery, encamped with tents. About five o'clock on Thursday morning, the companies began to move to the ground, and by nine the whole was occupied. The volunteers were drawn up in a double line, extending from one end of the park to the other, the Maidstone volunteers taking the right of the front line. The morning was very fine until about half past ten o'clock, when a hard shower of rain came on, and lasted about an hour. About ten o'clock, the stadtholder appeared on the ground, and walked to the royal tent, where he waited the arrival of the royal family. In half an hour after,

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publie gaols for the county is kept in this town; and the custody of weights and measures, renewed by the standard of king Henry VII. was committed to it by parliament, as being in the centre of Kent: the courts of justice are always held here, and generally the assizes. This town is a peculiar of the archbishop of Canterbury, who is the proper incumbent, and puts in a curate to officiate for him. The archbishop had a palace here, now belonging to lord Romney, which is esteemed very antient, to which there is a chapel.

after, the duke of York arrived, attended by Sir Charles Gray, Sir Robert Lawrie, and many of the nobility; Mr. Pitt, Mr. Dundas, Mr. Windham, the lord chancellor, &c. all on horseback, and each a branch of oak in his hat. The royal family set off from Kew about five in the morning, and went to breakfast with lord Camden, at his seat at Wilderness, near Riverhead; but, on account of the badness of the roads in some parts, and the delay occasioned at breakfast, they did not arrive at lord Romney's till about a quarter before twelve, and in the midst of a hard shower of rain. His majesty came on the ground on his charger, at tended by his royal highness the prince of Wales and the dukes of Cum berland and Gloucester. The queen, and the princesses Augusta and Elizabeth, were attended by lady Harrington in the state carriage. A royal salute was fired upon his majesty's coming upon the ground. As the royal family were in their tent, they requested to have oak boughs to decorate themselves, which were immediately brought, and the queen and princesses put them in their caps, and pinned them to their bosoms. His majesty and attendants then passed the ranks in front of both lines, complimenting the officers of the different associations as he passed, and afterwards went and reviewed the different troops of cavalry in a back ground. Having again took his former station near the royal tent, the whole military passed in review before them. The shower ceased soon after the king arrived, and it was very fine during the remainder of the day. After the different companies had twice passed in review, they were marched to a distant part of the ground, where they were formed in different parties, and posted in the woods, along the hedges, and in the road, when a sham fight took place. This lasted about an hour and a half, and was over a little before three. The associations then returned to their former ground; the infantry piled their arms, and the cavalry dismounted. A signal gun was then fired for them to go to dinner. Her majesty and the princesses, who during this time had been in their carriages to see these manœuvres, attended by the king and his party, then returned to the house and dismounted. They were afterwards introduced

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chapel. The architecture is Gothic, though some parts of the house have been repaired after the modern stile. Here are four charity-schools, in which are above one hundred boys and girls, who are visited once a week, and catechised, by the minister. This is such a plentiful country, and the lands hereabouts are so rich, that London is supplied with more commodities from hence than from any market town in England, particularly with the large bullocks that come from the Weald of Kent, which begins but

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to the pavilion provided for them near the dinner tables, and there they saw the associations seat themselves at the tables; to prevent confusion, the names of the different companies were painted on a board, and stuck up at the end of the tables they were to occupy. In about three quarters of an hour the companies were all seated; and the viands and wine provided for them, which had been placed early in the morning, were in a sumptuous stile. At this time the queen and princesses were in the pavilion appropriated for them; and his majesty was in the one provided for the nobility; where an address was presented to his majesty upon the occasion by the corporation of Maidstone, attended by the mayor, the recorder, and the high sheriff of the county, who was knighted on the occasion. A sumptuous dinner was afterwards served up in the pavilion for his majesty, the queen, two princesses, the dukes of York, Cumberland, Gloucester, the Stadtholder, and lady Harrington. They were waited upon during dinner by lord Romney, and family. Another sumptuous banquet was provided, for the ministers of state and nobility, at the tent erected near that of his majesty. The volunteers having finished their dinner, his majesty's health was given, in a bumper, by upwards of six thousand, all standing, uncovered, with three times three, and loud and reiterated acclamations of joy, accompanied by the music of all the bands. After this were given, the queen and royal family, the duke of York and the army, the volunteers of the county of Kent, &c. with three times three, standing and uncovered. A number of the officers then came up near the royal tent, and sung, "God save the King!" which, when finished, was loudly cheered three times three by all the numerous company. Lord Romney then came forward, and, after a short pertinent address to the company, proposed to give "His Majesty's Health!' 'in which all the volunteers joined, standing uncovered, with three times three. "God save the King!" was then sung by the whole body of the volunteers, accompanied by the music of their bands, which had the happiest effect. Several other loyal toasts and sentiments were afterwards drunk, in which all parties joined. The music played "God save the King!"

"Rule,

six miles off; with timber, wheat, and great quantities of hops, apples, and cherries; with a sort of paving stone, eight or ten inches square, that is exceeding durable; and with the fine white sand for glass-houses and stationers. distillery of English spirits, denominated MAIDSTONE GENEVA, which was established by the late Mr. Bishop, which is still in a thriving state. Maidstone has also two considerable breweries, and large warehouses for various kinds of traffic. There are some Dutch inhabitants, who have divine service in the old parish church, called St. Faith's. The market here, which is the best in the county, is on Thursday; it has another on the second Tuesday in every month, granted them by George II. in 1751; and fairs on February 13, May 12, June 20 (called Garlick Fair), and October 17. In 1648, this town made such a stand for king Charles I. against general Fairfax with near ten thousand men, that he could not take it, till he had stormed it twice. Here was a college or hospital erected by archbishop Boniface, and a chantry by archbishop Thomas Arundel, which is now the free-school. About the year 1720 several canoes were dug up in the marshes of the Medway above this town. towards the repair of the bridge. On the eastern bank of the river Medway, a small distance south of the parish church, stand the remains of

This parish was antiently taxed fifth arch or pier of Rochester

"Rule, Britannia!" &c. &c. About half past five o'clock, upon a signal gun being fired, the different companies withdrew from the dinner tables, got under arms, and then marched off in different directions. The royal family then returned to lord Romney's house, where they were refreshed with coffee; and about six o'clock the king, queen, and princesses, set off for London, The dukes of York, Cumberland, Gloucester, Messrs. Dundas, Windham, the lord chancellor, and master of the rolls, returned to Sir Charles Middleton's at Tiston, about five miles from Maidstone, where they had slept the preceding night. A general enthusiasm pervaded all ranks, and a royal salute was fired on the king's departure. The town and streets were crowded with company during the whole of the night, who were much entertained with the illuminations and transparencies that were exhibited in different parts.-Gent. Magazine.

St.