this line was the theatre and gardens, called Paris Gardens, the site of which is now occupied by Christ church, and its annexed parish. Further on, but behind the houses, and nearly opposite to Broken Wharf and Queenhithe, were the circular buildings and inclosures appropriated to bull and bear-baiting, amusements to which queen Elizabeth seems to have been very partial. Southwark, as far as appears in the plan, which only extends to a short distance down the Borough High-street, was tolerably clustered with houses, and London bridge was completely encumbered with them. Along Tooley-street to Battle-bridge, and down to the river, the buildings were closely contiguous; but along Horslydown they stood much thinner, and were intermingled with gardens to where the plan terminates, nearly opposite to St. Katherine's. Such then, and so constructed was London about the period of Elizabeth's accession; yet the reign of that princess forms a splendid epoch in its advancing growth, and notwithstanding the dilapidating' proclamations of the years 1580, 1593, and 1602, both the population and the buildings continued to keep pace with the extension of commerce, and the increase of the working classes, whose numbers had been greatly augmented by the multitudes redeemed by the reformation from the idleness of the cloister.* The great augmentation in the buildings of the metropolis, which had taken place during the reign of queen Elizabeth, may be seen from the following passages, selected, with a few verbal alterations for the better connection, from 'honest Stow.' St. Katherine's, below the Tower, has of late years been inclosed about, or pestered with small tenements and homely cottages, having inhabitants, English and strangers, more in number than some cittie in England.'+ From this precinct of St. Katherine to Wapping in the Wose, and Wapping itself, never a house was standing within these fortie years, but is now a continuall streete, or rather a filthy straight passage, with lanes and allyes, of small tenements, inhabited by saylors and victuallers, along by the river Thames, almost to Radcliffe, a good myle from the Tower.' On the site of New Abbey, East Smithfield, of late time is builded a large store-house,' and 'the grounds adjoining are employed in building of small tenements. Tower-hill also is greatly diminished by tenements.' In place of the Nunnes of St. Clare, called the Minories, is now builded divers faire and large store-houses for armour and habiliments of war, with divers work-houses, serving to the same purpose.' The Ditch, without the walles of the citie, on the other side of that streete, is now of latter time inclosed, and the bankes thereof let out for garden plottes, carpenters' yards, bowlingallies, and divers houses be thereon builded.'§ rayley ii. p. 49. Sur. of Lond. p. 89 Ibid ρ. 90. Ibid p. 91. were certain fayre Eastward from St. Botolph's church innes, for receipt of travellers, up towards Hogge lane end, which stretcheth north to St. Mary Spittle, without Bishopsgate, and within these fortie-four yeares past, had on both sides fayre hedge rowes of elm trees, with bridges and easy styles to passe over into the pleasant fields, very commodious for citizens therein to walke, shoote, and otherwise to recreate and refresh their dulled spirits in the sweet and wholesome ayre, which is now within few yeares made a continual building throughout, of garden houses and small cottages: and the fields on either side be turned into garden plottes, teynter yards, bowling alleyes, and such like, from Houndsditch in the west, so farre as Whitechappel, and farther in the east. The south side of the highway from Ealdegate had some few tenements thinly scattered here and there, with much voyde space betweene them, up to the barres, but now that streete is not onely pestered with divers allies, on either side to the barres, but also even to Whitechappel,'' and almost half a mile beyond it, into the common field.'* From Aldgate north-west to Bishopsgate, on the outer side of Houndsditch, was a fayre fielde, some time belonging to the priory of the Trinitie ;-this field (as all other about the citie) was inclosed, reserving open passages thereinto, for such as were disposed; towards the street were some small cottages of two stories high, and little garden plottes backward, for poor bed-rid people. This street was first paved in the year 1503; three brethren, that were gun-founders, surnamed Owens, gat ground there to build upon, and to inclose for casting of brasse ordinance. These occupied a good part of ye street on the field side, and in short time divers other also builded there, so that the poore bedrid people were worne out, and in place of their homely cottages, such houses builded, as do rather want room than rent. The residue of the field was, for the most part, made into a garden, by a gardiner named Casway, one that served the markets with hearbes and rootes: and in the last year of king Edward the Sixth, the same was parcelled into gardens, wherein are now many fayre houses of pleasure builded.' The mud wall round the ditch side of this street, is also by little and little all taken downe; the bank of the ditch being raysed, made level ground, and turned into garden plottes, and carpenters' yards; and many large houses are there builded, by which meanes the ditch is filled up, and both the ditch and wall so hidden, that they cannot be seene of the passers by.'+ Without the church-yard of St. Botolph, without Bishopsgate, is a causeway leading to a quadrant called Petie Fraunce, Sur. of Lond. p. 92. The streets leading to Whitechapel and its neighbourhood were ordered to be paved, by act of parliament, in the thirteenth of Frenchmen dwelling there, and to other dwelling-houses, lately builded on the banke of the towne ditch by some citizens of London, that more regarded their owne private gaine than the common goode of the citie.** Near these is the hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, upon the streetes side northward from which many houses have been builded with alleyes backward, of late time, too much pestered with people (a great cause of infection) up to the barres.'t In place of the late dissolved priorie and hospital of Our Blessed Ladie, commonly called St. Mary Spittle, and near adjoining, are now many faire houses, builded for receipt and lodging of worshipfull and honorable persons.' About this time also Golding-lane was replenished on both sides, with many tenements of poor people.'§ Then 'from the further end of Aldersgate-streete, straight north to the barre, is called Goswell street, also replenished with small tenements, cottages, and allies, gardens, banquetting-houses, and bowling places.'|| On the high street of Oldborne have ye many faire houses builded, and lodgings for gentlemen, innes for travellers, and such like, up almost, (for it lacketh but little) to St. Giles's-in-the-fields.'-Gray's-inn-lane is furnished with faire buildings, and many tenements on both the sides, leading to the fields towards Highgate and Hamsted.' South from Charing Crosse on the right hand, are divers fayre houses lately builded before the Parke. On the left hand from Charing Crosse be also divers fayre tenements lately builded." In Southwark on the banke of the river Thames, there is now a continuall building of tenements, about half a mile in length to the bridge. Then from the bridge, straight towards the south, a continuall street called Long Southwarke, builded on both sides with divers lanes and alleyes up to St. George's church, and beyond it through Blackman-street towards new towne, or Newington. Then by the bridge, along by the Thames eastward, is St. Olave's-street, having continuall building on both the sides, with lanes and alleyes up to Battle-bridge, to Horsedowne, and towardes Rotherhithe ; also some good halfe mile in length from London-bridge. So that I accompt the whole continual buildings on the banke of the said river, from the west towards the east, to be more than a large mile in length. Then have ye from the entring towards the said Horse-downe, one other continual street, called Bermondes-eyestreet, which stretcheth south, likewise furnished with buildings on both sides, almost halfe a mile in length, up to the late dissolved monasterie of St. Saviour, called Bermondsey; and from thence is one Long-lane, so called of the length, turning west of St. George's church, afore named; out of the which Long-lane breaketh one Sur. of Lond. p. 127. Ibid, p. 129. Ibid, p 354. Sur. of Lond. p. 355. other street towards the south, and by east, and this is called Kentish-street, for that it is the way leading into that countrey; and so you have the boundes of the borough.' From this descriptive outline of Southwark, it is evident that the buildings on this side the Thames, had not kept pace with the increase on the northern bank, although various additions had been made, as will be shown hereafter. The augmented population of the metropolis requiring fresh supplies of water, several new conduits were erected during Elizabeth's reign; one of the principal of these was on Snow-hill, where a ruinous conduit was rebuilt, and had water conveyed to it through leaden pipes, from a reservoir of the waters of several springs made in the fields, near the extremity of the present Lamb's conduit-street (where also a conduit was formed), so named from the patriotic citizen, William Lamb, esq. (some time a gentleman of the chapel to Henry the Eighth), at whose sole charge the work was executed. Conduits for the conveyance of Thames water were built also at Dowgate, Leadenhall, and Old Fish-street; and at Broken-wharf a vast engine was constructed in the year 1594, for supplying the western parts of the city. Howe, speaking of the foreign commerce of the city in the year 1614, has this passage:- London, at this day, is one of the bestgoverned, most rich, and flourishing cities in Europe; plenteously abounding in free trade and commerce with all nations; richly stored with gold, silver, pearl, spice, pepper, and many other strange commodities from both Indies; oyles from Candy, Cyprus, and other places under the Turk's dominion; strong wines, sweet fruits, sugar, and spice, from Grecia, Venice, Spayne, Barbaria, the islands and other places lately discovered and known; drugs from Egypt, Arabia, India, and divers other places; silks from Persia, Spayne, China, Italy, &c.; fine linen from Germany, Flanders, Holland, Artois, and Hainault; wax, flax, pitch, tarre, mastes, cables, and honey from Denmark, Poland, Swethland, Russia, and other northern countries; and the superfluity in abundance of French and Rhenish wines, the immeasurable and incomparable increase of all which cometh into this city, and the increase of houses and inhabitants within the terme and compasse of fifty years, is such and so great, as were there not now two-thirds of the people yet living, having been eye-witnesses of the premises and bookes of the customhouse, which remain extant, the truth and difference of all things afore-mentioned were not to be justified and believed.' Among the strange commodities here alluded to, was doubtless that of tobacco, which had been first introduced in 1565, and was now become a considerable article of import, notwithstanding that James himself had written a pamphlet, entitled 'The Counter-blast" against its use. During the early years of Charles I., the commerce of this mẹtropolis still continued to make a rapid progress; and though the civil wars, for a time, had a very contrary operation, yet in the end they certainly proved beneficial. The energies of the mind were nore awakened; the habits of thinking, and modes of action, which then became general, taught man to feel his dignity as an individual; the different ranks of society were more closely drawn together; the exertions of industry were better directed, and the means of acquiring wealth greatly augmented. The injurious tendency of the numerous monopolies which had been granted by the crown, was eminently counteracted; for, though never abolished by any direct statute, yet many persons, regardless of the prerogative whence they were derived, gradually invaded the privileges they conferred, and commerce was increased by the increase of liberty. In the year 1635, the king commanded his postmaster of England for foreign parts' to open a regular communication by running posts between the metropolis and Edinburgh, Ireland, and various other places. Many extensive improvements were effected in the rebuilding of the city; it was determined to widen the more public streets, and to clear away, as much as possible, those nuisances termed middlerows, with which the old city abounded. Aldgate-street had a middle-row; Cornhill, Cheapside, Newgate-street, Ludgate-street, and many others had middle-rows.* Some of these were temporary, consisting only of moveable stands, erected, or rather put together, on market days; the others were permanent, but in either case, they were considerable obstructions and impediments to the free passage of the streets. At this time it was also determined that much of the ground-plot of the ancient city should be given to the public, and that many gateways that had formerly stood before those buildings which had courts, should be turned into the open streets. Yet, it is a curious circumstance that, while the surveyors of those times were widening the larger avenues, they were crowding the intervening buildings much closer than before; as it is well known that the houses of capital merchants, the city halls, and many other edifices, stood in the centre of large gardens and courts, which were afterwards covered with inferior buildings. Indeed, so much ground was covered after the conflagration, and so closely were the buildings within the walls of the new city connected, that it has been said to contain four thousand houses more than the old, and consequently a far greater number of inhabitants.'+ The middle-rows in Holborn and St. Giles's are now the only specimens remaining of this kind of avenue. + Vestiges, &c. Eur. Mag. vol lii. p. 841, 342. After the fire, the streets of the city may be said to have been raised out of their own ruins: the accumulation of rubbish was immense; this it was found much easier to spread over in order to level, in some degree, the ground-plot which devastation had cleared, than to cart away the ashes it had left. Upon this made ground the houses that formed the new streets were erected; and, it is a curious circumstance, that the workmen, in digging through it, in order to form their foundations, found three different streets above each other; and that at more than twenty feet under the surface, they discovered Roman walls and tessellated pavements "— Ibid. |