542 LON 
Charing. This road, however, from the frequent paffiog 
of horfes and carts, laad become fo dangerous both to men 
and carriages, that, in the year 135.3, atoll was laid on all 
merchandife and provifions carried to the fiaple of Weft¬ 
minfter, for repairing it. In 1385, it was new paved 
from Temple-bar to the Savoy; and fome years after, by 
the interefi of fir Robert Cecil, who had an elegant man- 
lion where Cecil-llreet now (lands, the pavement was con¬ 
tinued as far as his houfe. In courfeof time Weftminfter 
became a place of fome confideration ; but it received its 
inoft diltinguifhed honours from Henry VIII. who, on 
the difi'olution of the monaftery of St. Peter, converted it 
into a bifhopric, with a dean and twelve prebendaries; 
and appointed the whole county of Middlefex, except 
Fulham, which was to remain to the bifhop of London, 
for its diocefe. On this occafion Weftminfter became a 
city; for the making of which, according to lord-chief- 
jultice Coke, “nothing more is required, than to be the 
feat of epifcopal power.” 
The old palace, near the abbey, having been nearly de- 
llroyed by fire in 1512, Henry VIII. took up his r.efidence 
at Whitehall, which he purchafed, in 1530, of cardinal 
Wolfey. He alfo built the palace of St. James; and in- 
clofed a fine fpot of ground, which he converted into a 
park, for the accommodation of both palaces. From this 
period, the buildings about Weftminfter began greatly to 
increafe; but it did not long enjoy the honour of being 
a city; for it never had but one bilhop, Thomas Thirlby, 
•who being tranflated to the fee of Norwich, by Edward VI. 
in 1550, the new bifhopric was difl’olved. However, Welt- 
miniter is (till confidered as a city, and is fo ltyled in our 
Ifatutes. 
The city of Weftminfter, properly fo called, confifts but 
of two parifhes, viz. St. Margaret, and St. John the Evan- 
gelilt; but the liberties contain (even parifhes, which are 
as follow: St. Martin in the fields, St. James, St. Anne, 
St. Paul, Covent-garden, St. Mary-le-Strand, St. Clement 
Danes, and St. George Hanover-fquare ; to which mull 
be added, the precinci of the Savoy, and that of St. Mar- 
tin-le-grand. The government of both the city and li¬ 
berties of Weftminfter is under the jurifdiftion of the dean 
and chapter of St. Peter’s, as well in civil as in ecclefiafti- 
cal affairs, whofe authority alfo extends to fome towns in 
EfTex ; and the whole of their diltrift is exempt from the 
jurifdiftion of the bifhop of London, and of the archbifhop 
of Canterbury. Since the Reformation, the management 
of the civil part of the government has been in the hands 
of laymen, elefted, or, when appointed by their princi¬ 
pals, confirmed, by the dean and chapter. 
The form of the civil government of Weftminfter was 
fettled by an a 61 of parliament pafted in the 27th of queen 
Elizabeth, entiled, “A11 Aft for the good Government 
of the City and Borough of Weftminfter;” which direfts 
the appointment of twelve burgefles, and twelve affiftants, 
annually, to prelide over the twelve wards into which Weft¬ 
minfter was at that time divided ; and gives power to the 
dean, high fleward, or his deputy, and the twelve burgefles, 
or any three of them, whereof the dean, high fleward, or his 
deputy, to be one, to hear, determine, and punifh,according 
to the laws of the realm, or laudable and lawful cuftotns of 
the city of London, all matters of incontinency, common 
fcolds, inmates, common annoyances, &c. and to commit 
perfons, offending againfl the peace, to prifon ; but to give 
notice, within twenty-four hours, to ibme juftice of the 
peace for the county. All good orders and ordinances, 
made by the dean and high fleward with the aftiflance of 
the burgefles, concerning the government of the inhabit-, 
ants, and not repugnant to the queen’s prerogative or the 
laws of the land, to be of full force and flrength. Though 
the increafe of the liberties of Weftminfter has rendered 
fome alterations in this flatute necelfary, yet the fubftance 
of it is ftill the bafis of the government of this city. 
The'firft of thefe magiftrates is the high fleward, who 
is ufually one of the chief nobility, chofeu by the dean and 
chapter. His office has fome affinity to that of a. chan- 
D O N. 
cellor of an univerfity; and he holds his place during 
life. On his death or refignation, a chapter is called for 
the election of another, in which the dean fits as high 
fleward until the election is determined. The deputy 
lie ward is appointed by the high fleward, and confirmed 
by the dean and chapter. He" is chairman of the court- 
leet; by which the high conltable, the petty conftables, 
and the annoyance-juries, are appointed. The high-bai¬ 
liff is nominated by the dean, and confirmed by the high 
fteward, and holds his place for life. He is returning-of¬ 
ficer at the election for members of parliament; and en¬ 
joys confiderable profits from fines, forfeitures, &c. The 
burgefles are at prefent fixteen in number, each of 
whom has an affiftant. They are nearly fimilar to the 
aldermen and deputies in the city of London ; but the 
exercife of their office is now principally confined to at¬ 
tending the court-leets, &c. Under the high confta- 
ble, who cannot hold his office more than three years; 
are eighty petty conflables, appointed annually, at Mi¬ 
chaelmas, viz. fourteen for the parifh of St. Margaret; 
four for that of St. John the Evangeiift; twelve for St. 
George, Hanover-fquare; fourteen for St. Martin’s in the 
Fields.; fourteen for St. James’s ; eight for St. Anne’s, fix 
for St. Paul’s Covent-garden; fix for St. Clement Danes; 
and two for St. Mary-le-Strand. Before the year 1696, the 
inhabitants of Weltminfter were liable to be called upon 
to ferve as juror? at the quarter-feffions for the county of 
Middlefex; but a claufe was introduced into an aft, pafted 
in that year fox regulating jurors, by which they were 
exempted from this duty.—Notwithftanding the great 
extent of Weftminfter, the government of it bears but lit¬ 
tle refemblance to that of a large city. The inhabitants 
have no exclufive corporation-privileges, nor are there any 
trading-companies within its jurifdiftion. The two mem¬ 
bers who reprefent it in parliament, like thofe of a common, 
country borough, are chofen by the inhabitant-houfehold- 
ilers at large; and the only courts held in Weftminfter, are, 
the court-leet, the quarter-feffions, and two courts-of re- 
quefts for the recovery-of finall debts. Weftminfter has; 
however, long been the feat of the royal palace, of the 
high-court of parliament, and of our law-tribunals. 
Westminster Abbey. —In whatever point of view 
we confider this edifice, whether in regard to its antiquity, 
the great and worthy perfonages whofe afhes it contains, 
or the beauty of its architecture, it equally claims our 
refpeft and admiration. No building in the world can 
rival it under theafpeft of thefe three points. If the ab¬ 
bey of St. Denys, when it exifled unimpaired and unfpoiled 
by the more-than-barbarian hands of the French them- 
felves, could approach Weftminfter in refpeft to its anci- 
enty, and the high eftimation of its augult contents, yet: 
for its architecture thatfacred pile could not have the leaft 
pretenfions to a comparifon. Befides, there the partiality of 
the French for rank and hereditary honours, had confe- 
crated the tombs exclufively, with, very few exceptions, to 
royal relics. None but crowned heads, or bodies clofely 
allied to royalty, were allowed to crumble to dull in that 
place; and it was by a moft fpecial condefcenfion that th« 
bones of the great Turenne were allowed to reft there. But 
here, the hand that guided the pen or flruck the lyre withers 
contiguous to that which wielded the fword or held the 
fcepter: here, kings, princes, orators, poets,. warriors, 
ftatefmen, and magiftrates, lie undiftinguifhed, on an awful 
level. Any one who has deferved well of his country may 
hope for a place here; and in the dreadful hour of fight 
the hero keeps Weftminfter-abbey in view as the ipot 
where his honoured remains may be laid. “A peerage 
or Weftminfter-abbey!” exclaimed Nell'on juft before lie. 
entered upon the battle of the Nile. 
Were we to compile and relate all the miraculous ftories. 
that have been told and written concerning the origin of 
this famous abbey, and liften for any confiderable time to 
its legendary hiftoriographers, we might, in this felf-called 
enlightened age, give offence to thole who will read 
nought but what they can believe; and perhaps lull into 
3 unwarranted 
