One of them was called the The Fraternity of All Souls, in the Chappel upon the Charnel, founded 1379. This Chappel, in the Reign of Richard II. was gone into great Decay; and from the Time of the Foundation of it, so little had been done in keeping it up, that it became very ruinous: the Windows broken to pieces, and the Altar full of Filth and Cobwebs. "So that none of the Chaplains of divers Chauntries, ordained in the same Chappel by Nobles, and Persons of Quality of the City, could sing there for their Souls for whom they were appointed, and had Charge, to the great shame of all the City." Whereupon the most Excellent and most Benign Lord, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in a Sermon made by him at St. Paul's Cross, declared the Ruin and Decay of the said Chappel: And at the Honour of God, and his Mother, and of all Saints of Heaven, and of all Christian Souls, together with a great Pardon to all the Aiders thereof, he occasioned a Fraternity of All Souls, in relief of the said Chappel. For certain good People of the said City, having Consideration of the said Chappel to the Honour of God, &c. ordained a Chaplain to sing for the Souls of all Christians; and repaired the Chappel well and honestly, firnishing it with divers Ornaments, Vestments, Chalices, and other Necessaries; to the Honour of God and the Holy Church. And that the Chaplains which had Chauntries in the said Chappel, should return to the said Chappel, and there perform their Service, each one for the Souls for which they were bound: So that three or four Masses might be sung from Day to Day in the said Chappel. And at their Cost the same Chappel was amended and repaired. On these Considerations, this Brotherhood of All Souls petitioned the Lord Chancellor, in Richard the Second, his Days, "That it would please his most Noble and most Sage Reverence, upon the Points before said, and because that for the Sermon made by their most Excellent Father in God the Archbishop of Canterbury, the said Fraternity had been founded, and so to this Day had been continued, and not otherwise, to have Consideration to the Foundation of the said Fraternity; that it might not be abolished, for God, and for the Souls of their most noble Progenitors, and in the Work of Charity." The Reason of this Supplication was, because 12. Rich. II. an Account of all the Guilds in London, (and England too, if I mistake not) were required to be brought in before the King, at the Chancery.

This Fraternity, on the Eve of All Souls, met together, in the Chappel over the Charnel House, and there Placebo and Dirige was said, with the other Orisons, for the Souls of all Faithful departed. On the Day of All Souls, at Morning Prayer, when the Bell rung at 7 a Clock, they came together to the Church of Holy Trinity, near Algate; and so from that Place, with a grave Pace, they walk to the foresaid Chappel; numbring their Prayers as they went along, and their secret Crisons; pouring them out vultu cordiali, with a serious Countenance, for the Living and the Dead. And when they had finished that Journey, they attended one Mass for the Dead, most devoutly. At which Mass, the Brothers and Sisters honourably performed Oblations; and so returned Home.]

Moreover, in the Year 1430. the 8th of Henry VI. Licence was granted to Jenkin Carpenter, (Executor to Richard Whittington) to establish upon the said Charnel, a Chaplain, to have eight Marks by the Year.

In this Chappel were buried Robert Barton, and Henry Barton, Maior, and Thomas Mirfin, Maior, all Skinners; and were intombed with their Images of Alabaster over them, grated or coped about with Iron, before the said Chappel; all which was pulled down in the Year 1549. The Bones of the Dead, couched up in a Charnel, under the Chappel, were conveyed from thence into Finsbury Field, (by report of him who paid for the Carriage) amounting to more than One thousand Cart-loads; and there laid on a Moorish Ground, in short space after raised by Soilage of the City upon them, to bear three Wind-Mills. The Chappel and Charnel were converted into Dwelling-houses, Ware-houses, and Sheds for Stationers, builded before it, in place of the Tombs.

In the East part of this Churchyard, standeth Paul's School, lately new builded, and endowed in the Year 1512, by John Collet, Doctor of Divinity, and Dean of Pauls, for 153 poor Mens Children, to be taught free in the same School. For which he appointed a Master, a Surmaster or Usher, and a Chaplain, with large Stipends for ever: Committing the Care and Oversight thereof, to the Masters, Wardens, and Assistants of the Mercers in London; because he was born in London, and was Son to Henry Collet, Mercer, sometime Maior. He left to these Mercers, Lands, to the yearly Value of 120l or better.

Near unto this School, on the North side thereof, was (of old time) a Clochier, or Bellhouse, four square, builded of Stone; and in the same, a most strong Frame of Timber, with four Bells, the greatest that I have heard. These were called Jesus Bells, and belonged to Jesus Chappel, but I know not by whose Gift. The same had a great Spire of Timber, covered with Lead, with the Image of St. Paul on the top; but was pulled down by Sir Miles Partridge, Kt. in the Reign of Henry VIII. The common speech then was, that he did set 100l. upon a Cast at Dice against it, and so won the said Clochier and Bells of the King. And then causing the Bells to be broken as they hung, the rest was pulled down, and broken also. This Man was afterwards Executed on Tower-hill, for Matters concerning the Duke of Somerset, in the Year 1551. the 5th of Edward VI.

In place of this Clochier, of old time, the common Bell of the City was used to be rung, for the assembly of the Citizens to their Folkmotes, as I have before shewed.

About the midst of this Churchyard, is a Pulpit-cross of Timber, mounted upon steps of Stone, and covered with Lead; in which are Sermons preached by learned Divines, every Sunday in the Forenoon. The very Antiquity thereof is to me unknown.

But I read, that in the year 1259. King Henry III. commanded a general Assembly to be made at the Cross; where he, in proper Person, commanded the Maior, that on the next day following, he should cause to be sworn before the Aldermen, every Stripling of Twelve Years of Age, or upward, to be true to the King and his Heirs, Kings of England.

Also in the Year 1262. the same King caused to be read at Paul's Cross, a Bull, obtained from Pope Urban IV. as an Absolution for him, and for all that were sworn to maintain the Articles made in Parliament at Oxford.

Also in the Year 1299. the Dean of Pauls accursed, at Paul's Cross, all those which had searched in the Church of St. Martin in the Field, for an hoord of Gold, &c.