Sir John Gayer, a considerable merchant in Leadenhall Street, and lord mayor in the year 1643, on his return to Europe from a successful voyage, was cast away on the coast of Africa. In the midst of his distress he perceived a lion making towards him; and he immediately fell upon his knees, and after resigning himself to the will of Providence, declared, that "if the Almighty would please to deliver him out of his perilous situation, he would, on his return to England, evince his gratitude, and endeavour, to the end of his life, to inculcate reliance upon Providence in the worst extremes of human wretchedness." The lion passed without molesting him; and the next day, having descried a vessel, he embarked, and had a safe passage to his native land. On his arrival, he immediately placed in trust the sum of 2007. the interest of which was to supply bread for the poor of this parish for ever; and he left twenty shillings to be paid to the minister for preaching a sermon every succeeding 16th of October, in commemoration of his escape; which bequest has been strictly applied and attended to for nearly two centuries.

This church was repaired and beautified in a very liberal manner in the year 1805; and exhibits, by its appearance, what a structure dedicated to the service of the Deity should be.

Nearly opposite is TYLERS AND BRICKLAYERS HALL, which is rented by a congregation of the Jewish persuasion, and used by them as a synagogue. Though the fraternity of Tylers and Bricklayers is of considerable antiquity, they were not incorporated till 1568, by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth. They consist of a master, two wardens, thirty-eight assistants, and one hundred and three livery

men.

fronted one of the noblemen of Henry's court, the peer's vengeance went so far as to threaten Holbein's life. This coming to the king's ears, he commanded, on peril of his utmost displeasure, that he would desist from any further attempt to the danger of the painter's; remarking at the same time," that he could ereate nobles daily; but it was beyond his power to create an equal to Holbein !"

At

At the extremity of Leadenhall Street, which forms an angle with Fenchurch Street, near the pump, was once a residence of Stow; and he relates the cruel execution of the bailiff of Romford on a gibbet, which had been erected immediately before his house during the reign of Edward VI. The unhappy man on the ladder, thus declared himself, in the presence of our historian: I know not for what offence I am brought to die, except for words by me spoken yesternight to Sir Stephen, curate and preacher of this parish; which were these: he asked me, "What news in the country?" I answered, "heavy news." "Why," quoth he?" "It is sayd," quoth I, "that many men be up in Essex; but, thanks be to God, all is in good quiet about us." And this was all, as God be my judge.' Upon these words of the prisoner, Sir Stephen, who was the fanatical firebrand of those times, to avoid the reproach of the people, left the city, and sunk into his deserved obscurity.

"In that age there were most barbarous and cruel punishments, by martial law, against all spreaders of rumours. The times were turbulent; but slighter penalties than death might have sufficed."

In the year 1789, were recovered the remains of the beautiful little chapel of St. Michael, under Stow's house It is supposed to have been built by Norman, prior of Trinity, about the year 1108, in the Gothic architecture. Its dimensions are forty-eight feet by sixteen; and it is built with square pieces of Rochester stone. The arches are very elegant, supported by ribs, which converge, and meet on the capitals of the pillars, which are nearly buried in the earth; but are supposed to be covered with sixteen feet of soil. The whole addition of soil, since its foundation, is supposed to have been twenty-six feet; an amazing increase, which might almost occasion one to imagine this to have been the sub-chapel of some now lost church *.

Turning a little into Fenchurch Street, the eye is attracted by an immense and noble pile of brick building

In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1789, after various other conjectures, it is supposed, with probability, that this fabric suffered by tho dreadful fire in the reign of king Stephen.

3

extending

extending to, and having a communication wita, another structure of the same kind in Jewry Street, Crutched Friars These are used as TEA AND DRUG WAREHOUSES by the East India Company; and are indicative of the vast proportion of wealth possessed by that princely body of merchants. Formerly here was the town residence of the prior of Monte Jovis, or rather of Hornchurch, in Essex, a cell to that priory. To this on the east, joined Northumberland House, belonging to Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland, and his son, both of whom lost their lives in the civil wars which desolated the country, in the reign of Henry VI. After that noble family had relinquished this house for Charing Cross, the mansion and gardens were converted into bowling allies and dice houses; but gambling having been dis persed to other parts of the city, this antient and only pa lace of misrule was left and forsaken of her gamesters, and turned into a number of small cottages *.

In Magpie Alley, stands the obscure church of

THIS church has the addition of Coleman from a great haw, yard, or garden, antiently called Coleman Haw. It formerly belonged to the deanery of St. Martin Le Grand;

Stow. Pennant,

afterwards

afterwards to the abbot and convent of Westminster; and ultimately, by letters patent of Mary I. it was bestowed on bishop Bonner, and his successors for ever.

Sir William White, lord mayor in 1489, was a great be nefactor to the old church, which having escaped the fire, was much buried in consequence of raising the pavement of the streets. In 1734, this fabric was taken down, and the present church erected at the expence of the parish, under the sanction of two acts of parliament, in the reign of George II. by which the parishioners were enabled to raise money by annuities at the annual rate of 87. per cent. and to rate the inhabitants to pay the said annuities.

This building is a plain and neat brick building, with a lofty body, enlightened by two rows of windows. The tower is also folid and fimple; and the floor is raised so much above the surface of the street, that there is an ascent of several steps to the church door. The inside is destitute of ornament, and the organ very plain; the pulpit is supported by two Corinthian pillars, and the altar forms an arch, in which are two Ionic pillars and a pediment, furmounted by an assemblage of clouds and cherubims. The only monument of any consequence is erected to the memory of Lady Higham, in 1634.

The situation of the church is singular; on one side, next the street, its nearest neighbour is an alehouse; and, on the other, the congregation in a Jew's synagogue pour forth their ejaculations of prayer and praise to the Deity; but, though such opposite professions subsist on so contracted a spot, there are no feuds in the neighbourhood.

Returning eastwardly, at the junction of Houndsditch, Whitechapel Street, and the Minories, formerly stood

ALDGATE,

of which not a vestige remains here. This was one of the four original gates of the City, through which passed the Roman viciual way from the trajectus, or ferry at Old Ford. It derived its name from its antiquity, and is mentioned in a charter granted by king Edgar, in the year 967. In digging its foundation, when it was levelled for re

building

building in 1606; several Roman coins were discovered, a resemblance of two of which, the emperor Trojan, and Dioclesian*, the surveyor of the works caused to be cut in stone, and placed on each side of the east front, where it remained till the gate was taken down in 1761; and its remains having been purchased by Ebenezer Mussell, Esq. who deprecating the destruction of such a relic of antiquity, removed them to Bethnal Green; and having compaeted the parts, the restored fabric forms a venerable and. respectable addition to his house at that place.

In the year 1215, the Londoners having given encouragement to the barons against king John, they entered the city at this gate. Fitzwalter, Magnavile, earl of Essex, and Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester, the leaders of the baronial army, having destroyed the monasteries and emptied their treasuries, repaired the various gates and walls of the city, with the stones of the Jews dwellings, which their adherents had also demolished. Aldgate, which had so easily given them admittance, on account of its ruinous state, first attracted attention; it was rebuilt with strong arches and bulwarks of Norman stone, and Flanders tile.

During the reign of Edward IV. the bastard Falconbridge, having assembled a riotous body of seamen in Essex and Kent, and placed them in a vast number of ships, anchored near the Tower. The mayor and aldermen, having notice of their rebellious measures, by consent of common council, in 1471, fortified the Thames shore from Baynard's Castle to the Tower with armed men, guns, and other implements of opposition. The bastard and his adherents despairing of advantage on that side of the city, at tacked the walls and gates, as well as from the Thames and, besides constantly annoying the citizens by means of arrows and guns, fired the suburbs. On Sunday the eleventh of May, in the same year, a body of five thousand men entered Aldgate; but the portcullis being suddenly let

* The other coins found were those of Clodius Albinus, Vespasian, Domitian, Carausius, and Valentinian.

VOL. II. No. 35.

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down,

;