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Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
An Account of whatever is most remarkable for GRANDEUR, ELEGANCE, CURIOSITY or USE,
In the CITY and in the COUNTRY Twenty Miles round it.
Whatever is most material in the History and Antiquities of this great Metropolis.
Decorated and illustrated with a great Number of Views in Perspective, engraved from original Drawings, taken on purpose for this Work.
Together with a PLAN of LONDON, A Map of the ENVIRONS, and several other useful CUTS.
LONDON: Printed for R. and J. DODSLEY in Pall-Mall.
† _Those with this mark generally derived their name from the ground landlord, who built the street, lane, or alley, &c._ * _From signs._ ☐ _From neighbouring places, as churches, &c._ ‡ _From trees formerly growing there._ ║ _From ridicule._ § _From their situation, as backwards, forwards, with respect to other streets._
SION COLLEGE, adjoining to St. Alphage’s church, London Wall, was founded for the improvement of the London clergy, and situated upon the ruins of Elsing Spital, which consisted of a college for a warden, four priests and two clerks, and an hospital for an hundred old, blind and poor persons of both sexes.
This college owes its foundation to Dr. Thomas White, Vicar of St. Dunstan’s in the West, who, among other charities, left 3000_l._ to purchase and build a college for the use of the London clergy, with almshouses for twenty poor people, ten men and ten women. He also gave 160_l._ a year for ever to the college and almshouses, 120_l._ for the support of the alms-people, and 40_l._ _per annum_, for the expences of the foundation.
The ground was purchased in 1627; but the library was not appointed by the founder; for a clergyman observing to Mr. Simson one of Dr. White’s executors, that a convenient library might be erected over the almshouse, which was then building, Mr. Simson took the hint, and erected it at his own expence.
The work being finished, in prosecution of the will, a charter was procured under the great seal of England in the sixth year of King Charles I. for incorporating the clergy of London, by which all the rectors, vicars, lecturers and curates, are constituted fellows of the college, and out of the incumbents, are annually to be elected on Tuesday three weeks after Easter, as governors, a president, two deans, and four assistants, who are to meet quarterly, to hear a Latin sermon, and afterwards to be entertained at dinner in the college hall, at the charge of the foundation. And in 1632 the governors and clergy being summoned, agreed upon a common seal, which had the good Samaritan, with the inscription _Vade & fac similiter_, and round it _Sigillum Collegii de Sion Londini_.