ous Paul's Cross.

This famous place was a Pulpit Cross, from which sermons might be
preached in the open air. Several London churches had their open-air
pulpits: notably St. Michael's, Cornhill; St. Mary's Spital, without
Bishopsgate--at this Cross a sermon was preached every Easter to the
Lord Mayor and aldermen. When Paul's Cross was erected is not known: it
probably stood on the site of some scaffold or steps, from which the
people were anciently harangued, for this was the place of the
folk-mote, or meeting of the people. Here were read aloud, and
proclaimed, the King's Laws and Orders: here the people were informed of
War and Peace: here Papal Bulls were read. There was a cross standing
here in the year 1256--very likely it was already ancient. In the year
1387 it was ruinous and had to be repaired. It was again repaired or
rebuilt in 1480. Paul's Cross played a very important part in the
Reformation. Here the 'Rood' of Bexley, which was a crucifix where the
eyes and lips were made to move and the people were taught that it was
miraculous, was exposed and broken to pieces: here the famous images of
Walsingham and Ipswich, the object of so many pilgrimages, were brought
to be broken to pieces before the eyes of the people. Here Latimer
preached, a man of the people who could speak to them in a way to make
them understand. Had it not been for the preaching of Latimer and others
like him in plain language, the Reformation would have been an attempt,
and probably a failure, to enforce upon the people the opinions of
certain scholars. Paul's Cross did not perish in the Fire: it was taken
down in the year 1643, or thereabouts, in order to be rebuilt; but this
was not done, and when the Fire destroyed the Cathedral Paul's Cross was
forgotten. Its site may be seen in the churchyard at the N.E. corner of
the choir, marked by a flat stone, but it must be remembered that the
old church was wider but farther south.

On the south side of Paul's Churchyard we pass in succession the
beautiful Chapter House: the Church of St. Gregory and the Deanery.
Close to the western gate are residences for the Canons, south of the
enclosure are the Cathedral Brewhouse and Bakehouse.

Such are some of the buildings in Paul's Churchyard. The Cathedral
establishment supported a great army of priests and people. For many of
them, perhaps for most, there were residences of some kind either within
the enclosure or close beside it. Thus the pries