port of that establishment Sir Andrew, on his death in 1558, directed by his Will, that certain lands, of the annual value of 561. Os. 4d., situated in the parishes of St. Pancras, All-Hallows Gracechurch Street, St. Lawrence Pountney, St. Peter, and St Helen, should be perpetually vested in the Company of Skinners. In consequence of this bequest, the members visit the School every year, in May, at a great expense, attended, as the statutes direct, by some eminent Clergyman, whose business is to examine into the progress made by the different classes ; after the examination, which is conducted with much ceremony, honorary rewards are distributed to the best scholars. The rental of the lands bequeathed by the founder, as well as of other estates given by his son-in-law, Sir Thomas Smith, Knt. to augment the endowments, and establish six exhibitions to the University, has been vastly increased, and is yet in a course of progressive augmentation; the land in St. Pancras parish, between the Bedford and Foundling estates and the new road, Somers Town, having been recently covered with respectable houses, under the direction, and principally at the charge of Mr. Burton, the architect, who, a few years ago, obtained a lease of the ground from the Company, for the purpose.

Before the erection of the Mansion House, several Lord Mayors kept their Mayoralty at Skinners' Hall; and the general courts of the new East India Company were also held there previously to the union of the two Companies in 1720:

SPIRITUAL GOVERNMENT OF LONDON, AND OFFICERS OF THE DIOCESS.

The origin of the Ecclesiastical Government of London, is involved in an almost similar degree of obscurity to that of the city itself; but without regarding either the story of the Arch-Flamins, whom the visionary Geoffrey of Monmouth has seated at London, York, and Caerleon, or the legendary tale of King Lucius and his conversion to Christianity about the middle of the second century, there seems reason to believe that this City was subjected to episcopal authority, previously to the year 326; " for I read," says Stow," in the first Tome of the Councels, of a Bishop of London to bee present at the second Councell, holden at Arles, in the time of Constantine the Great, who subscribed thereunto in these words, Ex Provincia Britanniæ Civitate Londinensi Restitutus Episcopus. The names of fifteen other bishops have been recorded, also, by Joceline of Furness, as presiding over this see between the time of Lucius and the coming of St. Augustin, yet no dependence can be placed on the accuracy of the list; and whatever might be the fact as to the early prevalence of Christianity in this diocess, it had certainly been afterwards supplanted by the Pagan worship of the Saxons.

After the conversion of the Kentish Saxons under Ethelbert, by St. Augustin," the Apostle of the English," in the latter part of the 6th century, that prelate constituted Melitus, one of the chosen band who had accompanied him from Rome, Bishop of

London, in 604; about six years after which King Ethelbert founded the Cathedral of St. Paul; and his nephew Sebert, who reigned over the East Saxons, founded the West-minster, now Westminster Abbey, in the year 616. Sebert's kingdom, which included the counties of Middlesex and Essex, and part of Hertfordshire, was commensurate with the extent of the present diocess; which, generally speaking, is exempted from all Archiepiscopal visitation. There are, however, thirteen parishes within the city, which are the peculiars of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and in consequence not amenable to the Bishops of London. Including Melitus, this see has been governed by 106 bishops since the time of St. Augustin, many of whom were men of great learning, ta lents, and piety.

In the government of this diocess, the Bishop is assisted by a Dean; a Precentor, or Chanter; a Chancellor; a Treasurer; five Arch-deacons ; thirty Canons, or Prebendaries; twelve Minor, or Petty Canons; six Vicars-Choral; a Sub-Dean; and other subordinate officers. The arch-deaconries are those of London, Middlesex, Essex, Colchester, and St. Alban's. In the order of precedence the Bishop of London ranks next after the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York; and in some ancient statutes he is styled Primus Baro Regni, the ecclesiastical barons taking precedency of the temporal barons.

In common with all the Bishops of the Realm, the Bishop of London has the power of holding a court in his own diocess, for the trial and punishment of

spiritual offences, in which he may either sit as judge himself, or depute his power to a chancellor, suffragan, or other officer. The Bishops' courts, therefore, though held by the king's authority, are not properly to be accounted the king's courts, since none of the judges possess this privilege; neither are suits from them issued in the name of the king, but of the bishop.

The following particulars of the duties of the bishop's officers, with the names of the prebends, and other information, are derived from the first volume of Newcourt's "Repertorium."

The Dean is to assist the Bishop in ordinations, deprivations, and other affairs of the church, and on the King's writ of congé d'elire; the Dean and Prebendaries elect the Bishop; but this election is now mere matter of form, since the person recommended by the King is always chosen. The Dean is also elected by the Chapter, on letters missive from the King, whose assent must be obtained before the Bishop can confirm, and give power to install him.

The Precentor, or Chanter's office, is to superintend the church music. Under him is a Sub-Chanter, who officiates in his absence. The second stall on the north side of the choir, belongs to this officer, who is proprietor, and perpetual rector of the church of Stortford, and patron of the vicarage.

rum,

The Chancellor was anciently called Magister Scholafrom having had the charge of literature within the city of London, whereby he was empowered to licence all the Schoolmasters in the city, except those of St. Maryle-Bow, and St. Martin-le-Grand; but he is now only

Secretary to the Chapter; he has the third stall on the north side of the choir.

The Treasurer has the custody of the valuables belonging to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, for the faithful keeping of which he is sworn before the Dean and Chapter; he has the third stall on the south side of the choir. Under him is the Sacrist, who is also sworn to the faithful discharge of his office, three Vergers, and the inferior servants of the church.

The office of the Archdeacons is to visit the several cures within their respective Archdeaconries, and to enquire into the reparations and movements belonging to them; to reform slight abuses in ecclesiastical matters, and to bring affairs of moment before the Bishop. It is also the duty of the Archdeacons to induct clerks into their benefices upon the bishop's mandate.

The thirty Canons, or Prebendaries, with the Bishop, compose the Chapter, by which the affairs of the church are managed. All the Prebendaries are in the collation of the Bishop; and out of them there are always appointed three Residentiaries, besides the Dean; so called from their continual residence in the church.

The names of the Prebends follow.

Bromesbury, or Brandesbury, in the parish of Willesdon, in Middlesex; Brownswood, or Brownsward, in the same parish; Cadington major, in the manor of Cadington, in the county of Bedford, now called the manor of Aston-bury, with a further revenue from certain houses in St. Paul's Church-yard; Cadington minor, in the parish of Cadington, Bedfordshire; Chamberlain-wood, in the parish of Willesdon, Middlesex ; Chiswick, in the parish of Chiswick, Middlesex; Consumpt. per Mare, (or in Waltone) in the parish of Wal