AYLESBURY, a borough, market-town, and parish, in the hundred of AYLESBURY, county of BUCKINGHAM, 17 miles ..(S. E. by S.) from Buckingham, and 40 (N. N. W.) from London, containing, according to the last census, 4400 inhabitants, now about 5000. This town, which was one. of the strongest fortresses of the ancient Britons, received the name of Jlglesbury from Cuthwulf, brother of Ceawlin, King of the West Saxons, by whom it was captured in 571. About the year 600, a monasteryi dedicated to St. Osyth, was erected here. At the Conquest, Aylesbury was conferred on one of the royal favourites, under the extraordinary tenure that he should provide straw for the monarch's bed, sweet herbs for his chamber, and two green geese and three eels for his table, three times in the year, if he should so often visit it. A convent of Grey friars, the only one. in the county, was, founded here, in 1387, by James, Earl of Ormondj its site was subsequently occupied by a mansion belonging to the Packington family, which has been long since taken down. There were also two ancient hospitals, dedicated to St. John and St. Leonard, for the benefit of lepers, which had gone to decay previously to the year 1360. In the war between Charles I. and the parliament, Aylesbury was garrisoned for the latter. The town is delightfully situated in a fertile vale, which affords pasturage to an extraordinary number of sheep: the houses are principally of stone and lath and plaister, intermixed with some handsomely built of brick; the streets are well paved, and partially, lighted with oil, and the inhabitants have lately been supplied with water by means of the tread-wheel in the gaol. Much of its prosperity,is due .to the munificent patronage of Sir John Baldwin, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in the reign of .Henry VIII., who erected several buildings, and procured the assizes to be removed hither from Buckingham j the summer assizes, however, have been again transferred to that town. Lace-making constitutes the chief employment of the poor; and numerous ducklings are reared for .the London .market at Christmas.:The market, which is- principally for corn, and is also abundantly supplied, with, excellent meat, is on Saturday: fairs are held on the first Friday, after January 18th, the Saturday before Palm-Sunday,. May 8th, June 14th, September 25th, and October 11th. Queen Mary, in 1550, vested the government of the borough in a corporation, who, from non-exercise of their privileges, forfeited their charter in the reign of Elizabeth; and the town is now within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, who hold a petty session weekly: two constables and other officers are appointed, at the court leet of the lord of each of the two manors, viz., the manor of Aylesbury, and the manor of the rectory of Aylesbury. A court of quarter session for. the county is held in the shire-hall, a handsome edifice, erected in 1723. The county gaol and house of cor-, rection admits of the classification of prisoners, and comprises one hundred and forty cells, two day-rooms, a chapel, and a tread-mill employed in raising water and grinding corn. The elective franchise was conferred in 1554, since which time the borough has continued to return two members to parliament: the right of election is vested in the inhabitant householders, and in the freeholders of the hundred, the number of both, being near three thousand j the four constables are the returning officers. Concerning a disputed return for this borough in 1703, the contest between the lords and the, commons was so great, that the queen deemed it expedient to prorogue the parliament. The living is a discharged vicarage, within the jurisdiction of the peculiar court of Aylesbury, belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln, rated in the king's books at £24. 18. 1., and in the patronage of the Prebendary of Aylesbury in the Cathedral Church of Lincoln. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a venerable and interesting structure. There are places of worship for Particular Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, and Wesleyan Methodists. The free grammar school, founded'by Sir Henry Lee, was endowed, at the beginning of the last century, with only £8 per annum, which was augmented by John Phillips, Esq., a native of the town, with a legacy of £5000, since invested in land producing about £240 per annum: there are one hundred and twenty boys on the foundation, fifteen of whom are instructed in the classics. The school-house and residences for three masters were built in 1718. A Lancasterian school was founded by Mr. John Hull, of Uxbridge: there are also Sunday schools in connexion with the established church and the dissenting congregations. In 1694, Mr. John Bedford gave land for the repair of the highways, and for the relief of the poor, the rental of which exceeds £300 per annum. Aylcsbury gives the title of marquis to the family of Brudenell Bruce.