MONUMENTS. Stow makes mention of a monument in the choir with the following inscription: Here lyeth James Kinnon, a Gentleman of Lentillo in Monmouthshire, a Citizen, Cannonner, and a Soldier. He died aged 67 years, over-heating his blood in preparing 40 Chambers at the Entertainment of the Prince in the Artillery-garden. To the which Society he gave 40 Chambers, and 5 marks in money. To the Poor of this Parish he gave 10l. per annum for 21 years, and to the Poor of Lentillo the like Summ, and 5%. present. He had one Wife and one Son. Obiit 19 Dec. 1615. Modern MONUMENTS. Against a pillar on the south side of the altar, a small monument to the memory of Thomasin, wife of Henry Dove, doctor in divinity, vicar, 1678. So 'tis, she's gone! Farewel to all A tablet adorned with fossils, shells, and an antique vase, inscribed to ISAAC ROMILLY, Esq. F. R.S. 1759. A brass tablet to the family of JOHN NICHOLS, Esq. F. S. A. Edinb. and Perth, and author of the History of Leicestershire, &c. &c. &c. Near the south-east corner of the church, a white marble monument, with a Latin inscription, to the memory of JASPER NEDHAM, M. D. 1679. At the north-east corner a handsome white marble monu ment, with this inscription: Near this place lyeth the body of James Molins, Master of Surgery, and Doctor in Physick, Servant to Their Majesties King cracked; and there was as large a heap of rubbish in the upper part, as if a number of masons had been at work for a week. The damages at that time sustained, were estimated at 3000. A similar accident hap pened in 1805; but the steeple has been again repaired in a very excelient manner. Charles Charles II. and King James II. A Man of strong Judgment and ready Wit, skilful, compassionate, and honest in his Profession; whose Family for many Generations has produced Men very eminent in the Art of Surgery. He died Feb. 8. 1686. aged 57. On a black marble grave-stone, near the altar, this inscription: Here lyeth the Body of Thomas Flatman, eldest Son of Thomas Flatman and Hanah his Wife, who resigned his beloved Soul the 28th of December 1682. Who e'er thou art that look'st upon, And read'st what lies beneath this Stone, Thomas Flatman, senior, was a poet and painter, who was also buried in this church. On the pavement of the middle aisle, SAMUEL RICHARDSON, 1761, aged seventy-two. The author of Pamela, &c. and of whom we have already made mention. In the south burial ground is the following epitaph: 1 "In memory of MARY, late wife of WILLIAM BINGLEY, of New Romney, county of Kent, but now of this parish, bookseller, and daughter of the late Richard Dann, of Hertsbury, Wilts. She was born March 6, 1736, died June 11, 1796, in the thirty-sixth year of her marriage, which terminated, in the most Cordial love and truest friendship. To you, dear wife, to worth but rarely known, I raise with sighs, this monumental stone; And, though mature from earth to heaven remov'd, Oft as I call to mind her love sincere, Her virtue, friendship, all the world holds dear, Her truth, her more than female fortitude, The The rod of power long patient to sustain, W. B. Also the said WILLIAM BINGLEY, died 23d October, 1799, aged sixty-one. Cold is that heart that beat in Freedom's cause, Unmov'd by threats or bribes his race he ran, And liv'd and died the Patriot!-the Man. The earl of Dorset, in 1610, upon condition that the parishioners would not bury in the south church-yard, opposite his mansion house, granted a parcel of ground on the side of Fleet Ditch, for a new burial place, which was consecrated by Dr. George Abbot, bishop of London, in the same year. The church of St. Bridget, was a rectory till the year 1485, since which it has continued a vicarage, under the patronage of the Abbey of Westminster. RECTORS OF EMINENCE. bishop of Norwich, 1499. THOMAS JAN, or JANE, D. D. VICARS. JOHN TAYLOR, alias CARDMAKER, S. T. B. first a Franciscan friar, afterwards married, appointed reader in St. Paul's by Edward VI. chancellor of Wells, of which he was deprived by Mary I. committed to Bread Street. Compter, and on the 30th of May, 1555, burnt for the Protestant faith, in Smithfield, with John Warne, who suffered for the same cause. THOMAS PALMER, B. D. was sequestered in 1642. He was a pious man, an excellent preacher, and a benefactor to the poor, having built and endowed a neat almshouse at Westminster. RICHARD BUNDY, D. D. author of several works. JOHN JOHN THOMAS, L.L. D. afterwards dean of Westminster, and bishop of Rochester. JOHN BLAIR, L. L. D. prebendary of Westminster, and compiler of the Chronology, to which his name is affixed. In BRIDE LANE was the inn of the abbot and convent of Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire, as appears by the will of John Hill, who gave, in 1439, three tenements to the rector and guardians of St. Bridget, to celebrate his anniversary for ever. PARSON'S COURT, in this lane, is so called on account of its being built on the site of the antient vicarage house. Underneath the church wall, stands the pump that covers Bridewell, or St. Bride's Well, which took its name from the saint to whom the church is dedicated, agreeably to the superstition of the times, appropriating wells to the persons or things belonging to the church, as Monks-well, Clerken, or Clerk's-well, Holy-well, &c. Gn the 21st of July 1787, a dreadful fire broke out at Mr. Worboys, jeweller, near Bride Lane, in Fleet Street, in which Mr. Worboys unhappily was burnt to death. Knives were first made in England by Thomas Mathews, on Fleet Bridge, in the year 1563. The use of forks at table did not prevail in England till the reign of James I. as appears from the following passage in Coryat: "Here I will mention a thing that might have been spoken of before in discourse of the first Italian towns. I observed a custom in all those Italian cities and townes through the which I passed, that is not used in any other country that I saw in my travels, neither do I thinke that any other nation of Christendome doth use it, but only Italy. The Italian, and also most strangers that are commonant in Italy, doe always at their meals use a Little Forke when they eat their meate; for while with their Knife, which they hold in one hand, they eat the meate out of the dish, they fasten the Forke, which they hold in the other hand, upon the same dish, so that whatsoever he be that sitting in the company of any others at meale should unadvisedly touch the dish of meat with his fingers from 3 which 8664 which all the table doe cut, he will give occasion of offence unto the company as having transgressed the lawes of good manners, in so much that for his errour he shall be at least brow-beaten, if not reprehended in wordes. This form of feeding I understand is generally used in all parts of Italy, their forks for the most part being made of yrown, steele, and some of silver, but those are used only by gentlemen. The reason of this their curiosity is, because the Italian cannot by any means indure to have his dish touched with fingers, seeing all mens fingers are not alike cleane. Hereupon I myself thought good to imitate the Italian fashion by this forked cutting of meate, not only while I was in Italy, but also in Germany, and often times in England since I came home: being once quipped for that frequently using my forke, by a certain learned gentleman, a familiar friend of mine, Mr. Lawrence Whitaker; who, in his merry humour, doubted not to call me at table FURCIFER*, only for using a forke at feeding, but for no other cause." In New Bridge Street, is the HAND IN HAND FIRE OFFICE. This office, erected in the year 1696, for insuring only houses, formerly stood in Angel Court, opposite St. Sepulchre's church. According to the plan, every insurer signs a deed of settlement, by which he is not only insured, but insures all that have signed that deed, from losses in their houses by fire. So that every person thus insured, is admitted into joint partnership, and becomes an equal sharer in the profits and loss, in proportion to their respective insurances. The business of this office is managed by twenty-four directors, who are chosen by the persons insured, in rotation, and serve the office three years without any salary or reward. And this office keeps in its service thirty firemen, who are protected from a press, and are amually cloathed, and wear a silver badge, with two hands joined, and over them a crown.X In our conclusion of this side of Fleet Strect, it ought to be added, that it formerly contained a great number of taverns; and that James Farr, a barber, who kept the A Knave. coffee |