Star.
London, England, 1826-01-10 00:00:00

• •
IMPROMPTU,
Vilt I TIEN ON 11111LTIFI D 11t, STU. OCTOBZNi 182.5.

In tile's ruin day, when Hope was green,
liow heavenly bright each laity scene,
'low life's gay current deuced along,
Midst sportive glee, and mirth, and song!
In pride of youth, then buoyant Hope,
Thought every bud wkbin her scope
Could never fade, but must be blown,
And grasp'd the future as bee own!
Thought nought could ever access gain,
To mar the peace of Pleasure's reign,
And stole the tints of Summer's sun,
To gild the blooming days to come !
But now, alas! how can I tell,
I low troth bath broke the fairy spell
And proy'd the once gay sparkling years,
A scene of woe, a yak of tears!
That Hope which once so radiant seetn'd,:
• Whose ray on every pleasure beam'd,
Has in wild•mockery left me—where?
In ruin, misery, and despair !

ANCIENT NOTICES OF SPOTS INTENDED
AS THE SCENES OF MODERN IMPROVEMENTS.

CHARING CROSS.

This spnt, in the reign of Henry VIII. was a mere
country village, dividing the Strand from Westminster,
and consisted of a few cottages only, and an inn for the
refreshment of traveller., called the Swan ; the site of
the preient Pall Mall 'East being then a void space of,
ground, denominated Chating Cross field. The ex-
change between the Abbot of Westminster and that
King gives the latter, among other premises in that
neighbourhood, 44 two acres of lande in Charinge
Crosse felde, now in the tenure of Titomeus Swalowe,
two cottages, lyeing at Charyng Crosse, which now one
Crystiau,Norres holdeth, lying in the said parysshe of
Seynt blarteyn in the Felde; and also one yerely rent
of Iv.). goyng out of a tent (tenement) called the
Swanne, in Charyng Crosse, in the same parysshe of
Seynt Maityns ; and also one yerely rent of iiijd.
goynge oute of the londes belonginge to the Abbot of
Abingdon in Charyng CrosseFelde." -
The cottages on the north-west side had gardens
atintting on the high stone wall, n hich enclosed the site
Of the present St. James's Park, and presented, among
other rural features, a small chapel of St. Katherine
and a H,rinitage ; the latter not a cell or residence for
two or three pets ns,sas wets the case with the Hermit•
age of St. James in the Wall, Cripplegate ; but (how.
ever strange it may seem, compared with the crowd
and bustle we now see there), an absolute retirement
from the world cf a single solitary recluse. This de-
vntee appears'tn have Leen generally buried at St.Mar-
garees, as the parish Church, and to have continued as
late as the. Dissolution, being mentioned, together with
a female recluse called The Anchoress," (who reided
higher up towards Westminster Palace,) in several en-
tries of the Churchwarden's accounts, from the reign of
Edward IV. downwards, viz.
" 1466. Item. Ree' on the day of the funeral of the hermit of
Ckaryssg, and fur the interment of the same in the Chapel of St.
George, within the said Church (St. Margaret.)—viijd."
" (Same year.) 114.. e the day of the interment of,SirJeAta Gamow,
am/wee Wwstoi."
" Item. At the buryinge of Softerh Hero"' Iv. ta•
pers—iiijd."
156. Item. of Richard Smith Emit, for his grave--7ja. Wjd."
It wquld seem from the last entry, that Richard
Smith (nlie is the last of these hermits noticed in the
Churchwarden's accounts), secured his final resting
place by a payment made in his lifetime. The an-
churesses are mentiowd as being buried in the same
Ct.utch:
" 1460. Item. flee' the day of the funeral of the Arsenate for
iij. tapers—viijd.
" 1489. at the burying of my Lady Amens" for the bell—vjd."
The last item that occurs relative to " my Lady An-
cres,e," s' ews that she occasionally employed part of
her time in other exercises besides those of devotion.
16 15311. Paid to my Lady 4bteresse, for washing of all the cor-
porauelothes—viiid."
THE MEWS.

Tit's building was the last we.tward from the Strand.
sactly faced the Hermitage: being corintcted with
Sr. Martin's-lane by a few straggling cottages, similar
to those on the opposite side. Du Fresne, in his Glos•
sorry, derives the name from the Latin mute, and French
la mare, eie disease to which haw ks are subject, of
yearly muting •or changing their feathers ; this being
the place where the King's hawks were kept before it
was converted into stables. Meta, he says, is also the
building in which falcons are shut up when they mute
or change their feathers. Edward H. in his thirteenth
year, granted to John de la Recite the custody of the
Kisu's houses de mortis at Cbarrying, near Westminster.
Ralph de Manners, the King', falconer, bad in the like
•pi.taner granted to hint the custody 4:f the King's
'Mews at Charinge,23d Edward 111. As also Sir Sim ,n
de Barley, 1 Richard 11. Henry VIII. is .:aid to have
first kept his horses there; for which purpose he partly
reboil► the old structure; and the same was, iss Ed-
ward VI. and Mary, afterwards enlarged and cone. nee!
into stabling. From this place, its first use and whs.:.
quent application, it has of late years bten customary
to give to any range of buildings erected f r stabling,
the appellation of a Mews. The little of the original
Mews which remained, which was erectei as above,
was that lately occupied as barracks, and wl►ich is now
about to give way for the fine new opening to St. Ajar-
tin's Church. It was composed of red tt Tudor brick,"
with, stope windows and dressings, supported by but-
tresses, and crenellated at top.