as an essential part of the great salvation, and the evidence of our title to life and blessedness. These important points he insisted upon with great fidelity, ability, and zeal. For a considerable number of years he sustained another important capacity, as a tutor; and in this department, his character was truly respectable. Here he discovered the man of learning, and communicated to his pupils the valuable fruits of those studious researches, which he continued to a very advanced period of life." *-The text of Dr. Davies's sermon upon his death was Gen. xlviii. 21.

Upon Dr. Gibbons's tomb-stone in Bunhill-Fields, is the following inscription :

Beneath this stone

are interred,

The remains of

The Rev. THOMAS GIBBONS, D. D.

whose

Upright mind,

Benevolent heart,

Ardent piety,

and

Successful labours in the cause of Christ,
as a minister and tutor,

are so well known,

as not to require a glowing imagination,
like that he possessed,

to delineate;

or

Those warm feelings

Which distinguished his character as a friend,
To add energy to the description.

The affectionate tears which have been found

on this tomb,

are

The best tribute that can be offered

to his

Memory.

He died Feb. 22, 1785, aged 64.

Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit.

* Dr. Davies's Sermon on the death of Dr. Gibbons.-And Prot. Diss. Mag.

vol. ii. p. 489-493,

COACH-MAKERS'-HALL.-Extinct.

JOSEPH BROOKS BANK.

Dr. Gibbons was succeeded, after a short time, by the Rev. Joseph Brooksbank, who is a native of Yorkshire, and was educated at Homerton academy. Since the union of his congregation with that under the care of Mr. Neely, he preaches at Haberdashers'-Hall only on one part of the day; but is engaged on the Lord's-day evening at Broad-street, and at other lectures.

COACH-MAKERS'-HALL.

EXTINCT.

COACH-MAKERS-HALL, Addle-street, near Alderman

bury, was another of the city halls, let out to the Dissenters for a meeting-house. But, as considered in this connexion, it is only of modern date; and its history is very brief. Mr. JAMES RELLY, usually styled the Antinomian, occupied it for a short time before he went to Crosby-square, under which article we have given some account of him. The place was afterwards taken by a few people who separated from Red-cross-street, after the death of Mr. Craner, upon the choice of the Rev. Augustus Clarke. These people, after a short time, built a new meeting-house in Mitchellstreet, behind Old-street church. About fourteen years ago, Coach-Makers'-Hall was occupied by a debating society.

MONKWELL STREET.—English Presbyterian.

MONKWELL-STREET.

ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN.

MONKWELL-STREET, vulgarly Mugwell-street, is so

called from a well at the north end of the street, looking towards Cripplegate. Here stood in ancient times an hermitage, or well, belonging to the abbot of Garendon, in Leicestershire, who had also a chapel here, called St. James's in the Wall, as early as the year 1298. At this time, William de Lion was hermit of this religious house, and the monks, who were of the Cistercial order, officiated in the chapel. The abbot also placed there two Cistercial monks of the house, to pray for the souls of Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, and Mary his wife. In the reign of Edward VI. the hermitage, with the appurtenances, was purchased by William Lambe, one of the gentlemen of the king's chapel, and citizen and clothworker, of London; who dying in 1577, endowed the chapel, and bequeathed it to the clothworkers' company, together with other tenements, to the value of fifty pounds per annum, for the support of a minister, &c. Since that time it has been called Lambe's chapel, and the company have four sermons preached there annually, on which occasion, twelve poor men, and as many women, are relieved with money and clothing. From the monks above-mentioned the well took its name, and the street from the well, making Monkwell-street. Here are, also, twelve almshouses, founded by Sir Ambrose Nicholas, salter, and Lord-Mayor of London, in 1575, for twelve poor aged people, who, besides their dwellings rent-free, were each of them allowed seven-pence a week, five sacks VOL. III.

BB

MONKWELL STREET.—English Presbyterian.

of coals, and a quarter of a hundred of faggots. BarberSurgeons'-Hall is, also, situated in this street, and near to it stands Windsor-court, where the meeting-house now under consideration is situated.

This is probably the oldest meeting-house now in existence among the Dissenters in London. The precise date of its erection is not ascertained; but it was the first meetinghouse built by the nonconformists after the fire of London, in 1666, and was raised between that year and 1672. Although this place is of so early a date, it is an extraordinary good one, and in point of substance far superior to most that have been erected in modern times. It is a large substantial brick-building, of a square form, with three deep galleries; and being situated under a gate-way, is invisible from the street. On this account it was admirably adapted for the purposes of concealment, so necessary to the nonconformists of a former period, when their preaching was considered a crime, and imprisonment the consequence of a discovery. It was built for the famous Mr. Thomas Doolittle, the ejected minister of St. Alphage, London Wall, who first gathered the congregation. Before this place was erected, his people met in the neighbourhood of Bunhillfields; but that place proving too small, they built the present large and commodious meeting-house in Monkwellstreet. Mr. Doolittle had a dwelling-house adjoining, which communicated with the meeting-house, and was the means of facilitating his escape, when interrupted by the soldiers, and often preserved him from being taken to prison. Upon the Indulgence granted to the Nonconformists, in 1672, Mr. Doolittle took out a licence, which is still preserved in the vestry of the meeting-house, framed and glazed. As this is the only memorial of the kind that we remember to have seen preserved in London, we shall subjoin an exact copy of it for the satisfaction of the curious.

MONKWELL-STREET.-English Presbyterian.

"CAROLUS, R.

"Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all Mayors, bailiffs, constables, and other our Officers, and Ministers, civill and military whom it may concerne, greeting. In pursuance of our declaration of the 11th of March, 1671, wee allowed, and wee do hereby allow of a certaine Room adjoining to the dwelling-house of Thomas Doelittle in Mugwel Street, to bee a place for the use of such as do not conforme to the Church of England, who are in the persuasion commonly called Presbyterians, to meet and assemble in, in order to their public worship and devotion, and all and singular our Officers and Ministers, eccesiasticall, civill and military, whom it may concerne, are to take due notice hereof; and they, and every of them are hereby strictly charged and required to hinder any tumult or disturbance, and to protect them in their said meeting and assembly.

Given at our Court at Whitehall, the 2d day of April, in the 24th year of our Reign, 1672.

By his Majesty's command,

ARLINGTON."

"N. B. The above was the first Meeting-house built after the fire of London, 1662. (y)

This and the dwelling-house are the oldest in the Parish, of Olive Hart Street.

1766. SAM. SHEAFE, grandson to the above named Thomas Doolittel; He died, Pastor thereof, 24th May, 1707. aged 77."

In copying the above licence, we have adhered strictly to the original spelling, as will be easily perceived by the reader. Mr. Doolittle's name, which occurs twice, varies

(y) This is a mistake for 1666.