tioned piece of
ground called the Outer Temple which never belonged to the lawyers, but
had been annexed by the Bishops of Exeter in the reign of the second
Edward. This was then known as Exeter House. It was sacked by the
populace in the same reign, and the unlucky prelate Walter Stapledon,
who had taken the side of the King in his disputes with the Queen, was
carried off and beheaded. The house was rebuilt, and continued to belong
to the See until the reign of Henry VIII. But it seemed to have some
malignant influence, for nearly all its successive owners suffered some
unhappy fate. Lord Paget, who occupied it during Henry VIII.'s reign,
narrowly escaped being beheaded. Thomas Howard, fourth son of the Duke
of Norfolk, who succeeded, died in the Tower after many years of
imprisonment. Dudley, Earl of Leicester, followed, and during his period
of residence the house can claim association with the name of Spenser,
who was a frequent visitor. Leicester escaped the malevolent influence
of the house, which he left to his son-in-law, Robert Devereux, Earl of
Essex. During the Earl's occupancy the mansion went through some stormy
scenes. It was here that he assembled his fellow-conspirators which he
left to his step-son, Robert Devereux, to arouse the people to aid him
to obtain possession of the Queen's person, but he found his popularity
unequal to the demand. The people turned against him, and he was driven
back to his own house, which he barricaded. But his resistance was
useless. Artillery was employed against him, and a gun mounted on the
tower of St. Clement's Church. He was forced to surrender, and being
found guilty of high treason, was executed. After the Restoration the
house was let in tenements. It was pulled down about the end of the
seventeenth century, but the Watergate at the end of the street is said
to have been a part of it. The street was built in 1862. Dr. Johnson
established here a small club known as the Essex Head Club.

The Essex Street Chapel, which was the headquarters of the Unitarians in
London, was built upon part of the site of the house; Smith says it was
part of the original building. The Cottonian Library was kept here from
1712 to 1730. A lecture-hall now stands on the site of the chapel. The
Ethical Society give lectures here on Sunday evenings.

With Temple Bar the City of London, or, rather, the Liberties thereof,
begin, and it is here that on great state occasions the Lord Mayor meets