Swan fields, Shoreditch.*
COCK _yard_, 1. Bennet street, Westminster.* 2. East Smithfield.* 3.
Falconer’s alley, Cow Cross.* 4. In the Haymarket.* 5. Jacob’s
street.* 6. Parish street.* 7. Thacket’s court, Bishopsgate street.*
8. Tothill street.*
COCK AND HEART _yard_, in the Borough.*
COCK AND HOOP _yard_, 1. In the Borough.* 2. Castle street, Long
Acre.* 3. Houndsditch.*
COCKET _alley_, Fore street, Lambeth.
_The_ COCKPIT, opposite to the Privy Garden, is esteemed a part of the
ancient palace of Whitehall, and retains its ancient name, though
converted to very different uses from that of a Cockpit. This
edifice, which is built with stone, is very old, and on the outside
next the street has nothing to recommend it; but within it has
several noble rooms and apartments, as the council chamber, &c.
COCKPIT _alley_, 1. Drury lane. 2. Gravel lane.
COCKPIT _buildings_, Upper Chelsea road.
COCKPIT _court_, 1. Dean street, Soho. 2. Gravel lane. 3. Jewin
street. 4. King’s Way, near Bedford row. 5. Poppin’s alley, Shoe
lane.
COCKPIT _street_, Whitehall.☐
COCKPIT _yard_, James street.☐
COCK’S HEAD _court_, Golden lane.*
COCK’S _rents_, St Catharine’s.†
COCKSPUR _street_, Pall Mall.
CODLIN _yard_, Virginia street.‡
CODPIECE _court_, petty France, Westminster.║
CODPIECE _row_, Cold Bath fields.║
COFFEE HOUSE _alley_, Thames street.☐
COFFEE HOUSE _court_, Moorfields.☐
COFFIN _alley_, Cow Cross.*
COFFIN _court_, St. Dunstan’s hill.*
COGDELL _court_, near Pultney street.†
COGGAN’S _rents_, Bett’s street.†
COLCHESTER _street_, 1. Red Lion street, Whitechapel. 2. Woodroffe
lane.
COLD BATH _fields_, Hockley in the hole, took their name from the cold
bath near them. See COLD BATH _square_.
COLD BATH _row_, Cold Bath street.☐
COLD BATH _street_, Cold Bath fields.☐
COLD BATH _square_, Cold Bath fields. On the north side of this small
square, is pleasantly situated fronting the fields, the house in
which is the cold bath. This is a handsome though old building, and
is surrounded by a small, but neat garden, inclosed by a wall.
COLD HARBOUR, Thames street. It took its name from a magnificent
building called _Cold Herbergh_, that is, _Cold Inn_, probably so
denominated from its vicinity to the river. This building, which
extended into the place now called Cold Harbour lane, was given by
King Henry IV. to his son the Prince of Wales. _Rymer’s Fœdera._
COLD HARBOUR _lane_, Thames street. This lane, and the stairs, are now
generally called, and even spelt Coal Harbour.
COLD HARBOUR _row_, Hackney road.
COLD HARBOUR _stairs_, Thames street.
COLEBROOK, or COLNBROOK, a town in Buckinghamshire, situated 18 miles
from London, on four channels of the river Coln, over each of which
it has a bridge. One part of the town is in Middlesex, and the other
in Buckinghamshire. Here is a charity school, and an ancient chapel,
said to have been founded by Edward III. The principal support of
the place are the inns, on account of its being in the Bath road.
COLEMAN _alley_, 1. Brown street.† 2. Bunhill row.†
COLEMAN’S _court_, Castle lane.†
COLEMAN _street_, 1. Farthing fields.† 2. Lothbury.† 3. New Gravel
lane.†
COLEMAN STREET _Ward_, is bounded on the north by Cripplegate ward,
upper Moorfields, and Bishopsgate ward; on the east by Bishopsgate
ward, Broad street ward, and Cheap ward; on the south by Cheap ward;
and on the west by Basinghall street ward. It extends from east to
west, from the grate by Lothbury church, to the south side of
Ironmonger lane; but no farther than the south-west corner of
Basinghall street on the north side; and, in the other direction, it
extends south from Moorgate to the garden belonging to Grocers hall
in the Poultry.
The principal streets in this ward are, Coleman street, the north
part of the Old Jewry; Lothbury, from Coleman street to St.
Margaret’s church, on the north side, and on the south, to about
twenty-seven feet beyond Prince’s street; the north side of Cateaton
street, from Basinghall street to Coleman street, and the south side
from Ironmonger lane. The most remarkable buildings are, the parish
churches of St. Stephen Coleman street, St. Margaret’s Lothbury, and
St. Olave’s Jewry; Founders hall, the Armourers and Brasiers hall,
and the Excise office.
This ward is governed by an Alderman and his Deputy, six Common
Council men, thirteen wardmote inquest men, four scavengers, four
constables, and a beadle. The jurymen returned by the wardmote
inquest serve in the several courts in Guildhall in the month of
August.
COLEMAN’S _yard_, 1. Barnaby street.† 2. Whitecross street,
Cripplegate.†
COLE’S _alley_, Whitechapel.†
COLE’S _rents_, Moorfields.†
COLE _yard_, between Holborn and Drury lane.
COLLEGE _court_, 1. Cow Cross. 2. Dean’s yard, Westminster. 3.
Nightingale lane. 4. Stable yard. 5. Warwick lane.☐
COLLEGE _hill_, Thames street.
COLLEGE _of Heralds_. See HERALDS _Office_.
COLLEGE _of Physicians_. See PHYSICIANS.
COLLEGE _street_, 1. Dirty lane, Westminster. 2. Narrow Wall, Lambeth.
COLLEGE _yard_, 1. Compter lane. 2. Deadman’s place. 3. Near the
Hermitage.
COLLIER’S _court_, Hart street, Cripplegate.†
COLLIER’S _rents_, White street.†
COLLINGBURN’S _rents_, Dick’s shore, Limehouse.†
COLLINGWOOD _street_, Maze Pond, near Snow fields, Southwark.†
COLLIN’S _court_, 1. Bloomsbury market.† 2. Brick street.† 3. Farmer’s
street.†
COLLIN’S _rents_, 1. High Holborn.† 2. Upper Shadwell.† 3. White
street.†
COLNBROOK. See COLEBROOK.
COLNEY, a village in Hertfordshire, three miles from St. Alban’s in
the road to London, is called London Colney, to distinguish it from
Colney street, which lies a little to the west, and Colney green.
These villages receive their names from the river Coln, near which
they are situated.
COLOUR _yard_, Worcester street.
COLSON’S _court_, Drury lane.†
COMB NEVIL, in Surry, is situated in the parish of Kingston upon
Thames, and was formerly the seat of the Earl of Warwick, called the
setter up and puller down of Kings; but was lately in the possession
of William Harvey, Esq; It is situated in the midst of a park; and
near the house are certain springs whose water is conveyed in leaden
pipes for three miles, under the road and lands, and across the
bottom of the Thames to Hampton Court.
CUMBER’S _court_, Blackman street.†
COMBMAKERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by
Charles I. in the year 1636. They consist of a Master, two Wardens,
and thirteen Assistants; but have neither hall nor livery.
COMES’S _court_, Noble street, Foster lane.†
COMMISTRY’S _alley_, Cock hill, Ratcliff cross.
COMMON COUNCIL. These are the representatives of the commons, and
compose one of the parts of the city legislature, which nearly
resembles that of the kingdom; for as the latter consists of the
King, Lords, and Commons, so this is composed of the Lord Mayor, the
Aldermen and Common Council; the principal difference is, that the
three estates of the kingdom enjoy separately the right of a
negative, while in the city this right is confined to the Aldermen
and Common Council.
Before the year 1347, there were only two Common Council men
returned for each ward, which being thought inefficient to represent
the numerous body of the commons, it was at that time agreed, that
each of the city wards should chuse a number of Common Council men
according to its dimensions; but none to exceed twelve, nor any to
have less than six; which has been since increased to the present
number.
The city is now divided into twenty-five wards, and they into 236
precincts, each of which lends a representative, who is elected in
the same manner as an Alderman; with this only difference, that as
the Lord Mayor presides in the wardmote, and is judge of the poll at
the election of an Alderman, the case is the same with the respect
to the Aldermen in their several wards, at the choice of Common
Council men. _Maitland._
_The Court of_ COMMON COUNCIL, consists of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
and representatives of the several wards, who assemble in Guildhall,
as often as the Lord Mayor, by his summons, thinks proper to convene
them, in order to make by-laws for the government of the city. They
annually select six Aldermen and twelve Commoners for letting the
city lands, and this committee generally meet at Guildhall on
Wednesdays. They also appoint another committee of four Aldermen and
eight Commoners for transacting the affairs belonging to Gresham
College, who generally meet at Mercers hall, according to the
appointment of the Lord Mayor, who is always one of the number.
Besides the appointing of these, and several other committees, they
by virtue of a royal grant, annually chuse a Governor, Deputy, and
Assistants, for the management of the city lands in Ireland. They
have likewise a right to dispose of the offices of town clerk,
common serjeant, judges of the Sheriffs court, common crier,
coroner, bailiff of the borough of Southwark, and city garbler.
_Maitland’s Survey._
COMMON _Clerk_. See TOWN CLERK.
COMMON CRIER, an office of the city, who with the serjeant at arms, is
to summon all executors and administrators of freemen to appear, and
bring inventories of their personal estates, within two months after
their decease. He is also obliged to attend the Lord Mayor on
particular days, and to be present at the courts held weekly by his
Lordship and the Aldermen. He is by his place an Esquire.
COMMON HUNT, the chief huntsman of the city, whose principal business
is to take care of the city hounds, and to attend the Lord Mayor and
citizens in hunting whenever desired. This officer has a house
allowed him in Finsbury Fields, where the hounds are kept, and for
their support he has a considerable annual allowance, besides his
perquisites. He is also to attend the Lord Mayor on set days, and is
by his place an Esquire.
COMMON _lane_, in Thames street.
_Court of_ COMMON PLEAS. This is one of the four great courts of the
kingdom, and is so called because in that court are debated the
usual or common pleas between subject and subject, and all civil
causes whatsoever. It was anciently ambulatory, and followed the
King wheresoever he went; but at the confirmation of _Magna Charta_,
by King John, in 1215, it was fixed at Westminster, where it still
continues.
Soon after the fixing of this court at Westminster, such a multitude
of causes were brought before it, that the King for the greater
dispatch of business, found it necessary instead of three, to
constitute six Judges, whom he appointed to sit in two places: but
at present the number being only four, they sit together in
Westminster hall to hear and decide causes; but no Counsellor can
plead before them under the degree of a Serjeant.
The chief Judge in this court is the Lord Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas, who has a salary of 2500_l._ _per annum_. with his
robes and two tons of wine; the other, who are called the three
puisne Judges of this court, and also four Serjeants, are each
allowed fees, reward and robes, the puisne Judges having 2000_l._
_per annum_ each.
The other officers of this court are, the Custos Brevium; three
Prothonotaries and their Secondaries; several clerks, who have their
several counties allotted them, and are to engross the fines levied
on lands in their respective divisions; the Chirographer; the
Register of the fines, and a Clerk of the proclamations. The
Prothonotaries and Chirographer sit in the court covered with black
round caps, which was the fashion before the invention of hats and
wigs. These are all sworn and have their offices for life. See
Custos BREVIUM, PROTHONOTARY, &c.
[Illustration:
_Entrance to the House of Lord’s with the Office of Ordnance._
_S. Wale del._
]
[Illustration:
_House of Commons._
_C. Grignion sculp._
]
In this court there are three officers unsworn, viz. a clerk of the
treasury, a clerk of the enrollments of fines and recoveries, and a
clerk of the outlawries: there are besides a clerk of the King’s
silver; a clerk of the warrants; a clerk of the juries; a clerk of
the essoins; a clerk of the supersedeas; filazers for the several
counties of England; an exigenter; four criers and a porter.
COMMON SERJEANT, an officer of the city, who is obliged to attend the
Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen on court days, and to be in council
with them on all occasions, both within and without the precincts or
liberties of the city; and formerly he was to take care of the
estates of the city orphans.
_House of_ COMMONS, also called _St. Stephen’s Chapel_, joins to the
south east angle of Westminster hall. The print represents a view as
seen from the Cotton Garden. King Stephen first founded a chapel
here, and dedicated it to St. Stephen the Protomartyr: but Edward
III. rebuilding it in the year 1347, in a very magnificent manner,
converted it into a collegiate church, the revenues of which at its
suppression amounted to 1085_l._ 10_s._ and 5_d_. _per annum_: but
being surrendered to Edward VI. it was appropriated for the
reception of the representatives of the Commons of England, who have
ever since continued to meet there every sessions of parliament,
except when summoned by the King’s writs to Oxford, and it is now
generally called the House of Commons.
It is at present a spacious room wainscotted up to the ceiling,
accommodated with galleries, supported by slender iron pillars
adorned with Corinthian capitals and sconces, from the middle of the
ceiling hangs a handsome branch or lustre. At the upper end, the
Speaker is placed upon a raised seat, ornamented behind with
Corinthian columns, and the King’s arms carved and placed on a
pediment; before him is a table, at which the Clerk and his
Assistant sit near him on each hand, just below the chair; and on
each side, as well below as in the galleries, the members are placed
promiscuously. The Speaker and clerks always wear gowns in the
house, as the professors of the law do in term time; but no other of
the members wear robes, except the four representatives for the city
of London, who, the first day of every new parliament, are dressed
in scarlet gowns, and sit all together on the right hand of the
chair, next to the Speaker.
The time of sitting is upon any day in the morning, except on
Sundays, or some other high festivals or fast days, upon which it is
not usual to assemble, unless upon the most urgent occasions: but
tho’ the Speaker always adjourns the house to nine o’clock of the
morning of the day when they agree to meet again, the house seldom
meets till twelve.
This house has an equal share with the Lords in making laws, and
none can be made without the consent of the Commons, who are the
guardians of the liberties of the people; and as they are the grand
inquest of the nation, they have a power to impeach the greatest
Lords in the kingdom, both spiritual and temporal.
On the day prefixed by the King in the writ of summons, his Majesty
goes in person to the house of Lords, where being seated with the
crown on his head, and cloathed in his royal robes, he sends for the
Commons by the Gentleman Usher of the black rod, who coming to the
bar of the house, bows, and advancing a few steps, repeats this mark
of respect a second and a third time, saying, “Gentlemen of the
house of Commons, the King commands this honourable house to attend
him immediately in the house of Peers;” and then retiring backwards,
bowing, withdraws: the Commons then immediately attend his Majesty
in the house of Lords, where the Lord Chancellor or Keeper commands
them in the King’s name to chuse a Speaker, upon which they return
to their own house. One of the members then standing up in his
place, and making a short introductory speech, moves that such
member as he then names, may take the chair, and his motion being
seconded by some other member, if no contest happens, they lead the
person mentioned from his seat to the bar of the house, from whence
they conduct him bowing thrice, up the chair; where being placed, he
stands up, and returns thanks to the house for the honour done him,
and modestly acknowledging his inability to discharge so great a
trust, desires they would make choice of a more *able person, which
being disapproved, he submits to their pleasure; and after receiving
the directions of the house, on the usual requests to be made on his
appearing before his Majesty, adjourns to the day appointed for that
purpose.
But before the Commons can enter upon any business, or even the
choice of a Speaker, all the members enter the court of wards,
where they take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, with those
appointed by the act of the 1st of William and Mary, in the
presence of an officer appointed by his Majesty, who is usually
the Lord Steward of the houshold; and after they have chosen the
Speaker, they take the same oaths again in the house, at the
table, and subscribe their opinions against the doctrines of
transubstantiation, the invocation and adoration of Saints, and
the sacrifice of the mass; and before they can give any vote in
the house, except for the choice of a Speaker, they are obliged
also to abjure the Pretender.
Upon the day appointed, the Usher of the black rod is again sent for
the Commons, when he alters his stile, and addresses himself to the
Speaker. The members, obeying this summons, return to the house of
Lords, and present their Speaker to the King, who is again seated on
the throne, and having obtained his approbation, the Speaker
desires, that the Commons, during their sitting, “may have free
access to his Majesty, freedom of speech in their own house, and
freedom from arrests.” After which the King makes his speech to both
houses, the whole house of Commons being supposed to be at the bar
of the house of Lords.
After the Speaker and members have taken the oaths, the standing
orders of the house are read, and grand committees appointed to sit
on usual days: which being done, the house generally begins with
reading some bill left unfinished the sessions before. Any member of
parliament is at liberty to move for a bill to be brought in; which
being agreed to by the house, the person who made the motion, with
some of those who seconded it, are ordered to prepare, and bring it
in. When the bill is ready, some of the members who were ordered to
prepare it, read the order at the side bar of the house, desiring
leave to bring the bill to the table; which upon the question being
agreed to, it has a first reading by the clerk at the table; and
then the Speaker taking the bill in his hand, reads the abbreviate
or abstract of it: which one, after the debate upon the bill, if any
happens, he puts the question, Whether it shall have a second
reading; and sometimes upon a motion being made appoints a day for
it.
When the bill has been read a second time, the question is put,
Whether it shall be committed, which is either to a committee of the
whole house, if the bill be of importance; or to a private
committee, any member at pleasure naming the persons to be of that
committee; and their names being read by the clerk at the table,
they are ordered to meet in the Speaker’s chamber, and report their
opinion to the house. Accordingly meeting there, they chuse their
Chairman, and either adjourn to some other time, or proceed upon the
bill, which in this last case, the Chairman orders a clerk who
attends them to read, then taking the bill himself, and reading it
paragraph by paragraph, he puts every clause to the question, fills
up the blanks, and makes amendments according to the opinion of the
majority of the committee, of whom there must be eight of the
persons named, to proceed regularly, though five may adjourn.
When the committee have gone through the whole bill, the Chairman by
their desire makes his report at the side bar of the house, reading
all the alterations made by the committee, and how any of these
amendments have altered the scope of the bill, the clerk having
before written down in what page and line of the bill those
amendments are to be found; and if the committee have thought fit to
add any clauses, they are marked alphabetically, read by the
Chairman, and delivered to the clerk, who reads all the amendments
and clauses. The Speaker then puts the question, Whether they shall
be read a second time, and if this be agreed to, he then reads them
himself, and particularly as many of them as the house agrees to.
After which the question is put, Whether the bill so amended shall
be engrossed, that is, written fair on parchment; and read the third
time some other day. It being at length read the third time, the
Speaker holds the bill in his hand, and puts the question, Whether
the bill shall pass, and if the major part be for it, the clerk
writes on the bill _Soit baillé aux Seigneurs_, i. e. Be it
delivered to the Lords.
When an engrossed bill is read, and any clauses referred to be added
to it, they must be on parchment engrossed like the bill, which are
then called _riders_; and if agreed to, they are added to the bill.
Petitions are offered like bills at the bar of the house, and
brought up and delivered at the table, by the member who presents
them.
When a member speaks to a bill, he stands up uncovered, and
addresses himself only to the Speaker; but if he be answered by
another, he is not allowed to reply the same day, unless personally
reflected on: for nobody is to speak to a bill above once in a day,
unless the whole house be turned into a committee, and then every
number may reply as often as the Chairman thinks proper. But if a
bill be rejected, it cannot be any more proposed, during the same
sessions.
Messengers from the Lords, and all persons appearing at the bar of
the house, are introduced by the serjeant attending the house, with
the mace upon his shoulder.
While the Speaker is in the chair, the mace lies upon the table,
except when sent upon any extraordinary occasion into Westminster
hall and the court of requests, to summon the members to attend. But
when the members resolve themselves into a committee of the whole
house, the mace is laid under the table, and the Chairman to that
committee takes the chair where the clerk of the house usually sits.
Forty members are necessary to make a house, and eight a committee.
But the Speaker is not allowed to vote, except the house be equally
divided: nor is he to persuade or dissuade in passing a bill; but
only to make a short and plain narrative.
The members of the house of Commons vote by yeas and noes; but if it
appear doubtful which is the greater number, the house divides. If
the question relates to any thing already in the house, the noes go
out; but if it be to bring any thing in, as a bill, petition, &c.
the ayes go out: where the house divides, the Speaker appoints four
tellers, two of each opinion, who after they have told those within,
place themselves in the passage between the bar and the door, and
tell the others who went out; which done, the two tellers who have
the majority take the right hand, and placing themselves within the
bar, all four advance bowing three times; and being come up to the
table deliver the number, saying, the ayes who went out, are so
many; the noes who staid, so many; or the contrary: which is
repeated by the Speaker, who declares the majority.
In a committee of the whole house, they divide by changing sides,
the ayes taking the right hand of the chair, and the noes the left;
and then there are only two tellers.