Part 6

TAVISTOCK _street_, Covent Garden. The above court and this street were built upon the ground where the Dukes of Bedford had their house and gardens, till the year 1704, and took this name from his title of Marquis of Tavistock. _Maitland._

TAXTER’S _rents_, Rotherhith Wall.†

TAX OFFICE, in New Palace yard, is under the direction of six commissioners, each of whom has 500_l._ _per annum_: under whom is a comptroller of duties on houses who has 200_l._ a year, and his clerk 50_l._ ten general surveyors who have 100_l._ _per annum_ each; 163 surveyors of counties who have 50_l._ a year in England, and 40 _l._ a year in Wales; a secretary, who has 90_l._ a year; an assistant secretary, who has 60_l._ a year; a sollicitor, who has 100_l._ a year; and two clerks, one of 60_l._ _per annum_, and the other of 50_l._

TAYLOR’S _court_, Bow lane, Cheapside.†

TAYLOR’S _yard_, St. Giles’s street.†

TEED’S _yard_, Worcester street.†

TEEM’S _rents_, Cowcross.†

TEMPLE, two of the inns of court, thus denominated from the edifice being founded by the knights Templars in England, who had first a house in Holborn, and afterwards settled here in the reign of Henry II. when it was dedicated to God and the Blessed Virgin in the year 1185, by Honorius, patriarch of the church of the holy Resurrection in Jerusalem.

These Templars took their rise in the following manner, several of the crusaders settled at Jerusalem, about the year 1118, formed themselves into an uniform militia, under the name of Templars, or knights of the Temple, a name they assumed from their being quartered near a church built on the spot where Solomon’s temple had stood.

These first guarded the roads, in order to render them safe for the pilgrims who came to visit the Holy Sepulchre, and sometime after they had a rule appointed them by Pope Honorius II. who ordered them to wear a white habit; and soon after they were farther distinguished by having crosses made of red cloth on their upper garments. In a short time many noblemen in all parts of Christendom became brethren of this order, and built themselves temples in many cities and great towns in Europe, and particularly in England, where this in Fleet street was their chief house.

In the thirteenth century the Templars in Fleet street, were in so flourishing a situation that they frequently entertained the nobility, the Pope’s nuncio, foreign embassadors, and even the King himself; and many parliaments and great councils have been held there.

However in the year 1308 all the Templars both in England, and the other parts of Christendom, were apprehended and committed to prison, and five years after Edward II. gave Aimer de la Valence, Earl of Pembroke, this house of the Templars, with all their possessions within the city of London. At his death it reverted to the crown, and in 1324, was given to the knights Hospitallers of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, who had driven the Turks out of the isle of Rhodes, and had their chief house where St. John’s square is now situated. These knights soon after let this edifice to the students of the common law, in whose possession it has remained ever since.

The Temple which contained all that space of ground from the White Friars westward to Essex house, is divided into two inns of court, the Inner Temple, and the Middle Temple. These inns have separate halls, but both houses resort to the Temple church: And yet the buildings which have been erected at very different times, with very little order or regularity are perfectly united, and it is impossible for a stranger to know where the Inner Temple ends and the Middle Temple begins, except at the entrances, which are the only visible fronts to the street. Backwards there are many courts of handsome new built houses, and behind them, the buildings of the Temple have gardens and walks fronting the Thames. That side lies open and airy, and enjoys a delightful prospect into Surry.

The Middle Temple gate, next Fleet street is built in the stile of Inigo Jones, It was erected in 1684, and there is here a graceful front; but it is extremely narrow, and cannot be called the front of so vast a building, or rather number of separate buildings, as the Temple. It is of brick-work, with four large stone pilasters of the Ionic order, and a handsome pediment with a round in the middle in which is inscribed in large capitals SURREXIT IMPENSIS SOCIETAT. MED. TEMPLI, MDCLXXXIV. and beneath, just over the arch, the figure of a holy lamb.

In the treasury chamber of the Middle Temple is preserved a great quantity of armour, which belonged to the knights Templars, consisting of helmets, breast and back pieces, together with several pikes, a halbard, and two very beautiful shields, with iron spikes in their centers, of the length of six inches in diameter, and each of about twenty pounds weight. They are curiously engraved, and one of them richly inlaid with gold: the insides are lined with leather stuffed, and the edges adorned with silk fringe; and broad leathern belts are fixed to them, for the bearers to sling them upon their shoulders.

In garden court in the Middle Temple is a library founded by the will of Robert Ashley, Esq; in the year 1641, who bequeathed his own library for that purpose, and 300_l._ to be laid out in a purchase, for the maintenance of a librarian, who must be a student of the society, and be elected into that office by the benchers. Mr. Ashley also bequeathed all his furniture to be disposed of for the benefit of his library.

The number of volumes in the year 1738 amounted to 3982, in most branches of literature; but more especially in law and parliamentary affairs; and as it is continually encreasing, by the benefactions of authors and others, it will probably become a numerous, and very valuable collection.

This library is duly kept open (except in the dead time of the long vacation) from ten in the morning till one in the afternoon, and from two in the afternoon till six in summer, and four in winter.

The Inner Temple is situated to the east of Middle Temple gate, and has a cloister, a larger garden, and more spacious walks than the other. This society consists of benchers, barristers and students; the former of whom, as governors at commons have their table at the upper end of the hall, and the barristers and students in the middle. Anciently at these entertainments their bread served instead of plates, and they had no other drinking vessels than wooden cups; but at present they are allowed trenchers for their meat, and coarse green earthen pots for their liquor. However, though the antient custom of using mean vessels still prevails, yet there are few who fare better.

All the members of the society who have chambers, are obliged to be in commons a fortnight every term, for which they pay about 10_s._ a week. Sixteen of these terms, with a regular course of study, qualifies a student for the bar.

Upon the admission of a member, the fees of the house are 3_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._ which, with other disbursements, amount to 4_l._ 2_d._

The parliament, wherein the affairs of the society are treated is commonly held twice every term.

The officers and servants of the house are, a treasurer, a sub-treasurer, a steward, a chief and three under butlers, an upper and under cook, a pannierman, a gardener, two porters, and two wash pots.

The Middle Temple, which joins to the Inner Temple on the west, is thus denominated from its having been the middle or central part of the antient Temple or Priory of knights Templars. The chief officer of this house, like that of its neighbour, is a treasurer, who is annually elected from among the benchers, and whose office is to admit students; to assign them their chambers, and to receive and pay all the cash belonging to the society.

The officers and governors of this inn, are in all respects like that of the Inner Temple, except the charge of admission, which is 5_l._ and the time to qualify a student for the bar, instead of sixteen terms in that, is twenty-eight in this.

The print exhibits the entrance of the Middle Temple, which is elegant, together with the east side of Temple Bar, as it appears from the end of Chancery lane in Fleet street, the situation of the Temple along the side of the river is very fine, yet nothing can be more void of harmony or decoration than the buildings of which it is composed, owing chiefly to the division and subdivision of property, which renders regularity next to impossible. The thing most worthy of notice in the Temple is the old church which belonged to the knights Templars of Jerusalem. You enter it through a circular tower of Saxon architecture in which are buried some Knights Templars, whose figures lying on the ground are preserved by iron rails. The church is purely Gothic, and it is great pity that the altar, pulpit, organ, gallery, &c. had not been kept in the same stile of architecture. This would have made it as regular though not so rich, as the chapel of Henry the seventh.

But the temple church requires a more particular description. We shall therefore trace it from its origin, and describe its several parts.

The first church here was founded in the year 1185, by the knights Templars; it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but was more generally called by the name of the founders, than the protectress. In 1240, the old structure was taken down, and another erected after the same model. The present edifice was one of those that escaped the fire of London in 1666; but in 1695 the south-west part was new built, and in 1706 the whole was thoroughly repaired.

The whole edifice is stone firmly put together and enriched with ornaments. It consists of a long body with a turret, and a round tower at the west end, that has much the air of a piece of fortification. The length of the church from the altar to the screen is eighty-three feet, its breadth sixty feet; and the height of the roof thirty-four. The round tower is forty-eight feet high; its diameter at the floor, fifty-one feet, and its circumference 160 feet.

The windows which enlighten the body of the church are large and well proportioned. They are composed of three Gothic arches, a principal, and a lower on either side. These windows stand so close that there are but very slender piers left between them to support a very heavy roof; they are therefore strengthened with buttresses; but these buttresses, as in most other Gothic structures, exclude more light than the piers would have done, had they been larger, and the windows considerably smaller.

The tower which is very massy, has few windows, and those small, yet there are buttresses carried up between them; the top is crowned with plain square battlements, and from the center rises a fane.

The turret upon the body of the church is small and plain, and serves to receive a bell. In short, what can be seen of the outside has a venerable aspect, but nothing either grand or elegant: the principal beauties are to be seen within.

On entering the round tower, you find it supported with six pillars, wainscotted with oak six feet high, and adorned all round, except the east part, which opens into the church, with an upper and lower range of small arches, and black apertures; but what is most remarkable in this part, is, that there are here the tombs of eleven of the knights Templars who lie interred here; eight of which, are covered with the figures of armed knights; of these five, to shew the veneration they had for the cross of Christ, lie cross legged; and these had made a vow, to go to the Holy Land, in order to make war on the infidels. Three of these are the tombs of the Earls of Pembroke, William Marshal the elder, who died in 1219; his son, who died in 1231, and Gilbert Marshal, his brother, who was slain in a tournament at Hertford in 1241, The other effegies lie strait legged; and the rest of the tombs are only coped stone; but both the effegies and these stones are all gray marble.

This tower is divided from the body of the church by a very handsome screen in the modern taste; which will be described hereafter. On passing this screen we find the church has three roofs supported by tall and slender pillars of Sussex marble. The windows are also adorned with small neat pillars of the same stone, and the floor paved with black and white marble. The isles are five in number; three, as usual, running east and west, and two cross isles.

The walls are neatly wainscotted with oak above eight feet high, and the alterpiece, which is of the same wood, is much higher, finely carved, and adorned with four pilasters and two columns of the Corinthian order: it is also ornamented with cherubims, a shield, festoons, fruit and leaves. The pulpit, which is placed near the east end of the middle isle, is finely carved and veniered; the sounding board is pendant from the roof, and enriched with several carved arches, a crown, festoons, cherubims and vases.

The screen at the west end of the isles is like the alterpiece, of wainscot, and adorned with ten pilasters of the Corinthian order, with three portals and pediments. The organ gallery, over the middle gallery is supported by two fluted Corinthian columns, and ornamented with an entablature and a compass pediment, with the King’s arms well carved. Near the pediment on the south side is an enrichment of cherubims and a carved figure of a Pegasus, the badge of the society of the Inner Temple, and in the pediment on the north side an enrichment of cherubims, and the figure of a Holy Lamb, the badge of the society of the Middle Temple: for though these two houses have one church, they seldom sit promiscuously there; but the gentlemen of the Inner Temple on the south, and those of the Middle Temple northward from the middle isle.

In the church are the tombs of many judges, masters in chancery, and eminent lawyers.

Since the reign of Henry VIII. there has been a divine belonging to this church named a master, or _custos_, who is constituted by his Majesty’s letters patent, without institution or induction. Besides the master, there is a reader, who reads divine service twice a day, at eight o’clock in the morning, and at four in the afternoon. Formerly they had a fixed lecturer for Sundays in the afternoon; who had 80_l._ a year from each house, convenient lodging, and his diet at the benchers table; but of late the lecture is carried on by various preachers appointed and paid by the treasurers of the two houses.

TEMPLE BAR, at the end of Fleet street, and at the extremity of the liberties of the city, is a very handsome gate, where anciently were only posts, rails, and a chain, such as are now at Holbourn, Smithfield, and Whitechapel-bars. Afterwards a house of timber was erected across the street, with a narrow gateway, and an entry through the south side of it. But since the fire of London, the present structure was erected, and is the only gate at the extremity of the city liberties.

This gate is a very noble one, and has two posterns, one on each side, for the advantage of foot passengers. It is built entirely of Portland stone, of Rustic work below, and of the Corinthian order. Over the gateway on the east side, in two niches are stone statues of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. with the King’s arms over the keystone, and on the west side, are the statues of King Charles I. and King Charles II. in Roman habits.

Since the erection of this gate it has been particularly distinguished by having the heads of such as have been executed for high treason placed upon it.

TEMPLE _key_, Thames street.☐

TEMPLE _lane_, White Friars.☐

TEMPLE _mews_, Fleet street.☐

TEMPLE _stairs_, Temple lane.☐

TEMPLE _street_, White Friars.☐

TEN BELL _court_, Snow hill.*

TENCH _street_, Bird street, Wapping.†

TENDERDOWN _street_, Hanover square.

TEN FEET _way_, Nightingale lane, East Smithfield.

TENNIS _court_, 1. Church entry, Black Friars: 2. High Holbourn: 3. Middle row, Holborn.

TENTHS OFFICE, in the Temple. In this office is a receiver of the tenths and his clerk, and a comptroller of the first fruits and tenths.

TENTER _alley_, 1. Little Moorfields.☐ 2. Tooly street, Southwark.☐

TENTER GROUND _alley_, Castle street.☐

TENTER _grounds_, Curtain row, Norton Falgate: 2. Gravel lane: 3. Hog lane, Shoreditch.

_The_ TENTS, near Maze pond, Snow fields.

TERRAS _walk_, York buildings.

TERRITS _court_, Duck lane, Smithfield.† 2. Islington.†

THACKET’S _court_, Bishopsgate street without.†

THACKHAM’S _court_, Vine street, by Chandois street.†

THAMES. As this river is the principal source of the wealth of this metropolis, and as the Lord Mayor’s jurisdiction over it is very extensive, a particular description of it in this place can be neither improper nor unnecessary.

The Thames if considered with respect to its course and navigation, is not to be equalled by any other river in the known world. It rises from a small spring near the village of Hemble, in the parish of Cubberly or Coberley, a little to the south-west of Cirencester in Gloucestershire; and taking its course eastward, becomes navigable at Lechlade for vessels of fifty tons, and there receives the river Colne about 138 miles from London. From Lechlade it continues its course north-east to Oxford, where it receives the Charwel; after which it runs south-east to Abingdon, and from thence to Dorchester, where it receives the Thame, and continues its course south-east by Wallingford to Reading, flowing through Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surry, Middlesex, Essex and Kent, and washing the towns of Henly, Marlow, Maidenhead, Windsor, Eaton, Staines, Chertsey, Weybridge, Shepperton, Walton, Sunbury, Hampton, Thames Ditton, Kingston, Twickenham, Richmond, Shene, Isleworth, Kew, Brentford, Mortlake, Barnes, Chiswick, Hammersmith, Putney, Fulham, Wandsworth, Battersea, Chelsea, and Lambeth, from whence both shores may be termed a continued city, through Westminster, Southwark, and the city of London, Horselydown, Wapping, Rotherhith, Shadwell, Ratcliff, Limehouse, almost to Deptford, and Greenwich; and from thence this river proceeds to Woolwich, Erith, Grays, Gravesend and Milton.

It is impossible to represent the beauties with which the banks of this noble river are embellished from Windsor to London; the numerous villages on both its banks being all along adorned with the magnificent houses and fine gardens of the nobility.

A person unaccustomed to the sight, cannot behold without surprise the vast number of barges and boats, as well of pleasure as of burden, above bridge, continually passing and repassing for the convenience and supply of the towns and counties washed by its gentle stream; and much more observe the vast fleets which constantly appear below bridge, carrying away the manufactures of Britain and bringing back the produce of the whole earth.

We should be inexcusable, if we did not here introduce Sir John Denham’s fine description of this river, in his _Cooper’s Hill_, as it would be difficult to say any thing so just, and impossible to say any thing so well upon the subject.

My eye descending from the hill surveys Where Thames among the wanton valleys strays. Thames, the most lov’d of all the Ocean’s sons, By his old sire to his embraces runs, Hasting to pay his tribute to the sea, Like mortal life to meet eternity. Tho’ with those streams he no resemblance hold, Whose foam is amber, and their gravel gold; His genuin and less guilty wealth t’explore, Search not his bottom, but survey his shoar; O’er which he kindly spreads his spacious wing, And hatches plenty for th’ ensuing spring. Nor then destroys it with too fond a stay, Like mothers which their infants overlay. Nor with a sudden and impetuous wave, Like profuse Kings, resume the wealth he gave. No unexpected inundations spoil The mower’s hopes, nor mock the plowman’s toil: But godlike his unwearied bounty flows; First loves to do, then loves the good he does. Nor are his blessings to his banks confin’d, But free and common as the sea or wind; When he to boast, or to disperse his stores Full of the tributes of his greateful shores Visits the world, and in his flying tow’rs Brings home to us, and makes both Indies ours; Finds wealth where ’tis, bestows it where it wants, Cities in deserts, woods in cities plants. So that to us nothing, no place is strange, While his fair bosom is the world’s exchange. O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream My great example, as it is my theme! Tho’ deep yet clear, tho’ gentle, yet not dull, Strong without rage, without o’erflowing full. Heav’n her Eridanus no more shall boast, Whose fame in thine, like lesser currents lost.

The great advantage of this river is the tides flowing above seventy miles up it, twice in every twenty-four hours, and hence arises its great convenience with respect to trade and navigation; and as the tide is influenced by the moon, so each tide is twenty-four minutes later than that before, and therefore wants but twelve minutes of a whole hour in twenty-four: by this rule the return of the tide at any distance from the new or full moon may be easily computed by the following tide table at London Bridge.

+----------+--------------+ | | Time of | | | high-water | | | at London. | +----------+--------------+ | N. Moon. | Hour. Min. | | F. Moon. | 3 | +----------+--------------+ | 1 | 3 48 | | 2 | 4 31 | | 3 | 5 14 | | 4 | 6 52 | | 5 | 6 30 | | 6 | 7 3 | | 7 | 7 36 | | 8 | 8 24 | | 9 | 9 27 | | 10 | 10 30 | | 11 | 11 28 | | 12 | 12 26 | | 13 | 1 19 | | 14 | 2 12 | +----------+--------------+

Any person who wants to be informed when it will be high-water at London Bridge may by this table be immediately satisfied if he does but know how many days it is since the last new or full moon; for supposing it is the eighth day after, by looking at 8 in the first column he finds the tide on that day is at the 8th hour and 24 minutes, or twenty-four minutes past eight o’clock.

The Lord Mayor’s jurisdiction over the river Thames extends from Colne ditch, a little to the westward of Staines bridge, to Yendal or Yenleet, to the east, including part of the rivers Medway and Lea, and his Lordship has a deputy or substitute named the water bailiff, whose office is to search for, and punish, all offenders who infringe the laws made for the preservation of the river and its fish. Eight times in the year the Lord Mayor and aldermen sit in person in the four counties of Middlesex, Surry, Kent, and Essex, in order to maintain the rights and privileges of this river, and to charge four juries by oath to make inquisition after all offences committed on the river in order to proceed to judgment against those who are found guilty.

The laws with respect to fishing and preserving the fry and spawn are very numerous, among which are the following:

No fisherman shall use any net under two inches and a half in the mesh above Richmond Crane, nor any net in the work called beating of the bush, flag or reed, of less than three inches in the mesh; nor use any weights or stones to their nets, upon the forfeiture of 2_l._ for each offence.