Edward VI. is the mention of a grant from the King to the Earl of Bedford, and his heirs male, of the Covent-garden and the meadow ground, called "the Long-Acre."

FETTER-LANE.

Fetter should be Faitour-lane, a term used by Chaucer for a lazy idle fellow. It occurs as early as the 37th of Edward III. when a patent was granted for a toll traverse towards its improvement. The condition in which it remains certainly warrants the etymology-Stowe agrees in it.

HOLBORN.

Holebourne is noticed in the Domesday Survey, where the King is said to have two cottages which pay xxd. a year to his vicecomes. Tanner, in the Notitia Monastica, refers to a charter dated so long back as 1287, in which the grant of a place near Oldbourne, where the Black Friars had before dwelt, to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, is recited.* Henry de Lacy died here in 1312, and upon its site the older part of Lincoln's-inn has since arisen.

ÉLY-HOUSE.

Here, according to Stowe, died Feb. 3, 1399, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

It seems from the following passage in Stowe's Annals, that the gardens here were famous for producing fine strawberries. He says, speaking of Richard III.-" and after a little talking to them, he said to the Bishop of Ely, My Lord, you have very good strawberries at your garden in Holborn, I require you to let me have a messe of them?" Gladly, my Lord,' quoth he, 'would to God I had some better thing as ready to your pleasure as that.' And therewith he sent his servant in all haste for a messe of strawberries." This circumstance has been minutely copied by Shakspeare in his play of "Richard the Third," where he puts the following words in that Prince's mouth:

"My lord of Ely, when I was last in Houlbourne,

I saw good strawberries in your Grace's garden there;
I do beseech you send for some of them.'

During the civil wars this house was converted into an hospital, as appears by an entry in Rushworth, vol. ii. part

*Chart. 15 Edw. 1. m. 6.

iv. page 1097: "The Lords concurred with the Commons in a message sent up to their Lordships, for Ely-House in Holbourne to be for the use of the sick and maimed soldiers.*

BEAUMONT'S-INN.

The situation of Beaumont's-inn, perhaps, is not now to be ascertained. It stood in the parish of St. Benedict, in the ward of Baynard's Castle, and belonged to Sir William Beaumont, knt. Viscount Beaumont; and was granted in the first year of King Edward IV. to Lord Hastings.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

The old ornamental tapestry which hangs over the Judicial Seat in this court was originally a covering to Queen Elizabeth's state beds, and sold by one of the domestics of the palace at that time to the upholsterer then fitting up that

court.

TURNMILL STREET,

Or Turnbull Street, near Cow Cross, West Smithfield, appears to have been a place of very ill repute about two centuries ago. Nash in "Pierce penilesse his supplication," commends the sisters of Turnbull-street to the patronage of the Devil.

In Middleton's Comedy, called "Any thing for a quiet Life," a French Bawd says, "J' ay une fille qui parle un peu Francois; elle conversera avec vous a la Fleur de Lys en Turnmille-street." It is mentioned in Shakspeare's Henry Iv." part ii. and occurs in the " Knight of the burning Pestle," by Beaumont and Fletcher:

This my lady dear

I stole from her friends in Turnbull Street.

We also find it stigmatized in the "Scornful Lady," a Comedy by the same Authors.

RATCLIFFE HIGHWAY.

Sir Robert Cotton told Weaver of a chest of lead found in Ratcliffe Field, in Stepney parish, the upper part garnished with scallop shells, and a crotister border. At the head and foot of the coffin stood two jars, three feet long, and on the sides a number of bottles of glistering red earth,

* Grose's Antiquities of England and Wales.

some painted, and many great phials of glass, some six' and some eight square, having a whitish liquor in them. Within the chest was the body of a woman, (as the surgeons judged by the scull.) On either side of her were two sceptres of ivory, 18 inches long, and on her breast a little figure of Cupid, neatly cut in white stone. And among the bones were two pieces of jet, with round heads, in the form of nails three inches long.*

GILTSPUR STREET.

Giltspur-Street, (says Stowe) was formerly Knight-rider Street, and both that by Doctor's Commons, and this for the same reason; the knights, with their gilt spurs riding that way from the Tower Royal to entertain the king and his nobles with justs and tournaments in Smithfield. They rode from Tower Royal through Great and Little Knight-rider Streets, up Creed Lane to Ludgate, and thence up Giltspur Street to Smithfield.

ADVERTISEMENT EXTRAORDINARY.

PROSPECTUS.

An office is opened by a gentleman of the highest respectability, to accelerate and make easy the art of begging, in this metropolis; for which purpose, a valuable Stock in Trade has been collected at a considerable expense, and professors of the most profound experience, engaged. In short, nothing has been neglected to make it worthy the attention of the community.

An establishment of this kind has been long wanting in London. It comes under the head of a charity, as it feeds a great number of people. The Proprietors beg leave to state that, as it cannot be supported entirely without funds, any donations from the humane and generous will be thankfully received. Attention is requested to the following

CATALOGUE.

No. 1.-Three very sickly children, (one of them subject to fits) to let on hire at 2s. a week and victuals.

2,-A well-trained dog for a blind man, with chain and collar.

* Gough, Sep. Mon. Vol. 1. p. 64.-Weaver, Fun. Mon. p. 30.

3.-A do. brown and white-walks on three legs. 4.-A little girl aged eight years, but looks eight and twenty-with a shrill voice, peculiarly fitted to beg at the area-goes out at 6d. a day, and finds herself. She will not lose herself, as she is well aquainted with the Town.

5.-An Infant, who has had the cow-pock seven times. 6.—An elegant assortment of blue aprons, and red cabbages on poles, for frozen-out gardeners during the ensuing winter.

7.-160 doz. bunches of matches, warranted the best brimstone.

8. An old woman without a nose, who can run on errands. The subscribers are requested not to notice her applications for liquor.

9. A complete beggar's wardrobe. The live stock to be taken at a fair valuation.

10.-50 doz. last dying speeches. They will be parted with at half price, as they are a dead article.

11.-100 doz. of ballads, by all the great authors.

12.-An Idiot, who knows how to ring a bell; walk by the side of a muffin dealer, or errand cart, at 3s. per week -very clever in his way.

13.—Flints, and Brummagem balls.

14.-A Jack in the Green for the first of May, with seats inside, coronet top, &c. This was made by one of the first artists in London; and the sole reason why the original owner parted with it, was, that he was obliged to go abroad.

15.-Five St. Giles' cremonas; three cracked clarionets; a gallanty-show; and two fine toned barrel organs-maker J. Beloudy, Pentonville.

16.-Four one-armed jackets for sailors who have never seen the sea.

17. A great choice of second-hand wooden legs. 18.-A large quantity of clean petitions.

19.-A number of dirty and soiled do. at 25 per scent cheaper. Children taught to shiver naturally, at 6d. a lesson. The hooping-cough taught in all its stages; and complete instructions given in the whole art, mystery, and science of begging, on the most reasonable terms, by the first masters.

Apply to Messrs. Necessity and Co., 7, Ragamuffin Row,

Ranelagh; where a managing partner attends, to draw petitions, receive advertisements, and instruct the illiterate.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

Wanted. A girl in a consumption to stand at the door of a methodist chapel. No objection if there are two sisters. To Let, The tolls of three muddy crossings in a great thoroughfare, and showery part of the town. A few stumps of brooms to be disposed of.

THE ARTS.

A young man of respectability, with a swelled knee, who has a taste for drawing, and writes a fine hand, is willing to engage as a partner in any pavement-chalking concern.

Wanted. A genteel-looking man without legs, to go in a bowl with short crutches, between Charing Cross and the top of Bond Street; he must be active and steady, and have an undeniable character for sobriety.

A CARD.

J. B. De Voleur, 2, Blue Ball Court, Procurer of Quadrupeds.-Dogs, or any other animals, provided on the shortest notice in any part of Town;-Terms to be known at his residence. A variety of skins and cat-furs; Mrs. V. constantly attends to dispose of them.

Wanted. A youth of respectable connections, to be stationed between Vauxhall and the Three Stags; he must be able to tumble with agility, and play the mumps on his chin.

To be peremptorily sold, pursuant to an Order of the High Court of Chance-awry, the Lease of a Cellar, desirably situated in Dyot Street, St. Giles'; it has been, time out of mind, occupied as a dormitory for gentlemen of all descriptions; the particulars and good will to be had of the neighbours.

An opening for Jacks in the Water.-Situations to be had on both sides of the river.

An East-India Director has several lame Lascars to dispose of; they are in fine order for begging, being wretchedly thin and unwholesomely ragged.-N. B. As they never uncover their heads, their turbans to be taken as fixtures.

Wanted. A genteel person with good eyes, to sit at a Halfpenny Hatch; no objection to a broken down egg-factor.