Ambulator: or, a pocket companion in a tour round London, within the circuit of twenty five miles. Describing whatever is most remarkable for antiquity, grandeur, elegance, or rural beauty: including new catalogues of pictures, and illustrated by historical and biographical observations / to which are prefixed a concise description of the metropolis, and a map of the country described.

Date:: 1793

Credit: Ambulator: or, a pocket companion in a tour round London, within the circuit of twenty five miles. Describing whatever is most remarkable for antiquity, grandeur, elegance, or rural beauty: including new catalogues of pictures, and illustrated by historical and biographical observations / to which are prefixed a concise description of the metropolis, and a map of the country described. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$COURTS OF justice. \ye STMINSTER Hall, now the feat of Parliament, and lof the Courts of Law, ftands on the ITte of a Royal Palace built by Edward the Confeffor. The flaifs to it on the : river ftill retain the name of Palace Stairs; and the two Palace Yards belonged alfo to this extenfive pile. Many : parts of it exift to this day, appropriated to other ufes. The jgreat hall was rebuilt in it's prefent form, bv'Richard ]I, •who, in I 399, kept his Chriftmas in it, with his charafter- :iftica! magnificence; the number of his guefts, each day, being ten thoufand. This great hall exceeds, in dimenfion, lany in Europe, which is not fvipported by pillars. Its length :is 270 feet; the breadth 73 ; and the height in proportion. .Pai’liaments often fat in this Flail: and, in 1397, when it •was very ruinous, Richard II built a temporary room far Ihis Parliament, formed with wood, and covered with tiles. •It was open on all fides, that the conftituents might fee and Ihear every thing that paffed : and, to fecure freedom of debate^ Ihe furrounded the Houfe by 4000 Chcfliii'e Archers, with Ibows bent, and arrows notched, ready to Ilioot. This fully lanfwered the intent; for every facrifice was made to the iroyal pleafure. The Lon s now meet in a room, hung W’ith tapeftry, which records our viftory over the Spanifli .Armada; and the Commons aflemble in a place, w’hich <was once a chapel, builuby King Stephen, and dedicated to Ito his name-fake, the Protomartyr. Courts of Jullice, even in early times, fat in this Hall, nvhere our Sovereigns themfelves once commonly prefided ; 4for which reafbn it was called Curia DominiRe^is ; and one tof the three courts now held here is called the Court of JKing’s Bench. In this Hall was held, what was called “The IHigh Court of Juflice,” for the trial of the unfortunate iCharles 1. Here alfo was cariued on the impeachment lagainu his arbitrary Minifter, Thomas Earl of Strafford, fwho had been once tht zealous patriot, Sir Thomas Went- woith. In mentioning this, Mr. Pennant I'elates an anec- tdote, to fhew the fimplicity of one part of the manners of :the times. “ The Commons,” fays this entertaining writer, *“ who had an inclofcd place for themfelves, at a certain fcour pulled out of their pockets bread and cheefe, and bottles$

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