florist, remarks-" And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air (where it comes and goes like the warbling of music) than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for that delight than to know what be the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air." Gray's Inn Gardens are still much frequented, and the elms that Bacon planted afford a refreshing shade. It would add considerably to the beauty and salubrity of the metropolis, if a view of these fine gardens were thrown open from Holborn opposite Chancery Lane, an improvement which might be effected by widening Fulwood's Rents from Holborn into Field Court.

The elegant gardens of Lincoln's Inn, and the spacious enclosure adjoining them, known as Lincoln's Inn Fields, are among the beauties of the metropolis, to the health of which they materially contribute; but it required all the vigilance and influence of this society to check the ruthless progress of bricks and mortar, and to prevent those fields from being filled with a population as dense as that in the adjoining district of Drury Lane. The following is a copy of a letter sent by the lords of his majesty King James's privy council to certain justices of the peace for the county of Middlesex, to restrain and forbid certain buildings in Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the year 1613

"After our hearty commendations it is well known unto you what order hath been taken, as well by public proclamation as by often addresses from the board, and not long since by delivering unto yourselves his

majesty's express pleasure and commandment for the restraint of new-erected buildings, together with the inconveniencies that cannot be avoided by the swelling multitudes of people which by that occasion are drawn hither from all parts of the kingdom; and that as well in regard of the provision of victual, which is now grown to a high rate, as also in respect of government and order; and yet, nevertheless, such is the liberty as men take herein for the advantage of their private ends, as there is nothing more frequent in the skirts and confines of the city than new-erected buildings: amongst the rest you shall understand that complaint hath been made unto us by the students of Lincoln's Inn, that some do goe about to erect new buildings in a field near unto them, called Lincoln's Inn Fields, with an intent to convert the whole field into new buildings, contrary to his majesty's proclamation, and all other public orders taken in that behalf, and to the great pestering and annoyance of that society: forasmuch as it is expedient that some present cause be taken for restraint thereof, we do hereby require you to take notice of the same and to restrain and forbid that building by such ef fectual means as you shall think meet; and if any person shall refuse to yield thereunto, we do hereby require and authorise you to commit him or them so refusing to the gaol, until they conform themselves accordingly; or otherwise, if you find cause, to take good bond of them to appear before us that such further order may be taken as shall be meet; whereof

we require you to have a special care, and to signify unto us your proceedings therein; and so we bid you heartily farewell.

"From White Hall, this 4th September, 1613. "Your loving friends,

To this letter we owe the preservation of Lincoln's Inn Fields, the finest square in the metropolis. Three years after this date a commission from the crown was directed to Lord Chancellor Bacon, the Earls of Worcester, Pembroke, Arundel, &c., reciting that the ground called Lincoln's Inn Fields was much planted round with dwelling-houses and lodgings of noblemen and gentlemen of quality, but that it was at the same time deformed by cottages and mean buildings, encroachments on the fields and nuisances to the neighbourhood. The commission were charged to reform the grievances complained of, and, with the assistance of Inigo Jones, to frame and reduce those fields, called Cup Fields and Purse Fields, "both for sweetness, conformity, and comeliness, into such walks, partitions, or other plots, and in such sort, manner, and form both for

public health and pleasure as by the said Inigo Jones is, or shall, be drawn by way of map." In conformity with this authority Jones drew a ground-plan, giving to the fields the exact dimensions of one of the pyramids. Several of the buildings, on the west side, were designed by this artist, but he died before his plans were completely carried into execution. late as the year 1740, Lincoln's Inn Fields were used for breaking in horses; but soon afterwards they appear to have been railed in and laid out, in the order in which they now exist. Lincoln's Inn Fields are memorable as the place where Lord William Russell was beheaded.

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CHAPTER III.

CONSTITUTION OF THE INNS OF COURT.

THE word 'Inne' was anciently used to denote the town houses in which great men resided when they were in attendance at court; and it is frequently employed by the elder poets to describe a noble mansion. The inns of court were in French termed hostells. In all our Latin records the law inns are called hospitia; while diversoria is the name given to public lodging-houses, which are now commonly known as 'inns.' Waterhouse, a writer contemporary with Hale, assigns the following reason why the term 'inne' was applied to our legal seminaries ; but it scarcely accounts for the employment of the word in its signification as a nobleman's residence: "Hence it comes to pass that because hospitia militaria are properly intended to receive military men; the inns of these military men, called Templars, residing in the Temple, London, gave name to the most ancient and eminent of the inns of court, the

It is scarcely necessary to say that these two learned societies themselves claim no such pre-eminence above the other two inns, as Waterhouse's zeal has assigned them; the contrary appears in several instances mentioned in these pages.