there are said to be written by the hand of Sir Peter Paul Rubens,

The French church in Threadneedle-street, granted also by patent in the reign of Edward VI. had a library before the Fire of London; and Minshew mentions them to have subscribed to his Dictionary. What remains of this original collection, with the libraries of some of their divines, and other literary gifts, are now deposited in the vestry of the new French church, belonging to the same congregation, meeting at the corner of Church-street, in Brick-lane, Spital-fields.

Dulwich College, erected by John Alleyn, who formerly had been a strolling player. There is a library, in which is a collection of plays given by Mr. Cartwright, who was bred a bookseller, and kept a shop at the end of Turnstile-alley, which was at first designed for a 'Change for the vending of Welsh frizes, flannels, &c. as is still visible to be seen by the left side as you go from Lincoln's Inn Fields, which is now divided; it is turned with arches. Cartwright was an excellent player, and, besides his plays, gave them many excellent pictures. I have seen there a view of London, taken by Mr. Norden in 1603; on the bottom is the view of the Lord Mayor's Show. I never saw another of them.

The Jews, in Bevis Marks, had a library of considerable value in their synagogue, relating to their ceremonials and Talmudical worship; but some narrow minds among them conceiving that, if these books should get into the hands of Christians, they would be disgraced by shameful translations, agreed among themselves to cause them to be burnt; for which purpose they employed some of their scribes, or tephilim writers, to examine into the correctness of the copies; and receiving a report agreeable to their wishes, they had them conveyed to Mile End, where they were all destroyed in a kiln; for it is contrary to their maxim ever to make waste paper of the Sacred Language.

The Barber-surgeons have made a collection of books relating to anatomy, which is in their hall in Monkwell-street. There is the picture of King Henry VIII. giving the charter to the masters, wardens, and assistants, and sitting on his throne. It was painted by Hans Holbein, and is an admirable piece.

William Petyt, of the Inner Temple, Esq. Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, who died in 1707, left by his last will and testament a most valuable collection of MSS. and printed books to the society of which he was a member, as also 1501. for erecting a room for depositing them in;

VOL. I.

F f

and they have built a very curious room adjoining to their hall, which is almost finished. This collection consists of many great curiosities in antiquity, history and parliamentary affairs. It is hoped that public generosity will improve this noble beginning. It would soon be a very complete library, if every member of that honourable society would only present one book every year.

Books sold by auction by good catalogues, and classical arrangements of great libraries, which have been published from time to time, have disseminated more bibliographical knowledge, and served the general cause of letters much better, than all the enormous collections avariciously withheld in the monasteries and convents of our Gothic ancestors. However, we must thank them for preserving, at least, the seeds of that knowledge which so brightly distinguishes the present period.

1790, July.

HENRY LEMOINE.

CXIX. Curiosities in London at the end of the Seventeenth

MR. URBAN,

Century.

IF you do not deem the following desultory remarks on the ancient state of London an intrusion upon more important matter, the transcriber will, and some of your readers may, thank you for their insertion. Minutia, though in themselves trifling, afford pleasure, and are of some importance, when we consider that we are often more affected by small and imperceptible objects, than by such as by their magnitude ingross our whole attention for a while.

Yours, &c.

HENRY LEMOINE.

When Henry VIII. took possession of York Palace, finished by Cardinal Wolsey, he left the new palace at Westminster, but first he made it a city by act of parliament. He also built the Cock-pit and the Tennis-court; cockfighting being peculiar to England; but tennis was a diversion introduced from France about the time of Henry V. To beautify this new palace of Whitehall, he built the gateway next the Banqueting-house, to have the convenience of a gallery into the Park, for the accommodation of ladies, to see the sport of tilts and tournaments, which was performed

on solemn days. The gateway was built and designed by Hans Holbein, and is one of the finest pieces of flint-work in Europe. In Whitehall are several pieces of the same sort as at the Banqueting-house. This flint chequer-work came in use in the middle of the reign of Henry VII. On this gate are the busts of four emperors on each side, worth notice for the curiosity of the workmanship. They are made of clay, and baked in a kiln, and afterwards glazed like fine earthenware, but after another manner; and some part gilt with gold like enamelling, which makes it hold as it does. The further gateway has also some figures of the like nature, but not so well performed, being made of bisket-ware, that is, a white clay, and glazed like potter's

ware.

This the workmen called stone-ware, much in use in the days of Henry VIII. and of King James I. as might have been seen by Dean Colet's head in Paul's school, and likewise his monument in Paul's church, now destroyed by fire, and several of the same kind at Hampton Court. One remains in the wall of the Duke of Britanny's house in Little Britain, where Mr. Norton the printer lived. In the church of St. Andrew Undershaft is John Stow's monument, baked and painted to the life, as Dean Colet's, set up about 1605.

As for the glazing or enamelling of such figures, Stow, in his Survey of London, speaks of the spire-steeple of St. John's, Jerusalem, which was enamelled with several colours, as azure and gold, which made a noble show to the North parts of London, and was the only ornament on that side the city, of which he much laments the downfall. On the West side of Aldgate, new built 1610, there was found an old Roman coin, which, being preserved, was carved out in stone very fine, and worth observation. On the front of several old timber houses in the city and suburbs are the figures of several Roman emperors, but most of the Lower Empire. These, I conceive, were found in digging the foundation of those houses; and some persons, delighting in antiquity, had them made larger in moulds to take off the reverse, and so fixed them upon the houses. This may be seen against St. Andrew's church, in Holborn.

The Earl of Arundel formed a most incomparable collection of antiquities, consisting of curiosities of all kinds, gathered from all nations. After his death, some of his statues fell into the hands of builders, who set them up to ornament their new erections in Cuper's Gardens. What became of the rest is uncertain; but it was reported they were hid under ground, in the time of the Popish plot, in

the court-yard of Tart-hall, where formerly was a gallery of old pictures, the most ancient ever seen in this kingdom.

There were several ancient statues in the Privy-garden; and the gladiator that stood in the Park is removed to Hampton-court. In Somerset-house garden are some few antique figures, and an ancient stone chair.

As for modern statues, there are those of King James II. cast in brass, in the square at Chelsea College and at Whitehall; King Charles I. on horseback at Charing-cross; the four figures of Queen Elizabeth, King James I. King Charles I and II. (carved by Bushnel) at Temple-bar; Queen Elizabeth on the West side of Ludgate; on the East, King Lud and his two sons. At Aldersgate, on the North side, is the true portraiture of King James I. on horseback, in his habit as he came to England, which is much commended; it was carved by Mr. Christmas; on the South side be is in his robes, but lately gone to decay.

There is a piece of the Resurrection, carved in bas-relief, over the gateway of the church yard of St. Andrew, Holborn, in Shoe-lane, not far from the church, much admired by the curious. It has lately been coloured over, to preserve it, which has taken much from the sharpness of it. It has been imitated at the gates of St. Giles's in the Fields, and St. Dunstan's in the East.

At the Stocks Market is the figure of King Charles II. in marble, treading down a Turk. It was cut at Leghorn, in Italy, and reported to be designed for Cromwell, but bought by Sir Robert Vyner, and set up at his charge.

On the South front of the Royal Exchange are the statues of King Charles I. and II. very much esteemed; and in the centre the statue of King Charles II. Cæsar-like, cut in marble, set on a pedestal, cut by the famous G. Gibbons. It is engraved and printed on a large sheet by P. Vanderbank. There are the statues of several of our Kings and Queens, done by several artists; and at the end of one of the walks is the figure of Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of this Exchange, in his proper habit.

The figures of King Edward VI. Queen Elizabeth, and King Charles I. over the South passage into Guildhall, are worthy of observation.

On Aldgate are heads done after two antique medals found at the digging the foundation for new building that gate, ir the year 1610.

At Christ Church are the statues of King Edward VI. the founder, and King Charles II. founder of the Mathematical School.

Over the gateway of St. Bartholomew's, or the Lame Hospital, next Smithfield, is the statue of King Henry VI. the founder.

At Aske's Hospital, near Hoxton, are the statues of the founder, in his gown; and over the gate old Coplestone, and another old man, in their alms-gowns.

In the square at Soho, called Monmouth Square, is the statue of the Duke of Monmouth; and in Queen's Square at Westminster, near the Park, is the figure of Queen Anue; and in Lincoln's Inn Garden are several figures.

Those in the Queen's Garden at St. James's, and on the front of the Duke of Buckingham's house in the Park, deserve a curious inspection.

At the upper end of Westminster Hall are six figures of the Kings of England, Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror, William Rufus, Henry the First, and King Stephen, with crowns on their heads; and on either side of the great gate of the hall, the rest down to Richard the Second's time, he being the builder of the hall, as may be seen by a device of a hart round the verge of the wall, and the arms held by angels carved.

On the outside of the Abbey have been variety of figures of our Kings, Bishops, and Abbots; some remain to this day, particularly that of King James the First, set up at his first coming to England. In the abbey church are very many monuments of our kings, queens, and princes of the blood, dukes, earls, bishops, abbots, &c. for which I refer you to Mr. Keepe's book, where are all the inscriptions and epitaphs, who, had he met with encouragement in his life-time, would have had many of them drawn, to be engraved, for a folio volume, as Sir William Dugdale has done St. Paul's. Mr. Sandford's Genealogy of the kings of England is now publishing, with several additions. In it are the monuments of the kings, quecus, and their children, &c. and some part of the church in perspective; Henry the Seventh's chapel, with his and his queen's monument. This was an admirable piece of building, and called by our antiquary Leland the eighth wonder of the world. Mr. Sandford also did the coronations of King Charles the Second, and King James the Second, with several views of the body of the church and Westminster Hall. When a person has once viewed this cathedral, this book will be a great help to him.

The funeral monuments here, their designs and sculptures in marble, and those cast in brass, exceed any in Europe, and well deserve to be often and critically inspected.