quick succession. The violence of the motion caused many people to start from their beds and fly precipitately to the street, under the impression that their houses were falling. In St. James's Park, and the squares and open spaces about the west end of the town, where the shock is thought to have been most powerful, the tremulous vibration of the earth was clearly distinguishable; it seemed to move in a south and north direction, with a quick return towards the centre, and was accompanied with a loud noise as of rushing wind. The damage was not great, and was chiefly confined to the shaking down of chimnies and a few old houses.*

The credulous apprehensions of the people were so awakened by these Earthquakes, that the ridiculous predictions of a crazy Life-guard's man, named Bell, who prophesied, that "as the second Earthquake had happened exactly four weeks after the first, so there would be a third exactly four weeks after the second, which would lay the entire cities of London and Westminster in ruins," spread the greatest dismay and consternation over the whole Metropolis. So strong was the panic, that within a few days of the expected time, vast numbers of persons quitted London; and all the principal places within the distance of twenty miles were crowded with alarmed fugitives. To those whom necessity obliged to remain in the devoted City, the predicted night was a scene of the most dreadful disquietude; some sought refuge in boats upon the river, and the adjacent fields were crowded by multitudes who left their houses lest they should be buried in the ruins, and in the most fearful suspense passed away the hours till the dawn of morning restored them to hope and confidence: the alarm, however, did not entirely subside for

YORK-STAIRS WATER-GATE.

This handsome specimen of the architectural abilities of Inigo Jones, stands on the banks of the river Thames, at the southern extremity of Buckingham Street, in the Strand. It was erected about the year 1626, and originally belonged to George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, the ill-fated favourite of two Sovereigns, who was stabbed by Felton at Portsmouth, on the 23d of August, 1628, and lies buried in Henry the Seventh's Chapel at Westminster. The ancient Mansion which stood near this spot, and which had been a town residence of the Bishops of Norwich, and thence called the Bishop of Norwich's Inn, was splendidly fitted up by the above nobleman, after he had obtained from King James the First, either a grant or a lease of the estate, and on that occasion the Water-Gate was constructed near the middle of a long embattled wall that skirted the gardens by the river side.

Richard Nykke, or Nyx, Bishop of Norwich, exchanged his Inn for the Abbey of St. Bennet Holme, in Norfolk, in 1535; and in the following year it became vested in Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, also by exchange, for his mansion at SouthwarkPlace. The latter property, reverting to the crown,

ome time. Bell, the author of the confusion, was subsequently confined in a mad-house. He afterwards kept a hosier's shop on Holborn Hill, during many years, and afterwards, having acquired a competency, retired to the neighbourhood of Edgeware, where he died a few years ago.

was given by Queen Mary to Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York, the possessors of that See having had no town residence after York Place, Whitehall, had been converted into a royal palace by Henry the Eighth, on the fall of Wolsey. Archbishop Heath sold his newly-acquired seat, and purchased Norwich Inn, which afterwards obtained the appellation of York House, and hence the name of the Water-gate and Stairs. Archbishop Toby Matthews exchanged York House for several Manors with James the First, and the Lords Chancellors Egerton and Bacon are said to have both resided here. It was afterwards "assured" to the King by an Act of Parliament, passed on the 19th of May, 1624, and he granted the estate, as already mentioned, to the Duke of Buckingham, on whose melancholy death it was leased for a short term to the Earl of Northumberland, together with its goods, furniture, and pictures, at an annual rent of £350.* In 1649, the Parliament bestowed York House on Lord Fairfax, by the marriage of whose daughter and heiress with George, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, it was re-conveyed to the Villiers' family. That nobleman resided here for several years subsequent to the Restoration, but he eventually sold the whole estate for building on, and several streets were raised on the site of the old house and grounds. These, for a long period, went under the general name of York Buildings, but their particular appellations are George Street, Villiers Street, Duke Street, Off

Vide" Journals of the House of Commons," April 23,1645.