*TAUNTON, (Somerset) is delightfully seated on the r. Thone, 37 cm. 47 mm. from Bristol, 120 cm. 147 mm. from London. 'Tis a populous Bor. one of the biggest in the Km. and Camden calls it one of the eyes of this Co. Ina K. of the West-Saxons built a castle here, which his wife demolished, and another was afterwards built by one of the Bps. of Winchester, (to which the T. and deanery bel. before the Conquest) the hall whereof, with the outer-gate and porter's lodge, are yet standing. 'Tis a large building, where the assizes for the Co. are generally held. In the civil wars, a garison was first placed here by the Pt. which was drove out by the Marquis of Hartford's men, as was the K's. garison not long after, by Col. Blake, (afterwards general and admiral) who being appointed commander of the castle, when it was again besieged by the K's. forces, under the Ld. Goring, kept it till it was relieved. King Charles II. in 1662, caused the walls of it to be entirely demolished. The corp. refusing to renounce the solemn league, &c, forfeited the charter which Charles I. granted them, and the Bor. remained without one for 17 years, being governed by portreeves and constables, till a new charter was procured for it from K. Charles II. by Bp. Mew. The corp. consists now of a mayor, recorder, justice, 2 ald. 24 capital burgesses, a town-clerk, 2 constables, 2 portreeves, and 2 serjeants at mace. The portreeves have the benefit of the standings in the Mt. which they lease out at 40 or 50 l. a year. The mayor and ald. are chosen yearly out of the burgesses. Besides these magistrates, there are six gentlemen, who are justices of the peace at large, and may act within the Bor. The mayor's officers cannot arrest; and there is no prison here, but a Bridewell for vagrants; debtors and criminals being sent to the Co. gaol at Ilchester. Nor have the corp. any lands, houses, or joint stock of money; so that though it is one of the most flourishing Ts. 'tis the meanest corp. in the Co. The inh. are computed at above 20,000, of whom some thousands are employed in the mf. of serges, duroys, sagathies, shalloons, &c. for weaving of which 1100 looms have been employed at a time, and children, if above 5 years old, may earn their own bread in this mf. The Thone, by act of Pt. in the R. of Will. III. is made navigable by barges from hence to Bridgwater, for the support of which navigation, they pay toll. There is a bridge over it, maintained by the Co. Here are 2 parish-Chs. Several protestant dissentors meeting-houses, and an academy to train up persons for their ministers. Here is, besides a well endowed grammar-sc. an hos. founded by Robert Gray, a native of this place, who went a poor boy to London, where he grew rich. The pensioners are 6 men and 10 women, who have each 2 s. a week; and there is a chapel for daily prayers. About 120 years ago other almshs. were erected here by -Huish, a native of this place, who also made his fortune at London. The foundation is for 13 singlemen, decayed tradesmen, who have half a crown a week, and a gown every three years. A chapel likewise belongs to it for prayers. There are others erected about 70 years ago by Mrs, Dorothy Henley; they are without endowment, and inhabited by 20 men and women. Many of the inh. of this T. were involved in the ruin of the D. of Monmouth; for this was the chief scene of the bloody execution of his adherents by general Kirk and judge Jeffreys. The general caused 19 wounded men to be hanged here, without permitting their relations to speak to them, and with pipes playing and drums beating, to drown the noise of their crys and groans. The judge condemned vast numbers, whom he had persuaded to confess, and throw themselves on the K's. mercy, and then caused them to be executed, sending their quarters to the trees on the roads. About 20 gentlemen were hanged, drawn, and quartered in this very T. and when K. Ja. II. issued his proclamation of pardon, 40 young gentlewomen were particularly exempted out of it, who had presented the D. when he came hither, with colours, made at the charge of the T. No wonder therefore, that when the Prince of Orange arrived here from Torbay, this whole T. ran to him, with such universal and unfeigned joy, that 'twas thought, if the Prince had wanted it, he might have raised a little army in this T. and neighbourhood. The election of members of Pt. here is very singular, every pot-walloner, i.e. that dresses his own victuals, is intitled to vote; so that the inmates, or lodgers, to qualify themselves, a little before the election comes on, make a fire in the streets, and there boil their victuals. The Mt. here is W. and S. Fairs June 17, and July 7, for a week. At the N. side of the T. without the E. gate, was once a priory, or nunnery, the lands of which were given at the Diss. by Henry VIII. to Sir Tho. Darcy.