On The South Side Of The Park Run Shady Walks Of Trees From East To
West, Parallel Almost To The Canal, And Walks On The North;
Adjoining To Which Are The Sumptuous Houses In Queen Street, Queen
Square, &C., Inhabited By People Of Quality:
And the west end of
the park is adorned with the Duke of Buckingham's beautiful seat.
But what renders
St. James's Park one of the most delightful scenes
in Nature is the variety of living objects which is met with here;
for besides the deer and wild fowl, common to other parks, besides
the water, fine walks, and the elegant buildings that surround it,
hither the politest part of the British nation of both sexes
frequently resort in the spring to take the benefit of the evening
air, and enjoy the most agreeable conversation imaginable; and those
who have a taste for martial music, and the shining equipage of the
soldiery, will find their eyes and ears agreeably entertained by the
horse and foot guards every morning.
The Sanctuary, or the abbey-yard, is a large open square, between
King Street and the Gate-house, north-west of the abbey, and was
called the Sanctuary, because any person who came within these
limits was entitled to the privilege of sanctuary - that is, he was
not liable to be apprehended by any officers of justice.
This privilege, it is said, was first granted to the abbey by
Sebert, king of the East Saxons, increased by King Edgar, and
confirmed by Edward the Confessor, by the following charter:-
"Edward, by the grace of God, king of Englishmen; I make it to be
known to all generations of the world after me, that, by special
commandment of our holy father Pope Leo, I have renewed and honoured
the holy church of the blessed apostle St. Peter of Westminster; and
I order and establish for ever, that what person, of what condition
or estate soever he be, from whencesoever he come, or for what
offence or cause it be, either for his refuge in the said holy
place, he is assured of his life, liberty, and limbs:
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