on the site of the old hall and chapel, which was erected at the expense of the Amicable Assurance Society, and forms their present Office. That Society was incorporated by Queen Anne, in 1706.

SERJEANTS' INN, CHANCERY LANE.

This Inn consists of two small courts, surrounded by irregular brick buildings, and having a communication eastward with Clifford's Inn. These premises, which have been the property of the See of Ely from a very remote period, were in the 17th of Richard the IId, demised to a Clerk of the Chancery Court, under the description of "Tenementum domini Johannis Skarle."-In Henry the IVth's reign, this was called "Hospicium nuper Faryndon's in Chancellor's Lane,” and Faryndon's Inn. In the same reign it appears to have become a residence of the Judges and Serjeantsat-Law, and in 1430 it was decribed as "Hospicium Justiciariorum." On a renewal of the lease to Sir Thos. Grey, Knt. in 1484, it was called "Hospicium vocatum Serjeant's Inn ;" and by that appellation it has ever since been distinguished. It is still occupied as in former times, all the twelve Judges, and many of the Serjeants-at-Law still having chambers here, whilst on the contrary, Serjeants' Inn in Fleet Street has but one Serjeant now residing in it.-In the windows of the Hall, are the armorial bearings, &c. of the most eminent of those who have been members of this Inn. The Chapel is small and neat, but it possesses nothing to give interest to curiosity.

SCROOPE'S INN, HOLBORN.

Besides the two Inns just described, the Serjeantsat-Law had anciently a third, nearly opposite to St. Andrew's Church, in Holborn, on the site of what was formerly Scroope's Court, but is now the lower end of Union Court.*-In Richard the IIIds reign, it was denominated Mansio domini Scroope de Bolton modo vocata le Serjeants' 'Place;"† but it had previously been called Scroope's Inn,' as appears from Stow, who states that he had found the same so recorded in the 36th of Henry the VIth. He mentions it as one of the "faire buildings," which stood on the north side of Oldborne Hill, above the bridge. It was probably deserted by the Serjeants soon after the renewal of their lease of Serjeants' Inn, Chancery Lane, in 1484;-as, by an Inquisition taken at Guildhall in the 14th of Henry the VIIth, the "house or tenement late called Serjeants' Inn," together with two gardens and two cottages thereto belonging, was found to have been the property of the then recently-deceased Sir John Scroope, Knt. Lord Scroope of Bolton, to whom the premises had been conveyed in the 9th of the same reign, by Sir Guy Fairfax, Knt. one of the Justices of the King's Bench. Every trace of the old mansion has long ago vanished.

Union Court was built about George the Ist's reign, and so called from its then first opening a communication between Holborn and Charles Street.

+ Vide Bailiff's "Accounts of the Bishopric of Ely,"

anno 1640.

"Survey of London," p. 726: edit. 1618.

LONDON MARts for femalE "BRAVERY," IN QUEEN ELIZABETH's reign.

In Nicholas Breton's very curious poem, intituled a Floorish upon Fancie," (published in 1582, by Richarde Ihones, dwelling at the signe of the Rose and Crowne, neere Holborne Bridge') in The Forte of Fancie, are several passages giving an insight into the more fashionable resorts for female decorations and attire, which in the poetical language of that age were called bravery." The Poet, in his comparative illustrations, makes a kind of Tour through the capital, as will be seen from the ensuing extracts.-Fancy's 'Wardrobe,' he assimilates to Watling Street, and doubtless, with tolerable acccuracy, as we know from Stow, that it was inhabited by "wealthy Drapers," and from other authorities, that it was a mart for apparel of all kinds. Of her Gallerie' he speaks thus:

"The Entrie, first before
you come into the Hall,
Is set out gallantly with toyes,
and that of cost not small.-

"About the Entrie-walles

doo hang devises straunge;
And, by the braverie of the same,
much like the Low Exchange.

"From Entrie then you come
streightway unto the Hall,

And that with manie jewels riche
is hanged round withall.

"Chaines, jewels, cups, and pots;
pearles, precious stones, and rings ;
Fine whistels, corals, buttons, beads,
and such like costly things.

"Fine brooches for your hat,
fine aglets for your cap,
Fine tablets for a gallant dame
to hang before her lap.

"These things with many mo,

in this same Cheapside hall,
Hath Vaine Delight, to please Fancie
his mistris minde withall."-

Fancy's Librarie' is next portrayed, wherein is her Counting house,' with the description of which, as it brings us to the Exchange, this article will conclude.

"But sure her Counting-house

of all that ere I see,

Is built as like to Poules church yarde
as ever it may be.

"For choice of gallant stuffe,
and fine devises strainge,

No place so like, that ere I see,
as is the High Exchange.

"Such purses, gloves, and pointes,
of cost and fashion rare;

Such cutworks, partlets,* sutes of lawne,
bongraces, and such ware.

"Such gorgets, sleeves, and ruffes,
linings for gownes, and calles ;
Coiffes, crippins, cornets,+ bilaments,
muske boxes and sweet balles:

"Pincases, Picktoothes, bearde brushes,
comes, needels, glasses, belles,
And manie such like toies as these
that Gain to Fancie sels.

ST. GEORGE'S FIELDS-A FATAL STORM.

The following singular accident is recorded in Arnold's "Chronicle" to have happened in St. George's Fields, in the 3d year of Henry the VIIIth, anno 1515.

"On Relyk Sonday, in the aftyr none, was a grete thondre and tempest, wherin a norse [nurse] with a chylde

According to Bailey, in his octavo Dictionary, Partlets were ruffs for females; but in his folio volume, referring to the Old Statutes, he calls a Partlet" the loose collar of a doublet; to be set on or taken off at pleasure." Minsheu says, they were Neckerchiefs, so named from the French word Perlelet.

+ A Cornet, or more properly Cornette, would seem to be a sort of horned cap. Boyer calls it 'a woman's head-gear.',