414 A. D. 1640. 



mouth of the river Oroonoko, foutliward to fhe river Maroni. But 

 that country being low, niarfhy, and unhealthy, they foon after aban- 

 doned it. 



Notwithflanding the popular clamour at this time againfl the arbi- 

 trary proceedings of King Charles, and the frequent complaints of the 

 decay of commerce, yet it is very plain that our commerce was con- 

 flantly increafing throughout all that time. Even about this very time 

 we find the luburbs of London expanding very much every way by 

 new foundations, more efpecially weftward, fuch as Clare-market, Long- 

 acre, Bedfordbury, and other parts of what was then in the parifh of St. 

 Giles in the fields. I'he very names of the older fl;reets about Covent- 

 garden are taken from the royal family at this time, fuch as James- 

 ftreet, King-ftreet, Charles-ftreet, Henrietta-ftreet, &c. all laid out by 

 the great architect Inigo Jones, as was alfo the fine piazza there ; though 

 the buildings in that part where the houfe and gardens of the duke of 

 Bedford flood are of a much later date, viz. in the reigns of King Wil- 

 liam and Queen Anne. Bloomfbury and the flreets at the feven dials 

 were built up fomewhat later, as alfo Leicefter-fields, fince the reflora- 

 tion of Charles 11 ; as were alfo almofi; all St. James's and St. Anne's pa- 

 rifties, and a great part of St. Martin's and St. Giles's. I have met with 

 ieveral old perfons in my younger days who remembered that there was 

 but one fingle houfe (a cake-houfe) between the Meufe-gate at Charing- 

 -crofs and St. James's palace-gate, where now ftand the ftately piles of St. 

 James's-lquare, Pall-mall, and other fine fireets. They alfo remember- 

 ed a quick-fet hedge on the weft fide of St. Martin's lane. Yet High 

 Holborn and Drury-lane were filled with nobleraens and gentlemens 

 houfes almoft 150 years ago. Thofe fine ftreets on the fouth fide of the 

 Strand running down to the river Thames have all been built fince the 

 beginning of the 17th century, upon the fites of noblemens houfes and 

 gardens, who removed farther weftward, as their names denote. Even 

 fome parts within the bars of the city of London remained unbuilt with- 

 in about 150 years paft, particularly all the grounds between Shoe-lane 

 and Fewters * (now Fetter) lane, which in King Charles I's reign, and 

 even fome of them fince, have been built up into ftreets, lanes, &c. Se- 

 veral other parts of the city, it is well known, have been rendered more 

 populous by the removal of the nobility, &c. to Weftminfter liberties, 

 on the fites of whofe former fpacious houfes and gardens whole ftreets, 

 lanes, and courts, have been added to the city fince the death of Queen 

 Elizabeth. 



* ' So called of Fewters (or idle people) lying ' yecres on both fides biiilded through with many 



' there, as in a way leading to gardens.' {^Stozu's ' faire houfes.' So Fewters (or Fetter) lane is of 



Survey of London, p. ■j^6,eJ. i6f8.] ^. Stow im- greater antiquity than Mr. Anderfon, trufiing to 



mediately adds, ' but the fame is now of later Howcl, alTigns to it. 71/. 



