Westminstr.

Lord Coke, in his 3d Inst. (cap. 51.) speaking of the City of Westminster, says, "It hath its name of 'the Monastery,' which Minster signifieth, and it is called Westminster, in respect of Eastminster, not far from the Tower of London. This Westminster, Sebert, the first King of the East Saxons that was christened, founded." It is added in a note in the margin, Segbert began his Reign A. D. 603.

Lord Coke, however excellent a Lawyer, I fear was but a bad Antiquary; for the reverse rather seems to be the case, as it will appear that Eastminster was so called in respect of Westminster. For in Stowe's Survey of London (edit. 1633), p. 497, he gives the following account of the Foundation of the Church of Westminster:—"This Monasterie was founded and builded in the year 605, by Sebert, King of the East Saxons, upon the perswasion of Ethelbert, King of Kent, who, having embraced Christianity, and being baptized by Melitus, Bishop of London, immediately (to shew himself a Christian indede) built a Church to the honor of God and St. Peter, on the West side of the City of London, in a place, which (because it was overgrown with thornes, and environed with water) the Saxons called 'Thornez,' or 'Thorney;' ... whereupon, partly from the situation to the West, and partly from the Monasterie or Minster, it began to take the name of Westminster:" and then he goes on with the history of that Church.

So far of Westminster. Of Eastminster Stowe gives the following account, by which it will appear that the foundation of Eastminster was subsequent to that of Westminster, by at least 700 years. "In the year 1348," says he, "the 23d of Edward the Third, the first great Pestilence in his time began, and increased so sore, that for want of roome in Church-yards to bury the dead of the City and of the Suburbs, one John Corey, Clerke, procured of Nicholas, Prior of the Holy Trinity within Ealdgate, one toft of ground neere unto East Smithfield, for the buriall of them that dyed; with condition, that it might be called the Church-yard of the Holy Trinity: which ground he caused, by the ayd of divers devout Citizens, to be inclosed with a wall of stone; ... and the same was dedicated by Ralfe Stratford, Bishop of London, where innumerable bodies of the dead, were afterwards buried, and a Chapel built in the same place to the honour of God; to the which King Edward setting his eye (having before, in a tempest on the sea, and peril of drowning, made a vow to build a Monastery to the honour of God, and our Lady of Grace, if God would give him grace to come safe to land), builded there a Monasterie, causing it to be named Eastminster, placing an Abbot and Monks of the Cistercian or White order." P. 117.

In Stowe, p. 751, is a list of all the "Patrones of all the Benefices in London," in which this Foundation seems to be twice mentioned, first as the "Abbey of White Monks," and then as "Mary de Grace, an Abbey of Monkes, by the Towre of London."

MEMORANDA
RELATIVE TO THE
Society of the Temple,
LONDON;

Written in or about the Year 1760.

The Societies of the Temple have no Charter; but the Fee was granted by a Patent to the Professors and Students of the Law, to them and their Successors for ever.

The King is Visitor of the Temples; and orders have been sent down from him so lately as Charles the Second's time, for the Regulation of them, which were brought in great form by the Lord Chancellor and twelve Judges, and signed by them.

The Discipline of these Societies was formerly, till within these eighty years, very strict. The Students appeared, upon all occasions, and in all places, in their proper habits; and for neglecting to appear in such habit, or for want of decency in it, they were punished by being put two years backward in their standing. This habit was discontinued, because the Templars having been guilty of riots in some parts of the town, being known by their habits to be such, a reproach was thereby reflected on the Society, for want of discipline.

Commons.—Till there was a relaxation of discipline, the Commons were continued in the Vacation as well as in the Terms; and the Members obliged to attend, upon severe penalties for neglect of it. The Barristers, though they were called to their degree, were not admitted to practise, but by special leave from the Judges, till three years after their call, during which their attendance to Commons, both in Term and Vacation, was not to be compounded for, or dispensed with.

The Law Societies were, at first, under one general regulation and establishment, till they branched out, and divided, as it were, into Colonies. The Societies of each Temple are very zealous in contending for the Antiquity of their Society.

The Society of the Middle Temple must now be very rich; and it consists in money, they having no real estate. I have been assured, that the certain yearly expences of it, exclusive of repairs, amounts to a considerable sum.

The Benchers are generally in number about twenty, though there is no fixed number. They may be called to the Bench at eighteen or twenty years standing. The Bench have power to call whom they think proper of such standing to the Bench; which if they answer not, they pay a Fine of Fifty Pounds.

The Benchers eat at their own expence in this Society, having nothing allowed but their Commons; which few, I believe none, of the Benchers of the other Houses do.

The Readings, which generally were upon some Statute, continued about eight days, when there were Treats and Balls at the Reader's expence; and there is an Order of the House, of no very old date, by which the Reader was restrained from having above Eight Servants, which shews, in some measure, the luxury and expence attending them. They have now been discontinued upwards of seventy years (the last Reader being Sir William Whitlocke, 1684); but there is a Reader still appointed every year, and some small Treat, at the expence of the Society, of Venison, &c.; and the Arms of the Reader are put up in a Pannel in the Hall.

Mr. Bohun, the Writer of several excellent Books in different branches of the Law, having, when he was Reader at New Inn, put up a question tending to Blasphemy, (I think it was, whether the Person of our Saviour was God,) was excommoned by the Society; that is, he was denied the privilege of coming into the Hall, and at the same time obliged to pay for full Commons. They judged expulsion too mild a punishment.

The Old Hall stood on the South side of Pump Court, which, upon building a new one, was converted into Sets of Chambers; and which, by Order of Queen Elizabeth, were not to exceed eight in number. This was soon after pulled down, and Chambers built in its stead.

Library.—Left by Will to the Society, by Astley, a Bencher of it. It contains about Nine Thousand Volumes. Besides this, he left a Set of Chambers, value three hundred pounds, for the maintenance of a Librarian, who at first was a Barrister; but, not being thought worth their acceptance, it is now in the Butler.

Present Hall.—Built by Plowden, who was seven years in perfecting it. He was three years Treasurer successively; and after he quitted the Treasurership, he still continued the direction of the Building.

The Temple Organ was made by Smith. The Societies, being resolved to have a good Organ, employed one Smith and one Harris to make each of them an Organ, value five hundred pounds; and promised that they would give seven hundred pounds for that which proved the best. This was accordingly done, and Smith's was preferred and purchased. The other, made by Harris, was sold to Christ-Church in Dublin; but, being afterwards exchanged for another made by Byfield for four hundred pounds difference, it was sold by Byfield to the Church at Woolwich[378].

Inns of Chancery, like the Halls at Oxford.

New-Inn belongs to the Middle Temple; and at the expiration of a long lease, the Fee Simple will be vested in us.