ledged that this agrees best with the service to be performed by it in the King's Chapel, where it was employed in the place of the organ; as likewise with the post it occasioned, which was that of tuning it, or keeping it in order; see also the passage cited below from Spelman. The etymology comes next to be considered, and here Skinner says, 'Author somniando, ut solet, suaviter deducit a Fr. G. Regaillardir, exhilarari; sane si talis vox sit, quod nullus credo, mallem deducere a Fr. G. se Rigoler, deridere, irridere, lascivire, hoc a Lat. Ridiculus, ridiculari, vel quod magis placet, a Lat. Lyricula.'-As before he said he found the word no where but in the English Dictionary, though it occurs in many authors, whom I need not name, so here he professes absolutely to disbelieve there is any such word.— However, his etymology from Lyricula is not greatly amiss, since rigols may naturally enough be corrupted or shortened from Lyricula. Nevertheless I do not take it to be the truth, but that the word rather comes from the Italian Rigabello, being a corruption of that; for hear Sir H. Spelman, In Ede Sancti Raphaelis Venetiis, instrumenti musici cujusdam forma extat, ei nomen rigabello: cujus in ecclesiis usus fuerit ante organa illa pneumatica quæ hodie usurpantur. Rigabello successit aliud quod Tursello dictum est, cujus Venetias usum induxit homo Germanus.' Sansovinus, Lib. 6. Descript. Venetiarum.-The sense of which is. "That in the church of St. Raphael at Venice, the figure of a certain musical instrument, called a rigabello, was to be seen; it was wont to be used in churches, before organs came into vogue. Another instrument, called turcello succeeded the rigabello, the use of which was introduced at Venice by a German*." This passage not only discovers the etymology of the word, namely that it is a corruption or contraction of rigabellot, but likewise shews how we came by the instrument, viz. that it came to us from Italy in those times when this island had a constant intercourse with that country, and in a manner borrowed every thing from thence relative to the practice and service of the church. The French, I apprehend, had their word, regale, which signifies the same thing, from the same original, and the same country. And if any one, after all, should chuse to spell the word * Spelm. Gloss, v. Rigabello. See also Du Fresne in voce. tRigabel, Rigol. regalls, and to fetch it immediately from the French regate, I shall have no great objection; however, I am for the other etymology myself. 1767, March. Yours, &c. T. Row. LXIII. An account of the principal Buildings, Streets, &c. in London and Westminster, with their Antiquity, Derivation, &c. extracted from Stow, Speed, Maitland, &c. ADLE-STREET, is in old records called King Adel-street, from King Adelstan the Saxon. Admiralty-Office was formerly called Wallingford-house. Albemarle-street, so named from the Duke of Albemarle, who bought the east of Clarendon's House, which stood there. Ald-Gate, i. e. Old Gate, was one of the four original gates of the city, being mentioned in King Edgar's reign, in 967. The late Gate was rebuilt in 1609. Aldermanbury was so called from the mayor and aldermen holding their berry or court, in a hall which formerly stood on the east side of that street, till the New Berry court, or Guildhall that now is, was finished. Aldersgate was rebuilt in 1617, and repaired in 1670. Arches, court of, kept in the church of St. Mary-le-bow, was so called from the arches, or bows, that were on the steeple. Ave-mary Lane was so called in the Popish times, from text-writers and bead-makers who dwelt there. Bank of England was begun to be built in 1732, and finished in 1734. ⚫ Barbican took its name from a watch tower, or burk-kenning, which stood there, and was destroyed by Henry III. in 1267. Barnard's Inn, was formerly the house of John Mackworth, dean of Lincoln, and was given by him to the professors of the law. Bartholomew Fair, was instituted in the reign of Henry I. St. Bartholomew Hospital, was also founded by Henry I was reformed and endowed by Henry VIII. and incorporated by Edward VI. It was rebuilt in 1729. Bennet-street, Westminster, so called from Bennet College, Cambridge, to whom it belongs. Bermondsey-street took its name from a priory, or abbey, of St. Saviour, called Bermonds-eye, founded in 1081, and suppressed in 1539. - Bethlem, or Bedlam Hospital, was built in 1676, at 17,000l. expence. Birchin-Lane was anciently called Birchover's-Lane, from its builder. Bishopsgate is supposed to have been built by some bishop, about the year 1200. It was rebuilt in 1479, and 1735. Blackfriars-Bridge was begun in 1761. The expence is not to exceed 160,000l.* Blackwell-Hall, corruptly so called, properly BakewellHall, formerly belonged to the ancient family of the Bas sings, and from thence was called Bassings-Hall, from whom also that ward takes its name, as Coleman-street from Coleman, and Farringdon Ward from William and Nicholas Farringdon, the principal owners of those places. This Hall was called Bakewell-Hall from Thomas Bakewell, who dwelt in this house in 36 Edward III. Being burnt in 1666, it was rebuilt in 1672 by Christ's Hospital, to whom the city gave the profits; which are about 1100l. a year. Bloomsbury was anciently a village named Lomsbury, in which were the king's stables, till they were burnt in 1354. Blossom's-Inn, Lawrence-Lane, was so called from having for its sign St. Lawrence, the deacon, in a border of Blos soms, or flowers. Bridewell, so called from its being near a spring called St. Bridget's or St. Bride's Well, was formerly the king's palace, till, in 1533, Edward VI. gave it to the city as a work house for the poor. It was burnt in 1666, and rebuilt in 1682. Canonbury-House formerly belonged to the prior and canons of St. Bartholomew's, in West-Smithfield.. Change, Old, was so called from the King's Exchange, kept there for the coining of bullion, 6 Henry III. Channel Row, properly Canon-Row, from the Canons of St. Stephen's, Westminster, who dwelt there. Charing-Cross was so called from a Cross set up by Edward I, in memory of his queen, on the spot where King Charles's statue now stands. Charing was then a village. Charter House, or more properly Chartreux (so called from the monastery which stood there, and was dissolved by Henry VIII.(was founded and endowed at the sole cost of Thomas Sutton, Esq. who purchased the house of the Earl of Suffolk, for 13,000l. It was opened in October, 1614. The estate is now above 60001. per ann. [* It was finished in 1770, at the Expence of 150,8401, E1 Cheapside derives its name from there being a market there, which in Saxon is a cheap. Christ's Hospital was founded by Edward VI. in 1552. Clerkenwell, or Clerk's Well, took its name from the parish Clerks of London, who of old used to assemble there every year, to play some large history of Holy Scripture. Cleveland Court was formerly a large house called Berkshire House, purchased by the Duke of Cleveland. Clifford's Inn was a house granted by Edward II. to the family of the Cliffords, and afterwards leased, and then sold to the students of the law. College of Heralds was incorporated by Richard III of Physicians in 1682. Covent (i. e. Convent) Garden, was formerly a Garden belonging to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster. It was granted in 1552 to John, Earl of Bedford. Cripple-Gate was built before the conquest, and took its name from the Cripples who used to beg there. It was repaired in 1633. Crutched Fryers took its name from a monastery of the holy Cross, suppressed by Henry VIII. Custom House was first established 6 Richard II. Being burnt in 1718, the present building was erected soon after. East India House was built in 1726. Ely House was given by William de Luda, Bishop of Ely, to his successors, in 1297. Exeter Change was so called from the house of the Earls of Exeter which stood near it. Fenchurch-street took its name from a fenny, or moorish ground, so made by a stream (called Lang-bourn) that formerly passed through it. Finsbury was formerly called Fensbury, for the same reason. Fleet Dyke, or Ditch, was formerly called the River or Fleet, being navigable for merchant ships as far as Holbourn Bridge. Fleet was first made a Prison in the reign of Richard I. Gate-House Prison was built in the reign of Edward III. Gerrard's Hall, properly Gisors Hall, took its name from John Gisors, mayor of London, who in 1245 was owner of it, and in whose family it continued till 1386. Goodman's Fields were in Stow's time, the Fields and Farm of one Goodman. Grace Church-street, formerly Grass Church-street, was so called from Grass, or Herbs sold there. Gray's Inn was a house belonging to the Grays of Wilton, who resided there from 1315, till the reign of Edward III. when they demised it to the students of the law. Gresham College was founded by Sir Thomas Gresham, in 1596. It is now purchased by the government, in order to convert it into an Excise-Office. Guild-Hall was begun to be built in 1411, and finished in 1421. Hicks's Hall was erected for a sessions house in 1612, by Sir Baptist Hicks, a mercer. Holborn was formerly a village called Old-born, or Hillborn, from a stream which broke out near the place where the bars now stand, and ran down the street to Old-born Bridge, and so into the River of Fleet, now Fleet Ditch. This was long ago stopped up at the head, and in other places. Holborn was first paved in 1535. Hounds Ditch was formerly the City Ditch, and when open, was frequently filled with filth, as dead dogs, &c. whence its name derives. House of Commons was formerly St. Stephen's Chapel, being founded by that king. It was new built and endowed by Edward III. in 1347, and suppressed by Edward VI. since which time it has served as a parliament-house. St. James's Palace was anciently an hospital for lepers.-Being surrendered to Henry VIII. he built the present house. St. James's Park was made by Henry VIII. St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, belonged to the priors of St. John of Jerusalem, being the chief scat in England of those religious knights. It was founded about the year 1100, and suppressed 32 Henry VIII. King Street was so called from its being the King's common road to and from his palace at Westminster. Langbourn (or Long Stream) was a great stream breaking out of the ground in Fenchurch Street, which ran swiftly west, across Grasschurch Street, and down Lombard Street, to the west end of St. Mary Woolnoth's church, and then turning south down Shareborn Lane (so stiled from sharing, or dividing,) ran in several rills to the Thames. It has been long stopped up at the head, and the rest of it filled up and paved over. Leaden Hall was purchased by the city for a common market, and was made free in 1619. Lincoln's Inn was so called from being the Inn, or Townhouse, of Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln, constable of Chester, &c. who died there in 1310. Lombard Street took its name from the Lombards, and |