Part 10
Besides those above enumerated, there were in the stove-room before the present war, a vast number of new brass cannon; together with spunges, ladles, rammers, handspikes, wadhooks, &c. with which the walls were lined round; and under the cieling there hang on poles upwards of four thousand harness for horses, besides men’s harness, drag-ropes, &c. And besides the trophies of standards, colours, &c. taken from the enemy, it is now adorned with the transparent pictures brought hither from the fire-works played off at the conclusion of the last peace.
_The horse armoury_, is a plain brick building a little to the eastward of the white tower; and is an edifice rather convenient than elegant, where the spectator is entertained with a representation of those kings and heroes of our own nation with whose gallant actions it is to be supposed he is well acquainted; some of them equipped and sitting on horseback, in the same bright and shining armour they were used to wear when they performed those glorious actions that give them a distinguished place in the British annals.
In ascending the staircase, just as you come to the landing-place, on casting your eye into the room, you see the figure of a grenadier in his acoutrements, as if upon duty, with his piece rested upon his arm; which is so well done, that at the first glance you will be apt to mistake it for real life.
When you enter the room, your conductor presents to your notice,
1. The figures of the horse and foot on your left-hand, supposed to be drawn up in military order to attend the kings on the other side of the house. These figures are as big as the life, and have been lately new painted.
2. A large tilting lance of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, King Henry the Eighth’s general in France; a nobleman who excelled at the then fashionable diversion of tilting.
3. A complete suit of tilting armour, such as the kings, nobility and gentlemen at arms used to wear; with the tilting lance, the rest for the lance, and grand guard.
4. A complete suit of armour made for King Henry VIII. when he was but eighteen years of age, rough from the hammer. It is at least six feet high, and the joints in the hands, arms and thighs, knees and feet play like the joints of a rattle snake, and are moved with all the facility imaginable.
The method of learning the exercise of tilting, was upon wooden horses set upon castors, which by the sway of the body could be moved every way; so that by frequent practice, the rider could shift, parry, strike, unhorse, and recover with surprizing dexterity. Some of the horses in this armoury have been used for this purpose; and it is but lately that the castors have been taken from their feet.
5. A little suit of armour made for King Charles II. when Prince of Wales, and about seven or eight years of age; with a piece of armour for his horse’s head; the whole most curiously wrought and inlaid with silver.
6. Lord Courcy’s armour. This nobleman, as the warders tell you, was grand champion of Ireland, and as a proof shew you the very sword he took from the French champion; for which valiant action he and all his successors have the honour to wear their hats in the King’s presence, which privilege is still enjoyed by the Lord Kinsale, as head of that antient and noble family.
7. Real coats of mail, called Brigandine Jackets. They consist of small bits of steel, so artfully quilted one over another, as to resist the point of a sword, and perhaps a musket ball, and yet are so flexible, that the wearer might bend his body any way, as well as in his ordinary clothes.
8. An Indian suit of armour, sent by the Great Mogul as a present to King Charles II. This is a very great curiosity; it is made of iron quills about two inches long, finely japanned and ranged in rows, one row easily slipping over another: these are bound very strong together with silk twist, and are used in that country as a defence against darts and arrows.
9. A neat little suit of armour worn by a carved figure representing Richard Duke of York, the youngest son of King Edward IV. who, with his brother Edward V. were smothered in the Tower, by order of their uncle and guardian, Richard III.
10. The armour of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, who was the son of a King, the father of a King, and the uncle of a King, but was never King himself: and Dugdale observes, that more kings and sovereign princes sprang from his loins, than from any King in Christendom. The armour here shewn is seven feet high, and the sword and lance of an enormous size.
11. The droll figure of Will Somers, who, as the warders tell you, was King Henry the Eighth’s jester. They add, “He was an honest man of a woman’s making—he had a handsome woman to his wife, who made him a cuckold; and he wears his horns on his head, because they should not wear holes in his pockets.——He would neither believe King, Queen, nor any about the court, that he was a cuckold, till he put on his spectacles to see, being a little dim sighted, as all cuckolds should be:” in which antic manner he is here represented.
12. What your conductors call, a collar of torments, which say they, “used formerly to be put about the womens necks that cuckolded their husbands, or scolded at them when they came home late, but that custom is left off now-a-days, to prevent quarrelling for collars, there not being smiths enough to make them, as most married men are sure to want at one time or other.”
You now come to the line of Kings, which your conductor begins by reversing the order of chronology; so that in following them we must place the last first.
1. His late Majesty King George I. in a complete suit of armour, sitting with a truncheon in his hand on a white horse richly caparisoned, having a fine Turky bridle gilt, with a globe, crescent and star; velvet furniture laced with gold, and gold trappings.
2. King William III. dressed in the suit of armour worn by Edward the Black Prince son to Edward III. at the glorious battle of Cressey. He is mounted on a sorrel horse, whose furniture is green velvet embroidered with silver, and holds in his right hand a flaming sword.
3. King Charles II. dressed in the armour worn by the champion of England, at the coronation of his present Majesty. He sits with a truncheon in his hand, on a fine horse richly caparisoned, with crimson velvet laced with gold.
4. King Charles I. in a rich suit of his own armour gilt, and curiously wrought, presented to him by the city of London when he was Prince of Wales, and is the same that was laid on the coffin at the funeral procession of the late great Duke of Marlborough, on which occasion a collar of SS was added to it, and is now round it.
5. James I. who sits on horseback dressed in a complete suit of figured armour, with a truncheon in his right hand.
6. King Edward VI. dressed in a curious suit of steel armour, whereon are depicted in different compartments a great variety of scripture histories. He sits like the rest on horseback, with a truncheon in his hand.
7. King Henry VIII. in his own armour, which is of polished steel with the foliages gilt or inlaid with gold. He holds a sword in his right hand.
8. King Henry VII. who also holds a sword. He sits on horseback in a complete suit of armour finely wrought, and washed with silver.
9. King Edward V. who with his brother Richard was smothered in the Tower, and having been proclaimed King, but never crowned, a crown is hung over his head. He holds a lance in his right hand, and is dressed in a rich suit of armour.
10. King Edward IV. father to the two unhappy princes above mentioned, is distinguished by a suit of bright armour studded. He holds a drawn sword in his hand.
11. King Henry VI. who though crowned King of France at Paris, lost that kingdom, and was at last murdered in the Tower by the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III.
12. The victorious Henry V. who by his conquests in France caused himself to be acknowledged regent, and presumptive heir to that kingdom.
13. Henry IV. the son of John of Gaunt.
14. King Edward III. John of Gaunt’s father, and father to Edward the Black Prince, is represented here with a venerable beard, and in a suit of plain bright armour, with two crowns on his sword, alluding to his being crowned King both of France and England.
15. King Edward I. dressed in a very curious suit of gilt armour, and in shoes of mail. He has a battle axe in his hand.
16. William the Conqueror the first in the line, though last shewn, sits in a suit of plain armour.
17. Over the door where you go out of the armoury is a target on which are engraved by a masterly hand, the figures as it should seem, of Justice, Fortune, and Fortitude; and round the room the walls are every where lined with various uncommon pieces of old armour, for horses heads and breasts, targets, and many pieces that now want a name.
The other curiosities contained in the Tower, are in the Jewel office, and the manner of coining money in the mint. There are here also the office of ordnance, which has the government of all the above store rooms, and the office of keeper of the records. For which see the articles JEWEL OFFICE, MINT, Office of ORDNANCE, and RECORD OFFICE, and for the church in the Tower, see _St._ PETER AD VINCULA.
The Tower is a place so considerable and so much frequented by all who visit this metropolis, that it would have been unpardonable to have omitted a view: this in the print is taken from the river, but exhibits a mixture of old and new buildings which are neither remarkable for their beauty nor grandeur.
TOWER COURT, a court of record held by prescription, at the king’s arms on Great Tower Hill, by a steward appointed by the constable of the Tower, by whom are tried actions of debt for any sum, damage and trespass.
Here also the grand jury, try all persons taken up in the Tower liberties for murders, felonies and other crimes, when if they are found guilty they are committed to Newgate, to take their trials at the Old Bailey.
And in short, in the same house the Coroners inquest sit for the Tower liberties.
TOWER _dock_, near the Tower Wharf.
TOWER _Hill_, a very spacious area to the north, east and west of the Tower ditch, divided into Great and Little Tower Hill. The west end extending much farther to the north is called by the former name, and the east end, in which is the victualling office, by the latter. It must be confessed that Tower Hill has many handsome buildings, particularly among the row of houses which bound it to the west; but though this great area might be rendered extremely beautiful, it is quite the reverse, in almost every other part besides that just mentioned, we find it ill built, and the ground a mere dunghill; particularly in Little Tower Hill, where we see either the backs of the houses next this fine area, or mean edifices in ruins. But as the hill is now improved and rendered more safe by placing strong wooden rails on the outside of the ditch, it is to be hoped that the ground will be completely levelled, and laid out to greater advantage, and that some care will be taken to rebuild the houses that are falling down, particularly as this is a place visited by all strangers.
TOWER HILL _passage_, Little Tower Hill.
TOWER LIBERTIES, these are not confined within the Tower wall; but include both the Tower Hills, part of East Smithfield, Rosemary lane, Wellclose square, and the Little Minories; and in Spitalfields, all the streets, lanes and allies, built upon the artillery ground, formerly belonging to the Tower, as Artillery street, French alley, Duke street, Steward street, Gun street, Fort street, and the courts and alleys within their compass.
TOWER ROYAL, a street near St. Thomas Apostle’s, so called from a large fortified house or tower belonging to the kings of England, formerly at the upper end of that street. _Maitland._
TOWER ROYAL _court_, Tower Royal.
TOWER ROYAL _lane_, Budge row.
TOWER _street_, 1. begins at Idle lane, and running eastward extends to Tower Hill, it is a spacious street, pretty well built. 2. Hackney: 3. Soho.
TOWER STREET WARD, takes its name from the principal street therein, and is the first ward in the south-east part of the city. It is bounded on the south by the river Thames, on the east by Tower Hill, and part of Aldgate Ward; on the north, by Langbourn Ward, and on the west by Billingsgate Ward. It extends from the Tower on the east, to the middle of the way between Great Dice key, and Smart’s key on the west, and from the west corner of Tower dock on the south to within 70 feet of the north end of Rood lane. In which compass are contained Tower street, a part of Thames street, Seething lane, Mark lane, Mincing lane, Hart street, Idle lane, St. Dunstan’s hill, Harp lane, Water lane, and Beer lane, with many others, and a considerable number of courts and alleys.
The principal buildings in this ward, are the churches of St. Dunstan’s and Alhallows Barking, the Custom house, Navy office, Trinity house and Corn Exchange in Mark lane, which see under their several articles. This ward is governed by an Alderman, twelve common council men, one of whom is the Alderman’s deputy, thirteen wardmotemen, twelve scavengers, thirteen constables, and a beadle. The jurymen returned by the wardmote inquest, serve in the several courts at Guildhall in the month of May.
TOWN CLERK, or _Common Clerk_, an officer who keeps the original charters of the city, the books, rolls, and other records, wherein are registered the acts and proceedings of the city; so that he may properly be stiled the city register; that he may take down any extraordinary proceedings, he attends the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at their courts. This is an office of great profit. The town-clerk and common serjeant take place according to their seniority. _Maitland._
TOWN DITCH, the area behind Christ’s hospital, so called from part of the ditch belonging to the city wall formerly passing through it.
TOWNSEND _lane_, 1. Hockley in the hole.† 2. Thames street.†
TOWNSEND _street_, Thames street.†
TOWNSEND’S _yard_, Queen street, in the Park Southwark.†
TOWTING, there are two villages of this name in Surry, situated near each other, and distinguished by the epithets Upper and Lower. Upper Towting lies in the road from Southwark to Epsom, about a mile and a half to the westward of Stretham, and has an almshouse founded in 1709, by the mother of Sir John Bateman Lord Mayor of London, for six poor alms-women, to be nominated by the eldest heir of the family; and is adorned with several fine seats belonging to the gentlemen and citizens of London, particularly the house and gardens of the Bateman’s family.
Lower Towting is two miles S. W. of Wandsworth; and here the Lord Gray and the Earl of Lindsey had their seats in the last century.
TRADE AND PLANTATION OFFICE, in the Treasury, St. James’s Park. This office is under the government of eight Commissioners, whose business is to examine the custom house accounts of all the goods and merchandize exported and imported to and from the several ports of the kingdom, as well as from foreign ports, in order to inform the government of the advantages and disadvantages of the trade of this nation, with other kingdoms and states, in regard to the balance of trade. And also to encourage our plantations abroad by endeavouring to promote their trade, by discovering and encouraging such branches as are most conducive to their respective interests, as well as to that of this kingdom.
Each of these Commissioners has a salary of 1000_l._ _per annum_. Under them are two joint Secretaries who have 500_l._ a year each; a deputy secretary, who has 200_l._ a year, a sollicitor and clerk of the reports, enjoyed by the same person, who has 200_l._ a year; and seven clerks, one of whom has 80_l._ another 70_l._ another 60_l._ another 50_l._ a year, and two others 40_l._ a year each.
TRAITOR’S _bridge_, over a part of the Thames which runs into Tower ditch, and under the wall, near the middle of the wharf. See the article TOWER.
TRANCE’S _lane_, Kent street, Southwark.†
TREASURER OF ST. PAUL’S, an officer who has the custody of every thing of value belonging to that cathedral, for the faithful keeping of which he is bound by oath to the dean and chapter. He has a sacrist for an assistant, and has the third stall on the south side of the choir. _Newc. Repert_.
TRIG _stairs_, Trig lane, Thames street, near Paul’s wharf.†
TRIG _lane_, by Lambert hill, Thames street.†
TREASURY, a stone building fronting the parade in St. James’s Park. The whole front is rustic; it consists of three stories, of which the lowermost is of the basement kind, with small windows, though they are contained in large arches; this story has the Tuscan proportion, and the second the Doric, with arched windows of a good size; but what is very singular, the upper part of this story is adorned with the triglyphs and metopes of the Doric freeze, though this range of ornament is supported by neither columns nor pilasters. Over this story is a range of Ionic columns in the centre, supporting a pediment. Upon the whole the Treasury must be allowed to be a building composed of very beautiful parts, but it were to be wished they were fewer and larger, as there is a sufficient distance to view it.
This edifice, has on the inside a court surrounded with buildings, and here is not only the Treasury, but the office of trade and plantations.
The Treasury is under the government of five Lords Commissioners, one of whom is called first Lord of the Treasury, and has a salary of 4000 _l._ _per annum_, and the rest have 1600_l._ a year each. Under these are two joint Secretaries, four chief clerks, and sixteen other clerks: two clerks of the revenue who have 100_l._ a year each, two sollicitors who have 500_l._ a year each, and an assistant, an office keeper who has 300 _l._ a year, and finds coals and candles for the office, four messengers of the Exchequer, a messenger of the chamber, and other servants. See the article EXCHEQUER.
TRINITY _court_, 1. Aldersgate street.☐ 2. Little Minories.☐ 3. Little Trinity lane, Bow lane.☐
TRINITY HALL, in Aldersgate street, near the corner of Little Britain. Here formerly stood a priory belonging to the abbey of Cluny in France, which being suppressed by King Henry V. his Majesty granted its revenues to the parishioners of St. Botolph, on condition of their founding in that church a fraternity dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Part of the building is still existing and let out to a coffee-house; but the upper part, says _Maitland_, retains somewhat of the appearance of its original use, it serving for a place of worship to a congregation of Nonjurors. Here also the parishioners meet in vestry on particular occasions.
TRINITY HOSPITAL, at Mile-end, is a very noble, and yet unexpensive edifice, rendered beautiful by its situation, and the agreeable manner in which it is laid out. It consists of two wings and a center, wherein is the chapel, which rises considerably higher than the other buildings, and has an ascent to it by a handsome flight of steps secured by iron rails; this chapel has large windows, and is adorned with a pediment; behind it rises a turret, ornamented with a clock, and crowned with a fane. On each side of the chapel, are two sets of apartments exactly resembling the wings.
The wings are low but neat buildings, with an ascent of seven steps to each pair of doors, secured by brick walls capped with stone, and there are six of these ascents to each wing, besides two in the front, one on each side the chapel. Between each of these ascents is a pump fixed close to the wall.
It is remarkable that all these ascents lead to the upper story; there are however rooms below, but these are under ground and the windows upon a level with a broad stone pavement, that surrounds the area next the houses. In the centre of each wing is a handsome pediment, adorned with the company’s arms, with the representation of ropes, anchors, and sea weeds, in open work, spread over the face of the pediments, and the area within consists of handsome grass-plats, divided by gravel-walks, kept in excellent order, leading down the middle, and across to the centre of the area, where is a statue in stone of Mr. Robert Sandes well executed. He has a bale of goods placed behind; he stands with his right-foot upon another bale, and near his left-foot is a small globe, and anchor. On the pedestal is the following inscription:
To the memory of CAPTAIN ROBERT SANDES, an elder brother, and deputy-master of the corporation of Trinity House, who dy’d in 1701, and bequeath’d to the poor thereof one hundred pounds, also the reversion (after two lives) of a freehold estate in the county of Lincoln of 147_l._ a year, now in their possession. This statue was erected by the corporation A. D. 1746.
The end of each wing next the road has an empty niche, and over it is a very small pediment, on each side which is placed a small ship.
The ground on which this hospital stands was given to the corporation of the Trinity house by capt. Henry Mudd, an elder brother, and the above beautiful and commodious building erected by the company in the year 1695, for the reception of twenty-eight masters of ships, or their widows, each of whom receives 16_s._ per month, 20_s._ a year for coals, and a gown every second year.
TRINITY HOUSE, a society founded in the year 1515, by Sir Thomas Spert, Knt. commander of the great ship Henry Grace de Dieu, and comptroller of the navy to Henry VIII. for the regulation of seamen, and the convenience of ships and mariners on our coast, and incorporated by the above mentioned Prince who confirmed to them not only the ancient rights and privileges of the company of mariners of England; but their several possessions at Deptford; which together with the grants of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles II. were also confirmed by letters patent of the first of James II. in 1685, by the name of _The master, wardens and assistants of the guild or fraternity of the most glorious and undivided Trinity, and of St. Clement in the parish of Deptford Strond in the county of Kent_.
This corporation is governed by a master, four wardens, eight assistants, and eighteen elder brethren; but the inferior members of the fraternity, named younger brethren, are of an unlimited number, for every master, or mate, expert in navigation may be admitted as such; and these serve as a continual nursery to supply the vacancies among the elder brethren when removed by death, or otherwise.
The master, wardens, assistants, and elder brethren are by charter invested with the following powers:
1. That of examining the mathematical children of Christ’s hospital.
2. The examination of the masters of his Majesty’s ships; the appointing pilots to conduct ships in and out of the river Thames; and the amercing all such as shall presume to act as master of a ship of war or pilot, without their approbation, in a pecuniary mulct of 20_s._
3. The settling the several rates of pilotage and erecting light-houses, and other sea marks upon the several coasts of the kingdom, for the security of navigation; to which light-houses all ships pay one half-penny a tun.
4. The granting licences to poor seamen, not free of the city, to row on the river Thames for their support, in the intervals of sea service, or when past going to sea.
5. The preventing of aliens from serving on board English ships, without their licence, upon the penalty of 5_l._ for each offence.
6. The punishing of seamen for desertion, or mutiny, in the merchants service.
7. The hearing and determining the complaints of officers and seamen in the merchants service; but subject to an appeal to the Lords of the Admiralty, or the Judge of the court of Admiralty.