of Corke, ob. 1617. E. FENTON, esquire of the body to queen Elizabeth, ob. 1603. WILLIAM HAWKYNS, Esq. of Plymouth, brother to the famous admiral Sir JOHN HAWKYNS, ob. 1389, &c. Above the altar is a representation of the Nativity, in stained glass. VICARS OF EMINENCE. SAMUEL PAGE, D. D. 1603. GEORGE STANHOPE, D. D. dean of Canterbury, and vicar of Lewisham. JOHN DRAKE, LL.D. rector of Agmondesham, Bucks, present vicar. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH is a very beautiful stone edifice, highly ornamented, consisting of a nave and two aisles, supported by Corinthian columns, and has a lofty, but we think rather too small, spire. The interior is equally handsome; being well pewed with Dutch oak, and neatly decorated. Here are stately monuments to the memory of the family of FINCH; vice-admiral SAYER, who first planted the British standard, in Tobago, and led the attacks at the taking Senegal and Gorce, in 1756. RICHARD CONYERS, LL. D.* RECTORS OF EMINENCE. There *The exemplary character of this excellent divine is of too much importance, not to occupy a space in this work; it is extracted from EVANGELICAL BIOGRAPHY, vol. I. p. 575. "Richard Conyers, LL. D. was descended from a respectable family at Helmsley, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and was born Feb 13, 1725. When young he was deprived by death of both his parents; but his loss was, in a great measure, repaired by the kind attention of a grandmother, who brought him up with tender solicitude. "At a suitable age he was entered at Jesus College, Cambridge, where his assiduity was unwearied, and his progress in every branch of useful terature rapid. On leaving the university he was ordained to the cuTacy of Over Carr, in the vicinity of Pickering, about twelve miles from Helmsley, which he served more than five years. "On the decease of the aged vicar, Dr. Conyers, according to a former promise, was presented to the living by his friend Mr. Duncan. This he considered to be a high degree of preferment, not for the sake of its emokiment, but for the opportunity it afforded him of doing good. "About There are several places of worship belonging to various denominations of Dissenters. A very HUMANE and BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION has been lately established in behalf of the infant families of the poor Welsh labourers employed in his majesty's dock-yard and victualling office at Deptford. Possessing barely the means of procuring subsistence (very often a scanty one) for themselves, their wives, and tender offspring, they had it not in their power to bestow education on their children; and being themselves for the major part ignorant and illiterate, they were as little able to instruct them in the rudiments of useful knowledge at home. Actuated by the purest spirit of philanthropy, the rev. Mr. JONES, of Lewisham, made, in the year 1794, an attempt to enlighten the minds of both the parents and children, by preaching to them every Sunday in the Welsh lan guage, "About 1764, the late John Thornton, Esq. of Clapham, being informed of his excellent character and singular success, made him a visit. Their congeniality of disposition was productive of a friendship, which uninterruptedly continued during the remainder of their lives. By this intimacy Dr. Conyers was introduced to Mrs. Knipe, an affluent and pious widow, sister to. Mr. Thornton. Mutual affection ensued, and in 1765, they were united in matrimony. The liberality of Dr. Conyers increased with the augmentation of his fortune, and his amiable consort cheerfully contributed her assistance in these benevolent exertions. Although very opulent, and able to indulge herself in the enjoyment of the superfluities and luxuries of life, yet she devoted her time and property to the relief of the necessitous. During the inclemency of the winter, this happy pair constantly provided clothes to secure the wretched from the rigours of the season, and when scanty harvests seemed to threaten approaching want, purchased large quantities of corn, which they distributed at half the market price. Every Sabbath about thirty persons from distant parts were regaled around their hospitable board. "Two or three years after his marriage, he took the degree of LL. D. at the university of Cambridge. His comforts, however, were interrupted by the melancholy certainty that a tedious and painful disease would deprive him of the partner of his life. Her complaint balling all the efforts of the medical art, she languished till Feb. 24, 1774. "On Sept. 1, 1775, he received a letter from Mr. Thornton, in forming him of the vacancy of the living of St. Paul's, Deptford, the next guage, at Lewisham: but though his labours were not unattended with benefit, he found the effects not commensurate to the full extent of his wishes, and the laudable object he had in view. He therefore enlarged his plan, and in the spring of 1798, opened, at his own expence, a school for the instruction of the children of the aforesaid Welsh labourers at Deptford, where they are taught reading and writing, together with the principles of the Christian religion. Considerable success has already crowned his be nevolent undertaking, which is patronized by their royal highnesses the PRINCESS OF WALES, and the DUTCHESS OF YORK, the archbishop of CANTERBURY, the bishops of St. DAVID, and ROCHESTER, and many of the nobility, gentry, &c. Thirty children are at present on the foundation. We have already described the progress of the Croydon canal, in the commencement of Vol. II. of this work. The Ravensbourn, which separates this parish from Greenwich, and falls into the Thames, rises on Keston Common, and its banks are under the superintendance of a next presentation to which he had purchased. Of this rectory he made a tender to Dr. Conyers, which he accepted, to the unutterable distress of his people at Helmsley." The doctor.continued rector of this parish till his decease, highly respected in his life, and affectionately lamented in his death, for his piety and benevolence. The following epitaph is inscribed upon his tomb-stone: "Here is deposited the mortal part of Richard Conyers, LL. D. ten years rector of this parish. In his ministry, with singular wisdom and simplicity, with equal fidelity and tenderness, he most successfully displayed and enforced the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, his God and Saviour; and. the tendency and power of it, exemplified in his constant practice. While publicly engaged in his Master's work, on the Lord's day, the 23d of April, 1786, ætat. 62, he was suddenly called away, to behold his glory. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Sent by the Lord on purposes of grace, Thus angels do his will and see his face; With out-spread wings they stand, prepar'd to soar, Declare their message, and are seen no more." 4. commission commission of sewers. The wooden bridge, which was formerly over this river, was the scene of a skirmish in the reign of Henry VII. previously to the battle at Blackheath, between lord Dawbeney's army and "certeyn archers of the rebelles, whose arrowes, as is reported (says Hall), were in length a full verde." "The cultivation of asparagus is carried on to the greatest extent in the parishes of Deptford; St. Paul's, Chiswick, Battersea, and Mortlake. Deptford is also famous for the culture of onions for seed; of which, on an average, there are about twenty acres. It is stated that there are about five hundred acres in this parish occupied by farming gardeners. Their method is to manure their land to the highest pitch of cultivation for garden crops, both for the market and for cattle, after a succession of which, they refresh it by sowing it with corn."*. Having visited all that is remarkable in the town of Deptford, we return to the main road, and passing on the bridge ever the Ravensbourn, arrive at GREENWICH. It will be taking up too much of our space, and the attention of our readers, to attempt ascertaining the etymology of the name, which, at best, is but of vague interpretation. Greenwich is of note in antient English history for being the head quarters of the Danes, and the harbour of their fleet, when that people ravaged the, country by robbery and murder. In the year 1011, having spoiled the city of Canterbury, they seized on Eálpheg, the archbishop, whom they kept as a prisoner for seven months in their camp near this place; and being enraged on account of his inability to pay a ransom which they demanded of him, they murdered him on the spot +. The citizens of London purchased the body at a great price; the corpse was first buried in St. Paul's cathedral, but eleven years Lysons. †The circumstance is detailed by Ditmarus Mersepurgius, who lived about the same time, in the Eighth Book of his Chronicles. VOL, V. No. 105. M afterwards, afterwards, when Canute the Great held the reins of government, he caused the body to be taken up and conveyed to Canterbury, where it was inhumed with great solemnity. Alphage was afterwards canonized, and on the spot where he was so cruelly murdered, a church was consecrated, ou the site of the present parish church. The murder is said to have happened on the 19th of April, 1012. The manor of Greenwich is called in records East Greenwich, and was formerly an appendage to that of Lewisham, being given with it by Elthruda, to the abbey of St. Peter, at Ghent. It continued in their possession till the dissolution of alien priories by Henry V. when that monarch transferred it the monastery of Shene. The manor afterwards came to the crown, in which it still continues. The manor of Pleazaunce came into the hands of the crown at a very early period, and was consolidated with the former at the general survey. Upon the disgrace of the bishop of Baieux, for high treason, Greenwich was seized by the crown, and it remained in the royal possession, as a favourite residence of the sovereigns of England. In the eleventh year of the reign of Henry VI. he made a grant of this manor to his uncle, Humphrey duke of Glocester, who built a handsome tower and palace, which he called L'PLEASAUNCE, or PLACENTIA, on the spot now the Royal Observatory. After his death the whole reverted to the crown, and Edward IV. took great delight in enlarging and finishing the palace; and in the fifth year of his reign granted it to his queen, Elizabeth Woodville. The palace, in the reign of Henry VII. was beautified with a brick front towards the water. Henry VIII. exceeded his predecessors in magnificent decorations at his palace, which caused Leland, the antiquary, thus to exclaim: How bright the lofty seat appears! Like Jove's great palace pav'd with stars. What constant springs! What smiling meads And |