men to impugn his church's liberties, since more than three hundred
worshipful members of the corporation had within a few years been
glad to claim its privilege. The Star-Chamber decided against the
city, and the prisoners were restored to sanctuary. The Savoy was
another sanctuary; and it was the custom of the inhabitants to tar
and feather those who ventured to follow their debtors thither.
In the theatrical district of London, Mr Smith lingers long
and fondly; for there each house, almost every brick, is rich
in reminiscences, not only of players and playhouses, but of
wits, poets, and artists. In the burial-ground of St Paul's,
Covent-Garden, repose not a few of those who in their lifetime
inhabited or frequented the neighbourhood. There lies the author of
Hudibras. "Mr Longueville, of the Temple, Butler's steady friend,
and who mainly supported him in his latter days, when the ungrateful
Stuart upon the throne, whose cause he had so greatly served, had
deserted him, was anxious to have buried the poet in Westminster
Abbey. He solicited for that purpose the contributions of those
wealthy persons, his friends, whom he had heard speak admiringly of
Butler's genius, and respectfully of his character, but none would
contribute, although he offered to head the list with a considerable
sum." So poor Butler was buried in Covent-Garden, privately but
decently. He is in good company. Sir Peter Lely, the painter of
dames, the man who seemed created on purpose to limn the languishing
and voluptuous beauties of Charles the Second's court, is also
buried in St Paul's; as are also Wycherley and Southerne, the
dramatists; Haines and Macklin, the comedians; Arne, the musician;
Strange, the engraver; and Walcot, _alias_ Peter Pindar. Sir Peter
Lely lived in Covent-Garden, in very great style. "The original name
of the family was Vandervaes; but Sir Peter's father, a gallant
fellow, and an officer in the army, having been born at a perfumer's
shop, the sign of the Lily, was commonly known by the name of
Captain Lily, a name which his son thought to be more euphonious
to English ears than Vandervaes, and which he retained when he
settled here, slightly altering the spelling." Wycherley, a dandy
and a courtier, as well as an author, had lodgings in Bow Street,
where Charles II. once visited him when he was ill, and gave him
five hundred pounds to go a journey to the south of France for the
benefit of his health. When he afterwards married the Countess of
Drogheda, a young, rich, and beautiful widow, she went to live with
him in Bow Street. She was very jealous, and when he went over to
the "Cock" tavern, opposite to his house, he was obliged to make the
drawer open the windows, that his lady might see there was no woman
in the company. This "Cock" tavern was the great resort of the rakes
and mohocks of that day; of Buckhurst, Sedley, Killigrew, and others
of the same kidney. In fact, Bow Street was then the Bond Street of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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