The companies marked with an * before them have no liverymen, and
all the freemen of the rest are not upon the livery, that is,
entitled to wear the gowns belonging to the respective companies,
and vote in elections, but a select number of freemen only. Every
company is a distinct corporation, being incorporated by grants from
the crown, or acts of parliament, and having certain rules,
liberties, and privileges, for the better support and government of
their several trades and mysteries: many of them are endowed with
lands to a great value, and have their masters, wardens, assistants,
clerks, and other officers, to direct and regulate their affairs,
and to restrain and punish abuses incident to their several trades;
and when any disputes arise concerning the due execution of these
charters, the Lord Mayor has a supreme power to determine the case
and to punish the offenders.
The military government of the City of London is lodged in the
lieutenancy, consisting of the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and other
principal citizens, who receive their authority from his majesty's
commission, which he revokes and alters as often as he sees fit.
These have under their command six regiments of foot, viz.:- 1, The
White; 2, the Orange; 3, the Yellow; 4, the Blue; 5, the Green; and
6, the Red Regiment - in every one of which are eight companies,
consisting of one hundred and fifty men each; in all, seven thousand
two hundred men: besides which there is a kind of independent
company, called the artillery company, consisting of seven or eight
hundred volunteers, whose skill in military discipline is much
admired by their fellow-citizens. These exercise frequently in the
artillery ground, engage in mock fights and sieges, and storm the
dunghills with great address.
The Tower Hamlets, it has been observed already, are commanded by
the lieutenant of the Tower, and consist of two regiments of foot,
eight hundred each: so that the whole militia of London, exclusive
of Westminster and Southwark, amount to near ten thousand men.
London, like other cities of the kingdom, is, or ought to be,
governed by its bishop in spirituals, though his authority is very
little regarded at present. The justices of peace at their sessions
may empower any man to preach and administer the sacraments, let his
occupation or qualifications be never so mean; nor do they ever
refuse it to a person who is able to raise the small sum of - pence
being less a great deal than is paid for licensing a common
alehouse. A clergyman indeed cannot be entitled to a benefice
without being, in some measure, subject to his diocesan; but he may
throw off his gown, and assemble a congregation that shall be much
more beneficial to him, and propagate what doctrines he sees fit (as
is evident in the case of orator Henley): but to proceed.
The diocese of London is in the province of Canterbury, and
comprehends the counties of Middlesex and Essex, and part of
Hertfordshire; the British plantations in America are also subject
to this bishop. To the cathedral of St. Paul belongs a dean, three
residentiaries, a treasurer, chancellor, precentor, and thirty
prebendaries. The Bishop of London takes place next to the
Archbishops of Canterbury and York, but his revenues are not equal
to those of Durham or Winchester. The deanery of St. Paul's is said
to be worth a thousand pounds per annum, and each of the
residentiaries about three hundred pounds per annum.
The parishes within the walls of London are ninety-seven; but
several of them having been united since the Fire, there are at
present but sixty-two parish churches, and consequently the same
number of parish priests: the revenues of these gentlemen are
seldom less than 100 pounds per annum, and none more than 200 pounds
per annum. They appear to be most of them about 150 pounds per
annum, besides their several parsonage houses and surplice fees; and
most of them have lectureships in town, or livings in the country,
or some other spiritual preferment of equal value.
The city of Westminster, the western part of the town, comes next
under consideration which received its name from the abbey or
minster situated to the westward of London. This city, if we
comprehend the district or liberties belonging to it, lies along the
banks of the Thames in the form of a bow or crescent, extending from
Temple Bar in the east to Millbank in the south-west; the inside of
this bow being about a mile and a half in length, and the outside
two miles and a half at least; the breadth, one place with another,
from the Thames to the fields on the north-west side of the town,
about a mile; and I am apt to think a square of two miles in length
and one in breadth would contain all the buildings within the
liberty of Westminster. That part of the town which is properly
called the city of Westminster contains no more than St. Margaret's
and St. John's parishes, which form a triangle, one side whereof
extends from Whitehall to Peterborough House on Millbank; another
side reaches from Peterborough House to Stafford House, or Tart
Hall, at the west end of the park; and the third side extends from
Stafford house to Whitehall; the circumference of the whole being
about two miles.
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