BURY-STREET, ST. MARY AXE.

INDEPENDENT.

DUKE'S

UKE'S-PLACE, BURY-STREET, ST. MARY AXE, stands on the site of the dissolved Priory of the Holy Trinity, called Christ Church. It was founded A. D. 1108, by Matilda, Queen of Henry I. through the persuasions of Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Richard Beaumeis, Bishop of London. After bestowing upon it considerable endowments, she gave the church to Norman, the first Canon Regular in all England, for Canons of the order of St. Augustin. In process of time, this convent swallowed up four parishes, became rich in lands and ornaments, and surpassed all the priories in the same county. It is even reported to have been the richest in England. The prior was always an alderman of London, of Portsoken-Ward; who, if he happened to be exceedingly pious, appointed a substitute to transact temporal matters. On solemn days, he rode through the city, with the other aldermen, but in his monastic habit. At the dissolution of monasteries in the reign of Henry the Eighth, the Priory of the Holy Trinity, on account of its riches, was fixed upon as an early spoil. It was given by that Monarch (July 1531) to Sir Thomas Audley, Speaker of the House of Commons, and afterwards Lord Chancellor. On the site, he erected a noble mansion, in which he resided till his death, in 1544. By the marriage of his daughter and sole-heiress, Margaret, to Thomas Duke of Norfolk, the estate descended to the Howard family, and received the name of Duke's-Place. The Duke losing his head upon Tower-hill, the mansion passed to his eldest son, Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, who sold it, A. D. 1592, to the mayor, commonalty and citizens of London. Some remains of this edifice may still be traced, enveloped in

BURY-STREET, ST. MARY AXE.-Independent.

more modern buildings, from which it appears, that the architecture was of the Saxon style. Out of this priory arose the present church of St. James, so called from King James I. in whose reign it was built, A. D. 1622. Formerly, some persons of consideration had their houses in this neighbourhood; such as the Abbots of Bury, corruptly called Bevis Marks; Sir Francis Walsingham; Sir Thomas Wyat; the Earl of Northumberland, &c. The Jews, who form the principal inhabitants, and have four synagogues, settled here, principally, in the time of Oliver Cromwell.*

The meeting-house in Duke's-Place was erected in the year 1708, for the congregation under the care of the celebrated Dr. Isaac Watts. It does not exactly appear where they originally assembled; though it must have been in this neighbourhood. Mr. Caryl, who was the first pastor, resided in Bury-street; and during the latter part of his time, at least, his meeting-house was in Leadenhall-street. In Dr. Chauncey's time, they assembled at the house of a Dr. Clark, in Mark-lane. At Midsummer 1704, they removed on account of the decayed state of the building, to Pinner's-Hall, which they occupied in the afternoon only till 1708, when they took possession of their new meetinghouse in Duke's-Place. It was opened on Lord's-day, October the 3d, with suitable exercises of devotion; and the celebrated Mr. Thomas Bradbury preached upon the occasion. The expence of the building was not quite £650. The original contract was with Mr. Charles Great, who leased a part of his garden, viz. forty feet front, and fifty feet in depth, for a term of fifty years, at a ground rent of twenty pounds per annum. It is a large substantial square building, with three galleries of considerable dimensions. A short time since, it underwent a thorough repair, and two new fire-places were built.

The church was collected soon after the Black Bartholo

Strype's, Maitland's, and Pennant's Histories of London.

BURY-STREET, ST. MARY AXE.-Independent.

mew Act, in 1662, by the celebrated Mr. Joseph Caryl, and consisted of some of his former hearers at St. Magnus, London-Bridge. After his death, his people invited the learned Dr. John Owen, then pastor of another society, at no great distance. Both congregations having agreed to unite, they assembled together for the first time, June the 5th, 1673. At the time of their coalescing, the united church consisted of one hundred and seventy-one members; amongst whom were Lord Charles Fleetwood, Sir John Hartopp, Colonel Desborough, Colonel Berry, and other officers of the army; also Lady Abney, Lady Hartopp, Lady Vere Wilkinson, Lady Tompson, Mrs. Bendish, granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell, &c. &c. This church is remarkable for the number of ejected ministers who have presided over it. We have an account of no less than eight of those worthies in this connexion. There has been a considerable variation in the state of the Society for the last century and upwards. Prior to Dr. Chauncey, it appears to have been in a flourishing condition; but in his time it declined. There was a great revival under Dr. Watts, who had a large and respectable audience. During the latter part of Dr. Savage's time, the interest was in a very low state. Though a learned man, and a judicious, as well as evangelical preacher, his labours were not attended with that success which frequently accompanies meaner abilities. At the settlement of the present pastor, it was expected that his popular talents would have a considerable influence in reviving the congregation; but they have failed of that desired effect.

During the year 1733, a course of sermons by several ministers, (K) was preached at this meeting-house, under the patronage of the well-known Mr. William Coward, of Walthamstow. They were published in 1735, under the title

(K) These were Dr. ISAAC WATTS, Dr. JOHN GUYSE, Dr. DAVID JENWINGS, Mr. SAMUEL PRICE, Mr. DANIEL NEAL, and Mr. JOHN HUB

BARD.

BURY-STREET, ST. MARY AXE.- -Independent.

of "Faith and Practice represented in Fifty-four Sermons on the principal Heads of the Christian Religion." Few of our readers need be informed of the merit of the Bury-street Sermons. In January 1798, a lecture to the Jews was set on foot at this place by some ministers of the Calvinistic persuasion, and several discourses delivered here were afterwards printed. But the descendants of Abraham turning a deaf ear to the admonitions of their benevolent instructors, the lecture was discontinued. At present the place is open only for those services usual among Dissenters.

We shall now lay before the reader, a list of those ministers who have been connected with the church in Bury-street, distinguishing pastors from assistants.

BURY-STREET, ST. MARÝ AXE.Independent.

JOSEPH CARYL, M. A.-This excellent Divine was born in the city of London, A. D. 1602. His parents were respectable persons; and intending him for the ministry, sent him, at seventeen years of age, to Exeter College, Oxford. There he had the benefit of a good tutor, and in a short time, became a noted disputant. In 1627, he proceeded Master of Arts, and entering into holy orders, preached, for some time, in and about the city of Oxford. Afterwards, removing to London, and being "puritanically affected," as Wood terms it, he was chosen preacher to the honourable Society of Lincoln's-Inn, where he continued several years with good applause. In 1643, he was appointed a member of the assembly of Divines, at Westminster, and became a frequent preacher before the Long Parliament. About the same time, he was constituted one of the licencers of the press. In 1645, he was presented to the living of St. Magnus, near London-Bridge, became a zealous preacher, and continued to do much good till he was ejected soon after the Restoration.*

Mr. Caryl was employed several times by the parliament to attend upon King Charles the First. In January, 1646, he was nominated, together with Mr. Stephen Marshall, chaplain to the Commissioners, who were sent to the King at Newcastle, in order to an accommodation for peace. Removing thence, by easy journies, to Holmby-house, in Northamptonshire, the two chaplains performed divine worship in the chapel there; but the King never attended. He. spent his Sundays in private; and though they waited at table, he would not so much as admit them to ask a blessing. (L)

* Wood's Athenæ Oxon. vol. ii. p. 512,

(L) Wood, who mentions this circumstance, relates the following curious anecdote. ""Tis said that Marshall did on a time put himself more forward than was meet to say grace, and, while he was long in forming his chaps, as the manner was among the saints, and making ugly faces, his Majesty said grace himself, and was fallen to his meat, and had eaten up some part of his dinner, before Marshall had ended the blessing: but Caryl was not so impudent.”—Wood's Athenæ, vol. ii. p. 512, 513.