[42] See Todd's Milton, vol. vii.; Aubrey's Letters and Lives; and Ben Jonson's Poems. Gill's specimen of a satire is very bad, and the great laureate's answer is not much better. The first couplet of the latter, however, is to the purpose:—
"Shall the prosperity of a pardon still
Secure thy railing rhymes, infamous Gill?"
[43] History of London, vol. ii., p. 1166.
[44] Life of Sir Christopher Wren, in the Library of Useful Knowledge, No. 24, p. 27.
[45] Wordsworth.
[46] Brayley, vol. ii., p. 303.
[47] In his Life, vol. iii., p. 98. Edit. 1827.
[48] Unless, indeed, we are to suppose, as has been suggested, that Sermon Lane is a corruption of Sheremoniers Lane, that is, the lane of the money clippers, or such as cut and rounded the metal which was to be coined or stamped into money. There was anciently a place in this lane for melting silver, called the Blackloft—and the Mint was in the street now called Old Change, in the immediate neighbourhood. See Maitland, ii., 880 (edit. of 1756.)
[49] Letters to Stella, in the duodecimo edition of his works, 1775, Letter vi., p. 43.