ancient chapel annexed to this establishment, of a circular form, and built of Caen stone, was discovered on pulling down some old houses near Southampton Buildings in Chancery Lane.* This first house of the Temple, established by Hugh de Payens himself, before his departure from England, on his return to Palestine, was adapted to the wants and necessities of the order in its infant state, when the knights, instead of lingering in the preceptories of Europe, proceeded at once to Palestine, and when all the resources of the society were strictly and faithfully forwarded to Jerusalem, to be expended in defence of the faith ; but when the order had greatly increased in numbers, power, and wealth, and had somewhat departed from its original purity and simplicity, we find that the superior and the knights resident in London began to look abroad for a more extensive and commodious place of habitation. They purchased a large space of ground, extending from the White Friars westward to Essex House without Temple Bar,+ and commenced the erection of a convent on a scale of grandeur commensurate with the dignity and importance of the chief house of the great religio-military society of the Temple in Britain. It was called the New Temple, to distinguish it from the original establishment at Holborn, which came thenceforth to be known by the name of the Old Temple.f This New Temple was adapted for the residence of numerous military monks and novices, serving brothers, retainers, and domestics. It contained the residence of the superior and of the * Herbert, Antiq. Inns of Court t "Yea, and a part of that too," savi Sir William Dugdale, in his origines jurididales, as appears from the first grant thereof to Sir William Faget, Knight, Pat. ii. Edward VI, p. 2. X We read on man; old charters and deeds, " Datum «pud refits Tomplum Londoni«." See an example, Nichols* Leicestershire, vol. Hi. p. 9591 see also the account, in Matt. Par. and Hoveden, of the king's visit to Hugh bishop of Lincoln, who lay sick of a fever at the Old Temple, and died there, tbe 16th November, Λ. D, 1200,