Here Also They Show Us The
Armour Of The Lord Kingsale, With The Sword He Took From The French
General, Which Gained Him The Privilege Of Being Covered In The
King's Presence, Which His Posterity Enjoy To This Day.
The office of ordnance is in the Tower, with the several apartments
of the officers that belong to it, who have the direction of all the
arms, ammunition, artillery, magazines, and stores of war in the
kingdom.
The White Tower is a lofty, square stone building, with a turret at
each angle, standing on the declivity of the hill, a little below
the armoury, and disengaged from the other buildings, where some
thousand barrels of powder were formerly kept; but great part of the
public magazine of powder is now distributed in the several yards
and storehouses belonging to the government, as at Woolwich,
Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c., to prevent accidents, I presume;
for should such a prodigious quantity of powder take fire, it must
be of fatal consequence to the city, as well as the Tower. The main
guard of the Tower, with the lodgings of the officers, are on the
east side of this building.
In the chapel of the White Tower, usually called Caesar's Chapel,
and in a large room adjoining on the east side thereof, sixty-four
feet long, and thirty-one broad, are kept many ancient records, such
as privy-seals in several reigns, bills, answers, and depositions in
chancery, in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, King James I., and King
Charles I., writs of distringas, supersedeas, de excommunicato
capiendo, and other writs relating to the courts of law; but the
records of the greatest importance are lodged in the Tower called
Wakefield Tower, consisting of statute rolls from the 6th of Edward
I. to the 8th of Edward III.
Parliament rolls beginning anno 5 of Edward II. and ending with the
reign of Edward IV.
Patent rolls beginning anno 3 of John, and ending with the reign of
Edward IV. In these are contained grants of offices, hands,
tenements, temporalities, &c., passing under the great seal.
Charter rolls, from the 1st of King John to the end of Edward IV. in
which are enrolments of grants, and confirmations of liberties and
privileges to cities and towns corporate, and to private persons, as
markets, fairs, free warren, common of pasture, waifs, strays,
felons' goods, &c.
The foundations of abbeys and priories, of colleges and schools,
together with lands and privileges granted to them.
The patents of creation of noblemen.
Close rolls, from the 6th of King John, to the end of Edward IV., in
which are writs of various kinds, but more especially on the back of
the roll are entered the writs of summons to parliament, both to the
lords and commons, and of the bishops and inferior clergy to
convocations. There are also proclamations, and enrolments of deeds
between party and party.
French rolls, beginning anno 1 of Edward II. and ending with Edward
IV., in which are leagues and treaties with the kings of France, and
other matters relating to that kingdom.
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