*CANTERBURY, (Kent) the metropolitan see of England, and a city and county of itself, 43 cm. and 56 mm. from London, which
is said to have been built 900 years before the birth of Christ; but that the Romans were here near 50 years before it,
appears pretty certain, from Antoninus's itinerary, from the Roman coins dug up in it, from the remains of a military way,
and from the great Roman causeys leading from hence to Dover and Lymme. Vortiger K. of the Britons resided here after the
Romans, and yielded it to the Saxons. 'Tis govern'd by a mayor, recorder, sheriff, 12 ald. 24 c.c. &c. The cathedral,
which was partly built by Lucius, the first Christian K. of the Britons, and which Augustin consecrated by the name of
Christ-Church, was rifled and burnt in 1011, together with, the rest of the city, by the Danes. K. Canute indeed caused it
to be repaired, and presented his crown of gold to it: but, in 1043, it was again much defaced by fire; upon which
Lanfranc the Abp. pull'd it all down, rebuilt it, together with, the palace and Mon. and the Ch. was new dedicated by the
name of the Holy-Trinity; but in the R. of Hen. I. it was dedicated again, in presence of the K. and Q. and of David K. of
Scots, and many of the Bps. and nobility of both realms, by the name of Christ-Church. In 1174 it was again destroy'd by
fire; but was begun to be rebuilt in the R. of K. Stephen, though not compleated till that of Hen. V. Before the Ref. it
had 37 altars. Its middle tower is 235 feet in height. Seven Kgs. are interr'd in this Ch. particularly Hen. IV. Edw. the
Black Prince, and other princes, cardinals, &c. and 7 Abps. lie in one vault. There is an ascent from the choir to the
chapel of Becket, who was murdered here; to whose shrine such rich offerings were formerly made, by pilgrims and other
votaries, for several ages, that Erasmus, who saw it, says, " the chapel shone all over with " rare and very large
jewels;" and Dugdale observes, that, at the Ref. the plate and jewels bel. to this tomb filled 2 great chests, each of
which required 8 men to remove it. Under the cathedral is a large Ch. for foreign protestants, given at first by Q. Eliz.
to the Walloons, who fled hither from the persecution in the Netherlands, and since frequented by numbers of protestants,
who, for the same reason, came over from France in the R. of Lewis XIV. so that 'tis reckon'd here are 2 or 3000 French
protestants, men, women and children. Those allowed to settle here by Q. Eliz. brought over the art of weaving broad
silks; which is a Mf. so much improved, that great quantities are sent to London. Among the ruins of Roman and Saxon
buildings, and of many religious houses here, are the walls of a chapel, said to have been a Christian temple before St.
Augustin, and by him again consecrated to St. Pancras; and near it a little room, said to have been K. Ethelbert's chapel,
while a pagan, in which the vulgar fancy are the marks of the devil's claws. On the S. side of the city, at Dungeon-Hill,
are the ruins of a castle, said to have been built by Will. the Conq. The city had once an exchange, a mint, strong walls,
many towers, a deep ditch, and within it a great rampart. The two gates of St. Augustin's T. are still remaining, and are
stately. About this city are several thousand acres of hop-grounds and the place is as famous as Shrewsbury for excellent
collars of brawn. Here are 6 wards, denominated from its 6 gates, 15 p. chs. a f. s. called the King's-school, 3 others
for 58 boys and 66 girls, and 7 hos. one of which, called Bridewell, is a house for correction, and also for the
entertainment of poor townsmen's boys. At the W. gate is a gaol for criminals; and there is a gallows in the Mt. place,
called Wincheap, because wines were there sold. Here is a sumptuous conduit, which was erected by Abp. Abbot. The city
consists chiefly of 4 streets, which centre at St. Andrew's Ch. and is about 3 m. in circumference. Its Mt. is W. and S.
and its Fairs on T. in Whitsun-Week, July 7 and 27, Sept. 21, Dec. 29. each for 9 days. The Corp. affairs are transacted
in rooms over the Mt.-house. The r. Stour runs through the city; and here is a printing-press, from whence comes a news-
paper every W. and S. The Jews dwelt here once, in a street called to this day Jewry-lane.