lence, two duties at all times inseparable, and supporting each other, inspired other citizens with similar sentiments; and they accordingly gave to the foundation four hides of land in the same neighbourhood; besides eighty acres of wood and arable laud in the parishes of Hendon, Calcote, and Hampstead. These several grants were not only confirmed by Edward I. but he likewise granted to the hospital an annual fair of seven days, to begin on the eve of St. James's Festival.

Henry VIII. the great destroyer of every thing venerable, pious, or useful, took this hospital to himself, in the year 1532; but he certainly acted on this occasion better than on most others of a like nature: for he granted to the several sisters during their lives certain annuities, in lieu of the domestic comforts, and religious advantages of which he had sacriligiously robbed them. Ileary having demolished the ancient building, erected on its site a stately mansion, or as Stow denominates it, "a goodly manor;" but it does not appear to have been made the Royal residence before the destruction of Whitehall Palace by fire, in 1697.

Some remains of this building are still to be seen, especially in the north gate-way.

I should have stated, that the hospital above-mentioned, was rebuilt in the reign of Henry III. and the custody of it was given by Henry VI. to Eton College; and that at the time of its surrender its annual revenues were estimated at 1000l. per an

Bum.

The mansion, erected on the site of this hospital was partly surrounded by a wall; or rather, the neighbouring fields were thus converted into a park for the convenience of this and the Palace of Whitehall. The mews, already mentioned, belonged to the same mansion, as at the present time.

The mansion was given by James I. to his son Henry, Prince of Wales, who resided in it till his death, in 1612.

To this place the regicides brought their King, Charles I. from Windsor; and here the unfortunate monarch spent the last

eleven days of his life. He was brought here on the 19th of January. Mr. Kinnersley, his servant of the wardrobe, hastily furnished his apartment. Some part of the eleven days were spent in Westminster Hall, and of the nights in the house of Sir R. Cotton, adjacent to his place of trial.

On the 27th his Majesty was carried back to St. James's, where he passed the last three days in acts of devotion and piety preparatory to that shameful death to which his sanguinary murderers had consigned him.

In this palace was born James, the son of James II. afterwards styled the Pretender, according to Pennant, in the room now called the Old Bed Chamber, at present, the anti-chamber to the Levee Room. The bed stood close to the door of the back stairs, which descended to an inner court. It certainly was very convenient to carry on any secret design; and might favour the warming-pan story, were not the bed surrounded by twenty of the privy council, four other men of rank, twenty ladies, besides pages and other attendants. James, with imprudent pride, neglected to disprove the tale; it was adopted by the party, and firmly believed by its zealots. But as James proved false to his high trust, and his son shewed every symptom of following his example, there was certainly no such pretence wanting for excluding a family inimical to the great interests of the nation; and whose religious creed was evidently at variance with that of a large majority of his subjects.

In that year of English liberty, 1688, when the Prince of Orange had approached very near to the Metropolis, the weak and superstitious James, sent a message, offering him his palace for his habitation; that "they might amicably and personally confer together about the means of redressing the public grievances." No answer was returned to this apparent friendly invitation, yet it appears the offer was accepted, though not on the terms the imbecile monarch had proposed; for the Prince called a council of the Lords and other distinguished characters that were with him, and it was deemed necessary to hint

to

to the king, that it would not be safe for him, in future, to reside at either of his palaces of St. James's, or Whitehall, James was not unmindful of this admonition. It was first resolved to convey bim to Ham, in the county of Surrey; but he afterwards obtained permission to go to Rochester: from whence, in a day or two afterwards, he privately withdrew, and a small frigate conveyed him to France; thus abdicating a throne for which he seems by no means to have been qualified either by nature, his principles, or his education.

The evening of the day on which James left London, Dutch Guards, took possession of all the posts about Whitehall and St, James's; and King William soon became the royal possessor of these palaces. S

On the trying occasion just briefly detailed, an old officer of the degraded monarch gave a memorable proof of his fidelity to what he conceived to be his royal master.

At this time it was customary to mount guard both at White hall and St. James's. Lord Craven was on duty at the latter place, when the Dutch guards, under the orders of the Prince of Orange, were marching through the park to relieve him. His lordship, with the bravery of a hero and a loyal subject, obsti nately refused to quit his post, and seemed resolved to make a most determined resistance to the orders of the foreign intruders, when he received a command from James himself to obey. This was an authority which he had not accustomed himself to disobey, and, with " sullen dignity," gave the command to his party, and marched off.

After the Revolution, during the reign of William, St. James's Palace was superbly fitted up for the residence of the Princess, afterwards Queen Anne, and her consort, Prince George of Denmark. From that time it has been considered as the town residence of the British monarchs; but has of late years been used only for purposes of state; the royal family, when not at Windsor as they generally are, taking up their residence at the

Queen's