I now leave the account of this most exquisite Abbey with sincere regret. Almost every day, during many successive weeks have I spent within its walls, comparing the accounts already published with its actual state, and thereby attempting, at least, such a description of Westminster Abbey as it at present appears, as will enable future topographers and antiquaries to continue the history and description, till Time, that universal destroyer, shall have completed his work of devastation, and all our works of greatness shall be spoken of as "things that were."

Before we enter upon a description of the respective parishes of this thriving City, it will be proper, in conformity to the plan hitherto adopted, to give a

SKETCH OF THE CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, INCLUDING A VIEW OF ITS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, FRANCHISES, LIBERTIES, EXTENT, &c.

The Abbey of St. Peter's, Westminster, as I have before remarked, is so immediately and intimately interwoven with the early history and foundation of this City, that it was essential, as I conceived, to commence my delineations with an account of that wonderful and venerable structure. I have not knowingly omitted any object of antiquity, architectural beauty, or monumental record worthy the reader's observation: yet I have throughout studied a consistent brevity; and have gone as little as possible into historical or biographical detail, though a most interesting and extensive field was open before me.

We may now, therefore, give a sketch of the extent, government, &c. of this ancient City.

Of the origin of Westminster I have already treated. The formation of the Abbey naturally brought together great numbers of religious. The opulence of the monastery, created a gradually thriving population: houses were erected for those who, though not immediately attached to the convent, or in fact any way con 8 nected

nected with the cenobitical profession, lived by the various trades, arts, and occupations, which the wants or the luxuries of the religious created or supported.

It was not, however, till the ignoble reign of the rapacious Henry VIII. that Westminster began to acquire dignity as a town. The pride of that wicked monarch, aided by his superstition or his hypocrisy, induced him to create this place into a bishopric, which took place in the 37th year of his reign.

Previous to this a palace had been erected, which being destroyed by fire, Henry fixed his residence at the new palace of St. James's,

It was the lately dissolved monastery that he converted into a bishopric, with a deanery and twelve prebendaries, appointing the whole of the county of Middlesex, except Fulham, which was the Bishop of London's peculiar, as the diocese of the new see. Thus Westminster obtained the dignity of a city. Henry also built the palace of St. James, and purchased Whitehall for his own residence, the old palace near the abbey being, as above stated, destroyed by fire. He also inclosed a fine spot of ground for a park between the two palaces: and from this time Westminster greatly increased with buildings on every side. The bishopric was, however, dissolved in 1550, by King Edward VI. and thereby the title of city was lost; though through courtesy, it still retains the name. From the time of the dissolution the government of Westminster fell under the Dean and Chapter of St. Peter's, in civil as well as ecclesiastical affairs, whose jurisdiction extends over the city and liberties of Westminster, the precinct of St. Martin's-leGrand, in London, and sone towns in Essex, all which are exempt from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, and of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and the management of the civil power has been, ever since the Reformation, in lay hands, elected from time to time, and confirmed by the Dean and Chapter. The principal of the lay magistrates is the high steward, chosen by the Dean and Chapter; at which election the Dean sits as high steward.

2

steward. The next magistrate is the deputy steward, chosen or appointed by the high-steward, and confirmed by the Dean and Chapter. This officer is in the nature of a sheriff'; for he keeps the court-leet with other magistrates, and is always chairman at the quarter sessions. Here is also an high-bailiff, chosen by the Dean and Chapter, and confirmed by the high steward. He is the returning officer at the election of representatives in parliament, and all other bailiffs are subordinate to him. He summonses juries, and sits next to the deputy steward in court: and he has a right to all fines, forfeitures, and estrays. There are also sixteen burgesses and their assistants, whose office, in all respects, resembles that of an alderman's deputy in London, each having his proper ward under his jurisdiction: and out of these are elected two head burgesses, one for the city, and the other for the liberties, who, in the court-leet, sit next to the highbailiff.

The high-constable is chosen at a court-leet, and has all the other constables under his direction; but there is no freedom nor any trading companies within this jurisdiction.

The various courts for the distribution of justice in the City and Liberties of Westminster, are as follow: 1. THE COURT OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER; a supreme court of record, held in Somerset Place, for deciding by the chancellor of the duchy, all matters of law or equity, concerning the estates belonging to the county palatine of Lancaster. 2. THE QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE; a court of record held by the Justices of the Peace, at the Guildhall, for all trespasses, &c. within the cities and liberties. 3. THE WESTMINSTER COURT LEET; held by the Dean, or his steward, for chusing parochial officers, preventing and removing nuisances, &c. 4. COURTS OF REQUESTS, in Castle Street, Leicester Square, and Vine Street, Piccadilly, for deciding (without appeal) before commissioners, all pleas for debt under forty shillings. 5. COURTS OF PETTY SESSIONS, held every week-day at Bow Street, Marlborough Street, and Queen Square, for matters

of

of police, various offences, misdemeanors, &c.; and the ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND COURT, of which mention has already been made. THE PALACE COURT, or Marshelsea; for the recovery of Debts, out of the City of London, and 12 miles round Whitehall.

The Insolvent Debtors' Court is also holden in this City: but f this more at length when I come to treat distinctly of the parish in which the Westminster Guildhall stands for in one of the rooms of this building the sittings of this court are kept.

:

The various districts, are also governed by householders, denominated BURGESSES, and their assistants, who are as above, upon the same distinction as aldermen and common council; there are for St. Margaret's parish four burgesses, and three assistants. St. John's one burgess, and two assistants. St. Anne's two burgesses and two assistants. St. James's two burgesses and two assistants; St. George's one burgess, and one assistant. The same for each of the parishes of St. Paul, Covent Garden, and St. Clement. Besides these officers there are, within this jurisdiction, inquest men, surveyors of the highway, constables, beadles watchmen, scavengers, rakers, &c.

Westminster sent no members to Parliament till the first year of the reign of Edward VI. It has been represented by two burgesses ever since; and the right of election was in 1680, declared to be in the inhabitants paying scot and lot. The king's menial servants having no proper houses of their own in this city, have no right to vote. The number of electors, if the population returns were a safe criterion, must amount to about thirty-eight thousand; but perhaps the real number of persons having a right to vote does not exceed a third of that number.

Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. was first elected for this city in the year 1807, at the time when Lord Cochrane, the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Mr. Elliot, and the late unfortunate Mr. Paull were candidates for the same honour. The numbers at that time stood as follow: Burdett, 5134; Cochrane, 3708; Sheridan, 2615, Elliot, 2137; and Paull, 269; so that it

appears

appears that taking into the account what are called split-votes, that 13,863 votes were given.

In the year 1802, Sir Francis Burdett was returned for the county of Middlesex, but the election declared void; when a new election taking place in 1804, he was again returned, but declared not duly elected. He sat for Boroughbridge in 1796. Sir Francis is the representative of a very aucient Derbyshire family, who received a patent of baronetage in the year 1618. His grandfather, Sir Robert, who died at a great age in 1797, was member of parliament for Tamworth, in the years 1748, 1754, and 1762; and is said to have been principally remarkable for preserving the ancient manners of the country gentleman at bis seat at Foremark, in the county of Derby. The mother of Sir Francis was the heiress of the Joneses of Ramsbury in Wiltshire. He married, in 1793, Frances, youngest daughter of Thomas Coutts, Esq. the banker, who has recently honoured with his hand the justly celebrated actress, Miss Mellon. Sir Francis has one son Robert, born in 1796, and I believe four daughters.

The other member for this city is the gallant Lord Cochrane, who was also returned in the year 1807, having sat, in the preceding Parliament for Honiton. Of his unpleasant removal from his seat and justly earned honours as a Knight of the Bath the reader has been already made acquainted in the preceding volume of this work. He was afterwards re-elected; and has taken his seat, and even given the decisive vote against the motion for an increased annuity to the Duke of Cumberland upon his marriage with a German princess. No opposition has as yet been made by the Commons to his Lordship's holding his seat; and it is to be hoped none will be made to it.

Lord Cochrane is the son and heir apparent of the Earl of Dundonald; but, unfortunately, lives on no very agreeable terms with his ingenious father, whose fortunes are not the most prosperous. He was born Dec. 1775, and is unmarried; he

did