"about in the rain, more like pedlars than' "merchants. This reproach stimulated "Sir Thomas to purchase some tenements "on the site of the Royal Exchange, and "the building was begun in the year 1566, "and completed in 1567. Three years “after, queen Elizabeth paid Sir Thomas "a visit at his own house, and, after dinner, "viewed every part of the building, which "she dignified by naming the Royal Exchange. This edifice continued until "the great fire of London, when it was "destroyed, but afterwards rebuilt, in its' 68 present magnificent form, by the city and company of mercers, at the expence of eighty thousand pounds. In it are the "statues of several of our kings; nor "must I neglect to tell you that Sir Thomas "Gresham is not forgotten, being in one corner, in the dress of his time." The bustle and number of shops in Cheapside next attracted Mary's notice, and her father, ever ready to gratify laudable curiosity, informed her that it received its name from chepe, a market, being originally I originally the great street of splendid shops. 66 66 "In the year 1246,” added he, we are informed by an old writer that it was an open field, called Crown Field, from an inn of that sign at the east end. The same writer adds, that not until two hun"dred years after the above-mentioned date were there any streets in London paved, except Thames-street, and from Ludgatehill to Charing-cross." "Ah! there is St. Paul's," exclaimed "What a magnificent build Charles. "We will give it a particular examina"tion on the first opportunity; I will "therefore defer my observations till then," replied Mr. Richardson. Nothing particular attracted their notice until they reached the Temple, near Fleet-street, where Mr. Richardson informed them he had business... "This," said he, "is one of our celebrated seats of law, and took its name from a religious military Order called Knights Knights Templars. They were originally crusaders, who happening to be quartered in places adjacent to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, in the year 1118, "consecrated themselves to the service of religion by deeds of arms, binding them"selves to chastity and obedience, and 66. 66 professing to protect pilgrims to the "Holy Land from all dangers on the road. "At first they subsisted on alms, had but "one horse between two of them, and wore "a white habit, but which was afterwards distinguished by a red cross on the left "shoulder. By their gallant actions and "devotion they became very popular "throughout Europe, and so enriched by: 66 bequests and the favour of princes, that "at the dissolution of their Order they "were found possessed of sixteen thousand. manors. At length a persecution, founded on the most unjust accusations, was "formed against them in France, and "many suffered at the stake; in all proba66 bility their riches being their chief crime. "This potent Order had their first house "in Holborn, which was named the Old "Temple, but founded their new Temple in the year 1185, where they resided. "until the suppression of their Order in "1310, when they were dispersed into "several monasteries, and condemned to "perpetual penance. Edward the Second granted their possessions to two different "noblemen: but again reverting to the "crown, he bestowed them on the Knights "of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, "who had valiantly driven the Turks out "of the Isle of Rhodes. In the reign of "Edward the Third, these Knights granted "the Temple to the students of common "law, to whose use it has ever since been "applied. "The church belonging to the Temple. " is founded on the model of the holy se pulchre, and was consecrated in the year "1185. In it are interred many people "of the greatest note, several of whom are represented on their monuments lying cross-legged, as it is said, in comme"moration of their having assumed the 66 cross |
