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.

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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 scen 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, civil and military whom it may concerne, greeting. In pursuance of our declaration of the 11th of March, 167, wce 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.

"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,

(r) This is a mistake for 1666.

MONKWELL-STREET.- -English Presbyterian.

in both instances from the usual mode of spelling it, and from that which we have adopted after Dr. Williams, and Dr. Calamy. It is certain, however, that he himself sometimes spelt his name Doolittel, as appears by several of his públications printed in his lifetime. We have seen portraits of him with his name spelt all the three different ways. In the original instrument CAROLUS R. is in the king's own hand-writing. The notes at the bottom appear to have been inserted by Mr. Sheafe, who was Mr. Doolittle's grandson.

Monkwell-street meeting exhibits at present a melancholy 'contrast to its former prosperous state. Mr. Doolittle, w ho was a laborious and useful minister, and much esteemed for his serious and faithful preaching, had no sooner opened his doors, than multitudes flocked to hear him; and, at lis death, he left a very numerous church and congregation. Mr. Wilcox, his successor, was a man of a like spirit, and left the church at his death in a flourishing state. Both these ministers were hearty Calvinists. Dr. Lawrence, who followed next, was a highly respectable minister, of Baxterian sentiments, and maintained a large and respectable audience to the day of his death. Dr. Fordyce, the next minister, by the charms of his eloquence attracted for some years a numerous congregation, and we have been told that the celebrated Garrick was frequently his auditor. But latterly, several circumstances operated to the decline of his congregation, nor has it been at all revived by his successor. At present the number of pews greatly exceeds that of the hearers, who are so few that the ends of public worship seem scarcely answered by their meeting together. With the falling off of the congregation there has been an equal declension from the doctrines taught by the earlier pastors of this society. For many years past those doctrines that are peculiarly styled evangelical, and were characteristic features in the ministry of a Doolittle a Wilcox, and a Lawrence, have ceased to resound from their pulpit, and given place

MONKWELL-STREET.—English Presbyterian.

tó what is called a more rational mode of preaching. Though the constitution of the church is strictly independent, it nevertheless ranks with those of the Presbyterian denomination.

The earlier ministers of this society paid great attention to the instruction of the rising generation. Mr. Doolittle, of whose pious and useful labours several anecdotes are recorded, formed a society of catechumens at his own meetinghouse, and met with great success. After his death, the celebrated Matthew Henry maintained a catechetical lecture at Monkwell-street, and found it a very useful exercise. Mr. Wilcox continued the same service, and his labours were greatly owned and blessed. There was, for many years, a Lord's-day morning lecture at this place, preached chiefly by ministers of the Independent denomination.

As the people to whom the place belongs meet here only on the morning, it has been let out for the afternoon to different persons successively. Soon after the settlement of the present pastor, Mr. Smith's people from Silver-street, engaged it for the afternoon, but assembled here only a short time, wher, they dissolved their church state. After this a Mr. John Armstrong preached in the afternoon for a few years, as assistant to the morning society; but their circumstances not admitting the support of two ministers, his services were dropped. The place was then let out to Mr. Neely's congregation from Hoxton-square. Mr. Neely continued to preach at Monkwell-street in the afternoon for several years; but about a twelvemonth ago his people united with the church at Haberdashers'-Hall, and he takes his turn in preaching at that place. After the removal of Mr. Neely, Dr. Rees's congregation from the Old Jewry, were accommodated with Monkwell-street in the afternoon, while their new meeting-house was building. This being now completed, they removed thither on Sunday the 10th of December, 1809. For many years the well-known Mr. Huntington had a lecture here on a Tuesday evening, which was well attended; but he removed it some time ago to the