that the houses on each side of this truly elegant building, intended for the residence of the principal officers engaged in the coinage, would have much more correctly assimulated with the fabric, if they had been fronted with the new stuccu, and ornamented in the same style, so as to form a perfect whole, simple yet beautiful, plain, yet for its purpose, sufficiently magnificent.

Here are steam engines, and all those convenient and mechanical contrivances, which for a long time were only to be found at the Soho, near Birmingham. The Mint, however, is inaccessible to strangers, excepting on special recommendation, or immediate business with the officers.

From East Smithfield a lane running to the right, leads to the Thames, on the bank of which, hereabout stood the Great Breweries; or as they are called in the ancient maps, the Bere House. This part of public sustenance was subject to regulation as early as the reign of Henry VII. who, in 1492, licensed John Merchant, a Fleming, to export fifty tuns of ale, called Berre. And so rude and summary were the modes of checking abuses in those times, that in the same reign, we read that one Geoffry Gate, probably a king's officer, spoiled the brewhouses at St. Catharines's twice, either for sending too much abroad unlicensed, or for brewing it too weak for home con sumption. The demand for this article from foreign parts increased so much in the time of Elizabeth, that five hundred tuns were exported at once for her use, (or probably for the armies in the Low Countries) three hundred and fifty barrels to Embden, three hundred to Amsterdam, and again eight hundred to Embden. It would appear that the exportation of ale, &c. was pretty large in this reign, excepting when checked by proclamation on account of any scarcity of corn, but even then it was permitted at times by royal licence *.

A little

Pennant, the same author from "Customs, &c. of London," printed by Pynson, about 1521, has furnished us with the receipt for making the boasted

A little to the westward of this spot, and not far east of the Tower, in a small open place, called St. Catherine's Square, stands the church of St. Catherine, almost concealed from the view by the surrounding buildings. It belonged originally to au hospital founded in 1148, by Matilda, consort to King Stephen. The old foundation was dissolved and refounded by Queen Eleanor, relict of Henry III. Queen Philippa, consort to Edward III. was a great benefactress to this hospital; so was likewise Henry VI. who not only confirmed all the former grants, and made several additional ones, but gave it an ample charter. It was exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London till its suppression by Henry VIII. soon after which Edward VI. annexed it to the diocese of Londou, but left the patronage in the hands of the Queen of England, according to the wishes of Queen Eleanor, who refounded it. The church, a very handsome Gothic building, is collegiate, and has a master whose situation is a valuable sinecure; and three brethren who have forty pounds each; three sisters who have twenty pounds, and ten beads women who have eight pounds per annum each; besides six poor scholars. This church was repaired and enlarged in 1621; and in 1629, the outside of it was rough cast at the expense of Sir Julius Cæsar, about which time the clock tower was added at the charge of the parishioners. In the choir are several very handsome stalls, ornamented with Gothic work, under one of which is a very good carved head of Queen Philippa, and another of her husband. The east window is very elegant. The pulpit is a great curiosity on its eight sides are represented the ancient building, and the different gates of the hospital. The length of the church is sixty-nine feet, and its breadth sixty; the length of the choir is sixty-three feet, the breadth thirty-two; and the height of the roof is forty-nine feet.

This church, or Free Chapel, is well worthy the attention of the curious; but its obscure situation prevented any particular

notice boasted British liquor, viz. X quarters malte, II quarters wheete; II quarters ⚫otes XI pound weight of hoppys to make LX barrels of sengyll beer."