beautiful Painting, done by the Hand of the famous Peter-Paul Reuben, hath not its Parallel in all Europe. This Palace is extream large; and although it is not in all Respects so stately to behold as Versailles in France; yet that is made Amends by the Commodiousness thereof, for the Reception of Courtiers, and Offces there kept belonging to his Majesty and his Houshold. Amongst which are, the Council Chambers, the Treasury Office, the Secretary of State's Office, the Lord Privy Seal's and Signet Office, the Lord Chamberlain's Office, the Green Cloth, Jewel Office, Wardrobe, &c. To this Palace there is a curious Garden called the Privy Garden, adorned with Stone Statues, and hath the Propsect of the Thames. This Garden is parted from the Street on the North with an ancient high Stone Wall. At the End of which is another Gatehouse over the Street of curious Work, with Buildings over it, which lead into others, now (or late) the Lodgings of the Earl of Rochester: And between these two Gates, on the North Side, is a Tenis Court, for the Entertainment of the Nobility and Gentry in that Exercise; adjoining to which is a large Apartment, generally taken up by some Great Court Officer. And behind that, where the Cockpit was, are large buildings, formerly the Lodgings of her Royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark, Daughter to King James the Second, late our Sovereign Lady and Queen. In this Palace of Whitehall, there were four large Courts, one within another: In the innermost or principal Court is a curious Statue, in Brass, of King James the Second, placed on a Pedestal, in a Roman Habit. Besides these Courts, there is adjoining to it Scotland Yard.

Overagainst Scotland Yard, on the other Side of the Way, is the new erected Admiralty Office, a curious Pile of Buildings, made very convenient for that Use, mention'd before. Behind which House is a handsome Garden Plot, taken out of that Part of Spring Garden next the Park. Adjoining to this Office is Buckingham Court, so called as built on Buckingham Garden: It hath a Free-stone Pavement, and a Passage into Spring Garden, and the Houses are better built than inhabited; as being for the Generality all Coffee Houses, and for other such publick Uses. Nigh unto this Court is Locket's Ordinary, a House of Entertainment, much frequented by Gentry. Stanhope Court, a good handsome Place, with a Freestone Pavement, and well built Houses, especially those which front Spring Garden. Pump Court, but small, and ordinary built and inhabited, with a narrow Passage, up Steps, into Spring Garden. Mermaid Court, overagainst the Mewse, with a Passage also into Spring Garden, a Place of small Account. Red Lion Inn, hath an open Passage for Coaches into Spring Garden; a Place for Stablings for Horses. White Horse Court, adjoining to Warwick-street; of no great Account. Warwick-street, the greatest and best Part of which is in the Parish of St. James's, to wit, Warwick-House, at the upper End of the said Street, a good handsome and large House, with a Court Yard before, and a Garden behind it, fit for the Reception of a Person of Quality.

Spring Garden, a very large open Place, with good built Houses, well inhabited; some of which are large, with good Gardens, as Sir Edward Hungerford's, where the Spanish Embassador lately resided: And Sir Robert Southwell's, where the Duke of Northumberland dwells: Then the House of Sir John Nicholas, &c.

Charing Cross, a large open Place, fronting the Strand, the Hay Market, and Whitehall, in a triangular Manner: In the Midst of this Place is a curious Statue of King Charles the First on Horseback, bigger than the Life, done on Brass, standing on a high Pedestal of white Marble, curiously adorned with warlike Trophies, all encircled with Iron Bars, or Rails: Which said Statue was made by that famous Statuary Laseur, who made that curious Brass Monument of the Duke of Buckingham in the Chapel of Henry the Seventh, at Westminster. And in the Place where this Statue stands, there was formerly a stately Cross of Marble, adorned with divers Figures about it, and called Charing Cross; which was erected by K. Edward the First, in Honour of his Queen Eleanor; which said Cross, as likewise that in Cheapside, by the said King erected for that Purpose, was pulled down and destroyed by the Zealots of the long Parliament, Anno 1643. This Statue of King Charles the First, was made for the Earl of Arundell; and to prevent demolishing, was purchased, and concealed by one Mr. John Revet, in Holborn, a Brazier. Who, upon the Restauration of King Charles the Second, presented it to his Majesty, who caused it to be erected at Charing Cross, upon an oval Pedestal of Freestone, as aforesaid.

Here at Charing Cross is the Mewse, used for the King's Horses to stable in; having Rows of Buildings for Stables, Coach-houses, &c.

Also West of Charing Cross stands St. James's: Once a religious House, now a Royal Palace, built by King Henry the Eighth. King Edward the First granted a Fair to be kept here, which held a Fortnight, and was called St. James's Fair; which of late Years was kept in the Road leading to Tyburn; but such great Debauchery and Lewdness was practised here, that it was suppressed by King Charles the Second.

St. James's is made by successive Kings and Queens far better and larger than it was at first; and hath been lately beautified and enlarged for the Reception of their Royal Highnesses Prince George and the Princess Anne of Denmark, our late most Noble Queen.

To this Palace belongs a very pleasant Park; which hath been much enlarged and improved by King Charles the Second, having purchased several Fields, which ran up to the Road, and as far as Hide Park, now enclosed with a Brick Wall: and made the Pall Mall half a Mile long, with curious Rows of Lime Trees round about, set in uniform Ranks: He made likewise the stately Canal 100 Foot broad, and 2800 Foot long, with a Decoy, and other Ponds, for Ducks and Water Fowl. At the Bottom of which Canal, fronting Whitehall, is a most excellent Figure in Brass of a Gladiator standing on a Pedestal. There is also a Garden with curious Walks, and excellent Fruits in it, much improved since Mr. George London, the late King William's principal Gardiner, had the Care and Management thereof; where he hath a very good House to dwell in. At the upper End of the Park Westward is Arlington House; so called from the Earl of Arlington, the Owner thereof. At whose Death it fell to his Daughter the Dutchess of Grafton, and the young Duke her Son. It is a most neat Box, and sweetly seated amongst Gardens, besides the Prospect of the Park, and the adjoining Fields. At present the Duke of Devonshire resideth here, as Tenant to the Dutchess of Grafton.

I now come to a Description of that Part of this Parish, separate from the other by the Parish of St. James's. In the Map the most considerable Parts are laid down, to wit, the Buildings on the West Side of St. James's-street, to the Park Wall, Albemarle Buildings, and so to Stretton-street, on the Backside of Berkley House. The rest as far as Knightsbridge, with the Neat Houses, could not be taken into the said Map, as being of too large an Extent for either of the Maps. So that the