*GLOCESTER, (Gloucestershire) 81 cm. 102 mm. from London, stands on a pleasant hill, with houses on every descent, and is a clean well-built T. with the Severn on one side, a branch of which brings up ships to it. 'Tis beautified with a cathedral, besides 5 p. Chs. and is exceedingly well provided with hoss. particularly an infirmary, after the manner of those at London, Winchester, Bath, &c. It was a Roman colony, and governed by a consul. Forging of iron seems to have been its mf. so early as the time of William the Conq. K. Hen. VIII. made it the See of a Bp. (with a dean and 6 prebends) though Camden thinks it had that honour in the time of the Britons. Its castle, which was erected in the time of William the Conq. is very much decayed; part of it is leased out by the crown, and the rest serves for a prison, one of the best in England. In its cathedral, which is an ancient, but magnificent fabric, and has a tower, reckoned one of the neatest and most curious pieces of architecture in England, are the tombs of Robert D. of Normandy, son to William the Conq. and of Edw. II. and there is a whispering place like to that of St. Paul's at London. In the chapter-house Strongbow lies, who conquered Ireland. It has beautiful cloysters, in the stile of those of King's Coll. Cambridge, and there are 12 chapels in it, with the arms and monuments of many great persons. Edward the Confessor held a great assembly of his nobles in that part of the mon. now called the Long-workhouse. K. John made it a Bor. to be governed by two bailiffs. Henry III. who was crowned here, made it a corp. By its present charter from Cha. II. it is governed by a steward, who is generally a nobleman, a mayor, recorder, 12 ald. out of whom the mayor is chose, a T.-clerk, 2 sheriffs, chose yearly out of 26 C. C. a sword-bearer, and four serjeants at mace. Here are twelve incorporated trading companies, whose masters attend the mayor on all publick occasions, with their streamers, &c. but one of its chief mfs. is pins. Here is a fair stone-bridge over the r. with a kay, wharf, and custom-house; but most of its business is engrossed by Bristol. K. Edward I. held a Pt. here in 1272, wherein some good laws were made, now called the Statutes of Glocester; he erected a gate on the S. side of the abbey, still called by his name, tho' almost demolished in the civil wars. K. Rich. II. also held a Pt. here; and K. Rich. III. in consideration of his having (before his accession to the crown) borne the title of D. of Glocester, added the two adjacent Hs. of Dudston and Kings-Barton to it, gave it his sword and cap of maintenance, and made it a Co. of itself, by the name of the Co. of the City of Glocester. But after the Restor. the Hs. were taken away by act of Pt. and the walls pulled down; because the city shut the gates against Cha, I. when he besieged it in 1643, by which, tho' the siege was raised by the Earl of Essex, it had suffered 20,000 l. damage. Before that time it had 11 p. Chs. but 6 of them were then demolished. Here are abundance of crosses, and statues of our Kings, some of whom kept their Christmas here, several Mt.- houses supported with pillars, and large remains of mons. which were once so numerous, that it gave occasion to the monkish proverb, As sure as God is in Glocester. Here is a barley Mt. and a hall for the assizes, called the Booth-Hall. Under the bridge is a water-engine to supply the T. tho' it is served with it also from Robin Hood's Well, to which is a fine walk 1 m. or 2 from the city. Camden says, that the famous Roman way, called Ermin-Street, which begins at St. David's in Pembrokeshire, and reaches to Southampton, passes through this city. Sudmead in the neighbourhood is noted for horse-races. The Mts. here are on W. and S. and Fairs Lady-day, Midsummer-day, Sep. 17, and Nov. 17, the latter chiefly for fat hogs. This is one of those 24 cities to which Sir Tho. White gave 2000 l. for one of them to receive 100 l. once in 24 years, to be lent to 4 citizens for 10 years, without interest. Here is a ch. sc. for above 80 children, of whom above 70 are also cloathed. The vale to which it gives name has so rich a soil, that it yields variety of plants and fruits, and all sorts of grain, and in some places a hundredfold. It must not be omitted, that this city has for many years given the title of Duke, as it did some centuries ago that of Earl; but the last D. before his R. H. Frederick Prince of Wales, was William, the only son of Princess (afterwards Q.) Anne, by Geo. Prince of Denmark, who died in 1700. The citizens have erected the itatues of Q. Anne and K. Geo. I. in one of the high-streets, both bigger than the life.