rudest assaults of the weather, beasts, or hedge-breakersEt illum nemo impune lacessit." "It is said," obferves Mr. Lysons, "that Peter the Great, czar of Muscovy, to whom Mr. Evelyn lent his place at Saye's Court, whilst he was studying naval architecture in the adjoining dock-yard, in 1698, used to amuse himself by being wheeled through this hedge in a wheelbarrow. Though the royal tenant paid very little respect either to his landlord's trees or hedges, I think, by Mr. Evelyn's description of his holly, and the exulting manner in which he speaks of its being proof against the rudest hedge breakers, that the czar rather chose any other hedge than this for his amusement." The house and gardens are now demolished, and there is no trace remaining of Saye's Court, which was pulled down. in 1729; the parish workhouse is built on the site! Deptford has to boast of having been the residence of the earl of Nottingham, lord high admiral, and the destroyer of the Spanish Armada. The Gun tavern is supposed to have been his house, over the chimney-piece of which, his armorial bearings, encircled with the Garter, are carved in wood. In Deptford was also a magnificent house belonging to Sir Thomas Smith, farmer of the customs to queen Elizabeth, and ambassador from James I. to Russia; the house was burnt down in 1618. Cowley, the poet, was a resident for some time in this town. There are two hospitals belonging to the corporation of the Trinity House. The old hospital was built in the reign of Henry VIII.; it was rebuilt in 1788, and the number of apartments increased from twenty-one to twenty-eight. This structure joins the church-yard of St. Nicholas. The New Hospital is situated in Church Street. Sir Richard Browne, in 1672, gave the ground, after the expiration of a short term; and Capt. Maples, in 1680, gave 1300l. towards the building. This structure has fifty-six apartments, and forms a spacious quadrangle, the statue of captain Maples being in the centre; a plain building on the east side serves as a chapel and hall, to which the brethren VOL. V. No. 105. L of of the Trinity House resort annually on Trinity Monday, in procession, and afterwards go to St. Nicholas's church. The pensioners in both hospitals consist of decayed pilots and masters of ships, or their widows. The single men and widows receive about 187. per annum; the married men about 281. Of the origin and foundation of this corporation we have given an account in Vol. II. p. 213. Deptford received its first consequence and gradual inerease of population from THE ROYAL DOCK YARD. This noble arsenal was founded by Henry VIII. and is esteemed one of the most complete repositories for naval stores in Europe; and the number of hands which are conconstantly employed in the several branches of this important object of national strength and security, is immense. The vast storehouse we are describing, forms a grand quadrangle on the east, west, and south sides; and a double front towards the north was added in the year 1721. A spacious storehouse parallel, and of the same length to the buildings abovementioned, having sail and rigging lofts, have been recently finished. Lord Barham, (Sir Charles Middleton) in 1780, caused a range of smaller storehouses to be erected; so that the whole extent of the yard covers about thirty-one acres; in which are a double and a single wet dock, and three slips; a bason, and two mast ponds. A large smith's shop contains twenty forges for anchors, &c. mast houses, sheds for timber, a mould loft, various workshops and houses for the officers, who are a clerk of the cheque, storekeeper, master shipwright, and assistants, clerk of the survey, master attendant, surgeon, &c.; for on account of its proximity to the metropolis, this dock yard has no commissioners, being immediately under the inspection of the Navy Board. The treasurer of the navy usually resided here during the reigns of James I. and Charles I. The number of artificers and labourers, riggers, &c. are supposed at three thousand. In this yard were were built the Cambridge, of eighty guns; the Impregnable, of ninety guns; and the Windsor Castle, and the Neptune, both of ninety-eight guns. This is the station of the royal yachts *. THE VICTUALLING OFFICE stands on the site of a large range of storehouses, formerly called THE RED HOUSE, on account of being built with bricks of that colour, which was burnt down in the year 1639, and all the stores destroyed. Upon being rebuilt, it was included in a grant to Sir John Evelyn, in 1726, being then described as eight hundred and seventy feet in length, and thirty-five in width, and were rented by the East India Company. The crown re-purchased them * On the 4th of April, 1581, queen Elizabeth visited captain Drake's ship, called The Golden Hind. Her majesty dined on board; and after dinner, conferred the honour of knighthood on the captain. A prodigious concourse of people assembled on the occasion; and a wooden bridge, on which were a hundred persons, broke down, but no lives were lost. Sir Francis Drake's ship, when it became unfit for service, was laid up in this yard, where it remained many years; the cabin being, as it seems, turned into a banqueting house. "We'll have our supper (says Sir Petronel Flash, in a comedy called. Eastward Hoe! written by Ben Jonson, and others) on board Sir Francis Drake's ship, that hath compassed the world." It was at length broken up, and a chair made out of it for John Davis, Esq. who presented it to the university of Oxford." Lysons, Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. IV. p. 254. Phillipot is chargeable with a small mistake in asserting that nothing was left of this vessel in a short time; the chair made and presented to the university is, however, 2 sufficient evidence to the contrary. This appears from a copy of verses composed by the celebrated Cowley upon this incident.-The well adapted and pleasing lines here referred to, are as follow: To this great ship, which round the world has run, In her new shape this sacred port allow. Drake and his ship could not have wish'd from fate, For, lo! a seat of endless rest is given, To her in Oxford, and to him in Heaven. of of the Evelyn family, and erected a victualling office in 1745, which was burnt down within four years, with most of the stores and provision. The present structure has been raised upon a more extensive plan, and contains storehouses of various kinds, a spacious cooperage and brewhouse, slaughtering houses, houses for curing provisions, bakehouses, and other buildings, besides residences for the officers, who are the clerk of the checque, hoy-taker, clerk of the brewhouse, clerk of the cutting house, clerk of the dry stores, master cooper, master brewer, &c. Deadman's dock yard is situated near the Victualling Office, the property of Sir Frederick Evelyn, in which men of war of seventy-four guns are often built. A considerable manufacture of earthenware, carried on in the town, is called Deptford ware. An act of parliament passed in the 27th of George II. for the better relief and employment of the poor, and for paving the streets. Deptford originally consisted of only one parochial district, and the church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, the supposed patron saint of all mariners, which is the reason that churches on sea shores, and near great rivers, are thus dedicated. From the encrease of inhabitants, and the want of another church, application was made to parliament, who caused that of St. Paul to be erected, as one of the fifty new churches, and it was consecrated in 1730. It is noticed by Mr. Hasted, as a remarkable circumstance in that act of parliament, "that out of two thousand acres of land which belonged to St. Nicholas, nearly one thousand nine hundred and seventy were given to the parish of St. Paul. Besides which, four acres of glebe were taken from the old, and vested in the churchwardens of the new parish for the time being, who pay the sum of 707. yearly, as a further maintenance to the rector, over and above 3500l. allotted by the act, and placed in the Old South Sea Annuities for that purpose. The consequence of this unequal divisions of land, is, that whilst the parish of St. Paul sup ports ports its own poor at a yearly assessment of about 2s. 4d. the rate for the like use in that of St. Nicholas is seldom less than 5s. 6d. in the pound." THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS is antient; it was repaired in 1630, by means of contributions from Sir William Russel, and the East India Company. On account of the increase of inhabitants, the whole was pulled down in 1697, except the antient tower, which is still standing, composed of stone and flint, and containing eight bells. The builder performed his contract in such an incompetent manner, that the church was obliged to undergo a thorough repair in the year 1716, at the expence of 400l. Towards the rebuilding Isaac Loader, Esq. high sheriff of Kent, in 1701, generously bestowed 9017. in the following manner: By subscription for rebuilding the church, 1251.; for paving the aisles with marble, 1617.; for the altar, 2931.; for the vestry and portals, 507.; for the bells, 387.; for the charnel house, 1947.; and for re-casting the tenor bell with addition of metal, 401. The church was again repaired in 1780, and the great bell new cast; but after all the structure has a mean external appearance, being, as Mr. Hasted observes, a medley of stones and brick, of Gothic and modern building of different times." The inside is however very handsome, consisting of a nave and aisles, galleries, a good organ, and a beautiful chancel, ornamented with carved work and paintings; a portait of queen Anne is on the right side of the altar. It abounds with monuments, and other memorials for the dead; among the principal are those for the rev. JOHN HUGHES, A. M. of Jesus College, Cambridge, ob. 1710; Mrs. MARY GRANSDEN, a benefactress to the poor, ob. 1719. ISAAC LOADER, Esq. PETER PETT, Esq. ob. 1652; the BROWNES, and EVELYNS, of Saye's Court; JOHN, the son of admiral BENBOW, ob. 1762, æt. 25.; GEORGE SHELVOCKE, Esq. secretary to the Post Office, and F. R.S. ob. 1760. Hon. R. BOYLE, eldest son of RICHARD, earl of |