guage, at Lewisham: but though his labours were not unattended with benefit, he found the effects not commensuraté to the full extent of his wishes, and the laudable object he had in view. He therefore enlarged his plan, and in the spring of 1798, opened, at his own expence, a school for the instruction of the children of the aforesaid Welsh labourers at Deptford, where they are taught reading and writing, together with the principles of the Christian religion. Considerable success has already crowned his be nevolent undertaking, which is patronized by their royal highnesses the PRINCES OF WALES, and the Dutchess of YORK, the archbishop of CANTERBURY, the bishops of St. DAVID, and ROCHESTER, and many of the nobility, gentry, &c. Thirty children are at present on the foundation. We have already described the progress of the Croydon canal, in the commencement of Vol. II. of this work. The Ravensbourn, which separates this parish from Greenwich, and falls into the Thames, rises on Kestou Common, and its banks are under the superintendance of a next presentation to which he had purchased. Of this rectory he made a tender to Dr. Conyers, which he accepted, to the unutterable distress of his people at Helmsley." The doctor continued rector of this parish till his decease, highly respected in his life, and affectionately lamented in his death, for his piety and benevolence. The following epitaph is inscribed upon his tomb-stone: "Here is deposited the mortal part of Richard Conyers, LL. D. tea years rector of this parish. In his ministry, with singular wisdom and simplicity, with equal fidelity and tenderness, he most successfully displayed and enforced the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, his God and Saviour; and the tendency and power of it, exemplified in his constant practice. While publicly engaged in his Master's work, on the Lord's day, the 23d of April, 1786, ætat. 62, he was suddenly called away, to behold his glory. Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Sent by the Lord on purposes of grace, Thus angels do his will and see his face; With out-spread wings they stand, prepar'd to soar, Declare their message, and are seen no more." 4 commission commission of sewers. The wooden bridge, which was formerly over this river, was the scene of a skirmish in the reign of Henry VII. previously to the battle at Blackheath, between lord Dawbeney's army and "certeyn archers of the rebelles, whose arrowes, as is reported (says Hall), were in length a full yerde." "The cultivation of asparagus is carried on to the greatest extent in the parishes of Deptford, St. Paul's, Chiswick, Battersea, and Mortlake. Deptford is also famous for the culture of onions for seed; of which, on an' average, there are about twenty acres. It is stated that there are about five hundred acres in this parish occupied by farming gardeners. Their method is to manure their land to the highest pitch of cultivation for garden crops, both for the market and for cattle, after a succession of which, they refresh it by sowing it with corn.' Having visited all that is remarkable in the town of Dept. Ea ford, we return to the main road, and passing on the bridge plates over the Ravensbourn, arrive at GREENWICH. It will be taking up too much of our space, and the attention of our readers, to attempt ascertaining the etymology of the name, which, at best, is but of vague interpretation. Greenwich is of note in antient English history for being the head quarters of the Danes, and the harbour of their fleet, when that people ravaged the country by robbery and murder. In the year 1011, having spoiled the city of Canterbury, they seized on Ealpheg, the archtbishop, whom they kept as a prisoner for seven months in their camp near this place; and being enraged on account of his inability to pay a ransom which they demanded of him, they murdered him on the spott. The citizens of London purchased the body at a great price; the corpse was first buried in St. Paul's cathedral, but eleven years * Lysons. The cireumstance is detailed by Ditmarus Mersepurgius, who lived about the same time, in the Eighth Book of his Chronicles. P. 72 VOL. V. No. 105. M afterwards, afterwards, when Canute the Great held the reins of government, he caused the body to be taken up and conveyed to Canterbury, where it was inhumed with great solemnity. Alphage was afterwards canonized, and on the spot where he was so cruelly murdered, a church was consecrated, on the site of the present parish church. The murder is said to have happened on the 19th of April, 1012. The manor of Greenwich is called in records East Greenwich, and was formerly an appendage to that of Lewisham, being given with it by Elthruda, to the abbey of St. Peter, at Ghent. It continued in their possession till the dissolution of alien priories by Henry V. when that monarch transferred it the monastery of Shene. The manor afterwards came to the crown, in which it still continues. The manor of Pleazaunce came into the hands of the crown at a very early period, and was consolidated with the former at the general survey.. Upon the disgrace of the bishop of Baieux, for high. treason, Greenwich was seized by the erown, and it remained in the royal possession, as a favourite residence of the sovereigns of England. In the eleventh year of the reign of Henry VI. he made a grant of this manor to his uncle, Humphrey duke of Glocester, who built a handsome tower and palace, which he called L'PLEASAUNCE, OF PLACENTIA, on the spot now the Royal Observatory.After his death the whole reverted to the crown, and Edward IV. took great delight in enlarging and finishing the palace; and in the fifth year of his reign granted it to his queen, Elizabeth Woodville. The palace, in the reign of Henry VII. was beautified with a brick front towards the water. Henry VIII. exceeded his predecessors in magnificent decorations at his palace, which caused Leland, the. antiquary, thus to exclaim: How bright the lofty seat appears! Like Jove's great palace par'd with stars. What constant springs! What smiling meads And |