executed on Tower Hill for matters concerning the duke of Somerset, in the year 1551, the fifth of Edward VI.”. From St. Paul's Church Yard w oceed to Cheapside, by the Old Change, and return to the commencement of this part of our perambulation at Friday Street. END OF THE EIGHTH ROUTE. ROUTE IX. From St. Paul's Cathedral and Church Yard, to Ludgate Street, Stationer's Hall, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, Newgate Market, Ivy Lane, Lovel's Court, Pannier Alley, Newgate Street, Christ's Hospital, St. Bartholomew's Priory, Charter House, Smithfield, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, Ludgate, Compter, Newgate Prison, Ludgate, New Bridge Street, Blackfriar's Bridge, Fleet Market, Fleet Prison, and Skinner Street, closing the Account of the City of London, East of Fleet Brook. ST. PAUL's CATHEDRAL. EFORE we proceed to give a description of this magnificent fabric, the nature of the subject enjoins us to insert a few historical notices, respecting the ecclesiastical history of the diocese of London. It appears from remote history, that among the heathens London was of sufficient importance to have its flamen; and when Lucius assumed the government, he ordered an embassy to pope Eleutherius, requesting him to send learned and devout persons to inftru&t his subjects in the doctrines of Christianity. The pope complying with his desire, London was constituted an archbishopric, and was governed by sixteen prelates; and this government continued till the Dioclesian persecution, reduced the country again to paganism. The The Christians having been chased into the mountainous parts of Wales and Cornwall, and the other provinces now inhabited by Saxons, continuing Pagans, induced pope Gregory the Great*, to aim at the conversion of those people, and for that purpose deputed Augustine and his brethren to convert them to the Christian faith; one of these was appointed bishop of London, and Ethelbert, king of Kent, their encourager, built the church of St. Paul in the year 619. We are not, however, to consider this temple of divine worship, as any other than a plain mean structure, the time had not arrived, when they were to be ornamented with rich carvings, with gold and precious stones, they were only beautified with sincere devotions, and they were only houses of wood perforated with holes to admit the light, so that in the days of Alfred the Great, the churches were so inconvenient and comfortless, that when candles were lighted to be set before the relics, they were often blown out by the wind through the holes and chinks; so that, to preserve the church lights, the king first invented lanthorns by an ingenious composure of thin horn and wood. Stone buildings were not known till the year 680, when Benedict, abbot of Wiremouth, in the bishopric of Durham, brought skilful workmen to build his church of stone, according to the Roman stile, and introduced glass windows, as an additional improvement. In consequence of St. Paul's church being the first built in this province, it was denominated the mother church, and its being the cathedra, or seat of the bishop, it assumed the name of Cathedral, and obtained various privileges on account of these distinctions. The founder gave to the support of this church, the manor of Tillingham, in Essex; and Erkenwald, one of its early bishops, bestowed great expence upon the cathedral, about the year 675, by augmenting its revenues, and procuring to it ample privileges. It obtained several immunities, from Kenred, king of Mercia; king Athelstan endowed it with divers lord See Vol. I. p. 43 ships; as did also Edgar and his queen, which were confirmed by Ethelred and Canute, after which Edward the Confessor bestowed on it two lordships; all which William the Conqueror not only confirmed, but granted several new privileges and immunities. William de Belmeis gave to the canons of this cathedral the church of St. Pancras, with all the tithe; Osbert de Camera gave lands and houses in Huggen Lane, and many other donations were bestowed in the endowment of the cathedral *. This church, with most part of the city, being burnt, was soon after rebuilt, and the reparation carried on by Maurice, then bishop of London, to his death, A. D. 1107, and continued by his successor, bishop Belmeis, who was so zealous in the performance, that he gave all his revenue to the pious work, compleating the walls, and enlarging and inclosing the cemetery. This church was again damaged by a dreadful fire, that happened January 1135, and burnt from London Bridge to the church of the Danes. By the contribution of Roger Niger, bishop of London, and many well disposed persons throughout England and Ireland, pursuant to the letters hortatory of several bishops, who gave also encouragement by indulgences. The steeple was finished in 1222, the old choir in 1240, and the church in 1283. In the year 1251, the New Work was began at the east end of the choir, to which Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln, was a considerable donor; Ralph Baldock, bishop of London, gave also two hundred marks, and left considerable donations by will toward the completion. In the year 1256, the new cross began to be built; and to prevent defiling the church with excrement, &c. bishop Braybrook, anno Dom. 1400, prohibited the indecency on pain of excommunication. On the 1st of February 1444, about two in the afternoon, the steeple was fired by lightning in the middle of the spire, which was again repaired, and the spacious vane put up, anno 1462. In 1553, the vane was taken down to be repaired, when it was found to be of copper gilt over, the VOL. III. No. 71. * Dugdale, length length of which (being the figure of an eagle) from the bill to the tail was four feet, and the breadth over the wings three feet and an half. June the 4th 1561, the spire was again fired by lightning, beginning about three yards from the top, and in the space of four hours the whole was consumed, together with the roof of the church, &c. Queen Elizabeth gave order for its speedy reparation; and as an example to animate and incline others to contribute freely, out of her own purse she gave one thousand marks in gold, and also one thousand load of timber. The citizens of London contributed 32477. 16s. 2d. The clergy of the province of Canterbury 14617. 13s. 3d.; which, with the considerable donations of the bishop of London, the two lord chief justices, and the dean, the aggregate amounted to 6702l. 13s. 4žd. These supplies enabled the chapter to repair the roof effectually in 1566; but the reerection of the steeple was not attempted till the year 1620, which, from various circumstances, was rendered abortive; but in 1631, 7 Car. I. a new commission was issued for the repair of the church and steeple, toward which many of the nobility and gentry contributed largely. Inigo Jones began the work, and the houses near the church were com. pounded for and demolished; toward which, from the year 1631 to 1643, inclusive, there was received 101,330l. 4s. 8d. The walls and roof were now covered with lead, but the civil wars were destructive to this and other buildings of the kind; the revenues of the dean and chapter seized by order of parliament; the stalls in the choir were taken away, the marble pavement torn up, monuments defaced, contrary to the proclamation of queen Elizabeth, &c. sawpits were dug in the church, which afterwards was frequently converted to horse quarter for soldiers, and in many places suffered to tumble down for want of repair *. In this state the edifice remained till the restoration of episcopacy, with that of king Charles II. anno 1660, when instead of being repaired, and the spire finished, the * Dugdale. |