dren.

Mr. JAMES CART, June 8, 1706, with six of his nine chil-. His son James, of St. John's Street," departed this life Oct. 9, 1731, aged 41 years, lamented by the best of mothers, to whom he paid a most extraordinary duty to his last moments. She departed this life Oct. 15, 1736, and was buried in the church of Dunstable, in Bedfordshire. The last named Mr." James Cart, was removed hence Oct. 23, 1736, and deposited in the same grave with his mothery Mrs. Jane Cart, in Dunstable, to the poor of which town, as well as to others, she was in her lifetime and at her death a generous benefactor. She instituted and endowed a weekly lecture in the said church at Dunstable on the Lord's-Day in the afternoon. She likewise built and endowed sixalms-houses for poor women; and also one-third part of a charity-, school for forty boys. And, amongst other instances of extensive benevolence, she bequeathed the surplus of her estates for the yearly relief of poor clergymen of the church of England, their widows and daughters for ever."

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Here are appointed to be preached, in pursuance of the will of the Hon. Robert Boyle, eight lectures, for demonstrating the Christian to be the true religion, against the cavils and denial of Atheists, Deists, Jews, Mahometans, or Pagans; but without entering into the controversies on infe-. rior points, too common among Christians. The lectures are preached on the first Monday of January, till May, and from September till November.

The annual sermon before the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, is also preached here before the lord mayor, and the archbishops and bishops, &c. on the third Friday in February.

Bow Church is also sometimes appropriated for the conse-. cration of bishops. It is also the principal of the archbishop of Canterbury's peculiars in the city of London.

Among the rectors of this church were the following eminent persons: MARTIN FOTHERBY, D. D. bishop of Salisbury. NICHOLAS FELTON, D. D. bishop of Bristol, and afterwards of Ely. SAMUEL BRADFORD, D. D. bishop of Bristol. THOMAS NEWTON, D. D. bishop of Bristol, JOHN SCLATER, D. D. a most unhappy fate befel this gen tleman. He was passing down St. Mary Hill, Billingsgate,

under a warehouse into which goods were craning. At the moment that the doctor had got under the crane, the rope broke, the package fell, and crushed him to death. EAST APTHORPE, D.D. prebendary of Finsbury, author of Letters on the Prevalence of Christianity," &c. &c.

This church, on account of the many accidents which have occurred, is more remarkable than any other in the city. In the year 1090, a tempest of wind unroofed the building; the rafters of which, twenty-six feet in length, were precipitated with such violence into the high street, which, at that time was swampy, unpaved ground, that only four feet appeared above the level, which were compelled to be cut down to the level of the street, as they could not otherwise be removed.

The particulars of a dangerous insurrection claim a place here: In the year 1195, one William Fitz Osbert, alias Long-beard, a deformed person, but who had permitted his beard to grow to an unusual length, partly from an affectation of gravity, and partly in derision of the Norman custom of shaving the face, so wrought upon the lower classes of people, that he was esteemed by them a man of extraor、 dinary talents and demeanour.

The greatest enemies of Fitz Osbert acknowledge, that being a person of most powerful elocution, he became the professed advocate of the poor citizens, against the oppressions of the more wealthy; and having frequently pleaded the cause of the poor before the magistrates, he became the idol of the lowers orders of the people, who were univerversally at his devotion.

Fitz Osbert, upon this, began to act more openly, and made use of all his rhetoric to incense the populace against a certain aid or tallage, which was to be raised for the service of the public.

He insisted that this tax was proportioned in a very unjust manner; for that the poor were to bear the burden of almost the whole, while the rich were in a manner exonerated; and this insinuation wrought so powerfully

on

on the minds of the people, that a tumult ensued near St. Paul's church, in which many of the citizens were killed.

Advice of this insurrection being transmitted to Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, the king's justiciary; that prelate summoned Fitz Osbert to appear before him, at a fixed time and place. He obeyed the summons, but was attended by such a numerous croud of his adherents, that the archbishop, instead of seizing his person, thought it necessary for his own safety to dismiss him with a gentle reproof, and his advice not to appear in any unlawful assembly for the future.

The more wealthy citizens being greatly terrified at the proceedings of Fitz Osbert and his party, at length agreed that a number of men should lay in wait to seize him at a time when he had but few attendants; and an opportunity of this kind soon offered; but Fitz Osbert, with the few friends he had with him, made a most desperate defence, and having possessed themselves of the church of St. Maryle-bow in Cheapside, they fortified the steeple, with a full determination of defending themselves till further assistance should arrive.

The situation of Fitz Osbert and his friends was no sooner known, than the populace, from all parts in and near the city, assembled in Cheapside, with the view of setting their champion at liberty; but the magistrates used such persuasive arguments, that the people were at length prevailed on to disperse.

A resolution was then formed of setting fire to the steeple, so that Fitz Osbert and his abettors had no chance, but to force their way through the flames and fight for their lives, or be burnt on the spot; the former expedient was chosen, as the less dreadful; wherefore making an impetuous sally, they aimed at safety by wading through the blood of their opponents: but being overpowered by superior numbers, Fitz Osbert and eight of his adherents were made prisoners, and committed to the Tower of London.

The next morning they were brought to their trial; and

sentence

sentence of death being passed upon them, they were al lowed only one night to make their peace with heaven; and on the following day they were drawn by the feet through the city to a part of Smithfield then called the Elms, where they were publicly executed, and then hung in chains.

The disturbances, however, were not wholly appeased; the body of Fitz Osbert having been taken down and carried away, a report was immediately propagated by a priest, the kinsman of the deceased, that several miracles had been wrought at the place of his execution, and vast numbers of people resorted to Smithfield, many of whom picked up and carried away, as holy relics, pieces of the earth on which the blood of their champion had been spilled, while others continued the whole night in the utmost fervors of de. votion, and would not quit the place till a military guard dispersed them reluctantly to their respective habitations.

In order to undeceive the deluded populace, the life of Fitz Osbert was made public by authority; and his relation, the priest, excommunicated for attempting to deceive the people, who very soon applied quietly to their several avocations.

In 1271, great part of the steeple fell down, and killed several persons; and in the year 1284, Laurence Ducket, a goldsmith, having offended a person of the name of Crepin, the latter severely wounded Ducket, who fled for safety into. the church; upon this Crepin's adherents, entered the church in the night time and slew Ducket, who was lying in the steeple, and then hanged up the body in such a situation, that it might appear as though Ducket had committed suicide. The inquisition returned such a verdict, and the. murdered corpse was drawn by the feet through the City, and buried in a ditch without the walls. A young boy, however, who had secreted Ducket from his pursuers, and had lain with him, disclosed the truth; the murderers were seized and executed; a woman, the chief cause, being burnt, and others who were wealthy persons, were hanged in their purses. The church was interdicted, and the door and

and windows stopped up with thorns, till Ducket's body was taken up and buried in the church-yard. This Ducket might probably have been a Lombard merchant, whose calling had made him obnoxious.

On the north side of the church, towards the high street, stood a large stone building, called in records Sildam, a shed, which darkened this side of the building. This gal lery, or shed, as we have lately noticed, was built by order of Edward III. in place of that at the end of Sopar Lane, for the use of the royal family, who wished to be spectators of tournaments, processions, &c. It was called CROWN-SILD, and in 1410 was confirmed by Henry IV. to several mercers, by the name of "one new sildam, shed, or building, with all shops, cellars, and edifices, &c." Notwithstanding this grant, the kings of England, and the royal family, made it a constant place of resort for the above purposes.

In the year 1510, Henry VIII. disguised in the habit of a yeoman of the guard, went into the City on the eve of St. John, to see the grand cavalcade of the city watch; and the monarch was so pleased, that he returned on St. Peter's eve, with his royal consort, attended by the principal nobility, and stood in Cheapside, where they saw the stately march. This ceremony was performed twice every year, viz. on the eve of St. John Baptist, and the feast of St. Peter and Paul. The manner of conducting this nocturnal parade was as follows: the city music followed by the lord mayor's officers in party-coloured liveries: the sword bearer on horseback, in beautiful armour, before the lord mayor, mounted on a stately horse richly decorated, attended by a giant and two pages on horseback, three pageants, mo. rice-dancers, and footmen: after these came the sheriffs, followed by their officers in proper liveries, and attended by their giants, pages, &c. then a considerable body of demi. lancers in bright armour, on stately horses; these were fo!lowed by a great number of carabineers in fustian coats, with the city arms on their backs and breasts; then marched a division of archers, with their bows bent, and by their sides

shafts