The history of England giving a true and impartial account of the most considerable transactions in church and state, in peace and war, during the reigns of all the kings and queens, from the coming of Julius Cæsar into Britain : with an account of all plots, conspiracies, insurrections, and rebellions ... : likewise, a relation of the wonderful prodigies ... to the year 1696 ... : together with a particular description of the rarities in the several counties of England and Wales, with exact maps of each county / by John Seller ...

Remarks on the County of Middlesex, and the famous Cities of London and Westminster.

MIddlesex gains the Preheminence of other Counties by reason in it stands the famous City of London, The Courts of Judicature, and Palaces of our Kings, and by reason of the great numbers of Handicrafts; for few Ma∣nufactures used by the English Nation, are here unpractised; being in all too many to inumerate. This County produces a good sprinkling of Cattle, Corn, Pastures, Parks, Chases, and store of Deer: It is Bounded on the North with Hartford∣shire, on the West with Buckinghamshire, on the South with the River Thames and Surry, on the East with Essex: It is divided into seven Hundreds (viz. Edmonton Hun∣dred, Elthorn Hundred, Finsbury and Wenslaxbarn one Hundred, Goare Hundred, Oswelston Hundred, Isle∣worth Hundred, Spelthorn Hundred) containing 73 Parishes, (besides those Parishes contained in the Cities of London and Westminster, which are 126, viz. 97 within the Walls of London, 16 without the Walls, but within the Liberties thereof; and 7 in the City of Westminster) 2 Cities, London and Westminster, the former being a Bishops See; 5 Market Towns, and 1 principal River, viz.

the Thames, which washes its South side: It sends Mem∣bers to Parliament 8, viz. London City 4, Westminster City 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.

London, a City of the greatest Trade in Europe, is plea∣santly seated on the Banks of the Thames, lifting up her lofty Head on gradually rising Hills, full of Riches, and Beautified with many stately Buildings; King Lud, who Reigned here a little before the arrival of Julius Caesar, much Beautified and Enlarged it, if he were not the first Founder, calling it after his Name, Caer Lud; and one of its Western Gates retaines his Name to this day. It has a stately Stone Bridge, with 19 Arches, passing over to Southwark; upon which are vast piles of Houses. The Tower, said to be Built by Julius Caesar, and much Enlarg∣ed by William the Conquerer, is for Strength and Pros∣pect very Famous, having a Moat and conveniency to let the Thames Water in and out again. It is famous for being the Prison of many Nobles as David King of Scots, John King of France, &c. In it were Murthered Henry the Sixth, the two Princes Edward the Fifth and his Brother Richard Duke of York, by Crookback Richard's Command; within its Walls on the Green divers Nobles have been Be∣headed, as Robert Earl of Essex, the Lady Jane Grey a little before Proclaimed Queen, and the Lord Dudly her Husband, and many others, too numerous to mention. Here Sr. Tho. Overbury was Poisoned, and Arthur Capell the Noble Earl of Essex, in King Charles the Seconds Reign, was found Dead, his Throat being Cut from Ear to Ear. In London one Gallus a Roman Leiutenant being Slain at a Brook, it was called thence Galbrook now corruptly Wallbrook. The famous Cathedral of St. Pauls was Founded by Sigebert King of the East-Angles, and Ethelbert King of Kent, where before a Temple was erected to Diana. In the Reign of Edmund Ironside this City was closely Besieged by the Danes, but the Siege soon raised by that Valiant King;

Anno 1133, the greater part of it was consumed by Fire. In King Richard the Second's time, was the great Rencoun∣ter in Smithfield, with the Rebells Wat Tyler and Jack Straw, where the former was killed by Sr. William Wal∣worth, the Valiant Lord Mayor, For which the Dagger is added to the City Armes. This City has had the Honour to Entertain several Kings and Princes; King Stephen kept his Court where Crosby Square stands in Bishopsgate-street; King Edward the Third in Corn∣hill, where the Popes-Head-Tavern stands; King John had his Chappel where the Stone-House on London-Bridge stands, and kept his Court in Holy-Well-Lane by Shoreditch. King Henry the Eighth held his Palace in Blackfriers, and some times in Bridwell, where he Lodged the Emperor Charles the Fifth. Its Monument on Fish-street-Hill is very famous, Erected in Memory of the dreadful Fire, Anno Dom. 1666, Sept. the 2. which con∣sumed 13000 Dwelling-Houses, besides the Cathedral of St. Pauls, and almost all the Churches, Chappels, Halls, and other Publick Buildings. To Islington near this City, comes a pleasant Stream from a small Spring in Hartford∣shire called Amwell, and supplies it by Wooden Pipes with Water in abundance. Bow Church in this City has a Steeple accounted the finest in Europe. Its Exchange in Cornhill is Beautified with the Statues of the Kings and Queens, and is a very stately Structure, Its Conduits are curious Ornaments to the City, as also are the Halls of the Companies; and likewise St. Paul's Cathedral, the East End and about a Third Part of it being Finished, containing the most excellent Workmanship that ever was wrought in Stone. Christ's Hospital, St. Bartholomew's, the Char∣ter-House, Bethlehem, and Bridwell, are very famous for Charity: In Christ Church three Queens were Buryed, viz. Margaret second Wife to Edward the First, Isabell Wife to Edward the Second, and Joan her Daughter, Mar∣ried to David King of Scots.

Westminster, the second City, standing in this County, has the River of Thames pleasantly on the South side of it, and has been the most constant Residence of the Kings and Queens of England, till White-Hall was Builded by Car∣dinal Wolsey in the Reign of Henry the Eighth, and yet claimes the Coronation and Burials of them, in its stately Abby, Built in a place once called The Isle of Thorns, in Henry the Sevenths Chappel; and has also given Birth to many great Princes. This City is very Antient, viz. about 1660 Years.

The Palaces of White-Hall and St. James are very Stately, but the more to be noted for being the ordinary Re∣sidence of our Kings and Queens. His Majesties Palace at Kensington is accounted one of the Pleasantest Seats in the County, and extraordinary much delighted in by the late Queen.

Isleworth or Thistleworth is a Village pleasantly situate on the River Thames, where Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwal, had a stately Palace, which was Burnt to the Ground by a Tumultuous Sally made by the London Mob. Chealsea is pleasantly seated on the River, and above all Beautified with its stately Colledge, de∣dicated to the Ʋse and Relief of decay'd or disabled Souldiers and Officers. Cambray-House beyond Islington is of very Antient Building, first Founded by a Grocer, and takes a fair Prospect of London. Highgate, and Hampstead are situate on pleasant Hills, giving a large Prospect. The next of note are Edger, Acton, Wilsdon, Edmonton, Tatnam Highcross, Harow, Drayton, Hackney, New∣ington, Hampton, famous for its stately Court, which is one of the finest in England, Built by the great Cardinal Wol∣sey.

The Seats of the Nobility in this City and County, are many, viz. Norfolk-House in Arundel Buildings, be∣longing to the Duke of Norfolk; Wallingford-House,

one of the seats of the late Duke of Buckinghams; Albe∣marle-House, one of the seats of the late Duke of Albe∣marle; Soho-Square, a seat of the late Duke of Mon∣mouths; Clarkenwell-House, belonging to the late Duke of Newcastle; Cleveland-House, to the Dutchess of Cleveland; Worcester-House, to the Duke of Beaufort; Highgate-House, to the Duke of Northumberland; Winchester-House, to the Duke of Bolton; Halifax-House, to the Marquess of Halifax; Kent-House, to the Earl of Kent; Bedford-House, to the Duke of Bedford; Thannet-House, to the Earl of Thannet; Leicester-House, to the Earl of Leicester; Cambray-House, to the Earl of Northampton; Warwick and Holland Houses, to the Earl of Warwick and Holland; Clare-House, to the Earl of Clare; Mulgrave-House, to the Earl of Mul∣grave; Chealsey-House, to the Earl of Lindsey; St. Albans-House, to the Earl of St. Albans; Essex-House, to the Earl of Essex; Cardigan-House, to the Earl of Cardigan; Anglesey-House, to the Earl of Anglesey; Cravan-House, to the Lord Cravan; Ailesbury-House, to the Earl of Ailesbury; Burlington-House, to the Earl of Burlington; Powis-House, to the Marquiss of Powis; Macclesfield-House, to the Earl of Macclesfield; Con∣way-House, to the Earl of Conway; Campden-House, to the Earl of Gainsborough; Faulconberg-House, to the Lord Viscount Faulconberg; Mordant-House, to the Lord Viscount Mordant of Avelon; Sion-House, to the Duke of Sommerset, also Northumberland-House in the Strand; Drayton, to the Lord Paget; Hackney-House, to the Lord Brook; Charterhouse-Close, to the Lord Grey of Wark; a House at Whitton to the Lord Culpeper; Lord Berkley Barron of Stratton his seat Stratton-House, alias Berkley-House in Pickadilly; and at Twickenham a seat of the Lord Bennets, Barron of Ossulston; The Bishop of London's seats London-house, and Fullham-house.

As for Medicinal Wells in this County, there have been lately found out divers at Islington, Hoxdon, and other Places, by many highly approved for the Cure of divers Di∣stempers.