cient, and others modern. From the cloisters is an entrance into the chapter-house, through a fine Gothic por tal, the ornaments of which are carved with most rare elegance. It is an octagon, and its original form was very lofty, with a pillar rising from the centre of the floor to support the roof, and having arches springing from the walls of each angle, and meeting at the top of the pillar. If we suppose this room to have been decorated with painted windows, and other Gothic ornaments, it must have produced a surprising effect. At present, only part of the central pillar (of great beauty) is remaining, and the whole building is disguised by an entire new room, several galleries being made to contain the records of the crown, which are now deposited here.

The celebrated Domesday Book is kept at this place. It is comprised in two volumes, one a large folio, the other a quarto; the first begins with Kent, and ends with Lincolnshire, is written on three hundred and eighty-two double pages of vellum, in one and the same hand, in a small but plain character, each page having a double column, and contains thirty-one counts. The quarto volume is on four hundred and fifty double pages of vellum, but in a single column and in a large fair character, and contains the countie, of Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk. This record is in high preservation, the words being as legible as when first written, though so long since as 1086. The records of the Star Chamber proceedings are deposited here. All the records are labelled, and arranged in excellent order.

In 1377, the Commons of Great Britain first held their parliaments in this building; in 1547, Edward VI. gave them the chapel of St. Stephen, of which we shall speak hereafter. Beneath the chapter-house is a curious crypt, which is now seldom visited.

To the west of the abbey stood the sanctuary; and on the south side was the eleemosynary, or almonry, where the alns of the abbot were distributed. The almonry is endeared to every lover of science, by its being the spot on which was erected the first printing press in England. In 1474, William Caxton printed the Game and Play of Chess, the first book printed in this country.

Westminster Hall.

Westminster Hall, with the House of Lords, and House of Commons, and other contiguous buildings, are on the site of the Old Royal Palace of Westminster, built by Edward the Confessor. It stood close to the banks of the Thames, and took in also the space now called Old Palace Yard.

Westminster Hall is the largest room in Europe, unsupported by pillars, except the theatre at Oxford. It is 275 feet in length, and 74 in breadth. The roof is of chesnut, of curious Gothic architecture and workmanship. This great hall was built by William Rufus, and repaired and enlarged by Richard II. It was originally used as a place in which to entertain the king's guests and dependants, on great festivals; Richard II. having entertained 10,000 persons within its walls, and it is still used for the coronation feasts.

On the day of the coronation, from hence the king and his attendants walk on a platform to Westminster Abbey, when the ceremony is performed; and again return to the Hall to dinner.

Parliaments have frequently been held beneath its roof; and it was the court of justice in which the king presided in person. In this hall Charles I. was tried, and condemned to be beheaded. At present it is occasionally fitted up for the trial of peers, or of any persons on the impeachment of the Commons, and was used lately for the trials of Lord Melville and Mr. Hastings. At other times it forms a promenade for lawyers and suitors during the sitting of the adjoining courts.

At the upper end of this hall, and under its roof, are the High Court of Chancery and the Court of King's Bench, the supreme tribunals of the nation.

On the right side of the hall as you enter, up a flight of stairs, is the Court of Exchequer, larger than the King's Bench, and very ancient; and on the left the Exchequer receipt.

The Court of Common Pleas is entered from the middle of the hall on the right or western side.

These great courts have four terms in the year; namely,

Hilary Term, which begins January 23, and ends February 12; Easter Term, which begins the third Wednesday after Easter Sunday, and lasts twenty-six days: Trinity Term, which begins the Friday after Trinity Sunday, and lasts three weeks; and Michaelmas Term, which begins November 6th, and ends the 28th.

After each of these terms, the respective Chief Justices hold sittings for the trial of special causes in Westminster Hall, and also in the Guildhall of London, for city causes.

These courts, which are venerable for their antiquity, and interesting from their great power and influence, have been found of late years much too small for the variety of business done in them. The court of King's Bench is, therefore, to be removed to a new building, the entrance to which will be through the south wall. Suits of apartments are also to be provided for the juries, and officers of the courts, and coffee-houses are to be built for the accommodation of each court.

Under the roof of this Hall, or in intimate connection with it, is performed the most effective public business of this great empire. Here, the representatives of the people deliberate on whatever concerns the public weal-here, every department of the law is administered in the three Supreme Courts, and the Court of Chancery, all adjoining-and here sit the Court of Final Appeal, and the other House of Legislature, the House of Lords.

The House of Lords.

The present HOUSE of LORDS was the old Court of Requests, so called because the Masters of this Court, in this place, anciently received the petitions of the subjects to the King, advising them in what manner to proceed. This is a modern building, and was long used only as a passage; but was fitted up for the present purpose, on the occasion of the late union of Great Britain and Ireland.

The celebrated tapestry of the old House of Lords, representing the defeat of the Spanish Armada, after being taken taken down and cleaned, was used to decorate the walls of the present House, where it is judiciously set off by large frames of brown stained wood, that divide it into compartments, refpectively containing portions of that

great national story. The heads, which form a border to each design, are portraits of the several gallant officers who commanded in the English fleet on that memorable occasion.

This room does not occupy the whole of the Court of Requests. At the northern end is a lobby, through which the Commons pass to the bar of the House; the height of the whole is reduced by an elevated floor of wood, over the original stone pavement.

The old canopy of state, under which the throne is placed, remains as it was before the union, except that the arms of the United Kingdom are inserted, embroidered in silk, and the supporters in silver. The throne is an elevated arm chair elegantly carved and gilt, and ornamented with crimson velvet, and silver embroidery.

The Lord Chancellor or Speaker, the judges, and officers of the House sit on large woolsacks, covered with crimson baize; and the Peers sit according to their rank, on benches covered with similar baize. The Archbishops sit on the right hand of the throne, as do the Dukes and Marquises; the Earls and the Bishops on the left, and the Barons on cross benches in front.

The private business of this House is chiefly performed by the Chancellor, the Chairman of the Committees, and the junior Bishop (who reads divine service). These three form a quorum of the House.

The House of Lords is a very handsome and convenient, but not a splendid room: although it is said to be prepared merely for a temporary use, a new Parliament House being in contemplation.

Strangers may see the House at any time; and may attend, below the bar, while the House is sitting, either by the introduction of a Peer, or by application to the doorkeepers. No persons are admitted in boots or great coats, except Members of the House of Commons.

When the King attends, the Lords are dressed in their robes, and the effect is very grand.

Refreshments may be had by strangers at an adjoining coffee-house.

House of Commons.

The HOUSE of COMMONS was formerly a chapel, originally built by King Stephen, and dedicated to St. Stephen. It was rebuilt in 1347, by Edward III. and erected by that monarch into a collegiate church, under the government of a dean snd twelve secular priests.

Being surrendered to Edward VI. he gave it to the Commons for their sittings, to which use it has ever since been applied, and in it have been carried on all those proceedings and debates which make so striking a figure in our history.

The old House was formed within the chapel, chiefly by a floor raised above the pavement, and an inner roof, considerably below the ancient one. On the Union, the House was enlarged, by taking down the entire side walls, except the buttresses that supported the original roof; and erecting others beyond, so as to give one seat in each of the recesses thus formed, by throwing back part of the walls.

The present House is still too small, but in all other respects it is peculiarly well adapted to its use, and it is fitted up in a very good style. A handsome gallery runs along the west end, and the north and south sides, supported by slender iron pillars, crowned with gilt Corinthian capitals. The whole of the House is lined with brown and well-polished wainscot.

The Speaker's ancient chair stands at some distance from the wall, at the upper end of the room; it is slightly ornamented with gilding, with the King's arms at the top. The Speaker is usually dressed in a long black silk gown, with a full-bottomed wig. On occasions of state he wears a robe, similar to the state robe of the Lord Chancellor. Before him, with a small interval, is a table, at which sit three clerks of the House, whose business it is to make minutes of the proceedings of the House, read the titles of bills in their several stages, hand them to the Speaker, &c.

On this table, in front, the Speaker's mace always lies, when the House is sitting; except when the House is in a committee, and then it is placed under the table, and the Speaker leaves the chair, there being a perpetual chairman to the committee of the whole House.