Page:VCH London 1.djvu/505

 RELIGIOUS HOUSES Other efforts of the king and archbishop were directed to ensuring more decorous behaviour in the cathedral. Literature and contemporary records prove that men continued to transact business in St. Paul's after the issue of Bray- brook's admonition. '^^ In 1561 Piikington described the condition of the cathedral before the Reformation, and his account appears to have been only slightly exaggerated : the south alley for usury and popery, the north for sorcery, and the horse fair in the midst for all kinds of bargains, meetings, brawlings, murders, conspiracies, and the font for ordinary payments of money, are so well known to all men as the beggar knows his dish.'" The Reformation brought little or no improve- ment. In Queen Mary's reign an act of the Common Council ordered that carriers, and such as led horses, mules, and other beasts, should not make a passage through St. Paul's.^*' A royal proclamation, in the year of Pilkington's descrip- tion, strictly prohibited in the cathedral brawling and fighting, walking, and driving of bargains in time of lectures or services, business appoint- ments, and the thoroughfare of porters.'^^ Still in 1600 it was the meeting-place of the gossips of the town.'^' In 1632 a notice was posted in St. Paul's which by royal order forbade that men should walk about the church in time of service, that children should use it as a play- ground, and that any should carry burdens through it.^^* Charles I supported the chapter against the City. The claim to exempt jurisdiction can be traced in a summons of Sir Nicholas Rainton, lord mayor, before the council, because he had carried his sword in St. Paul's ; an incident which became the subject of an accusation made against Laud at his trial. '*^ In 1638 the dean and chapter petitioned that nothing prejudicial to their liberties and privileges might be inserted in a renewal of charters about to be conceded to the City ; and the king returned a favourable answer.'^" In the period of the Civil War and the Commonwealth there is a complete break in the history of St. Paul's. In October, 1642, the cathedral was closed by order of Parlia- ment. ''' The lord mayor and aldermen were appointed sequestrators of the goods of the dean and chapter ; "" the clergy were deprived, and "^ Shakespeare, 2 Hen. IV, i, 2 ; Cal. of Close, 1341-6, p. 546 ; 1346-9. PP- 275. 364, &c. '«* Works of Piikington (ed. G. Scholefield), 540. "^ Stow, Sarj'. ofLond. (ed. Strype), iii, 169. "* Wilkins, Concilia, iv, 227. "' Cal. S.P. Dom. 1 593-1604, p. 457. '*' Doc.Illus.Hist. ofSi.Paul'iitd.W. S. Simpson),! 3. "» Cal. S.P. Dom. 164 1-3, pp. 550. '^Ibid. 1637-8, pp. 551. 552- »• Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. v, App. 56, 1 6 1. ' Com. jfourn. iii,- 421. I 4 some ot them suffered when they were thrown suddenly on their own resources.'^' In 1643 Dr. Cornelius B urges, a member of the com- mittee for sequestration, was appointed lecturer in St. Paul's ; "^ and an allowance of ;^400 a year from the revenues of the cathedral was bestowed on him. To this the dean's house was added next year."' By the building of a partition wall, part of the choir was arranged for a preaching place in 1649.^ I" 1655-6 an order of council directed that the allowance of the lecturer at St. Paul's should, for the future, be decided by the trustees for the maintenance of ministers."'' This body, in 1657, conferred the lectureship, with a yearly salary oi £120, on Dr. Samuel Annesley."^ The changing fortunes of parties were reflected in the cathedral : in 1647-8 it was the meeting-place of the pro- vincial Presbytery ; "' later it gave shelter to sectaries. A congregation led by Captain Chil- lendon obtained leave to meet in the Stone Chapepoo in 1652-3.201 Three years later it was dissolved ; a riot between soldiers and ap- prentices had been caused by a sermon against the deity of Christ.^"" In 1657-8 some waste ground at the west end of St. Paul's was allowed as the site of a meeting-house for ' John Simpson's congregation.' 2"^ The fabric of the church was at best neglected during these years. The cathedral was used as a barrack in 1647-8, and frequently after that time : 2"* in 1657-8 800 horse were constantly quartered in it.^'^' An order of the council of state, in 1654, devoted the scaffolding which had been set up for the repairs to Crom- well's necessities.^"' Sawpits were dug within the church, many of them over graves ; and the choir stalls and part of the pavement were demolished.20' The council of state directed, in 1 650, that the statues of King James and King Charles should be taken down and broken.^**' In Dug- dale's words, St. Paul's presented ' a woeful spectacle of ruin.' ^' "» Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. vi, App. 22. "* Ibid. 28 ; Rep. vii, App. 49. "' Com. Journ. iii, 421. "« Dugdale, Hist, of St. Paul'%, 172. Cal. S.P. Dom. 1655-6, p. 192. "»Ibid. 1657-8, p. 52. "' Cal. of Clarendon Papers, i, 375. ^ Chapel of St. George. "" CaL of Clarendon Papers, ii, 267 ; Cal S.P. Dom. 1652-3, p. 423. '»' Ibid. 1653-4, P- 204 ; '655. P- 224- '"^ Ibid. 1657-8, pp. 109, 280. of St. Paul's, 172. "«* Cal. S.P. Dom. 1657-8, p. 326. '^ Ibid. 1654, pp. 114, 163. '" Dugdale, Hist, of St. Paul's, 172. '"' CaL S.P. Dom. 1650, p. 261 ; Com. Journ. iv, 413- »"' Dugdale, Hist, of St. Paul's, 172. »7 53
 * "* Cal. of Clarendon Papers, i, 375 ; Dugdale, Hist,