SOUTHWARK, a considerable part of this great metropolis on the south side of the Thames, consists of the parishes of St. Olave, St. Saviour, St. George and St. Thomas, and for its extent and number of inhabitants is inferior to few cities in England. It is mentioned in history in the year 1052, when Earl Godwin arrived there with a powerful fleet, and having cast anchor till the return of the tide, passed London Bridge without opposition, in order to engage the royal navy, which consisted of fifty ships of war, and then lay opposite to Westminster; but matters being accommodated between the King and Earl Godwin, the latter returned, and repassed the bridge, which was then of wood. Southwark was governed by its own bailiffs till the year 1327. The city however found great inconveniences from its neighbourhood, malifactors escaping thither out of the reach and cognizance of the city magistrates. This made the city long desirous of getting Southwark under her subjection, and a grant was made of that town to the city in the last mentioned period, when the mayor of London was constituted bailiff of Southwark, and impowered to govern it by his deputy. The inhabitants some time after recovered their former privileges; but in the fourth year of the reign of Edward VI. the crown granted it to the city of London for the sum of 647_l._ 2_s._ 1_d._ and within about a month after the passing of that patent, in consideration of the farther sum of 500 marks, paid to the crown by the city, Southwark was made one of the city wards, named Bridge Ward without, when the number of the aldermen being increased from twenty-five to twenty-six, a new one was chosen to govern that borough: In virtue of the above grant, Southwark has ever since been subject to the Lord Mayor, who has under him a steward and bailiff, the former of whom holds a court of record every Monday at St. Margaret’s hill, for all debts, damages, and trespasses, within his limits, and the Lord Mayor proclaims Southwark fair on the 19th of September. There are five prisons in Southwark, the King’s Bench, just finished in St. George’s fields; the Marshalsea; the New prison, which is the county jail for felons; the Clinke, and the Compter: and also two hospitals, that of St. Thomas, and Guy’s. All which see under their respective names. And for the most remarkable passages in the history of this borough, see the article LONDON. SOUTHWICK’S _rents_, Bett’s street.† SPARK’S _court_, Duke’s place, Aldgate. SPARROW’S NEST _yard_, Oxford street. SPAW _field_, a field near the New-river-head, Islington road: so called from a famous mineral spring. SPECTACLEMAKERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles I. in the year 1630. They are governed by a master, two wardens and fifteen assistants; but have neither livery nor hall. SPECTACLES _alley_, Shoe lane, Fleet street.* MR. SPENCER’S. See GREEN-PARK. SPICER _street_, Brick lane Spitalfields.†