commonalty, and citizens of London, of the other part; in consequence of the surrender of a former lease of indenture, dated the 6th of April 1709, and of or in the pieces or parcels of ground thereinafter mentioned, granted by the worshipful Henry Godolphin, doctor in divinity, then dean of the said cathedral, and the then chapter, unto the said lord mayor, &c. did demise, &c. all that and those piece or parcel of ground adjoining together, as the same is and are designed, marked, admeasured, and set out for the holding and keeping a market, situate, lying, and being between Warwick Lane and Ivy Lane, in the parish of St. Faith the Virgin, in London, containing in the whole by admeasurement twenty-three thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven superficial feet of assize; and also all the pieces or parcels of ground which are allotted, marked, set out, and designed for passages,ways, and avenues into, out, and from the said market, as is and are thereinafter mentioned; which said market place abutteth east unto and upon other ground of the said dean, &c. now or late in the occupation of Sir John Osborn, Bart. or his under tenants; in, upon, and through which is a way or passage of ten feet broad admeasured, marked or set out to lead from the said market place into Ivy Lane aforesaid, by admeasurement nine hundred and sixty superficial feet; and the said ground designed for the said market abutteth west unto and upon other grounds of the said dean, &c. then or late in the several tenures of John Amhesrt; in, upon and through which is another passage or way of eighteen feet broad, marked, admeasured and set out to lead from the said market place into Warwick Lane aforesaid, containing by admeasurement one thousand four hundred and twentytwo superficial feet; north unto and upon other ground of, &c. then or late in the occupation of the said Sir John Osborn, in, upon, and through which, part of another way or passage of eighteen feet broad is marked, admeasured, and set out, to lead from the said market in Newgate Street, containing, &c. seven hundred and eleven superficial feet; south upon other ground of, &c. in the tenure, &c. of Wil

liam Watson, Esq. Daniel Shetterdan, Esq. in, upon, and through which is another way or passage of ten feet broad, marked, admeasured, and set out to lead from the said market place into Paternoster Row, containing by admeasurement seven hundred and ten superficial feet, except and reserved out of this present lease and demise unto the said dean, &c. and their successors, tenants, or assigns, free liberty to build over the said two ways or passages of ten feet broad, leading into Ivy Lane, and into Paternoster Row, at both ends of either of the said ways or passages, sixteen feet deep, or thereabouts, from the first story above ground as high as the adjacent ground, and to be laid unto and used with any of the next adjoining houses or tenements, to hold for forty years, at the yearly rent of 41."

The present farmers obtained an under lease from the city of this market, upon paying a fine and a certain annual rent, and therefore insisted they were intitled to all the ground to the upright of all the houses which environed the market; and that no persons whatsoever occupying the business of a butcher, or selling meat, had any right even to put out-hooks to hang their meat, without paying toll.

As the act of the twenty-second of Charles II. directs, that "the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, shall have a market as therein is described," surely the housekeepers, as citizens, and all other citizens of London, had a right to a free use of this market. In this act there is no notice of toll; and however the farmers of this and other markets, claiming under the mayor and commonalty of the city of London, might have set up such kind of demand, it was certainly intended to affect such persons only (non-freemen) who brought into the market various commodities out of the country to sell, and were, consequently, provided by the farmers with stalls, standings, boards, trussels, weights, scales, &c. but this could not have been applicable to the housekeepers, who furnished themselves with all those necessaries abstractedly from the farmers.

Whereupon it was thought necessary to have a proper survey taken by two able surveyors, who performed it in

the

the most accurate manner; by which it was demonstrable that the twenty-three thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven superficial feet, granted by the dean and chapter of St Paul's to the city of London, by the case above-mentioned, comprehended the whole of the ground as the same was designed, marked, admeasured and set out for the holding and keeping a market, exclusive and leaving a way or passage of eight feet eight inches to the fronts of all the houses round the market.

The absurdity of the proposition set down by these farmers, was evident; and that it could be conceived a number of respectable inhabitants, holding houses of large rents, had no entrance into those houses without an additional rent to the farmers, as well as for the ground before their tenements, is only necessary to be mentioned to be refuted. The cause of right was however tried at Guildhall, in the court of Common Pleas, in July; the plaintiffs were nonsuited, and the market has ever since continued, as it ought to be, free and unmolested.

Various beneficial acts respecting the city were passed in the year 1755. These were, an act "to vest Montague House in trustees; and enabling them to convey it to the trustees of the British Museum for a general repository. Another to prevent the holding of any market in the High Street in the Borough of Southwark,; and another for establishing a ferry across the Thames, from Narrow Street, in Limehouse parish, to the east end of Rotherhithe, by which an easy and short communication is maintained for horses and carriages between the roads on the north side of the Thames east of London, and all the counties of Surrey and Kent."

Mr. John Miles, an eminent wheelwright near Bishopsgate, having been about this time indicted on the statute 5th Elizabeth, for using and exercising the trade of a coachmaker and coach harness maker, not having served seven years apprenticeship, in which the king was plaintiff; the cause was tried on the twelfth of July at Guildhall, be

fore

fore chief justice Ryder and a special jury, when, after a trial of four hours and upwards, he obtained a verdict in his favour.

At a court of common council held the eighteenth of December, the petition for a new bridge at Blackfriars, which had been prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose, was agreed to by a majority of thirty-four; and Mr. Sheriff Whitbread was ordered to present the same to the house. This petition was accordingly presented on the thirteenth of January following; and an act of parliament was soon after passed for that purpose. By this act the lord mayor, aldermen and common council were directed" to form the said bridge in such a manner, as that there should remain a free and open passage of seven hundred and fifty feet at least for the water through the arches within the banks of the river; and that no buildings, except the proper gates and toll-houses, be erected thereon. The said mayor, &c. were empowered to make, widen, and enlarge such streets, ways, and passages, as they should think necessary to and from the said bridge, and to agree with the owners and occupiers of such lands, tenements, and hereditaments, as they should think proper to be purchased, removed, or pulled down for that purpose. The act also provided, that a proper number of lamps be fixed on the said bridge, and a number of watchmen appointed for the safety of the passengers. And to defray the expences of attending the completion of this undertaking, the mayor, &c. were empowered, after the bridge should be finished, to appoint a toll *.

*This toll was not to exceed the following rate :

5. d.

For every coach, chariot, berlin, chaise or calash, drawn by six or more horses

2 0

For every coach, &c. drawn by four horses

1 6

Less than four horses

1 0

For every waggon, wain, carr, cart or carriage, drawn by four

or more horses, or other beasts

1 0

Less than four

For every horse, mule, or ass, laden or unladen, not drawing

For every foot passenger, on Sunday

The mayor, &c. were empowered to raise, on the credit of the toll, any sum, not exceeding 30,000l. per annum, until 160,000l. should be raised, to be applied to the purposes of the act. They were likewise farther empowered to fill up the channel of Bridewell Dock, between Fleet Bridge and the Thames, and to take away the bridge cross the said channel, making proper drains and sewers into the river."

The year 1756 was productive of a scheme, projected by that friend of his country and of mankind, Jonas Hanway, Esq. by which the nation was benefited, friendless orphans protected and relieved; at the same time that they became the adopted children of the public, and were rendered useful members of society. This great and good man, jointly with Justice Fielding, Justice Welsh, and several merchants, &c. formed themselves into a voluntary association, denominated THE MARINE SOCIETY, for the cloathing and fitting out such orphan, friendless and destitute boys, as were willing to engage in the service of the navy. This excellent scheme was prosecuted with such zeal, that many hundreds were then, and many thousands have since been, rescued from an abandoned course of life, and rendered serviceable to their king and country*.

In the course of this year several resolutions in common council were passed, respecting the improvement of London Bridge, and the foundation of that at Blackfriars; but as they are more peculiarly adapted to the topographical portion of our undertaking, they are omitted in this place.

But in 1757, a petition was presented by the sheriffs on the twelfth of February at the bar of the House of Commons, respecting the fishery in the river Thames. It was alledged in the petition, "that the office of bailiff and conservator of the river Thames, and waters of Medway, had been time out of mind vested in the mayor and commonalty and citizens of the said city, to be exercised by the mayor, or his sufficient deputies; and reciting the provisions of an act passed in the ninth of Queen Anne, "for the better pre

* The court of common council, on the 12th of December 1758, ordered 500% to be given as a benefaction to this society.

servation