were built the Cambridge, of eighty guns; the Impreg-' nable, of ninety guns; and the Windsor Castle, and the Neptune, both of ninety-eight guns. This is the station of the royal yachts *. THE VICTUALLING OFFICE stands on the site of a large range of storehouses, for merly called THE RED HOUSE, on account of being built with bricks of that colour, which was burnt down in the year 1639, and all the stores destroyed. Upon being rebuilt, it was included in a grant to Sir John Evelyn, in 1726, being then described as eight hundred and seventy feet in length, and thirty-five in width, and were rented, by the East India Company. The crown re-purchased them * On the 4th of April, 1581, queen Elizabeth visited captain Drake's ship, called The Golden Hind. Her majesty dined on board; and after dinner, conferred the honour of knighthood on the captain." A prodigious concourse of people assembled on the occasion; and a wooden bridge, on which were a hundred persons, broke down, but no lives were lost. Sir Francis Drake's ship, when it became unfit for service, was laid up in this yard, where it remained many years; the cabin being, as it seems, turned into a banqueting house. "We'll have our supper (says Sir Petronel Flash, in a comedy called Eastward Hoe! written by Ben Jonson, and others) on board Sir Francis Drake's ship, that hath compassed the world." It was at length broken up, and a chair made out of it for John Davis, Esq. who presented it to the university of Oxford." Lysons. Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. IV. p. 254. Phillipot is chargeable with a small mistake in asserting that nothing was left of this vessel in a short time; the chair made and presented to the university is, however, a sufficient evidence to the contrary. This appears from a copy of verses composed by the celebrated Cowley upon this incident.The well adapted and pleasing lines here referred to, are as follow: To this great, ship, which round the world has run, Drake and his ship could not have wish'd from fate, For, lo! a seat of endless rest is given, To her in Oxford, and to him in Heaven. of the Evelyn family, and erected a victualling office in 1745, which was burnt down within four years, with most of the stores and provision. The present structure has been raised upon a more extensive plan, and contains storehouses of various kinds, a spacious cooperage and brewhouse, slaughtering houses, houses for curing provisions, bakehouses, and other buildings, besides residences for the officers, who are the clerk of the checque, hoy-taker, clerk of the brewhouse, clerk of the cutting house, clerk of the dry stores, master cooper, master brewer, &c. Deadman's dock yard is situated near the Victualling Office, the property of Sir Frederick Evelyn, in which men of war of seventy-four guns are often built. A considerable manufacture of earthenware, carried on in the town, is called Deptford ware. An act of parliament passed in the 27th of George II. for the better relief and employment of the poor, and for paving the strects. Deptford originally consisted of only one parochial district, and the church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, the supposed patron saint of all mariners, which is the reason that churches on sea shores, and near great rivers, are thus dedicated. From the encrease of inhabitants, and the want of another church, application was made to parliament, who caused that of St. Paul to be erected, as one of the fifty new churches, and it was consecrated in 1730. It is noticed by Mr. Hasted, as a remarkable circumstance in that act of parliament, "that out of two thousand acres of land which belonged to St. Nicholas, nearly one thousand nine hundred and seventy were given to the parish of St. Paul. Besides which, four acres of glebe were taken from the old, and vested in the churchwardens of the new parish for the time being, who pay the sum of 70%. yearly, as a further maintenance to the rector, over and above 3500l. allotted by the act, and placed in the Old South Sea Annuities for that purpose. The consequence of this unequal divisions of land, is, that whilst the parish of St. Paul sup ports ports its own poor at a yearly assessment of about 2s. 4d. the rate for the like use in that of St. Nicholas is seldom less than 5s. 6d. in the pound." THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS is antient; it was repaired in 1630, by means of contributions from Sir William Russel, and the East India Company. On account of the increase of inhabitants, the whole was pulled down in 1697, except the antient tower, which is still standing, composed of stone and flint, and containing eight bells. The builder performed his contract in such an incompetent manner, that the church was obliged to undergo a thorough repair in the year 1716, at the expence of 100%. Towards the rebuilding Isaac Loader, Esq. high sheriff of Kent, in 1701, generously bestowed 9017. in the following manner: By subscription for rebuilding the church, 1254.; for paving the aisles with marble, 1617.; for the altar, 2937.; for the vestry and portals, 501.; for the bells, 381.; for the charnel house, 1947.; and for re-casting the tenor bell with addition of metal, 40%. The church was again repaired in 1780, and the great bell new cast; but after all the structure has a mean external appearance, being, as Mr. Hasted observes, a medley of stones and brick, of Gothic and modern building of dif ferent times." The inside is however very handsome, consisting of a nave and aisles, galleries, a good organ, and a beautiful chancel, ornamented with carved work and paintings; a portait of queen Anne is on the right side of the altar. It abounds with monuments, and other memorials for the dead; among the principal are those for the rev. JOHN HUGHES, A. M. of Jesus College, Cambridge, ob. 1710; Mrs. MARY GRANSDEN, a benefactress to the poor, ob. 1719.ISAAC LOADER, Esq. PETER PETT, Esq. ob. 1652; the BROWNES, and EVELYNS, of Saye's Court; JOHN, the son of admiral BENBOW, ob. 1762, æt. 25.; GEORGE SHELVOCKE, Esq. secretary to the Post Office, and F. R.S. ob. 1760. Hon. R. BOYLE, eldest son of RICHARD, earl of of Corke, ob. 1617. E. FENTON, esquire of the body to queen Elizabeth, ob. 1603. WILLIAM HAWKYNS, Esq. of Plymouth, brother to the famous admiral Sir JOHN HAWKYNS, ob. 1589, &c. Above the altar is a representation of the Nativity, in stained glass. " VICARS OF EMINENCE. SAMUEL PAGE, D. D. 1603. GEORGE STANHOPE, D. D. dean of Canterbury, and vicar of Lewisham. JOHN DRAKE, LL.D. rector of Agmondesham, Bucks, present vicar. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH is a very beautiful stone edifice, highly ornamented, consisting of a nave and two aisles, supported by Corinthian columns, and has a lofty, but we think rather too small, spire, The interior is equally handsome; being well péwed with Dutch oak, and neatly decorated. Here are stately montiments to the memory of the family of FINCH; vice-admiral SAYER, who first planted the British standard, in Tobago, and led the attacks at the taking Senegal and Gorce, in 1756. RECTORS OF EMINENCE. RICHARD CONYERS, LL. D.*. JOHN EATON, LL.D. present réctor. There The exemplary character of this excellent divine is of too much importance, not to occupy a space in this work; it is extracted from EVAN→ GELICAL BIOGRAPHY, vol. I. p. 575. 1 Richard Conyers, LL. D. was descended from a respectable family at Helmsley, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and was born Feb. 13, 1725. When young he was deprived by death of both his parents; but his loss was, in a great measure, repaired by the kind attention of a grandmother, who brought him up with tender solicitude. "At a suitable age he was entered at Jesus College, Cambridge, where his assiduity was unwearied, and his progress in every branch of useful literature rapid.,, On leaving the university he was ordained to the cuLacy of Over Carr, in the vicinity of Pickering, about twelve miles from Helmsley, which he served more than five years., On the deccase of the aged vicar, Dr. Conyers, according to a former promise, was presented to the living by his friend Mr. Duncan. This he considered to be a high degree of preferment, not for the sake of its emolument, but for the opportunity it afforded him of doing good. "About There are several places of worship belonging to various denominations of Dissenters." A very HUMANE and BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION has been lately established in behalf of the infant families of the poor Welsh labourers employed in his majesty's dock-yard and victualling office at Deptford. Possessing barely the means of procuring subsistence (very often a scanty one) for them. selves, their wives, and tender offspring, they had it not in their power to bestow education on their children; and being themselves for the major part ignorant and illiterate, they were as little able to instruct them in the rudiments of useful knowledge at home. Actuated by the purest spirit of philanthropy, the rev. Mr. JONES, of Lewisham, made, in the year 1794, an attempt to enlighten the minds of both the parents and chil dren, by preaching to them every Sunday in the Welsh lan guage, "About 1764, the late John Thornton, Esq. of Clapham, being informed of his excellent character and singular success, made him a visit. Their congeniality of disposition was productive of a friendship, which uninterruptedly continued during the remainder of their lives. By this intimacy Dr. Conyers was introduced to Mrs. Knipe, an affluent and pious widow, sister to Mr. Thornton. Mutual affection ensued, and in 1765, they were united in matrimony. The liberality of Dr. Conyers increased with the augmentation of his fortune, and his amiable consort cheerfully contributed her assistance in these benevolent exertions. Although very opulent, and able to indulge herself in the enjoyment of the superfluities and luxuries of life, yet she devoted her time and property to the relief of the necessitous. During the inclemency of the winter, this happy pair constantly provided clothes to secure the wretched from the rigours of the season, and when scanty harvests seemed to threaten approaching want, purchased large quantities of corn, which they distri buted at half the market price. Every Sabbath about thirty persons from distant parts were regaled around their hospitable board. "Two or three years after his marriage, he took the degree of LL. D. at the university of Cambridge. His comforts, however, were interrupted by the melancholy certainty that a tedious and painful disease would deprive him of the partner of his life. Her complaint baffling all the efforts of the medical art, she languished till Feb. 24, 1774. "On Sept. 1, 1775, he received a letter from Mr. Thornton, informing him of the vacancy of the living of St. Paul's, Deptford, the next |