river wall, and Baynard's Castle, the latter a
strong fortress beside the river, where dwells
the Lord Fitz Walter, who enjoys hereditarily
the office of City banner-bearer, with divers other
privileges. The massive building not far from
the castle, with its luxuriant gardens, is the
monastery of the Black or Preaching Friars, a
vast and wealthy house. Hard by it, is the
King's Wardrobe. The grim walls close beside
us are those of the prison called the " Fleet."
The bridge we are just crossing is built over
the river Fleet, a tributary of the Thames, into
which it flows not far from the Black Friars'
house. It rises in the heath of Hampstede,
certain miles north of the City. The vessels
near the bridge, are laden with sea-coal,
charcoal, and lime, which they carry to and from
the wharves on the Fleet banks. The street into
which we have entered is also known as the
Fleet-street. Though without the walls, it is yet
a Liberty of the City, and within its jurisdiction,
which extends in this direction to yonder
posts, linked together with chains, known as the
"Bars." This street is chiefiy inhabited by
brewers of ale—who, in this country, are mostly
women—and makers of felt hats, yet has a few
notable buildings. First on the left is the royal
palace of St. Bridget's, or Bride's, near the well
dedicated to that saint. It is an ancient
residence, and little used. Next comes the Bishop
of Salisbury's Inn. The monastery beyond it
is that of the Carmelites or White Friars, and
has of late been rebuilt for them by the
munificent hand of the Earl of Devon. That large
building with the round church, still further on
near the Bars, is the New Temple. You know,
doubtless, that it derives its name from the
Knights Templars, who removed hither from the
Old Temple in the street of Ouldburne. On the
recent suppression of that order, the Knights of
St. John of Jerusalem, called " Hospitallers,"
shortly became its possessors, but having a
larger establishment in Clerkenwell, they not
long since leased the New Temple to the
students of common law, who have converted it
into an Inn of Court. Opposite thereto, you
see another Inn of Court, called " Clifford's,"
from the lessor thereof, Dame Isabel Clifford.
Beyond the Bars is the river-side road called
"Strand-street." It was sorely in need of
paving until lately, when a tax for its repair was
levied on all goods carried along it to the Staple
at Westminster. Here, many lords, spiritual
and temporal, have goodly inns, of which you
can see but two or three; the Bishop of Exeter's
close on the left; the Bishop of Bath's beyond
it; and the Bishop of Chester's, with the old
stone cross before it. At that cross the judges
have sometimes sat to try pleas. The palace
which you can just see to the left is the Savoy,
so called from Peter, Count of Savoy, who built it
in the reign of our Henry the Third, whose queen
was the count's niece. Now the Duke of
Lancaster is the owner thereof, and John, the
captive King of France, lodged there not long since.
The bridge over the lane in the centre of the
road is called " Strand-bridge." On the right of
St. Clement's Danes Church you see the wells of
St. Clement's and Holy Well; and, beyond them
the vineyard and convent garden of the Abbey
of Westminster, skirted by the woods of Long
Acre. The church among the fields, in the
distance, is St. Martin's.

We will turn now to the right, by New-street,
or, as it has lately been called, "Chauncery-
lane." The change was made, by reason of
the king's having placed the House of Jewish
Converts—that building with the chapel, to
the right—under the supervision of the Master
of the Rolls of Chancery. The house was
established by Henry the Third, as a refuge for
those who, under pressure or conviction, left
the Jewish for the Christian faith; but, since
the edict of Edward the First for expelling all
Jews from England, the number of converts,
being without replenishment, has fallen away.
On the left, are the mansions of the Bishop of
Chichester and the Earl of Lincoln, built on the
site of the Black Friars monastery, when they
removed to their new house, which you saw by
the river. On the right, is the inn of the
Bishop of Lincoln. The ruins just beyond it
are those of the Old Temple. We are now in
the street called Oldbourne, from the stream of
that name which we shall shortly cross. The
road to the left leads toTyebourne, where we hang
convicted traitors and felons. Half a mile down
the road is the royal manor of Lanesbury,
where the king has large stables. Near it you
may just see the walls of the Hospital of St.
Giles-in-the-Fields. The lane in front of us,
called "Portpool," is the high northern road
out of town. A little to the left of it, is the inn
of the Lord Gray, by him leased to the students
of the law. The village of Iseldune lies among
the distant woods and fields. Our course is to
the right, down the hill of Oldbourne, passing
on the left the great mansion of Sir William
de Furnivall. Somewhat to the north, lies the
seat of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem at
Clerkenwell. The place takes its name from the
clerk's well, one of the many springs thereabouts,
hard by which the youth of our city
take their sport of an evening, and where shows
and interludes are oftentimes played out. The
garden, vineyard, and saffron fields that intercept
our view are those of the Bishop of Ely, whose
inn stands a little further down the hill.
Beyond the river, to the right, is the Smooth Field,
which is vulgarly called West Smithfield, a
notable place for the cloth fair and cattle market
held there. Passing on the right Thaive's Inn,
another abode of law students, rented of an
armourer named Thaive, we cross the bridge
over the Fleet where it receives the Oldbourne.
The river is known hereabouts as the River of
Wells, from the springs which hence feed it.

We are now within sight of the Elms and
Horsepool of West Smithfield. A splendid
jousting was held here in the thirty-first year of
the king's reign, when he and the captive
monarchs of France and Scotland were spectators.
Five years afterwards, there was a tournament
for many days together, in the presence of the