about the year 1663, by Mr. William Skelton of St. Giles’s in the
Fields, for the education of fifty poor boys, thirty-five of whom to be
of the parish of St. Giles in the Fields, ten of that of St. Martin in
the Fields, and five of St. Paul’s Covent Garden. The Master has a
salary of 20_l._ two chaldrons of coals, and a gown every year, for
teaching the children reading, writing, and arithmetic, each of whom has
a coat of 6_s._ price every year; and the surplus arising from the
estate is employed in putting them out apprentices. _Maitland._
PARLIAMENT. This great council, which is the highest and most ancient
court of the kingdom, was indifferently denominated by the Saxons,
_Michel Gemote_, and _Witen Gemote_, that is, the great court and
council of wise men. _Coke’s Institutes._
The first mention we find of this court, is on its being held in this
city by Egbert and Withlaf, Kings of Wessex, and Mercia, in the year
833, for deliberating on ways and means to oppose the piratical
invasions, and destructive depredations of the Danes. _Spelman’s
Concilia._
This great council, which was held twice a year before the conquest,
consists of the King, the Lords spiritual and temporal, and the Commons:
the Lords spiritual, consisting of the two Archbishops, and twenty-four
Bishops, sit by virtue of their respective baronies, which they hold in
a political capacity: the Lords temporal, who are created by the King’s
patent, and therefore cannot be reduced to any certain number, sit by
descent, or creation: and the Commons, who amount to 558, consist of
Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, the representatives of the commonalty
of Great Britain; who, by virtue of the King’s writs, are elected by the
several counties, cities, and boroughs.
The power of parliament is so great and extensive, that it makes,
amends, reduces, revives, and abrogates laws, statutes, and ordinances,
concerning matters ecclesiastical, civil, and military. None can begin,
continue, or dissolve this council, but by the King’s authority.
All the members of parliament sat together till the fiftieth of Edward
III. in the year 1377, when the Commons removed to the Chapter-house of
Westminster, in the cloister of the Abbey.
For the distinct privileges, and the manner of proceeding in the houses
of Lords and Commons, see the articles LORDS, and COMMONS.
PARLIAMENT _alley_, Artillery lane.
PARLIAMENT _stairs_, Old Palace yard.☐
PARLIAMENT _stairs alley_, Old Palace yard.
PARLIAMENT _street_, a very handsome and spacious new built street,
adorned with very handsome buildings. It extends from New Palace yard to
the Cockpit.
PARMER’S _yard_, Stony lane.†
PARREY’S _rents_, Portpool lane, Leather lane.†
PARROT _alley_, 1. East Smithfield.* 2. Whitecross street, Old street.*
PARROT’S _rents_, Chequer alley, Whitecross street, Old street.†
PARROT _yard_, Parrot alley, East Smithfield.*
PARSON’S _court_, 1. Bride lane, Fleet street.† 2. White street.†
PARSON’S _rents_, Cow lane, Smithfield.†
PARSON’S _yard_, 1. Fore street, Lambeth.† 2. Shoreditch.
PASSAGE, Lambeth.
PATENT _Office_, Palsgrave Head court, near Temple Bar.
PATER NOSTER _alley_, Pater noster row.
PATER NOSTER _row_, extends from Cheapside to Amen corner. This street was
anciently so called on account of the number of stationers, or writers
who lived there before the invention of the noble art of printing; who
wrote and sold the little books most in use in those times of ignorance,
as alphabets with the Pater noster, the Ave Maria, the Creed and Graces.
In the same place also dwelt the turners of beads for rosaries, who were
also called Pater noster makers. At the end of Pater noster row near
Amen corner is Ave Mary lane, which was also so called from the writers
and beadmakers, who resided there. Pater noster row is still inhabited
by many eminent wholesale booksellers and publishers. _Maitland._ 2.
Dorset street, Spitalfields.
PATIENCE _street_, Anchor street.
PATRICK’S _court_, Houndsditch.†
PATTENMAKERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King
Charles II. in the year 1670; consisting of a Master, two Wardens,
twenty-four Assistants, and forty-six Liverymen, who at their admission
pay a fine of 6_l._ but have no hall.
PATTEN RING _alley_, Maze Pond, near Snow fields.
PAV’D _alley_, 1. Charles’s street, St. James’s. 2. Lime street, by
Leadenhall street. 3. London House yard. 4. Water lane, Black Friars. 5.
White Friars.
PAV’D _court_, 1. Bell Inn yard. 2. Five Feet lane. 3. Fleetwood’s rents.
4. George yard. 5. Green Bank.
PAV’D _entry_, London Wall.
PAVEMENT _row_, Moorfields.
PAVIOURS, a fellowship by prescription, and not by charter.
This company is governed by three Wardens and twenty-five Assistants;
but though they have a coat of arms, they have neither hall nor livery.
PAVIOURS _alley_, Drury lane.
PAVIOURS _court_, Grub street, by Fore street, Moorgate.
PAULIN’S _street_, Hanover street.†
PAULIN’S _wharf_, Durham yard, in the Strand.
PAUL’S _alley_, 1. Fenchurch street. 2. St Paul’s Church yard. 3. Redcross
street. 4. Wood street, Cheapside.
_St._ PAUL’S _Cathedral_, the most magnificent Protestant church in the
world. This edifice has been generally supposed to have been founded in
the place where anciently stood a temple dedicated by the Romans to the
goddess Diana; an opinion derived from the tradition, of the heads of
oxen, the horns of deer, and the tusks of boars having been commonly dug
up there; but as Sir Christopher Wren in clearing the foundations of
this ancient structure, found none of these, he justly discredited the
opinion, and his son, in his _Parentalia_, has given a different account
of the origin of the ancient edifice.
[Illustration:
_S^t. Paul’s_
_S. Wale delin._ _E. Rooker sculp._
]
This gentleman observes, that the first cathedral of the episcopal see
of London was built in the area, where had been the Roman Prætorian
camp, and in the situation on which all the succeeding fabrics stood:
but that this structure was demolished during the great and general
persecution under the Emperor Dioclesian. This persecution was however
short, the church is supposed to have been re-edified under Constantine;
but it was afterwards destroyed by the Pagan Saxons, and restored again
upon the old foundations, when they embraced Christianity in the seventh
century, when Sebert, King of Essex, advanced Mellitus to the bishopric
of London.
In 675, we find Erkenwald the fourth Bishop of London from Mellitus,
expending great sums of money in repairing and beautifying the ancient
edifice, augmenting its revenues, and procuring for it the most
considerable privileges from the Pope and the Saxon princes then
reigning: for these works the Bishop was canonized at his death, and his
body placed in a glorious shrine above the high altar in the east part
of the church, where this shrine remained the admiration of succeeding
ages, till the fatal destruction of the whole fabric by fire.
This catastrophe happened in the year 961; and as it was rebuilt the
same year, it is highly probable, that these early structures, how
magnificent soever they might then be thought, were only small wooden
buildings.
During the Saxon heptarchy, this church flourished extremely; Kenrad
King of Mercia declared it as free in all its rights, as he himself
desired to be at the day of judgment; Athelstan endowed it with fifteen
lordships; Edgar, with two; and Egleflede his wife with two more; all
which were confirmed by the charters of Ethelred and Canute, which
solemnly imprecate curses on all who dare to violate it.
The next benefactor to this church was Edward the Confessor; but at the
Norman invasion, which soon followed, some of its revenues were seized
by the Conqueror; but he was no sooner seated on the throne, than he
caused full restitution to be made; and even confirmed all its rights,
privileges and immunities, in the amplest manner; with benedictions upon
those who should augment its possessions, and solemn imprecations upon
all who should violate any of the charters made in its favour.
In that reign, however, a dreadful fire consumed it a second time, and
by this conflagration, which happened in 1086, the greatest part of this
city was also laid in ashes: but this destruction served to make way for
a more magnificent building, than had ever yet been applied to the
purposes of devotion in this kingdom. Maurice, then Bishop of London,
having undertaken this great work, obtained of the King the old stones
of a spacious castle in the neighbourhood called the Palatine Tower,
situated near the river Fleet; but though he lived twenty years, and
prosecuted the work with uncommon earnestness, yet he left the
completion of what he had begun to succeeding generations.
The successor of this Bishop followed his example, and even applied the
whole revenue of his see towards the advancement of this great work; but
like the former left it unfinished; after which it is supposed to have
been compleated by lay persons; but at what time, or in what manner, is
no where mentioned. Indeed William Rufus, who succeeded the Conqueror,
is said to have exempted all ships entering the river Fleet with stone
or other materials for the new cathedral, from toll and custom; and it
is not improbable that he might take this structure under his own
particular direction.
But notwithstanding the length of time, and the great expence bestowed
upon this church, it had not long been compleated, when it was thought
not sufficiently magnificent; the steeple was therefore rebuilt and
finished about the year 1221; and then Roger Niger being promoted to the
see of London in 1229, proceeding with the choir compleated it in 1240,
and solemnly consecrated it afresh the same year, in the presence of the
King, the Pope’s Legate, and many Lords both spiritual and temporal.
The spacious and magnificent edifice of St. Paul’s cathedral, being thus
finished, a survey was taken of it, by which its dimensions appear to
have been as follows. The length of the body of the church was 690 feet;
the breadth 130; the height of the roof of the west part within 102
feet; that of the east 88; and that of the body 150; the height of the
tower from the ground was 260 feet; from whence rose a wooden spire
covered with lead 274 feet in length; on the top of which was a ball
nine feet one inch in circumference. This was crowned with a cross that
was fifteen feet in length, and the traverse six feet.
The ornaments of this cathedral exceeded those of every other church in
the kingdom. The high altar stood between two columns, adorned with
precious stones, and surrounded with images most beautifully wrought,
and covered with a canopy of wood curiously painted with the
representation of Saints and Angels.
The new shrine of St. Erkenwald stood on the east side of the wall above
the high altar, and was adorned with gold, silver, and precious stones;
but not being thought sufficiently rich, in 1339 three goldsmiths of
London were retained by the Dean and Chapter to work upon it a whole
year, at the end of which its lustre was so great, that Princes, Nobles,
Ambassadors, and other foreigners of rank flocked from all parts to
visit it, and to offer their oblations before it: among these we find
all the rings and jewels of Walter de Thorp, and the best saphire stone
of Richard de Preston; which last was applied to the curing of
infirmities of the eyes, and proclamation of its virtues was made by the
express will of the donor.
The picture of St. Paul finely painted, was placed in a wooden
tabernacle on the right side of the high altar, and was esteemed a
masterly performance.
Against a pillar in the body of the church, stood a beautiful image of
the Virgin Mary; and that a lamp might be continually kept burning
before it, and an anthem sung every day, John Burnet, Bishop of Bath and
Wells, bequeathed a handsome estate.
In the center stood a large cross, and towards the north door a crucifix
at which offerings were made, that greatly increased the revenue of the
Dean and Canons.
The last piece of ornament we shall mention, was the fine dial belonging
to the great clock, which being visible to all who passed by, care was
taken that it should appear with the utmost splendor, and in particular
an angel pointed to the hour.
Under this cathedral was a parish church called St. Faith’s, in which
several persons of distinction were formerly interred: but no records
remain that mention the time when divine worship was performed in it.
St. Paul’s cathedral was encompassed with a wall about the year 1109,
which extended from the north east corner of Ave Mary lane, eastward
along Pater noster row, to the north end of the Old Change in Cheapside;
whence it ran southward to Carter lane, and passing on the north side of
it to Creed lane, turned up to Ludgate street. To this wall there were
six gates, the principal of which was situated near the end of Creed
lane in Ludgate street. The second was at St. Paul’s alley in Pater
noster row, the third at Canon alley; the fourth, called the Little
gate, was situated at the entrance into Cheapside; the fifth, called St.
Austin’s, led to Watling street; and the sixth fronted the south gate of
the church near St. Paul’s chain.
Within the north side of this enclosure was situated in the middle of
the church yard, a pulpit cross, at which sermons were preached weekly;
and here was held the folkmote, or general convention of the citizens.
Facing this cross stood the charnel, in which the bones of the dead were
decently piled up together, a thousand loads whereof were removed to
Finsbury fields in the reign of Edward VI. and there laid in a moorish
place, with so much earth to cover them, as raised a considerable mount,
on which was erected three windmills to stand upon.
On the north west corner of the church yard, was the episcopal palace,
contiguous to which on the east was a cemetery denominated Pardon Church
Haw, where Gilbert Becket erected a chapel in the reign of King Stephen.
See PARDON CHURCH.
On the east of the church yard was a clochier or bell tower by St.
Paul’s school; wherein were four great bells, called Jesus bells, from
their belonging to Jesus chapel in St. Faith’s church; but these,
together with a fine image of St. Paul on the top of the spire, being
won by Sir Miles Partridge, Knt. of Henry VIII. at one cast of the dice,
were by that gentleman taken down and sold.
It may not be improper here to take notice of the celebration of divine
service, the obsequies, anniversaries and chauntries particularly
belonging to this cathedral: as to the first, Richard Clifford, Bishop
of London, in 1414, with the consent of the Dean and Chapter, ordained
that from thence forward it should be altered from the old form, and
made conformable to the church of Salisbury, and other cathedrals within
this kingdom.
The performance of obsequies for great persons deceased, was however
retained as a peculiar privilege of this cathedral, from whence great
profits arose. Indeed “the state and order observed on these occasions,”
says Sir William Dugdale, “was little inferior to that used at the
funerals of those great personages; the church and choir being hung with
black, and escutcheons of their arms; their herses set up in wonderful
magnificence, adorned with rich banner rolls, &c. and environed with
barriers; having chief mourners and assistants, accompanied by several
Bishops and Abbots in their proper habits; the Ambassadors of foreign
Princes, many of our Nobility, the Knights of the Garter, the Lord
Mayor, and the several Companies of London, who all attended with great
devotion at these ceremonies.” This author adds a list of Emperors,
Empresses, and Kings performed in this cathedral.
As to anniversaries, those of the conversion and commemoration of St.
Paul, the consecration of the church, and the canonization of St.
Erkenwald, were the principal. It is very remarkable, with respect to
the first of these anniversaries, that Sir William le Baud, Knt. in the
third year of Edward I. granted a good fat doe annually on the day of
the conversion of St. Paul, and a good fat buck upon the day of
commemoration, which till the reign of Queen Elizabeth were received
with great formality at the steps of the choir, by the Canons cloathed
in their sacred vestments, with garlands of flowers on their heads.
Camden, who was an eye witness of this solemnity, says, that the horns
of the buck were carried on a spear in procession round the inside of
the church, the men blowing horns, &c. and then the buck being offered
at the high altar, a shilling was ordered by the Dean and Chapter for
the entertainment of the servants who brought it, and this concluded the
ceremony.
The anniversaries of the consecration and canonization, were celebrated
at the public expence: but there were other anniversaries of a private
nature, provided for by particular endowments, as that of Sir John
Poultney, Knt. who had been four times Lord Mayor of London, and
assigned annual salaries to all who bore office about the church,
together with an allowance of 6_s._ 8_d._ to the Lord Mayor, 5_s._ to
the Recorder; 6_s._ 8_d._ to the two Sheriffs; 3_s._ 4_d._ to the Common
Crier; 6_s._ 8_d._ to the Lord Mayor’s serjeants, and 6_s._ 8_d._ to the
Master of the college of St. Laurence Poultney, provided they were
present at his anniversary; but if any were absent, their share were to
be distributed to the poor. There were many other anniversaries of the
same kind.
The chauntries founded by men of condition for the maintenance of one or
two priests, to celebrate divine service daily, for the release from
purgatory of their souls, the souls of their dearest friends and
relations, and of all the faithful deceased; but these were in a short
time increased to such a degree, and the endowments were so slender,
that so early as the reign of Richard II. Bishop Baybroke caused
forty-four of them to be united into one solemn service.
Having thus taken a transient survey of this magnificent edifice, in its
flourishing state, with all its appendages, we shall now view its
decline, and trace this venerable Gothic structure to its final
destruction.
The first remarkable misfortune that befel it was in 1444, when about
two o’clock in the afternoon, its lofty wooden spire was fired by
lightning; but by the assiduity of the citizens, it was soon seemingly
extinguished: however to their great surprise and terror it broke out
again with redoubled fury at about nine o’clock at night; but by the
indefatigable pains of the Lord Mayor and citizens, it was at last
effectually extinguished. The damage was not however fully repaired till
the year 1462, when the spire was compleated, and a beautiful fane of
gilt copper in the form of an eagle was placed upon it.
About an hundred years after this accident, another of the same kind
happened to it, generally attributed to the same cause, but much more
fatal in its consequences; the fire consuming not only the fine spire,
but the upper roof of the church, and that of the aisles for in the
space of four hours it burnt all the rafters, and every thing else that
was combustible: but though it was universally believed that this fire
was occasioned by lightning, yet, Dr. Heylin says, that an ancient
plumber confessed at his death, that it was occasioned through his
negligence in carelessly leaving a pan of coals in the steeple, while he
went to dinner, which taking hold of the dry timber in the spire, was
got to such a height at his return, that he judged it impossible to
quench it, and therefore concluded it would be more consistent with his
safety, not to contradict the common report.
This calamity was followed by a general contribution among the clergy,
nobility, great officers of state, the city of London, and the Queen
herself, who gave a thousand marks in gold towards its speedy repair,
with a warrant for a thousand loads of timber to be cut in any of her
woods, wherever it should be found most convenient; so that in five
years time, the timber roofs were entirely finished, and covered with
lead, the two largest being framed in Yorkshire, and brought by sea; but
some difference in opinion arising about the model of the steeple, that
part of the work was left unattempted; and it was never after rebuilt;
for upon raising the roofs the walls were found to be so much damaged by
the fire, that it was judged necessary to make a general repair of the
whole building; but this was deferred for a long time.
At length Mr. Henry Farley, after above eight years earnest solicitation
of King James I. prevailed on his Majesty to interpose in order to
prevent the ruin of this venerable fabric, when that Prince, considering
of what importance appearances are in the promotion of public zeal,
caused it to be rumoured abroad, that on Sunday the 26th of March 1620,
he would be present at divine service in St. Paul’s cathedral.
Accordingly at the day appointed, his Majesty came thither on horseback
in all the pomp of royalty, attended by the principal nobility and great
officers of his court, and was met by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and
Livery in their formalities, who, upon the King’s alighting at the great
west door, joined in the procession. When his Majesty entered the
church, he kneeled near the brazen pillar, where he prayed for success;
and then was received under a canopy, supported by the Dean and
Residentiaries, the rest of the Prebends and Dignitaries, with the whole
company of singing men advancing before him to the choir, which, on this
occasion, was richly adorned with hangings. Here he heard an anthem, and
then proceeded to the cross, where Dr. King, Bishop of London, preached
a sermon suitable to the occasion, from a text given him by his Majesty,
in Psalm cii. 13, 14. and this sermon was afterwards circulated with
considerable effect through the whole kingdom. After divine service was
ended, his Majesty and the whole court were splendidly entertained at
the Bishop’s palace, where a consultation was held, in which it was
agreed to issue a commission under the great seal, directed to the
principal personages in the kingdom, empowering them to consider of the
necessary repairs, and to raise money for carrying them into execution.
But tho’ the commissioners afterwards met to prosecute this enquiry,
yet, as it was found that the ruin of the Bishop and principal
Dignitaries of the cathedral was chiefly aimed at, the whole affair came
to nothing.
However, in the succeeding reign another commission was obtained for the
same purpose, by the assiduity of Archbishop Laud, which was attended
with better success; so that in 1632, Inigo Jones, his Majesty’s
Surveyor-general, was ordered to begin there pairs at the south east
end, and to bring them along by the south to the west end.
That celebrated architect prosecuted the work with such diligence, that
in nine years time, the whole was finished both within and without,
except the steeple, which was intended to be entirely taken down, and a
magnificent portico of the Corinthian order, was also erected at the
west end, at the sole expence of King Charles I. ornamented with the
statues of his royal father and himself.
Every thing being now in readiness for erecting the steeple and spire,
which were to be of stone, an estimate was made of the money
contributed, and that already expended in repairs; whereby it appeared
that 101,330_l._ 4_s._ 8_d._ had been received into the chamber of
London on this account, and but 35,551_l._ 2_s._ 4_d._ paid out, so that
there appeared to be a fund in hand sufficient to erect it in the most
magnificent manner: but the flames of civil war soon after breaking out,
a period was put to this great design.