through a safe and deep channel for sixty miles, from its mouth to
the city: its banks are everywhere beautified with fine country
seats, woods, and farms; below is the royal palace of Greenwich;
above, that of Richmond; and between both, on the west of London,
rise the noble buildings of Westminster, most remarkable for the
courts of justice, the parliament, and St. Peter's church, enriched
with the royal tombs. At the distance of twenty miles from London
is the castle of Windsor, a most delightful retreat of the Kings of
England, as well as famous for several of their tombs, and for the
ceremonial of the Order of the Garter. This river abounds in swans,
swimming in flocks: the sight of them, and their noise, are vastly
agreeable to the fleets that meet them in their course. It is
joined to the city by a bridge of stone, wonderfully built; is never
increased by any rains, rising only with the tide, and is everywhere
spread with nets for taking salmon and shad. Thus far Paulus
Jovius.

Polydore Vergil affirms that London has continued to be a royal
city, and the capital of the kingdom, crowded with its own
inhabitants and foreigners, abounding in riches, and famous for its
great trade, from the time of King Archeninus, or Erchenvinus. Here
the kings are crowned, and solemnly inaugurated, and the council of
the nation, or parliament, is held. The government of the city is
lodged, by ancient grant of the Kings of Britain, in twenty-four
aldermen--that is, seniors: these annually elect out of their own
body a mayor and two sheriffs, who determine causes according to
municipal laws. It has always had, as indeed Britain in general
has, a great number of men of learning, much distinguished for their
writings.