the Clerk of the Parliament, who records every thing done there, sit on
a form behind a table.
Without the bar sits the King’s first Gentleman Usher, called the Black
Rod, from a black wand he carries in his hand. Under him is a Yeoman
Usher, who waits at the inside of the door, a Crier without, and a
Serjeant at Mace, who always attends the Lord Chancellor.
When the King is present with the crown on his head, the Lords sit
uncovered, and the Judges stand till his Majesty gives them leave to
sit.
In the King’s absence the Lords, at their entrance, do reverence to the
throne, as is done by all who enter the presence chamber. The Judges
then may sit, but may not be covered, till the Lord Chancellor or Keeper
signifies to them, that the Lords give them leave to be so. The King’s
Counsel and Masters in Chancery also sit; but may on no account be
covered.
Upon the days when the King goes in state to the house, either at the
opening or breaking up of the sessions, the Park guns are discharged;
and his Majesty arriving at the house of Lords, enters a room adjoining
to it, called the Prince’s Chamber, where he puts on his robes and
crown, and from thence is conducted into the house by the Lord
Chamberlain, where all the Lords are dressed in their scarlet robes, and
being seated on the throne, sends for the Commons by the Gentleman Usher
of the Black Rod. On their appearing, his Majesty’s speech is read by
the Lord Chancellor to this grand united Assembly; after which his
Majesty returns in the same manner as he came, in his state coach drawn
by eight fine horses, attended by his guards, and the guns firing.
A stranger cannot any way form a more just notion of the dignity of the
English nation, than by attending this noble and august Assembly, when
the King is present, with the crown upon his head, and not only his
Majesty, but all the Lords are in their robes, and the Commons attending
without the bar.
This house, in conjunction with the King and Commons, has the power not
only of making and repealing laws; but of constituting the supreme
judicature of the kingdom; the Lords here assembled take cognizance of
treasons and high crimes committed by their Peers, and others; try all
who are impeached by the Commons; and acquit or condemn without taking
an oath, only laying the right hand upon their breasts, and saying
_Guilty_, or _Not guilty upon my honour_. They receive appeals from all
other courts, and even sometimes reverse the decrees of Chancery: and
from this highest tribunal lies no appeal.
All the Lords Spiritual and Temporal have the peculiar privilege of
appointing proxies to vote in their stead, when from sickness or any
other cause, they cannot conveniently appear: but such as would make
proxies are obliged, at the beginning of every Parliament, to enter them
in person.
The Lords give their suffrages or votes, beginning at the puisne, or
lowest Baron, and then proceeding in a regular series, every one
answering apart, _Content_, or _Not content_. If the affirmatives and
negatives are equal, it passes in the negative, the Speaker not being
allowed a voice, unless he be a Peer of the realm. _Chamberlain’s
Present State._ See _House of_ COMMONS.
LORINERS, or _Bitt-makers_, appear to have been an ancient company,
though they were not incorporated by letters patent till the tenth of
Queen Anne, in the year 1712, by the name of _The Master, Wardens,
Assistants, and Commonalty of Lorimers, London_. They are governed by a
Master, two Wardens, and twenty-four Assistants, with a livery of
sixty-nine members.
They have a small but convenient hall, adjoining to London Wall, at the
end of Basinghall street.
LOTHBURY, extends from Cateaton street to Throgmorton street. This
street, which Mr. Stow says was anciently called _Lathbery_ and
_Loadbery_, he imagines took its name from its being chiefly possessed
by founders, who cast candlesticks, chafing dishes, &c. which they
afterwards turned with the foot to make them smooth and bright; and
making a _loathsome_ noise in the opinion of the passengers who were
unused to it, the street was thence called _Loathbury_: but it more
probably took its name from these things being turned by the lath, as
they evidently were, even from his description; and that Lathbery was
afterwards corrupted to Loathbury.
LOVE _court_, 1. George alley, Shoe lane. 2. Gravel lane. 3. Love lane,
Mutton lane. 4. Old Horselydown. 5. Petticoat lane. 6. St. Olave street.
LOVE _lane_, 1. Bank side, Southwark. 2. Broad Sanctuary. 3. Old Gravel
lane. 4. Rotherhith Wall. 5. Thames street. 6. Willow street, Bank side.
7. Wood street, Cheapside.
LOVEL’S _court_, Pater noster row, so called from the family of the
Lovels, who had a large house in Ivy lane, called Lovel’s Inn, which
formerly belonged to the Earls of Britain. _Stow._
LOVEL’S _rents_, Gravel lane.†
LOVEL’S _yard_, Whitecross street, Old street.†
LOVER GUN _alley_, Green Bank, Wapping.
LOVE’S _yard_, Old Horselydown lane.†
LOW LEYTON or LEIGHTON, a village pleasantly situated on the side of a
hill near Walthamstow, at the foot of which runs the river Lee. In this
parish are several handsome seats belonging to wealthy citizens, and
other gentlemen; especially the ancient manor house and seat of
Ruckholts, which some time ago belonged to Benjamin Collyer, Esq; of
whom it was purchased by the Earl Tylney: but of late years this seat
has been deserted by its owners, and not long since was converted into a
public breakfasting house, and so continued for about six years, during
which it was much frequented by gentlemen and ladies. But it is now
pulled down, and the materials sold.
Goring House, also called the Forest House, is loftily situated fronting
the forest. It once belonged to the Abbot of Waltham, and afterwards
came to the Gorings Earls of Norwich; after which it was in the
possession of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, whole descendant sold it to Mr.
Bosanquet of London, merchant.
The beautiful seat of the late Sir Fisher Tench, Bart. is a more modern
structure, adorned with large and delightful gardens, with plantations,
walks, groves, mounts, and canals stocked with fish and fowl: but Sir
Fisher’s successors have lately sold it to Mr. John Stanniland of
London, haberdasher.
The manor house of Leyton has a fine prospect over the marsh and river
towards Hackney; this, together with a paddock, was sold by Mr. David
Gansel, Lord of the manor, to the late Sir John Strange, who improved
this seat with additional buildings and handsome gardens; but his son
John Strange, Esq; has lately parted with his interest in it to Mr.
Bladen.
This parish is washed on one side by the river Lee or Ley, from which
the village obtains its name, and rises in a gentle ascent for about two
miles, from the river to Waltham Forest: on which side lies one ward of
the parish called Leyton Stone, in a pleasant and healthful situation,
insomuch that the number of the inhabitants being greatly increased, a
chapel of ease has been lately built for their convenience.
The parish church is a small building consisting of a chancel and two
isles. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary; and the patronage of the
vicarage is vested in Mr. Gansel.
LOWER _court_, Little Minories.
LOWER GUN _alley_, Green Bank, Wapping.
LOWER SHADWELL, near Shadwell dock.
LOWER _street_, 1. East Smithfield. 2. Islington. 3. Shadwell.
LOWER TURNING _lane_, Shadwell.
LOWER WELL _alley_, Green Bank, Wapping.
LOWER WET DOCK, near Deptford.
LOWER’S _yard_, Long Walk, King John’s court.†
LOWMAN’S _pond_, a narrow street or lane in Southwark, so called from
its being built on a spot which was before a pond. In this street is the
house of ——— Clark, Esq; the front of which faces the garden. It is
remarkable, that this front, which has a mixture of Gothic and modern
architecture, is completely covered with flints and shells; as are also
the garden walls, which are crowned with little turrets of grotto work;
the garden is laid out with great order, and every thing has a neat,
whimsical, and grotesque appearance.
LOWMAN’S _street_, Gravel lane.†
LUCAS’S _alley_, Quaker street, Spitalfields.†
LUCAS’S _street_, Rotherhith.†
LUCAS’S _yard_, Cock alley, Wapping.†
LUDGATE, is situated 797 feet south of Newgate, and according to Geffry
of Monmouth, took its name from King Lud; but as that historian has
justly forfeited all credit among the learned, his assertion has no
weight; for it is certain that the ancient Britons had no walled towns.
The name of this gate is therefore with much greater propriety derived
from its situation near the rivulet Flood, Flud, Vloet, Fleote or Fleet,
which ran into Fleet Ditch.
The present gate was erected in the year 1586, with the statue of Queen
Elizabeth on the west front, and those of the pretended King Lud, and
his two sons Androgeus and Theomantius or Temanticus on the east.
_Strypes edit. of Stow._
LUDGATE PRISON. This gate was in the year 1373, constituted a prison for
poor debtors, who were free of the city, and was afterwards greatly
enlarged by Sir Stephen Forster. This gentleman had been a poor
prisoner, and was begging at the gate, when a rich widow going by, asked
him what sum would procure his discharge? To which he replied, Twenty
pounds. This sum, which at that time was a very considerable one, she
generously disbursed; and taking him into her service, he, by his
indefatigable application to business, and his obliging behaviour,
gained the affections of his mistress, and married her; after which he
had such extraordinary success in trade, that he became Lord Mayor of
London, and was honoured with Knighthood. Sir Stephen, in the midst of
his great prosperity, thought of the place of his confinement, and
having acquainted his Lady with a design he had formed of enlarging the
prison, she also resolved to contribute to its execution. They caused
several of their houses near the gate to be pulled down, and in their
stead erected a strong, square stone building, containing the following
rooms, viz. the porch, the paperhouse, the watch-hall, the upper and
lower lumberies, the cellar, the long ward, and the chapel, in which
last there is the following inscription:
“This chapel was erected and ordained for the divine worship and service
of God, by the Right Honourable Sir Stephen Forster, Knight, some time
Lord Mayor of this honourable city, and by Dame Agnes his wife, for the
use and godly exercise of the prisoners in this prison of Ludgate,
_anno_ 1454.”
These worthy founders not only settled a salary for a Chaplain of this
prison, which our author supposes is in the hands of the Lord Mayor and
Court of Aldermen, or some others by their appointment; but ordered that
all the rooms in these additional buildings should be for ever free to
all unfortunate citizens, and that they, on providing their own bedding,
should pay nothing at their discharge for lodging or chamber rent: but
the avaricious keepers have long ago broke thro’ this appointment, and
contrary to the express orders of the donor, take rent for the rooms he
built for the sole use of the poor.
As the domestic government of this prison is very singular and
remarkable, we shall give a compendious account of it, from a work
published some time ago, by one who had been long a prisoner there.
For the government of the prison, and the punishment of crimes and
misdemeanors committed therein, the master keeper and prisoners chuse
from among themselves a reader of divine service; an upper steward,
called the master of the box; an under steward; seven assistants, who by
turns officiate daily; a running assistant; two church-wardens; a
scavenger; a chamberlain; a running post; and the criers or beggars at
the grates, who are generally six in number.
The reader is chosen by the master keeper, stewards, and assistants, and
not at a general election, as the other officers are. Besides reading
prayers, he was formerly obliged to ring the bell twice a day for
prayers, and also for the space of a quarter of an hour before nine at
night, as a warning for all strangers to depart the prison; but on
account of the dignity of his office, he is now exempted from these
servile employments, and others in his stead are appointed to perform
them. The reader’s salary is 2s. 8d. _per_ month; a penny of every
prisoner at his entrance, if his garnish amount to sixteen pence; and a
dish of meat out of the Lord Mayor’s basket.
The upper steward, or master of the box, is by all the prisoners held in
equal esteem with the keeper of the prison. To him is committed the
keeping of all the several orders of the house, with the accounts of
cash received upon legacies; the distribution of all the provisions sent
in by the Lord Mayor, and others; and the cash received by garnish and
begging at the grates, which he weekly lays out in bread, candles, and
other necessaries. He also keeps a list of all the prisoners, as well
those that are upon the charity, as those that are not; to each of whom,
by the aid of the assistant for the day, he distributes their several
proportions of bread and other provisions. He receives the gifts of the
fishmongers, poulterers, and other market people, sent in by the clerk
of the market, by the running post, for which he gives a receipt; and
afterwards, in the presence of the assistant for the day, exposes all to
sale to the charity men, by way of market; and the money arising thereby
is deposited in the common stock.
This officer, with the under steward, assistants, and church-wardens,
are elected monthly by the suffrages of the prisoners; but all the other
officers, except the chamberlain, are appointed by the master keeper,
stewards, and assistants. These frequent elections are designed to
prevent frauds and abuses in the respective officers; but when they are
known to be men of probity, they are generally re-elected, and often
continue in their posts many months.
The under steward is an assistant to the upper steward, in whose absence
or indisposition, he performs the several functions of his office.
The assistants, who are seven in number, are chosen monthly with the
stewards, and one of them officiates daily. His business is, to attend
in the hall, to enter all charities, and keep an account of the money
taken out of the boxes, which are opened at five o’clock in the
afternoon, and at nine at night. This money he pays to the upper
steward, at the passing of whose accounts the stewards are auditors.
Every person nominated for the office of an assistant, on refusing to
serve, forfeits one shilling to the use of the public, or instead
thereof is put in fetters for three days. The officiating assistant is
invested with the power of a magistrate, and can commit a prisoner to
the stocks or shackles, for the abuse of any person. He is to see the
cellar cleared every night, by ten o’clock, of all the prisoners; for
which he receives 6d. out of the charity money; 2d. of which is for his
own use; 2d. for the upper steward; and 2d. for the running assistant.
This office was anciently in such esteem, that the assistant at his
entering upon it, used to be ushered into the hall at eight o’clock at
night, by forty or fifty great candles lighted, and carried by so many
prisoners.
The running assistant attends upon the criers at the grates to change
money; he opens the boxes; puts up candles in their respective places;
attends upon the stewards and assistants; looks after the clock; rings
the bell for prayers, and is crier at the sale of provisions. His salary
is 4s. 8d. _per_ month, and an eighth part of the garnish.
The church-wardens are chosen from among the youngest prisoners. The
upper warden’s business is to call to prayers on Sundays, after the bell
has done ringing; and the under warden’s is to call the prisoners to
prayers all other days. They likewise take cognizance of all persons
upon the charitable foundation; who in default of attendance are fined
one penny each. For this service the under warden has a salary of 4d.
_per_ month; and when duly elected, the penalty for not serving is 4d.
The scavenger’s office is to keep clean the prison, and to fetter, or
put offenders in the stocks: for which he is intitled to receive one
penny from each criminal, together with a salary of 5s. 8d. _per_ month,
and 2d. out of every sixteen pence of the garnish money.
The chamberlain, who is chosen by the keeper of the prison, takes care
of all the bedding and linen belonging to the keeper; places men at
their coming in; furnishes them with sheets, and gives notice to the
strangers to leave the prison by ten o’clock at night. This officer was
formerly obliged to make the charity mens beds, for which he received
two pence a month.
The running post’s employment is fetching in a basket the broken meat
from the Lord Mayor’s table, provisions from the clerk of the market,
private families, and charities given in the streets; which when so
inconsiderable as not to admit of being divided among them all, are
publicly sold, as before. The salary annexed to this office is 4s. a
month; one penny out of each man’s dividend, and one penny out of every
sixteen pence of garnish money.
The criers are six in number; two of whom daily beg at the grates: he at
the grate within, is allowed one fourth of what is given, and he at that
on Blackfriars side, one half of what is given there.
The Monday after every monthly election, the accounts are audited and
passed, and the balance divided; but if it amounts to 3s. 4d. _per_ man,
the keeper of the prison, says our author, arbitrarily extorts from each
prisoner 2s. 4d. without the least colour of right: but if the dividend
rises not so high, he then only takes 1s. 2d. the other moiety of the
2s. 4d. being charged to the prisoners account, to be paid at the time
of his discharge. Another great grievance the prisoners labour under,
is, their being obliged to pay the turnkey 12s. _per_ month, for no
other service than that of opening the door to let in gifts and
charities sent to the prison, which often amount to little more than
what he receives. _Johnson’s Description of Ludgate._
It is, however, necessary to inform the reader, that this account was
printed many years ago; and indeed it is to be hoped that these
grievances are already remedied; if they are not, it is high time that
they were; for here justice and humanity loudly call for a reformation.
The annual sums paid to this prison by the several companies, and other
regular benefactions, amount to upwards of 62l. besides a hind quarter
of beef and a peck of oatmeal from the tallow chandlers company;
nineteen stone of beef and five dozen of bread from the ironmongers
company, and the provisions sent in by the Lord Mayor and other
benefactors.
_The fees to be taken by the keeper of Ludgate, and the turnkeys under
him, allowed of, and confirmed at a court of Aldermen, held on the
19th of January 1686._
At the coming in of every prisoner 1s. to the turnkey, and 2d. to the
officer who conducts him thither.
The keeper finding and providing beds, bedding, mats and cords, sheets,
blankets, and coverlets, the prisoners pay him for the bed lodging 3d.
_per_ night; for the second lodging 2d. and for the third or meanest
lodging 1d. _per_ night.
The keeper is to provide clean sheets every month for all his beds, and
the prisoners who lie in them are to pay monthly to the chamberlain for
washing them, 8d. between them, and no more.
But when the prisoners find their own beds and bedding, which the keeper
is by no means to hinder, the prisoner is only to pay 3d. _per_ week for
bed-room; or for chamber-room 4d. at the most _per_ week; and not above
two to lie in a bed.
If the prisoner by his inability can go no farther than a couch, he is
to pay only one penny _per_ week for chamber-room, and only one penny
_per_ week for lamps and candles, which the keeper is to provide.
For every prisoner’s discharge the keeper is to receive 2s. and no more.
For all actions and writs against him he is to pay the keeper only 1s.
and not 1s. for every action, and 2s. 6d. for every writ, as was
formerly taken.
The keeper shall not presume to take any other fees upon any pretence,
demand, or allowance whatsover, for execution-money, action-money, or
writ-money.
By the following account the reader may see how these orders are now
obeyed.
_The charges of prisoners at their entrance into Ludgate; and
dismission from thence._
A freeman of London being arrested by an action entered in either of the
Compters, may refuse to go thither, and insist on being carried
immediately to Ludgate; but the officers will extort from him 4 or 5s.
as their fee for carrying him thither, though their due is but 2d.
On his being brought to Ludgate, the turnkey enters his name and
addition in a book kept for that purpose; for which entry the prisoner
pays 1s. 2d. after which the chamberlain furnishes him with a lodging at
the rate of 1d. 2d, or 3d. _per_ night; but demands 1s. 6d. for sheets;
and before he goes to rest, his fellow prisoners demand 4s. for garnish,
which, if he does not pay, his cloaths are privately taken from him at
night, and not returned till he has raised the money the next day. The
steward also demands 1s. 6d. of him for coals, candles, and the use of
the house.
He is however allowed the liberty of going abroad; which he may do
either with a keeper, or upon giving good security to return at night.
If he goes out with a keeper, he must pay 2s. 6d. to the head turnkey,
and 1s. 6d. to the keeper who attends him; and every day he goes abroad
afterwards, 1s. to the keeper, and as much to the turnkey. A bond is
also given for the payment of his lodging to the master keeper, for
which the turnkey takes at least 5s. as his fee.
If the prisoner pays the debt, and discharges all other actions against
him in either Compter, he, upon his dismission, pays 2s. to the master
keeper; 1s. 2d. to the turnkey; 1s. for every action entered against
him; and if he is charged in execution, 2s. 6d. for every action against
him. These fees and his lodging sometimes amount to as much as the debt.
_Maitland, the last edit. printed in 1757._
LUDGATE _hill_, a spacious and handsome street, which extends from
Ludgate down to Fleet bridge.
LUDGATE _street_, begins at the west end of St. Paul’s, and ends at
Ludgate. It is a very spacious and handsome street, chiefly inhabited by
silk mercers and woollen drapers.
_St._ LUKE’S, in Old street, was erected on account of the great
increase of buildings in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate; for
notwithstanding there being a chapel of ease, and several
meeting-houses, the parish church could not contain half the inhabitants
who were desirous of assembling there to attend divine worship. The
Commissioners for erecting the fifty new churches taking this into
consideration, purchased a piece of ground in this parish, and erected
one of those churches upon it; after which the inhabitants applying to
Parliament, had the Middlesex liberty of St. Giles appointed for the
parish; and by the same act 3500l. was granted to be laid out in fee
simple, for the support of a Rector, besides the profits of which the
church-wardens were to pay him annually 120l. to be raised by burial
fees.