L b ft 
different chapels, and the poorer fort by gaining admit¬ 
tance for them into the French Proteffant School in Wind- 
tnill-ftreet, Tottenham-conrt road. But at length the race 
is nearly exhaufted ; that is, they are become Englifh; 
their chapels are nearly deferred ; and their fchool, wherein 
do children were formerly boarded, clothed, and well-edu¬ 
cated, is now reduced, by the failure of contributions, to 
18 girls only. Hogarth’s piflure of “Noon” represents 
their principal chapel, called the Greeks, in Crown-ltreet, 
Soho, with the congregation coming out after morning- 
fervice: it is a molt admirable representation, and the 
principal figures are portraits of well-known French pro- 
teltants in that quarter about fixty years ago. At this 
chapel they ufe the liturgy of the church of England, vefy 
correftly tranflated into French, with the Pfalins of old 
Clement Marot. About tw’enty years ago, while the 
Greeks could flill boafl a congregation rel'pe«Sfable as to 
numbers, it was propofed to have a feleflion ot the pfalms 
tranflated into modern French verfe, and let to new tunes. 
This was a thing of great importance in a frnall commu¬ 
nity, and could not be accompliflied without a general 
agreement of the congregation, and a fubfeription to de¬ 
fray expenfes. But the matter was foon put at reft by 
the obfervation of lome very worthy old ladies, that it 
would be much better to leave the pfalms and tunes 
“ comme Le roi David les avoit ecrits." 
The death of Charles, which took place on the 6th of 
February, 1685, did not put an end to the arbitrary mea- 
fures of the latter part of his reign. James II. had long 
governed in the king's name ; and it was with a view to 
the introduflion of popery that he had deviled the plan 
of ieizing the charters of corporate bodies, which he 
dreaded as the molt effectual bars to his defigns ; fo that 
the Londoners were placed in a vvorfe fituation, by his 
acceflion, than they had been in before. Alderman Cor- 
nilh, who, when Iberifl’ in 1680, had exerted himfelf to 
deteft the popilh plot, was fingled out as a facrifice to the 
new king’s relentment. On the 13th of October, 16S5, he 
was apprehended and committed to Newgate, without the 
ufe of pen, ink, or paper; and, on the Saturday after, 
received notice that an indictment for high trenfon was 
prepared againft him, on which he was to be tried on the 
following Monday. It was in vain he applied for time to 
prepare for his defence; he was anfwered by the attor¬ 
ney-general, that he had not deierved fo well of the go¬ 
vernment. He was tried on the appointed day, and, al¬ 
though the two evidences produced againll him could 
not prove any faff to affect him, he was condemned, and, 
on the 33d of the fame month, hanged, drawn, and quar¬ 
tered, facing his own houl'e, at the end of King-ftreetj 
Cheapfide. 
Long before James’s acceflion to the throne, he had loll 
the aft'eflions of the people of every rank and llation, and 
bis fubiequent condufl was fo prepoiterous, that it haf- 
tened a revolution which prudence might have delayed, 
or perhaps prevented. When, at length, he found the 
snereafing difcontents had arifen to fuch a height, as to 
threaten the lofs of his crown, he attempted conciliatory 
meafures ; but it was too late. Among other fymptoms 
of his ill-timed repentance, he, on the 26th of October, 
1688, reftored the city-charter, by the hands of his chan¬ 
cellor Jefferies ; in confequence of which, the cujfos, fir 
John Chapman, was conlhtuted mayor until the enduing 
fieaft of St. Simon and St. Jude; and the Hie riff's were 
continued till the next day of election. A court of com¬ 
mon-council was held on the following day, though it 
was Sunday, at which an order was made for reftoring the 
liverymen of the leveral companies, that were on the li¬ 
very at the time when judgment was given againft the 
city; which order was immediately entered on the books 
of each company. 
The prince of Orange landed at Torbay, on the 5th of 
November; and James left London, with an intention of 
marching againft him with his army ; but the defection 
became fo general, that he fpeedily returned to.,tiicxapi- 
Vol. XIII. Nq. 891 . 
u o K- @s 
tal; where, agitated every moment with frefli proofs of 
the univerfal difeontenr, and not daring to repofe confi¬ 
dence in any one, he precipitately embraced the refolu- 
tion of withdrawing to France. 
As foon as the king’s flight was known, the lords fpi- 
ritual and temporal met at Guildhall, and figtied and 
ptiblifhed their declaration, to apply to the prince of 
Orange, and to aflift his highnefs to obtain a free parlia¬ 
ment, and to be ready to do all other matters that fhould 
tend to the public good. This was followed, the fame 
day, by an addrefs from the lord-mayor, aldermen, and 
common-council; and by another from the lieutenancy 
of the city of London to the prince of Orange ; in which 
they exprefl'ed fimilar fentiments. 
Though the greateft precautions were ufed, it was im- 
poffible fuclr an event fliould pafs without fome afls of 
violence. The populace, confidering the papilts as the 
authors of their late misfortunes and prefent diftraflions, 
plundered and burnt the mafs-houfes lately erefled in 
the metropolis and its fuburbs; and alfo attacked and 
plundered the lioufes of the Spanifli and Tufcan ambaffa- 
dors, where fome of the molt wealthy papifts had depo- 
fited their valuable effeffs for fafety. The Ioffes of the 
ambaffadors were, however, made good by the next par¬ 
liament. Jefferies, the chancellor, being difeovered about 
the fame time, concealed in a lailor’s drefs, at Wapping, 
was feized by the mob, and treated with fuch feverity, 
that he died fliortly after of his bruifes. 
Being arrived at the period of the revolution, we may 
paule a moment to notice the furprifing difference be¬ 
tween the healtbinefs of London at prefent, notwithlland- 
ing its great increafe of population, and what it was dur¬ 
ing the feventeenth century. At prefent the number of 
inhabitants in Loudon, and the contiguous villages, which 
in fact make a part of it, is 1,099,104. We do not know 
exactly what it was in the feventeenth century; bur, as 
it has been increafing ever fince, and as, in the year 1753, 
the number of inhabitants did not exceed 750,000, we 
fliall not probably err very much if we reckon the inha¬ 
bitants of London, in 1688, at about half a million. Yet, 
in the years 1685, 1686, and 1687, the births and deaths 
were to each other as follows : 
Years. Births. Deaths. 
1685 - - *4,730 - - 23,223 
1686 - - 14,694 - - 22,60.9 
1687 - - 14,951 - - 21,460 
So that, at this period, the deaths exceeded the births 
by no lefs a quantity than 7639, or more than one half 
of the whole births. At prefent the number of births 
exceeds that of the deaths. We Ihall inltance only three 
years, as before; 
Years. Births. Deaths. 
1810 - - 19,923 - - 19,893 
1811 - - 20,645 - - 17,043 
1812 - - 20,404 - - 18,293 
This diminution of deaths in fo increafed a population 
mull be owing to the different mode of living, and the 
improvement in the width of the ftreets, and in cleanii- 
r.efs. The fame improvements having taken place in 
every part of Great Britain, there can be no doubt that 
the value of human life is rather increafed in this ifland ; 
a circuinltance very effential to be confidered in the cal¬ 
culation of life-annuities, and in other matters of fl.atifl.ics 
and politics. 
One of the firft afls of authority performed by the 
prince of Orange, was to apply to the lord-mayor and 
common-council for a loan of two hundred thoufand 
pounds ; and the citizens cheerfully voted the money, 
which was railed in a Ihort time. In the parliament 
which met on the 20th of March, 1690, the citizens or 
London received a frefli affurance of his majelly’s great 
regard to the rights of the corporation, by his figning an 
aft, declaring the proceedings of the former reigns^ on 
the qua warranto^ illegal (and arbitrary. Every judgment 
given, iyid. recorded,, for feizing the fianchifes of the city, 
B- br were. 
