Arnold's Magazine of the Fine Arts, and Journal of Literature and Science Volume 3 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1834 edition. Excerpt: ... nearer destruction than in the reign of Elizabeth, when the mastership becoming vacant by the resignation of Francis Mallet, dean of Lincoln, the queen appointed her secretary, Dr. Wylson, his successor. This avaricious minister, perverting the royal favour he enjoyed, gave up the charter of Henry VI. and obtained a new one; artfully omitting the liberty of the fair, for which he received seven hundred marks ( 466. 13s., ld.) from the municipality of London. It is asserted he had conceived the design of securing to himself the whole estate of the hospital within the precinct; and fhnt until a spirited address had been presented to Secretary Cecil, he was not induced to abandon the project. In consequence of complaints lodged against Sir James Butter, then master, the house was visited by Chancellor Somers in 1698. He removed the master, and gave new ordinances to the community, which, with slight modifications, have been ever since observed. Having thus taken a cursory view of the nature of the establishment, we will trace its removal from the ancient site near the tower, to its modern location. In 1824, at a moment when public attention was attracted to the subject by the proposed construction of the new docks, an account of the hospital was published by Mr. Nichols, who observes--" though every lover of his country must rejoice at the commercial prosperity which requires additional accommodation for the port of London--the antiquary, alive to the venerable remains of distant years, cannot but regret the anticipated destruction of the collegiate church of St. Katharine's. It is attached to the oldest ecclesiastical community existing in England, which survived the shock of the reformation and the puritanical phrenzy of the succeeding age...".