Alley, and Buckingham Street; the distinctive name and title of their former possessor being thus effectually preserved.

York House stood at a short distance to the west of the Water-Gate, which includes a flight of steps that led from the gardens to the river. At the time of its erection, it was customary for our nobility to be conveyed by water from one part of the metropolis to another, whenever practicable, the roadways being extremely defective, and but few carriages in use, and those rather adapted for state purposes, than for general convenience. Hence most of our noble mansions were built near the Thames, and stairs led from the grounds to the water-side.

Ralph, in his "Critical Review of Public Buildings," has thus characterized this structure, and his approbation of its merits, though something too florid, perhaps, has been generally acquiesced in by subsequent writers." York-Stairs is, unquestionably, the most perfect piece of building that does honour to the name of Inigo Jones it is planned in so exquisite a taste, formed of such equal and harmonious parts, and adorned with such proper and elegant decorations that nothing can be censured or added. It is, at once, happy in its situation beyond comparison, and fancied in a style exactly suited to that situation. The rock-work, or rustic, can never be better introduced than in buildings by the side of water; and indeed, it is a great question with me, whether it ought to be made use of anywhere else."

This fabric is built with Portland stone. It is ap

:

proached from a small terrace, planted with lime trees, which, being inclosed from the public, forms an agreeable promenade for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, who keep it in repair from the proceeds. of a rate levied on their houses. On the northern, or street side, it consists of three arches, flanked by pilasters, supporting an entablature on which are four balls ornamental shields rise above the key-stones of the arches, those at the sides being sculptured with anchors, and that in the centre with the arms of Villiers impaling those of the family of Manners. The Villiers' motto, viz: FIDEI COTICULA CRUX, (the Cross is the Touchstone of Faith,) is inscribed upon the frieze. The southern, or river front, displays a large archway opening upon the steps leading to the water, with a lateral aperture, or window, on each side these, conjointly with four rusticated columns, support an entablature ornamented with escallops, and crowned by an arched pediment and two couch. ant lions, holding shields, on which are sculptured anchors. In the middle of the pediment, within a scroll, are the arms of Villiers, viz: on a Cross, five Escallops, encircled by a garter, and surmounted by a ducal coronet : at the sides are pendant festoons. The apertures flanking the steps are ach divided by a small column, and partly closed by balustrades.

LYDGATE'S "r LONDON LYCKPENY."

Stow, in his account of Eastcheap, refers to Lydgate's "Song," called "London Lyckpeny," or as we should now say ' Lack-Penny,' a copy of which,

(with some alterations,) is preserved among that historian's manuscripts in the Harleian Collection, viz. No. 367, fol. 126; but whether the original be extant, does not appear. It is probable, that the alterations alluded to, were made by Stow himself, as in the summary of Lydgate's poem, inserted in his "Survey of London," several particulars are narrated which altogether vary from the Ballad in the Museum. It was written, Stow says, "in the reigne of Henry the fift, in the person of a Countryman comming to London, and travelling through the same. In West-Cheape, (saith the Song) hee was called on to buy fine lawne, Paris threed, Cotton Vmble, and other linnen clothes, and such like: (he speaketh of no silkes) In Cornehill, to buy old apparell, and household stuffe, where he was forced to buy his owne Hood, which he had lost in VVestminster Hall: In Candlewright street, Drapers proffered him cheape Cloth In East-cheape, the Cookes cried hot Ribbes of Beefe rosted, Pies well baked, and other Victuals : There was clattering of Pewter Pots, Harpe, Pipe, and Sawtrie, yea by cocke, nay by cocke, for greater oaths were spared: some sang of lenken, and Iulian, &c. all which melodie liked well the passenger, but hee wanted mony to abide by it, and therfore gat him into Grauesend Barge, and home into Kent.”*

In the following transcript from Stow's manuscript, both the contractions and the orthography are accurately copied, but the punctuation is now introduced, the manuscript being wholly without points.

London Lyckpeny:

A Ballade compyled by Dan John Lydgate, monke of Berry, about ―yeres agoe, and now newly ou'sene and amended.

To London once my stepps I bent,

Where trouth in no wyse should be faynt,
To Westmyster ward I forthwth went,
To a man of lawe to make complaynt;
I sayd, "for Marys love, that holy saynt,
Pyty the poore that wold p'ceede,"-
But for lack of mony I cold not spede.

And as I thrust the prese amonge,

By froward chaunce, my hood was gone,
Yet for all that, I stayd not longe

Tyll at the Kyngs Bench I was come ;
Before the Judge I kneeled anon,

And prayd hy "for Gods sake to take heede,”-
But for lack of mony I myght not speede.

Beneth them sat clarkes a great rout,

Which fast dyd wryte by one assent;
There stoode vp one, and cryed about
Rychard, Robert, and John of Kent:
I wyst not well what this man ment,
He cryed so thycke there in deede,-
But he that lacks mony myght not spede.

Vnto the Comon Place I yode thoo,
Where sat one wth. a sylken hoode ;
I dyd hym reverence, for I ought to do so,
I told my case as well as I coud;

How my goods were defrauded me by falshood;
I gat not a move of his mouth for my need,-
And for lack of mony I myght not spede.

Vnto the Rolls I gat me from thence,
Before the clarkes of the Chavncerye,
Where monny I found earnying of pence,
But none at all once regarded me:

I gave them my playnt vppon my knee;
They lyked it well, when they had it reade,—
But lackyng mony I could not be sped.
In Westmynster hall I found out one,
Which went in a long gown of Raye,
I crowched and kneled before hỹ anon,
"For Maryes love," of help I hym praye;
"I wot not what thou meanest," gan he say,
To get me thence he dyd me bede,-
But for lack of mony I cold not speed.

Wthin this hall, nether ryche nor yet poore,
Wold do for me ought, although I shold dye;
Which seeing, I gat me out of the doore,
Where Flemynge began on me for to cry,
"Master, what will you copen or by [buy]?
Fyne felt hatts or spectacles to reede ;
Lay down yo' sylver and here you may speede."

Then to Westmyster gate I p'sently went,
When the sonn was at hyghe pryme:
Cookes to me, they tooke good entent,
And p'ferred me bread whale and wyne,
Rybbs of befe both fat and ful fyp^ ;
A fayre cloth they gan for to sprede,-
But wantyng mony I myght not be speede.

Then vnto London I dyd me hye,

Of all the land it beareth the pryse ;

"Hot pescods," one began to crye,

66

Strabery rype and cherryes in the rise:"

One bad me come nere, and by some spyce,