CHAPTER XX

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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

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