SIO
† Those with this mark generally derived their name from the ground landlord, who built the street, lane, or alley, &c.
* From signs.
☐ From neighbouring places, as churches, &c.
‡ From trees formerly growing there.
|| From ridicule.
§ From their situation, as backwards, forwards, with respect to other streets.
Sion College, adjoining to St. Alphage’s church, London Wall, was founded for the improvement of the London clergy, and situated upon the ruins of Elsing Spital, which consisted of a college for a warden, four priests and two clerks, and an hospital for an hundred old, blind and poor persons of both sexes.
This college owes its foundation to Dr. Thomas White, Vicar of St. Dunstan’s in the West, who, among other charities, left 3000l. to purchase and build a college for the use of the London clergy, with almshouses for twenty poor people, ten men and ten women. He also gave 160l. a year for ever to the college and almshouses, 120l. for the support of the alms-people, and 40l. per annum, for the expences of the foundation.
The ground was purchased in 1627; but the library was not appointed by the founder; for a clergyman observing to Mr. Simson one of Dr. White’s executors, that a convenient library might be erected over the almshouse, which was then building, Mr. Simson took the hint, and erected it at his own expence.
The work being finished, in prosecution of the will, a charter was procured under the great seal of England in the sixth year of King Charles I. for incorporating the clergy of London, by which all the rectors, vicars, lecturers and curates, are constituted fellows of the college, and out of the incumbents, are annually to be elected on Tuesday three weeks after Easter, as governors, a president, two deans, and four assistants, who are to meet quarterly, to hear a Latin sermon, and afterwards to be entertained at dinner in the college hall, at the charge of the foundation. And in 1632 the governors and clergy being summoned, agreed upon a common seal, which had the good Samaritan, with the inscription Vade & fac similiter, and round it Sigillum Collegii de Sion Londini.
The books were given by many benefactors, whose names were preserved in a large vellum book, and the library much augmented by that of the old cathedral of St. Paul’s, which was brought to the college in the year 1647.
However the dreadful fire of London, which consumed so many other public structures, also destroyed this, and burnt a third part of the books, with the almshouses, several convenient chambers for students, besides those reserved for the meeting of the governors and fellows, and for the clerk and the library-keeper, to dwell in. The whole edifice was however afterwards rebuilt, except the chambers for the students; that part of the ground, being let out on building leases: the expence of erecting the library and almshouse amounted to above 1300l. and the hall with the other buildings to 2000l. more.
The edifice is extremely plain, and consists of brick buildings surrounding a square court.
Since the fire the library has been enriched by many benefactions; particularly by a part of the books of the jesuits seized in the year 1679, and by the Lord Berkley’s giving half his uncle Cooke’s books to the library: One gentleman gave the interest of 100l. to be annually laid out in books, and another 20l. per annum for the same use, payable by the leatherseller’s company: there are also a great number of other benefactors to the library, whose names are set down in a book kept for that purpose.