At a short distance from the Palace northward, is a small district called the Borough of Stable-Gate, or Staple-Gate. This, though within the boundaries of the city, has distinct privileges, and is generally considered as the place where Augustine and his brethren were first seated when they were admitted into Canterbury by King Ethelbert. At that time, says Thorn," it was an Oratory for the King's family, who there adored and sacrificed to their gods; but the King, desirous of enfranchising this spot, and to exempt it from every exaction, granted that the inhabitants should not answer to the citizens in any tallages or assessments, or contribute any subsidy to them, but be subject to the Archbishop in all things; and to enjoy, in like manner as his Palace, uncontradicted liberty, and the privilege of being a sanctuary, and place of refuge, for criminals, even after they were indicted, should they flee into this place of Stable-gate, where they should enjoy the same privilege equally as in a Church. The houses in this borough are chiefly inhabited by the lower classes, who resort hither for the sake of the greater liberty which they enjoy, than when living under the immediate controul of the city officers.

The principal entrance to the Cathedral precincts is on the south side, under CHRIST CHURCH GATE, which stands nearly oppasite to Mercery Lane. This fabric was built by Prior Goldstone, in the year 1517, as appears from an inscription now scarcely legible, which is continued along a band, or cornice, crossing the whole gate above the larger arch; the inscription was as follows: HOC OPUS CONSTRUCTUM EST ANNO Domini milleSIMO QUINGENTESSIMO DECIMO SEPTIMO. The sculpture of this gate has been extremely elegant, and is still very interesting, though greatly discolored by time, and partly defaced through wantonness. The sides are octagonal, and were formerly finished above the roof by elegant turrets of the same form; but these becoming ruinous, have been taken down as low as the battlements. The lower part is formed by two arches; a larger one for carriages, and a smaller for foot passengers. The gates, which are of wood, are curiously carved; and, among other ornaments, display the arms of the See of Canterbury, and of Archbishop Juxon, in

whose

whose time they were set up; the former ones having been destroyed during the rule of the Independents. In the spandrils of the larger arch are the arms of this See, impaling Warham; and the same arms, impaling Becket. In the space over the smaller arch are the arms of Prior Goldstone; and above, at the sides, the arms of the Priory of Christ Church, and of the See of Canterbury, impaling Morton. In the compartment above the arches, are various shields, displaying the cognizances of Henry the Seventh, and the arms of some of the nobility and gentry of his time: among them are those of Guldeford, Scott, Fineux, Howard, Nevil, and Poynings. Over these, in the centre, is a large canopied niche, in which stood a statue of Our Saviour: this statue is said to have been shot at, and destroyed, by the soldiers of the Parliamentary army. On each side of this, between smaller niches, are the windows which open to the first floor; and above them is another compartment, sculptured with the figures of half angels sustaining shields. The windows of the second floor correspond with those of the first, and have also small niches at the sides: a range of lesser niches is likewise continued along the whole length immediately below the battlements. The sides are ornamented with arcades, having trefoil heads, and being otherwise decorated: the vaulting of the arches is strongly groined. The inner front, though less ornamental than that described, is not undeserving attention.

At a short distance from the Cathedral precincts, in the eastern suburbs of the city, stand the venerable remains of ST. AUGUSTINE'S ABBEY, which at one period almost equalled the Cathedral itself in magnificence, and continued to exist in great splendor during many centuries. It was founded in the year 598, by Augustine, in conjunction with Ethelbert, King of Kent, the latter of whom endowed it with many estates, and other rich gifts. Augustine placed here a community of Benedictines, as he had done at Christ Church, and invested them with various privileges: these were afterwards increased by numerous grants and Royal charters; and many immunities were, in succeeding ages, conferred upon the Monks by the Roman Pontiffs,

Eadbald,

Eadbald, the son and successor of Ethelbert, founded a Church in this Abbey, through the influence of Archbishop Lawrence, who dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin in the year 613; two years before which, the Monks had been exempted by the Pope from all episcopal jurisdiction. Many of the Abbots were persons of eminent talents, and procured divers immunities and privileges from the Papal See. Egelsin, who had been sent on an embassy to Pope Alexander the Second, obtained from him a license to wear the mitre, and other pontificals; but the Archbishop refused to permit him to exercise this privilege; and soon afterwards, in 1070, Egelsin was obliged to seek refuge on the Continent, he having taken part with Archbishop Stigand in his opposition to the Conqueror. In the same year the King promoted a Norman Monk, named Scoland, or Scotland, to the vacant Abbacy; and, by his influence, conjoined to that of Archbishop Lanfranc, many of the possessions of this Abbey, which the King had seized, were restored; and several new grants of lands and Churches obtained. This Abbot, following the general example of the Norman Prelates, took down the whole of the ancient Church, and begun to rebuild it in a more magnificent manner; but he dying in the year 1087, before he had completed his intended structure, it was finished by his successor, Wido, between that period, and August, 1099. Hugh de Floriac, who succeeded Wido, erected the Chapter-House and Dormitory, and furnished the Church with various ornaments: he died in 1124. His successor, Hugh de Trotessclive, who was Chaplain to Henry the First, and well informed in monastical and secular discipline, increased the Monks to sixty, their original number. In the time of Clarembald, whom Henry the Second had intruded into the Abbacy against the consent of the Monks, great part of the Abbey Church was destroyed by fire, together with many of the ancient grants, and other writings. The Churches of Faversham, Minster, and Middleton, were afterwards assigned to the use of the Sacrist, to repair the damage, by grants from the Pope, Alexander the Third. On the deposition of Clarembald, in 1176, Roger, a Monk of Christ Church, was constituted Abbot; but, on his refusal to make pro

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