Qualis vita, finis ita.Here under lyes the wonder of her kinde,The quintessence of nature and of grace,Wit, beauty, bounty, and (in noble raceThe rarest jewel) a right humble minde,Here lyes her body, but her soule refin’dAbove th’empyreall, hath imperial place,In bliss so boundlesse, as no words embrace,Nor art can feigne, nor mortal heart can finde.Her fame remaines a monument of honour,Built by her virtue, gilt with purest gold,With lilly flowers and roses strewed upon her.Her epitaph.Urania thus enrol’d:Milde childe, chaste mayden, and religious wife:The even crownes the day, Joane Essex’ death her life.
Qualis vita, finis ita.Here under lyes the wonder of her kinde,The quintessence of nature and of grace,Wit, beauty, bounty, and (in noble raceThe rarest jewel) a right humble minde,Here lyes her body, but her soule refin’dAbove th’empyreall, hath imperial place,In bliss so boundlesse, as no words embrace,Nor art can feigne, nor mortal heart can finde.Her fame remaines a monument of honour,Built by her virtue, gilt with purest gold,With lilly flowers and roses strewed upon her.Her epitaph.Urania thus enrol’d:Milde childe, chaste mayden, and religious wife:The even crownes the day, Joane Essex’ death her life.
Qualis vita, finis ita.
Here under lyes the wonder of her kinde,
The quintessence of nature and of grace,
Wit, beauty, bounty, and (in noble race
The rarest jewel) a right humble minde,
Here lyes her body, but her soule refin’d
Above th’empyreall, hath imperial place,
In bliss so boundlesse, as no words embrace,
Nor art can feigne, nor mortal heart can finde.
Her fame remaines a monument of honour,
Built by her virtue, gilt with purest gold,
With lilly flowers and roses strewed upon her.
Her epitaph.
Urania thus enrol’d:
Milde childe, chaste mayden, and religious wife:
The even crownes the day, Joane Essex’ death her life.
Before we conclude this article, it may be proper to observe, that in the year 1605, Mr. Robert Dew gave by deed of gift, fifty pounds to this parish, on condition that for ever after, a person should go to Newgate, in the still of the night before every execution day, and standing as near the cells of the condemned prisoners as possible, should, with a hand bell, (which he also gave for that purpose) give twelve solemn tolls with double strokes, and thenafter a proper pause, deliver with an audible voice the following words:
“You prisoners that are within,Who for wickedness and sin,
“You prisoners that are within,Who for wickedness and sin,
“You prisoners that are within,Who for wickedness and sin,
“You prisoners that are within,
Who for wickedness and sin,
After many mercies shewn you, are now appointed to die to-morrow in the forenoon, give ear and understand, that to-morrow morning the greatest bell of St. Sepulchre’s shall toll for you in form and manner of a passing bell, as used to be tolled for those at the point of death: to the end that all godly people hearing that bell, and knowing it is for your going to your deaths, may be stirred up heartily to pray to God to bestow his grace and mercy upon you whilst you live.
“I beseech you, for Jesus Christ’s sake, to keep this night in watching and prayer, for the salvation of your own souls, while there is yet time and place for mercy; as knowing to-morrow you must appear before the judgment seat of your Creator, there to give an account of all things done in this life, and to suffer eternal torments for your sins committed against him, unless upon your hearty and unfeigned repentance, you find mercy through the merits, death, and passion of your only mediator and advocate Jesus Christ, who nowsits at the right hand of God to make intercession for as many of you as penitently return to him.”
He likewise ordered that St. Sepulchre’s great bell should toll, till it was supposed these unhappy prisoners were executed; and that as the criminals passed by the wall of St. Sepulchre’s church yard, to execution, the same bellman should look over it, and say:
“All good people, pray heartily unto God for these poor sinners, who are now going to their death, for whom this great bell doth toll.
“You that are condemned to die, repent with lamentable tears: ask mercy of the Lord for the salvation of your own souls, through the merits, death, and passion of Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God, to make intercession for as many of you as penitently return unto him.”
“Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you,Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you.”
“Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you,Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you.”
“Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you,Lord, have mercy upon you,Christ, have mercy upon you.”
“Lord, have mercy upon you,
Christ, have mercy upon you,
Lord, have mercy upon you,
Christ, have mercy upon you.”
For this service the bellman or sexton receives 1l.6s.8d.a year; but upon these occasions there is generally so much noise, that nobody can hear one word that the bellman says.
St.Sepulchre’salley, a passage by the east end of St. Sepulchre’s church.Sergeants at Law.The highest degree of lawyers under a Judge. The young student in the common law, when admitted to be of one of the inns of court, is called aMoot-man, and after about seven years study, is chosen an Utter Barrister, and is then capable of being made a Sergeant at law.
When the number of Sergeants is small, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, by the advice and consent of the other Judges, chuses about six or eight of the most learned persons of the Inns of court, and presents their names to the Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, who sends to each of them the King’s writ to appear on a particular day before the King, to receive the degree of a Sergeant at law.
At the time appointed, they being dressed in robes of two colours, brown and blue, they go, attended by the students of the Inns of court, with a train of servants and retainers, dressed in peculiar liveries, to Westminster hall, where they publicly take a solemn oath, and are cloathed with robes and coifs, without which they are from thenceforward never to appear in public. After this they give a great entertainmentto the principal persons of the nation; and present gold rings to the Princes of the blood, the Archbishops, the Lord Chancellor, and the Treasurer, to the value of forty shillings each ring; to the Earls and Bishops rings of 20s.and to other great officers, Barons, &c. rings of less value, besides a great number of rings to their private friends.
Out of these Sergeants are chosen the Judges of the King’s Bench and Common Pleas.
Sergeants Inn, on the south side of Fleet street, almost opposite to the end of Fetter lane. It consists of a court surrounded with handsome new buildings, among which are the Society’s chapel and hall; and a very handsome edifice belonging to the Amicable Society.
The officers belonging to this Inn, are, a Steward, a Master Cook, and a Chief Butler.
Sergeants Inn, Chancery lane, near the end next Fleet street, consists of two courts, a small hall, and a convenient kitchen; but the buildings are low and mean.
The officers of this Inn are, also, a Steward, a Master Cook, and a Chief Butler.
Sergeants Inncourt, 1. Chancery lane. 2. Fleet street.
Sermonlane, 1. Limehouse. 2. Little Carter lane.
Sersnetalley, Narrow Wall, Limehouse.
Setter’syard, Deadman’s fields.
Seven Dials, near Monmouth street; so called from a handsome pillar, upon which are seven sun-dials, fronting the same number of streets, which radiate upon it.
Sevenoak, a market town in Kent, near the river Dart or Darent, 23 miles from London, in the road to Rye. It obtained its name from seven very large oaks which grew near it, when it was first built; and is governed by a Warden and Assistants. Here is an hospital and school, for the maintenance of people in years, and the instruction of youth, first erected by Sir William Sevenoak, Lord Mayor of London in the year 1418, who is said to have been a foundling supported and educated at the expence of a charitable person of this town, whence he took his name. The school afterwards met with other benefactors, and among the rest, Queen Elizabeth having greatly augmented its revenue, it was thence called Queen Elizabeth’s free school. It was rebuilt in 1727. Sir Henry Fermor, Bart. has a seat here; as has also Dr. Thomas Fuller. About a mile from Sevenoak, to the south,is Knowl Place, the seat of the Duke of Dorset, situated in the middle of a park; and towards the east is the seat of —— Pratt, Esq; which is also seated in the midst of a park.
Seven Starsalley, 1. Cable street, Rag fair.* 2. Ratcliff highway.* 3. Rosemary lane.* 4. Whitecross street.*
Seven Starscourt, 1. Great Garden, St. Catharine’s lane.* 2. Moor lane.* 3. Seven Stars alley, Ratcliff highway.*
Seven Stepsalley, 1. Old Montague street. 2. Petticoat lane, Whitechapel. 3. Rotherhith Wall.
Seven Stepsyard, Houndsditch.
Seymour’scourt, Little Chandois street.
Shad Thamesstreet, Horselydown.
Shadwell, formerly a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, is now a distinct parish, and by the great increase of buildings is united to this metropolis. This parish, which is one of the Tower hamlets, is situated on the north bank of the Thames, and received its name from a fine spring which issues from the south wall of the church yard. The parish is, from its situation, divided into Upper and Lower Shadwell, Lower Shadwell being anciently a part of Wapping marsh.
In the north east of this parish is Sun tavern fields, where a Roman cemetery, or burying place, was discovered about theyear 1615, wherein were found two coffins, one of which being of stone, contained the bones of a man; and the other of lead, finely embellished with scallop shells, and a crotister border, contained those of a woman, at whose head and feet were two urns, each three feet high; and at the sides several beautiful red earthen bottles, with a number of lachrymatories of hexagon and octagon forms. On each side of the inhumed bones were two ivory scepters of the length of eighteen inches each, and upon the breast the figure of a small Cupid, curiously wrought; as were likewise two pieces of jet resembling nails, three inches in length. According to the opinion of that judicious antiquary Sir Robert Cotton, who made this discovery, the person here interred must have been the wife of some Prince, or Roman Prætor, by the decorations of the coffin and the things contained in it.
In this place were likewise discovered several urns, with Roman coins, which had on one side this Inscription,Imp. Pupienus Maximus P. F.and on the reverse, with hands joined,Patrus Senatus.
A few years ago was also discovered in this place a mineral spring, said to be impregnated with sulphur, vitriol, steel, and antimony. It is esteemed a great anti-scorbutic, and is said to have performedmany remarkable cures in the leprosy, scurvy, scald heads, and other cutaneous diseases.
For Shadwell church, see the articleSt.Paul’sShadwell.
Shadwelldock, Shadwell.
Shadwellmarket, Upper Shadwell.
Shadwell Waterworksare placed in Shadwell, and wrought by two fire engines, that fill two main pipes of six or seven inches bore with Thames water; by which means that neighbourhood is well supplied.Maitland.
Shaftesbury House, in Aldersgate street. See the articleLondon Lying-in Hospital.
Shaft’scourt, Leadenhall street.
Shakespear’swalk, Upper Shadwell.†
Sharp’salley, 1. Barnaby street, Southwark.† 2. Cow Cross, Smithfield.† 3. Leadenhall street.† 4. Nortonfalgate.†
Sharp’sbuildings, Duke’s Place, near Aldgate.†
Shaw’salley, Kent street, Tooley street.†
Shaw’scourt, St. Margaret’s hill.†
Sheen, orEast Sheen, a pleasant village, situated a little to the south of Mortlake, where is the fine seat of the Lord Viscount Palmerston, the successor of Sir William Temple. The gardens were laid out and completed by the great genius of Sir William, who here spent the latter part of his life.
Sheep’s Headalley, Shoreditch.
Sheerlane, Temple Bar.
Sheersalley, 1. East Smithfield.* 2. Shoreditch.* 3. White street.* 4. Wentworth street.* 5. Wood street, Cheapside.*
Sheffieldstreet, Clare market.
Sheldon’scourt, Bedfordbury.†
Shepherd’salley, near Vintner’s hall, Thames street.†
Shepherd’scourt, 1. Hockley in the hole.† 2. Upper Brook street.†
Shepherd’sgardens, in the Minories.†
Shepherd’smarket, near Curzon street.†
Shepherd’smews, Park street, Southwark.†
Shepherd’sstreet, Oxford street.†
Shepherd’syard, Shoreditch.†
Sherburnlane, Lombard street; thus named from the brook Langbourn, which anciently ran out of Fenchurch street, and here turning south, divided into several shares, rills, or streams. This lane was also anciently called Southbourn lane, because these rills here ran south to the Thames.Maitland.
Sheriffs, two very ancient officers of the city, established in the time of the Saxons: but Richard I. changed the name of these officers to the Norman appellation of Bailiff, which signifies an Intendant, Collector, or petty Magistrate; as the Saxon Sciregrave implies a Judge, Overseer, orCollector. However, the appellation of Bailiff proving of no long duration, the more ancient one of Sheriff was restored to that office.
The Sheriffs are chosen by the Liverymen of the several companies on Midsummer day, the Lord Mayor drinking to those whom he nominates for their approbation: but any person who can swear that he is not worth 15000l.may be excused from serving the office; however, if he is qualified with respect to fortune, he is obliged to serve, or to pay a fine of about 500l.or otherwise to engage in a law suit with the city. This last is particularly the case of the dissenters, who look upon themselves as disqualified by law; since by act of Parliament, every person who serves the office of Sheriff ought to have received the sacrament in the church of England, twelve months before he enters upon his office.
Any gentleman of the city may be chosen an Alderman, without his serving the office of Sheriff; but he is obliged to be a Sheriff before he can be Lord Mayor.
The office of Sheriff, according to our great antiquary Mr. Camden, is to collect the public revenues within his jurisdiction, to gather into the Exchequer all fines, to serve the King’s writs of process,and by theposse comitatusto compel headstrong and obstinate men to submit to the decisions of the law; to attend the Judges, and execute their orders, to impanel juries, and to take care that all condemned criminals be duly executed.
All actions for debt in the city are entered at the two compters belonging to the Sheriffs, where the prisoners either give bail, or are confined in prison, unless being freemen, they chuse to be carried to Ludgate. See the articleCompter.
Sheriffs Courts, are courts of record held in Guildhall every Wednesday and Friday, for actions entered in Wood street Compter, and on Thursdays and Saturdays for those entered at the Poultry Compter, of which the Sheriffs being Judges, each has his Assistant or Deputy, who are commonly called Judges of these courts, before whom are tried actions of debt, trespass, covenant, &c. where the testimony of an absent witness in writing is allowed to be good evidence.Maitland.
To each of these courts belong four Attorneys, a Secondary, a Clerk of the papers, a Prothonotary, and four Clerks sitters. See the articleCompter.
Sherwoodstreet, near Golden square.
Shipalley, 1. Broad street, Ratcliff.* 2. Fore street, Limehouse.* 3. Phœnixstreet, Spitalfields.* 4. Ratcliff highway.* 5. Wellclose square.*
Shipcourt, in the Old Bailey.*
Shipstreet, near New Gravel lane, Shadwell.*
Shipyard, 1. Bishopsgate street without.* 2. In the Borough.* 3. Golden lane, Barbican.* 4. Green bank, Wapping.* 5. King street, New Gravel lane.* 6. Monkwell street.* 7. Petty France, Westminster.* 8. Phœnix street.* 9, Redcross street, Cripplegate.* 10. Without Temple Bar.*
Shipback yard, in the Minories.*
Shippey’syard, in the Minories.†
Shippingstairs, Limehouse.
Shipwrights, a company by prescription for several ages, were incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1605.
This corporation consists of a Master, two Wardens, and sixteen Assistants; but have neither livery nor hall: for though they had formerly a hall near Ratcliff cross, yet that being demolished they occasionally meet at different places to transact their affairs.
Shipwrightsstreet, Rotherhith.
Shittenalley, Chamber street, Shadwell.‖
Shoelane, extends from Fleet street to Holborn.
Shoemakerrow, 1. By Aldgate. 2. Black friars.
Shoemakers.See the articleCordwainers.
Shoemakersyard, Deadman’s place.
Shooter’scourt, Basinghall street.
Shoreditch, extends from Nortonfalgate to the end of Old street. Shoreditch was anciently a village situated along the Roman highway, by the Saxons denominated Eald street, or Old street, and according to Maitland, owes its name to one of the predecessors of Sir John Sordig, or Sordich, who was Lord thereof in the year 1339, and not, as vulgarly supposed, to Jane Shore, concubine to Edward IV. This village was at a considerable distance north of the city of London, though it is now joined to it.
Shoreditchalley, Shoreditch.
Shoreditchchurch, at the north end of Shoreditch. See the articleSt.LeonardShoreditch.
Shorey’salley, King’s alley, Rotherhith†
Shorter’scourt, Throgmorton street.†
Shorter’sstreet, Cable street, Rag fair.†
Short’sbuildings, Clerkenwell.†
Short’sgardens, Drury lane.†
Shovelalley, 1. Back lane, Rag fair.* 2. Cable street.* 3. St. Catharine’s.* 4. East Smithfield.* 5. Great Gardens, St. Catharine’s lane.* 6. Wood street, Cheapside.*
Shoulder of Muttonalley, Limehouse.*
Shoulder of Muttonwalk, Hackney.*
Shoulder of Muttonyard, Butcher row, without Temple Bar.*
Shreeve’srents, Duke street, Bloomsbury.†
Shrewsburycourt, 1. Stony lane.† 2. Whitecross street, Fore street.†
Shuglane, near Piccadilly.
Shutter’salley, Whitechapel.†
Sidney’salley, Leicester fields.†
Sidney’sstreet, Leicester fields; so named from Sidney Earl of Leicester.
Signet Office, Whitehall; an office under the Principal Secretaries of state, who have the custody of the King’s seal, called the signet; the use and application whereof gives name to this office, which constantly attends the court.
In this office there are four chief Clerks, and two Deputies. These chief Clerks wait alternately by months, and prepare such writings as are to pass the signet. They have no fee from the King, but only 200l.a year board wages. One of them always attends the court wheresoever it removes, and, by warrant from his Majesty, prepares such bills or letters for the King to sign, as not being matter of law, they are directed by warrant to prepare.
In their office all grants, either prepared by the King’s Counsel at law, or by themselves,for the King’s hand, when signed, are returned, and there transcribed again; and that transcript is carried to one of the Principal Secretaries of state, and sealed; and then it is called a signet. This being directed to the Lord Privy Seal, is his warrant for issuing out a privy seal upon it. Privy seals for money, however, now always begin in the Treasury, from whence the first warrant issues, counter-signed by the Lord Treasurer: but when the nature of the grant requires the passing of the great seal, then the privy seal is an authority to the Lord Chancellor, to pass the great seal; as the signet was to the Lord Privy Seal to affix that seal to the grant. But in all these three offices, the signet, privy seal, and great seal, the grant is transcribed; and therefore every thing which passes from the King has these several ways of being considered before it is perfected.Chamberlain’s Present State.
Silkmen, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles I. in the year 1631. They have a Governor and twenty Assistants; but neither hall nor livery.Maitland.
Silk Throwers.This trade was first practised in London in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by foreigners, whose dependents, and those to whom they had taught the art of silk throwing, were constituteda fellowship of the city in 1622, and were afterwards incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles I. in the year 1630.
They are governed by a Master, two Wardens, and twenty Assistants; but have neither hall nor livery.Maitland.
Office of Clerk of the King’sSilver, in the Inner Temple. To this Clerk every fine or final agreement upon the sale of land, is brought, after it has been with the Custos Brevium, when he makes an entry of what money is to be paid to the King’s use. This office belongs to the court of Common Pleas, and is executed by a Deputy.Chamberlain’s Present State.
Silvercourt, 1. Oxford street, 2. Woodstock street, Oxford street.
Silverstreet, 1. Bloomsbury. 2. Bridgewater square. 3. Near Golden square. 4. Green alley, Tooley street. 5. Hare street, Spitalfields. 6. Near New Gravel lane, Shadwell. 7. Pelham street, Spitalfields. 8. Soho square. 9. White Friars, Fleet street. 10. Wood street, Cheapside.
Simmond’s Inn.SeeSymond’s Inn.
Sing’scourt, Little Mitchell street, Old street.†
The End of theFifth Volume.
The End of theFifth Volume.
The End of theFifth Volume.
Transcriber’s Notes:Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.Typographical errors were silently corrected.Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book.