Chapter XX: St. Paul's

London's Chief Sanctuary of Religion--The Site of St. Paul's--The Earliest authenticated Church there--The Shrine of Erkenwald--St. Paul's Burnt and Rebuilt--It becomes the Scene of a Strange Incident--Important Political Meeting within its Walls--The Great Charter published there--St. Paul's and Papal Power in England--Turmoils around the Grand Cathedral--Relics and Chantry Chapels in St. Paul's--Royal Visits to St. Paul's--Richard, Duke of York, and Henry VI.--A Fruitless Reconciliation--Jane Shore's Penance--A Tragedy of the Lollards' Tower--A Royal Marriage--Henry VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey at St. Paul's--"Peter of Westminster"--A Bonfire of Bibles--The Cathedral Clergy Fined--A Miraculous Rood--St. Paul's under Edward VI. and Bishop Ridley--A Protestant Tumult at Paul's Cross--Strange Ceremonials--Queen Elizabeth's Munificence--The Burning of the Spire--Desecration of the Nave--Elizabeth and Dean Nowell--Thanksgiving for the Armada--The "Children of Paul's"--Government Lotteries--Executions in the Churchyard--Inigo Jones's Restorations and the Puritan Parliament--The Great Fire of 1666--Burning of Old St. Paul's, and Destruction of its Monuments--Evelyn's Description of the Fire--Sir Christopher Wren called in 234

CHAPTER XXI.

ST. PAUL'S (_continued_).

The Rebuilding of St. Paul's--Ill Treatment of its Architect--Cost of the Present Fabric--Royal Visitors--The First Grave in St. Paul's--Monuments in St. Paul's--Nelson's Funeral--Military Heroes in St. Paul's--The Duke of Wellington's Funeral--Other Great Men in St. Paul's--Proposal for the Completion and Decoration of the Building--Dimensions of St. Paul's--Plan of Construction--The Dome, Ball, and Cross--Mr. Horner and his Observatory--Two Narrow Escapes--Sir James Thornhill--Peregrine Falcons on St. Paul's--Nooks and Corners of the Cathedral--The Library, Model Room, and Clock--The Great Bell--A Lucky Error--Curious Story of a Monomaniac--The Poets and the Cathedral--The Festivals of the Charity Schools and of the Sons of the Clergy 249

CHAPTER XXII.

ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.

St Paul's Churchyard and Literature--Queen Anne's Statue--Execution of a Jesuit in St. Paul's Churchyard--Miracle of the "Face in the Straw"--Wilkinson's Story--Newbery the Bookseller--Paul's Chain--"Cocker"--Chapter House of St. Paul's--St. Paul's Coffee House--Child's Coffee House and the Clergy--Garrick's Club at the "Queen's Arms," and the Company there--"Sir Benjamin" Figgins--Johnson the Bookseller--Hunter and his Guests--Fuseli--Bonnycastle--Kinnaird--Musical Associations of the Churchyard--Jeremiah Clark and his Works--Handel at Meares' Shop--Young the Violin Maker--The "Castle" Concerts--An Old Advertisement--Wren at the "Goose and Gridiron"--St. Paul's School--Famous Paulines--Pepys visiting his Old School--Milton at St. Paul's 262

CHAPTER XXIII.

PATERNOSTER ROW.

Its Successions of Traders--The House of Longman--Goldsmith at Fault--Tarleton, Actor, Host, and Wit--Ordinaries around St. Paul's: their Rules and Customs--The "Castle"--"Dolly's"--The "Chapter" and its Frequenters--Chatterton and Goldsmith--Dr. Buchan and his Prescriptions--Dr. Gower--Dr. Fordyce--The "Wittinagemot" at the "Chapter"--The "Printing Conger"--Mrs. Turner, the Poisoner--The Church of St. Michael "ad Bladum"--The Boy in Panier Alley 274

CHAPTER XXIV.

BAYNARD'S CASTLE AND DOCTORS' COMMONS.

Baron Fitzwalter and King John--The Duties of the Chief Bannerer of London--An Old-fashioned Punishment for Treason--Shakesperian Allusions to Baynard's "Castle"--Doctors' Commons and its Five Courts--The Court of Probate Act, 1857--The Court of Arches--The Will Office--Business of the Court--Prerogative Court--Faculty Office--Lord Stowell, the Admiralty Judge--Stories of him--His Marriage--Sir Herbert Jenner Fust--The Court "Rising"--Doctor Lushington--Marriage Licences--Old Weller and the "Touters"--Doctors' Commons at the Present Day 281

CHAPTER XXV.

HERALDS' COLLEGE.

Early Homes of the Heralds--The Constitution of the Heralds' College--Garter King at Arms--Clarencieux and Norroy--The Pursuivants--Duties and Privileges of Heralds--Good, Bad, and Jovial Heralds--A Notable Norroy King at Arms--The Tragic End of Two Famous Heralds--The College of Arms' Library 294

CHAPTER XXVI.

CHEAPSIDE--INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL.

Ancient Reminiscences of Cheapside--Stormy Days therein--The Westchepe Market--Something about the Pillory--The Cheapside Conduits--The Goldsmiths' Monopoly--Cheapside Market--Gossip anent Cheapside by Mr. Pepys--A Saxon Rienzi--Anti-Free-Trade Riots in Cheapside--Arrest of the Rioters--A Royal Pardon--Jane Shore 304

CHAPTER XXVII.

CHEAPSIDE SHOWS AND PAGEANTS.

A Tournament in Cheapside--The Queen in Danger--The Street in Holiday Attire--The Earliest Civic Show on Record--The Water Processions--A Lord Mayor's Show in Queen Elizabeth's Reign--Gossip about Lord Mayors' Shows--Splendid Pageants--Royal Visitors at Lord Mayors' Shows--A Grand Banquet in Guildhall--George III. and the Lord Mayor's Show--The Lord Mayor's State Coach--The Men in Armour--Sir Claudius Hunter and Elliston--Stow and the Midsummer Watch 315

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CHEAPSIDE--CENTRAL.

Grim Chronicles of Cheapside--Cheapside Cross--Puritanical Intolerance--The Old London Conduits--Mediaeval Water-carriers--The Church of St. Mary-le-Bow--"Murder will out"--The "Sound of Bow Bells"--Sir Christopher Wren's Bow Church--Remains of the Old Church--The Seldam--Interesting Houses in Cheapside and their Memories--Goldsmiths' Row--The "Nag's Head" and the Self-consecrated Bishops--Keats' House--Saddlers' Hall--A Prince Disguised--Blackmore, the Poet--Alderman Boydell, the Printseller--His Edition of Shakespeare--"Puck"--The Lottery--Death and Burial 332

CHAPTER XXIX.

CHEAPSIDE TRIBUTARIES--SOUTH.

The King's Exchange--Friday Street and the Poet Chaucer--The Wednesday Club in Friday Street--William Paterson, Founder of The Bank of England--How Easy it is to Redeem the National Debt--St. Matthew's and St. Margaret Moses--Bread Street and the Bakers' Shops--St. Austin's, Watling Street--Fraternity of St. Austin's--St. Mildred's, Bread Street--The Mitre Tavern--A Priestly Duel--Milton's Birthplace--The "Mermaid"--Sir Walter Raleigh and the Mermaid Club--Thomas Coryatt, the Traveller--Bow Lane--Queen Street--Soper's Lane--A Mercer Knight--St. Bennet Sherehog--Epitaphs in the Church of St. Thomas Apostle--A Charitable Merchant 346

CHAPTER XXX.

CHEAPSIDE TRIBUTARIES--NORTH.

Goldsmiths' Hall--Its Early Days--Tailors and Goldsmiths at Loggerheads--The Goldsmiths' Company's Charters and Records--Their Great Annual Feast--They receive Queen Margaret of Anjou in State--A Curious Trial of Skill--Civic and State Duties--The Goldsmiths break up the Image of their Patron Saint--The Goldsmiths' Company's Assays--The Ancient Goldsmiths' Feasts--The Goldsmiths at Work--Goldsmiths' Hall at the Present Day--The Portraits--St. Leonard's Church--St. Vedast--Discovery of a Stone Coffin--Coachmakers' Hall 353

CHAPTER XXXI.

CHEAPSIDE TRIBUTARIES, NORTH:--WOOD STREET.

Wood Street--Pleasant Memories--St. Peter's in Chepe--St. Michael's and St. Mary Staining--St. Alban's, Wood Street--Some Quaint Epitaphs--Wood Street Compter and the Hapless Prisoners therein--Wood Street Painful, Wood Street Cheerful--Thomas Ripley--The Anabaptist Rising--A Remarkable Wine Cooper--St. John Zachary and St. Anne-in-the-Willows--Haberdashers' Hall--Something about the Mercers 364

CHAPTER XXXII.

CHEAPSIDE TRIBUTARIES, NORTH (_continued_).

Milk Street--Sir Thomas More--The City of London School--St. Mary Magdalen--Honey Lane--All Hallows' Church--Lawrence Lane and St. Lawrence Church--Ironmonger Lane and Mercers' Hall--The Mercers' Company--Early Life Assurance Companies--The Mercers' Company in Trouble--Mercers' Chapel--St. Thomas Acon--The Mercers' School--Restoration of the Carvings in Mercers' Hall--The Glories of the Mercers' Company--Ironmonger Lane 374

CHAPTER XXXIII.

GUILDHALL.

The Original Guildhall--A fearful Civic Spectacle--The Value of Land increased by the Great Fire--Guildhall as it was and is--The Statues over the South Porch--Dance's Disfigurements--The Renovation in 1864--The Crypt--Gog and Magog--Shopkeepers in Guildhall--The Cenotaphs in Guildhall--The Court of Aldermen--The City Courts--The Chamberlain's Office--Pictures in the Guildhall--Sir Robert Porter--The Common Council Room--Pictures and Statues--Guildhall Chapel--The New Library and Museum--Some Rare Books--Historical Events in Guildhall--Chaucer in Trouble--Buckingham at Guildhall--Anne Askew's Trial and Death--Surrey--Throckmorton--Garnet--A Grand Banquet 383

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE LORD MAYORS OF LONDON.

The First Mayor of London--Portrait of him--Presentation to the King--An Outspoken Mayor--Sir N. Farindon--Sir William Walworth--Origin of the prefix "Lord"--Sir Richard Whittington and his Liberality--Institutions founded by him--Sir Simon Eyre and his Table--A Musical Lord Mayor--Henry VIII. and Gresham--Loyalty of the Lord Mayor and Citizens to Queen Mary--Osborne's Leap into the Thames--Sir W. Craven--Brass Crosby--His Committal to the Tower--A Victory for the Citizens 396

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE LORD MAYORS OF LONDON (_continued_).

John Wilkes: his Birth and Parentage--The _North Briton_--Duel with Martin--His Expulsion--Personal Appearance--Anecdotes of Wilkes--A Reason for making a Speech--Wilkes and the King--The Lord Mayor at the Gordon Riots--"Soap-suds" _versus_ "Bar"--Sir William Curtis and his Kilt--A Gambling Lord Mayor--Sir William Staines, Bricklayer and Lord Mayor--"Patty-pan" Birch--Sir Matthew Wood--Waithman--Sir Peter Laurie and the "Dregs of the People"--Recent Lord Mayors 410

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE POULTRY.

The Early Home of the London Poulterers--Its Mysterious Desertion--Noteworthy Sites in the Poultry--The Birthplace of Tom Hood, Senior--A Pretty Quarrel at the Rose Tavern--A Costly Sign-board--The Three Cranes--The Home of the Dillys--Johnsoniana--St. Mildred's Church, Poultry--Quaint Epitaphs--The Poultry Compter--Attack on Dr. Lamb, the Conjurer--Dekker, the Dramatist--Ned Ward's Description of the Compter--Granville Sharp and the Slave Trade--Important Decision in favour of the Slave--Boyse--Dunton 416

CHAPTER XXXVII.

OLD JEWRY.

The Old Jewry--Early Settlements of Jews in London and Oxford--Bad Times for the Israelites--Jews' Alms--A King in Debt--Rachel weeping for her Children--Jewish Converts--Wholesale Expulsion of the Chosen People from England--The Rich House of a Rich Citizen--The London Institution, formerly in the Old Jewry--Porsoniana--Nonconformists in the Old Jewry--Samuel Chandler, Richard Price, and James Foster--The Grocers Company--Their Sufferings under the Commonwealth--Almost Bankrupt--Again they Flourish--The Grocers' Hall Garden--Fairfax and the Grocers--A Rich and Generous Grocer--A Warlike Grocer--Walbrook--Bucklersbury 425

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE MANSION HOUSE.

The Palace of the Lord Mayor--The Old Stocks' Market--A Notable Statue of Charles II.--The Mansion House described--The Egyptian Hall--Works of Art in the Mansion House--The Election of the Lord Mayor--Lord Mayor's Day--The Duties of a Lord Mayor--Days of the Year on which the Lord Mayor holds High State--The Patronage of the Lord Mayor--His Powers--The Lieutenancy of the City of London--The Conservancy of the Thames and Medway--The Lord Mayor's Advisers--The Mansion House Household and Expenditure--Theodore Hook--Lord Mayor Scropps--The Lord Mayor's Insignia--The State Barge--The Maria Wood 435

CHAPTER XXXIX.

SAXON LONDON.

A Glance at Saxon London--The Three Component Parts of Saxon London--The First Saxon Bridge over the Thames--Edward the Confessor at Westminster--City Residences of the Saxon Kings--Political Position of London in Early Times--The first recorded Great Fire of London--The Early Commercial Dignity of London--The Kings of Norway and Denmark besiege London in vain--A great _Gemot_ held in London--Edmund Ironside elected King by the Londoners--Canute besieges them, and is driven off--The Seamen of London--Its Citizens as Electors of Kings 447

CHAPTER XL.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

The Jews and the Lombards--The Goldsmiths the first London Bankers--William Paterson, Founder of the Bank of England--Difficult Parturition of the Bank Bill--Whig Principles of the Bank of England--The Great Company described by Addison--A Crisis at the Bank--Effects of a Silver Re-coinage--Paterson quits the Bank of England--The Ministry resolves that it shall be enlarged--The Credit of the Bank shaken--The Whigs to the Rescue--Effects of the Sacheverell Riots--The South Sea Company--The Cost of a New Charter--Forged Bank Notes--The Foundation of the "Three per Cent. Consols"--Anecdotes relating to the Bank of England and Bank Notes--Description of the Building--Statue of William III.--Bank Clearing House--Dividend Day at the Bank 453