18. THE CITY OF COVENTRY DIVISION,

Containing Two Parishes.

ABBREVIATIONS EXPLAINED.

C. Chapelry.-R. Rectory.-V. Vicarage.-H. Hamlet.-P. Parish.-T. Township.

V. 1 Holy Trinity

P. JV. 2 St. John Baptist with St. Michael

THE CITY OF COVENTRY,—18 miles N. E. from Birmingham, 10 from Warwick, and 91 N. W. from London. Of the population, it has been stated, that "the number of inhabitants in Coventry, taken at different periods, vary very much; and there is reason to believe, the methods adopted for taking the population of places, have not been the best calculated to obtain accuracy in their amount. In 1586, they were numbered on account of the scarcity of provisions, when the aggregate was said to be only 6,502. The apprehensions of a siege caused them to be again numbered in 1543, and they were found to amount to 9,500. In the year 1723, St. Michael's parish contained 1,237 houses, and Trinity parish 697. According to Bradford's survey in 1748 and 1749, Coventry then contained, in the whole, 2,065 houses and 12,817 inhabitants. From the returns under the population act in 1801, it appears that the number of houses was 2,930 and the inhabitants 16,049. Similar returns, for 1811, give the numbers as follow:-inhabited houses 3,448, houses uninhabited 60, houses now building 12, inhabitants 17,923" Now whatever way these returns may have been made at an early period, it is a well known fact, that subsequent to the last population act, and from the com mencement of the 19th century in particular, the greatest pains have been taken to make accurate returns, and the standing overseers and other assistants have been strictly attentive and emulous in their duty; in fact, from the returns that appear, and the general averages that may be formed, they will be found to be so. In 1821, Coventry, consisting of two parishes, contained 4,227 houses and 21,242 inhabitants, of whom 10,035 are males and 11,207 females. The market is held on Friday. Fairs 2nd May, Friday in Trinity week, and November 1. The first and last continue three days each, and the second, called the Show Fair, eight days. St. Michael's is a vicarage, value £26 15s. 5d. Patron, the King. The Holy Trinity is also a vicarage, value £10 in the same patronage; and St. John's is a rectory, in the patronage of the Corporation.

The County of the City of Coventry is generally viewed as a fifth hundred, being politically a distinct district, although from its locality, it is topographically in Warwickshire, and forms 18,161 acres.

The town is generally supposed to have been founded at a very early period, by the Britons, its first syllable denoting a convent, and its final one, as Mr. Brewer remarks, evidently the British tre, a town. It is, however, asserted, "that its history cannot be traced higher than the year 1016, when (according to Rous) Canute, King of Denmark, in conjunction with the traitorous Edric, invading Mercia, among other ravages committed in this island, destroyed a nun

nery then standing in Coventry, and no attempt was made to repair it till 1043, when Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and his Countess Godiva, founded a monastery on the site of the former nunnery, and amply endowed it; Leofric bestowing on it one half of the town, in which it was situated, and twenty-four lordships in this and other counties; and Godiva, enriching it with all her vast treasure, sending for "skilful goldsmiths, who, with all the gold and silver she had, made crosses, images of saints, and other curious ornaments, which she devoutly disposed thereto." In the reign of Edward the Confessor, more satisfactory historical documents are upon record, but, at the early part of his reign, the tale of Lady Godiva was, by many, considered as an historical truth, and by others as an extraordinary legend; it has, nevertheless, from that period to the present, created an almost unabated interest.

For the security of the mercantile consequence of Coventry, the inhabitants obtained permission of Edward III. to collect a toll towards the expense of enclosing the town, to be commenced twentyseven years after the grant, and from which period the merchants became enriched, the town flourished, and the costly steeple of St. Michael's church, the admiration of succeeding ages, was designed and partly raised. The walls and gates were completed in the time of Richard II. Public buildings also increased, and the staple manufacture of clothing was cultivated.

Henry VI. in the year 1451, honoured Coventry and certain villages with the distinguished mark of his favour, in constituting them an incorporated county of themselves, and his charter enacts, that the bailiffs of the city shall be sheriffs of the county, and the same coroner preside over both. This charter was confirmed by Edward IV. In the Agricultural Survey, it is stated of the county and city of Coventry, situate in the N. E. part of Warwickshire, that "the greatest length, from Bedworth to a point near Baginton, in a N. E. and S. W. direction, is 7 miles; and the greatest breadth, from Nettle-bill to Brownshill-green, in about an E. and W. direction, is 7 miles. Anstey, Exhall, Foleshill, Keresley, Sow (part of), Stivichall, Stoke, and Wyken, are united with the City in the formation of the County of Coventry. The Quarter Sessions are held with the same full powers as counties at large, and the mayor and aldermen of the city are not only efficient justices of the peace, but have numerous privileges;'

among others, they have the painful task of sitting in judgment in capital offences; but they are relieved in their decisions by uniformly referring, on important points, to the judge who goes the midland circuit.

The freeholders of this county are not allowed to vote at elections returning members to parliament, as in other places. The citizens, by servitude, are only allowed this favour, granted them by Henry VI.; but they have no political connexion with any other portion of Warwickshire.

This city is remarkable for its antiquity, charters, rights, and pri vileges, and for the favours bestowed upon it by different monarchs. Henry IV. held a parliament here in 1404, since styled Parliamentum Indoctorum, or lack-learning Parliament, from the circumstance that all lawyers, or persons skilled in the law, were prohibited. This caused great opposition between them and the ecclesiastics. The Archbishop of Canterbury, however, after a long harangue, enumerated the many and great services rendered by churchmen to the state, and observed," that besides all this, they were not wanting, day or night, by masses and prayers, to implore God's blessing for the king and all that served him." Sir John Cheyne (Speaker of the House of Commons), in reply, with a stern countenance said, “ that he valued not the prayers of the church." The churchmen were, however, successful in the contest. In the year 1459, a second parliament was held in this city, rendered conspicuous in history by the attainders which were passed at this meeting against Richard, Duke of York, and the Earls of March, Salisbury, and Warwick. The Yorkists termed this Parliamentum Diabolicum. Its acts were afterwards reversed, "because it was unlawfully summoned, and not duly chosen."

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Henry VI. not only bestowed his favours on this town, but it is stated, that both Henry and his queen* were constant in their attach-. ment to it, and passed some of the most tranquil hours of their che quered lives in this city. During this period, the merchants were affluent, generous, and enterprising; its religious buildings numerous and splendid; and its massive embattled walls, towers, and gates, were in the highest preservation.

⚫ Coventry was styled the harbour of Queen Margaret,