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 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY churches, and horses and mules were led through them as if they had been stable-yards."* The revision of the first Prayer Book was already in hand, and in October 1551 a commission was appointed to revise the Canon Law. In both undertakings Bishop Ridley took a prominent part."' The second Prayer Book of Edward VI was issued in April 1552, and appended to it was the Ordinal. In the accompanying Act of Uniformity "^ the laxness of the laity in attending public worship was severely censured. An Act "^ was passed at the same time enjoining the observance of Sundays, Lent, and the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists. Bishop Ridley forbade the keeping of St. George's Day as a holy day in London this year,"' and a May-pole which was set up in Fenchurch parish was destroyed by order of the lord mayor."' During the summer of 1552 the old house of the Grey Friars was converted into the school known as Christ's Hospital, nearly 400 children being admitted in November ; whilst a number of sick and poor persons were provided for in St. Thomas's Hospital, which had been purchased by the City in 1551.'" At the election of the lord mayor, 29 September 1552, a sermon was preached ' instead of the Communion of late years accustomed ;' "' and fresh rules were laid down as to the services to be used when the mayor and alder- men went to St. Paul's."^ The new Prayer Book was used in St. Paul's for the first time on All Saints' Day, the bishop wearing his rochet, and the dean and prebendaries their surplices."' A difficulty arose in connexion with the Church of the Strangers with regard to the clause in the second Act of Uni- formity, which directed that every citizen should attend his own parish church, and Bishop Ridley held a conference with John Alasco on the subject. Meanwhile the strangers were allowed to attend their own church."* At the beginning of 1553 religion was at a very low ebb in London. Probably the citizens were disheartened by the bare and meagre character of the services and by the wholesale robbery of the churches. ' For lack of devotion ' very few parishes had any procession on the Rogation days,"' and no sermon was preached at Paul's Cross on the Monday or Tuesday in Whit- sun week."^ The Bishop of London, in obedience to a mandate from the king, required all his clergy to subscribe to the newly-devised Articles of Doctrine, to which the majority consented ; and also bade them to cause the Catechism to be taught by schoolmasters throughout the diocese."^ In June 1553 ^^^ ^^"g granted to the mayor and corporation nearly all the property of the late Savoy Hospital, for the maintenance of the hospital at Bridewell."' On 19 July 1553 Queen Mary was proclaimed at the cross in Cheapside, ' and from that place,' says Machyn, ' they went unto Paul's, and there was '"* Close, 6 Edw. VI, pt. viii, m. lo*. "" Acts ofP.C. iii, 382. ™ Stat. 5 & 6 Edw. VI, cap. i. '»' Stat. 5 & 6 Edw. VI, cap. 3. "" Monum. Franc. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 236. "" Machyn, Diary (Camd. Soc), 20. "° Sharpe, LonJ. and the Kingd. i, 449-50 ; Stow, Annals ; Wriothesley, Chron. ii, 76, 79, 81 ; Lond, and Midd. Arch. Soc. Proc. 1905, p. 327 ; Speed, Chron. 813-14. '" Wriothesley, Chron. ii, 77. ™ Corp. Rec. Letter Bk. R, fol. 212^. '" Monum. Franc. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 238 ; Wriothesley, Chron. ii, 78. '" Acts ofP.C. iv, 160-1. The same difficulty recurred in Elizabeth's reign ; see below. "° Monum. Franc. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 239. "" Wriothesley, Chron. ii, 84. '" S.P. Dom. Edw. VI, xviii, 25 ; Lond. Epis. Reg. Ridley, fol. 297-300. This was apparently the Catechism published in this year, and generally ascribed to Bishop Ponet ; see Dixon, Hist, of Ch. of Engl, iii, 528-30. '" Pat. 7 Edw. VI. Printed in full in Gtnt. Mag. Lib. ' Topog.' xv, 182-9. I 297 38