painfully, because he was preferred by his Lordship, whom he loved and honoured: And descending to Particulars, he enumerated what he had done more than other Lieutenants before him.

Sir Owen Hopton continued Lieutenant a great while, till the Year 1590; when he delivered up to the Custody of Michael Blount, Esq; by Indenture bearing Date July the 6th, all the Prisoners of the Tower. He was soon after Knighted. This Gentleman was so sensible of the Honour and Trust reposed in him, and did so value himself for the Importance of his Place and Government, that about the Year 1594, he had this Communication with some of his initimate Friends in the Tower, (the Queen at that Time being reported to be sick) That if God should call her Majesty, he held himself bound to obey no Counsellors in general nor particular; for that they were then no Counsellors, but private Men. But would keep the Place, until the Successor were established according to the Truth of his Title. And that he would permit none of the Officers of the Ordnance to enter into the Tower, unless they would take their Oath to take such Part as he would take. For that the whole Charge was then in him. And for that the held divers of the Warders to be Knaves, he would turn them forth, and call the rest before him; and such as would not be sworn to obey him, as by their Oath they ought to do, as he said, he would turn them forth, and furnish the House with his own Friends. And by this Means, and having the Munition in his own Hands, he should be able to arm more Men than Half the Realm beside: And so be able to strike a general Stroke, in swaying of the Matter according to the Truth of the Title. All this did Edmond Nevyl de Latymer, Esq; testify before the Lord Cobham and Lord Buckhurst, Two of the Privy Council appointed to examine him. He testified also, That the Lieutenant had often asked him his Opinion, how many Men would serve to keep the Tower; and what Course were best to take for the Victualling it? But these Things looking very suspiciously, raised Jealousies in the State against him; and he was brought into Trouble.]

As for the modern State of this primary Officer of the Tower, he is usually a Person of great Worth and Fidelity; and by virtue of his Office, is to be in Commission of the Peace for the Counties of Kent, Surrey and Middlesex. He is High Steward of a Court held within the Tower. He may refuse an Habeas Corpus: He may give Protection to all Debtors belonging to the Tower, infra Regnum Angliæ. He hath the Privilege to take unam Lagenam, i.e. One Flagon, that is, Two Gallons and a Pint, ante Malum & retro, i.e. before the Mast and behind, of all Wine-Ships that come. He is to be (as some hold) Custos Rotulorum of the County of Middlesex: And he hath his Deputy. His Salary is 200l. per Annum. The Perquisites belonging to him are great. His usual Fee for every Prisoner sent to the Tower, is 20l. And 3l. a Week for an Earl; and 5l. for a Knight. For a Baron, or a Degree higher, 50l. at their Entrance: To whom the King allows weekly 10l. Whereof Two Parts go to the Prisoner, and the Third to the Lieutenant, for Lodging and Diet. And 50l. to the Lieutenant, upon the Prisoner's Discharge.]

In an upper Chamber in the Lieutenant's Lodgings, is an ingenious Device to describe the Gunpowder Treason Plot, set up about that Time by Sir William Wade, Lieutenant of the Tower. The Monument consisteth of several Pieces of Marble, in Fashion round, inlay'd with Inscriptions on them; in the Middle whereof is a larger Stone. On the Extremities, several Coats of Arms of the Chief Nobility, as of Howard, Cecil, &c. It is scarcely legible, the Inscription being almost worn out. In the same Room, is a fine lively Figure of the foresaid King, with his Hat on, and, as it seems, very much resembling him.

A Third Chief Officer of the Tower, is the Gentleman Porter: Who holds his Place by Patent; and at the Entrance of any Prisoner, hath for his Fee Vesitmenta Superiora, i.e. their upper Garments; or else a Composition is made for the same.

I find this Office as ancient as the Times of King Edward the Third, and how much ancienter I cannot tell. For in the Tower Records, Mention is made in that King's Reign, Custod. Portæ ejusdem [i.e. Turris] concess. Jo. de London; that is, of the Custody of the Tower Gate, granted to Jo. de London.

In the Reign of K. Edward VI. Henry Web was Gentleman Porter. There were Four in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth; whose Names were, Mr. Chamberlain, (first, Porter under Queen Mary,) whose Deputy one Christopher Southows seemed to be. Next to him, Sir William Gorge, Mr. Shelton, and lastly, Mr. Worthington.

This Officer, among the rest of the Benefits of his Place in former Times, had allowed him yearly out of the King's Wardrobe, broad Cloth for a watching Gown; and so had the other Yeomen: As appears by this Extract out of King Edward's Book of Warrants: "A Warrant to Sir Rafe Sadler, Knight," [He was Master of the King's Wardrobe] "to deliver to Henry Web, Porter of the Tower of London, and to Fourteen Yeomen of the Chamber attending there, and to every of them, Five Yards of broad Cloth, of London Russet, at 4s. 1d. the Yard, for their watching Gowns."

This Officer seemed to have a Right to the Benefit of the Ground within the Liberties of the Tower. For in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, he received Rents for many Edifices standing thereon. Concerning which there happened a Controversy between the Tenants and the Gentleman Porter. For we must know, that between the Years 1570 and 1580, (if I mistake not) many Houses and Tenements were built within the Liberties, some at the Postern Gate, some within the Bulwark, some without it, and others on Tower Wharf; where formerly were small Shops, and Parcels of Ground enclosed. So that within the Space of Ten Years, were Forty Houses, or more, built; besides divers other Yards and Enclosures. For the pulling down which Yards, and laying open the Enclosures, an Order came from the Council. The Chief Landlord of these Tenements was the Gentleman Porter; who about this Year, viz. 1580, was Sir William Gorge: Between whom and some of the Builders, Agreement was made; They to allow him, besides Fines, certain Considerations yearly, in Lieu of Rent. But at length Gorge being dead, and another (by Name, Mr. Worthington) succeeding in his Place, he required the Tenants to remove, or to come to new Terms with him: And so many of them did, rather than turn out.

But the Builders and Petty Landlords found themselves aggrieved hereat: For the Porter came upon the Occupiers, and took no notice of them: Whereupon, in the Year 1587, they made a Complaint to the Lord Treasurer against him; "That they had builded sundry Tenements upon noisome Places, in the Liberties of the Tower, to their great Charge: But the present Gentleman Porter, contrary to former Usage, had required them to depart, either to drive the Petitioners to change their Habitations, "