In 1346, Edward granted a commission to the master of the hospital of St. Giles in the Fields, and to John of Holborn, for the purpose of repairing the public roads, to lay a toll on all sorts of carriages, for two years to come, passing through the highway leading from the said hospital, to the bar of the Old Temple of London, namely Holborn Bar, near to which stood the Old Temple, or house of the Knights Templars; and also through another highway called Perpoole, (now Gray's-Inn Lane) joining to the aforenamed highway; which roads were, by the frequent passing of carts, wains, horses, and cattle, to and from London, become so miry and deep, as to be almost impassable. And by authority of the same prince, an order of council passed in 1353, for laying a tax of three pence on every sack of wool, and every three hundred of wool-fells; six pence on every last of leather; four pence on every fodder of lead; four pence on every ton of wine; and one halfpenny on every twenty shillings value of all other goods carried either by land or water to the staple of Westminster; for the purpose of repairing the highway leading from the gate of London, called Temple Bar, to the gate of the Abbey at Westminster; that highway being, by the frequent passing of carts and horses, carrying merchandize and provisions to the said staple, become so deep and miry, and the pavement so broken and worn, as to be very dangerous both to men and carriages; and that all owners of houses adjacent to the highway, should repair as much as lay before their doors. Mention is also made of a bridge to be erected near the royal palace at Westminster, for the conveniency of the said staple: but the last probably meant no more than stairs

for the landing of the goods, which sometimes went by the name of a bridge. From this record we may learn, that Temple Bar and Holborn Bar were the most antient western boundaries of the city; that the highway or road between Temple Bar and Westminster, now the noble street called the Strand, was not then built upon, but was a mere country road, separating the city of London from the village of Westminster; having, however, many noblemens and gentlemens houses and gardens adjoining to it, which have since given names to the streets there erected; but whether the village of Charing, lying partly in the way to Westminster, was still in being, or how and when it came to decay, we cannot determine; there was, however, such a village, with a cross on the very spot where the street still bears its name: which cross was not removed till about the middle of the seventeenth century. This affords a curious contrast of approaches to the city of London, in the days of Edward III. compared with the present period.*

This prince, in 1354, granted to the chief magistrate, the privilege of having gold and silver maces carried before him, a privilege hitherto belonging only to royalty, and expressly prohibited to every corporate body in the kingdom, except by royal precept, they being only permitted to have maces of copper. It is with reason asserted, that from this time the chief magistrate of London has assumed the title of Lord Mayor.

As a mark of gratitude for favors recently bestowed by the king, the city, when he renewed his preparations for ef

It is to be inferred hence, that the staple for wool at Westminster, occasioned so great a resort to that royal village, that it encreased, on that account, to a considerable town; it having had before no other dependence but the royal residence, part of the year, and the very large adjacent abbey, until the year 1541, when Henry VIII. on the dissolution of its monastery, converted it into a bishoprick, with a dean and twelve prebendaries, appointing the whole county of Middlesex, except Fulham, which was to belong to the bishop of London, as its diocese. On this occasion it became a city; for the making of which, according to Lord Chief Justice Coke, nothing more is required than the appellation of a bishop's see.

fecting

feting the conquest of France, in 1355, voluntarily contributed towards the proposed armament, twenty-five men com pletely armed, and five hundred archers, habited in uniform; and no doubt remains, but they behaved themselves in the ensuing battle of Poictiers, under the conduct of the Black Prince, as became brave soldiers and loyal citizens.

The public entry of this hero into London, in 1357, was distinguished by the most costly and magnificent parade. "Every street through which the cavalcade passed, exhibited a display of all the riches, beauty, and splendor, of an opulent metropolis, emulously engaged to confer every token of respect on a darling prince, and the captive French monarch. Hangings of tapestry, and streamers of silk, decorated every mansion, whilst vessels of gold and silver ostentatiously announced the wealth of its inhabitants. The implements and ornaments of war were displayed with peculiar pride and exultation. The beauty and gentility of the whole kingdom had flocked to the capital, to enjoy this rare spectacle. The captive John, arrayed in royal robes, was mounted on a beautiful white steed, whilst the victorious prince of Wales, as modest as brave, in a plain dress, rode by his side on a little black palfry, with the air of an attendant, rather than of a conqueror. But this zenith of splendor was soon eclipsed-the life of this excellent prince terminated in 1376, in the forty-sixth year of his age, sincerely and universally deplored.

The year 1360 was highly honourable to the city. A French army of twenty thousand men, having made a descent on the Sussex coast, and committed innumerable, wanton, and cruel depredations, a spirit of retaliation was quickly excited, and the ports of the kingdom headed by the Londoners, equipped a formidable fleet of one hundred and sixty sail, with fourteen thousand men, who soon purged the Channel of the invaders, and, in return, landing on the coast of France, spread universal dismay and devastation.

The plague having made dreadful ravages in 1361, the state thought it adviseable to use every prevention against

any

any further progress it might make; and as it was imagined that slaughtering beasts was a great cause to induce the malady, the king issued the following proclamation:

"Because by killing of great beasts, &c. from whose putrified blood running down the streets, and the bowels cast into the Thames, the air in the city is very much corrupted and infected, whence abominable and most filthy stinks proceed; sicknesses, and many other evils have happened to such as have abode in the said city, or have resorted to it; and great dangers are feared to fall out for the time to come, unless remedy be presently made against it:

"We, willing to prevent such danger, and to provide as much as in us lies for the honesty of the said city, and the safety of our people, by the consent of our council in our present parliament, have ordained, that all bulls, oxen, hogs, and other gross creatures, to be slain for the sustenance of the said city, be led as far as the town of Stratford on one part of London, and the town of Knightsbridge on the other; and there, and not on this side, be slain; and that their bowels be there cleansed, to be brought, together with the flesh, to the said city to be sold: and if any butcher shall presume any thing rashly against this ordinance, let him incur forfeiture of the flesh of the creatures which he hath caused to be slain on this side the said towns, and the punishment of imprisonment for one year. This ordinance to be publicly proclaimed and held; and all butchers doing otherwise to be chastized and punished according to the form of the ordinance aforesaid. Witness the king at Westminster," &c.

A very singular opportunity of displaying city hospitality and magnificence, occurred in 1363. The Scottish aud French monarch having returned a visit to Edward as guests, to whom they had been formerly captives, were joined at London by the king of Cyprus; these princes, with the English monarch, having received an invitation to dine in the city, were all entertained at the house of Henry Picard, a citizen of distinction, who had served the office of lord mayor a few years before.

But

But circumstances of more real importance took place about this time; several regulations were established to prevent litigation between landlord and tenant, which ordained, "That every fixed improvement which the tenant shall make on his tenement, during the time of his lease, it shall not be in his power to destroy or remove on quitting the premisses, but to leave it for the benefit of his landlord."

The latter years of Edward were troublesome and ungracious: after the death of his accomplished son the Black Prince, the monarch grew peevish, impatient, and in some degree ridiculous: his animosity with his parliament, the crown which he had hitherto supported with dignity, descending to a weak, unprotected boy, and the insults he re. ceived on account of his silly attachment to the caprice of Alice Perrers, had soured his temper, and sunk upon his mind. Worn out with care and vexation, he terminated what has been called, "a long and glorious career," at Shene, in Surrey, in 1377, aged sixty-six years,-fifty-one of which he had swayed the sceptre. His character, however, is very ably summed up in a few words by Granger: "his valour, conduct and fortune, are equally the objects of our admiration: but he acquired more solid glory by his domestic government, than by all the splendor of his victories *.'

Several religious houses were erected in the city and liberties during this reign; among the principal, were the col. legiate chapel of St. Stephen, adjoining the antient palace at Westminster; the Chartreuse, vulgarly called the Charterhouse, founded by Sir Walter Manny; New Abbey, East Smithfield; and Elsing Spital, now Sion College.

The events of the inauspicious reign of Richard II. furnish details unpleasant and uninstructive +. The city councils taking example from their superiors, were tumultuous,

Biographical History of England, Vol. I. p. 11.

In 1377, a subsidy was granted by parliament, to which individuals were assessed proportionably to their rank and condition in life. From it we learn the consideration in which the city magistracy was now held in the eye of the law. The chief magistrate decorated with the title of right honourable, and lord Mayor, was rated as an earl, at four pounds, and the aldermen as barons, at two pounds each. Fabian, p. 293.

VOL. I. No. 4.

L

inconsistent,